So why is it the AFL with all their millions are being killed in the Sydney and Brisbane markets?
Why have they failed in New Zealand, South Africa and (soon to be) China?

Sport is social and cultural. It is generational.  In some cases it is also class dependant. Go around different parts of the country and you'll see different sports

Sport changes gradually over time so there is no doubt we can gradually increase our presence but it is a loooooooooooooong and tiring process. There are no quick wins on the board

A few ads and cross promotion doesn't change the wogball mentality. It doesn't change the number of registered players ignoring the Australian game. It doesn't change Eurosnobs. It doesn't change people who don't want to sit through 90 minutes to see one goal

The 90% of Australians not playing the game are not playing it for a reason. And those not watching it are not watching it for a reason

If you said "soccer" or showed somebody a "soccer ball" do you think they'll stare at it dumbfounded and ask what it is?

The FFA almost literally do not advertise yet we still see 20k members for some teams and 60k at big events. The advertisement is already out there. The FFA can do more work to hype the product but that's only across the existing fan base

You stated business rule 101. That's the problem. You are reading textbooks aimed at hotdogs stands and applying the same principles to professional sport

Its why the Westfield led FFA failed. The inability to adapt to a unique audience saw the AFL / NRL led FFA fail. For football to grow we need people with experience in professional sport, and knowledge of the football environment. People who embrace what is unique about our game and not rubbish it because its different and unAustralian

We can (and probably will) spend 10 or 20 years trying to get on a major network. And then what?

Marketing can only get people to know about a product. Your first assumption is they don't already know. Your second assumption is they will suddenly care when they do find out

This whole ignorant average Joe aussie in his millions untapped and waiting for our game to be put in front of him is so fucking rubbish I'm puzzled as to why anybody can think its a real thing

If the AFL with all their millions and all their marketing and all their media presence has a hard slog in Sydney and Brisbane, then why will football with 1 / 10th of their resources be the first?

Bluebird

You miss the point, are you seriously suggesting marketing and media coverage combined with cross promotion has little effect.

Your AFL example actually supports this because without the media it has it would not or hardly be known in NSW & QLD.

Football has a very low conversation rate from player to TV watcher around 18% compared to the collusion codes 86%.

What will change and lift that percentage is a combination of things, a mix if you like of factors including as you suggest quality of the play. However many other things are needed including building up Footballs base support.

Our base support is lower than many think and to increase the base support needs a lots of things to happen not single thing in and of itself is capable of this. An excellent example is on this site we have a Metrics trending thread and TheSelectiveFew does an unbelievable job in putting up links to the NPL on this thread. Essentially spreading the word... media will also play a part.

Moreover a toxic and or negative media will also have a impact.

No one is suggesting quality is not important as the evolution grows ... equally so is a supportive and positive media .. 



 

Midfielder, I agree with your point about positive media. We have already seen over the last 2 seasons what negative media has done (SBS numbers halving). But negative media halving numbers doesn't mean positive media doubles numbers. If SBS turned their shit around numbers can only go back to the way they were. Its not like people will start watching the game twice

Negative media is a small component of football trying to make traction in this country, and in many ways a symptom of the real problems we face (the foreign invader)

The negative media is a result of us not being able to make traction. It is a result of the, as you said, very low support. Turning the media's attitude around means turning the support of the code around. Not the other way around

If more people support MV when they are winning, does that mean an increase in memberships at the start of next season will mean a better chance of winning the title?

That's the paradox you are dealing with. If the media was positive, its because we already have the support

The media may mean the AFL is known in QLD and NSW but the interest is still the same. Yes it will grow at a gradual rate. Lots of things change over time. But we didn't seen an instant boom. GWS went to West Sydney only to be met by a handful of expats and general apathy. WSW went to West Sydney and were an instant hit because the interest already exists

That shows the real impact of sport as a social / cultural product vs sport as a product of the media

The AFL has to accept that regardless of its money and advertising power that nobody north of the border born north of the border gives a fuck about it. That's why the inaugural AFLW season didn't even hit the main channel north of the border (more proof the media themselves know that popularity drives ratings, which I would have thought is obvious)

Similarly, support for the Australian part of football has always been low, and second to European leagues and teams. The Socceroos play here and people don't know which jersey to put on

I don't disagree that negative media is hurting our game. And I don't disagree that a positive media is a component of what we ideally should have. But the answer to growth and acceptance is not advertising and marketing. It didn't work for the AFL with all their money. It wouldn't work for the NFL if they came here with truckloads of money. It isn't going to work for us

The NFL is actually a good example of how a sport can gain major interest by focusing first and foremost in its own market. It did that and over time people appreciate the product and now has a big support internationally. So much so it is naturally without forcing the fact playing games in the UK with great success.

This is similar to what the FFA should do, focus on the football market, fix the issues currently with this league and the more problems they fix, the better the product is and more people will follow it. A good following won't happen overnight and some people's opinions will never change, which is why focus on the next generation and make sure unlike most of the younger population of Australia currently, that the league/s is in such a state where people will want to follow it instead of only european leagues.

^^^^^^^^^


Tis an interesting debate what are the key things to do to grow our market base... 

I guess the starting point of any discussion is to determine where we sit and how big our base is.

My belief is many fans over estimate the size of the Football base which leads to many expectations that are impossible to achieve and then its seen as a fail.. 

An example in a Superman film of some years back, the villain is released from jail and berates his off-sider and the line goes something like this """" I ask you to do one simple thing and you failed ... all I said was to kill superman and you failed me"""

My belief is Football is about to have a major bump sometime over the next two years ... to me its obvious .. but we have many doom and gloom folk believing the sky is about to fall... we certainty have some issues to sort out in the next six months  ... I am sure with the quality of people involved in the game today it will happen ... 

As I said would be interesting to see if people could name there top three ..."""achievable """ things they would do to help the evolution. 

To be honest I don't see the harm in a viable competitive professional football league

Less than 10 years ago we were getting $17m a year. Now we are getting $57m
Less than 10 years ago Muscat and Yorke were the biggest players (and Bosnich). Now we have had Kewell, ADP and Cahill

We have enough money and enough interest to do everything we wanted to do when the Crawford report was being written. And as others have said we have even exceeded expectations

We seem to be a victim of two things:
1/ Getting a taste of these expectations and striving to be number 1
2/ Trying to fit into the imaginary Australian framework

I don't see any reason to be disappointed that we are rating 150k-175k instead of 300k-400k. I don't see it as a failure that we have 2 clubs with 20k members instead of 40k members. I don't see any disaster in CCM and NCJ not starting the season at the same competitive level as MV and SFC

We need to stop trying to build a sports entertainment product and just go back to building a competitive, viable, professional league. The money and interest may be more or les the same but the sport as a whole will benefit right down to the grassroots

Agree with the above poster mentioning exposure and media hype.

It was evident in 06-08 in seasons 2-3 what a tidal wave of media support did for the game.
Some of the numbers that Jets and Mariners got for example seems unimaginable ten years on.
Soccer/Football was the "it" thing to do in summer and I truly think the atmosphere produced at games then accelerated the hype produced.
Now unfortunately for a few reasons the BBL has taken over this mantle as the summer thing to do.

^^^^^^
Bluebird
Excellent post above and 100% agree and love your two points



Further and as I said above...



Having said this I still believe Football is in for a major bump very soon nay a very major bump... 

Just on the being number one thing you mentioned tis interesting how you measure and report this.

In Australia there are only five IMO mainstream Australia wide team sports, Cricket, Netball, Basketball, Swimming & Football. The collusion codes are state based sports in the main.

As professional sports and event context providers, then Cricket, AFL & NRL are mega. 

So the measurement of being number one is corrupted by corporate media deal measurements as the key determinate. This masks and hides things that are happening at grassroots levels.

As I keep saying have faith in the game as we have many many many very very very good people in it... and our next jump is not that far away.

I'm skeptical of that last line Midfielder. The actions of Gallop/Lowy are not ones that inspire reasons for faith

What part I said """As I keep saying have faith in the game as we have many many many very very very good people in it.

So how does ....  many many many = Gallop & Lowy ?????????

Hopefully their voices can be heard and make a difference 

This article talks about the importance of sport for Friday night TV viewing.

https://mumbrella.com.au/afl-nrl-rule-roost-friday-night-tv-444556

Can we ban this flog

Haha wow - Mumbrella is cancerous

STV ratings for Week 19.  A-League  grand final topped the ratings for the week:

http://astra.org.au/pdf/news/STV_Ratings_Report_Week_19..pdf

.

Old news. 

(Viewing related and future for the sport-)

BT To Make Europa & Champions League Broadcasting History


Tue 16th May 2017 | Television & Broadcasting

BT Sport is set to make broadcast history with a range of viewing experiences as it prepares to show the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League finals free-to-air.

For the first time ever, the UEFA Champions League final will be available in 360° virtual reality, with a number of streams available on YouTube and the new BT Sport Virtual Reality App.

The broadcaster will allow fans to choose between a 360° produced programme with commentary and graphics or select their own camera viewpoint.

Another pair of unprecedented moves will also see the biggest game in world club football shown in 4K UHD on YouTube and in 4K UHD with Dolby Atmos sound on BT TV.

The denouement to a thrilling European campaign begins on May 24th as Manchester United take on Ajax in the UEFA Europa League final in Stockholm.

United, of course, will have more on their minds than simply adding the one piece of continental silverware to so far elude them in their glittering history.

Real Madrid and Juventus will then lock horns in the UEFA Champions League final at Cardiff’s National Stadium of Wales on June 3rd.

“These are two of the biggest club football tournaments in the world and showing them live on social media and on mobile devices makes it more readily available to a younger audience as well as available to traditional TV viewers,” said BT Consumer CEO John Petter.

“We believe that VR can offer our viewers an immersive second screen view which will enhance our coverage. We’re excited to be broadcasting what we believe to be the biggest multi-camera live 360° sporting event ever for the first time to our customers.”

BT Sport is the exclusive UK home of UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League football until at least 2020/21, with every single game shown live on TV and online.

Reuters / Pierre Albouy Livepic

http://www.fcbusiness.co.uk/news/article/newsitem=4928/title=bt+to+make+europa++champions+league+broadcasting+history+

Unless someone can tell me otherwise but I think VR/3D are shit. Sorry,

I'm waiting for projection.
Will be much better for down the pub with mates, instead of goggles

Bundesliga Showcase For Virtual Hybrid Technology


Wed 17th May 2017 | IT & Technology

Imagine you could sell the advertising on your perimeter LED board to different companies in different territories. Imagine you could do this multiple times over.

Well stop imagining and start preparing!

Combining the technological strengths of ADI, the UK’s leading LED display and digiboard perimeter provider and Supponor’s digital replacement technology, clubs now have the power to tailor brand messages for individual broadcast markets.

After two years of development, the ground breaking Virtual Hybrid solution gives clubs the ability to deliver conventional LED display content to a domestic television audience and fans within a stadium, but, with the added advantage of virtually replacing the messages for different broadcast markets.

Showcasing this unique technology, executives gathered in Frankfurt on 6th May for the climax of a major tour in which ADI and Supponor took the technology on the road, allowing clubs throughout the Bundesliga to get ‘hands on’ with the system and understand how it works.

ADI_AUD (32594_2017 - 05 Frankfurt Game day - presentation-71_6000x4000.jpg)
In forest surrounds, the 51,000 capacity Commerzbank-Arena, home of Eintracht Frankfurt, was fitted out with the latest Virtual Hybrid digiboard which has been used on a non-commercial basis at Watford Football Club during the 2016/17 season.

In the club’s museum – which explores Eintracht Frankfurt’s journey past to present - sponsors, governing bodies and club executives gathered to witness the future of sports broadcasting with presentations from Bundesliga commercial operators, Lagardere Sports, Supponor and ADI’s Geraint Williams ahead of the match between Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg.

As the match kicked-off, attention switched to the TV displays where a live feed broadcast the game being played out in the stadium. From this feed, four screens displayed the virtually integrated perimeter boards and the various dynamic effects that can be used.

The successful deployment of Supponor and ADI’s solution at Commerzbank-Arena followed an earlier smaller scale integration of a Virtual Hybrid digiBOARD system at VfL Wolfsburg’s Volkswagen Arena in March 2017.

Enhanced Capability

However, virtual replacement technology is nothing new, but what makes the collaboration between ADI and Supponor unique is the ability to make it work using LED perimeter advertising. Previous incarnations has seen it work only on static perimeters boards and making it work with LED, popular at clubs in England and Germany, proved a challenge.

The purpose of the event was to demonstrate not only the quality of the product on screen but also the complete end-to-end workflow, from integration with the live match feed production to the generation of multiple customised feeds featuring different perimeter brand messaging in each.

Supponor’s Chief Operating Officer, Charlie Marshall, commented: "The showcase event at Eintracht Frankfurt’s Commerzbank-Arena was a hugely valuable demonstration of Supponor’s virtual replacement technology and its ability to integrate with LED.

“We were able to successfully demonstrate the end to end quality of the solution, both in terms of authenticity on screen, and the seamless technical workflow. We are at the dawn of a new era in virtual replacement advertising and we’re excited to be at the heart of it as we further implement the solution in key markets."

New Commercial Horizons

With the Premier League’s broadcast deal with NBC in the US worth around £400m and the lucrative 3-year broadcasting rights deal signed with Chinese broadcaster PPTV worth over £500m from 2019, virtual replacement technology will give clubs the opportunity to capitalise on the huge audiences these markets provide.

The popularity of the Premier League around the world has allowed clubs to raise the value of their perimeter advertising, but is often confined to one message over numerous geographic boundaries. Virtual replacement technology allows clubs to target specific audiences based on geography opening up a number of potential new revenue streams and providing audiences with relevant brand messages.

ADI_GER (32604_2017 - 05 Frankfurt Game day - presentation-81_6000x4000.jpg)
Geraint Williams, CEO of ADI, added: “We’re delighted by the response from clubs and federations who have seen the technology in action and incredibly excited by some of the progressive thinking they’ve shared about the potential for commercialising the platform. The solution we’ve developed with Supponor is a complete end to end offering, which combines the best of everything we do, from LED manufacturing, augmented reality, connected stadium networks, content management, and broadcast engineering.”

How does it work?

Virtual replacement technology uses advanced virtual overlay imagery to offer an optimum augmented reality brand activation solution for any football match in any stadium in any production environment.

Supponor’s advanced augmented reality expertise allows them to overlay in-venue, TV-visible, physical advertising signage of any kind with authentically rendered, virtual branded content – in real time – to create high-impact targeted virtual brand messaging.

ADI_SUPP (32646_2017 - 05 Frankfurt Digiboard Install-43_4608x2592.jpg)
Working with multi-coloured backgrounds or foregrounds, the technology delivers a seamless solution regardless of changing light or weather conditions using a fixed camera position to mask fine objects – such as goal nets, limbs of players or officials, balls or smoke.

Designing and deploying a digital overlay to deliver virtual hybrid replacement allows for unlimited feeds while also enabling brand and media owners alike to benefit from real-time brand exposure statistics.

With the technology at an advanced stage and set to further develop, ADI and Supponor will head to the UK and other European markets at the end of May and into June to showcase the technology on the next leg of the tour.

Clubs and venues who have not yet confirmed a date for the roadshow to visit their stadium are encouraged to contact Claire Fitzgerald-Firth at ADI via Claire.Fitzgerald-Firth@adi.tv

http://fcbusiness.co.uk/news/article/newsitem=4935/title=bundesliga+showcase+for+virtual+hybrid+technology

I wonder if this can be applied cheaply and affectively to FB streams and what not. It could be a very big boost to the local leagues that use streaming services. Thanks for sharing. More money to the worlds strongest sport.

I follow this one https://twitter.com/fcbusiness it throws up some interesting things sometimes. 

Followed

Picking off some mediaweek tweets from the last few days:

SuperNetball Game 26 71k
SuperNetball Game 27 62k (both Gem)
AFL Saints/Swans 32k (Sydney only)
SuperRugby Hurricanes/Chiefs 45k Fox
SuperRugby Force/Highlanders 32k Fox
AFL Lions/Crows 82k Fox

Now before pippinu blunders in with some explanation or other let's be clear, AFL (and NRL) regularly pull 200k on FTA (and in some cases add to the figures here) and do pull in six figure viewing on Fox as well. And these figures only represent a snapshot of the last week but they do show that football - for the price being paid to broadcast it - is doing okay.

So what do these viewing figures tell us:

- football at its average level (80k) is only as good as AFL at its lowest.
- football on Fox matched netball on FTA but SBS is struggling to match it
- football has overtaken Rugby, even FFA Cup matches can pull in 30k figures.

So why post this? simply because when it comes to discussing football viewing figures in this country some perspective is required. The codes enemies will have us believe the viewing numbers are really poor (they're not), the likes of the ffa will paint a rosier picture (which they don't deserve either) and some people on this board will cherry pick the best from other codes figures to present a biased point.

But the truth is - football is good value for money for the viewing figures it attracts, and those viewing figures are actually okay (but not great) when compared to other codes.

^^^^
Waz good post and an area I have been highlighting foe many years... also does make you wonder why the FTA networks are so incredibly reluctant to show Football....

I think the SBS ratings less than Fox on  a match by match comparison has hurt a lot ...   

I think the A-League's Fox deal accurately reflects the A-League's ratings.

Excluding FTA regionals, the AFL had a  combined 1.469 million in ratings across the 4 games yesterday, add Friday night's game and those total ratings jump to 2.7 million for five games.  That's for five games.

To put that in context, the A-League needs at least seven full rounds of games to reach total ratings of 2.7 million.

That 7 to 1 ratio is actually pretty close to the comparative value of the respective broadcast deals.

Please, fuck off. No one asked.