nobody cares about football....they say 

well matildas sell out the 12th straight home game. If only a few years ago you said we'd fill docklands on a Wednesday, 8pm KO 38 degrees in a dead game against uzbekistan 

They are Australia's team now.  maybe we've been looking in the wrong direction for the game?

nearly 60k crowd is nuts, they sell out wherever they go..... 

Still not convinced this is a "soccer crowd" as much as it is a womens sport crowd but that is irrelevant.....  The Aleague womens should be marketing to these punters like crazy.... are they?

Will be interesting if this crowd stays around for generations of Matildas past the current group. But this game didn't just sell out, it sold out in less than a day, people were buying restricted view seats ffs, so they could have comfortably sold out the MCG.  All for a game that was almost certain to be a dead rubber given the opposition. 

There is no doubt a celebrity element to it, all of the Matildas players have become that now in Australia. Obviously in the mens game the celebrity players don't play for the Socceroos. 

Game for SW&P, Matildas are Sheilas.

Um ok

probably why it's so successful to be honest :D

Exactly, don't even know what is a 'Soccer crowd'?

My 88 year old father rings me up every game day of the Matildas to confirm what channel they are on & then the next day to discuss who played well & didn't.
He doesn't do that for any other football game, he is a football man, but is Matildas obsessed, is he a 'soccer crowd'?

Weirdly, I have  bandwagon friends who are  currently obsessed with the Matildas, but not much else in terms of football interest.

It is reminiscent of the Socceroos in 2006.

??? WTF are you on about now? 

Nah I get it. His dad is pumped for the girls and may not tune in any other time. Are they a 'football fan' or not?

I'd say yes.

Not what I was saying..... Anyway, Ill step out now and let the love fest continue....

For the record I think this surge in popularity for any type of football is amazing, womens, mens makes no difference to me. I prefer mens but that is just a personal choice not an indictment on womens rights or whatever your buddy is trying to paint me out to be. 

I thought I was your buddy.
We have different views on many things, but I see us both as football fans. I also see those who turned out for the Matildas as football fans.

Follow a club at grassroots, next level, NPL, A-League, O/S or follow your national level, even if not able to tell you the offside rule, are all football fans.
The biggest problem in this country is this non uniting attitude that because you don't follow what I follow, you are the enemy.

Robbo, I hope you are right.... 60 thousand people packed out the stadium this week to watch women's football which is, at least to me, something that I would never have imagined 3-4 years ago... I still dont think the Socceroos could achieve that for an Olympic qualifier (but thats another story).. What connection each individual from that 60K has with football is something neither of us can know, yet, what I was saying is that  many of these are possible new fans, many just went because it was an event, some went because it is a women's sport empowerment thing, some went because they are die hard football supporters.... its just that this "crowd" didnt exist before the WWC and I hope it translates to lifelong supporters of the sport we both love.. Im not sure what part of that you disagree with?


BTW I would never presume to say your dad is not a football fan for ONLY following the Matildas, thats ridiculous and just NOT the case at all. Follow what you follow, Ive said this over and over again. Just like me following my lowly little effnik club in NPL land is just as vital to football Australia as those who only watch the franchises. 

Thanks my point exactly.

I know some aussie girls who are the Matildas fans. They said they know Messi & CR7 but never seen any of them play.  They couldn't name 1 player in the Socceroos except Tim Cahill.

And there is NOTHING wrong with that.... I just hope this enthusiasm for the Matildas turns into appreciation and support for the actual game of football itself.

My daughter's friends are all crazy for the Matildas, at an age where its all about face painting and making posters with their favourite players out of glitter and sequins. Not one of them know much about the rules of the game or were even aware that some of these girls play every week in Australia.... nor did they want to go and see them play unless it was an "event".

There is a huge opportunity to get some of these girls involved in the game here all I am asking is what is being done?

it already has - 12 sold out games in a row says it imo. we need to not think about supporting football meaning they watch men's sides as well. 

we have over 50 girls waiting to join our club who we cannot accommodate. I took girls and boys from the club on wednesday - they knew way more of the players than I did. so who cares if they know who tim cahill was? they love about the game what they love about the game.

for me it's the most exciting thing for yonks with the game, and the afl would be spewing which is the cherry on top

Its exciting I agree, just hope the enthusiasm doesnt wane like it has in the past is all I am saying.

Yeah it is. You would hope that through sheer weight of numbers and the massive popularity they have that this will turn into tangible football infrastructure.

And hopefully change the mindset of your sherrin and steeden holding politicians.

I know, at least locally, there's been a bit of a building boom at quite a few local fields to get women's change rooms up. Usually they tack on some dunnies and a ref's room or some storage. It does seem to be trickling down at grassroots. 

Indeed it has and that is the very promising thing for me..... 

The Matildas are one of the worlds best teams in the worlds most popular spectator sport. They have star players from clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal. They are ahead of the curve but as other countries and regions develop they will fall back in the pack and their star with fade. Similar thing happened with the Socceroos. Club football is very different, the A and W leagues have near zero glam factor and no looking in this or that direction will make any difference.

the difference is, the socceroos have never been this popular. Sure, during two weeks in the WC in 2006 they had a big moment

never in a million years would they have sold out this game in a day

It def will be a sell out in a day if the Socceroos got Haaland/Mo Salah/Jude Bellingham in the squad. Not only that many countries in Asia and especially ASEAN countries will be cheering us in the world cup.

There is always one who likes to lay the boot in!!!!

I went to this game. The amount of kids there was unbelievable and they were the most passionate of the lot. The Matilda's really have inspired Australia. The future is bright for Australian Football. 

The amount of women & girls too, amazing!!!!

Good on you attending live.

Interesting comment about the kids' enthusiasm.

Unpopular opinion but...Football is low key a popular sport in this country its just that the national teams have meaning to people which is why its easy to the support unlike the a-league.

We know the a-league has got some stigma that it isnt the best football league to watch or the most popular league locally and internationally, but I never judged the popularity of football here via the a-league but through the large participation base at grassroots level and national teams which are easy to follow and we have seen the potential for football and how powerful it can become here through those channels.

I also think the Matidas are a world class team, they have got world class players it reminded me of the GG Socceroos era in 2006 where football fever was taking over and had names to market and sell to but this time its the Matildas lifting the sports popularity and its great to see them do it so well.
The Socceroos are still popular but that depends such as the World Cup but at the same time they lack some top class players, having names makes a difference really stand out in the crowd if the Socceroos want to lift their profile to the level like the Matildas.

I just wished the popularity was backed up politically as the sport is always cash strapped for funding, meanwhile the egg ball codes always seem to get the rub for the green and this needs to change but we got pollies who are still stuck in the 19th century which dont help! 

Bang on Barca. Football is far bigger in this country than just the A-League, this is is the only part that has struggled in this country & always has. The national competition in this country.
The national teams, the Overseas teams, the participation at grassroots all so strong.

In Asian cup 2007 the game between Australia vs Thailand in Bangkok

Many Thai Liverpool fans especially women cheering Australia to beat their own country because of Harry Kewell.  Also, many Jap/Korean fans were crazy about him.

Just shows how powerful of soccer when your country produce 1 big star in the world game. 

Ehh that's just sad though I hate how people follow something/someone just because they are popular 

Remind us of the overseas teams you follow and why mate :P.... lol

Makes a mockery of the 'it was a midweek game', 'it was too hot', 'it was too far', 'it was because it was in (insert city name here)' and all the usual guff you get when the men play in a half full stadium.

Worst have been Oman and Japan at Sydney Olympic stadium. Wet nights and poor football. The football before the game was poor so fewer were interested and the wet night you can forget walkups. This Matildas game was so well marketed being a big Olympic do or die. Despite the stadium size an urgency and FOMO was established and tickets were snapped up quickly. Socceroos are still promoting Lebanon tickets. I find a lot of people just wait before forking out with a lot of Socceroos and A League games now. 

Clearly the Matildas are more popular than the socceroos. It's that simple. 

And for a myriad of reasons. (Top leagues, media friendly faces, top 10 ranking, usually win games, personable players etc etc.)

People will argue long and hard but bums on seats, tv ratings  and sponsorships tell the story. (Commonwealth Bank vs Subway..)

I've always been a big fan of the Matildas but never in a million years would I have thought they'd be bigger than the mens side.

I doubt the Lebanon game will sell out. Hope I'm wrong.

Barbie, Taylor Swift, Matildas........ what is happening to our world? hahahahahahahahahahaahahahaahah

It's a broad church football.

I went to 6 matildas games at the WWC and the final.

I went to 12 matches in Qatar.

They were both equally fantastic from a fan perspective. There's lot more kids and women at the women's football though and, how would you say this, a 'nicer, kinder, more forgiving' vibe about the whole thing. I can see why a lot of families would prefer going to a Matildas match over a Socceroos match. 

I enjoy matildas in a way different way to other matches 

after seeing all the happy kids and how excited my own ones are - also fan interactions are so much nicer

we should enjoy it while it lasts lol 

Exactly right.

C'mon Muz, tongue was firmly in cheek mate.... 

Yeah I know. I wasn't having a crack just trying to say they're both fantastic.

I think it's great all these things are happening for the girls now but there's a way to go with attitudes amongst some.

Look at the clown who's just popped his head up here.

Can guarantee he was raging on the interwebs about Taylor Swift and Swifties. GUARANTEED.

Ange is popular though, Prem's manager of the year award 

The FA must be counting the days until they can renegotiate the NT sponsorships.

You'd expect a windfall is coming their way.

Double bonus because the APL has the millstone around their neck now.

This has nothing to do with football but the continuation of the feminists movement. 
Everything is about women
Breast cancer days are everywhere and heavily promoted
International womens day is heavilly promoted
Women in business 
Womens health
andso on

If it was about the football no one would watch because it's sub par.

Hahahahahaha. You wanker. 

After thousands of years of blokes being in the supremacy a few girls becoming popular has upset your little apple cart. RUOK?

This article is for you.  https://www.betootaadvocate.com/uncategorized/the-gender-pay-gap-is-a-myth-says-bloke-who-earns-190k-a-year-driving-a-big-tonka-truck/

I forgot the most important correlation.

The LGBTQ movement. 

That's the real drive here

Say what you want but i used to watch womens football pre #metoo and the rise of the LGBTQ movement and no one was watching. Then these two movements start to rise and we see that 95% of the Matildas are Lesbians and is a weapon to be heavily promoted that they are. It's fanstatic marketing ploy and at the right time to promote this as well.

Make sure you change the channel when the Tillies come on. Wouldn't want your daughters to be inadvertently converted into lesbians.

I don't have daughters and i did vote Yes for gay marriage.

Then what’s your problem?

I don't have a problem at all.

I'm just making the observation that there is a clear correlation between the rise of the #metoo and LGBTQ movement with the Matildas being female footballers who are almost entirely Lesbian. The thread was about the "myth of football will never be popular". I was merely pointing out that it's not about the football but the two movements that i am suggesting is the real forefront.

I never said it's a bad thing, i just think it's more about the political side as the football is sub par.

Go Tilly's ! 





 

too late

not only did my own children become lesbians after the Matildas game but I booked in for gender reassignment surgery the other day and I myself am now a proud lesbian too

You are using immature sarcasm to avoid the valid point i was making in my previous post.