The survival prospects of North Queenland Fury are not looking good after the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) issued them with a tough ultimatum to raise additional funds – and these have to be in the form of hard cash rather than pledges.
The survival prospects of North Queenland Fury are not looking good after the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) issued them with a tough ultimatum to raise additional funds – and these have to be in the form of hard cash rather than pledges.
One can understand the dismay of Fury, but one can also understand the position of the FFA. Soccer as a sport in Australia comes behind cricket, rugby and the distinctive Australian rules game in terms of popularity. Building it up through a league competition is a tough ask, particularly after Fifa brushed aside a credible Australian bid to stage the 2022 World Cup.
One of the big challenges is the sheer size of Australia. It is a continent, but it is also highly urbanised with much of the population concentrated in and around Sydney and Melbourne. It is important to involve other areas in any competition, including Western Australia where the ‘eastern states’ often seem geographically and psychologically remote and also Queensland. The league also has a team from New Zealand.
All this means expensive travel for many away matches and little prospect of any significant away support. The club in Adelaide received two years of funding from the FFA and the Brisbane side is still receiving financial help. There are ‘white knights” in the form of wealthy businessmen, but the supply is limited.
Of course, other sports have expanded across the country. Australian Rules was traditionally located in its birthplace in Victoria where I saw a match at the MCG, but is now country wide in terms of the leading competition. It is a fast and exciting game and also one deeply embedded in Australian sporting culture.
Soccer is gaining popularity in Australia, helped by the ‘Socerroos’, but it is going to be a steep and often challenging climb for the FFA.