Will Soccer ever take over AFL?

[Ben the Gooner]

With media satellites, internet live streaming, we are all in one big community. Look at the buzz Adelaide United got for the Asian Cup. Imagine when Real Madrid, Man U and Boca Juniors come for games that really mean something (not cr*ppy end-of-season tours).

When's that going to happen?

I'm a passionate Association Football fan, I follow Arsenal and the Victory very closely.

But Aussie Rules Football is always number one for me. I didn't go to the Juventus game in order to watch Essendon on TV. I think most "bicodal" fans are the same.

Association Football will definitely come close, but it will never pip Aussie Rules for the main focus.

 

[bomba4eva]

Well the AFL is giving soccer and other sports a huge opportunity to make inroads because our game, the game we all grew up with and love does not exist anymore.
Australian Rules Football was a game played about 20 years ago.
The AFL is a mix between Aussie Rules, Netball, Gaelic Football and Rugby.

While we continue to panda to the softies of society and make the game a game it was not designed to be then I think Soccer will take over a lot quicker than it should.

The only hope for a game called Australian Rules Football to survive long term and come out of hibernation is a break away comp and that is not going to happen.

Most people follow the AFL simply because its the only game which resembles Australian Rules Football, not because it is Australian Rules Football.

What garbage. Sure the game would be better without the chopping of the arms rule and the hands in the back rule but other then that the game is fine. Stop trying to be so dramatic. Rubbish post.

 

[Wallaby]

When's that going to happen?

Currently, the top sides in Europe play in the European Cup and UEFA Cup - and these are the most important games they play. There is a similar thing in South America (is that the Copa Libertadore? Not sure) - and of course we have the Asian Cup. There is an African Cup as well.

So there are major club competitions across the globe spanning continents. Eventually, there will be world-wide club comps for the best sides. When that happens, we will get Man U etc coming down for games.

Sure, the club supporters may prefer the 'regular Saturday match against the Old Rival' but guess what? Sponsors don't. TV Rights don't. Media doesn't. They all want the big world-wide production.

Sport competitions are growing around the world - spreading the word. No one outside Australia is listening to AFL.

I've got no timeframe - more than 20 years for this vision to get established at least. But the biggest sporting events in Australia then are likely to be club soccer matches. Maybe only a dozen or so per year.

 

[Mental Magpie]

Get with the program guys.

It's not called "the world game" for nothing!

AFL will always have it's place in our society and culture, but Soccer will become the biggest game in Australia.

It already boast more participants than all the other football codes combined.

Don't get me wrong, my beloved Magpies will always be No:1 to me, and will continue to pack the G to the rafters for eternity.

I just don't understand what all the fuss is about. The codes can co-exist regardless of which code has bragging rights about who's bigger.

Look at Rugby League and AFL, our (AFL) worst crowds are generally double that of the League.

Anyhow; that's my two bobs worth.

Fact of the matter is, "it just don't matter"

 

[gostk86]

socceroos are eaily now the most popular Australian sporting team....but passion for soccer isnt there like AFL and Rugby League..
soccer has always had the juniors but that doesnt hasnt helped them

AFL and League are dominate week to week sports...union and soccer are for internationals...

RU is the sport under threat at a domestic level if aleague crowds were to go up

 

[that_dood]

Currently, the top sides in Europe play in the European Cup and UEFA Cup - and these are the most important games they play. There is a similar thing in South America (is that the Copa Libertadore? Not sure) - and of course we have the Asian Cup. There is an African Cup as well.

So there are major club competitions across the globe spanning continents. Eventually, there will be world-wide club comps for the best sides. When that happens, we will get Man U etc coming down for games.

Sure, the club supporters may prefer the 'regular Saturday match against the Old Rival' but guess what? Sponsors don't. TV Rights don't. Media doesn't. They all want the big world-wide production.

Sport competitions are growing around the world - spreading the word. No one outside Australia is listening to AFL.

I've got no timeframe - more than 20 years for this vision to get established at least. But the biggest sporting events in Australia then are likely to be club soccer matches. Maybe only a dozen or so per year.

Stop dreaming buddy. Will never happen. And if it does it wouldn't be Man U and Barcelona. It would be new franchises in a completely seperate league which would also be seperate from FIFA. FIFA would never start a "Worldwide League".

 

[GO EAGLES]

Well the AFL is giving soccer and other sports a huge opportunity to make inroads because our game, the game we all grew up with and love does not exist anymore.
Australian Rules Football was a game played about 20 years ago.
The AFL is a mix between Aussie Rules, Netball, Gaelic Football and Rugby.

While we continue to panda to the softies of society and make the game a game it was not designed to be then I think Soccer will take over a lot quicker than it should.

The only hope for a game called Australian Rules Football to survive long term and come out of hibernation is a break away comp and that is not going to happen.

Most people follow the AFL simply because its the only game which resembles Australian Rules Football, not because it is Australian Rules Football.

great post - you are on the money.

 

[twentydollarnote]

Soccer could and should be a lot better than it is but it will take a couple of centuries to get the divisions out of the game. AFL will always be number 1 down south and league will always be number 1 up north, soccer a distant 2nd in both markets.

 

[twentydollarnote]

great post - you are on the money.

yes we should all stay in the dark ages...

 

[James23]

If you believe that you're in a fool's paradise. John Aliosi as a soccer player earns more than any AFL player, and he's here in Australia. You also assume kids will never be inspired to be the next kewell or Swarzer b/c they are overseas? How does that work?

Remember also soccer does not equal A-league.

Instead, think of A-league as your VFL. The big league in soccer is now the socceroos, and also the Asian Champions League with $16 million prize money which you probably know very little about. The A-league is only a stepping stone to bigger things, who gives a stuff what the crowds are like.

Also, why is it forgotten that AFL crowds have fallen for all teams except the five main Melb clubs. These AFL teams get crowd numbers that are laughable: Port Adelaide, Freemantle, Sydney, kangaroos in Sydney, Melbourne. These crowds will continue to fall. If AFL is the juggernaught its supposed to be, why don't these games get over a measly 20,000?

John Aloisi is not even remotely close to being a superstar in soccer. He's just an average player on the world scene and the only reason he'd bring people through the gates (which he's not - look at Sydney FCs home crowds this year) is because he scored the final penalty in the WCQ. He is also in the twilight of his career and players even at his mediocre ability would never consider about spending their career playing in Australia - theres simply too many dollars overseas.

We have the best of the best playing AFL - the elite, the superstars with flare. These will never be seen in the A-league except for the has-beens who are on the wrong side of 30.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Currently, the top sides in Europe play in the European Cup and UEFA Cup - and these are the most important games they play. There is a similar thing in South America (is that the Copa Libertadore? Not sure) - and of course we have the Asian Cup. There is an African Cup as well.

So there are major club competitions across the globe spanning continents. Eventually, there will be world-wide club comps for the best sides. When that happens, we will get Man U etc coming down for games.

Sure, the club supporters may prefer the 'regular Saturday match against the Old Rival' but guess what? Sponsors don't. TV Rights don't. Media doesn't. They all want the big world-wide production.

Sport competitions are growing around the world - spreading the word. No one outside Australia is listening to AFL.

I've got no timeframe - more than 20 years for this vision to get established at least. But the biggest sporting events in Australia then are likely to be club soccer matches. Maybe only a dozen or so per year.

No chance.

 

[The_ General]

It would take a monumental change in the national landscape for Association Football to ever take over from Australian Rules Football in this country.

And its great that someone actually recognizes is by its correct name.

In its constitution, 'Soccer' is formally known as Association Football. Its there in black and white, written in the official rule book.

The real funny thing is, is how fanatical fans, that insist that it is the only game that should be known as football, get when you point this out to them. It really upsets them because they know you are right.

 

[Chuq]

Asian Champions League is little more than a FIFA marketing tool. i love they way thy turn up the crowd mics during the coverage, and have the cameras up high so you can't see the empty sands.

turn the mics up? Well if the crowd is making noise, isn't that normal?

And the A-League, with its returning aussies and winding-down "marquis" players appears, to more of a stepping down stone than a stepping up one.

David Carney, Jade North, Nick Carle, Archie Thompson, Joel Griffiths?

as you point out, nobody with any talent would stay in the a-league if they had the choice. incidentally, has australia's highest paid footballer bothered the net yet?

Not sure what you are trying to say in that last sentence, but Australia's highest paid footballer would be John Aloisi on $1.4m a year at Sydney FC.

 

[Chuq]

Who's going to hold up soccer in Australia when Lowy dies?

He forks out a crap load of money for the game here but he's 80 and can't do it forever. Fair bit of pressure on Buckley to perform by himself post Lowy.

Actually Lowy has put very little of his own money into the sport.

He owned a part of Sydney FC, but has recently sold his share to Russion millionaire David Traktovenko.

FFA and the A-League are entirely self reliant.

Westfield does sponsor women's football (the W-League and the Matildas) but there is also a significant amount of federal government funding in those as well.

With people like Traktovenko and Queenslands richest man Clive Palmer (Gold Coast United FC) getting involved, I don't think people need to think that the sport is reliant solely on Lowy.

 

[Riggy1]

Not sure what you are trying to say in that last sentence, but Australia's highest paid footballer would be John Aloisi on $1.4m a year at Sydney FC.

this leaves $450,000 for the rest of the team.

 

[The Fireman]

If soccer overtook the great game of Australian rules football and I could no longer watch it I would become a lawn bowls fanatic, would be much more enjoyable than....ugh..soccer.
But it won't happen, our code is far superior as far as a spectator sport.
It has been said many times , soccer wouldn't exist if our game had been invented at the same place and time as.....ugh....soccer.

actually everytime I say "soccer" I get this insatiable urge to roll around the floor like a nancy boy holding my leg screaming.

 

[eldorado]

Just a quick note.

While we are all saying "No way will it take over from football" as the water-cooler sport, they are saying the same thing in NSW and Quensland, but they are talking about league.

Up there, it's AFL that is nowhere on the radar...well, about as much as Storm is here, I guess

So soccer/football probably is not a realistic threat to be the #1 media sport in Australia in either AFL or League territory, but could certainly become the only Australia-wide mainstream code.

Not in our generation, though, I wouldn't think.

 

[Macca19]

Get with the program guys.

It's not called "the world game" for nothing!

It already boast more participants than all the other football codes combined.

And? It has done since I was in primary school 17 years ago but it hasnt helped it in anyway.

I just don't understand what all the fuss is about. The codes can co-exist regardless of which code has bragging rights about who's bigger.

If the A-League stays as a summer league then there is no reason why it wont grow considerably from where it is now, but if it swaps to become a winter league then I cant see it overtaking AFL at all...not unless we start winning World Cups.

 

[speedpeck23]

Soccer is a great intro game for AFL. Easier to kick the ball,encourages team play.....The bigger more athletic kids with better hand eye co-ordination will move on to play footy. Asocc footy will be good Aussie footy.....both will get bigger.

 

[Chuq]

this leaves $450,000 for the rest of the team.

Not familiar with the marquee player concept I guess?

 

[eldorado]

.easier to kick the ball,

Not sure about that

I've played both. It equally easy to kick both...to a basic standard, and equally difficult to kick them to a professional level.

 

[Chuq]

If the A-League stays as a summer league then there is no reason why it wont grow considerably from where it is now, but if it swaps to become a winter league then I cant see it overtaking AFL at all...not unless we start winning World Cups.

I don't expect it would swap to a winter league. Not only would stadium availability be a problem and the weather be worse, but the league would clash with the World Cup, Asian Cup and Olympics. With the huge number of international football competitions, both club and country, there has to be some degree of organisation in this regard.

 

[Guus_Hiddink]

I wont even bother reading the replies because its been done to death and you cant have a proper debate on this biased website, so ill sum up what I think below:

- Soccer wont take over, not in my lfietime
- Soccer will however grow if the FFA runs things properly
- Soccer will take a slice of the "market share" away
- Soccer a bigger threat to the Rugby codes and cricket than AFL
- AFL too established culturally to just disappear, people will resist
- Most likely outcome will be co-existance between codes

 

[speedpeck23]

Not sure about that

I've played both. It equally easy to kick both...to a basic standard, and equally difficult to kick them to a professional level.

I'm talking about kids learning to kick...No prizes for guessing which is easier.

 

[Pie eyed]

Heard on SEN a few minutes ago. They asked the question to calls with Australia Government in putting heaps of money into the bid of the World Cup. Will Soccer ever take over AFL as the most popular sport? It was 50/50. Some callers said 5 to 10 years I think AFL will always be the most popular sport in Australia with soccer you don't always see the best soccer stars and if they do come over to Australia there going to be poached for more money overseas. Australians breath and live Footy.

Soccer. or as they would have us all call it, Football, goes cap in hand to the Government at every opportunity to help raise it's profile in Australia.
While I have no antagonism to Soccer per see I think it would be better to just give the money to the homeless.
Soccer will only ever be popular with those who have been indoctrinated to accept a soft, tedious and all together actionless frolic as a sport of any worth. I like my sport with at least some kind of hint of battle. Of physical combat.

Soccer does not cut it. It goes in the Basketball, Softball, Darts category.
Take away the merchandising and it's just little boys down the park hoping they don't hurt themselves and cry.