Fans in stadiums and at home watching TV have powered a record breaking opening round for the Hyundai A-League Season 9.
Fans in stadiums and at home watching TV have powered a record breaking opening round for the Hyundai A-League Season 9.
A record aggregate crowd for a single round, a derby record crowd, a record TV average viewership, electric atmosphere and sell out stadiums continued the momentum that has carried football into the Australian sporting mainstream.
Round one of the Hyundai A-League 2013/14 season set a new aggregate record for a single round in the history of the competition as 100,998 fans attended the five games.
45,202 fans watched the Melbourne derby, the sold out sign went up at the grand final replay in Gosford four hours before kick off, more than 20,000 descended on Allianz Stadium and both Adelaide and Wellington also had a strong first up crowds.
The first free-to-air coverage of a Hyundai A-League match on Friday night also helped generate a new record for a TV audience for an A-League match as an average of 358,000 viewers watched the Sydney FC v Newcastle clash on SBS and Fox Sports.
Across the five matches we also tasted the first weekend of live ABC Radio coverage and exceptional coverage across print, TV and radio greeted the start of the Hyundai A-League 2013/14 season.
• The Hyundai A-League set a new record for the highest attendance in a single round as 100,998 fans flocked to the five matches.
• The Harvey Norman Friday night clash between Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets was the most watched Hyundai A-League match in the nine-year history of the league as 243,000 viewers watched the SBS coverage nationally and 115,000 tuned into the Fox Sports coverage.
• The 45,202 crowd at Etihad Stadium set a new record for the highest crowd at a Melbourne Derby. It was the second highest non finals match in Australian football history, behind the 50,033 that watch Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC in 2006/07.
• The grand final replay was officially sold out as 17,134 people crammed into Bluetongue Stadium to see the Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers draw 1-1.
• Marquee star Alessandro Del Piero started the 2013/14 season with a bang scoring one goal and setting up Sydney FC-s second in a 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets.
Head of the Hyundai A-League Damien de Bohun paid tribute to the players, fans and coaches for ensuring the first round lived up to the hype leading into the season.
“Record crowds, record TV figures, a sell out crowd, magnificent atmosphere and some fantastic football; the Hyundai A-League is back with a bang,” de Bohun said.
“It was a fantastic start to the season and full credit to the players, coaches and fans, who all played their part in creating the first round of theatre for 2013/14, which generated exceptional mainstream media coverage in print, TV and commercial radio.
“We had some big crowds, tight matches and tense derbies and the fans not only created a magnificent atmosphere but did so in the safe, energetic and active manner we have grown to expect. The 100,000+ fans who attended the matches should be proud.”
Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets Allianz Stadium 20,103
Central Coast v Western Sydney Wanderers Bluetongue Stadium 17,134
Melbourne Victory v Melbourne Heart Etihad Stadium 45,202
Wellington Phoenix v Brisbane Roar Westpac Stadium 8,239
Adelaide United v Perth Glory Coopers Stadium 10,320
