SEN SportSENtral > Opinion > Opinion Display

Calling on fans

8.18AM 8-9-2010

By Tim Watson

This is an S.O.S call to the World Game fans.

We are constantly told that this is the biggest game in the world.

Why is it then that the fans of the world game are not showing enough interest in the domestic competition?

Four of the eleven A-League teams are in financial strife.

The new Heart team, our adopted team, had just over four thousand fans at its game on the weekend.

This is starting to get on the smelly side.

Now, I don't want to kick the game in the head. That's not what this is about. This country, in my humble opinion, needs a strong domestic competition.

But where is the support? Where are the fans?

Do we just love the overseas stuff, and the Socceroos occasionally?

Comments

Posted by George at 8.24PM 19-11-2010

Timmy, you are cleverley kicking the game in the head but you won't succeed. Live against the gate every game, doesn't help the A-League crowds but the game is growing in all areas all the time and the reality is that the media coverage is still very poor. Once football gets on free to air and the socceroos get on the anti-siphoning list, amd once West Sydney team comes in and when we get the world cup, the game will grow another leg quickly. Football is the only sport that does get kicked in the head becuase other codes see it as a threat. Also, make no mistake the standard is rising and we have had some very good games in the A-League this season. Clever Timmy, but not clever enough.

Posted by Judy at 8.31AM 9-11-2010

Andrew, Jelly snakes for players and parents can be a real winner. (Regardless of win or loss)

Posted by alastair nicholson at 6.53PM 8-11-2010

If all teams played attacking, exciting football like Brisbane, crowds would be well up. They don't, so people stay away. Simple.

Posted by Maurice Giampetrone at 3.06PM 14-9-2010

Jarrod. Aussie rules would have to be the most over rated game in the world. On a global scale jarrod it will never be more than just a mickey mouse game.

Posted by Jarrod at 11.49AM 9-9-2010

Derek. Soccer is a Mickey mouse sport in this country, the country you reside in. You can complain sen gives AFL too much time all you like, but at the end of the day, it's what the majority want to hear more often. You are NEVER going to have soccer become more than a dinky little side show when you and your other soccer fans start bagging the AFL... Supporters like myself of the victory (but a life long geelong supporter) will simply give it up, crowds will be poor and it will die! I am a Victory member, but when we hear people like you, trying to pump up your "world game" Mickey mouse sport stuff, it makes me think, why the hell am i giving this soccer thing a go? If soccer fans think they are going to get all their supporters from non-AFL or NRL bacgrounds, they have missed the mark completely. Then the competitive person in me will say cop that Derek, get out of my country if you want your world game to rule supreme in the country you live in.

Posted by Luke at 6.38PM 8-9-2010

I just think AFL is the the number one sport in Australia and it always will be. We dont report much on soccer around the world because its not relevant to most. I try my hardest to get into soccer but in terms of excitement it lacks compared to AFL. I like Melbourne Victory but I cant be stuffed going to watch them.

Posted by derek at 3.44PM 8-9-2010

i listened to your show on wed 8/9/10 and have come to realise that sen is not a sport show but an afl show the bias you show towards afl to the detriment of every other sport is a joke in itself, you were asked to read out the euro results by a listener and your indignation wass there for all to see if its not afl dont bother you then proceeded to interview a hockeyroo which is fine but dont you think the biggest game in the world deserves some air time (obviously not)so you can stick your station and your cross country wrestling where the sun dont shine as i and probably a lot of other real football fans wont be giving your biased station the time of day so have your little mickey mouse game and feel that it is important as a sports event and enjoy.

Posted by Nick from Hillside at 1.14PM 8-9-2010

Simply, Too EXPENSIVE. Victory and Heart charge $25 for general Admin. I went and saw Carlton v Hawks this year only $20. These clubs need to have a good look at themselves at the overpriced tickets they are selling. General Admin needs to be dropped down to $15. Otherwise most fans will continue to watch it on tv.

Posted by Oscar at 8.46AM 8-9-2010

I would like to show my discussed in comments by callers regarding the standard of the A-league. If you have been watching the A-league from day one, as i have, you can see the standard has lifted significantly. Every year players are being filtered out by the increasing standard. The one reason why a large percent of people are not supporting our current league is because of the elimination of ethnic driven rubbish in the game. You asked where are the supporters, I’ll tell you were they are week in week out.... sitting at home watching the A-league on TV wishing their ethnic club was a part of this great league.

Posted by FootyWiffaJ at 8.32AM 8-9-2010

Where do you start? I am a Victory Member. Yet to go to a Victory game this year but did go to the Heart game Saturday night. I could list probably 10+ reasons as to why I believe people don't go to games but in my case it is often simply that it is hard to build true passion for a club after only a few years. There isn't any opposition clubs I hate or have strong feelings about, which also builds some sort of passion. Lack of any real passion means that when choosing between going to a game or doing something else, often the doing something else is more appealing.