https://forum.insidesport.com.au/Football/State-League-Football

7.9 SOCCER Some local league and local council representatives believe soccer is a genuine threat to the growth of Australian Football in country Victoria. In particular, concerns related to junior soccer, the growth of women’s soccer and council investment in new soccer facilities. 15 written submissions rated soccer as a threat to Australian Football within their region. Consider the following quotes from regional meetings – - "AFL has always been number one, however they are now being well and truly challenged by soccer" – Albury City Council representative (14th July 2011). - "Soccer is growing...the damage is getting done in after school programs" – South West AFL Victoria Region Development Manager (26th July, 2011). - "Soccer could be a genuine threat if they get their administration together"- Central Murray Football League representative (9th August, 2011). - "If soccer get’s their pathway together after U12’s it could be a real issue" – South East Metro AFL Victoria Region Manager (2nd August, 2011). - "Soccer...Bunyip just got a soccer club and are attracting kids hand over fist...they are at shows, fete’s etc with a stand actively recruiting players" - Gippsland League representative (20th July, 2011). - "A number of AFL grounds are not AFL grounds anymore" – Albury City Council representative discussing soccer’s growth (14th July 2011). The VCFL through its submission also indicated – "This threat (soccer) is of a genuine nature and one that will need unity from all football organisations to overcome" – VCFL written submission.

Currently, there is an estimated 60,689 soccer participants within Victoria, with 16,855 of these being based in 4 designated Football Federation Victoria ‘country’ zones. The largest country zone is essentially made up of the Wimmera, Geelong, Hampden, South West and Ballarat and had 4,556 participants in 2010. See table below. Country Victoria Regions	2007	2009	2010	% Growth since 2007
Wimmera-South Coast	3,459	4,497	4,556	32%
Loddon Mallee	4,151	4,377	3,813	-8%
Goulburn North East	1,944	4,102	3,981	105%
Gippsland	2,024	2,812	2,775	37%
TOTAL	11,578	15,788	15,125	31%

The below table compares the combined ‘NAB AFL Auskick and junior club based participation’ figure to Soccer’s junior club based participation figure in 2007 and 2010. Note – soccer’s figures don’t include 5,380 indoor participants in 2010.

Country Victoria Regions	AFL 2007	Soccer 2007	AFL 2010	Soccer 2010	AFL Growth	Soccer Growth
Wimmera-South Coast	12,621	2680	13,045	3531	3%	32%
Loddon Mallee	4950	3217	5145	2955	4%	-8%
Goulburn North East	5856	1507	5710	3085	-2%	105%
Gippsland	5624	1569	5664	2151	1%	37%
TOTAL	29,051	8973	29,564	11,722	2%	31%

This increase in junior soccer participants could be impacting on country Victoria’s participation numbers. In the Goulburn Murray and North East Border regions where junior soccer has risen by 1,578 participants since 2007, junior club football and NAB AFL Auskick participants have declined by approximately 146. The growth figures are impressive, albeit off a low base. Whereas Australian Football governing bodies may want to dismiss soccer as a real challenge at this stage, there are valid reasons to believe soccer can be a generational threat to Australian Football – the cheaper cost of facilities for councils given the less land required; the perception of some parents (mothers) it is a safer game; the fact it is easier to set up as a recreational game in schools or neighbourhoods. Soccer in partnership with the two A-League clubs are also implementing community engagement strategies, with the Melbourne Heart recently completing a "Westpac Community Football Festival". This involved playing regional practice matches in Wodonga, Morwell and Shepparton. As mentioned earlier in this report, the Review team also observed soccer working closely with specific local councils to create new soccer facilities in country areas e.g. Bendigo. These facilities have been supported through the development of ‘strategic facility plans’ which local council have developed in partnership with soccer’s governing body.

Is this a recent article Arthur ?
Awesum growth as expected - just hope we have the admin and support to actually see the threat finally get from A to B and on, not just in AFL heartland but every State.

It's an October 2011 report so 7 years ago. Wonder where the AFL are at now, they're still big in Melbourne but probably not growing ?.
Massive opportunities for football growth and financial rewards with our increased migration and the changing demographics.
Not sure if the FFA can make the most of this but individual clubs could prosper.
http://www.aflvic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Review_of_Country_Football_Report_Master_FINAL1.pdf

And a quick look at these two links suggests FFV has a bit of catching up to do.
http://aflvic.com.au/multicultural/
http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/multicultural-programs/
Or is it we already connect and appeal to diverse groups and don't need to advertise separate programs ? Maybe the AFL realise they could be missing out.

Suspect the latter, AfL has always been desperate to be multicultural whereas in football it's always been par for the course