Back to the point about Stadiums and Brisbane, they have the problem that they don’t have a suitable option. Suncorp is too big with a design that isn’t viable to be run with small crowds. (Eg a gigantic lower bowl far in excess of an average crowd.) Going back there less popular than when they left won’t help. Redcliffe is the right size but hard to get to with limited facilities. I think solving the general malaise of the league helps this a little, but an appropriately sized stadium somewhere near the city is a must for the 3rd biggest city in the league.
I think the idea of trying to take over the hockey facility after the Olympics and advocate for a mutually beneficial design has plenty of merit. A nice Coopers Stadium style design that allows them to flog 15k of tickets to the flag wavers and bucket head hats but with a long term use already factored in. Of course Hockey will want a legacy from the Olympics as well, but a mid sized stadium is fairly pointless.
5:30 there in Perth is 8:30 here. Seems to make more sense, to me than 5:30 in Melbourne or 7:30 in Perth.
Look it’s a small thing, overall, I don’t think the APL should be crucified over this alone, of course. But in the context of Jubal saying the only way forward is to improve ratings, I find it hard to imagine how the league is going to make that happen when we’re doing this type of thing.
Given that the only game on FTA is on a Saturday night, the scheduling of other games has little bearing on improving FTA ratings. I don’t disagree that the scheduling has been poor, sometimes frustratingly random, but it’s not a significant FTA ratings impediment beyond the knock on effect of people getting frustrated trying to follow the league and not tuning in on Saturday nights.
For the Olympics yes (and in the lead up, the fact it’s in 2032 is the weakest part of this plan) but Hockey has no need for a mid tier boutique stadium long term. Work with Hockey to build a facility, get them a nice field outside the main arena that can be used as training in the lead up and during and as their long term home in the future and the stadium can be the home of football in Queensland. At a time when the government are spunking billions on facilities we need to try and get our share. The need to replace an artificial pitch with grass after the Olympics is the easiest part.
who would hockey want to work with soccer to get a stadium they’ll use 3-4 times and then give up to soccer? It’s also not up to hockey is it? It’s up to the Olympic Committee and minimum requirements.
It’s about presenting the organizing committee a joint plan that provides both sports a legacy for the future. A stadium for Hockey that holds 10-15k is going to be created regardless. It will likely be like in Sydney a temporary stadium with limited permanent facilities. Working together, Hockey can end up with a top class precinct of facilities for their long term use, football can advocate for a permanent rectangle facility that Hockey can use as a nice shiny stadium for the Olympics, that they will utilize long term as a home of football.
The Queensland government has shown limited intention of ever spending money on a boutique stadium. They are now about to spend a huge amount of money on a large amount of facilities that get used for 2 weeks. Football needs to be aggressive in trying to get a slice of the spoils, lest we end up with another Gabba situation
Can’t agree with this. The comp should be played at a time which produces the best quality football. Last years season, although disrupted, was proof the quality is better in winter. Why do people enjoy watching teams play at 70% so they can conserve energy in hot weather, I just don’t get the reasoning.
Playing in summer just proves that the people running our game have no faith or trust that we can produce a quality product.
Covid has stuffed things up - home grounds, regular game scheduling, etc… and it has made it harder to cross market - a bit of a vicious cycle.
Having said that, it’s also not a free pass for the APL - should’ve done better with things like KEEPUP.
Agree with some of your points, but promotion/relegation is a pipe dream. That can only really work when you have a football country, ie every town has a viable team that can draw a decent crowd (eg 10k), but more importantly, a big supporter base that works for the marketing side of things.
Eg. You’d need the same type of supporter base that there is for NRL in Sydney or AFL in Melbourne…. But those fans are already taken! Australia doesn’t have a lot of people, so not a big market for so many sports… and they already have the incumbency in the media, so it’s not like they are going to make things easy for football to take some of their fan base. …anyways, there’s another thread for this…
You’re not going to produce great football on fields that look like a couple of Tanks did burnouts on the fields the day after a Rugby game and the grounds keeper hasn’t even tried to wash the Rugby Line/sponsorship paint out of the turf.
I will concede that football can rip up pitches just as much as League, but the point is, your Bettter player’s aren’t going to be able to control the ball with it bouncing in divots the size of tennis balls.
That’s nonsense. We shared a season with NRL last two seasons and this was simply not the case.
Pitches were on the whole better than normal due to lack of concerts and grounds keepers actually giving a fuck. We routinely played on significantly worse in the summers.
Keepup is so messy with all their blue and red panels and just the general way it is set out. They should basically Just copy the bbc sport app but just for football
“Football fans now get the best of both worlds – they can now look forward to a showpiece Grand Final event in a set location, as well as watching A-Leagues and national team stars week-in-week-out at their local A-Leagues team.“
I mean it sort of makes sense for the NSW government. Football fans are known to travel for big matches like Finals. If an inter-state team makes it, it will be a nice little earner for them
