Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
May 11th 2011, 12:17 pm
#61
High in the Dandenongs
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
May 11th 2011, 5:12 pm
#62
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
Its not rare at all, and as pointed out its the only way to score a goal, UNLIKE soccer and catching (marking) the ball off the foot is the only way of taking a set shot for goal or the chance to stop and kick (or hand ball) to a team mate.
It never ceases to amaze me how the soccer fans get these basic points mixed up - and basically wrong! Aussie Rules is still, really, mostly kicking(!) Even in ruby you can only score a proper [field] goal with the foot with the 'try' (attempt) awarded because you touched down at the end. It was only in later years that the 'try' became worth more than the 'goal'.
[As far as I know soccer is the only code where goals can be scored as a direct result of on-field histrionics, too, not just the boot. Players of all codes like to engage in all that off-field, as we know
Rugby Football is one of the few codes where the referee is considered almost beyond reproach and is accorded the respect he deserves. I find the way soccer players approach the referee and linesmen en masse on a regular basis and remonstrate with them makes the whole code a mockery - infact the way they behave on and off the ball the whole time - but there you go.]I do believe though that the soccer participation numbers are up there if you count them all - wherever they are - maybe at schools and other venues rather than on the traditional oval.
May 11th 2011, 5:16 pm
#63
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
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Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
Which is very 'soccer'. (Sorry - couldn't resist!)
May 11th 2011, 10:45 pm
#64
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
Melbourne Victory will probably end up the biggest club in Australia but it may take 20 years... and 4 more world cup qualifications to garner real popular support. I reckon I'll live to see it. The Greeks dont like the A league because of South Melbourne Hellas being barred as there are to be no ethnic affiliations with the A league. Thats a huge chunk of the traditional football attending public in Melbourne. You hardly hear of any Greeks going to MV or Melbourne Heart.
Brisbane progress this year will be the main focus... can they build on last years success. They did manage 50,000 for the final, thats unheard of in Queensland.
Adelaide are doing really well with their support.
Looks like a Cup competition will be taking over the finals series in the next 2/3 years. This will involve those old Ethnic teams, like South Melbourne ...and the St georges of Sydney... those kind of old NSL teams. A real competitive game between South Melbourne Hellas and Melbourne Victory could sell 100,000 tickets... especially if it were well into the finals series. The FFA are very wary of the old Ethnic problems resurfacing in local Football.
The problem with letting the Greeks in for a very big game would be this..... The FFA dont want any part of it. We all know the problems that MV have already had with Flares. I dont think Melbourne or Aus would like this spectacle at the MCG.
.
Last edited by ozzieeagle; May 11th 2011 at 11:03 pm.
May 11th 2011, 11:02 pm
#65
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,555
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
Football here is very popular as a participation sport. Lots of people I know will play, watch premier league and champions league but feel no attachment to Sydney FC.
AFL strikes me as very random. A bit like Sunday league football. Hoof.
AFL strikes me as very random. A bit like Sunday league football. Hoof.
May 12th 2011, 12:02 am
#66
Mostly Harmless
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Semi-rural wonderworld, Brisbane
Posts: 15,109
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
May 12th 2011, 12:30 am
#67
Mostly Harmless
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Semi-rural wonderworld, Brisbane
Posts: 15,109
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
At least the AFL coaches don't get threats, parcel bombs and then assaulted on the touchline just because their team is winning ... Scottish Soccer, The Beautiful Game ...
http://www.foxsports.com.au/football...-1226054443917
http://www.foxsports.com.au/football...-1226054443917
May 12th 2011, 1:23 am
#68
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 795
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
I seriously dont understand where you get those figures from. In every suburb there is an oval. On a couple of nights a week and a saturday morning they are full of either teams (up to 18's) practising or hundreds of little Aus kickers. I have yet to see anyone playing soccer, seriously, I just havent. THEN theres the senior teams AND the VFL, every saturday....just so many teams.
When you say that you haven't seen anyone playing soccer, I would ask where you have looked?
My daughter loves Soccertime Joeys which is available in 28 locations around Melbourne and has sessions available on every day of the week. The sports centre where I play 5 a side is busy every night of the week with 4 pitches having back to back matches. Victoria has plenty of teams for both men and women to play for http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/com...id=7250&mode=0.
Clearly there is plenty of opportunity to participate in soccer and thousands of people do.
May 12th 2011, 2:24 am
#69
High in the Dandenongs
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
I havent ""looked" anywhere (cos I feel the way about soccer as you do about footie
) BUT thats my point, for AFL, you dont need to look, its just everywhere (I am of course being Melbourne specific here!)Clearly there is the opportunity and clearly plenty of people do play, and that all good
May 12th 2011, 2:25 am
#70
High in the Dandenongs
Joined: Apr 2003
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May 12th 2011, 2:26 am
#71
High in the Dandenongs
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
Most football people are more interested in armchair supporting thePremier league unfortunately.
Melbourne Victory will probably end up the biggest club in Australia but it may take 20 years... and 4 more world cup qualifications to garner real popular support. I reckon I'll live to see it. The Greeks dont like the A league because of South Melbourne Hellas being barred as there are to be no ethnic affiliations with the A league. Thats a huge chunk of the traditional football attending public in Melbourne. You hardly hear of any Greeks going to MV or Melbourne Heart.
Brisbane progress this year will be the main focus... can they build on last years success. They did manage 50,000 for the final, thats unheard of in Queensland.
Adelaide are doing really well with their support.
Looks like a Cup competition will be taking over the finals series in the next 2/3 years. This will involve those old Ethnic teams, like South Melbourne ...and the St georges of Sydney... those kind of old NSL teams. A real competitive game between South Melbourne Hellas and Melbourne Victory could sell 100,000 tickets... especially if it were well into the finals series. The FFA are very wary of the old Ethnic problems resurfacing in local Football.
The problem with letting the Greeks in for a very big game would be this..... The FFA dont want any part of it. We all know the problems that MV have already had with Flares. I dont think Melbourne or Aus would like this spectacle at the MCG.
.
Melbourne Victory will probably end up the biggest club in Australia but it may take 20 years... and 4 more world cup qualifications to garner real popular support. I reckon I'll live to see it. The Greeks dont like the A league because of South Melbourne Hellas being barred as there are to be no ethnic affiliations with the A league. Thats a huge chunk of the traditional football attending public in Melbourne. You hardly hear of any Greeks going to MV or Melbourne Heart.
Brisbane progress this year will be the main focus... can they build on last years success. They did manage 50,000 for the final, thats unheard of in Queensland.
Adelaide are doing really well with their support.
Looks like a Cup competition will be taking over the finals series in the next 2/3 years. This will involve those old Ethnic teams, like South Melbourne ...and the St georges of Sydney... those kind of old NSL teams. A real competitive game between South Melbourne Hellas and Melbourne Victory could sell 100,000 tickets... especially if it were well into the finals series. The FFA are very wary of the old Ethnic problems resurfacing in local Football.
The problem with letting the Greeks in for a very big game would be this..... The FFA dont want any part of it. We all know the problems that MV have already had with Flares. I dont think Melbourne or Aus would like this spectacle at the MCG.
.
May 12th 2011, 3:26 am
#72
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 838
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
Wrong. I looked into this a couple of years ago with work and in terms of participation, Aussie Rules has nowhere near the numbers that soccer has. This is from 04/05, and I would imagine that after the World Cup, numbers for soccer may well have improved http://www.roymorgan.com/news/press-releases/2005/3934/. .
Australian Rules football recorded the highest participation rate in five out of the eight states and territories as well as the highest number of participants in those states and territories. These were Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. Australian Rules football was less popular in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.
Participation in soccer (outdoor) had the highest participation rate and the highest number of participants in New South Wales with 4.1% or 219,800 of the population aged 15 years and over. This was more than half of the total participants in Australia (419,600) for soccer (outdoor). The lowest participation rate for soccer (outdoor) was reported in South Australia with 1.4% or 17,200 persons.
As in all Polls - Roy Morgan included, read the fine print
* estimates have a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
Attendance as against participation:
In 2005-06, Australian Rules football was the sport most attended by Australians aged 15 years and over. It was attended at least once in the 12 months prior to interview by over 2.5 million people or 16% of Australians. Rugby League was the third most attended sport, with 1.5 million people attending at least one Rugby League match in 2005-06 (attendance rate of 9.3%). Rugby Union and soccer (outdoor) were the sixth and seventh most attended sports in Australia. There were 682,000 people (4.3%) who attended Rugby Union and 560,700 people (3.5%) who attended soccer (outdoor).
May 12th 2011, 3:49 am
#73
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
In 2005-06, Australian Rules football was the sport most attended by Australians aged 15 years and over. It was attended at least once in the 12 months prior to interview by over 2.5 million people or 16% of Australians. Rugby League was the third most attended sport, with 1.5 million people attending at least one Rugby League match in 2005-06 (attendance rate of 9.3%). Rugby Union and soccer (outdoor) were the sixth and seventh most attended sports in Australia. There were 682,000 people (4.3%) who attended Rugby Union and 560,700 people (3.5%) who attended soccer (outdoor).
http://www.worldfootball.net/zuschau...e-2009-2010/1/
http://www.worldfootball.net/zuschau...2010-finals/1/
Last edited by ozzieeagle; May 12th 2011 at 4:04 am.
May 12th 2011, 4:26 am
#74
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 838
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
The Foxsportal is way out on the Soccer figures..... It was over 1.4 million attendees during 2009/2010 season.
http://www.worldfootball.net/zuschau...e-2009-2010/1/
http://www.worldfootball.net/zuschau...2010-finals/1/
http://www.worldfootball.net/zuschau...e-2009-2010/1/
http://www.worldfootball.net/zuschau...2010-finals/1/
You would think its easy to get reliable figures for gate attendance -strange!
May 12th 2011, 5:00 am
#75
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Do people actually like soccer in Australia?
Melbourne V had close to 300k on their own last year. Where are you looking ? . Adelaide had 180K..