Is the A-League starting to influence the AFL - or just paranoia?

[PowerForGood]

MELBOURNE Victory is disappointed the AFL has refused to publish an advertisement for the A-League club's clash with Queensland Roar in its grand final program.
Victory was keen to promote its top-of-the-table clash at Telstra Dome, to be played the day after Saturday's AFL decider between Sydney and West Coast.
But Victory was told yesterday the proposed ad in the Footy Record had been turned down by the AFL.
"It's a huge weekend for sport in town, a great celebration and we want to let all the fans know, especially the ones coming from interstate, about our game against Queensland on Sunday," Victory chief executive Geoff Miles said today.
"We got a call yesterday that the ad had been pulled.
"We understand that the reason was because we are a rival code and the AFL have a discretion to take out any ads that they're not happy with.
"We're disappointed, we're supporting the Storm this weekend, the (NRL grand final against Brisbane will be live) on the screens at Telstra Dome for all the fans.
"We thought there was plenty of room for both codes - being in the summer and all the public comments from (AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou) about there being room for all codes here.
"It's disappointing that they won't accept our money."

My viewpoint is that it is clear that there are only limited sponsorship dollars for the 4 football codes in Australia, and the A-League is starting to increase its share. An example, Foxtel has cut its proposal to screen AFl games from $34M pa to $17M pa over the next 5 years - a total downturn of $85M over 5 years. Counter to this is the deal to screen the A-League over the next 7 years for $120M, or approx $85M for the next 5 years. Coincidence?

 

[Mattlowry]

AFL are worried, this shows it pretty clearly...

Not that you can really blame them tho. Its like the Age putting an advertisement in the Herald Sun. Not gonna happen..

 

[Rice Paper]

Classic case of ambush marketing.

Why didn't Victory put an add in Herald Sun? The largest selling paper in Australia! They knew it would be knocked back and is trying to gain any publicity they can get.

The other case is the Holden Blimp, they know that it is one of Toyota's biggest days and so it will fly over the MCG.

The AFL should be able to put any ad in or NOT put any ad in its own publication FFS.

 

[Fire]

Why the hell should they?

Would channel 7 allow channel 10 to advertise their schedule on their network?

A nothing issue that will no doubt be manifested into some grand conspiracy by those who's lives are empty enough to need one.

 

[deck]

[ An example, Foxtel has cut its proposal to screen AFl games from $34M pa to $17M pa over the next 5 years - a total downturn of $85M over 5 years. Counter to this is the deal to screen the A-League over the next 7 years for $120M, or approx $85M for the next 5 years. Coincidence?

Not really as Foxtel know if people want to watch A-League on TV they have to get Foxtel. The reason they won't pay big on AFL as they are only being offered the 3 least attractive games and as I understand that goes for all states. So they wouldn't be getting any games in any state that would entice people to sign up as they would still get the best 5 games on FTA plus the games of the local teams. Victoria is the only state where the local teams are not guarenteed FTA coverage.

 

[PowerForGood]

Why the hell should they?

Would channel 7 allow channel 10 to advertise their schedule on their network?

A nothing issue that will no doubt be manifested into some grand conspiracy by those who's lives are empty enough to need one.

Interestingly, the ad was originally accepted by the AFL. It has only now been pulled.

 

[cosmonaut]

I'm a little surprised that they wouldn't show it. The A League is not direct competition. What have they to fear?

 

[LebaneseForces]

Well Done Melbourne Victory! On there website there advertising the Storm clash on the weekend and putting the game on the screen!!!
Great Stuff My two favourite sports going hand in hand LOL
AFL are just a bunch of sooks... Paranoid people? LOL

 

[PowerForGood]

Classic case of ambush marketing.

Why didn't Victory put an add in Herald Sun? The largest selling paper in Australia! They knew it would be knocked back and is trying to gain any publicity they can get.

The other case is the Holden Blimp, they know that it is one of Toyota's biggest days and so it will fly over the MCG.

The AFL should be able to put any ad in or NOT put any ad in its own publication FFS.

Not quite ambush marketing by the A-League, as that involves gate-crashing without invitation or approval (eg the Holden Blimp). This was only about pulling an ad that had been approved.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

My viewpoint is that it is clear that there are only limited sponsorship dollars for the 4 football codes in Australia, and the A-League is starting to increase its share. An example, Foxtel has cut its proposal to screen AFl games from $34M pa to $17M pa over the next 5 years - a total downturn of $85M over 5 years. Counter to this is the deal to screen the A-League over the next 7 years for $120M, or approx $85M for the next 5 years. Coincidence?

A-League's biggest advantage is the Asian Champions League as an extension to the A-League. The A-League itself would not be a major threat, however, combining the fact that a club like Melbourne Victory can be shown to potential billions of households in Asia is where the sponsorships will matter.

Next season, if the Victory make the ACL, and teams from Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth also make it, the AFL and NRL will have continetal soccer played at the same time (although on Wednesday nights) as their seasons.

 

[Heisenberg_]

They have nothing to be worried about, the A-League is nothing but a B grade soccer competition for players not good enough to play in europe, crap quality games. No need to worry

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Not quite ambush marketing by the A-League, as that involves gate-crashing without invitation or approval (eg the Holden Blimp). This was only about pulling an ad that had been approved.

the blimp flies around everywhere. I saw it near my house today, and I don't live close to the city of Melbourne.

 

[PowerForGood]

They have nothing to be worried about, the A-League is nothing but a B grade soccer competition for players not good enough to play in europe, crap quality games. No need to worry

Much as I am a fervent Power supporter, I am interested in this line of (IMO) flawed reasoning.

There are probably only 6-10 leagues (across Europe and S.America) in the world that would be considered top class. There are 180-200 countries in the world where World Football is the #1 sport. Not top class, but they still go.
Even in those leagues (take England for example), there are 3rd and 4th div clubs with 20K+ spectators, standard of football in those leagues would be on a par with the A-League. Tell them that they are silly for watching soccer that is not top shelf.
Tell the people that go to VFL / SANFL / WAFL / TFL / NTFL games that they are watching second-tier Aussie Rules and shouldn't bother.

 

[Rex]

How could the AFL be even remotely worried about a 5th rate comp that attracts an average of 11,000 for 8 teams and is played in Summer.

 

[fishmonger]

fair enough.

I doubt the A-League would put an ad in their program to promote the AFL.

 

[Chuq]

fair enough.

I doubt the A-League would put an ad in their program to promote the AFL.

It has already been mentioned in this thread that the FFA (or MV) are putting the Rugby League grand final on the big screen at the Telstra Dome straight after the A-League game, so that blows the idea that FFA won't cross promote other codes out of the water.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

It has already been mentioned in this thread that the FFA (or MV) are putting the Rugby League grand final on the big screen at the Telstra Dome straight after the A-League game, so that blows the idea that FFA won't cross promote other codes out of the water.

NRL, A-L and ARU would cross-promote to stop the AFL getting into Sydney,

 

[Munga]

How could the AFL be even remotely worried about a 5th rate comp that attracts an average of 11,000 for 8 teams and is played in Summer.

I'd say AFL is more worried about Melbourne getting 40,000. "11,000" includes New Zealand ffs, they shouldn't even exist.

 

[bullish23]

Much as I am a fervent Power supporter, I am interested in this line of (IMO) flawed reasoning.

There are probably only 6-10 leagues (across Europe and S.America) in the world that would be considered top class. There are 180-200 countries in the world where World Football is the #1 sport. Not top class, but they still go.
Even in those leagues (take England for example), there are 3rd and 4th div clubs with 20K+ spectators, standard of football in those leagues would be on a par with the A-League. Tell them that they are silly for watching soccer that is not top shelf.
Tell the people that go to VFL / SANFL / WAFL / TFL / NTFL games that they are watching second-tier Aussie Rules and shouldn't bother.

Great Post

 

[realfootball]

How could the AFL be even remotely worried about a 5th rate comp that attracts an average of 11,000 for 8 teams and is played in Summer.

Are you serious??? Even the AFL admin admit its the biggest threat. As a swans supporter who also goes to Sydney FC games, I can tell you, i'd be worried if I was running the AFL. Soccer has stormed into the market place, at least here in Sydney as you'd know.. The main reason why AFL should be worried, is very simply, Frank Lowy. A businessman who knows how to get his way. It may take awhile, but it is starting to happen.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Are you serious??? Even the AFL admin admit its the biggest threat. As a swans supporter who also goes to Sydney FC games, I can tell you, i'd be worried if I was running the AFL. Soccer has stormed into the market place, at least here in Sydney as you'd know.. The main reason why AFL should be worried, is very simply, Frank Lowy. A businessman who knows how to get his way. It may take awhile, but it is starting to happen.

One word of the threat: ASIA

The A-League itself, isn't the threat, the Asian Champions League is.

Next season, with maybe Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC playing their ACL matches during the AFL/NRL season (but on wednesday nights). The Victory, are sponsored by Samsung, a quite large company for a supposed small league. The Victory will be seen around a potential 3.5 billion people.

There is the Threat

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

Much as I am a fervent Power supporter, I am interested in this line of (IMO) flawed reasoning.

There are probably only 6-10 leagues (across Europe and S.America) in the world that would be considered top class. There are 180-200 countries in the world where World Football is the #1 sport. Not top class, but they still go.
Even in those leagues (take England for example), there are 3rd and 4th div clubs with 20K+ spectators, standard of football in those leagues would be on a par with the A-League. Tell them that they are silly for watching soccer that is not top shelf.
Tell the people that go to VFL / SANFL / WAFL / TFL / NTFL games that they are watching second-tier Aussie Rules and shouldn't bother.

well said
even the US league (MLS) gets good crowds, some teams like LA get over 20,000 average, quite good for the US's 6th/7th sport (behind NFL, Baseball, Basketball, Golf and NASCAR and maybe NHL).

 

[kimirocks]

One word of the threat: ASIA

The A-League itself, isn't the threat, the Asian Champions League is.

Next season, with maybe Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC playing their ACL matches during the AFL/NRL season (but on wednesday nights). The Victory, are sponsored by Samsung, a quite large company for a supposed small league. The Victory will be seen around a potential 3.5 billion people.

There is the Threat

Why do you think Sakai now sponsor Adelaide United. They're hardly known in Australia, but once they step into the ACL, they have the exposure back through Japan, Korea and China. Now that's some marketing.

 

[Matt_TY]

I don't get why we are attempting to help the Storm, when they are attempting to block our request to increase the new stadium's capacity.

Disappointing from MVFC