Who are REALLY the big clubs?

[shinAUFC]

Welcome to the off season

This finals series have got me wondering who the big clubs really are.

City has money clearly but only managed 7k for a home elimination final, Sydney could not even get 20k to an ffa cup final . Victory ( i believe ) couldnt even get 20k today.

Is this what we expect from the big clubs? AUFC would attract more fans to the identicle corresponding home games , so to wsw and potentially even the jets.

Do we define a big club on their trophies and asian success ? In that case mv and sydney are the biggest clubs only by a small margin neither have dominated the aleague era.

Just cannot understand how big clubs can play season defining games infront of a half full boutique stadium.

[sevengoals]

Shin mate, I hear what you're saying.

By the way have you read Joe Gorman's "The Death and Life of Australian Soccer"?

[shinAUFC]

It seems newcastle are expecting a big crowd. Obviously newy residents love when their teams play on the big stage even if football is not their number 1 sport.

It will probably be the first time we see any kind of tribalism you expect from a real football game this finals series with the minor exception of victory but even their turn out was poor.

I havnt read it 7g, would you recomend it ?

[sevengoals]

I recommend it for everyone who has a serious interest in the game in Australia.
It is a good book, well written.

[Old Gregg]

Shin mate, I hear what you're saying.

By the way have you read Joe Gorman's "The Death and Life of Australian Soccer"?

Fantastic book.

[sevengoals]

Shin mate, I hear what you're saying.

By the way have you read Joe Gorman's "The Death and Life of Australian Soccer"?

Fantastic book.

It sure is!

[Stuckey]

I'll keep an eye out for it.

I agree Shin. Sydney is obviously a massive club on the pitch. But has forever been a joke off it. How can a club with a city of 4m people struggle to get a consistant fan base?
Then the club has the gall to come out and try blocking a Southern Sydney expansion side.

IMO the way the HAL is being run there are no big clubs fan-wise anymore Victory were the only ones who can claim that.
But on the pitch there is a pretty clear line in the sand.
How I see it:
Both Sydney clubs
Both Melbourne clubs
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Brisbane
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Newcastle
Perth
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Adelaide
CCM
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Wellington

[shinAUFC]

Im not sure we are as small as we make out stuckey.

An ffa cup final would have sold out here, infact they attracted less fans than we did to adelaide oval against MV and none of us were happy to be there.

Also we would have sold out our final had it been played at hindmarsh against victory drawing a similar crowd.

We have a football culture in this city and many fans itching to return to the old days.

The only thing that has prevented from being a big club were club management and finances ( however to their credit they did save us being liquidated )

Do we have the deep pockets of city and sydney? Unlikely. But if we can be in the same ball park as MV and WSW yearly expenditure i think we have a claim to becoming one of the great clubs.

Only time will tell and we will find out soon enough what our bew owners intentions are beyond words

[Stuckey]

Im not sure we are as small as we make out stuckey.

An ffa cup final would have sold out here, infact they attracted less fans than we did to adelaide oval against MV and none of us were happy to be there.

Also we would have sold out our final had it been played at hindmarsh against victory drawing a similar crowd.

We have a football culture in this city and many fans itching to return to the old days.

The only thing that has prevented from being a big club were club management and finances ( however to their credit they did save us being liquidated )

Do we have the deep pockets of city and sydney? Unlikely. But if we can be in the same ball park as MV and WSW yearly expenditure i think we have a claim to becoming one of the great clubs.

Only time will tell and we will find out soon enough what our bew owners intentions are beyond words

But does a decent crowd for one game count as a big thing for a club?
The club would see only a percentage of the ticket figure.
As none of the clubs own their own stadia in this country, crowds don't really count for as much as they do in other countries IMO.
Obviously more crowds can mean more sponsorship $$$. But that's true anywhere.
IMO the only real definition between a big club and a small one in the HAL is whether the club can afford to fill out all their salary cap loop holes which provides them with the decent advantage in the amount of depth they can sign. That almost entirely comes down to whether they have owners willing to spend to those levels.
If a club can begin to own facilities outright that generate income for them. Then which ever club that is will become the big club of the HAL.

[shinAUFC]

Thats my point.

We clearly have the support, even if many have been pushed away by previous decisions of the club i think that support still remains and we will see a rise in crowd figures next season.

It really comes down to what our annual turn over is in comparison to the big 4.

I certainly dont think we can put ourselves in the same bracket as wellington and ccm anymore

[sevengoals]

I've been thinking about this for a while now and I don't think we have any "really Big clubs" in the true sense of what you need to be one, that is, history, membership/support and off course some titles.

[otto62]

Syd, MV and Brisbane have all won multiple titles.
MV and WSW have both had excellent crowds (although down at the moment).
As for history - by what definition? Do you really have to have 40 years behind you begore you can be a big club?

[shinAUFC]

I've been thinking about this for a while now and I don't think we have any "really Big clubs" in the true sense of what you need to be one, that is, history, membership/support and off course some titles.

Very true 7G

No club excels in all areas , nor have we had a club dominate the aleague era.

I think its still to be defined who the teue big clubs are in the coming years.

It would be nice if adelaide could be come australias Turin to the larger cities.

[sevengoals]

I like a bit of history.
Shared experiences, passion and love for the game passed on from one generation to the next.
If we don't have deep healthy roots how can we have growth?

[otto62]

I like a bit of history.
Shared experiences, passion and love for the game passed on from one generation to the next.
If we don't have deep healthy roots how can we have growth?

It'll come in time. But I don't think it's a prerequisite for being a big club.