‘Just don’t yet have the support’: A-Leagues need backing on all levels to survive
Following a tough year that has seen staff redundancies and club fundings slashed, a prominent industry figure says the A-Leagues need support on all levels to stay afloat.
In January this year, almost half of the football league’s staff were axed, with the Australian Professional Leagues chairman, Stephen Conroy, telling SMH earlier this month that club distributions for the upcoming season have been cut to $530,000 due to an “overly ambitious” strategy.
That figure has dropped by almost $1.5 million last season and $3 million six years ago.
In the same interview, Conroy said the men and women’s competition would not have survived if they did not move away from its spending strategy, which included a $140 million investment from private equity company Silver Lake.
Last paragraph is all you need to know. Game is most played in the country by far, but doesn’t receive the same financial support or coverage.
Love the ALeagues, but I think Clive has it wrong when he says it needs to become a league where our best players choose to stay in it and play. Thats simply never, ever going to happen, and actually it is a good thing for both the ALeagues (reputationally, financially via transfer fees) and of course the national team (experience, capability of players), if we have superstar aussies playing in top European leagues. A rising tide and all that. The ALeagues, in fact the entire Australian football pyramid, needs to become a structure where we are (once again) producing top class players who can compete in Europe.
If you are used to watching the EPL, watching the A-League is like watching a different sport being played.
The product on the pitch isn’t good enough to compete for audiences.
An improved product means both producing and purchasing world class talent that will attract audiences, the A-League is currently doing neither.
As much as I’d love the beautiful game to be Australia’s football of choice, I don’t think I’m going to see it. The reality is, Australians expect a lot from the sport they watch or support. Regardless of history Australians get behind a league or tournament if they’re watching the world’s best.
My club wasn’t allowed to play in the A-Leagues. I’m not remotely interested, and won’t follow it until they implement pro/rel and there’s a chance I can support the club I have followed for more than 20 years, in that league.
Wonder if Optus Sport might be able to help with a bucket of cash when the Paramount rights deal ends.