put yet basketball out rates the soccer hands down
Only Adelaide and Melbourne draw any note worthy crowds. I saw one game the other day that was televised and there was not one person sitting in the TV arc of the stadium. no one behind the goals either. What did United last play in front of 2000 people?even this was an overestimate of about 200%.
ratings doesnt equate to news worthy
Big picture is that Packer and Murcdoch have vested interests in soccer succeeding and no skin in basketball at all.
Why did Murdoch take large stakes in the Knicks and Yankees? becuase he loves the sport? no way because he needs to control the content, without content he has no empire.
Soccer fills the Advertiser, have you ever asked why beacuse it never used to, that is until Murdoch pumped in millions of dollars via Foxtel
The Advertiser and other controlled media is effectively a giant ad for Murdoch and Packers investments.
Governement owns a large portion of telstra which in turns owns a large chunk of Foxtel, why does the Gov pump millions into soccer? the have a vested interest in Foxtel succeeding.