Just under 5,000 turned up last night to the elimination final, imagine if this match was played at 1pm today...crowd would be about 1500 max!

If the Heart game starts at 5.30, surely it would be more logical to play the states showpiece match at 8pm, it is a saturday night afterall and if they had set it up like this you would have had a decent crossover for both games.

As far as im concerned 1pm means the ffv dont want anyone turning up, is it because they dont want a vpl grand final potentially featuring South attracting a bigger crowd then Heart? who knows, it just screams of "we dont give a stuff"

I miss the old days when the womens premier league final was the curtain raiser for the mens final, at least it felt important.

Yeah but then you'd have to be present in the vicinity of multiple Heart flogs. Plus you'd be guaranteed to be contributing to their attendance count.

If you can get a ticket to this without getting a Heart ticket I'll be there, and out of there before the Heart game.

I don't disagree with you, but the same argument can be made the other way as well. If only more of those that support/play/watch lower leagues picked an A-League team to follow there'd be less teams in the red, crowds would increase and the popularity of football in Australia would get a boost.

I play in a local league in Brisbane, and when I suggested to my team mates recently that we organise going to Brisbanen's first home game of the season, not a single other person was interested enough to commit to going. That to me is the A-League's biggest hurdle. I think you'd find that decent proportion of A-League fans are also involved at the grassroots level, but the majority of people involved at grassroots level have no interest in the A-League.

There are always State 1,2,3,4,5 teams as well.

If the Victory or Heart fans "adopted" a club in the lower leagues it would only take 300-500 of them turning up to change one of these Club around into a lower league powerhouse. That represents $1500-$2500 at the gate and probably $3000 to $5000 at the canteen at each and every home game. With $50-80K you change a club and you will help improve the football.
It means councils taking notice maybe providing better facilities.
It means better coaches for juniors.
It means more sponsorships.
They might actually like it.

Anyway we can always dream.

Edited by Arthur: 4/10/2013 08:20:30 AM

Precisely

For the HAL to improve - it needs to be nudged by a vibrant - healthy and enthusiastic second tier with adequate exposure

There are always State 1,2,3,4,5 teams as well.

If the Victory or Heart fans "adopted" a club in the lower leagues it would only take 300-500 of them turning up to change one of these Club around into a lower league powerhouse. That represents $1500-$2500 at the gate and probably $3000 to $5000 at the canteen at each and every home game. With $50-80K you change a club and you will help improve the football.
It means councils taking notice maybe providing better facilities.
It means better coaches for juniors.
It means more sponsorships.
They might actually like it.

Anyway we can always dream.

Edited by Arthur: 4/10/2013 08:20:30 AM

Great points Arthur, I have been to more VPL games this year then HAL last year. Games are more local, you can just turn up without booking, kids are free and the standard is high. I note the ffv on their website constantly promote Heart memberships but seem unable to engage the public in promoting the actual ffv clubs/members games.

I bet the HAL fans could really get into the VPL.

Why do they need to convert to A-League?

Football is Football whether in A-League, VPL or Churches League is it not?

Should we just be playing or following football wherever it is played?

Why don't A-League supporters pick a winter team to follow?

Good initiative. If tickets are cheaper that week it would be a great initiative. Either way, an opportunity to convert a few football supporters to A-League supporters.

VPL Grand Final returns to AAMI Park
02.10.2013

http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/index.php?id=17&tx_ttnews%5Byear%5D=2013&tx_ttnews%5Bmonth%5D=10&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1608&cHash=22c31021e95b55d824d252fff9a49d4a

AAMI Park to host the 2013 VPL Grand Final for the third consecutive year.
Tweet Football Federation Victoria (FFV) has confirmed AAMI Park as the host venue for the 2013 Victorian Premier League (VPL) Grand Final.

The VPL Grand Final will kick off at 1pm at AAMI Park on Saturday October 19 as the curtain-raiser to the Round 2 Hyundai A-League match between Melbourne Heart and reigning champion Central Coast Mariners.

AAMI Park has hosted the past two VPL Grand Finals, with Dandenong Thunder prevailing 2-1 over Oakleigh Cannons in 2012 and Green Gully defeating Oakleigh Cannons 3-2 in 2011.

Either Northcote City or Bentleigh Greens will book its place in the VPL Grand Final when the two sides meet in the second semi-final at JL Murphy Reserve on Saturday night.

The loser of that match will play the winner of Melbourne Knights v South Melbourne (Knights Stadium, Friday night) in the preliminary final at 3pm on Saturday October 12.

For all the VPL fixtures, click here