So the A-League was built before it was really understood what consumers wanted to keep them coming over years. eg most people believe that grass routes development will lead to growth in crowd numbers for the A-League – but where is the evidence. My hypothesis is that people get their kids to play soccer for very different reasons / need fulfillment to their decision making on following a sport.

The Crawford report said the sport needed quality stadiums. Well that worked for a while. But the Roar have lost money every season with the best stadium in the league. Interestingly, I believe the Roar have the least effective grass routes program for any A-L team – they simply run out of money paying for the stadium before they can do more than visit a few schools each season.

Sorry, but I am not quite getting the bit about “build it and they will come”. Tell me more about that.

Our experiences are so different – you`ve been at Lang to watch a self-imploding team “perform” in front of 6000 people – while I have been watching whatever A-league game fits my weekend schedule on a slightly fuzzy internet connection.

Pricing is a poor lever to pull. Other levers are much more effective but take time. Much of the last 5 years has been wasted by ‘build it and they will come.’

So much is going right now – play is improving (imho), serious NT games through the year, every year, participating in a second consecutive World Cup, better club governance (the players get paid on time nowadays, usually), ACL participation, more Aussies playing in Asia (paydays and life experiences that AFL players can only dream of), kids coming through the ranks and doing well in the A-league, guys like Culina and Sterjovski in the A-league …

ps. With guys like Jack Warner and Sepp Blatter running FIFA – Bad men … god knows how the 2018/2022 decision will be made. It probably won`t have much to do with having the best bid or being the most logical choice.

- with current crowds 7 or 8 teams are losing a futune
- sponsorship is key – at current levels all crowd and TV viewers (down 20% this year) sponsors are re-thinking their business cases
- with less money from gatetake and sponsors teams will have to re-think salaries and club officials
- some teams – Sydney – would take the loss and pay up – others who have no choice but to downside and the A-League would be one sided. Without the tribal/culture of support you get in other countries viewer interest would fall further

Also, poor crowds will impact World Cup 2018/22 decision making

Overall, investment in the sport will decline. Quality coaches will be lost (eg it has been suggested that an Adelaide AFL club can pay Merrick more as an assistant coach than as the Victory head coach). The on-the-park performance will decline and more potential stars will go to AFL.

Meanwhile, as you say, Option 2 is available, especially for Roar fans. Today I watched the girls, for $5 (I know I keep saying), thrash Perth 6:0. Beautiful tactical play. I don’t think there was one long ball, but all from the back, including from the keeper. After every goal the girls attacked again, looking for another. There was not a hint of diving or theatrics.

As someone said on one of these blogs, the key to enjoying the women’s game is getting used to the slower pace. It is distracting at first, but you get used to it, and so many of the other enjoyable things about the game are better if anything.

Honestly, I reckon this team could play competitively, and maybe win, against any women’s team in the World, and I can say that with a completely straight face.

just a nice quiet run into the semis with 8000 quietly clapping at the games.

and a nice cup of tea.

that`d be nice.

how do you feel when you see tiatto being a muppet?