Exhibition Matches: To play or not to play, that is the question?

With the upcoming exhibition match between Melbourne Victory and Liverpool FC rapidly approaching, I found myself intrigued as to the benefits that Melbourne Victory gain from exhibition matches. I also wonder whether they are a strategic move by the club and the FFA solely to keep more European league fans happy.

Since its inception in 2004, Melbourne Victory has played a total of six exhibition matches in the years from 2008-2013. With opponents from South America, Europe, and the USA, it can be said that Melbourne Victory has come up against some of the biggest teams from across the globe.

Most would argue that alone should be enough to quash the critics of these exhibition matches, with the exposure alone worth its weight in gold. The question is, how much exposure did the club actually receive and did these pre-season, and sometimes mid-season, matches actually improve average crowd figures or membership numbers in the following season?

2008: Melbourne Victory faced Italian giants Juventus at the then Telstra Dome stadium in a pre-season exhibition friendly. 43, 357 spectators watched as Melbourne Victory lost 4-1 to the visitors. In the following 08/09 season the average home attendance was 27,513, a slight increase from the previous 07/08 season. Membership numbers however decreased from 22,603 members to 17,225.

2009: when Melbourne Victory faced Fulham FC, 20,663 spectators watched the home team again lose to the visitors 3-0. The average home attendance in the following season was 22,094, a significant decrease compared to the previous season. Membership numbers on the other hand increased to 19,852.

2010: Melbourne Victory faced Argentinian Boca Juniors in front of 13,020 spectators. Melbourne Victory were narrowly defeated 1-0 by the visitors and in the 10/11 season they recorded their lowest home crowd attendance of just 15,057. Membership totals also dropped to 18,285 members.

2011: Melbourne Victory faced LA Galaxy in a mid-season, mid-week game. The concept of Harry Kewell vs. David Beckham was an obvious drawcard as 34,608 spectators filled Etihad Stadium to see the home team narrowly beaten 4-3 on penalties. The average home attendance for the 11/12 season was 19,210, which almost matched the number of members that year of 18,767.

2012: Melbourne Victory faced Greek powerhouses Olympiakos in front of 16,879 spectators, in which Melbourne Victory were defeated 4-1. The average home attendance for the 12/13 season again increased to 21,953.  Membership numbers again decreased to 18,432.

When looking at the data, it’s easy to see how the sceptics could be critical of the high-profile, high risk matches. Average home attendances and members decreased in three out of the six years after Melbourne Victory hosted an exhibition match.

Other factors also need to be taken into consideration, such as team performance, overall standing within the league and player signings or coaching changes, when looking at this data. In the years that saw an increase in attendance and membership numbers, the club won the Pre-Season Cup, the Premiership and the Championship in the same season, Harry Kewell signed for the club and the most successful coach in the league, Ange Postecoglu, took charge of the team.

When it came to the exhibition matches though, there was never a sell-out game and the home team lost on every occasion.

So why play these types of matches?

The answer that keeps resonating with me is that European league fans believe that the A-League isn’t of the same calibre as many overseas leagues and therefore is not worthy of their hard-earned money and time. These are the fans the clubs and the FFA are pitching to with these exhibition matches. If they can prove that A-league sides can match it with the best in Europe and around the globe then they can prove that the A-league is a competition worth not only watching, but spending money on.

It is worth noting that it is not Melbourne Victory or the FFA who are responsible for organising and putting these games on. Independent promotion agencies are responsible for the management and promotion of exhibition games. The club uses companies like these as it limits the financial risk to the club if the matches are not as successful as anticipated.

Media Partners (MP) and Silva, an international media agency, were responsible for the Boca Juniors and Juventus matches. Entourage Football Services promoted the Olympiakos match and Tribal Sports Management, an integrated global sports management and entertainment company, were responsible for the promotion of the LA Galaxy game and also the upcoming Liverpool game.

Melbourne Victory has been a promoter in the past, when it was one of the four direct promoters for the exhibition match against Fulham. In this instance the club lost a substantial amount of money, $321,869 in total. By not being a direct promoter, the club is able to be involved in the match, reaping any reward these games bring, without having the financial risk.

For being involved in the match, the club receives an appearance fee. When they hosted Olympiakos, they received an $110,000 appearance fee. For the upcoming Liverpool match it is estimated that Melbourne Victory will be receiving close to $500,000, which includes their appearance fee, shirt sponsorships and corporate hospitality packages.

The financial gain for the club, which is already known widely as one of the most financially stable, has to be one of – if not the main, reasons for the clubs participation in the exhibition match. After all, it is hard to pass up receiving close to half a million dollars, simply for playing a game of football against one of the biggest teams in Europe.

I believe the players of Melbourne Victory also benefit from these matches. Having the opportunity to come up against big-name opponents, and sometimes play alongside them, without having to leave the country is a big positive. In a recent interview, Billy Celeski talked about his excitement for the upcoming exhibition match

“I’m a boyhood Liverpool fan so I’m over the moon about it. I think it’s going to be a good opportunity for all of our boys. Obviously there’s a lot of our boys away so it’s a great experience for our young boys”

Not every player gets the opportunity to travel overseas and play in these leagues, so the chance to play these teams on Australian soil could be a once in a lifetime experience.

These exhibition matches have their positives and their negatives. When not marketed well, or to the right audience, they can be a disaster, with low crowds and little exposure. However when done well, they can only help to increase the exposure of the league and the club involved. A prime example has been footage of digital advertising boards at Liverpool home games advertising the upcoming match. As a consequence, Melbourne Victory’s name has now reached the United Kingdom.

It is yet to be determined whether or not the Liverpool exhibition match will be a success, only time will tell. However with record breaking ticket sales – not only in raw numbers but how fast tickets were sold, the global exposure, and the impending arrival of a big name opponent, with players like Gerrard, Suarez and Reina, it’s hard to see this having a negative impact on Melbourne Victory.

The benefits of exhibition matches will continue to be heavily debated, however I myself am looking forward to being in a sold out MCG with close to 100,000 football fans enjoying the theatre that is the game of football.

 

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