Lots of things shit me about the game and I have >3000 posts worth of proof attesting to that FACT! but this contrived horseshit and the way its insidiously being introduced by clubs is at the very top.
http://www.thegreenfieldpost.com.au/sport/afl/opinion-gfp/2016/5/the-afls-biggest-issue/
Footy fans might not even know it, but we are currently witnessing the single most disgraceful development of our game has seen in 160 years of Australian Rules Football.
Is it flooding? No.
Ducking and Diving? Nope.
Joe Danihers Moustache? Remarkably, no.
The biggest blight on our game in 2016 is undoubtedly club sanctioned scoreboard noises.
The lazy attempts by clubs to increase the much talked about ‘fan experience,’ has resulting in club chants, explosions of recorded crowd noise and random sound effects blaring over stadium PA systems to start quarters and even immediately after goals, and somehow it is a growing trend.
It is a frightening reality that there is staff at club land who have bizarrely conceived these tactics as a good idea and even more concerning that their superiors have agreed to implement them. That such a thing has made it’s way into the football experience is a disgrace greater than any the game has seen before and it is an issue that needs to be dealt with before it get’s out of hand.
Sundays match between St Kilda and Carlton at Etihad Stadium brought together two of the leagues worst scoreboard noise culprits, with the Saints home game allowing them to stake their claim as outright leaders.
Despite a scintillating performance that gave Saints fans plenty to cheer about, their efforts were consistently drowned out by the painful pre-recorded cry of ‘Oh when the Saints…. Go marching in…’ that followed every goal and led all the way into the next centre bounce.
While a rousing chant when sung by real people in an actual moment of passion, as seen in the mother country with Tottenham and Southampton fans utilising the same tune, the Saints cringeworthy attempt to manufacture an atmosphere in such a fashion is an indictment on the club, on our sport and ultimately our country.
Sadly it is not a problem exclusive to St Kilda, with Carlton home games also providing the frightening pairing of a flashing scoreboard graphic and a thunderous and painful sound effect after every goal to ensure that any attempt of their supporters to produce real noise to inspire their side is wasted, whilst the Gold Coasts post goal trumpet has become a staple feature of Suns home games to irritate their five thousand strong crowd.
Essendon attempted to implement similar ‘goal music’ way back in 2001 by blasting Jennifer Lopez’ ‘Lets Get Loud’ over the PA after each and every goal of their top of the table clash with Hawthorn, and while that probably wouldn’t cause many issues nowadays the all-conquering Bombers of the time kicked 18 goals to beat the Hawks and claim top spot on that day to ensure that the song rightly never saw the light of day again at an AFL match.
So while it’s not exactly a new phenomenon and nor is it exclusive to Aussie Rules, it is an issue that now needs to be acted upon before it get’s out of hand and the solution is going to be one that can’t be used to solve any other issue that may ever arise in football, but we know what it’s going to take…
Clubs must follow Essendon’s lead. Just this once.
The sooner Carlton, St Kilda, Gold Coast and any other club planning to pump their plastic atmospheres through the PA cut their losses and turn the volume down the sooner footy fans can move on and focus on the bigger issues, like the price of a pie and beer at the MCG.