Just shy of two weeks ago, amid a jubilant sea of blue and yellow engulfing Central Coast Stadium, the Central Coast Mariners’ triumphant 3-1 victory over Melbourne Victory ignited a sense of revitalization desperately needed within the A-League. A prevailing sense of despondency, occasionally punctuated by existential concerns, had become the norm for Australia’s premier football league in recent years. However, on this particular night, a euphoric resurgence emerged—a cathartic release where, if only for an evening, everything felt remarkably splendid.
For the second consecutive year, the Mariners had defied their modest resources to claim supremacy in Australian football. Yet, from the stands, amidst the dispersing throngs of celebratory fans, there lingered a recognition that this was more than just a triumph for the club—it was a triumph for Gosford itself. Even the roughly 3,000 traveling Victory supporters who had made the journey contributed to the spectacle, infusing the atmosphere with the passion, noise, and eventual despair that encapsulates the essence of football.
It’s hardly surprising that this event was universally hailed as a remarkable evening for the league. Furthermore, it was fitting that this was the inaugural final staged following the decision to rescind the A-League’s arrangement to sell hosting rights for the Grand Final. This game epitomized the very essence of what such a decision aimed to preserve. The 2023-24 Grand Final saw one of the league’s smaller teams hosting the showcase event in a stadium with a capacity of 20,000, temporarily expanded to 21,379, devoid of the corporate extravagance of larger venues. It was held regionally rather than in a major urban center, in a different state from the various footballing festivals and All-Star matches occurring that week. Yet, it was perfection—not by design, but because those in positions of authority stepped aside. The Grand Final deal may have been worth millions, but the value of this particular showdown was immeasurable.
Thus, it served as a fitting prelude to the first offseason under the A-Leagues’ new “Football Focus” strategy, marking the league’s inaugural strategic recalibration under the stewardship of the Australian Professional Leagues (APL), as noted by commissioner Nick Garcia. Undoubtedly, this pivot was necessitated by the league’s precarious financial circumstances, compounded by various strategic risks and the enduring impact of COVID—nearly $60 million was expended to support clubs throughout the pandemic, according to The Australian. Consequently, the A-League finds itself compelled to contract and reassess its strategic objectives. Both the league and its clubs are poised for a leaner era, where focus will inevitably shift towards fundamental principles: operating within means, nurturing and capitalizing on talent to augment budgets, and revitalizing connections with dormant supporter bases and communities.
This return to basics is arguably long overdue, albeit overshadowed by the unfortunate plight of those left behind in the process. However, similar models have proven effective for numerous leagues worldwide, not out of a lack of ambition but as a means to ensure stability and sustainable growth. It forms the cornerstone of models that have evolved into global powerhouses over decades—a principle embodied by figures like Richard Scudamore, a former Premier League executive whose expertise carried considerable weight, leading the APL to seek his counsel during the unbundling process in 2020.
“The foremost priority must be to deliver the highest quality football possible,” Scudamore emphasized during a Victory function at the time. “This encompasses not just players, but coaches, stadiums, pitch quality, infrastructure, and youth development.
“Ensuring a compelling product is paramount, as it’s only when the product is attractive that other stakeholders will be drawn in—sponsors, viewers, social media—thus amplifying interest.”
In hindsight, the path forward for a burgeoning professional football league seems remarkably straightforward: deliver captivating football, foster talent, provide suitable infrastructure, and cultivate community engagement. Television deals, media ventures, anthems, and the like serve merely to magnify the core product: football. Reflecting on these fundamental principles, one can’t help but wonder why it took so long to arrive here. Nonetheless, when viewed through this lens, the A-League possesses inherent strengths to build upon, particularly when juxtaposed with leagues of similar stature on the global footballing stage, rather than merely comparing itself to the AFL or NRL.
The A-League needs more nights like the Grand Final in Gosford.
In the 2023-24 season, the average A-League Men crowd size was 8,558—an area for potential growth, yet still surpassing leagues like the Greek Super League, which recently celebrated a European trophy win, as well as the Austrian Bundesliga and the current Norwegian Eliteserien season. It also aligns closely with the Danish Superliga, Turkish Super Lig, and Swedish Allsvenskan.
Moreover, the talent pipeline continues to flourish. Recently, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix set new records for outgoing transfers. Jake Girdwood-Reich (20) is set to join MLS expansion side St. Louis CITY, while Alex Paulsen (21) is making a Premier League move to AFC Bournemouth for a reported £2 million. Young talents from Perth Glory, such as Daniel Bennie and James Overy, are heading to Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United, respectively. Additionally, Adelaide United’s Nestory Irankunda is poised to begin his career with Bayern Munich on July 1. These outgoing transfers add to the list of successful deals for A-League clubs, including Joe Gauci to Aston Villa, Marco Tilio to Celtic, Garang Kuol to Newcastle United, and Jordy Bos to KVC Westerlo, among others, which have garnered substantial transfer fees over the past 18 months.
The increasing recognition of Australian talent overseas presents a unique advantage within the country’s sporting landscape. Unlike AFL or NRL clubs, A-League clubs have the opportunity to tap into a global market that saw a staggering US$7.36 billion spent during the last European winter transfer window alone. Recent adjustments to the English FA’s Governing Body Endorsement regulations, elevating the A-League to a Band 5 competition, further enhance this advantage by facilitating player transfers to England, especially for non-senior or junior internationals.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that simply aspiring for the A-League Men to match the strength of other established leagues is overly simplistic. Australia’s sporting market is fiercely competitive and complex. Yet, despite these challenges, a league with such inherent positives and growth potential shouldn’t be perpetually plagued by existential concerns. Embracing a global mindset and ensuring sustainability can liberate the league from the constraints imposed by rival sporting codes.
Undoubtedly, the current predicament faced by A-League clubs is partly the consequence of past strategic missteps. Whether it’s redirecting resources toward infrastructure and stadium improvements rather than pursuing doomed World Cup bids or fostering a stronger connection with fans instead of acquiescing to mainstream institutions’ historical skepticism of football, alternative paths could have been pursued.
Nevertheless, perhaps this new “Football Focused” era, albeit unintended, is precisely what the A-League needs at this juncture. While the league is often lauded for its entertainment value, merely being entertaining is insufficient in today’s crowded media landscape. Establishing emotional connections with communities and forging strong identities, as exemplified by clubs like the Mariners, is paramount.
However, there’s skepticism regarding whether the current A-League model—a privately-owned, for-profit league—possesses the will or resources to sustain this approach. Club ownership is rarely lucrative, let alone highly profitable, yet this challenge is ingrained in the league’s governance structure. Moreover, discussions about a football focus should also explore how the A-League can leverage its global presence and the strengths of a connected domestic pyramid. Additionally, the absence of league officials from public discourse has only exacerbated the narrative surrounding the A-League’s perceived demise, highlighting the need for more proactive communication and strategic leadership.
In the short term, perhaps adopting a football-focused approach could also address another pressing issue. When was the last time the A-League completed a season without facing some form of major crisis? Whether it’s internal governance conflicts, targeting of active fans, questionable expansion decisions, TV deal uncertainties, or other issues, the league’s landscape often feels fraught with challenges. Engaging with the A-League can feel draining, with fans often finding themselves immersed in matters that extend beyond the pitch, assuming roles akin to corporate strategists or demographic analysts.
A league solely focused on football? It may sound unconventional, but it just might be crazy enough to succeed.
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