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The stage was set, the script was written, and we all awaited the glorious return of Western Sydney Wanderers to finals football. Unfortunately, no…
The top six is set and the finals for the A-League Men kick off on Friday, but they’ll do so without arguably the biggest…
When Marlee Francois curled home an Olimpico in wet and windy Auckland on Sunday evening, he set the seal on what has been the…
The APL may believe the latest round of A-League salary cap cuts will help reign in unsustainable spending, but they’ve failed to consider their…
When Alex Gersbach joined Western Sydney Wanderers in January, plenty wondered why coach Alen Stajcic would sign a player in a position that was…
If Sydney FC’s last-gasp 3-2 win over Adelaide United sounded the death knell for Carl Veart, then Reds fan would be entitled to ask…
Football Australia should exclude Queensland from hosting any available Socceroos and Matildas matches until the state makes a genuine commitment to support football. “New…
You could hardly ask for a better result leading in to another vital World Cup qualifier than Australia’s 5-1 win over Indonesia – but…
When Preston draws a crowd of 9036 to an NPL Victoria game and Melbourne City can only manage 3569 on the same night, it’s…
The biggest game on the Australian football calendar won’t take place in the A-League next weekend, with that mantle instead belonging to Preston’s clash…
This season’s biggest A-League game could take place in New Zealand, with Auckland FC streaking towards the premiership and the chance to host the…
The future of football in Australia is starting to take shape, after Football Australia officially launched ‘The Australian Championship’ as a 16-team competition kicking…
No other sport can match the atmosphere and sheer drama of football, as a pulsating Sydney Derby proved once again in front of 32,741…
It’s not every weekend each match in the A-League Men delivers something worth watching, but those who tuned in on a Super Saturday of…
No team from New Zealand has won a trophy in Australian football, but Auckland FC are on track to buck that trend after their…
Ahead of a top-of-the-table blockbuster against Auckland on Wednesday night, Adelaide United have proved they've got what every other club craves – home advantage.…
When Jordan Lauton scored one of the most spectacular bicycle kicks the A-League has ever seen, he probably didn’t think it wouldn’t even be…
Brisbane Roar couldn’t be flying higher under their popular coach, even if a couple of late goals put a dent in their festive celebrations…
Sydney FC’s 3-0 win over Melbourne Victory was as comprehensive a win as you’ll ever see in the A-League, but once again it has…
Just when the A-League Men needed a bit of a feel-good factor heading into the festive season, it goes ahead and turns on a…
Some interesting thoughts on media coverage today. But there are a few things some of you haven’t considered.
Firstly, the media landscape has contracted massively from barely a decade ago. There is much less coverage of a range of sports – but particularly football – than there was 10 or 15 years ago.
Secondly, outlets that do cover sports often do so as part of broader broadcast packages. There’s a reason the Sydney Morning Herald does so much NRL and Super Rugby coverage, and that’s because their parent company, the Nine Network, broadcasts both of those sports.
Network 10 doesn’t have a pre-existing relationship with a major newspaper in the way that Nine and Channel Seven (with The West Australian) does. They’ve also never invested heavily in their online digital presence.
So the APL decided to go it alone, for want of a better term, when they signed on with Network 10 and Paramount+. And I’m guessing they did so because of another elephant in the room: KeepUp.
The APL’s plan was to create their own content. They didn’t want fans to consume media content elsewhere – they wanted to drive them straight to their own website. But that’s an expensive strategy, and the danger of failing to see it through is…
The media landscape we’ve got now.
In a world where media outlets are operating on razor-thin margins, I’m not surprised very few of them have the appetite to cover a sport that’s essentially owned by a competing TV network.
Auckland FC are premiers - but is that a good thing for the A-League?
It’s perhaps worth pointing out that ABC Online’s national headquarters is in Brisbane.
But even if that wasn’t the case, they have few sports reporters on ground and rely largely on wires services like AAP to produce their daily bulletins.
Auckland FC are premiers - but is that a good thing for the A-League?
Tom Smithies hasn’t written about football since January 2024, and before that he actually worked for the APL. And the only thing Vince Rugari has ever done is call the game as he sees it.
Instead of shooting the messenger – since, as I have said repeatedly on here, it’s not journalists who are being paid to run the game – it’s probably worth turning your attention to the administrators who continue to protect their jobs at all costs… usually to the detriment of the sport.
Auckland FC are premiers - but is that a good thing for the A-League?
It’s worth a read if you can click on it. Of particular interest was this paragraph:
“Conroy declined to be interviewed by the Financial Review. APL spokesman Matthew Ellenby even declined to say whether there would be prize money awarded to the team that wins this year’s A-League premiership.”
I recently had an industry insider describe the APL as follows: “It’s become a private boys club with zero accountability.”
Auckland FC are premiers - but is that a good thing for the A-League?
Yep. It’s another significant issue that didn’t exist when the league was on Foxtel.
The APL keeps forgetting the key group their decisions impact
Unfortunately, you’ve touched on two massive issues that continue to plague the game.
Firstly, the APL need the book thrown at them for their baffling failure to ever once consider fans. Their inability to read the room is mind-boggling.
Secondly, those fans who think the way to grow the game is to gatekeep it for themselves also need a reality check. The behaviour of some sections of the North Terrace has been beyond the pale.
Sadly, it’s the rest of us who suffer… because vast swathes of the casual support base have disappeared.
The APL keeps forgetting the key group their decisions impact
I think a better comparison – in some ways, at least – is Major League Soccer.
Yes, they had a 10-year head start, yes North America has a massive population, yes they have a football-loving demographic of Latino fans to cater to.
But they’ve built a product worth selling. Which is why Apple did them a billion-dollar exclusive deal.
And they’ve expanded into markets that actually wanted football teams (mostly). Guess what? Most of the stadiums are now packed.
I was pointing out to someone the other day that Columbus Crew just signed Hungarian international Daniel Gazdag from Philadephia Union in a $US 4 million deal. We don’t even the structures in place to allow that to happen.
The clubs claimed that creating the Australian Professional Leagues would ‘unlock’ football’s revenue potential. I certainly don’t think we’ve seen any evidence of that so far.
The APL keeps forgetting the key group their decisions impact
I spoke at length with Brisbane Roar about a Perry Park upgrade at the start of the season.
Everything they told me was around them lobbying for a multi-tenant, multi-sport upgrade. The club was acutely aware that nothing would happen if they went cap-in-hand asking for an upgrade ‘for Brisbane Roar’.
We’ve obviously seen the effect of that lobbying in the wake of the Olympics announcement, but I thought I should just point out that – as it was told to me – Brisbane Roar were looking to share Perry Park with fellow tenants.
The APL keeps forgetting the key group their decisions impact
Talking City was great. But it’s a pretty thankless task putting out content week after week.
If A-League coaches must always front the media, then why can't club directors?
Amazing description, Leon. Well said.
If A-League coaches must always front the media, then why can't club directors?
Someone dropped into my inbox last night and told me where the info came from. Watch this space.
If A-League coaches must always front the media, then why can't club directors?
Ah, right. Is that so? I guess they’ve got to drive subscriptions somehow.
If A-League coaches must always front the media, then why can't club directors?
Gotcha. Will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
If A-League coaches must always front the media, then why can't club directors?
So what? That’s how it goes.
If A-League coaches must always front the media, then why can't club directors?
It was on 10Bold, along with the Melbourne City – Central Coast game before it.
I don’t think we should care that it’s not on the main channel. If people want to watch it on free-to-air, it’s available.
If A-League coaches must always front the media, then why can't club directors?
Which is exactly what Robbie Thomson was alluding to on A-Leagues Off Air.
If A-League coaches must always front the media, then why can't club directors?
We’ll chalk you up in the ‘pros’ column, mate.
Will Socceroos fans ever be happy in this era of online complaining?
I’m not sure I really trust those Transfermarkt valuations.
Will Socceroos fans ever be happy in this era of online complaining?
I can’t see the Samurai Blue going easy on anyone. The reality is they have three or four players vying for every outfield position. They’re all keen to come in and do a job.
Will Socceroos fans ever be happy in this era of online complaining?
I think I was just being too Mike Tuckerman!
Preston Lions just showed the City Football Group what money can't buy
At least you didn’t get banned from reddit for trying to talk about it…
Preston Lions just showed the City Football Group what money can't buy
They told me they’re looking at doing so.
Preston Lions just showed the City Football Group what money can't buy
I was a small kid in the 80s. I think the first game of domestic football I ever attended was the 1993 National Soccer League grand final between Marconi and Adelaide City at Parramatta Stadium.
Preston Lions just showed the City Football Group what money can't buy
The APL does.
The A-League Men finals are off to a flyer - but can anyone stop Auckland?