To the NZ Media

There must be a journalism out there somewhere who can use this stuff ... well here is a media write of the above speech ... note the by line ...


http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/football/lowys-populous-pitch-a-vote-for-australia-is-a-vote-for-asiasbillions/2009/06/15/1244917985657.html
Lowy's populous pitch: a vote for Australia is a vote for Asia's billions <!--articleTools Top--> Sebastian Hassett
June 16, 2009

FOOTBALL Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy says the sport's best opportunity to tap into the enormous potential of the Asian region would be to hand the 2018 or 2022 World Cup to Australia.

Australia only joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 but has already made a big impact in the region, hosting last year's FIFA Congress and now being the sole bidder for the 2015 Asian Cup. Lowy was the driving force behind Australia's move into the AFC and recently received a sizeable boost when Qatari Mohammed Bin Hammam, a close personal ally, won re-election to the FIFA Executive, the 24-man committee that decides the World Cup hosting rights.

In a revealing address to the National Press Club in Canberra yesterday, Lowy said Australia was perfectly placed to accelerate the game in the world's fastest-growing market.

"Asia's political power is rising tremendously � [and] the wealth of Asia continues to grow. It is where the customers are for goods, services and football," Lowy said. "In fact, the biggest television audience for the World Cup by far lies in Asia, not Europe or America. In making a decision for 2018 and 2022, FIFA has an historic opportunity to go for growth and turbocharge the process already under way in Asia."

Despite claims to the contrary, Lowy said Australia's location was well served to meet the needs of global television audiences and added the winter period made for ideal football conditions.

"The Australian climate delivers perfect football weather in June and July. In many northern hemisphere World Cups the temperatures have been stifling, making life difficult on pitch for the players and off pitch for the spectators," he said. "Too much is made of our so-called geographic isolation and time zone differences. We think the 1 billion viewers in China, and the billions in India, Japan, Korea, and South-East Asia, will appreciate being close to our time zone.

"The time zone is a very big issue for Europeans. They think the beginning of the world and the end of the world starts with them. It is hard for them to imagine that Australia with the time difference and distance can host a World Cup. But we have got a surprise for them."

The one stumbling block is that there are already several other bids from the AFC, with Japan, Indonesia, Qatar (2018) and South Korea (2022) having thrown their hats into the ring. However, the FFA is privately confident it is the leading regional contender, although Lowy confessed he was more than happy to see China withdraw from the bidding process.

Midfielder2009-06-18 21:49:56

I regularly scan NZ main stream  papers .. still no story along this line.... still no reporter brave enough or editor willing

.. look at the next story ...not about Football and see how important Asian is to Australia...

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/rudd-can-help-us-make-a-modern-map-of-asia-20090622-ctxm.html?page=-1

Rudd can help us make a modern map of Asia <!-- Insert Article Content --> <!-- Article Details -->

• Peter Hartcher
• June 23, 2009

As Australia tries to find its way in the world, are we navigating with an outdated map?

Michael Wesley thinks so; a map where Asia is still depicted in a suspicious jaundice shade, where we fail to grasp the "extraordinary transformation" of China, and where the US of Barack Obama is imagined with a naive faith.

Wesley plans to use his new position as head of the Lowy Institute for International Policy to draw us a new map.

"The discussion about China is taking place on outdated assumptions about China and where it is going," he says. "By describing China as an 'authoritarian' state, it's a way of using a category to avoid thinking about the way the beast actually works."

He doesn't dispute that China is indeed authoritarian, but that label "brings to mind images of a state that can control things and, at the blink of an eye, can crush popular dissent to get things done. The real picture is much more complex."

The Chinese Government "takes account of the popular will - it's very sensitive to popular dissent," Wesley says. "It's encouraging that the Chinese Government is less effective than the authoritarian label would imply."

In many areas of policy, there is no single Chinese position, Wesley says. Various parts of the Chinese system speak with varying voices now. For example, he points to the controversy over the abortive bid by the state-owned firm Chinalco for a bigger stake in Rio Tinto: "It's very interesting that there seem to be different responses coming out of the Chinese state, and we need to be careful of which ones we take seriously."

He wants to make an "appeal to move past the simplistic black box expectations."

Wesley, who is moving to Sydney to take the Lowy job after a year as a visiting fellow at Hong Kong University, thinks that Australia suffers from a "national immaturity" in dealing with Asia.

"There's a dangerous debate being peddled that because one has an interest in Asia, one has become a captive of it. This is a really dangerous undercurrent." Does he think there is a racist element to this?

"Absolutely. There is an underlying assumption here that, somehow, however much we trade with Asian counties, our interests will always be divergent. So that people with an interest in these countries are a potential fifth column."

Potential traitors, in other words. "This is an element of national immaturity that we need to move past." And Wesley says that the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has allowed himself to become a victim of this syndrome.

Remember the extraordinary episode in April where Rudd asked not to be seated next to a Chinese diplomat, Beijing's former ambassador to Australia, Fu Ying, on a BBC TV set? He asked to sit next to a white man instead - even though he had known Madam Fu for a decade.

"His reaction was quite silly," says Wesley. At the time, Wesley said that Rudd was "so spooked by the Manchurian Candidate syndrome in Australia that he has purposely been uncreative in setting out a China policy." And: "What strikes me about Rudd's policy is there isn't one. He makes it on the run."

Wesley knows Rudd well. They are, with Wayne Swan, part of the "Nambour mafia", matriculants of Nambour High School on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Wesley is a former head of the Griffith University Asia Institute; he and Rudd were part of the small club of foreign-policy wonks in Queensland. Rudd asked him to co-chair a session of the 2020 Summit.

Wesley has identified a Kevin Rudd China conundrum - we have a Prime Minister who is expert on China, yet doesn't have a clear policy on it.

Wesley's solution? Rudd should make a major speech on China to establish a framework so that the relationship is not buffeted by controversies over, for instance, Chinalco or the defence white paper. And Wesley intends to lend a hand. His first priority will be to work up policy papers on China in particular and Asia in general: "If the institute has any function it's to broaden understanding of the big powers to our north."

He thinks we need to update our thinking on the big power to our north-east, too: "I find it interesting the way that Obama has handled visits by allies - Britain, Japan, Australia, and others.

"There hasn't been the glitz, the glamour or the emphasis that Bush gave them as special interlocutors of the US. Obama has dealt with them as typical, routine consultations in a deliberate attempt to treat everyone the same way. That's significant for Australia, which has put a whole lot of store in building a special relationship with the US," Wesley says.

Set up by the Westfield mogul and soccer entrepreneur Frank Lowy six years ago, the institute has become a central part of Australia's apparatus for thinking about the world.

Its founding executive director, career diplomat Allan Gyngell, had the credibility and the contacts to establish it as a serious centre of expertise. Where Gyngell was cautious, however, Wesley is opinionated. Where Gyngell's mission was to establish the institute as an important voice, Wesley's seems to be to use that voice with missionary purpose - to persuade us to tear up our old map of the world and to give us a new one.

Peter Hartcher, the Herald's international editor, is a visiting fellow of the Lowy Institute.

Cynical ...  the Lowy institute has been around for yonks  ... it is part of NSW University and it id funded by Frank Lowy and is one of the few places were "" getting kinda sisy here "" ... but greater thinkers academies etc can go and write and research ... It does a lot of good .... a think tank  is what it is refered to... The person that wrote this is the head of a major media organisation in Australia with a salary well into the milions i.e. someone not in need of a buck or a pat on the back from Frank .... it is considered a previlidge to be asked to prepare something at the Lowy institute and all appointments are made by the NSW University Board of  Academices.

SCREAMING AT THE NZ MEDIA PLEASE AT LEAST LOOK ...... honestly this is what football can do not only in Asia ... please look at the link.... from Austrad using football to promote Australian products overseas.... something RUGBY UNION can only get a fraction of...

http://www.austrade.gov.au/BCA-South-Africa-2010/default.aspx

Does Andrew Goudie (Tv3) writes as well?

But I still this previous quote from Frank Lowey and i hope that NZF and NZ media takes up on this thinking.

Maybe the economic journo's would be interested in reporting what the chief economist with the Australian Trade Commission has to say about football

Midfielder2009-07-02 14:56:53

Massive news if it comes off... Asia may get the 2011 Asian Cup..and bid for the  FIFA Club World Cup to Sydney in 2009 or 2010.

If FFA can pull this off I can only plead with a NZ journalist to look at the size of Asia .. and the role NZ could play in it.. Moreover revenues and contacts coming out of Asia dwarf anything rugby could hope to achieve..

Also note how much the state governments are prepared to put in .. that must say something about the value of football..

  From The Age...


AUSTRALIA is poised to make a sensational swoop to host the 2011 Asian Cup, while also bidding to bring the FIFA Club World Cup to Sydney in 2009 or 2010.

The Sunday Age believes Qatar � announced as 2011 Asian Cup host only last July � is reconsidering its position and officials from the Qatari Football Association have scheduled a meeting with Asian Football Confederation bosses in Kuala Lumpur on Monday to discuss the situation.

Qatar was the sole bidder for the 2011 tournament and while no official reason has yet been given for the oil-rich emirate's possible backflip, AFC officials have placed Australia at the top of a shortlist of countries to step in.

Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley said FFA would seriously pursue the opportunity to host the 2011 Asian Cup and would welcome any invitation to do so by the AFC.

"Obviously, it would be an exciting opportunity for football fans to experience the best of Asian football, which is going from strength to strength," Buckley said.

"It would also be good for Australia. Playing a game that was invented in England, in a competition that is based in Asia, is a true intersection of our history and geography."

AFC requirements for the tournament include a host nation being able to post up to $30 million in funding guarantees from government sources.

Adding a twist is the fact that the AFC President, Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam, is also a member of Qatar's Advisory Council of State, a body equivalent to a national parliament. But the AFC's plan B is so advanced that Australian state governments have already given approval to enable FFA to step in and host the tournament.

It is believed the Queensland, Victorian, and NSW governments have agreed to guarantee at least $30 million in joint funding to back an Australian bid for the region's top soccer tournament.

Key to FFA's interest is that a 2011 Asian Cup held in Australia would be considered a showcase for a 2018 World Cup bid, the host of which will be decided in 2011.

The tournament would also accelerate political jockeying with rival sports for access to stadiums and training facilities during a major international tournament.

FIFA regulations state that confederation competitions must be held in January or July, opening the door for potential clashes with midyear Australian football and rugby league matches.

Alternatively, the tournament would be held in the height of an Australian summer, coinciding with the middle of European seasons.

FFA is also bidding to host either the 2009 or 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, previously held in Japan but subject to open bids for next year's tournament. Submissions close on May 15, with Australia's bid rivals confirmed as Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

Traditionally hosted by one city, FIFA's executive committee will announce the winning bids for 2009 and 2010 at its congress in Sydney on May 17.

Italian giant AC Milan won last year's tournament, contested by the continental champions of Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania and host nation Japan.

Sydney FC represented Oceania in the 2005 tournament, losing in a quarter-final to Costa Rican team Deportivo Sarprissa 1-0 before finishing fifth by beating Egyptian side Al Ahly 2-1 in a play-off. Midfielder2009-09-05 14:18:41

Midfielder - Solving NZFs problems with long winded essays since...2007

To NZ media ... the entire article is posted... to show the connection...but look towards the end at the Perth owner and his trip in South Amercia... and his visits in Chnia..

Times tough but club ownership is good business

<!--articleTools Top--> <!--articleDetails-->

ANALYSIS

<!--articleExtras-wrap-->

Midfielder I always enjoy reading your posts.

diego's son2009-11-06 17:54:09

On a similar note, Midfielder  note this comment at the bottom of this NZ Herald article...

www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10609206

....

"Because you played in [the World Cup] Spain in 1982, I hope you give us a turn this time."

Fat chance. There will be no charity tonight. The stakes are too big even if the two countries this week negotiated a $3 billion bilateral trade agreement which will be formally signed early next year.

For 90 minutes tonight nothing other than a game of football matters.

....

The trade negotiations have been going for some time with the Gulf states and NZ.

Football could potentially provide a common cultural context for exchange for NZ alongside commercial, economic and political exchanges in Asia.

These opportunities should be obvious and ought to be encouraged at the highest levels.

RedGed2009-11-14 09:53:20

I imagine that this thread has the highest words per page for this site ever.

Maybe a NZ media person given you made the WC will be reading this thread ...I have copied below and article from todays smh were Obie Wan (Frank Lowy) talks to Asia about the WC & Football in Asia... it is well worth reading Midfielder2009-11-24 19:52:49

This has to be worth something ... after all it's One Billion US dollars.. Midfielder2009-11-26 14:09:03

Better late than never must have missed this during the year but was sent to me today by a mate...

Speech by Tim Harcourt��the Australian Trade commissioner
?
http://www.austrade.gov.au/Launch-of-Australia-and-the-Global-Economy/default.aspx

Launch of Australia and the Global Economy
Speech by Tim Harcourt*

Subscribe to Tim's RSS newsfeed

25 September 2009

Thank you Anthony Byrne, Bruno, fellow authors, ladies and gentleman, Saints and Cats.

As The Airport Economist I must have been to about 45 countries in the past 4 years so I am always on the go. But somehow, I always seem to be in Melbourne at certain times of the year.

As they say in the acclaimed Australian film Muriel�s wedding �(There�s Deirdre Chambers..)�That�s a coincidence.�

In fact once I was here on a Friday before the Melbourne Cup and someone in the Austrade Melbourne office said� You�re just here for the races.�

�I said that was an outrageous suggestion. In fact, I was off to the cricket in Mumbai.�

But it�s great to be at this launch and let me say that as a fellow author, I know a few things about book launches from personal experience.

My first book Beyond Our Shores was launched by an unusual trio, Pru Goward, Kate Fischer and my mentor as an economics communicator, Ross Gittins. And if you do have a model launch an economics book its good to have the Sex Discrimination Commissioner there too, especially when it�s her mother.

The second one The Airport Economist was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

In fact, The Airport Economist book includes my travels to several launches.

In India, there was the launch of Adam Gilchrist�s education foundation.

In Italy, there was the launch of Megan Gale�s skin care range.

In South Africa, Miss South Africa launched her foundation at Indaba.

While in Buenos Aires, it was a matter of �Don�t buy from me, Argentina�. Although there�s always a good reason to go to Latin America.

And I find as an airport economist, in vast markets like China, you really need a good translator. And I was assisted by mine who said: �I�m Kevin, I�m from Queensland, and I am here to help.�

In fact, this takes me to the third book launch, Going the Distance, where the launcher was no other than the Prime Minister himself in Beijing. But whilst Kevin Rudd gave a fine speech, it was Natalie Bassingthwaighte who kindly sang the nation anthem thus demonstrating David Ricardo�s law of comparative advantage.

But tonight is not about those books (and their launches) but about this wonderful new scholarly volume Australian and the Global Economy.

And, for me, as my father said last night, �son you�ve moved up in the world� and tonight, I get to be a book launcher myself. I was delighted when asked by John Tinney to write the foreward and now I join the likes of Pru Goward, Kate Fischer, Ross Gittins, Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd and Anthony Byrne over here (he�s a man to watch on the political scene, let me tell you!) I feel very honoured and humbled indeed.

And what a double honour it is to launch this book in particular. It�s so timely that in a time of global financial crisis, we can see the merit in Australia�s modern tradition in economic reform � particularly in trade and investment � and this book covers this ground very well.

Australia and the Global Economy covers a number of diverse themes. And I think brings home some important messages.

Firstly, trade and economic reform has been good for Australia. For much of the last century, we were a closed economy. In fact in 1973, we were less globalised economy than we were in 1913 � but the tariff reforms started fleetingly in the 1970s, but more vigorously in the 1980s and 1990s changed all that. Starting with the float of the dollar by the Hawke-Keating Government in 1983, Australia has never looked back on economic and trade reform.

This is important to remember when fear of unemployment is causing some countries to revert to protectionism and other global-sceptic measures.

In the face of this pressure, we know that as Australians, as we�ve opened our economy, we�ve improved our living standards. In the 1960s, 70s and 80s as a more closed economy we lagged the OECD in terms of per capita income, now in the �noughties� (the 2000s) we are heading the pack. We are now a pace setter.

And the runs are on the board. In the lead up to the GFC, Australia experienced one if its longest booms in recent economic history with a labour market in very good shape on a historical basis and in terms of our major OECD counterparts.

Indeed, trade has been good for Australian workers and their families. A study by the Centre for International Economics, cited in the book, shows that since Australia reduced tariffs, trade liberalization had contributed a 2.5 to 3.5 per cent contribution to GDP or an increase in real income of $2,700 to $3,900 per annum for the average working family. And around 23 per cent of Australian workers � or more than one in five � were directly involved in trade-related activities.

This study complements an earlier paper that I undertook when I first moved from the ACTU to Austrade that found that, exporters, on average, pay 60 per cent higher wages than non-exporters, but are also found to achieve higher standards of occupational health and safety, and better working conditions.

In fact, we can thank exporters for the fine performance of the Australian economy during the GFC. We are one of the few economies in the world to achieve export volume growth, at a time when world trade has been depressed. Both exporters and workers have made significant contributions to our recent economic success.

And Australia has been able to do this by combining an open economy with the appropriate social policy provisions in the social wage � through Medicare, education and the introduction of superannuation. In short, we�ve been able to combine free trade with the fair go to get in the words of my local federal MP in his previous life, �the best of both worlds.�

Secondly the book tracks Australia�s geographic journey from the Tyranny of Distance to the Power of Proximity. The book charts the historical importance of Japan to Australian trade, and now the rise of China and India, and how we�ll be riding the elephant and the dragon for years to come.

But in its third important message, the book charters Australia�s trade performance as not just being �Rocks and Crops� but also the emerging sectors like higher education, biotechnology, medical instruments, multimedia, clean energy and renewable industries.

The book also charts the important role of trade policy institutions, foreign direct investment (FDI), financial markets and their influences and the geo-political influences on trade and new challenges on climate change.

And for the student and the practitioner alike, there are fascinating chapters analysing case studies of how businesses actually internationalise. Do they �Fosterize� or globalise?

But there�s one big omission. When Rupert Murdoch started The Australian in 1964, Sir Robert Menzies allegedly said: �Murdoch � where�s the funnies?� So I say tonight, �Bruno, where are the sports?� And with Bruno being a Milan supporter during his days at Austrade Milan (black and red like Essendon) he should know better!

So let me fill that omission right now. Is sport important to trade? Of course it is! As I said in The Age today, sport is big bucks whether it be the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, The FIFA World Cup, The Asia Cup or The Melbourne Cup. There are economic benefits to a whole range of football codes and other sports. In fact, Austrade�s Business Club Australia (BCA) programme leverages these sporting events to help forge trade and investment links for Australian exporters and investors. Since the Sydney Olympics in 2000, BCA has generated over $1.7 billion in trade and investment deals for the nation (not even including what we are expected to generate from Beijing last year).

But we are in Melbourne on Grand Final eve, so what about our local game, Aussie Rules. Can we export it?

Remember the film Gallipoli when David Williamson played a ruckman in a makeshift game between the Victorian and WA regiments in 1915 in Egypt by the pyramids? Well I saw a game in the desert of the Middle East over 80 years later, when the Crows played the Magpies in the NAB Cup. A game set up by Austrade�s own centre half forward Peter Linford, now our Senior Trade Commissioner for India (then for the UAE) for the AFL. The AFL are keen to meet the global aspirations of the games sponsors and to promote the game as a crucial part of the Australian brand. The AFL estimates there are over 50,000 players worldwide now from Cape Town to Chicago, and from Copenhagen to China, and the game is doing its bit to help kids in townships in South Africa to quit smoking and to raise money to help orphanages in China through the Half the Sky Foundation.

But let me say something about tomorrow�s big day at the MCG.

It�s Saints on dad�s side, Cats on mum�s. And my poor dad�s relatives couldn�t go to the game in 1966 because it was on Yom Kippur! So maybe it�s their year, if you�re being sentimental.

But there�s nothing sentimental about Australia and the Global Economy. It charters how the lucky country made its own luck and it tackles the major hardnosed issues of our time in trade, investment, climate change and a whole gamut of issues in international business.

So in conclusion, we�ll say congratulations to either St Kilda or Geelong tomorrow but tonight its congratulations to Bruno and the authors. What a wonderful achievement. This book will be a valuable source for students, teachers and practitioners alike. And this is important because we all know that we need an education revolution in order to have an export revolution.

I declare Australia and the Global Economy officially launched!

Thank you.

*Tim Harcourt was speaking at the Launch of Australia and the Global Economy, Melbourne.

The most important question for me from that is why did he say "Saints and Cats" at the beginning?

If he was in Melbourne when that speech was made in late September 2009 he was referring to the 2 x AFL Grand Final teams from 2009. The St Kilda Saints and the Geelong Cats.

That sounds the most logical reason to me.

Midfielder does some good work, but I'll cut the speech to show the most relevant bits regarding trade and sport, which I think is the message that midfielder is trying to get across. Doing athis alo verified the theory about the Saints and the Cats (see my post above).

wow that took a bit of my time reading all those posts, very interesting. although you have some great points about this and i do belive sports are good for trade adn with football being a global sport could help alot.

Detoxin & Diego�s Son

Detoxin

If you go back to page 1 the first post of this thread you will see a lot of references and heaps of links.. I wrote this thread in the hope that some NZ media person could use it when writing about football.

I lived in NZ for a tad over 3 years and understand how difficult it is to get football taken seriously� It annoys me that RU is seen as this huge international sport bringing wealth & riches to NZ� When football could do much more�

In doing this I have tried to consternate on Asian � NZ could play Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand etc..they will play you for no other reason that to get to play teams like Australia.. The wealth and tourism these nations would bring would make RU money look insignificant�

You asked about how it can help NZ ... Singapore�s population is about the same as NZ but they are per head the richest people in the world, Indonesia has more millionaires that Australia has people� What does South Africa have two million Boers and maybe another one million Pom�s .

Singapore, Indonesia & Malaysia take the A-League live and already known most of your team� your in the same time zone, travel is not an issue�

The Bay of Islands the Snow fields to markets like Singapore and Indonesia & Malaysia WOW besides the money also connections... it is an a no braineerr

Hopefully a NZ university student / media manager can use the links on this thread to assist in explaining football to the public� Meaning I guess this is not written with a YF audience in mind more that YF would pass this thread on to those they think are friendly to football.

Detoxin � please be aware that football rise in Australia can be traced very much to the Asian move� No Asia no WC bid, No Asia no Government backing, No Asian no regular meaningful games, No Asia no business backing, � meaning Asian Champion League spots are very very very very important which means when the evil one says without the Nix being an Australian no extra place in the ACL � he is actually threatening the Australian support base inside Australia..Look no further to Nicole Kidman FFA launch of Australia WC bid ... at 2:59 and it answers a lot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saAaM4paMWo

My hope is someone in the media works through this and uses it a the bases of a major study into football..

Diego�s Son

You are a bit of a legend in the football forum world you may have articles and links I have left off � Add them please again this is written to the media not to YF�

Again please understand hopefully a NZ media person will pick up on this and start to fight for both the Nix�s & Football in NZ�Midfielder2010-01-21 01:20:21

Agree with point made by all so far re football and Asia, but I'd say that Oz invests more in Asia and in Asian relationships both within Oz and internationally than NZ.

We are good at lots of hype and a few companies invest heavily but really we are kidding ourselves if we think that other than Japanese we have a high rate of language teaching, let alone cultural or economic investment.

FTAs - well let's see how they play out in time.

Also let's disabuse ourselves of the idea of a single "Asian" entity - and that includes for footy purposes. It is a geographic region plain and simple. Others in other threads have talked about how football ties targetted at "East" Asian countries will be beneficial and affordable to NZ (compared with "West" or middle Eastern countries).

The Asian region will continue to grow with or without NZ. I think it would be nice to be part of that - or we could remain a small food producing basket for Europe/UK and the USA.

I'll do my best mate. Thanks for the compliment too, appreciated.

Article from Roy Masters about Footballs Asian connections and the AFL... worth a read in the context of this thread...

http://www.smh.com.au/business/soccer-bumps-afl-for-asian-sponsors-20100406-rpig.html

Soccer bumps AFL for Asian sponsors

ROY MASTERS
April 7, 2010


The chairman of Football Federation Australia, Frank Lowy, had a cool reception from the AFL chairman, Mike Fitzpatrick, and its chief executive, Andrew Demetriou, last month when he tried to get them to make Etihad Stadium in Melbourne available for the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

The AFL has long considered soccer its main rival, holding a disdainful, even contemptuous view of the rugby codes, particularly rugby league. The AFL has noted the rapid rise of the A-League from eight teams a few years ago, to 12 in 2011-12.

This swift expansion has placed pressure on costs. Most teams have lost $2 million to $3 million a year, and the North Queensland Fury was saved recently through an 11th-hour funding rescue. But rather than view these as losses, FFA sees them as stepping stones to the riches of Asia.

The Asian Football Confederation's Champions League consists of the top 32 clubs from the big leagues of Asia. Teams receive $US40,000 ($43,500) for each win during the group stage through to $US1.5 million for winning the championship. Sydney FC reached the play-off stage of the ACL in 2006 ($US80,000) and Adelaide United lost in the final in 2008 ($US750,000).

Australia is represented by only two clubs, Melbourne Victory and Adelaide, because of an AFC rule that means no country can be represented in the ACL by a number of teams greater than a third of the total in its domestic competition. Last season the A-League was a 10- team competition, meaning Australia technically could have supplied three teams to the ACL.

When Melbourne Heart join the A-League next season and Sydney Rovers joins in 2011-12, the number of teams will grow to 12 and therefore render Australia eligible to supply four teams.

However, the number of A-League teams is not the sole criterion for representation in the ACL, and an AFC inspection committee will visit Australia in September as part of a review of soccer in the country. Nor should the rapid expansion of the A-League be seen to be motivated exclusively by access to Asia.

An eight-, even 10-team national league is not taken seriously in any of the top soccer countries and would not have reflected well on Australia's chances of winning either of the World Cup bids. Nevertheless, with two-thirds of the world's population living in Asia, club bosses in Australia believe they can reach millions of TV sets, a big selling point with sponsors.

The Adelaide team have ''Study Adelaide'' on their shirts, in partnership with the university. Victoria, with its history of educating Chinese and Indian students, takes about 30 r cent of the 389,641 students who enrolled in Australian universities this year. But Victoria, with a growth rate of 1.8 per cent, is nearing capacity, particularly with housing, and Adelaide, with annual growth of 1 per cent, has greater potential for expansion. FFA report Adelaide has already recorded interest from Asian students, based on the university's exposure in the ACL.

The mining magnate Clive Palmer owns the A-League team Gold Coast United, as well as its sponsor, Mineralogy. He also owns Queensland Nickel, which sponsors the Fury. Palmer is negotiating with Asian resources customers and taking the Fury's Robbie Fowler, the former England player, to meetings with soccer-loving customers to help clinch deals.

Melbourne Victory and Adelaide are approaching their final home match of the group stage, and although Melbourne's crowds have been poor, their opponent next Wednesday at Etihad Stadium is Beijing Guoan, featuring the Australian brothers Ryan and Joel Griffiths.

Adelaide hosted almost 15,000 at their last match, and a sell-out is expected at Hindmarsh Stadium on April 27 against another Chinese team, Shandong Luneng. With Asia having to accommodate 46 different leagues, there is a time warp between the two Australian teams qualifying from a summer competition and participating in the ACL.

Last month's A-League champions, Sydney FC, and the runner-up, Melbourne, have to wait until 2011, but this allows them the opportunity to find a sponsor with a strong Asian connection, something the AFL find difficult.

This story was in the Dom the other day, written by some chap at the Institute of Asian studies about how the AWs Socceroos game was indicative. I didn't read the whole thing because Midfielder has been spouting on about it for so long on here

Do you mean this?

Dolaras

Interesting articles but the kinda thing I have been talking about..

I think the big issue with all of these articles is that they are incredibly tedious even if we can appreciate the idea of a link between football and trade (however, isn't a more likely argument just that Australia has started to focus its mind East because of the new Chinese powerhouse and this would have happened whether Australia played in Asia or Oceania). 

Tegal & JD

Don't read it then... and be careful of that chip om your shoulder ....

Im sure the NZ media are absolutely inspired by your copy and pasted rubbish. Keep up the good work,you're doing wonders for football in NZ. Perhaps you will get what we all dream of as a result of your hard work copying and pasting long winded and tedious stories...Kudos from Diegos son. Tegal2010-06-12 15:39:14