Active supporter measures taken by FFA

Postby **Stuckey** Mon Jun 16, 2014 5:01 pm

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has today announced measures to enhance and protect the unique atmosphere created by active supporters at Hyundai A-League matches.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/new ... reas/90853

Maybe I'm seeing this in the wrong light but if you are an active fan passionate enough to sing and chant for your club then surely you would buy a membership? Especially considering its the cheapest way to attend a season of HAL football.
I understand we're talking about new people joining the active support but you're not going to have a person join the Red Army after a couple of games?
There is a lot of outrage on this so I'm probably missing something...

Postby **sevengoals** Mon Jun 16, 2014 5:03 pm

Control.

Maggie Thatcher's Ghost...

John McKain posted this link with his tweet

http://m.foxsports.com.au/football/worl ... 6957017790

Postby **ChillyPhilly** Sun Jun 22, 2014 2:53 am

These measures are vile.

Postby **Stuckey** Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:00 am

These measures are vile.

Why? As far as I see it only effects non-members who want to join the active area. Those people can apparently still get a guest pass if they want to join their mates.
One issue AU's active area has is during the AU-MV games we apparently get part time ultras who come along to few games and rip flares and cause trouble giving that fixture a bad name.
If the measures reduce that then I'm all for it.

Postby **ChillyPhilly** Sun Jun 22, 2014 3:42 pm

This load of tripe does nothing to promote, protect or enhance active support. It completely shuts off any potential growth. Organic growth has been prevented for years in the form of ticketed bays. Now the only true avenue of growth is being prevented.

This is designed to keep five trouble makers for every 20,000 genuine fans out - yet in doing so stops new fans from trying out active support for the first time. It's foolish to think that it will be successful or do any form of good. It makes no sense.

Postby **EdDog** Sun Jun 22, 2014 5:48 pm

Everyone close to the game know that the trouble makers are such a minority but that doesn't stop the media beating it up and tainting our game.

I agree that it may impact on organic growth but how else can you stop the small percentage of idiots ruining it for everyone?

It seems FFA are saying that you can't stop the idiots, but if we have their details they can be sanctioned accordingly.

Postby **ChillyPhilly** Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:37 am

That's the thing though, you can't stop these idiots.

Postby **sevengoals** Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:16 am

It's not about the football.

It's about the control.

Postby **Stuckey** Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:49 am

This load of tripe does nothing to promote, protect or enhance active support. It completely shuts off any potential growth. Organic growth has been prevented for years in the form of ticketed bays. Now the only true avenue of growth is being prevented.

This is designed to keep five trouble makers for every 20,000 genuine fans out - yet in doing so stops new fans from trying out active support for the first time. It's foolish to think that it will be successful or do any form of good. It makes no sense.

Can't people just get a guest pass to the active area though? Much the same as having a general admission membership and you want to sit in the gold area. It just takes a little organisation before the game.

Postby **ChillyPhilly** Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:36 pm

This load of tripe does nothing to promote, protect or enhance active support. It completely shuts off any potential growth. Organic growth has been prevented for years in the form of ticketed bays. Now the only true avenue of growth is being prevented.

This is designed to keep five trouble makers for every 20,000 genuine fans out - yet in doing so stops new fans from trying out active support for the first time. It's foolish to think that it will be successful or do any form of good. It makes no sense.
Can't people just get a guest pass to the active area though? Much the same as having a general admission membership and you want to sit in the gold area. It just takes a little organisation before the game.

Not with these measures.

Formerly, the only way you could 'officially' join active support on game day at Hindmarsh was to get your regular ticket exchanged at the gate/booth for a supporter bay one. Fortunately, both the RA and RT/SE were fortunate to have more relaxed security, especially following the successful silent protest of 2012-13.

These stupid new measures will require planning months in advance. Let me tell you that from experience, about 90% of active support members are made up of those who decided at half time, 'Screw it, let's join in'. These measures are aimed at eliminating that, therefore preventing 90% of growth.

Postby **Stuckey** Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:42 pm

Thanks for elaborating enough to highlight the actual issue of all the people complaining about this issue you're the first to really bring up how its actually going to effect the everyone. You have convinced me these measures are bad.
Hopefully the club can work with security and a similar relaxing of these measures can take place.

Postby **ChillyPhilly** Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:56 pm

My fingers are crossed! At first glance, yes, they can seem good in curbing the 'troublemakers'. But then it's just so unfair as the whole league gets screwed in the arse.

Postby **EdDog** Tue Jun 24, 2014 5:19 pm

I'm hopeful that if these measures enable the FFA to name and shame (and hopefully eliminate) the minority who ruin it for everyone, they can be tweaked and refined to benefit the active support who do a great job of promoting our league.

Postby **shinAUFC** Tue Jun 24, 2014 6:04 pm

its ironic in europe they pack people in like sardines behind the goals to the point that you have to push to get a half decent view.

Standing on icy steps just waiting for the domino's to fall. but authorities are less militant in that regard over there.

Postby **EdDog** Tue Jun 24, 2014 6:57 pm

its ironic in europe they pack people in like sardines behind the goals to the point that you have to push to get a half decent view.

Standing on icy steps just waiting for the domino's to fall. but authorities are less militant in that regard over there.

Problem is crowd trouble isn't singled out and blown way out of proportion like it is here.

I'm certain after attending all three major sporting codes in SA (Cricket, AFL & HAL) that crowd trouble is no different accross them all. In fact, I am more fearful standing on the hill during the 4th quarter when the Crows are getting pumped than walking home after a Victory game.

The difference is that the Australian media only write about the A-League crowd trouble. So even though it is not a huge issue, the perceived issue is much greater, hence the FFA taking measures to correct this.

We Are The Reds