IT'S BEEN two weeks of unprecedented drama for Gold Coast Utd and the A-League.
We've had crowd caps, protests, calls for Queensland's richest man to stop investing in football, calls for the team to be relocated to Canberra and even celebrity bloggers getting their mugs on TV!
Amongst all the madness, I thought it was worth stepping back, breathing, and considering exactly what has happened to create such controversy and how all parties can best move forward.
The Source of the Problem
Early on, things were going along very nicely for GC Utd. The hype surrounding the squad and the pre-season unbeaten run flowed smoothly into the early rounds of the A-League. A three-game winning streak had the side sitting top of the ladder, and although the 7,526 people who attended the home debut against Fury were below expectations, it was certainly respectable for one of the smaller A-League markets.
Even a round 4 loss to Newcastle that ended the (pipe) dreams of an "unbeaten season" didn't do too much to diminish enthusiasm. Another decent crowd of 6,800 rocked up to see a gutsy United knock off Sydney in a top-of-the-table clash. Smeltz had 8 goals in 5 games and along with the form of Robson, Culina and Porter it looked like few teams would be able to challenge Gold Coast for end-of-season honours.
Even in these rosier times, however, the evidence that things could very quickly turn sour was there. People involved in the already established Gold Coast football community felt the club wasn't doing enough to garner their vital support. Casual supporters were sceptical about the value of paying ridiculously steep prices for a product they weren't even certain they would enjoy. And critically the team, despite playing well, was proving itself to be a good A-League team at best; not the all-conquering revolutionaries that they were being sold as in pre-season.
This is where Clive Palmer and co had made their first error. By selling the team as a powerful on-field performer that could potentially go the full season undefeated, GC United had set unrealistic expectations for the casual local observer. Of course, genuinely interested football fans knew that is was little more than hot air and a swaggering attitude designed to breed confidence in a new team.
But those potential new fans to the game did not see this for the light-hearted nature with which it was intended. And as a result, when only four games had been won in the first eight weeks, they felt like they'd been cheated before they'd even had a chance to be interested. In the minds of these fans, the ‘soccer' was already been switched off in their brains as they instead decided to enjoy the beach and the theme parks until the new NRL season arrived.
The Conflict Arises
Unsurprisingly, the poor away performances in rounds 5 and 6 led to significantly smaller crowds when United returned to Robina. Whereas 7,000 fans seemed the benchmark early, now a big game against defending champions Melbourne only drew 5,603 supporters. Another loss, this time the first on home soil, further diminished the side's reputation and the next two home games failed to break the 5,000 mark (including a match against Wellington that should've been a massive marketing opportunity in the Kiwi-saturated Gold Coast region).
Clive, seeing a clear problem, knew he had to take action. A half-hearted effort to adjust ticket prices (adults got no discount as child tickets dropped to $5) hadn't worked against Perth. There were two clear options- go all out on marketing, take a loss by lowering ticket prices, and basically beg people to come to the Fury game or accept sub-par crowds as the norm and cut costs by closing stands. Despite the latter option serving to significantly decrease the quality of the match-day product and being a slap in the face to loyal fans that had remained even as the wheels were beginning to fall off, this is the road Palmer took.
The Future
In the wake of the controversy and protests, the FFA has stepped in and so far is doing a very good job of correcting the course of the dangerously astray good ship Gold Coast United. Extremely reasonable ticket prices for the Sydney match and a concerted effort to advertise the game through local media and player appearances will hopefully bring in a good crowd. Palmer has hopefully learned that a successful football club is not built on good players, media presence or league points but loyal fans.
And what can Gold Coast fans do this weekend? Be proud that you're voices have been heard and you have taken ownership of the team that represents you to the A-League. Go to the match this weekend and make an atmosphere that'll inspire the boys on the pitch to victory and the new fans to come again next time.
In many ways, the week that has just gone was the lowest point in the short history of GC United. But also, it marks a new dawn. To me, the events that have transpired represent the moment when Gold Coast United stopped being Clive Palmer's football team, and became the Gold Coast's football team. That's something of which Gold Coast fans can be very proud!
