| HARBOURSPORT |
We’ve all heard the story of Rip Van Winkle. Falling asleep for 20 years, he arose to discover
America was a vastly different place to what it was before his slumber. But how would a
footballing Rip Van Winkle handle seeing how the game has changed over the last 20 years?
20 years ago, one would don their duffle coat, head out to suburban grounds like Windy Hill or
Western Oval and stand in the outer. The radio would declare that “3KZ is football”, and live
telecasts against the gate were unheard of.
And yet 20 years ago, the game was undergoing tumultuous change. The Swans had made
their way to Sydney, and had experienced modest success in the late 1980s before crashing in a
sea of debt and mediocrity. West Coast Eagles and Brisbane Bears had been admitted, but were
struggling. Mergers were on the agenda, and 20 years ago Footscray and Fitzroy had
experienced a failed merger.
The footballing Rip Van Winkle would find that both the names Fitzroy and Footscray are gone.
Fitzroy merged with the Brisbane Bears, while Footscray became the Western Bulldogs.
Brisbane, far from the basket case of 20 years ago, are now pulling big crowds at the Gabba and
have three premierships to their name. The Bears at the time of falling asleep were based on the
Gold Coast, and now a new Gold Coast team is starting.
West Coast have now lost their monopoly in WA, with Fremantle entering the league. Both
attract massive crowds at Subiaco, which by now has become a 45,000-capacity all-seater
stadium. West Coast, struggling on the park at the time of falling asleep, have now won three
premierships.
South Australia had been holding out against joining the league, but now are represented by
both the Crows and Port; which have won three premierships between them.
The Swans were broke and struggling to attract support. Now they have a membership of
30,000, have pulled crowds over 60,000 on occasions and have won a premiership. And now a
second Sydney club is about to become a reality.
And what of Melbourne? The suburban grounds have gone, even Waverley is no more. The
MCG has been completely rebuilt, and all games are shared between there and Docklands, a
ground with a retractable roof. And yet all crowds except Fitzroy are still there, all with crowds
and memberships more than double what they were just 20 years ago.
On the field, although the rules have changed marginally, the tactics have changed considerably.
Positional plays like flooding were unheard of but are now well known. Players are so much
quicker, required not only to have football skill but considerable athletic ability. It’s now become
fully professional; and even the coaches box, which 20 years ago would have only held the
senior coach and maybe an assistant, now are packed with expert analysts to dissect the most
minute details.
The media has changed things considerably. Where only a minority of games were televised 20
years ago, every game every week is now on TV. Subscription TV has enabled more games to
be shown, many live into the host city, and live football to come to non-heartland cities like
Sydney. Newspapers have lift-out features, and radio broadcasts take the game around the
country.
But the internet, inaccessible to most people 20 years ago, brings football alive in a way that it
couldn’t be before. Spectators now can not only call up highlights, analysis and reports on
demand; but can create their own content and discuss the issues in a way that was never
achievable before. Now the supporters don’t just receive the content, but can play a part in
creating it.
It’s interesting to look back at football as it was, but not to look back with rose coloured glasses.
The game and most clubs were trading insolvent, grounds and spectator facilities were
inadequate, and crowds were a fraction of what they now are.
A lot has changed in the last 20 years. But there’s no way I’d go back.
And for the next 20 years? We’ll just have to wait and see.
America was a vastly different place to what it was before his slumber. But how would a
footballing Rip Van Winkle handle seeing how the game has changed over the last 20 years?
20 years ago, one would don their duffle coat, head out to suburban grounds like Windy Hill or
Western Oval and stand in the outer. The radio would declare that “3KZ is football”, and live
telecasts against the gate were unheard of.
And yet 20 years ago, the game was undergoing tumultuous change. The Swans had made
their way to Sydney, and had experienced modest success in the late 1980s before crashing in a
sea of debt and mediocrity. West Coast Eagles and Brisbane Bears had been admitted, but were
struggling. Mergers were on the agenda, and 20 years ago Footscray and Fitzroy had
experienced a failed merger.
The footballing Rip Van Winkle would find that both the names Fitzroy and Footscray are gone.
Fitzroy merged with the Brisbane Bears, while Footscray became the Western Bulldogs.
Brisbane, far from the basket case of 20 years ago, are now pulling big crowds at the Gabba and
have three premierships to their name. The Bears at the time of falling asleep were based on the
Gold Coast, and now a new Gold Coast team is starting.
West Coast have now lost their monopoly in WA, with Fremantle entering the league. Both
attract massive crowds at Subiaco, which by now has become a 45,000-capacity all-seater
stadium. West Coast, struggling on the park at the time of falling asleep, have now won three
premierships.
South Australia had been holding out against joining the league, but now are represented by
both the Crows and Port; which have won three premierships between them.
The Swans were broke and struggling to attract support. Now they have a membership of
30,000, have pulled crowds over 60,000 on occasions and have won a premiership. And now a
second Sydney club is about to become a reality.
And what of Melbourne? The suburban grounds have gone, even Waverley is no more. The
MCG has been completely rebuilt, and all games are shared between there and Docklands, a
ground with a retractable roof. And yet all crowds except Fitzroy are still there, all with crowds
and memberships more than double what they were just 20 years ago.
On the field, although the rules have changed marginally, the tactics have changed considerably.
Positional plays like flooding were unheard of but are now well known. Players are so much
quicker, required not only to have football skill but considerable athletic ability. It’s now become
fully professional; and even the coaches box, which 20 years ago would have only held the
senior coach and maybe an assistant, now are packed with expert analysts to dissect the most
minute details.
The media has changed things considerably. Where only a minority of games were televised 20
years ago, every game every week is now on TV. Subscription TV has enabled more games to
be shown, many live into the host city, and live football to come to non-heartland cities like
Sydney. Newspapers have lift-out features, and radio broadcasts take the game around the
country.
But the internet, inaccessible to most people 20 years ago, brings football alive in a way that it
couldn’t be before. Spectators now can not only call up highlights, analysis and reports on
demand; but can create their own content and discuss the issues in a way that was never
achievable before. Now the supporters don’t just receive the content, but can play a part in
creating it.
It’s interesting to look back at football as it was, but not to look back with rose coloured glasses.
The game and most clubs were trading insolvent, grounds and spectator facilities were
inadequate, and crowds were a fraction of what they now are.
A lot has changed in the last 20 years. But there’s no way I’d go back.
And for the next 20 years? We’ll just have to wait and see.
| RIP VAN FOOTBALL |
This article was originally published on The Roar.
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