It is becoming embarrassing now to watch most A League games with no atmosphere with mostly empty seats. 

I remember watching A- League and thought  we have a pretty decent number of attendance compare to the standard of the league. Now even WSW, Sydney FC, MV all you see are mostly empty seats.

WSW having such a nice stadium now but no crowds what's going on? Wasn't like that B4.

 What more surprise is after the success of the national team in the WC (Probably the only nation in the whole world that didn't take advantage from WC to boost domestic league)

My personal opinions

1. Getting back to the grassroots>>Focus more on Local, make em feel proud as part of the club . Even if they doing it they have to do 5 times more.

2. Stop keep changing the stadium around (no league in the world doing this).  This isnt exhibition match.

3. Every clubs need their own stadium ( very very important). Mel city or MV shouldn't share a stadium like AFL (Again the only league in the world that sharing pitch).  Western UTD ( Awful name) should have the stadium b4 joining. Their stadium will complete in 2026 ..why does take that long??!!

4. 3 years GF in Sydney is a bad bad idea

With all respect everyone knows this. It's the suits that need to change it also the clubs. The people who follow the league are hardcore fans who just follow it for what it is anyways. The actual matches are mostly entertaining 

I actually think these low crowds could be a half decent thing. Bear with me.

If this second division gets up and running and some of the teams in it are outdrawing teams in the A-League this could be the impetus to get pro rel started sooner rather than later.

Think about it. How could they ignore teams in the NSD that were more popular than the top tier? They could either cut their noses off to spite their faces or see the writing on the wall and get them into the top tier lickety split.

Every cloud etc.....

If the NSD is that successful that it's outdrawing the A-league their teams will not want any part of the A-League and be happy to keep that a separate competition. 

Yes and no. The promotion of the clubs will pull those fans along with it. Plus I doubt the whole NSD comp will outdraw every team in the A-League. (Only some teams.) Plus who wouldn't want to be in the top tier? Are you saying SMFC or Sydney58 would prefer to stay in the NSD if they won it? Unlikely. 

Seriously?

Yeah, don't think he has ever looked at what happens in Italy, and I'm sure there are others.

Of course I have followed world football  that's I said it. There are an article about this,.  As a professional league shouldn't happen.  Just because you can doesn't you should. Give me 1 league (top tier) that doing that.  Now 2023 I can guarantee there are not many at all.

Of course I have followed world football  that's  why I said it. There 's an article about this,.  As a professional league shouldn't happen.  Just because you can doesn't  mean you should. Give me 1 league (top tier) that doing that.  Now it's  2023 I can guarantee there are not many at all if you think that s normal you don't know anything..

no there are not many BUT Inter and AC have shared San Siro since 1947 ! FYI and I doubt any change in the near future.

This is definitely the light at the end of the channel.
We only need 3 or 4 NSD teams to match the attendances of WU and Macarthur, and that might just be the impetus for people to start thinking seriously about P&R.
But, in truth, deep down we know that P&R to and from the A-League won't come without a massive fight.
It's not just the clubs, it's the fact that about 35% of the APL has foreign ownership separate to the 12 clubs.

And Lazio and Roma

So AC Milan Inter Milan Lazio and Roma all share grounds with their cross city rivals

You'd be hard pressed to say this diminishes their rivalry or makes them a joke

Genoa and Sampdoria

Anyway it's true there aren't many but it's the least of our worries frankly

Western United being there is ridiculous though

Matching the attendance of the lowest drawing clubs won't do much on its own to push P/R.  The same clubs will have to perform on the pitch at the same or better standard (probably shown by how they go in the Cup) and they will have to show their ability to generate revenue approaching or better than that of the lower cost ALM clubs.

I don't see the foreign investment in the APL as being too much of a hindrance to P/R.  If P/R brings in better drawing clubs who play better football that can generate the same or better revenue than the the original clubs the investors will be all for it.

The decisions on active support are obviosly impacting Victories atmosphere and numbers. I'll be interested to see how we bounce back next year. 

Woah, a bit aggro mate? Your first statement was that the A League is the only league in the world where clubs share stadiums. You are wrong. It doesn't make you look good to pull out the childish "you don't know anything" routine when you are patently wrong.

I'm almost too scared to look at weekly attendances.

IMO there are too many people talking the A L down ATM - Australiawide.

Just to see if people were watching live A L football I started another thread.

About 14 forumites  regularly watch A L football, including me when I get local access.

10 almost never watch it live.

There are about another 10 -15 who didn't respond in the thread, who definitely follow AL football according to other threads, but I'm not sure whether they attend A L live?

For neutrals at live AL games, active support really generates a terrific atmosphere not seen in other sports.

It really adds to the total package of  entertainment. I've sat amongst lots of adults dragged along to the ALM and ALW, by their kids having free tickets. They've loved active support!

I think most football fans can share a similar experience. I'm reminded of a Big Blue in Melbourne a few years back when a middle-aged couple from Sydney were sitting next to us. They had been at the Tennis all day and popped over having never attended a football game in their lives. They asked us if the crowd noise was like this every week. Fortunately for them SFC won on the day, and they left saying they would definitely try to get to some SFC games back home.

Excellent crowds at Hindmarsh this season and great atmosphere as usual.

Too bad about the other cities (lol)

I don't think 20 or so people on this forum provide a real guide as to what is affecting A League attendances.

There will be no bounce back next year. Take it to the bank.

yer not seen in other sports because this country has all been built on conservatism and talking about Aussie spirit in another thread don't show any emotions for otherwise back in the day your a whimp ! Funny world this joint is how it was made up.
Active support is damn brilliant and huge drawcard for our game (sadly a small % of idiots take it OTT) at the sametime general public can't deal with it at times because its so foreign to behave as such....showing passion.
I loved the passion as a kid during the NSL days, no diff to my kids when younger early AL days, its a buzz, my daughter would sing dance to the Coves tunes.
As much as I have heard people say how good it is when at games some hate people standing up, chanting singing away or calling out.
You can't win at times.
We need Active support for we smoke the other codes, just need to get some balance with the Clubs/FA and Active once again just hope its not all too late.

One of my staff who is a diehard NRL bloke mentioned he went to his first CCM game over the weekend, even he admitted what a great experience it was due to the active support not just the game itself. (forgetting the WSW behaviour)

Be interesting if those people ever come back.  I think punishing everyone was a bit much.

The scenario that will play out next year is how many A-League fans go back to supporting their NSL club in the event their club gets selected. Personally, I never had a NSL club although I did attend a few games here and there. I do however know some Knights supporters who have spoken about abandoning MC and just following the NSD if Knights get selected. It is also no secret that a large number of Soutth Melbourne supporters also support MV. It will be interesting to see what they do. With the seasons not really being aligned, it is possible for people to just follow football all year round. NSD in the winter, AL in the summer. Interested to hear how people think crowds at other AL clubs will be effected. I imagine SFC and WSW would have to lose supporters to the NSD.

Agree. They used a bulldozer to crack a coconut. 

What's funny/annoying is our administrators ALWAYS forget that nobody cares about us.

As in, a big media backlash over any incident lasts a week TOPS and that's if it's REALLY bad like this one

From then on everyone else goes back to ignoring our sport yet we keep fighting amongst ourselves and make rash panicked decisions

It would be almost comical if it wasn't so tragic.

They could have banned for life the invaders, played 1-2 games behind closed doors as a public display and just gone back to normal and the rest of the fans wouldn;t have felt persecuted for the crimes of others

You, my friend, are a South Melbourne supporter... I will hear NO Argument about it... heheheheh

I have heard about the same grumblings from ex-NSL supporters... Many "mates' claim they are done with Victory and City (sorry have never actually met anyone that supports WU) and have started asking about Hellas membership and what its like at Lakeside these days... Might see a few this season sussing it out before the NST starts... a week and a bit to go, who knows?

Like sand through the hour glass........

https://twitter.com/TonySmi89430908/status/1622032427639255041?cxt=HHwWgsDR-cT5zoItAAAA