Will Wanderers Put FFA Cup Ahead Of All-Stars?

What worries me is that this is a MLS concept, why are we copying the Yanks in football????

Coz they call it soccer too

Having watched the live stream of the Adelaide City win that got them into the Rd 32 in the FFA Cup I'm quite happy to have Spira and Juric miss the Cup game.  Typical of competitive games involving lesser skilled players the level of physicality was high and some of the tackling was quite questionable.  The less our "stars" are exposed to this pre-season the better in my view.

I'm not a fan of the All Stars concept.  The FFA like to sell it as beneficial to the A-League but it does nothing to raise the profile of the League in my view.  In reality it is simply a revenue raising vehicle for a cash starved FFA.  With sponsorship from the NSW Government underwriting the event and broadcast rights reportedly bringing in a 6-7 figure number and the FFA sharing from gate takings they will do quite well out of it if the fans turn up.  The FFA have subsidised the A-League by $6-$10m a season for all of its life and although this might not be the case with the new broadcast rights coming into effect the revenue generated by this game is needed for the continued growth of football at one level or other so I understand why the game is arranged.

As far as it clashing with FFA Cup games we are not alone.  7 A-League clubs are affected by the week long camp and the game itself.  The FFA have elevated this game to being "representative" giving it the protection of the FIFA regulations.  Players must be released for it and if for whatever reason they cannot play they are restricted from playing for their club for 5 days after the scheduled date if the FFA want to enforce the regulations.

The night before the all stars game go out on the town, turn up the day of the game drunk so then you don't have to play, good fun to be had be all

Tomi guns for glory against Juventus

 

http://www.a-leagueallstars.com.au/article/tomi-guns-for-glory-against-juventus/kitkqmtgy0na1nyrmrcecskty

Tomi does have a good point, also Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Manchester United after they played him in a friendly

I agree, All Stars is ridiculous. I wonder if the Wanderers tried to get any high profile clubs to come down, such as with Adelaide + Perth playing Malaga, and Wellignton + ESFC playing in that pre-season tournament. Forcing players to play in a non-competitive match, which is still called a 'representative' match as if it's on the same level as an internation, where they could get injured, reeks of the FFA putting money before the players and the fans. At least let the players opt out, no one goes to see the AS players anyway, they'll all be there for Juve. 

I would hope, however, that we will be able to beat a SA State team without Spira and Juric (plus any other players yet to be revealed).

Update: The Western Sydney Wanderers have responded to my enquiry. Their official statement follows:

The Club won't be making any statements on player withdrawals at this stage.

 why then is it being hyped like some kind of amazing event when the host broadcaster (that freind of 'sokkah', the Seven Network) has consigned its broadcasting to the 7Mate channel? 

 

7mate is the HD channel isn't it? Given the amount of people that complain every time a special sporting event is broadcast in SD, isn't this just giving the fans what they want?

 

why then is it being hyped like some kind of amazing event when the host broadcaster (that freind of 'sokkah', the Seven Network) has consigned its broadcasting to the 7Mate channel?

 

7mate is the HD channel isn't it? Given the amount of people that complain every time a special sporting event is broadcast in SD, isn't this just giving the fans what they want?

I agree, I hate it when channel 10 show the formula one, I'd rather it be on One HD

 

why then is it being hyped like some kind of amazing event when the host broadcaster (that freind of 'sokkah', the Seven Network) has consigned its broadcasting to the 7Mate channel?

 

7mate is the HD channel isn't it? Given the amount of people that complain every time a special sporting event is broadcast in SD, isn't this just giving the fans what they want?

It reminds of the email channel 7 execs sent the AFL head honchos telling them that they should win the rights to the AFL because they bought the rights to the NSL back in 2000 and then buried the rights deep within Seven HQ for many years throwing away the key making sure football was going no where in Australia.

The only way that the FFA will get rid if the all stars game is if they stop making money of it, simple

They paid a multi million dollar fee so they can just broadcast it on a secondary channel that doesn't get half the viewers that the main channel gets???

 

The idea of primary and secondary channels holds less and less meaning the further away we move from analog TV. Now that everyone has digital TV, there isn't the main channel that everyone gets on digital and analog and the digital-only multichannels. Now it's really all just "channels" so why not put the special one-off sporting event on HD and let those who don't want to see it watch their normal programming uninterrupted on the SD. This is one of the benefits of multichannels in my view.

Commercial TV is a business, and 7 will throw the game on whatever channel it thinks will have the biggest ROI. If it's on live, and in HD, and free-to-air, what more do you want? I honestly don't understand the issue.

You make a good point regarding HD, but my point still stands:

- The main channels always gets more viewers than the other channels

- Currently, apart from ABC 24 and One, all the other channels are just fillers that don't really stand alone as a TV channel just providing alternative program's to different demographics for each stations other channels

- This is a one off sporting event, this isn't like sbs getting the rights to the aleague on Friday nights where people associate sbs with football and know they can find football on a Friday night

- If most of your main big program's are on the main channel, the one that most people check first, wouldn't you want the greatest amount of exposure to your one off product?

- If you want a product that you bought to get the best ROI wouldn't you want it on the channel that you get the most viewers? Why would advertisers bother advertising on a product in the knowledge the viewership isn't as high? I can guarantee you they would get a hefty discount and the game would have to be filled with freebies (free ads when the paid advertising doesn't reach the target audience they paid for the advertising slot) which makes it a ridiculous ROI for seven?

It is for this reasoning that I question the decision to move it to the next channel and based on the previous history of the way they have treated football and specifically the NSL in the past.

Sorry if I missed it but what are the clubs (contractual?) obligations to release players to play in this mickey mouse piece of sh it tournament? (No bias lol)

Flytox said the contracts were amended so the games are "representative" games meaning that clubs have to release them and the FFA can stop them from playing up to 5 days after the match...

It's all upto Gombau to select a squad imo.

Sorry if I missed it but what are the clubs (contractual?) obligations to release players to play in this mickey mouse piece of sh it tournament? (No bias lol)

The FFA last year said that they would modify the Standard Player Contract to include the All Stars game as a representative fixture giving it the same protection as an International.  Assuming they went ahead with that change then contractually the club must release the players to the squad and the players must join the squad.  If the FIFA regulations on release of a player apply to this situation then there are provisions covering genuine injury and its assessment and restrictions on players playing for the club for 5 days after the game if the FFA want to enforce them.

Flytox said the contracts were amended so the games are "representative" games meaning that clubs have to release them and the FFA can stop them from playing up to 5 days after the match...

 

It's all upto Gombau to select a squad imo.

I wonder if the players could refuse to sign their contract unless that clause is left out. Too bad they've already signed though. Anyone know what the PFA's stance is?

You make a good point regarding HD, but my point still stands:

- The main channels always gets more viewers than the other channels

- Currently, apart from ABC 24 and One, all the other channels are just fillers that don't really stand alone as a TV channel just providing alternative program's to different demographics for each stations other channels

- This is a one off sporting event, this isn't like sbs getting the rights to the aleague on Friday nights where people associate sbs with football and know they can find football on a Friday night

- If most of your main big program's are on the main channel, the one that most people check first, wouldn't you want the greatest amount of exposure to your one off product?

- If you want a product that you bought to get the best ROI wouldn't you want it on the channel that you get the most viewers? Why would advertisers bother advertising on a product in the knowledge the viewership isn't as high? I can guarantee you they would get a hefty discount and the game would have to be filled with freebies (free ads when the paid advertising doesn't reach the target audience they paid for the advertising slot) which makes it a ridiculous ROI for seven?

 

It is for this reasoning that I question the decision to move it to the next channel and based on the previous history of the way they have treated football and specifically the NSL in the past.

What he said...

For all the talk about digital HD being an option viewers want if you boil it down to hard cold ratings realities the most number of eyes still go to the main standard def channels. And if the logic of having an A-League All Stars game is to promote our sport and league to the most people possible (which has to be its raison d'etre considering the populist approach it takes in terms of team selections etc), why allow a commercial TV broadcaster with an historical antipathy to the game push the aforementioned all-stars game to a secondary channel?

And to confirm this disparity of viewer numbers, look at these ratings from Tuesday night:

Network 7 18.0% 22.7% Network 7TWO 4.4% 5.6% Network 7mate 5.0% 3.5%

The first percentage gives overnight viewing percentages of the entire Sydney market, the second consolidated percentages. The main FTA 7 channel gets almost 3.5 times as many viewers as their HD channel on overnight figures, and even less on consolidated. To be blunt the all-Stars game has been farked over by 7.

What choice does the FFA have?  Tell Ch 7 the game must be on the main channel and have Ch 7 walk away with their money or pocket the money and accept that at least the game is somewhere on FTA?  While ever the FFA doesn't have enough money to properly run the code then they will compromise and take the money.

. To be blunt the all-Stars game has been farked over by 7.

 

The All-stars game deserves to be screwed over, hopefully some marketing geek at the FFA that may have all of the best university marketing and media degrees in Australia and knows nothing about football, gets it through their thick skull that the all-stars is a stupid idea, 

Melbourne Victory vs Liverpool last season worked great, 

Juventus vs ESFC here would be more suitable.

The FFA can help get these big european clubs out to Australia and then share it around the A-league clubs, 

Wanderers vs a Real Madrid or a Bayern Munich would be very enticing

 

Flytox said the contracts were amended so the games are "representative" games meaning that clubs have to release them and the FFA can stop them from playing up to 5 days after the match...

 

It's all upto Gombau to select a squad imo.

 

I wonder if the players could refuse to sign their contract unless that clause is left out. Too bad they've already signed though. Anyone know what the PFA's stance is?

 

Its a Standard Player Contract thats required to be signed by every player that wants to play in the League.

I'd be most surprised if the PFA didn't have a role in the initial agreement of what was in the SPC.

 

. To be blunt the all-Stars game has been farked over by 7.

 

 

 

The All-stars game deserves to be screwed over, hopefully some marketing geek at the FFA that may have all of the best university marketing and media degrees in Australia and knows nothing about football, gets it through their thick skull that the all-stars is a stupid idea, 

Melbourne Victory vs Liverpool last season worked great, 

Juventus vs ESFC here would be more suitable.

The FFA can help get these big european clubs out to Australia and then share it around the A-league clubs, 

Wanderers vs a Real Madrid or a Bayern Munich would be very enticing

 

I agree with your view that club v club is much better but the FFA made big bucks out of the All Stars v Manchester United game while Victory and Liverpool made big bucks out of their game.  All the FFA got was the added value of that game to the broadcast rights it sold for the 2 games.

What choice does the FFA have?  Tell Ch 7 the game must be on the main channel and have Ch 7 walk away with their money or pocket the money and accept that at least the game is somewhere on FTA?  While ever the FFA doesn't have enough money to properly run the code then they will compromise and take the money.

Whilst I agree with what you say about the dilemma for the FFA why didn't they have the sense to stipulate in the initial broadcast agreement that the All-Stars game be shown on the main 7 network SD channel, otherwise they could take the game to another network? It's a band aid solution for a band aid game for band wagon 'supporters'.

By the way, anyone know what is happening with those friendlies like the Wellington Phoenix tourney or the Reds vs Malaga? are they getting any FTA or other TV coverage? 

 

What choice does the FFA have?  Tell Ch 7 the game must be on the main channel and have Ch 7 walk away with their money or pocket the money and accept that at least the game is somewhere on FTA?  While ever the FFA doesn't have enough money to properly run the code then they will compromise and take the money.

 

Whilst I agree with what you say about the dilemma for the FFA why didn't they have the sense to stipulate in the initial broadcast agreement that the All-Stars game be shown on the main 7 network SD channel, otherwise they could take the game to another network? It's a band aid solution for a band aid game for band wagon 'supporters'.

 

By the way, anyone know what is happening with those friendlies like the Wellington Phoenix tourney or the Reds vs Malaga? are they getting any FTA or other TV coverage? 

 

Ch 7 won the bidding for the rights last year.  Was that covered on 7mate on the mainland?  Gallop made the comment some months ago that to run the code properly the broadcast rights would need to go up from $40m to $100m.  With that being the case it doesn't surprise me that decisions appear to be made with the $ as the priority.

Last I heard the games in NZ were to be streamed as pay per view.

 

What choice does the FFA have?  Tell Ch 7 the game must be on the main channel and have Ch 7 walk away with their money or pocket the money and accept that at least the game is somewhere on FTA?  While ever the FFA doesn't have enough money to properly run the code then they will compromise and take the money.

 

By the way, anyone know what is happening with those friendlies like the Wellington Phoenix tourney or the Reds vs Malaga? are they getting any FTA or other TV coverage? 

The Nux tour is Pay Per View (trying to cash in on the UK market I assume). http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11272850

No idea of the Malaga game, but I would assume Foxtel at a minimum (doubt they have the pulling power to interest the commercial networks).

 

 

What choice does the FFA have?  Tell Ch 7 the game must be on the main channel and have Ch 7 walk away with their money or pocket the money and accept that at least the game is somewhere on FTA?  While ever the FFA doesn't have enough money to properly run the code then they will compromise and take the money.

 

Whilst I agree with what you say about the dilemma for the FFA why didn't they have the sense to stipulate in the initial broadcast agreement that the All-Stars game be shown on the main 7 network SD channel, otherwise they could take the game to another network? It's a band aid solution for a band aid game for band wagon 'supporters'.

 

By the way, anyone know what is happening with those friendlies like the Wellington Phoenix tourney or the Reds vs Malaga? are they getting any FTA or other TV coverage? 

 

Ch 7 won the bidding for the rights last year.  Was that covered on 7mate on the mainland?  Gallop made the comment some months ago that to run the code properly the broadcast rights would need to go up from $40m to $100m.  With that being the case it doesn't surprise me that decisions appear to be made with the $ as the priority.

 

Last I heard the games in NZ were to be streamed as pay per view.

 

From what I remember both the All-Stars and the MVFC-LFC games were on mainstream SD Channel 7. Hyped up to the hilt too.

Course as I have almost **** all interest in any of the unholy trinity of 7/9/10 I couldn't give a rats...and last thing I watched on 7mate was Bogan Hunters (where 4 out of the 7 finalists came from Tasmania lol)

PFA was involved in amending the standard contract from memory.

If the FFA want their cut, they should do it this way:

1. Premier / Champions get to host the touring club.

2. FFA get a 250k cut for each game (surplus goes to that club).

3. FFA get broadcasting rights to on sell.

Just got an email from ANZ stadium offering purchase of category 1 tix for $70 off.

Just got an email from ANZ stadium offering purchase of category 1 tix for $70 off.

Code for...

1. No one is willing to pony up the dosh for such a plastic event
2. Even ESFC fans from Leichhardt have a distaste for the match
3. Wanderers fans aren't going

You make a good point regarding HD, but my point still stands:

- The main channels always gets more viewers than the other channels

- Currently, apart from ABC 24 and One, all the other channels are just fillers that don't really stand alone as a TV channel just providing alternative program's to different demographics for each stations other channels

- This is a one off sporting event, this isn't like sbs getting the rights to the aleague on Friday nights where people associate sbs with football and know they can find football on a Friday night

- If most of your main big program's are on the main channel, the one that most people check first, wouldn't you want the greatest amount of exposure to your one off product?

- If you want a product that you bought to get the best ROI wouldn't you want it on the channel that you get the most viewers? Why would advertisers bother advertising on a product in the knowledge the viewership isn't as high? I can guarantee you they would get a hefty discount and the game would have to be filled with freebies (free ads when the paid advertising doesn't reach the target audience they paid for the advertising slot) which makes it a ridiculous ROI for seven?

 

It is for this reasoning that I question the decision to move it to the next channel and based on the previous history of the way they have treated football and specifically the NSL in the past.

This is all true, and for the same reason, I still don't understand why A-League games are on SBS 2 instead of SBS 1. The ratings would be higher I'm sure. I also don't really understand why our home derbies aren't live SBS games, they would sell out regardless (I understand why they don't have the ones played at Allianz live on SBS, as people might just be lazy and stay home, which might mean the game won't sell out). Allowing people without Fox to see the Wanderland in full swing on a derby night would be great exposure for the league.

Just got an email from ANZ stadium offering purchase of category 1 tix for $70 off.

Oh cool, so that's what... just $230 now?