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Expansion Thread

A funny thought.... It might actually be a blessing in disguise that the big NPL clubs, South and the like, not being in the A-League will actually help connect the pyramid. Stay with me here...

If South, Preston etc. were in the A-League, I don't think a national second tier gets off the ground. And without an NST, the pyramid never gets connected. The big boys in an NST is a great thing for where our football is at right now. Exciting times.
Thats NOT a bad call... It certainly was South, Preston and a few others what have been pushing for a second division the loudest....
 
Marketing is all social media based these days. Eyeballs are on phones so that's where the marketing is focused. The days of stumbling onto information are long gone. If you're not following a club and/or league on socials, or actively follow a club in general it's unlikely you're going to see any marketing. If you don't watch Channel 10 or Paramount+ you're not going to see any marketing. The clubs are pretty active on the socials.

In that case how are we supposed to attract fans who don't follow a club/the league?

My work is office based, so the radio is on all day, and I hear ads for the cricket, AFL and NBL, never A-league. Even things like billboards on the side of the road would make a slight difference.

Agree with the social media, all clubs very active.
 
Thats NOT a bad call... It certainly was South, Preston and a few others what have been pushing for a second division the loudest....

Not familiar with the Melbourne football scene, would Souths take many/if any Victory supporters if they were in the same league?

Also, what changed with Preston, I believe they were in the third tier not too long ago? Was it simply one or two Makedonian blokes digging in to there own pockets?
 
yep great crowd, derby is derby.
What about general games that make up most of the season, SFC are the exception atm that we see posted here re crowd avg's.
Money isn't the answer imo, whats money got to do getting more people to turn up week after week to their home games.
People turn up because they want to see a show/performance on the pitch and the atmosphere, hence the derby being successful despite the form of either side.
Each club does their marketing week in week out.
It doubled SFC's general avg these people don't turn up for any other game generally.
Leadership, well thats what it is/have, proper leadership can you elaborate ?
The problems with crowds is to do with geography, in general. Australia is too big to have big away supports in the grounds. Last week WSFC only had about 7000 at Allianz, well down on ten seasons ago. ( not down to geography) You are never going to get 2-3000, say, Brisbane supporters travelling around Australia, as they maybe would in the UK , for instance, instead you get about 50 people, which detracts from a decent atmosphere.
 
The problems with crowds is to do with geography, in general. Australia is too big to have big away supports in the grounds. Last week WSFC only had about 7000 at Allianz, well down on ten seasons ago. ( not down to geography) You are never going to get 2-3000, say, Brisbane supporters travelling around Australia, as they maybe would in the UK , for instance, instead you get about 50 people, which detracts from a decent atmosphere.
Oh I agree re supporter travelling costs involved.
Dare I say with the exception of good crowds Adelaide can get Perf is too far and costly adding in accom etc….
A east coast based comp can work due to small grounds and lower club venue costs and affordable travelling for fans due to the high volume of regular flights Syd Bris Melb.
As it grows work on SA WA NPL winners joining in on a finals series because that’s what we do following those other codes rhetoric having a GF.
Just a thought
 
The obvious choice was Sth Melb there, imagine a MV v Sth Melb derby.
Robbo hats off (and we've had our differences in opinion to say the least 😛).. The honest hope now is that past wrongs which without dillusion wont/cant be changed overnight are set on a pathway of correction and pro/rel eventually is the only way to get there..a realistic timeline would be ideal for all but thats wishful thinking on my part! Lol
Im a strong proponent (like HG) that this can serve to create even stronger rivalries in our code when/if we can get there (blessing) which will take the game to a better level.
 
In that case how are we supposed to attract fans who don't follow a club/the league?

My work is office based, so the radio is on all day, and I hear ads for the cricket, AFL and NBL, never A-league. Even things like billboards on the side of the road would make a slight difference.

Agree with the social media, all clubs very active.

What’s the avg. demographic of your workplace? Bc if it’s 35-40yo+ bogans, then don’t fcken bother IMHO - 🇦🇺⚽️‘s wasted far too much time&resources into sucking up to their kind for the past 20 years, for VERY little return.
 
Mine before I left was 45-50. Nine people in Sydney. Two Indians - main interest cricket. Two Chinese - main interest travel. Four Australians - one CCM, one SUFC, one Matildas (fleeting interest in the Swans), one no interest in sport. One Irishman - Manly United (fleeting interest in the Swans).
 
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I think the A league as a whole can do a better job of advertising itself if that makes sense. Not sure how the Australian Championship will help with getting more fans to the sport, but the A League is the top level and needs to make it myself more viable as a brand and that means trying to gain more fans outside Australia imo while also doing more for fans within the country.

As I stated before, soccer is not everyone's favorite sport by any stretch in the country and probably never will be in terms of being the most popular in the country. However, the fans are there I do believe that.

Showing some games on ESPN 3 over here may gain a few but really need to let USA Paramount Plus subscribers be able to access the games and not just the PP+ subscribers in Australia.

Not been a fan of Australian sports as it were for that long of a period, but have known some Aussies in my life(Mainly co-workers) and nicest people you'd ever want to meet.

Hope soccer gains more popularity as a whole in the country and if the A league does expand, it does so to a place that will appreciate it and not just to line their own pockets.
 
Not familiar with the Melbourne football scene, would Souths take many/if any Victory supporters if they were in the same league?

Also, what changed with Preston, I believe they were in the third tier not too long ago? Was it simply one or two Makedonian blokes digging in to there own pockets?
Maybe some, but 20 years is a long time to become rusted on ..... I think more Melbourne City ex SMFC fans may be more inclined to "return" to Lakeside...

As for Preston, yeah, basically they got a young dynamic boar din a few years back, they doubled down on focusing on their community and "friday night drinks with the lads at the football" and its seems to have worked wonders for them... A good example, in my eyes, of putting their ethnic roots at their core but also appealing to the local area....
 
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