Attendance figures

[midfielder]

Quote:
Hyundai A-League ratings have increased by 23 per cent on FOX SPORTS this season. With competition for Premiership fierce, significant growth was driven by strong interest in the final rounds of the season.

Round 21s Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory match ranked as FOX SPORTS most watched regular season game in the history of the competition, reaching a total audience of more than 370,000 and with average audiences of 136,000.

This year more than 2.8 million viewers have enjoyed FOX SPORTS regular season coverage of the Hyundai A-League, with total audiences growing year on year.

CEO of FOX SPORTS David Malone says the success of the A-League on FOX SPORTS and the closeness of the Premiership is indicative of a very healthy competition. Were confident this level interest will continue in the coming weeks and look forward to some more fantastic ratings results throughout the Finals Series.

FOX SPORTS Live and Exclusive coverage of the Hyundai A-League 2008 Finals series commences this weekend and will culminate in coverage of the Grand Final on February 24. 

I don't have a link, but was posted by benw on the SFCU Forum stating the source as Fox Sports.

 

[Tassiemariner]

Quick question  as i have had a mind blank.

Whats the name of the big sports report released annually about participation growth etc

the ABS has one - 4177.0 - Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation, Australia.

the latest one (2005/6, released feb 07) is linked, and you can go through and explore to your heart's content.

It's the Sweeney (sp?) report.

Thanks heaps Marinersman + Dibo. Exactly what i was looking for.



I haven't heard any media sources besides a letter to the editor in 442 some months ago complain or bring up the issue of perth's torid style of play and lack of results. They really need to find some creative players are because they have none.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Funnily enough, Perth impressed me in the PSC and I thought they would have an ok season.

I think the instability in the club has hurt them and they never really recovered from thinking that the HAL was going to be a continuation of the NSL in terms of standards.

If they get a couple of half decent players and make a reasonable start to V4, their crowds will come back quickly.

Another season like this one and they might well go.

 

[Pete]

Oh I think Perth can hang on for a season or two, but come the 5 year review period that the FFA has set, the Perth franchise will be behind in it's goals.

They do have an excuse with the original owner walking away from the venture, the FFA having to handle the franchise for a while and then a sale to a new owner. But the new owners really have to stamp some consistency upon the club and make sure it improves both on the field and off it.

Yes, they need stability, a few fresh creative players (although Celevski, Rykavystyra have been fast and enthusiastic the games I've seen them play), maybe a real marquee player instead of someone who wants to finish his career at home. Agreed that if they start finding form the crowds will return.

 

[brett]

Barring disaster, even after five years it would be suicide to can their franchise.

If we want the league to grow (Yes!) we can't be having the western-most franchise in Adelaide. Letting Glory go to start a new one somewhere (Canberra for eg) would be much riskier than persisting out there. And coming back in later with a new Perth team is going to be 100x harder than keeping Glory going. It is a unique situation over there where history IS very much an intangible asset.

 

[kevrenor]

Peter Desira

January 26, 2008 12:00am

AUSTRALIAN soccer at club level has come of age, with nearly three million viewers watching A-League matches this season.

Fox Sports released figures yesterday showing average audiences of 136,000 a game, for a season total of 2.8 million.

That is a 23 per cent ratings rise for the league and the pay TV station, and indications are it will be higher during the finals series.

The last-round match between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory attracted the highest audience of more than 370,000.

"The success of the A-League on Fox is indicative of a very healthy competition," Fox Sports chief executive David Malone said yesterday.

"We're confident this level of interest will continue and look forward to more fantastic ratings results through the finals series."

Soccer has always rated well when the Socceroos are playing, especially in competitive matches compared to

friendlies.

But the code struggled to register more than a blip in the ratings when it was the old National Soccer League, so the Fox Sports figures are a significant change in viewing habits.

Fox Sports has broadcast every Friday and Saturday night game live, as well as games on Sunday afternoons and evenings.

FOOTBALL Federation Australia cannot be biased, but it will be hoping Sydney FC makes the A-League grand final.

FFA announced yesterday it has provisionally booked the 83,000-capacity ANZ Stadium (previously Telstra Stadium) for the grand final should Sydney make it.

The match would likely eclipse the record Australian club-fixture attendance of 55,436 set at last season's grand final between Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United at Telstra Dome.

Sydney Football Stadium, with a 45,000 capacity, will host the grand final if Sydney fails to advance.

At least one regional club, Central Coast Mariners or the Newcastle Jets, will make the grand final, and under normal circumstances would have been entitled to host the season's biggest match.

But the Mariner's Gosford home has a 20,000 limit and Newcastle's capacity is 26,000.

"If we were to keep the grand final at either of their home grounds, it would leave little or no capacity for supporters of the opposing team, or the many thousands of A-League fans who just want to be part of the biggest game of the year," FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said yesterday.

"It is not unusual for sport to have neutral venues for marquee games.

"The FA Cup, the NFL Super Bowl, the NRL Grand Final and the AFL Grand Final are notable examples.

"We believe the A-League grand final, as the most important game of the year in the competition, should be given the status it deserves and that's what we're doing."

 

[Paolo]

Crowd figures on downward spiral

A-LEAGUE crowds continue to slide this season, highlighted by concerns over the poor figures for one-time powerhouse club Perth Glory.

Latest figures show the aggregate crowd attendance up to and including round five is 235,939, down 39,621 for the same period last season. It is also a drop on season one (down 5402) and season two (4474).

Glory, by far the biggest drawing club during the latter part of the old National Soccer League, managed just 4433 fans for its 1-0 win over Wellington Phoenix at Members Equity Stadium. It has attracted a meagre 21,512 to its three home games this season, the worst-drawing club in the A-League.

Perth officials blame the poor turnout on bad weather and the fact there were several high profile sporting events in the city at the same time. They are confident the fans will come back.

But Glory is not the only club feeling the pinch.

New Zealand club Wellington Phoenix has drawn just 23,663 to three home matches, down more than 15,000 for the same period last season.

Queensland Roar (5176), Sydney FC (3722) and Melbourne Victory (3495) have also recorded a drop in attendances after five rounds.

Only the Central Coast Mariners has shown an increase with an extra 1616 going through the gates compared to last season.

 

[serious14]

Perhaps the novelty of an eight team league and no real big name marquee's is finally wearing off??  Typical Australian sports fan perspective, but it's a damn shame this is the way things are......

Watch for next season to be the biggest yet.

 

[bulldogmariner]

I think the figures for Melbourne and Sydney are a little misleading due to the fact who they have played at home and also Melbourne teams are still in AFL and Sydney teams in NRL and people dont have the $$$ to attend both. Also with Perth they are struggling on the field so fans will turn away.

We are doing well but have had at least one draw card if not 2 with Melb.
Wait to the end of the season i guess to judge how each club is going!

 

[Bear]

Well done on digging this up keensy, its interesting to note that our numbers have increased, considering how many people on here were having a winge a few weeks ago at our numbers on game day. Goes to show some people have NFI

 

[nero]

I can't believe Melbourne haven't gone with a big Marquee. It would be great to see Gold Coast come in and be competitive. If they buy a few big players then the crowds will be up next season. Roar will benefit the most of course.

 

[Guns of Melbourne]

I can't believe Melbourne haven't gone with a big Marquee.

Archie Thompson's not a big Marquee?

Pretty sure he's scored a fair few goals than any other marquee (or any other player) out there. He also still holds the world record (although someone recently equaled it) for most goals scored in an international game.

 

[T]

While Archie is well known within Aus, he's not known world wide....

 

[scottmac]

I can't believe Melbourne haven't gone with a big Marquee.

Archie Thompson's not a big Marquee?

Pretty sure he's scored a fair few goals than any other marquee (or any other player) out there. He also still holds the world record (although someone recently equaled it) for most goals scored in an international game.

You could hardly call someone whose only influence has been in Australia, a BIG marquee.

Beat me to it, T.

 

[Guns of Melbourne]

While Archie is well known within Aus, he's not known world wide....

The pope may say differently ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZYT9ers1f4

 

[marinermick]

take the measure from our worst crowd of the year -

season 1 - 5194
season 2 - 4644 (granted, there'd been a monsoon)
season 3 - 8113

i think that's a really good indication of our base.

that 8113 may well be tested out this friday or two weeks time against welly on a sunday arvo methinks

 

[Bex]

Perhaps, but with the price increases are the clubs actually financially disadvantaged by this or are they better off? The Mariners should be better off, however, there may be a greater/lesser mix of fans buying premium season tickets versus general admission tickets. It would be interesting to know (to me anyway) on a club by club basis what the actual financial affect is to the clubs.

 

[northernspirit]

i thought there was more than 9k last weekend, even still we are punching way above our weight compared to the likes of SFC and AUFC... crowds will improve next year, the same old 8 teams gets repetitive so hopefully the FFA go nuts with a massive campaign next yr as the 2 new teams will add alot of excitement to the comp

 

[Sean]

I blame the timing of the season.
no avid eggball fan wants to spend a whole winter of watching AFL and NRL and not see the finals.
Watch for the first few rounds after the october long weekend.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Didnt Cockerill write an article recently about crowds?? Apparently the J League plateaud and then kick started a few years later.

After 3 seasons of the same teams, the product has got a little stale and needs the addition of the new teams.

With Coca Cola and Qantas reportedly reducing their sports sponsorships (as per Fin Review) there might be less money around soon too.