Players association complaining that it's too hot to play in an Aussie summer so the league should consider moving back to winter.
This would totally kill the attendances in Wellington - Sky stadium is horribly cold and wet in winter (it can be in summer too)
The league lives on struggle street right now. Move to a winter season and that will kill it off.
Worth the trouble of an investigative report to examine all the possible angles. Just take $500K out of Gallop's salary.
But on face of it, Fox would massively drop their TV rights (would need an alternative/extra broadcaster like Optus as mooted), plus getting winter access to stadiums like Suncoup, AAMI (in Melbourne), Parramatta come game day a logistical nightmare.
I think fans in Australia and New Zealand are too fickle to attend winter games. They barely leave their TV's for games now, having them in winter will worsen that problem as it's "too cold outside"
Maybe have a mid summer break.
Shift the whole league to New Zealand
I think fans in Australia and New Zealand are too fickle to attend winter games. They barely leave their TV's for games now, having them in winter will worsen that problem as it's "too cold outside"
Maybe in NZ, but the other winter football codes in Australia get pretty good attendances, esp AFL which does admittedly have a lot of day games, and a very long established history of club rivalries, culture blah blah blah.
There is also a counter agrument that grassroots football (soccer) fans, are in 'football mode' in winter, and the thought (esp for kids) of playing in the morning, then watching their local A League team in the arvo/night is more natural. For example a lot of them in summer will be in 'cricket mode'.
Also as article mentions, biggest challenge for fan attention/eyeballs in summer, may well be all the round the clock TV coverage of top drawer European leagues. That sort of stuff only an indepth report with lots of surveys would sort out.
Bigger obstacles would seem to be big drop in Fox Sports' cash (finances game after all), and other stuff like stadium access around other winter codes.
It's probably what about 10-20% of the total A League games that are affected by extreme heat. Is that enough to move the league to winter? Maybe not a full summer break (Fox won't be fans), but some split rounds, so for say a month, players only play every fortnight. Or enlarged squads/benches, so resting of say older players is somehow more incentivised. Apply for a FIFA exemption that if temp is above 33 degrees are allowed 4 subs??
I'd say the answer is somehow trying to work around the problems of summer, rather than a move to winter
I think the climate change argument might work for a FIFA permission to relax some rules. Allowing a subbed off player to come back later in the game for the same subbed in player (let's say once only, per player) might be a good approach that adds to the interest in the game rather than diminish it. If necessary allow more than three subs, and have a bigger bench for the game day.
That then becomes an internal change for the game, rather than something that requires working around the broadcasters or other codes which a return to winter league would require. It can be argued that it would take less time to implement than it would be to renegotiate the broadcasting deals that the shift back to winter would entail.
Shift the whole league to New Zealand
At least a 2nd NZ team would mean at least 1 game every week not being affected by insane heat.
if the heat is a problem then start the Aussie games later when it is cooler.
This playing every game at a different time is only because Fox want to do that. Once their deal expires get a modern broadcaster on board who can either have pop up channels or stream multiple games.
I'm not the least bit convinced lots of people watch all the games; most people only watch the team they support so who cares if Adelaide plays the same time as Brisbane. Can always watch the highlights after anyway.
That's how proper leagues do it... you know, the ones that provide a fair and balanced competition where teams play each other an equal number of times...eg. Pretty much every other leagaue on the planet.
A league wouldnt survive if they go up against NRL and AFL.There could also be problems with getting access to stadiums as would imagine the other codes would have 1st choice.
Move all Phoenix "home" games to a 5pm kick off, starting the Aussie games later in the evening . Quick solution. Costs nothing.
