Finals are the Australian way.
Personally I have no problem with the concept, just with the winner being proclaimed the Champion. It is far harder to beat all-comers and finish top of a League than to win a couple of knock-out games at the end of the season. I would prefer the team that wins the Finals series to be known as the Premiers, and the “Minor Premiers” achievement be acknowledged and that team called “Champions.”
However, this is all by the by. Finals are part of Australian sport and they are here to stay, and why not after the two semi-finals we witnessed in the Hyundai A-League at the weekend.
It was like the torpid football we have had to endure for most of the past six months was all a bad dream. It was like the awakening of the dead. Suddenly the whole season came to life in two outstanding games for which all four sides should be commended.
There was passion, and at times too much. There was good refereeing and inconsistent; but at least that was consistent! There was the unavoidable diving and there was drama. as well as some great goals and some outstanding individual performances.
Here were two games that back up the argument for Finals. The question has to be why haven’t we witnessed football like that all season? Why do we have to wait 137 games to see teams perform and produce such entertainment? This comment may be a little harsh as there were some entertaining games in 2017/18, but regrettably not that many.
If these comments appear unfair take a look at the crowd figures which may back up what the public thought.
For the semi final in Newcastle 19,131 were in attendance at Macdonald Jones Stadium, a venue that holds 33,000 (23,000 seated). In the second semi final in which the season’s Minor Premiers Sydney FC were playing against arch rivals – if the Big Blue really is the derby we are all lead to believe it is – Melbourne Victory. Sydney were looking to go back-to-back in the league and win the Grand Final and the Championship. Yet only 17, 775 clicked through the turnstiles at Allianz Stadium which has a capacity of 45,500 (44,000 seated).
So where was everyone? Where were Sydney’s loyal fans?
With the average A-League attendance in 2017/18 sitting at 10,671, the increase does not look too bad. However when you look at the fact that Sydney FC’s average crowd was 14, 888 for the season, the game hardly caught the imagination of the people of Sydney.
The same cannot be said of Newcastle Jets who have had a remarkable season under the guidance of Ernie Merrick on the pitch and Lawrie McKinna off of it. Their average crowd for season 2017/18 was 11,437. An added 8,000 fans came to their semi final.
Does this come down to marketing? Is it fair to compare a regional centre such as Newcastle with a major city such as Sydney? As the regional areas tend to take far more pride in their teams than those in the cities.
One thing is for sure the Football Federation of Australia should be pleased that Newcastle is hosting the Final, as based on these figures alone the crowd is likely to be better there than anywhere else. After all Melbourne Victory were only able to attract 15,502 to their elimination final the week before at AAMI Park which has a capacity of 30,050. This was 2000 fans below their average crowd of 17,489 for the 2017/18 season. Victory are the best supported club in the league this season, but even they could not attract fans, why is this?
If we compare these figures to the early years of the A-League it is a terrifying statistic. In the first season 2005/06 Sydney FC played in the Major Semi Final against Adelaide United, they played at the same venue and pulled in 30,377. in 2017/18 that audience has almost halved. Melbourne Victory did not play in the finals in year one of the A-League but they did play in the Major semi final in year two. This game was played at what is now Etihad stadium and they pulled in 47,413 fans. In 2007/08 Newcastle Jets hosted the Preliminary final which they won and booked their place in the A-League Grand final where they defeated the Central Coast Mariners to become Champions. That semi finals was played at the same venue as this weekend’s semi final and 16,021 showed up to watch. So they pulled in 3000 extra fans ten years down the track, which when everyone else’s crowds are declining shows what a great job the management at Newcastle have done.
Last year Newcastle Jets average crowd was 8,645. This year it was 11,437. Last year Sydney’s was 18,099 and dropped to 14,888 this year. Even Melbourne Victory, the best supported club in the country, suffered a drop this year from 21,888 last year to 17,489 which was the best in the league.
Across the nation average crowds dropped
Western Sydney Wanderers – 11,924 this season from 17,746, while Adelaide United – 9830 went up from 9565. Melbourne City 9728 in 2017/18 from 10,528 in 2016/17. Perth Glory 9186 from 10,533 last season. Brisbane Roar 9093 this season from 14,152 in 2016/17. Central Coast Mariners dropped to 7194 from 7412 and Wellington Phoenix to 5694 from 6224.
So why are fans staying away? Are they over Finals football? Judging by the speed at which the tickets for the Grand Final have gone today, that does not appear to be the case. Is it because of the power struggle and governance issues at the top of the game? Is it the style of football? Is it the standard of football? Or is it as many believe, the league has become dull and boring with the same players and teams playing each other year-in-year-out? Is it all of the above?
Could it even be the price of tickets compared to current economic climate? It would be interesting to see a study on ticket prices and the correlation between those and the national economy.
Based on the games at the weekend the talent is there, and so too is the passion. If ever there was proof that the A-League needs finals these two games were it. If ever the A-League needed proof that the finals should be restricted to the top four teams this weekend was it. All four teams playing this weekend finished in the top four. Only Adelaide who came fifth match these teams by winning more games than they lost.
Hopefully Newcastle will have a full house for the Grand Final this weekend. Hopefully the Grand Final will have some marketing dollars thrown behind it. Hopefully the “dunny seat” advertisement on Fox Sports will be cast aside and the trophy and the game will be given the respect it deserves. It may look like a toilet seat, but its is the biggest prize in the game and it does not help the game if it is ridiculed in such a way as a form of promotion.
Football and the A-League need to hope that this weekend’s Grand Final matches the two games this weekend. It also needs to be sure that the final is played in front of a full house. If it is not then the warning signs are very clear, the question is will those in power take heed?
