By Arthur - 27 Aug 2018 7:44 AM
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.
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By lukerobinho - 20 Sep 2018 12:25 AM
Suspect the latter, AfL has always been desperate to be multicultural whereas in football it's always been par for the course
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