15 August 2008

A-League For Canberra gets excited

| johnboy
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[First filed: August 12, 2008 @ 10:02]

The push for an A-League soccer team in Canberra is certainly getting slick with a flashy website. And they’re claiming to have convinced 415 Canberrans to give them $200 each for the privilege of being a foundation member of the hoped for club.

So are you feeling the excitement?

A-League for Canberra?

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UPDATED: Andrew Barr has topped his $200 foundation membership by announcing that he’s shelling out $2.5 million of our money to support the team too.

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Holden Caulfield5:23 pm 22 Aug 08

Aurelius, well, given that I’ve received one email from A-league4Canberra soliciting a foundation membership, can you please detail what you’ve been receiving. I’m obviously missing out. 😉

Holden, I worked for an ISP. I know what spam and email flooding is. And they’ve been doing it. It’s disappointing they’re sullying themselves this way. As I said, I *was* positively inclined to their efforts before.

I am thinking of becoming a foundational member even though I don’t know a thing about football. I just like the whole ‘Go Canberra’ excitement of it all!

I am not sure what Mr Granny (he will hate that *hehe*) will think about the $200. Well, I am pretty sure what he will think, but he might agree anyway!

Holden Caulfield4:37 pm 22 Aug 08

Aurelius said :

I was someone who felt positively toward this bid, until my inbox was flooded in the last week with requests from their marketers to pay $200 to support them.

Flooded? What, with one email? At least, that’s all I’ve received. You must have signed up to something giving your email address, so surely you expected to be updated with progress and news from time to time?

Have you ever been a member of a football club before? If not, then perhaps it’s not for you if receiving an email causes you such grief. I got a phone call from my AFL club yesterday trying to flog me a $200 raffle ticket, haha. I took the simple and easy option by declining their invitation. It wasn’t that hard you know.

Swaggie said :

Crikey – Best name put forward so far for the new proposed Canberra team is ‘Punishment’ as in ‘Capital Punishment’. The Headline writers will have a field day….

My ex played in a punk band of that name in the 80’s. It was a very cool name. The lead singer was a bit scary, but!

I was someone who felt positively toward this bid, until my inbox was flooded in the last week with requests from their marketers to pay $200 to support them.

Holden Caulfield3:29 pm 22 Aug 08

Another website in support of Canberra’s A-league push…

http://www.winthebid.com.au/

An A-League team within the National Capital would rejuvenate an otherwise declining support for the sport. Many of the region’s children are now opting to play the more publicised activities of Rugby League and Rugby Union. A greater presence of Soccer/football, and Australian Rules needs to be implemented in the ACT.

I’ve signed up. Can’t wait to have a team here! Whenever I go to Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne I try to get to a game. The 7 or so matches I’ve seen have been great. Highlights include a 9 goal thriller between Sydney FC (5) and Central Coast Mariners (4). Two players sent off, 2 direct penalty goals, a huge comeback from Sydney to win it with the last kick of the match and a stadium packed to the rafters – a record crowd for Gosford Stadium from memory. The other was Adelaide United vs Central Coast on a warm summer’s night in Gosford where the stadium overlooks Brisbane Waters. Romario (former Brazilian World Cup winner) was playing for Adelaide at the times and so there were Brazilian dancing girls and drummers etc. Made for a real carnival atmosphere. Had a fantastic time!

Braggs: If you think there is no body contact in football you should come and watch State League Division 4!! This season alone I’ve seen two dislocated knees, one broken leg, a head clash requiring stitches and I ended up with my arm in a cast for 2 weeks with a suspected fractured wrist (I’m a goalkeeper). In my 18 years as a player I’ve been pretty lucky with limited injuries but I have dislocated a shoulder, had two fingers hyperextended (bent back 90 degrees – I’m serious!) and have had my knee cap sliced open from a vicious slide tackle that required 13 stitches (makes for a nice scar though!).

All that said, football isn’t as tough on the body as rugby or AFL – I guess that’s why parents are signing their sons and daughters up to play in droves. Football has a higher participation rate in the ACT than all the other codes COMBINED!

Holden Caulfield10:54 pm 15 Aug 08

Crikey said :

I love the negative comments…the rugby and Aussie rules people are obviously feeling threatened.

The AFL threatened? For what? The games played in Canberra now are a bit mickey mouse as it is, not to mention being at a different time of year to the A-league.

I’m a mad keen AFL fan, and I’ll certainly be getting behind the “Punishment” if they get off the ground.

The negative comments are not necessarily because supporters of other codes feel threatened, they’re just generally from a bunch of small minded wankers, of which, I’m sure there are plenty to be found in any A-league crowd as well.

mutley...again7:17 pm 15 Aug 08

Whilst I support the bid…

by the time canberra gets a team in, bruce may not be big enough

bwahahahahahahaha

Worthwhile signing up for foundation membership just for the free entry to W-League. Bring it all on.

$2.5 mill would be a great start for a motor sport complex.

Doesn’t the poll speak for itself?
Stupid game that soccer

amarooresident5:25 pm 15 Aug 08

I should add that i support the bid and it’s good to see the gubmint making a commitment.

If it works it can only add to the sporting and social life of the capital.

I love the negative comments…the rugby and Aussie rules people are obviously feeling threatened.

what expectations are you working on, kramer?

average a-league crowds have been increasing through the three seasons to date and it would seem likely to expect the same this outing. by the time canberra gets a team in, bruce may not be big enough…

if you’ve nothing but yawns to add to the discussion, whyn’t you just toddle off to bed?

amarooresident2:16 pm 15 Aug 08

barking toad said :

If soccer is such a hit with guaranteed support from the Canberra Public, why does our council have to throw our money at it? Shouldn’t the $200 subs from the “massive” supporter numbers ensure it’s financial security?

Shouldn’t council funds be directed at doing things, like, filling pot-holes instead of subsidising girlie games? Or erecting pretend windmills?

The Raiders and the Brumbies both get “council funds” running into the millions every year as did the Cannons and Cosmos.

barking toad2:00 pm 15 Aug 08

If soccer is such a hit with guaranteed support from the Canberra Public, why does our council have to throw our money at it? Shouldn’t the $200 subs from the “massive” supporter numbers ensure it’s financial security?

Shouldn’t council funds be directed at doing things, like, filling pot-holes instead of subsidising girlie games? Or erecting pretend windmills?

Canberra Stadium? With the expected turnout for these games wouldn’t Kippax Oval be more appropriate??

Zzzzzzzzz….

I like the facilities at Bruce. Clean toilets, good seating, quick bar lines. Traffic hasn’t been too bad. I have only attended two games there though (Raiders vs Sea Eagles in both 2007 and 2008). Its a proper stadium though. Manuka is more of an exhibition type field. If Bruce was still an oval, you could bet that Manuka wouldn’t be used for AFL or cricket either.

Braggs said :

Wouldn’t bother. Let’s face it the game (soccer) is “Un-Australian”. After all, there’s no body contact, unless you count all the actors who take dives and roll around as if they’ve been emasculated.

gee with comments like that you wonder why the game of football, yes not soccer even bothers with a new national competition. gotta say though if canberra (bruce) stadium wasn’t such a pain in the A**E to get in and out of i’d go to every Raiders, Brumbies and “Capital Punishment” games. no transport organisation whatsoever. manuka oval would be sweet.

Wouldn’t bother. Let’s face it the game (soccer) is “Un-Australian”. After all, there’s no body contact, unless you count all the actors who take dives and roll around as if they’ve been emasculated.

Crikey – Best name put forward so far for the new proposed Canberra team is ‘Punishment’ as in ‘Capital Punishment’. The Headline writers will have a field day….

Hmmm, what should we call the new team?

Cosmos….perhaps this time Galaxy…like LA Galaxy.

Canberra Galaxy!!!

Short-lived Canberra-based baseball franchise.

Yep, kewl webpage. Some interesting Members.

Lots of the very wealthy Greek, Italian and Croatian business families.

Andrew Barr just signed up. Where are the other MLA’s?

No Senator Humphries, Bob What’s he name or Annette Ellis.

I’m one of the 400 – let’s make it happen.

The website does look impressive.

I’ve already signed up as a Foundation Member and I am also an a-league4canberra ambassador.

The bid is gaining hype around town.

Already three large investors have come onboard while discussions with potential sponsors have commenced.

The bid has attracted bipartisan support from the Government and Opposition.

Two Socceroos (and Canberrans) Carl Valeri and Ned Zelic have signed up as Foundation members.

A number of pollies (or potential pollies) have also signed up including Gary Kent (Liberal candidate for Molonglo), Mr football, Steve Doszpot (Liberal candidate for Brindabella) and Brendan Smith MLA. Senator Kate Lundy also signed up early.

Zoo, ActewAGL, TransACT, Silver Sun pictures, Service One Banking and Channelvision are on board supporting the bid.

Soon television, radio and newspaper advertising will commence.

If you look at the Membership list at http://www.a-league4canberra.com.au you’ll see many prominent businessmen supporting the bid.

The signs from the FFA are positive – they want a team in the nation’s capital.

Get on board now!

…look out A League Canberra’s back, Canberra Cosmos, attack…

It would be great for the national capital to have a team in the A League. Given the talented players that have emerged from Canberra over the years (Zelic, Simunic, Valeri etc) there is always going to be a strong talent pool to draw from. And with the success of the A League in the last two seasons and the decent form of the Socceroos, soccer will continue to grow on the public consciousness. The Canberra consortium seem to have it together – I now hope that Canberra gets behind them and we score an A League team.

So the A-League season is run at a different time of year than the NRL season? Ok, in that case I’m not against it.

They got my $200, it’s a no brainer if you have even half an interest in Soccer. There are no more small minded ethnic minorities controlling the game in Australia and I’m all for it. That gives me the Raiders in Winter and the new A League team through the Summer. Perfick!

Football is the most popular sport played here in Canberra and there is some great young talent. Would be nice to have a team that they can aim for as not everyone can make it to the great heights of European football. Just a shame they only have 415 members…must make sure i get out there and purchase a foundation memebership for myself!

The A-League is much better run than the old NSL. So i think a new team here in Canberra would draw some good crowds, they just need to advertise well so people know what is going on.

The should also look at getting a couple of key signings and a mixture of experience and young talent from here especially, in the Capital. No point playing a bunch of players who only have 1 year left to play…it would be like watching the old NSL and we all know how that went…

Goyu Raiders!

hey, i am excited. we have lost so many sporting teams over the years, for one to enter the A League, in a new direction is worthwhile.

who can forget the:

Canberra Cannons, the bushrangers etc.

Yawn… zzzzzzzz

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