Dream Big

Great news this week as Channel Ten join the World Game family for the next two years and join the millions of others who watch this game as a religion in Australia.  This religion will now be shown to more households than ever before as the far greater reach of a mainstream network station comes into full effect come the 2017/18 A-League season.

Channel Ten have agreed to show one live Saturday night fixture for the next two years as well as Socceroos games come 2018.  So yes fans and now the wider growing football audience will get to witness the magic of a Melbourne Derby and the unmatched atmosphere of a Sydney derby.  I would like to think Adelaide United playing at the Adelaide Oval against a big Melbourne or Sydney club would also be a fixture worth showing on our new network friend.  A fun headache I guess for FFA when deciding the fixtures next season for that key timeslot.

As a football fan it was a very exciting announcement but i don’t want us to sit on our laurels and become complacent.  I believe key fixtures in our competition need to grow even more now with this increased viewing audience, stadiums need to be bigger and clubs like my very own Adelaide United need to embrace the bigger venues, yes Adelaide Oval!  The Melbourne Derby within the next two seasons should have a game played at the MCG and dare to dream of yes an 80,000 plus crowd…why not?  The Sydney derby should continue to play games at stadium Australia and beat the 62,000 it set last season.

My final push would be Channel 10 showcase the FFA CUP final and the game is too be played on a Saturday night, this is a sleeping giant of a competition and the final needs to be in a full stadium on a Saturday showcased on mainstream TV, it will be in my opinion in time just as big as any grand final in this country.  Again dream big and continue to push.

Thanks Channel 10, I’m looking forward to seeing the beautiful game become even more beautiful in Australia but this is just the first leap forward for the game, as passionate football fans we need to continue to demand more and dream even bigger. 

The stage has been built but it’s what we put on it that counts.

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