The high prices, set that way most likely to cover Everton’s exorbidant appearance fee combined with the promoter’s cut, will no doubt have an impact on crowds. Crowds which seem to be of massive importance in Australian football, largely due to their size being seen as indicative of the importance of football in Australia’s sporting landscape. Large crowds, and football is the new national sport, on the rise from the ashes of the NSL and on it’s way to a healthy future. Low crowds, and the A-league is struggling, on the verge of collapse. Why should crowds matter for what are mostly pre-season friendlies? Not for this reason, but almost.
One of the big benefits of having such high profile games before season start is to aid with the membership drive. Sure, it is not one of the intents of the promoter, who will be seeking solely financial gain. But the Sky Blues, the Roar and Heart will all be looking to sign new members at these showcase games. How then, is it beneficial for these teams to have an overpriced event that will in all probability out-price a large number of potential new members, and disenfranchising them as a result? Will even the promoter be happy, if the crowd numbers are drastically affected by a backlash reaction, thus lowering revenue?
This said, perhaps this will all be proved false speculation, and each of the three games will garner large spectators, a large number of new memberships, and large profits. But, afterall, this is what the pre-season is about – speculation.
It can be agreed that the publicity gathered from these games, in the middle of the seasons of both the AFL and NRL, will be great. Both domestically and internationally the clubs versing Everton and their franchises will be furthered – or at least now be known to die-hard Everton fans, intently following their teams pre-season endevours in such strange countries as “Australia”. Hopefully dometically the continued games against Premier League competition will help to bridge the gap between football fans that refuse to watch the A-league because of it’s inferiority to all that is European. Hopefully this is furthered by the close scores of these matches, and the win that Sydney FC will undoubtedly obtain.
