Does the AFL have anything to fear from the Matilda's recent success and the NRL's TV ratings?

Which sport will be the biggest in Australia the future?

  • Rugby League

    Votes: 3 4.1%

  • Rugby Union

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Football/Soccer

    Votes: 5 6.8%

  • Cricket

    Votes: 2 2.7%

  • Athletics

    Votes: 1 1.4%

  • Netball

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Australian Rules Football

    Votes: 61 83.6%

  • Other

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • Total voters
    73

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Football Tragic

Football Tragic

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I enjoy all sports but my true passion is Aussie Rules. Like 7 million other Australia's though, I embraced the Matilda's and watched the game against France, enthralled and euphoric at the outcome. Football Australia is now seeking a $500 million injection of funds to assist with their grassroots programs and pathways to senior/representative football. While I love the idea of all sport succeeding, we all know that in a country of 25+ million, there is only a certain amount of funds to go around.

It's a competition for relevance, for interest and for Mr Joe Average's hard earned dollar. With the NRL still claiming the highest tv ratings in the country, Basketball and Soccer the highest participation numbers and Netball claiming a large piece of the girls interest, should we be worried? Is there more the AFL can do or should we just embrace every sport and ignore the us against them argument altogether?
 
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A huge part of the Matildas popularity was the fact it was the women's team.

This can only help the AFLW in particular, because that interest may now transition to the next elite women's competition.

I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I'm not so sure the interest in the Matildas was because it was soccer.
It was its own feminist movement, but in an entirely positive and inclusive way.
 

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No

The nation always gets beyond national teams when they go deep in world cups

Every world cup with the mens teams the same thing get said
 
I’m willing to bet on history that the a league and w league will be as poorly supported (outside few examples) as it always is. Seems AU only likes the world cup for either Men and Women
 
Soccer is a flash in the pan sport here. It does has its followers. When there is a World Cup it gets more interest from people who generally don’t follow it. Once Australia is knocked out or the final is played, it really doesn’t keep those people involved, as it’s easier to support a country, rather than a league with no association.
 
Cyber_punk said:
lol why is Rugby Union on this poll?

That sport has been dead in the arse for at least 10 years at the grass roots. More people probably play darts.
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Until private schools in NSW and Queensland drop it as their sport of choice, it will continue to survive. The AFL need to make in roads in this area.
 
To me, its about the 'McDonald's Strategy' - get the kids in and the parents will follow. Its why the AFL have invested so strongly in AusKick north of the border and why women's participation in a sport is so crucial.
 
Rob said:
Did we have this discussion about athletics after Cathy Freeman?

People don't suddenly lose interest in things because something shiny turns their head.
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The A-League was created off the back of Australia's success in the World Cup. Funding was awarded and stadiums were built. Don't under estimate the power of positive popularity especially when politicians are looking for votes
 
Football Tragic said:
The A-League was created off the back of Australia's success in the World Cup. Funding was awarded and stadiums were built. Don't under estimate the power of positive popularity especially when politicians are looking for votes
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Which had zero effect on the AFL.

The A-League isn't even played in winter. People can follow both you know.
 

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Soccer's participation rates are zero concern to the AFL as well.

This isn't a knock at the sport, but even if you are overweight, sedentary and lack coordination, the one sport you can sign up for is soccer. At the lowest levels, you pretty much just need to be able to put one foot in front of the other and kick a ball off the ground.

Having higher numbers of participants actually makes sense in that regard.

The major challenge now is ensuring that young girls who show sporting ability are giving Australian Rules a go, because there are genuine outcomes for them at an elite level unlike in the past.
 
Football Tragic said:
The A-League was created off the back of Australia's success in the World Cup. Funding was awarded and stadiums were built. Don't under estimate the power of positive popularity especially when politicians are looking for votes
Click to expand...

No the A-League was created off the back of the failure of the NSL and the funding and authority was threw the relationship between Frank Lowry and the Commonwealth Government.

Australia qualified for the world cup in 2006 half way through the first A League season
 
Blackhawk42 said:
A huge part of the Matildas popularity was the fact it was the women's team.

This can only help the AFLW in particular, because that interest may now transition to the next elite women's competition.

I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I'm not so sure the interest in the Matildas was because it was soccer.
It was its own feminist movement, but in an entirely positive and inclusive way.
Click to expand...
Probably some truth to this.
My house mate didn't watch it at all. Didn't care at all.

But when talking about it last night I poointed out had we won it all, there was a chance we got a public holiday. Her response was, that would've been cool, especially because it was the women that earned it. So you might be right in that feminist movement.
 
Rob said:
Did we have this discussion about athletics after Cathy Freeman?

People don't suddenly lose interest in things because something shiny turns their head.
Click to expand...

A part from the immediate overlap with the QF and the Lions Crows game (which still sold out), there is actually no evidence that there was even any micro decline in interest of the AFL whilst the WWC was on at all.

I am pretty sure TV ratings were up and 220K actually went to games on Saturday

And that is whilst it was actually on rather than any legacy
 
The Educator said:
No the A-League was created off the back of the failure of the NSL and the funding and authority was threw the relationship between Frank Lowry and the Commonwealth Government.

Australia qualified for the world cup in 2006 half way through the first A League season
Click to expand...
There was a bit of bump in interest in the Aleague immediately following the 2006 World Cup though, at least in Melbourne. Melbourne Victory did go on their 06/07 winning streak and started having our first games at the then Telstra Dome (50k vs Sydney FC). Maybe it was a perfect storm of interest, hard to say that the growth would have happened without the World Cup in 2006, but looking at the A-League post World Cup did show an uptick for the league. After the peak interest though, it settled for a few years and has seem to have hit a sustained spot.

1692251101130.png
 
Gydafud said:
There was a bit of bump in interest in the Aleague immediately following the 2006 World Cup though, at least in Melbourne. Melbourne Victory did go on their 06/07 winning streak and started having our first games at the then Telstra Dome (50k vs Sydney FC). Maybe it was a perfect storm of interest, hard to say that the growth would have happened without the World Cup in 2006, but looking at the A-League post World Cup did show an uptick for the league. After the peak interest though, it settled for a few years and has seem to have hit a sustained spot.

View attachment 1776586
Click to expand...

Melbourne Victory playing games at Docklands is your answer. Increase elsewhere was marginal
 
The Educator said:
Melbourne Victory playing games at Docklands is your answer. Increase elsewhere was marginal
Click to expand...
True, but I remember the move to the Docklands in the 06-07 season was mostly in response to the World Cup interest. 2006 World Cup was in July, 06-07 season started in August, Melbourne played at Docklands for the first time against Sydney in September. But I am searching online to see what motivated the move from Olympic Park.
 
Gydafud said:
True, but I remember the move to the Docklands in the 06-07 season was mostly in response to the World Cup interest. 2006 World Cup was in July, 06-07 season started in August, Melbourne played at Docklands for the first time against Sydney in September. But I am searching online to see what motivated the move from Olympic Park.
Click to expand...

I am guessing the several full houses in the first season were a big factor

Not suggesting that the world cup had no impact at all but the main thing was the novelty of the league itself. OP I responded to suggested it was created of the back of the WC which it wasn't
 
The Educator said:
I am guessing the several full houses in the first season were a big factor

Not suggesting that the world cup had no impact at all but the main thing was the novelty of the league itself. OP I responded to suggested it was created of the back of the WC which it wasn't
Click to expand...
I may have got my responding mixed up, so sorry about that. Discovered this interesting report on the growth of Melbourne Victory and the factors involved.


However, I don't see the Matildas recent success and exposure having much of a change at the club level in this country.
 
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