Then you are a fool anon.

I'm not by any means a soccer person, but couldn't help getting excited watching last night. Watching 85,000 people going mad in the stadium, 12,000 others going mad just outside the stadium, all those in Melbourne, aware that every single person you know is watching at home or at the pub (Sydney pubs were all packed last night), seeing the newspapers this morning, talking to everyone at work, all of them buzzing.......

You can't help but figure this is going to hit basketball. Hard. The A-League is the NBL's direct competitor. Soccer is basketballs direct 'grassroots' competitor. The Euro Leagues are the NBA's direct competitor as far as "cool international sports leagues" go.

The money that will be pumped into soccer now... In a sense, Kewell just buried Bogut.

You have to admit that Soccer do not have a great record in managing their sport. I know, basketball arn't great either, but it will be interesting to see if soccer start getting into more schools and this will have a flow on affect. i personally think that AFL will take a bigger hit.In saying that they do have the money to pump more money to help stay on top. Remember Sheedy's comments a couple of weeks ago. Will be very interesting to see how all sports handle this. By the way it is good for Australia that they made, just not for Basketball.

2 very different sports 1 hands and 1 feet. I dont think there is much to worry about.

Last nights game was awesome. go the socceroos its good for the aussies to finaly make it after 35 years.

I hope it does boost the profile of soccer in australia, it might bring about the nbl realising they need free to air to be able to compete. There is nothing better than a bit of competition to make people step up.

Australia is a multi-cultural society with many of our immigrants coming from European countries where soccer is the number one sport by a long way. Some of us are Basketball nuts but basketball is linked in one way or another to American culture and there are not a lot of American immigrants here. Soccer will be the dominant sport until the world cup and depending on its performance (all Australians love a winner) will determine how popular it will become. Basketball is on a downhill run, crowds are down and I would think participation across the country would be down as well.

There are so many negatives around, you only have to look on this forum. If you start a thread about Centrals or Southern watch and see how many negative comments you get, especially from that Anonymous person. Many of the comments over the past year have call for Centrals to be kick out or their participation be reduced, how many of those kids would now go and play soccer. Every person that are fans of basketball need to be positive about basketball weather its you club or not, leave the rivalry on the court and support basketball as a whole off the court otherwise basketball will die as a major televised sport.

Australians will barrack for any Australian National team, look how big the rugby union world cup was last year, do you think that effected grass roots rugby much. Every aussie will follow the socceroos but i don't think it will filter down the ranks. Not enough scoring to keep aussies interested.

igotmadskills, how can use say that there is not much to worry about?

The amount of money that will be injected to attracting younger players into soccer will be enormous. This can only mean more grassroots type training clinics to attract younger players to the sport.

Extra funding may also lead to salary cap grants for A-League teams whcih will enable teams to sign higher quality players. This further encourage normal Australians to watch a fast paced game of soccer from the sidelines for about $10 whereas you would be paying three times that amount for a game of basketball or Aussie Rules.

I know this may be a minor factor, but the money in soccer in unbelieviable!! The vast majority of the Socceroos squad play overseas and earn megabucks. Hell, some Australian players play for international clubs and didn't even make the squad. Compare this to the Boomers where guys are earning what seems to petty cash to the soccer players and that might just be the reason to swithcing sports.

I know that elite players earn millions and millions like Shaq, Garnett, Kobe and the many others on max contracts. However, there is no slary cap in soccer and you will find that well known soccer team such as Real Madrid, Manchester Ubnited, Chelsea, Arsenal,. Juventus, Barcelona etc, etc to have at least 5 players earning in excess of 20 million per year on each team.

>>"You have to admit that Soccer do not have a great record in managing their sport."

That is pretty much considered by everyone who follows the game to the be main weakness that has held the sport back. But since Frank Lowy has taken over things have just gone from strength to strength in a very short time. With more time, he WILL succeed in a big way.

Lowy revolutionised the local scene and launched the A-League which has started very well. He has moved Australia into the Asian region giving Australia regular international exposure in a growing and increasingly wealthy region. And finally he has done everything to give Australia the best chance of competing in the biggest event in the world. All in about two years. This man started his life with virtually nothing as an immigrant to this country and is now the richest man in Australia. His leadership and management ability are impeccable. He will have success as a sporting manager, especially a sport he is so passionate about.

We can only dream that Australian basketball could one day attract such a person and help this sport like Frank Lowy has helped soccer.

I am sure that there is plenty of people out there in the general Basketball community that could do what Frank is doing. Unfortunately BA are not looking.

Soccer will definitely gain more exposure now. More young people will be drawn into it simply becouse of the hype that will surround it. All of my friends children are playing the game and loughing at me for forking 15 dollars every Saturday to watch my U12 div2 boy having 30 min on the bball court. No support from the club or associacion  user pays through the nose. Bball will simply price itself out of existance. No influx from young people means certain death sooner rather then later.

Don't forget the fact that you only need a ball to play soccer in the street. Goal posts can be made out of bins, trees etc. Hoops are a little harder!

I think that at a grass roots level it will affect the sport.

Come winter, everyone will want to play a sport that is indoors tho.....

Re: Rugby Union World Cup (as mentioned a few posts ago)...

In Adelaide I assume Union, outside of the Wallabies, is pretty much a complete novelty? Here in Sydney it is very big. The players have a very very high profile (as high or higher than AFL), it is the main sport in many many many schools (particularly private). The World Cup was a huge thing here, if it weren't for that little Olympic thing it would have been THE monster event in Sydney for the past decade. This doesn't necessarily mean I'm arguing against what you are saying, but to bring it back to soccer... One of the largest problems soccer has had is retaining kids within the game as they become teenagers. Just about every kid plays soccer, until they are 13 or so, then they filter off into AFL or one of the Rugby codes. Soccers twin challenges have been getting the professional game to be taken seriously here, and getting those kids to stick with the game vs joining what are the big high profile pro sports here. This is the point where the crucial swing may happen. Remember, last night wasn't the World Cup, it was just the qualifier. For the next 6 months or so that hype is going to build and build and build. Watch those players get grabbed by every sponsor available, watch the sport itself push itself like never ever before. There is an unimaginable amount of money being pumped into the sport right now. Chances are Australia are going to get thumped out of the Cup very early, and who knows if the seed has been sewn by then, but if they do pull off some miracle and get to a decent level within the tournament (and in their favour is the fact that all expectations are very low - they can't fail now in the eyes of the public, only overachieve, really the public has been conditioned to believe every win is overachievement) then look out. Thousands of kids may not switch over.

I watched what was left of the match after the Sixers game last night. I am happy for the Socceroos, but my first thought was 'this sux for basketball'.

You only have to look at the crowd last night to see the potential impact of soccer on basketball. About a quarter of the usual crowd did not turn up because the world cup qualifier was on.

And people on here think that soccer will have no impact on the popularity of basketball? Tell 'em you're dreamin'.

The A-League season coincides with the NBL and gets more coverage and exposure than the NBL. Australians will watch anything, as long as we are good at it.

Even though the Aussies will not win any group matches at the world cup and generally suck big time, the world cup will expose more to soccer. At the moment, the average Aussie wouldn't have a clue how the offside rule works ('the linesmen are all just biased') or even what it is. But that will change pretty quickly over the next year.

All this at a time when bball needs to increase attendances and increase its exposure? Sponsers all want to go where their name will be seen the most, and that will be soccer.

The next year or two will may be the biggest challenge to the financial viability of the NBL yet.

vlade divac's beard,
I said that comment because the love of a sport filters down from you family and friends. 1 sucessful world cup will have a short term impact $$$ wise from the people that jump onto the bandwagon. But look at last nights sixers game there was still 4 to 5 thousand there and the game was on foxtel, the soccer was on and it was a wednesday night..$$$ to soccer yes young kids playing soccer insteaad of basketball long term no.

I play basketball because my family enchoraged me & taught me how to play, they had a general interest in it. My kids when I have them will play basketball as I will take them to the local courts and play. soccer will just be a bit of fun for the next 6 months for kids then they will be back to their other sports. Parents will enchorage basketball as my mum did coz she didnt want me playing footy. coz im too brittle anbd break easily. lol....

As mentioned earlier, soccer have to get to the schools and promote the sport. I don't think they will. As long as the hardworking basketball people at the grassroots level continue to do their jobs, we will continue to provide reasonable numbers. Some clubs are doing ok with numbers in the lower age groups because of hard work. BMG, don't assume that come Winter they will stop playing, Heard of Indoor soccer? We certainly need free to air again at a reasonable time so that we can promote the sport. More activity from the sixers and fellas would be good as well. I would like to see more country trips as these always seem to make the 6pm news. Also remember Basketball caters for Boys and Girls

Soccer and Basketball are both trying to increase their exposure in Australia. The Socceroos historic victory will no doubt have some effect upon the NBL and basketball in Australia, but I think the losses for the AFL and NRL will be of a level of magnitude bigger than the NBL.

I don't think Soccer is going to have such a great impact on Basketball. Last night's qualifying game was a 1 in more than 30 years opportunity to make the World Cup. It was always going to be exciting because of the historic nature of this event. Don't think that Soccer is always going to be this exciting. The excitement will very quickly die down because a regular game of soccer will not be this exciting and I don't think their chances of winning the World Cup is that great anyway. That will be enough to kill off any mass interest about the sport in Australia. Although Australia has many ethnic people that follow this sport, Australia is mainly Australians that support Football. For this reason Basketball will never be very well followed either because it is a very Americanised sport regardless of the number of juniors who play it. When you look at Basketball at NBL level, then it moves away from the basketball that we know that juniors play and becomes very much an American sport. I really don't think there will be much competition between these 2 sports.

I was trying to be a little more diplomatic and not bluntly say that soccer is boring. Now that you've mentioned it Anonymous, I would rather watch grass grow.

Where would the powerful basketball teams in Europe be without the backing of their soccer clubs ( eg. Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow )

There is no comparison between the two sports....each can happily co - exist, its just the narrow minded view of some of the posters on this site that really annoys me...the only ppl who should be worried about what happened on wed night is the afl and rugby league supporters...its their code thats going to suffer, not basketball.

as per every soccer novice the only objection is the low scoring that makes soccer boring. Not the skill level of international players that make the game interesting to watch , the passion of the game.

as for the record more ppl watched Aust vs U-r-Gay on weds nite then watched the AFL GF this year .

remember soccer is already the most participated junior sport in australia apart from swimming

Most Popular (Participated) Sport Amongst Children 5  14 years old.

Sport - 2005 (2003)

1. Swimming  421 000 (431 000)
2. Soccer  375 000 (355 900)
3. Netball  241 000 (241 000)
4. Tennis  228 500 (227 000)
5. Basketball  205 000 (200 800)
6. Aussie Rules  193 000 (187 500)
7. Cricket  135 000 (152 000)
8. Martial Arts  129 000 (104 000)
9. Athletics  101 000 (104 000)
10. Rugby League - 77 500 (78 000)


1. Martial Arts - Rise 25 000 of since 2003
2. Soccer - Rise 19 100
3. Aussie Rules  Rise 5500
4. Basketball  Rise 4200
5. Tennis  Rise 1500
6. Netball  Steady
7. Rugby League - Decline 2500
8. Athletics  Decline 3000
9. Swimming Decline 10 000
10. Cricket  Decline 17 00

also look at the most particapated sport for those over 14+

Sport  2005 (2000)

1. Soccer  1 169 000 (831 000)
2. Cricket  1 020 000 (957 000)
3. Basketball  820 000 (850 000)
4. Netball  677 000 (677 000)
5. Aussie Rules  607 000 (651 000)
6. Rugby League  391 000 (350 000)
7. Rugby Union  251 000 (235 000)

i think a few sport admin ppl are abit nervous

The World Cup is the biggest show on earth, nothing else comes remotely close, not even the Olympics. Sure the Olympics were huge here, and in countries like America, and China and Russia etc, but football in the South Americas, and all across Europe from Spain to Italy, and Greece etc England, Scotland and Ireland etc etc (not to mention China, Korea and Russia) - its their religion, the combined audience power of the top 32 football playing nations in the world is mind blowing - and football is already one of the most participated of australian sports. Bring on the world game.

It will definitely have an impact on Basketball. But, basketball still has a huge role to play, and players like Bogut suceeding in the NBA will eventually work miracles in Australian Basketball culture, but just not as quickly as the Soceroos will for Football in Australia, and that has mostly to do with the passion that football generates.

I found the link for the 2003 stats. Where can I find the 2005 stats?

Working together with Soccer brings up some interesting ideas. Would it be too far fetched to have the Powers that be at the Sixers and Adelaide United sit down together and work on a future relationship between the 2 organisations to benefit both.

Ideas such as making sure games for the 2 dont clash.
Maybe doing school appearances and coaching clinics together, giving teh kids more access to their heroes and cutting admin costs to teh clubs in regards to organising.
Combined introductory tickets to a game of both codes - alowing people to go and experience what each game has to offer........

It seems strange to me that 2 sports that have a lot in common - and also a lot of differences have to be pitched against each other when it may be possible to work together for the benefit of both organisation

Lots of interesting points, but I don't think it will effect bball.

I don't think a 6'6 guy is going to be running around a soccer field for however long it is. Maybe good as goalie though.

As stated before, Aussies will support any Aussie World team regardless of the sport - the key word there is sport. Aussies love it and love competitions. I think the only thing in sport which an Aust supports more than an Aust side is the underdog.

Another note, look at the amount of Aust soccer players in international comp - hasn't effected those playing bball.

I think everyone will grasp and follow the World Cup but is not going to effect bball.

ok, its time you basketball xenophobes took a good hard look. I am a recent (5 years) convert to basketball, yes i love the 36ers, get to every home game cheer my lungs (out at least when the people around me dont complain that im makin to much noise) BUT, world football is a more popular sport, the aussies going to world cup will make it more popular, more kids will play.. so obviously less will play basket ball, which long term will see a reduction in senior players. The fact that i can see a quality football match for $15, compared to $25 for basketball is relevant. with good organisation and management football can consign bball to also rans. Go to some real football matches to see and hear real support, not the fake support played through speakers..watch out AFL, NRL and NBL...world football..coming to your home town in June!

Whether we want to accept it or not i will affect our sport not just BB but Footy Cricket etc..

The Managment of Football Federation have thier heads screwed on right and its bringing what was 5, 6 placed sport in this country fair and square to the fore ground all though i see it taking some time to become no.1 in this country and it will one day, i think its fair to say even before the socceroos qualifications the work the a-league has done has brought it up to 3rd behind cricket then the footy codes (afl, union league)

its junior participation rate has skyrocketed in the last twelve months

Soccer requires way more skills than basketball to play.

HOW AWESOME WAS THE SOCCER GAME!!!!!!!! WOOOO!!!!!!!

Rundle Street was mad.

Some great arguments have been made for soccer, but no matter how many people around the world follow it, how much easier it is for people to play it or how much cheaper it may be to watch, nothing can remove the fact that it is a low/no scoring game that is boring. The roars of excitement in the crowds in any sport comes when their team scores. It just doesn't happen often enough in soccer. Even the people who follow it religiously talk about the disappointment of coming away from a game where no one scored. They go to the games hoping to see a good scoring game but time and time again they walk away disappointed. Basketball doesn't have the same number of followers, but the followers it does have understand the excitement of watching a fast paced, highly skilful and high scoring game. They know that you don't get this with soccer. The problem with getting people to come to the basketball is getting them to not only take the initial step to come to a game, but taking the time to understand the game. Understanding is the key to its enjoyment.

but as anyone would know you only need to watch the last 2 minutes of the game in basketball.i have seen some ordinary games of basketball, football, cricket. but als some very good games of the above.

Put it simply - there areonly two team sports in the world which are TRULY GLOBAL - soccer and basketball - they are both great sports and have their positives and negatives. Why does it have to be a bashing or a pissing contest?