How to get more All White fans
How to get more All White fans
I just had a thought as to how the All Whites (and football in New Zealand) can become more widely followed and supported. If the All Whites had a tour of New Zealand. It would raise the profile of the game considerably if they played in all of the big locations throughout the country. They could play:
Otago in Dunedin
Canterbury in Christchurch
Team Wellington in Wellington
Auckland City & Waitakere United in Auckland/Waitakere
NZFC XI in Christchurch
Wellington Phoenix in Wellington
I know it would cost money, but it would definitely be worth it. It would turn heaps of attention onto football (something this country could do with).loyalgunner2007-05-26 19:38:24
time and money are the biggies. and when you take out the All
Whites players from WPFC it does sorta make that game uneven.
i do like the NZFC XI idea though, and would pay to see it. or maybe a NZ Based XI vs global Kiwis XI.
or a AWs vs kiwi sports stars XI charity match, the sports stars team could be something like: Oram, Vincent, McCullum (all cricket), Boucher, Henare (Basketball), Murphy, Reid (motorsport), Tiger Woods Caddy (cant remember his name), Carter, Jeff Wilson (past & present rugby) and Wynton Rufer for a bit of class. could be a few Phoenix recruits in there
i think the keys to get better support are a few wins, POSITIVE media coverage (not just of the AWs but the sport in general) and some high profile support from outside of football eg politicians, other sports stars etc
i do like the NZFC XI idea though, and would pay to see it. or maybe a NZ Based XI vs global Kiwis XI.
or a AWs vs kiwi sports stars XI charity match, the sports stars team could be something like: Oram, Vincent, McCullum (all cricket), Boucher, Henare (Basketball), Murphy, Reid (motorsport), Tiger Woods Caddy (cant remember his name), Carter, Jeff Wilson (past & present rugby) and Wynton Rufer for a bit of class. could be a few Phoenix recruits in there
i think the keys to get better support are a few wins, POSITIVE media coverage (not just of the AWs but the sport in general) and some high profile support from outside of football eg politicians, other sports stars etc
It's been tried many times before and failed. Sorry, but it is not
a solution at all, in fact it whould be a step backwards and make
our game look smaller, not bigger. I am a fan of the locally based
AWs team to play a bit more regularly, but not this idea. The games
have to be full internationals.
What we need is a few results overseas to give the public
heart and belief in the team. Then organise (and properly market
and publicise) an international in a FIFA window at home against a
side that is 1) internationally renowned, and 2) marketable in NZ.
Pay what it costs to get the desired players on the pitch - and if
they won't come (I did say won't, not can't) then that should be
their international career over - and keep the game off Sky until
it's been played.
It's all about world rankings. Ours needs to come down a
considerable amount before the bigger sides will regard us as a
serious option. Results like last nights will do a heap of good,
but a lot of damage was done in South America a couple of months
back. Games against local sides do not count as internationals
(except to some at NZF who strangely seem to count the players caps
as genuine) and do nothing for our world rating so therefore have
little point.
Fact is, we've got much stronger connections to Brazil than
we've ever had (via Nike, like it or not, how do you think we got
the game vs them last year?) and should be jacking something up at
home against them or someone of a similar standing. Plan it a year
ahead - or more - but give the general public something they will
go along to see.
i know how to get more fans...win more..
The big problem in lifting interest in the AW's is a lack
of home fixtures that matter. As part of Oceania, the All
Whites are not involved in any FIFA qualifying tournaments that
give NZers any reason whatsover to get passionate or to hark back
to the glorious trail of '81-'82. There is no interest in the
Oceania Fed matches (nobody is interested in NZ playing the
islands). This is the same problem Australia had for so many years.
They only played one fixture (home and away) of any public interest
every four years (ie versus Argentina, Iran, Uruguay) - in their
World Cup qualifying play-off.
It is very difficult to generate interest at home without a
good diet of fixtures that actually mean something. If we were part
of the Asian Federation things would be different. We would get to
play meaningful matches against good sides at home in both the
Asian Champs and the World Cup qualifiers. These are matches that
would bring our foreign-based players home and which would create a
vibe at home. The Asian Champs is not the European Champs - but it
is bloody serious to those countries who take part. Likewise, even
if we fail to qualify for World Cups the Asian qualifying
tournament would be fantastic for All White profile, exposure,
following and rankings.
Yes, there are advantages in remaining part of the Oceania
Federation (ie virtual auto qualifying for our youth and women's
sides) - but if we really want to lift the credibility and profile
of the AWs we have to part of an Asian Federation that provides us
with regular and meaningful international football at home.
Make the World Cup, and the country will be football mad.
They have made the World Cup before, the country was football mad
for the short term only.
They have made the World Cup before, the country was football mad
for the short term only.
But that was the fault of the then administration, they
weren't able to build on that euphoria. Look and see how Australia
does now that they have been to the WC again, I bet they don't
stuff it up, they will continue to be a powerhouse for years.
But Australia have been up there for a while. Albeit unlucky the
last few years(before this last world cup QLF).
They are not the same scenario as NZ, if qualified for the
World Cup. Their fans have lots to watch when it comes to
football.
- 200 or more overseas players to follow. Some of them
class.
- 7 Professional domestic teams. And domestic leagues below
that with a bit of money too and support.
- An International team that has been ranked in the top 50 for
quite a few years.
If our media can't get behind the football in NZ to promote it
and we don't get fans to games, then we are always going to
struggle. And deservably. It is partly our faults as fans. Out of
all the kids and people that play football in NZ, how many go and
watch our senior domestic leagues? 1% maybe?
LondonChris2007-05-28 21:55:46
[loyalgunner]
I just had a thought as to how the All Whites (and football in New Zealand) can become more widely followed and supported. If the All Whites had a tour of New Zealand. It would raise the profile of the game considerably if they played in all of the big locations throughout the country. They could play:
Otago in Dunedin
Canterbury in Christchurch
Team Wellington in Wellington
Auckland City & Waitakere United in Auckland/Waitakere
NZFC XI in Christchurch
Wellington Phoenix in Wellington
I know it would cost money, but it would definitely be worth it. It would turn heaps of attention onto football (something this country could do with).[/QUOTE]
Great idea.
Personally, I have tried a breeding programme with mixed results (only 3 confirmed supporters over the past 22 years with one non -committal).
A tour of a NZ based AWs side would probably do the trick, probably prior to the World Cup qualifiers or at the completion of the A league season.
I just had a thought as to how the All Whites (and football in New Zealand) can become more widely followed and supported. If the All Whites had a tour of New Zealand. It would raise the profile of the game considerably if they played in all of the big locations throughout the country. They could play:
Otago in Dunedin
Canterbury in Christchurch
Team Wellington in Wellington
Auckland City & Waitakere United in Auckland/Waitakere
NZFC XI in Christchurch
Wellington Phoenix in Wellington
I know it would cost money, but it would definitely be worth it. It would turn heaps of attention onto football (something this country could do with).[/QUOTE]
Great idea.
Personally, I have tried a breeding programme with mixed results (only 3 confirmed supporters over the past 22 years with one non -committal).
A tour of a NZ based AWs side would probably do the trick, probably prior to the World Cup qualifiers or at the completion of the A league season.
I have a couple of small clips on You Tube for anyones interest of
NZ v Wales.
Bit shakey camera work though. Enjoy!
Cheers Ronaldoknow.
Seriously Loyal Gunner I remember being around your age
during the lead up to the '82 world cup and what a fantastic time
it was. Great crowds, great football, great to be a footie fan in
NZ. Since then absolute crap with the occasional false glimmer of
hope.
I hope the same thing or something similar happens for you during your time in the game. Hang in there, mate, because I get the feeling that the Nix could be the real deal, and that the All Whites are also on the rise.
We have some excellent young talent on the horizon and the domestic game is not in to bad a shape. I would love to see football become the dominant sport in this country in my life time and while everybody works away quietly to achieve this I can see it happening in the not to distant future. Ronaldoknow2007-05-30 21:03:42
I hope the same thing or something similar happens for you during your time in the game. Hang in there, mate, because I get the feeling that the Nix could be the real deal, and that the All Whites are also on the rise.
We have some excellent young talent on the horizon and the domestic game is not in to bad a shape. I would love to see football become the dominant sport in this country in my life time and while everybody works away quietly to achieve this I can see it happening in the not to distant future. Ronaldoknow2007-05-30 21:03:42