The say that when the pressure goes on you find out the quality of your leaders. Never has this been more apparent than in sport in the past month with the outbreak of the Coronavirus. To be fair we have also seen that some of these leaders are on a par with the quality of leadership shown by our politicians.
We have also seen why media corporations need to be restricted in their ownership of media outlets, as the narrative being pushed by these outlets has contributed to the panic that has ensued. As one media person wrote on social media, it used to be that we the public were given the facts and formed our own opinions via discussion and debate, unfortunately today many of these media conglomerates are influencing the way we think and act, but more importantly how our leaders react.
For some sports the Coronavirus has probably come along at just the right time, as it has prevented further losses for the teams participating in their competitions, as the crowds continue to stay away.
For others it will be a huge hindrance and could have a massive financial impact.
The A-League is one in which it is hard to tell which way the dice will roll.
Crowds in the A-League this season at the end of last week were averaging at 9,291 over the eleven clubs. The highest average attendance was at Melbourne Victory with 17,366 and the lowest was the Central Coast Mariners with 5,504. Only twice in the A-League’s history have the average attendances for a season ended below 10,000, in 2009/10 and 20010/11. The latter being a surprise as globally attendances usually increase the year after a FIFA World Cup.
There is no doubt that in this the 15th season fans are tired of the format that sees them play the same teams three times in a season, they want to see promotion and relegation; but are unlikely to see this for a while with the current Franchise owners wanting to ensure that their investment remains in the top division.
As a fan what is frustrating is when we witness teams playing defensive football in a competition where you cannot be relegated, where if you finish in the top six you make the Finals series. Why do we not witness more teams going for a win each week? Maybe the administrators need to incentivise the scoring of goals with a bonus points? After all people want to be entertained.
One of the issues facing the A-League clubs is that now for the league to continue they have to play their final games of the season behind closed doors. The problem is the stadium operators apparently still want the same fee for the hire of the stadium. This is understandable as their revenue is going to be impacted, but there has to be some give and take as everyone’s earnings are currently being impacted. Maybe the fact that the A-League clubs are struggling to fill the venues that they are playing at, and they struggle to make any money from these venues, it is time to re-think this. It is far better to play in a smaller venue if it is full than a cavernous one half empty. Surely with no crowd it is ridiculous to play in the regular venues. The cost to both parties makes no sense at all.
Television will be one of the reasons given to stay at the large venues, however there are smaller venues that can meet the demands of television. There may be a cost to the A-League clubs to erect scaffolding, but that cost is likely to be far less than playing at their regular venue. In these awkward times it should be about helping each other to reach the best outcomes.
To be honest it came as no surprise that once again the sport has cupped its hand to the Government, as allegedly other sports may receive funding due to a loss of earnings. However with the loss of earnings comes less expenditure. Something that all businesses outside of the sports world are having to cope with, so why should these clubs receive such funding? There are bound to be a number of small business in comparative dire straits, yet they will not be given the media coverage or the platform to lobby the Government for financial support.
So where will this leave the A-League? The club owners are about to take over the running of the League, but they already face two major hurdles in the very near future. The first being that once the television deal with Fox Sports expires it is understood that the subscription channel is not interested in purchasing the rights again. The production costs being the issue. The word is that they will air the games but are not prepared to invest in the production.
Add to that after 15 years the brand that is so closely linked to the League, Hyundai appear to be withdrawing at the end of next season.
So a broadcaster that will inject money into the game and the A-League franchises, as well as a naming rights sponsor need to be found, and in these economic times that is not going to be easy. IT is going to be even harder with a product where the attendances are decreasing and the television viewership has also dropped.
No doubt the Coronavirus will be blamed for the loss of earnings, and some are predicting that some of the Franchises may find themselves in a very precarious position; after all few return a profit each season as it is.
Equally the fact that State League and NPL games will be played behind closed doors will put and even greater strain on the game. Already many of these clubs are engaging players on salaries that go beyond what they can afford. With no fans attending and no financial return from the bar or the canteen, it is questionable whether some will be in a position to pay those players. This will then bring into question the contracts signed by both parties and whether the players wish to enforce the terms of the contract. Of course many players have simply walked away when not paid in the past, as the club has been in breach of that contract. Will we see that happen more this coming season?
It sure is a baptism of fire for new CEO James Johnson, who has already seen one of the few men who appeared to be talking sense at the FFA, Technical Director Rob Sherman resign. How he rides out this storm could well set the tone for his tenure in years to come, but he may well be received that the A-League is soon to be de-coupled from the Football Federation.
What should be remembered is the problem is not one of his own making.
This is not just a sporting issue and one that affects fans, players, coaches and club owners. It is something that is having an impact on everyone, so it is important that everyone tries to help each other and not impose rules and regulations that normally exist. Hopefully commonsense and a community spirit will prevail.
As mentioned some sports will no doubt welcome the suspension of competition, as it will prevent further financial losses. What will hopefully come out of all this globally is a review as to how sport operates, and the costs related to being a part of certain competitions. With any luck we may see some organisations start to cut their coat according to their cloth, and the playing of sport become the focus, rather than all of the money being directed to the elite side, which is made up of a small percentage of those playing. (Podcast 76)
I just received the circular moments ago.
This is bad Ashley, very very bad.
There is a serious likelihood that I may have to spend time with the missus now.
Nice work China : (
That was the statement made by the CEO of the FFA, I totally agree there should be no reason to stop the “crowds.”
“Equally the fact that State League and NPL games will be played behind closed doors will put and even greater strain on the game.”
Not heard this Ash but even if they do it would be quite ridiculous because they can easily just kindly ask the 32 people to stand a few metres apart which will eliminate the threat of contamination as well as give the appearance of a bigger crowd so win-win.
And for the record most NPL player payments are covered predominantly by sponsorship and junior registration income with the canteen and bar chipping in. Never ever gate taking……