The boys are just one game shy of matching the all-time unbeaten record of any Australian sports team across all codes, an incredible statistic and one that might not be repeated anytime soon.
Fan article by Graham Corden
Brisbane – with 34 games in a row unbeaten – continue to be one of the talking points of the Hyundai A-League.
The boys are just one game shy of matching the all-time unbeaten record of any Australian sports team across all codes, an incredible statistic and one that might not be repeated anytime soon.
A win or draw against the Newcastle Jets this weekend will mean the following game against Perth Glory at Suncorp Stadium is their chance for the record, with almost certainly a big home crowd to cheer them on.
While some would say that a one team domination of sport is not healthy, this one has been a little different. In most cases there have been very few one sided contests, with the recent 7-1 mauling of Adelaide United being a notable exception.
During this period the Hyundai A-League has for the most part being quite competitive, with many teams still a chance for finals experience right down to the last few rounds of last season. Even the Roar didn-t have first place wrapped up until close to the end of the regular season.
But this is what the football public want, a competitive league and close matches. While other sports struggle to draw interest in matches which are predictably over by quarter time, the Hyundai A-League has been successful in avoiding these one sided affairs.
This in part may be a contributing factor why crowds this season continue to grow, that and also Brisbane Roar-s continued success, Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton coming home and a revived Sydney FC. Then there-s Melbourne Victory with a lineup that would be the envy of most clubs in Australia as well as across many parts of Asia.
The game is not just expanding in our region; there is also an awakening giant on our doorstep, that being Asian Football, whose popularity continues to go from strength to strength.
The game is already big in certain countries there such as Japan and South Korea, but there are many other countries in the Asian region where football is growing at a rapid rate. But how does this help the Hyundai A-League? In one word, sponsors!!
The Asian region has a massive population; combined with growing Asian economies there are huge benefits for the Hyundai A-League. Where there are people and where there are expanding economies there is usually money, this then brings investment by big companies around the world looking to grow their brand and product, they need a way to advertise, and through sport is generally one way to do this.
Australia, in football terms, is positioned perfectly to tap into this growth. With two clubs from the Hyundai A-League playing in the Asian Champions League each year, the Qantas Socceroos playing in the Asian Cup and also part of the Asian zone for World Cup qualifiers, Australian football is well recognised in Asia as being of an excellent quality and a national league that albeit in it-s early years has great potential as seen recently through a big investment in Brisbane Roar by Indonesian mining company The Bakrie Group
Sponsors will no doubt be turning to the region to tap into this growth and in turn will mean more dollars flowing through to the game here in this country allowing football in Australia to expand even further.
Right now though the short term focus is on the Brisbane Roar, will they break the record or won-t they?
Whether they do or not remains to be seen, we will find out soon enough, but for the other clubs which one can knock them off first?
The longer term looks just as fascinating, the growth of the game in this country and the Asian region as a whole is quite exciting.
How big can the game get here exactly?
Well, the sky-s the limit.
Be part of the conversation by emailing us at haveyoursay@goalmouth.com.au with your opinion piece – the best articles will be published to the site each week. WE ARE FOOTBALL!
