With the high standard of play in the A-League, why are the crowds so low?

[Sharkman84]

In fairness, you do call yourselves, " Wogs "

This. The term would never be uttered out of my mouth.

 

[Decentric]

I often watch the highlights to A-League games, and I have to say, the general standard of play has been great, but why are the crowds so low?

Yes, the Euro snobs will say the A-League is poor compared to Europe and South America, but I guess you can't please everyone.

Should football revert back to winter?, but then football will have to compete directly with the more established codes of football like the AFL and NRL. So how do we get the crowds back up to levels of around 14 to 15K? (the average A-League attendance is currently around 9k).

Good to see someone post this, SR.

I agree with you. I just can't get over the lack of interest? I've attended a few NPL games lately and many fans and players watch UEFA football in preference to Socceroos/Matildas/AL.

It seems 90% of Aussie football followers are Eurosnobs. Nearly every ex Pom over the age of 50 follows English football, not AL or Aus national teams. Even younger players and UEFA fans denigrate the quality of the AL, but rarely watch it.

 

[Decentric]

Adelaide's crowds have been fantastic all season- despite having a struggling team.

As for the other cities- they should not be playing matches in huge stadiums, that makes any crowd look small.

I seem to have watched a fair share of the AU games where they have won at home.

I've seen Archie G score a lot of goals too.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Prior to 2005, when were they ever bigger, or even anywhere near as big.

Selectivity at its best.. bumper crowds were a thing then as they are now and a quick look at the official figures shows it (except when you choose not to look incase you catch a dose of "effnik").. more convenient though how you flip flop between major event and week to week crowds to prove non points.. show us your bumper crowds week in week out outside of 2 comet seasons? Then explain the discrepencies between the 2, rapid cash influxes, population boom etc etc....

Typical Anglo rife hypocricy....You always "conveniently" lay blame at what was there before, but "head in the sand" lack of accountability for the collosal fuck up that you continue to bring afterwards!

Ill give you the benefit of the doubt if you prove to me, with facts, the leaps and bounds progress our code has made under your tutelage/tenure?? Go on champ!

 

[Decentric]

I was a regular to Suncorp in the Broich Berisha days loved it decent night out and reasonable crowds back then but the A League in general has been stale for years now the quality of players has dropped, yes we are seeing a fair few younger players get their opportunity to shine but If Im really honest apart from a few 3 or 4 clubs at the top there is very little difference in quality of player to that of the top NPL clubs. The Roar are an absolute shambles and should have been wound up ages ago its a tragedy what has been allowed to happen over the last 10 years there. The A League offers nothing exciting anymore after 20 years still no relegation and none on the horizon the disconnect between the NPL and A League is enormous and pro-rel will never happen whilst the idiots in charge of the game dont have a vision for the future. Most clubs struggle financially and Paramount have practically killed off the viewing experience. In short I get my kicks from watching NPL games where you can get a drink, eat at reasonable prices and see some pretty good football been played. The A league needs an overhaul and big stadiums need to go first unless they can be filled for big fixtures - just my thoughts for what its worth

Respectfully disagree.

The young Aussie players coming through are pushing the AL standard up IMO. The AL quality is better than ever.

This can be exemplified in the younger whiz gen, with 10 years of the new NC coaching curric, having superior skill sets and tactical nous. Former older domestic AL regulars have been forced to the bench as subs as the whiz kids push them out of first elevens.

I had a period where I didn't watch much AL for a few seasons after Fox stopped covering football.

One of the other forum members in partic was keeping an eye on the AL. Off forum he suggested to me the new kids were exciting. When I went back to seeing a lot of football with a Paramount sub about two years ago, watching AL and underage national teams, I was staggered with the improvement.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Shut up FFS. You have no clue.

Tis tis, try gaslight away now, you racist pratt! Go on play the victim, next time more carful with your slurs though...

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

This. The term would never be uttered out of my mouth.

Just thought, alluded to and liked..nice attempt at a backflip though!.

 

[Sharkman84]

Just thought, alluded to and liked..nice attempt at a backflip though!.

Mate do you ever stop playing the fucking victim?

I liked the post about Australia having largely rejected the monocultural social clubs that was largely the old NSL and that is a fact.

That and the fact most of those communities get smaller all the time due to assimiliating into Australian society and the countries they came from have stabilised so migrating here isn't really a thing anymore so the need for those clubs died out years ago.

As SB said the rest of the fucking country moved on years ago but you fucktards in Melbourne refuse to join the 21st century.

No one is excluding migrant communities at A-League clubs both Sydney FC and Western Sydney are among the most multicultural in the country and clubs like Adelaide and Perth have large migrant followings too.

It's no one else's fault other than your own that you choose to live in the past and refuse to join the rest of us in the 21st century.

 

[LFC]

The " Coveites" hated both grounds.

North Sydney oval ? Miles away from the pitch. Also the cricket pitch makes it not suitable for senior football. Look what happened when Sydney played at the SCG.

Also, back in the day, they were Yugoslavs, not what you mention above.

oh re the coveites, poor fellas.

NSO your not miles away from the ground, been there countless times BS.
Yes SCG you are miles away pretty obvious.

I know the history thanks prob better than you Sutho, many Independants infact 6 once gaining independance.
They always called themselves from their region more than quoting Yugo back in the day but thats politics.

 

[SR1968]

Selectivity at its best.. bumper crowds were a thing then as they are now and a quick look at the official figures shows it (except when you choose not to look incase you catch a dose of "effnik").. more convenient though how you flip flop between major event and week to week crowds to prove non points.. show us your bumper crowds week in week out outside of 2 comet seasons? Then explain the discrepencies between the 2, rapid cash influxes, population boom etc etc....

Typical Anglo rife hypocricy....You always "conveniently" lay blame at what was there before, but "head in the sand" lack of accountability for the collosal fuck up that you continue to bring afterwards!

Ill give you the benefit of the doubt if you prove to me, with facts, the leaps and bounds progress our code has made under your tutelage/tenure?? Go on champ!

The A-League was regularly getting bumper attendances from its inception in 2005 right through to say around 2018, then of course the pandemic happened, the crowds have recovered a bit (the current average attendance is around the 9k mark), but given the improving playing standards of the A-League, they should be much higher.

I understand the A-League has issues, and is by no means perfect, but in 20 years Australia has successfully qualified for six FIFA World Cups, won the Asian Cup, and Western Sydney Wanderers were Asian club champions (2014).

Football in Australia has progressed, although there are still some issues that need to be addressed.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Mate do you ever stop playing the fucking victim?

Never a victim mate im proud 1st gen migrant and love it.

I liked the post about Australia having largely rejected the monocultural social clubs that was largely the old NSL and that is a fact.

No one argued against "your" opinion mate and you know it, depsite trying now to flip the script. . but i suggest you are more carful and check what you attach "likes" or just go back and check the "wog" aspects a little closer before you try tell we are all crazy and blind!

That and the fact most of those communities get smaller all the time due to assimiliating into Australian society and the countries they came from have stabilised so migrating here isn't really a thing anymore so the need for those clubs died out years ago.

That they still exist and get crowds speaks volumes towards that argument, but ok!

As SB said the rest of the fucking country moved on years ago but you fucktards in Melbourne refuse to join the 21st century.

Now now, yes perhaps we arent as evolved, or perhaps we just have a clearer picture, time will tell.

No one is excluding migrant communities at A-League clubs both Sydney FC and Western Sydney are among the most multicultural in the country and clubs like Adelaide and Perth have large migrant followings too.

That youre actually serious worries me.... Your argument was and is that effnik clubs didnt represent you others in the past blah blah blah (proven bullshit but lets leave that for now)
What about the franchises not represenring US argument? That we in NPL can get a larger crowds than melb city or WU etc doesnt factor? Let me guess its bc we are all stuck in the past?

FYI perth was an NSL club and you should check its history a little better as to how it formed...

It's no one else's fault other than your own that you choose to live in the past and refuse to join the rest of us in the 21st century.

Sure champ whatever you say!

 

[LFC]

SR1968 just for reference - Avg season crowds far right.

​

ADL	AKL	BRI	CCM	GCU	MAC	MCY	MVC	NEW	NZK	NQF	PER	SYD	WEL	WSW	WUN	Total
2005–06	10,948	–	14,785	7,899	–	–	–	16,167	9,022	3,909	–	9,734	16,669	–	–	–	10,956
2006–07	12,165	–	16,465	9,828	–	–	–	27,728	12,573	3,011	–	7,589	15,555	–	–	–	12,911
2007–08	12,697	–	16,951	12,738	–	–	–	26,064	13,209	–	–	7,596	16,963	11,683	–	–	14,610
2008–09	11,713	–	12,995	10,465	–	–	–	24,516	9,729	–	–	7,942	12,375	7,193	–	–	12,180
2009–10	10,765	–	8,665	7,388	5,297	–	–	20,750	6,358	–	6,723	9,205	13,677	8,966	–	–	9,793
2010–11	11,552	–	9,291	8,168	3,419	–	8,312	18,458	8,429	–	4,245	8,488	8,014	7,829	–	–	8,429
2011–12	8,829	–	13,387	9,505	3,438	–	9,082	20,714	12,117	–	–	8,972	11,861	8,691	–	–	10,497
2012–13	9,793	–	13,857	9,994	–	–	8,860	21,885	13,389	–	–	8,876	18,737	6,877	12,466	–	12,347
2013–14	11,225	–	14,957	9,398	–	–	9,933	21,808	11,949	–	–	9,418	18,682	8,201	14,860	–	13,041
2014–15	12,637	–	11,660	7,585	–	–	10,374	25,388	8,968	–	–	9,542	17,378	8,583	12,520	–	12,511
2015–16	11,287	–	12,850	8,111	–	–	11,047	23,112	9,586	–	–	8,986	16,637	8,042	14,297	–	12,326
2016–17	9,565	–	13,892	7,395	–	–	10,593	22,008	8,645	–	–	10,533	16,001	6,211	17,746	–	12,294
2017–18	9,830	–	9,093	7,194	–	–	9,868	17,631	11,016	–	–	9,186	14,593	5,694	11,924	–	10,671
2018–19	9,031	–	9,632	5,562	–	–	8,135	20,604	9,079	–	–	10,360	13,566	8,533	9,191	–	10,411
2019–20	8,326	–	9,388	5,504	–	–	8,397	17,366	7,386	–	–	8,382	12,110	8,477	13,729	5,653	9,428
2020–21	7,383	–	6,181	5,697	–	3,488	6,154	5,823	4,056	–	–	4,777	7,686	5,329	8,062	3,061	5,682
2021–22	6,501	–	4,538	4,296	–	3,118	6,530	9,473	4,843	–	–	4,281	5,534	4,001	7,388	3,351	5,353
2022–23	10,359	–	5,629	6,646	-	3,514	6,481	10,124	6,152	-	-	4,451	17,008	6,333	10,769	3,168	7,553
2023–24	10,035	–	6,510	7,399	-	4,161	8,488	12,227	5,704	-	-	5,655	14,293	8,940	10,326	3,274	8,087
2024–25	10,575	18,101	6,216	6,392	-	4,674	6,192	12,778	6,496	-	-	6,090	15,282	7,990	9,809	3,644	8,788
Green and red background denote club's highest and lowest A-League Men season attendances respectively.

Dropping from '14 - if I was looking at my business EOFY balance sheet I wouldn't be jumping up and down last few years of 1k increments but better than a poke in the eye as my ol man would say.

 

[Sharkman84]

Never a victim mate im proud 1st gen migrant and love it.

No one argued against "your" opinion mate and you know it, depsite trying now to flip the script. . but i suggest you are more carful and check what you attach "likes" or just go back and check the "wog" aspects a little closer before you try tell we are all crazy and blind!

That they still exist and get crowds speaks volumes towards that argument, but ok!

Now now, yes perhaps we arent as evolved, or perhaps we just have a clearer picture, time will tell.

That youre actually serious worries me.... Your argument was and is that effnik clubs didnt represent you others in the past blah blah blah (proven bullshit but lets leave that for now)
What about the franchises not represenring US argument? That we in NPL can get a larger crowds than melb city or WU etc doesnt factor? Let me guess its bc we are all stuck in the past?

FYI perth was an NSL club and you should check its history a little better as to how it formed...

Sure champ whatever you say!

Melbourne Heart/City and Western United were poor additions no argument from me.

Victory needed a rival and they should've gone for the Team 11 bid from Dandenong when WU came in.

As far as City are concerned they probably need to move southeast to the Casey area.

Their whole shtick of not being Victory no longer cuts it.

As for Perth being an NSL club, you'll find half the A-League was too (Newcastle, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane all had roots in the old NSL).

 

[LFC]

guys lets keep it civil even though we have differing views, in the end were football devotees together here.
I'm sure we'd like a far better football environment that suits us all then the tribalism will be complete under one banner thats my pov and end game more than anything.
Fenech once said I luv youse all haha

 

[Sharkman84]

guys lets keep it civil even though we have differing views, in the end were football devotees together here.
I'm sure we'd like a far better football environment that suits us all then the tribalism will be complete under one banner thats my pov and end game more than anything.
Fenech once said I luv youse all haha

Mate,
I'm here for civil football conversation.
The big issue here is the likes of MSC & HBW are clearly here looking for fights and arguments.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

The A-League was regularly getting bumper attendances from its inception in 2005 right through to say around 2018, then of course the pandemic happened, the crowds have recovered a bit (the current average attendance is around the 9k mark), but given the improving playing standards of the A-League, they should be much higher.

Crowds for melb city at their highest are on par with NSL to be fair but i dont see anyone complaining and when we point it out we are anti football dinosaurs suddenly .. WU are not even worth a mention. Again though so many factors play a role like pop booms money influx etc etc etc ..

I understand the A-League has issues, and is by no means perfect, but in 20 years Australia has successfully qualified for six FIFA World Cups, won the Asian Cup, and Western Sydney Wanderers were Asian club champions (2014).

No one argues for the retrun to NSL days here either mind you, even if they are nostalgic, the problem is that you all still fight against it (on proven flawed arguments like the need for effnik exclusion thing) and this is a huge part what is holding the game back NOW.. you say its time to move on but how when you wont even see that or allow.for it to happen?
If the experiment had gone so well why is it in so much trouble?
WC point has some merrit but so does the fact that its a simpler qualifying path now!

Football in Australia has progressed, although there are still some issues that need to be addressed.

To some degree but depends on the viewing angle one is watching it from!

 

[ashtongate]

I seem to have watched a fair share of the AU games where they have won at home.

I've seen Archie G score a lot of goals too.

I attended seven home games and we only won one of them! Saw Archie G. score a few, but miss plenty of sitters as well.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Mate,
I'm here for civil football conversation.
The big issue here is the likes of MSC & HBW are clearly here looking for fights and arguments.

FYI seems as if the term "Fucktards" is one of endearment obviously, and a civil football convo opening line!

Melbourne Heart/City and Western United were poor additions no argument from me.

There you go. We agree.

Victory needed a rival and they should've gone for the Team 11 bid from Dandenong when WU came in.

Perhaps, but too hard especially since morwell didnt work either.. no statistics market analysis can prove success for franchise from the ground up. Established choices wouldve worked better imo but they were excluded for other reasons as we all know and there can be no argument now that it was the wrong choice is the point we make!

As far as City are concerned they probably need to move southeast to the Casey area.

Thats a bandaid fix at best and it wouldnt work now If anything it would kill them off fully, not that im against it.

Their whole shtick of not being Victory no longer cuts it.

In its current form no it doesnt bc our game is rivalries driven and a shit rivalry gages zero interest.. Cant argue that down here an MV vs SMFC per say wouldnt have been a bigger rivalry than anything they concocted later?

As for Perth being an NSL club, you'll find half the A-League was too (Newcastle, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane all had roots in the old NSL).

Now this i agree with, those markets are different and doesnt mean this has meant success either.

 

[SR1968]

SR1968 just for reference - Avg season crowds far right.

​

ADL	AKL	BRI	CCM	GCU	MAC	MCY	MVC	NEW	NZK	NQF	PER	SYD	WEL	WSW	WUN	Total
2005–06	10,948	–	14,785	7,899	–	–	–	16,167	9,022	3,909	–	9,734	16,669	–	–	–	10,956
2006–07	12,165	–	16,465	9,828	–	–	–	27,728	12,573	3,011	–	7,589	15,555	–	–	–	12,911
2007–08	12,697	–	16,951	12,738	–	–	–	26,064	13,209	–	–	7,596	16,963	11,683	–	–	14,610
2008–09	11,713	–	12,995	10,465	–	–	–	24,516	9,729	–	–	7,942	12,375	7,193	–	–	12,180
2009–10	10,765	–	8,665	7,388	5,297	–	–	20,750	6,358	–	6,723	9,205	13,677	8,966	–	–	9,793
2010–11	11,552	–	9,291	8,168	3,419	–	8,312	18,458	8,429	–	4,245	8,488	8,014	7,829	–	–	8,429
2011–12	8,829	–	13,387	9,505	3,438	–	9,082	20,714	12,117	–	–	8,972	11,861	8,691	–	–	10,497
2012–13	9,793	–	13,857	9,994	–	–	8,860	21,885	13,389	–	–	8,876	18,737	6,877	12,466	–	12,347
2013–14	11,225	–	14,957	9,398	–	–	9,933	21,808	11,949	–	–	9,418	18,682	8,201	14,860	–	13,041
2014–15	12,637	–	11,660	7,585	–	–	10,374	25,388	8,968	–	–	9,542	17,378	8,583	12,520	–	12,511
2015–16	11,287	–	12,850	8,111	–	–	11,047	23,112	9,586	–	–	8,986	16,637	8,042	14,297	–	12,326
2016–17	9,565	–	13,892	7,395	–	–	10,593	22,008	8,645	–	–	10,533	16,001	6,211	17,746	–	12,294
2017–18	9,830	–	9,093	7,194	–	–	9,868	17,631	11,016	–	–	9,186	14,593	5,694	11,924	–	10,671
2018–19	9,031	–	9,632	5,562	–	–	8,135	20,604	9,079	–	–	10,360	13,566	8,533	9,191	–	10,411
2019–20	8,326	–	9,388	5,504	–	–	8,397	17,366	7,386	–	–	8,382	12,110	8,477	13,729	5,653	9,428
2020–21	7,383	–	6,181	5,697	–	3,488	6,154	5,823	4,056	–	–	4,777	7,686	5,329	8,062	3,061	5,682
2021–22	6,501	–	4,538	4,296	–	3,118	6,530	9,473	4,843	–	–	4,281	5,534	4,001	7,388	3,351	5,353
2022–23	10,359	–	5,629	6,646	-	3,514	6,481	10,124	6,152	-	-	4,451	17,008	6,333	10,769	3,168	7,553
2023–24	10,035	–	6,510	7,399	-	4,161	8,488	12,227	5,704	-	-	5,655	14,293	8,940	10,326	3,274	8,087
2024–25	10,575	18,101	6,216	6,392	-	4,674	6,192	12,778	6,496	-	-	6,090	15,282	7,990	9,809	3,644	8,788
Green and red background denote club's highest and lowest A-League Men season attendances respectively.

Dropping from '14 - if I was looking at my business EOFY balance sheet I wouldn't be jumping up and down last few years of 1k increments but better than a poke in the eye as my ol man would say.

That was my whole point, average A- League crowds were for the most part healthy from 2005 - 2018, they are getting better (albeit slowly).

As for bumper crowds during 2005-2018, WSW V Sydney FC derbies would often be sold out (that never happened in the NSL), in October 2016 WSW v Sydney FC had an attendance of 61K at the Sydney Olympic stadium, Melbourne Victory had to leave Olympic park because it was too small.

No one saying the A-League is perfect, far from, and there are serious issues that need to be addressed, but look at what has been achieved in the last 20 years (2005-2025), compared the 27 years of the failed NSL (1977-2004), at the end of the day, the results speak for themselves.

 

[LFC]

I attended seven home games and we only won one of them! Saw Archie G. score a few, but miss plenty of sitters as well.

too funny but D quotes he seen AU won at home, got to wonder.
Yer topsy turvey season for youse ag, expected more as AU normally punch above their weight very well but the wheels fell off, as mentioned missed many chances thats a curse for any team.