This week Football Federation Australia formally published a new Strategic Plan for the period of 2011 to 2015 with a vision for Australia to become a Top 10 football nation.

The ambitious target goes way beyond our FIFA Ranking.

This is our vision:

- Development of a football culture ingrained with unique Australian characteristics.
- Producing technically-gifted Australian players from an elite player pathway that’s the equal of the world’s best.
- Building a Hyundai A-League that rivals the best in Asia.
- Making football a sporting and social powerhouse in Australia.

To see our vision become a reality, FFA has a mission that will drive everything we do in the next four years.

The mission is to create value for the football community and to convert mass participation and interest into active support for the National Teams and the A-League.

Our mission is all about conversion – turning passion into engagement.
We have 1.7 million participants in Australian football, as measured by the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Since 2001, participation in outdoor football has roughly doubled and indoor football numbers have trebled.

These numbers are our greatest strength and our biggest opportunity.
When we say "We Are Football" we are talking about a huge football family that spans social class, demographics, gender, ethnicity, language and state borders.

We are cosmopolitan with a truly national footprint. The faces of football are the faces of Australia.

With our vision stated and our mission set, the Strategic Plan includes four pillars:

1. National Teams excellence.
2. A sustainable and vibrant Hyundai A-League.
3. Greater connection with football’s grassroots.
4. Delivering a successful 2015 AFC Asian Cup that leaves a legacy benefit for our game.

Click here to view the Strategic Plan 2011-2015 framework

This is a Strategic Plan that that reaches every one of our 1.7 million participants – from the Qantas Socceroos to a 5-year old boy or girl playing for the first time.

It engages with our A-League clubs and fans, drives the relationship with our commercial partners and cements the national unity achieved with our Member Federations.

It’s a plan that will take the focus of Australian football from building foundations to creating growth. And it’s a plan that has a strong emphasis on the domestic agenda.

The Strategic Plan is the product of long deliberations by the FFA Board and management and, importantly, consultations with key stakeholders throughout this year.

In short, we listened – to our Member Federations, our Hyundai A-League clubs, our broadcaster partner Fox Sports, the media and the most crucial stakeholders of all – the fans and participants of Australian football.

Some of you might recall my appearance at a fan forum with 200 fans in May this year – it was broadcast by SBS TV.

There was some fairly robust feedback that night, but rather than shy away from what was being said by those on the terraces, we listened and took note.

As a part of our evolution in this digital age, we have a consistent presence in social media.

No, I’m not about to start a Twitter account, but I get regular reports on what our fans are talking about in various online forums. We use it as a listening post.

This season in the A-League, video screens at our stadia have shown replays of incidents that in past would have been blacked out. We made the change in part because of feedback from fans.

Let me now outline some of the major projects and performance targets that are part of our Strategic Plan – and share with you the results that have already started to flow.

The first pillar is National Teams excellence and elite player development.

Our targets include:

- Qantas Socceroos qualifying for Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup andreaching the round of 16 as a minimum.
- Winning the 2015 AFC Asian Cup on home soil
- The Socceroos contesting for a Top 10 spot on the FIFA Rankings by 2015 and averaging a Top 20 spot across the period.
- In the women’s national team program, we aim to see the Westfield Matildas successfully defend the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, once again qualify for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in and hold a Top 10 ranking, which we have currently achieved at no.10

The production line below our national teams is equally important.
We have plans to develop a top-class advanced coach education pathway.

This will start with a redesign of coaching course materials, more accessibility via digital channels and an expansion of the program.

We’ll consolidate the first phase implementation of skill acquisition program and then expand into all states and territories.

Integration of a National Elite Player pathway is underway, but will be supercharged by greater alignment between Member Federations, A-League clubs and the National Training Centre programs.

And our National Competitions Review will ensure the second-tier, semi-professional clubs will have a greater role in the broader plan.

The success at the pinnacle of international football with the Socceroos and Matildas is directly attributable to the sustained and targeted investment by FFA in coach education, elite player development, sports science, logistics and player welfare.

We need to continue to make efficient investment in this area if we are to realise our vision of becoming a Top 10 nation.

Our second strategic pillar is the Hyundai A-League and the sustainability of the competition.

We can sum up the approach with a very simple line – it’s about bums on seats.

In turn, that means giving the fans what they want – a high-quality, exciting competition, with an active engagement with their clubs.

We set out in May with the very clear insight of what had to be done, based on our strategic review and consultations:

- Improve A-League club community engagement to increase fan base - focus on increasing attendances.
- Improve A-League reputation and brand image through better marketing and media relations.
- Ensure season timing and structure maximises attendances.
- Improve club business results through a central services unit - our plans are taking shape and will be a focus of the 2nd year of the strategic plan in 2012.
- Ensure A-League clubs are integrated into the elite player pathway system.
- Deliver better financial arrangements in stadia and more efficient event management.

Our goal in the initial years of the Strategic Plan timeframe is to have 10 stable clubs and sustainable economic model for the A-League.

There is a natural public debate around expansion, usually around Greater Western Sydney, which is the heartland of the game.

However, in the Strategic Plan period to 2015 expansion will only occur when those economic pre-conditions of stability and sustainability exist.

Season Seven shows how we successfully implemented the specific plans.

- The schedule change - October to April – to launch the season in “clear air”
- Opening the season with marquee matches.
- Rivalry Round, which produced the all-time high aggregate attendance for an A-League round.
- Regular kick off times – for fans in stadiums and at home TV, tailored for specific markets.
- Fewer mid-week rounds, but when we do they are strategically placed in the festive season.
- Still to come – Community Rounds which will take our competition to new markets – Morwell, Dunedin, Campbelltown, Launceston and Bathurst.
- The world-first Hyundai A-League Marathon on 4 January.

The success story after Week Eight of the competition is very satisfying;

- Attendances average – up 48 per cent
- TV audiences average – up 62 per cent
- Club membership – up 17 per cent

In the past 12 months, the significant new investment for Newcastle Jets, Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar and Wellington Phoenix shows that our competition is vibrant, credible and viable – and attractive to new investors.

The third pillar of our strategic plan is all about connecting with the grassroots. As I stated earlier – it’s all about conversion.

Our Strategic Plan includes the biggest online registration roll out ever seen in Australian sport.

MyFootballClub.com.au is a national database that will for the first time in the game’s history bring everyone together and create value for all stakeholders. It’s provided free of charge to clubs and associations.

We will deliver benefits to all tiers:

- For players – being part of a virtual community with the benefits of our numbers: Socceroo ticket offers, discounts on playing equipment, information on coaching and healthy lifestyles.
- For clubs and associations – lower IT costs and greater ability to organise and service players.
- For the professional tier (National Teams and A-League clubs) – a real connection to the grassroots and an efficient and sophisticated way to communicate in this digital age.

The strategic plan target for the MyFootballClub.com.au database is to have half a million registrations by June 2012.

In the Strategic Plan period to 2015, the target is one million – once we achieve this target Australian football would be in an unprecedented position to connect and convert our numbers.

This project is the "game changer" for Australian football.

Of course, at the end of the Strategic Plan period, Australia will host the 2015 AFC Asian Cup – and that’s the fourth pillar of our plan.

It’s the biggest sporting event in Asia. On the field, we want to Socceroos to win the tournament, but the off-field opportunities are just as important.

- A financial legacy for Australian football via a Tournament Budget surplus.
- Sold out Socceroos matches.
- Sold out Final match.
- Leverage business and commercial connection of Australian football with Asia.
- Leverage and convert awareness and support for football into increased participation and A-League attendances.

As a first step, we will develop the 2015 AFC Asian Cup Strategic Plan and establish a Local Organising Committee supported by highly skilled and experienced people.

We’ll develop engagement plans with A-League clubs, public, private sector, Australian governments, the Australian football community and the media.

Our Strategic Plan will not only ensure we run a world-class event, but that Australian football accrues a legacy benefit.

To achieve all the ambitious targets in our Strategic Plan we need capital to invest. Our next TV rights agreement is the opportunity to secure the financial footings of the game.

We are saying to the free-to-air, Pay TV and digital networks that football has the biggest reach of any sport in Australia – across social class, gender, ethnicity and age demographics – and it’s a truly national footprint.

Football has more participants than all the other codes combined and is the fastest-growing sport among women and girls.

Importantly, our demographic skew towards youth means we are a growth story, particularly in this digital age.

We have a new network of 12 websites and affiliated social media channels covering national teams, national competitions and member clubs.

In the first 30 days following the launch we substantially increased our presence in the digital community.

- Page impressions and unique browsers – up 30 per cent
- New mobile apps for Socceroos and a-league - 80,000 downloads

In social media, we have over 270,000 fans on our Facebook pages for national teams and the A-League. We increased our Facebook followers for the A-League by 30 per cent in the past two months.

These digital numbers, aligned with our growing TV audience figures, show that Australians have a huge appetite for football content.

Our task is to build a compelling case for media companies to invest in this content as a core ingredient in their offerings.

We are confident of securing a TV rights deal that recognises football’s popularity, reach and potential. We are confident we’ll achieve the capital injection required to bring our plans into reality.

In summing up, I point to our brand campaign for the Hyundai A-League, which featured a very simple, yet powerful message: "WE ARE FOOTBALL".

The campaign has resonated throughout the football community because it truly captures the feelings and aspirations we have as a game in Australia.

We are proud, we are passionate and we are on the move.

"We Are Football" – and we have a plan for our future.

 
Poll
Which will be the Qantas Socceroos' toughest game?


Comments (43)
 
Ben you are doing a good job but in my oppinion its the local derbys that are the winners . The best games of the season are the melbourne games, fantastic atmosphere great games to watch . Firstly the A league needs to be on free to air even if you give SBS the match of the round and the rest on foxtel without free to air football will never grow. Secondly the local derbys have the bigest appeals we need another team in melbourne say geelong then two teams in each capital city . Gold cost and CCM are not viable and simply do not have the support base. We should look at two sydney teams two adelaide teams two perth teams and three in melbourne one of these can be in geelong then newcastle wollongong and canberra. Its the local derbys that create interest and intense rivalry . No one cares about a ccm match or a gold coast clash. Then we need a state based competition where all the winners of each state p lay off for a spot in the A league and the bottom team in the A league gets relegated this could be introduced in the future
Deano of wollongong  |  
8 Jan 2012 11:18 PM
 
 
Mr Buckley, i pledge with you to allow funs to pass comments to their clubs. You see - most of the "Add comment" or "Be the first to comment" under articles do not work – yours is good exception. Thanks. Why clubs do not have blogs where we can say our pride or our pain to club we follow. It could be available to members of the club only.
Lubanski  |  
5 Jan 2012 04:55 PM
 
 
thankyou for puting all this out in the open, good start .one of the biggest problems that I see in oz FOOTBALL is one of focus . ffa sees foxtell and says ok these guysare our major revenue so we have to bend over backwards to give them whatever they want . understanderable to a degreebut the problem is thatthis is often to the detriment of the hal clubs and of course the fans .foxtell is only interested in how many watch on pay tv but the clubs cannot survive without a sustainable number of fans attending the matches .poor scheduling of game times , no free to air games , poor promotion , conflicts with fifa dates and inapropriate , usually oversized , overpriced stadiums with poor playing surfacesall make it difficult for the clubs . one thing ffa has to decide is what is to be the priority looking after the clubs or foxtell.
wayne  |  
5 Jan 2012 12:33 AM
 
 
John @6.42pm 4 Dec ... the globe has shrunk considerably with technology advancements, and the fact that the large majority of the globe call the game 'football' is relevant. It is run, sometimes not so well, by the Federation Internationale de Football Associations, and Australia is a member of FIFA. I have never heard of people being branded racists for calling football 'soccer'. John Warren's book and its title did refer to someone calling out from a pub "sheilas, wogs and poofters" during a national team parade in Sydney.,But this was a comment meant to slur the game itself. FFA could easily defuse the football argument for all time, simply by the definition of 'a game played with a ball, where the control and propulsion of the ball is primarily with the foot. specifically not the hands, (with the exception of the heavily limited goal keeper and the throw in)'. Most non english languages in the world translate football directly as football .
Peter  |  
6 Dec 2011 01:46 AM
 
 
As dissapointing as it is, a promotion and relegation system for the A-League, and a second division, simply isn't feasible for the next ten years. We may never have a 'B-League'. A-League clubs that get relegated will quickly become basket cases, lose much of their fans and sponsors- promotion and relegation isn't sustainable. Perhaps there could be a national league for the current best State League teams, but no relegation from the A-League. These facts make it even more important to get an FFA Cup up and running. Also, when the next expansion occurs, give the two spots to West Sydney and Tasmania, not Canberra. Canberra already has two other 'Football Code' clubs- Tassie has no other AFL/NRL/Rugby clubs. Split the games between Launceston and Hobart, and you could easily see average crowds of 15k+.
cappuccino  |  
4 Dec 2011 08:44 PM
 
 
It is amazing how many people have posted comments here stating that soccer should be called 'football'. I call the game soccer because I am Australian. The fact that it's called football overseas is irrelevant. Where I'm from, 'football' means Australian Rules Football. Continuing to call soccer 'football' is confusing, and the all-too-common assertion that people who call it soccer are racist towards 'wogs and poms' is absolutely mindless.
John  |  
4 Dec 2011 06:42 PM
 
 
Well Ben Buckley, above are the many comments from disappointed football supporters, are you going to dismiss their valid comments or actually take them on board. They may be in the view of some be short term gripes but in actuality are very real to the persons putting them forward, first and foremost Free to air TV, delayed broadcasts, tickets prices are driving many in the football family away ie pensioners, FFA Cup, a second Division, relegation system, team nick names, over -paid guest players, ignoring correspondence, survey results, youth games prior to A-League game. Most of these comments have been mentioned time and again and are seemingly still being ignored.
Elvis from Huntingdale  |  
4 Dec 2011 03:02 PM
 
 
FFA should also foccussed their attention to regional Australia and even push the game to the Indigenous communities. Moreover, it should also push for New Zealand to be admitted onto the Asian Football Confederation. Australia should also give a big push for the game in the Oceania region, including PNG, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga etc... which would further consolidate the popularity of the game in our region as we are the main regional force which can drive these chlanges in our closed border and obvioulsy within our country. I also agree for a second National Division with promotion and relagation system is also necessary. Free to air TV viewing is also a must in order to reach the masses and a reduction of the games' tickets prices would also have a positive impact on attendance.
Tal Solal Cohen  |  
4 Dec 2011 11:05 AM
 
 
Well done Ben and FFA. This is leadership. Lots of opinions about the details of course, but good leaders have the confidence to publicly set a direction and hold themselves accountable for the results in the future. This approach has turned Australian Football from a corrupt joke into a leading football nation in less than 10 years - lets celebrate that achievement ... and expect more in future.
Ian  |  
3 Dec 2011 07:05 PM
 
 
We're going to have to be careful with our next major sponsor...imagine, the 'Coca Cola Amatil Socceroos' for instance, or the 'BHP Billiton Socceroos'...the mind boggles. 'Westfield Matildas' is even worse...makes me think of a group of middle-aged ladies from a shopping centre entering a talent quest. Let's get rid of all these stupid names. As far as I'm concerned all our representative teams are 'Australia', with an age annotation (such as U-23) if appropriate. And why the FFA perpetuates the use of 'soccer' is beyond me when so much effort has been expended on getting rid of the word.
Noel  |  
3 Dec 2011 05:11 PM
 
 
while there are teams like the current adelaide rabble plodding arond the park everything else is good money after bad and there will be only one outcome. wake up australia
NERO  |  
3 Dec 2011 12:26 PM
 
 
Very disappointed by this plan. No firm commitment to the FFA Cup, no B division with relegation and promotion two components the AFC has continually pointed out. All I see is commitment to non-viable clubs such as Gold Coast & Cetral Coast Mariners and an unsustainable model of betting everything on an improved TV deal . MEMO TO FFA: Kewell has been a failure and the public can see through cheap marketing tactics with over the hill guest players. Focus on differentiating the sport (in Australia) with the global model of football that leads to genuine tribalism and that is promotion/relegation, CUP competitions open to all tiers and the basic creation of "hope".
Michael  |  
3 Dec 2011 12:19 PM
 
 
Good to see a plan out there, and I hope that it goes well. But I have to agree with Paul , above .... They speak of football culture, but evrything is football until it comes to the national side, where they still go by that ridiculous nick name of socceroos. Until recently, I've filled in every survey that the FFA has put out, but we never see the results of these surveys, and particularly rarely see financial results of the FFA. They don't even respond to correspondence. I have written about four letters/emails to the FFA since its inception, and not even received a confirmatio letter that they received it. I understand that they're busy, but his is like sending a lette to Santa. They could at least acknowledge your correspondence. They wonder why people are disenchanted.
peter  |  
3 Dec 2011 09:11 AM
 
 
As long as we have Fox sport as our provider the game will fail, we take money from them in sponsorship and they hide our game away from the masses, I know FFA need the bucks to run the league but the game gets nothing, can we generate free to air sponsorship and let all in Australia enjoy the game. FFA talk about growing the game well they have done their best to hide it from everyone who doesn't have Fox. FFA make a stand if you cannot get a free to air transmission please get an A-League show replayed on free to air.
Ian  |  
3 Dec 2011 09:08 AM
 
 
On this site there's an ad for Qantas Socceroos v Saudi Arabia in February... Not Australia v Saudi Arabia! Says it all really... What the hell is a socceroo anyway... ? You Never see any other football teams fixtures listed with the Sponsor prefix. - Carlsburg England v Nike France anyone...?
Paul  |  
2 Dec 2011 05:15 PM
 
 
The promotion and relegation system is a great idea... Another one to draw the crowds in, is to:- *REDUCE ticket prices *Have Youth League games prior to A-League game (FFA sustains the bill of the matchday running cost for Youth League) *AT LEAST ONE Free To Air Match (Live) every weekend. Ie. The Marquee Match (but not involving Victory and/or Sydney each week) *Another MARQUEE or 2...adding to the quality of the squad and hence the overall quality of football Just some ideas out to put forward!
Ben  |  
2 Dec 2011 10:40 AM
 
 
"a top-class advanced coach education pathway. This will start with a redesign of coaching course materials, more accessibility via digital channels and an expansion of the program." Great - but what about a national development program for referees? Not just the elites, either, but all including the grassroots referees that get out there week after week and cop everything the coaches, players and spectators throw at them. And if you really want to improve the image of women's football, get rid of Peter Wilkins on the ABC ... it's not AFL, and I don't want to hear how old each player is every three minutes.
Eliza  |  
2 Dec 2011 09:49 AM
 
 
The key to attracting crowds to game is to delay games in the city its being played in. And also work in the free to air game or two a week so the average Joe can watch the game. Football is played by most kids however we lose them, how do we lose them? One of the big issues is we need to have all Australian watching games and the world game being available in every living room in Australia not at the mercy of a pay tv provider. The other big factor is we need to work childrens and senior rego's paid to play incorperate their local A League Team so if I play soccer at my local club I pay say an additionasl amount ontop of my fees which is built in and none-negotiable and your receive 5-10 games at your local a league club which would mean you would have constant big crowds and the State football federation working with the FFA
Matthew Jabs  |  
1 Dec 2011 11:16 PM
 
 
How's all this going to mesh with the recommendations of the Smith Report?
jonny  |  
1 Dec 2011 07:56 PM
 
 
Australia will never be top 10 unless the outrageous youth league fees are addressed. At least 15-20% orf the most talented players in the country do not even trial let alone play in youth leagues. Therefore we are not selecting from the complete talent pool. It is becoming like golf where only the well off play at the highest levels.
jJAMES  |  
1 Dec 2011 07:47 PM
 
 
I beleive you all have very valid and interesting points. But are the FFA in control like they really say they are? The FFA cup sounds really good, but if we dont get "bums on seats", then it will be very dfficult to go ahead. Personally, i ,love the A-league. I watch it every week as i am fortunate enough to have foxtel. We need to get Hyandai A-league games on free-to air aswell to promote our game and show Australia what could be something similar to the european leagues in time to come. One last thing, are there any new teams coming in the next couple of years for sure? If so who, because we need more teams! We Are Football
Jack  |  
1 Dec 2011 06:18 PM
 
 
the idea is fantastic and congratulate you want and are realizing that to grow the culture of football you have to invest, and form, is a process that requires patience, but everything is done with quality, professionalism, rewarded, the congratulations and I am willing to consider the work of formation of players here in Australia
dino aros  |  
1 Dec 2011 04:22 PM
 
 
We need a 3 tier relegation and promotion system, to ensure all players from the enormous registration base have some light at the end of the tunnel to follow their dreams. To do this more financial investment must be done at the 2nd/3rd divisions of football (if established) not just the A-League...basically you need to put the money where the players are and all else will work out. As a coach of young players at my local club, there is the need to hold onto these kids dreams and turn them into reality
Sammy  |  
1 Dec 2011 02:02 PM
 
 
The plan looks good and it's great to see some of the incremental steps like live replays being implemented, but as many have said in this blog and so many others, Football will not become the People's game in Australia until it is on free to air TV. All the other steps are secondary to this. The new TV rights deal must include a live FTA component. With all the talk of digital media, why isn't there a game every week streamed live on the net right now? Keep up the positive work. Can't wait to see: - only 4 teams in the finals - the FFA cup - teams only wearing their alternate strip when required - more crowd inclusion at games (eg: put the words to the club's theme song on the big screen before every match, etc) - professional refs - better kick-off times - more family friendly kick-off times - W-League or NYL games before every HAL game - etc, etc P.S. At my kids school this morning the Broncos, Lions and Qld Reds - who had all been on site
Ben of BNE  |  
1 Dec 2011 12:19 PM
 
 
Two things. First - insurance. We pay insurance as part of our rego every year but the policy is worthless unless you have a major injury (very very rare). If we have to pay compulsory insurance to a regional Federation insurance plan then all our insirance costs should be paid for. We should not be out of pocket. An alternative is a tiered insurance scheme where the player choses what level of cover they want - basic, intermediate, full. Second - in the other major codes in this country the money flows down hill, in Football it flows uphill. Especially in the rural regions. Our local association sent $140000 uphill this season. For this we want FREE coaching courses run regularly in our region. We want FREE player development camps - for all levels of ability not just the better ones (or the ones who can afford it) - its mostly players of lesser ability who play the game (or are involved in other ways) their whole life - because they love it for what it is - a great game.
Wayne Clarke  |  
1 Dec 2011 10:49 AM
 
 
Well done FFA for the placement of the strategic plan and while all issues are relevant , I hope that by working with the Football family the credibility the engagement benefits will follow and criticism will diminish with sound and innovative judgement
Tony  |  
1 Dec 2011 10:17 AM
 
 
Whatevs! How many times have we heard this corporate speak from FFA?!? All talk - I'll believe it when I see it.
Prince of Brisbane  |  
1 Dec 2011 10:06 AM
 
 
TV Rights - the biggest thing I see with TV rights is that is MUST be Live, not near live but LIVE, The best option is to have a similar deal as what the AFL have. Pay TV to have all games and Free to Air to have a Friday or Saturday Game of the Week with a Magazine highlights show. It says the game wants to connect to the Community, well you need to bring in a FFA Cup competition that includes all club from around the Country and give them a shot a playing in ASIA. The game lost its focus with its failed, frivols, wasted, naive attempted at a World Cup bid, it must now Focus on the A League to make it the Top Line sport it is
KB QLD TO Melb  |  
1 Dec 2011 09:53 AM
 
 
Great to see the FFA engaging the community and filling us fanatics in on plans for the future. However where are the plans for a League Cup? Top 2 State League / City Premier League sides along with the A League sides. The early playoffs with State / City League sides could be played as curtain raisers for A League Games during the season. This would help further put Bums on seats (especially on the Gold Coast where I see more people at Premier League games than at A League games). Brining these State based teams into a National cup competition can only help with future relegation / promotion plans by strengthening these clubs and will help to identify young talent. Would also love to see an A League All Stars game. Imports vs Homegrown, Imagine a team featuring Broich, Hernandez, Berrisha, Fred, Ifill, Van Dijk, etc taking on Kewell, Emmerton, Vidosic, Carle, etc. Got to be some money in that!!!!!
Angel  |  
1 Dec 2011 06:58 AM
 
 
Free to air coverage is so important. If it's there, people will watch it. Even just a highlights package on say ONE or SBS (must be shown at a good time), or maybe one game a week, shown at a time that doesn't clash with the Australian cricket team. When you see some A-League highlights the standard actually appears quite good, the greater public needs to know this. There are too many unfair myths about the standard out there. Also, need to start pushing the A-League as being the prime summer sport. Get some of this right and hopefully the range and quality of print media coverage will improve as a result.
Kristian Pisano  |  
1 Dec 2011 04:03 AM
 
 
The reason free to air do not like football is, football has no breaks for TV commercials, it is plain and simple, the game has only two halfs, and no breaks to slip in a quick add, that is why TV networks make money from the big sporting code......
David  |  
1 Dec 2011 01:09 AM
 
 
FFA have to get a better TV deal. Free -to - TV is essiential to make the Australian public take a real interest in soccer. Another major issue is the odd times and days the matches are played to suit Foxtel programs. . Just look at the crowd increases for matches played about 6.30 on Saturdays. In other words the current agreement with Foxtel is doing more harm to soccer than good.
Fred  |  
30 Nov 2011 10:18 PM
 
 
To get "bums on seats" the A-League needs to expand, not only to Western Sydney but to Canberra. The A-League would be a better competition having two teams from these locations. The A-League 4 Canberra bid has around 2,000 foundation members that each paid $200. To achieve the required $6 million capital for a team the Canberra bid only needs a further $1 million dollars. Personally, I believe Canberra desperately needs a team but also deserves one.
Alex  |  
30 Nov 2011 08:47 PM
 
 
There was no mention of the proposed FFA Knockout Cup. Could FFA please advise if it is still on the agenda and for implementation in late 2012
Soccersupporter  |  
30 Nov 2011 08:19 PM
 
 
Well done FFA and Ben Buckley. The vision is clear and consistent and wonderfully ambitious. Yes, there is still an awful lot to be done and yes, we can all criticise but the simple truth is that these things will be done because the will is there. Adam and Aaron come back to me in 2015 and see if your comments still ring true!
michael flanagan  |  
30 Nov 2011 07:09 PM
 
 
Yes what about futsal. ! But keep registering we need the money.! We Are Football – and we have a plan for our future------ says it all
Jack  |  
30 Nov 2011 07:02 PM
 
 
Never say soccer anymore,we must rename our national selection ,socceroos is popular but a new name can be even more popular,soccer is a demeaning word mainly used for anti- football people.WE ARE FOOTBALL ,our headquarters is football federation australia,I suggest Johnny Warren BOYS because it has emotion ,soul ,life in honour to our great captain .Every jersey must have an image of Johnny not anywhere but in the heart,so he can hear your heart beating when you are giving everything for your country.
gary martinez  |  
30 Nov 2011 06:30 PM
 
 
It's a brave move to put a strategic plan on the internet for all to see. Like Aaron, I believe that getting football on free-to-air is a key factor - too often kick-off times and match days are determined by the pay-TV schedule, and whatever spin you like to put on it, clubs such as the Heart have a really rotten fixture this year. Here in Melbourne the ABC, especially radio, tries desperately to ignore football, so there's plenty of work to do there. Other suggestions: the FFA Cup is essential, try and regularise the fixture so that clubs are at home every second week, make better use of Public Holidays at Christmas, New Year and Australia Day. IMO also, bite the bullet and extend the season - 27 games is too short. Abandon the play-offs, or, if you really must have them, include every club in the A-League along the lines of the Belgian League. Anyway, thanks for the opportunity to comment. We ARE football!
jonny  |  
30 Nov 2011 05:44 PM
 
 
@Aaron. I am truly sorry to say this Aaron, because it has been repeated often, too often. The FFA have a contract with Fox until 2013. They are maintaining their professional integrity and building their professional credibility by remaining true to their contract and not trying to re-negotiate out of it. This tells the next media rights company they deal with that they are as good as their word. And that my friend is more than mere money can buy. The game is in good hands and you would do well to trust their word, because the next media rights company will and it is that kind of integrity that we want running our game.
Paul  |  
30 Nov 2011 04:49 PM
 
 
This all sounds good but the main problem for a lot of people is the cost of playing which was not really covered in this article. Some families to play the game can spend over $1000 each year in registrations alone. for a lot of people this is very hard to pay their registration so do not play the game or leave the game. A lot of other winter sports can cost a lot less and you alos get extras included in that rego cost. To see the numbers really take off try and work out a way to reduce the registration costs for players at the groundroots level and you will see a dramatic rise in player numbers. As stated their are fewer injuries in football but we still pay a lot to insurance compared to the other codes.
Stevo  |  
30 Nov 2011 04:13 PM
 
 
STOP calling our national teams the Olyroos and the Socceroos. It makes our teams sounds silly and you cant take them seriously. The Kangaroo may be our national animal but that doesn't mean our footballers are roos. Furthermore, its football, not soccer. We should be the Australian national football team, not some gimmicky animal.
David  |  
30 Nov 2011 03:47 PM
 
 
And what about Futsal? indoor football numbers have tripled... triple the registration revenue? is that it? "National Teams"... what about the Futsalroos? You choose to govern the sport, and all forms of football, including indoor football, beach football & in the statute... how about it FFA?
Adam  |  
30 Nov 2011 03:14 PM
 
 
I admire the fact that in trying to include everyone in a discussion, the have uploaded the plan on the Internet. I would however like to say this. I love football but i feel us as a community aren't involved enough. I want to watch weekly games of the a-league but its broadcast on foxtel, all due to "money". If you put various games on Free-to-air TV the audience generated from this WILL put "bums on seats", will promote clubs and club sponsors, generating more money. How much begging will it take from the football family and supporters to make this a reality. Can someone answer that question?
Aaron  |  
30 Nov 2011 03:07 PM