We've had guest players,marquee players,funny names like Roar and Victory,cheer leaders and other unfootball like gimmicks in order to entice the otherwise non footballing public to A-league games.

It is understood that John O'Neill wanted a bonus point system for high scoring games like Sooper 12 aswell!!

But does football in Australia need these gimmicks?

The already converted football fans probably don't like such phenomenon's as some of aforementioned but in order to get the 'bums on seats' the FFA are exploring other ideas in order to make football a little more attractive to the sometimes sceptical Australian sporting public such as bonus points and overseas' guest players.....

What are your thoughts on these so-called ideas from FFA??

How else can the A-league get the 'bums on seats' up to a respectable level at some of the more lamer franchisis???

We really dont need guest players. They add little to the league are gone after a few games.

As to O'Neill's ideas, the less said the better. For all the good he has done his still has a *lot* to learn. Only last week he wanted Asian clubs in our preseason cup. Football fans know that none of the Aisan leagues play at that time

How to improve the crowds? how about some advertising? And not just the football ad on TV, but some actual information about when the games are on.

Well i think Roar and Victory go in the spirit of Glory.

Melbourne Victory makes sense, Team based in melbourne, represeting all of VICTOR(ia)Y.

I must admit when I walk up Oxford Street past all the fag bars and up to the SFS on a match day/night its really is starting to feel like a proper football crowd like you would get in England or mainland Europe.

I quite like the sight of the Sydney fans and I believe they are mostly proper football fans and not just Johnny hangers on...

These are the guys that really don't need all the gimmicks they just wanna have a beer and see a good game of football.

However with our strange Aussie mentality towards sport if you really want to attract new fans to the game then you need all the cheerleaders, firecrackers,bonus points,internationally recognised star players and so on....

Otherwise the A-league runs the risk of not becoming a mainstream footy complike the NRL,AFL etc....

Paging yobbo...

One angry reply needed.

Who wants popcorn?

AFL doesnt have cheerleasers, firecrackers, bonus points, or internationally recognised star players and it is the most successful sport in the country commercially speaking. I dont think we need that kind of stuff, in fact to a degree i think it turns fans off.

Just give me a good soccer team and Pondeljak back.

And trade all our hacks.

And my life will be all the better and I will love watching soccer more

yes yes

Of course we need gimmicks. Who even watches sport anymore? That is soooooooo 20th Century!!

Sport is an excuse to put on loud 80's music in public mixed with dancing girls, cash giveaways and fireworks.

I can imagine a world in the future where sport will be a condition of your "Entertainment Permit". Anyone who wants to put on fireowrks displays, dancing girls, etc will need to find a sporting event around which to base it. Maybe we are already in that world...

Your theory doesn't hold true.

Abba tribute bands are the definition of entertainment. They were used extensively in Adelaide to get the crowds into Adelaide United games last season. They're not an 80s band. They're a 90s band in Adelaide.

hehe, that explains it all.

Back to the topic at hand, yes we deffinately need gimmicks to keep the entertainment factor right up there. Due to the fact it's not our traditional sport, we need to increase the supporter base, and offering an all-round entertaining experience rather than a game of Soccer is the way to go about it. I don't think Cheerleaders have a place though (I think only Perth & Adelaide have them ), however music before & after & after goals etc is needed. Melbourne Victory have had fireworks on the field before the game which creates a bit of a specticle for the 15k crowds (afterall, our team isn't giving us much!), a bit of fun and games at half time etc. It's all good, and without it, the game won't grow. As long as it's not too tacky.

I know two ex Glory Cheerleaders.

Yes we have had cheerleaders since inception...

Its always good when fireworks appear in the 70th minute mark...gives you something else to worry about...hasn't happened this year yet...

ROFL at the fact this forum has gotten so low as to talk about entertainment at a match...

I like parachutes with men coming down, hmm and I like balloons, big baloon characters (especially when people jump on them and try to rape them EG last years ING Cup game )

I also like anthems...

The NRL has cheerleaders and the occasional firecracker. The cheerleaders are backup in case the game is bad.

No bonus points. Internationally recognised star players live in the NRL.

No, No we don't. Noone ever goes to the football because they have fireworks. Or cheerleaders. Or a stupid nickname. In this area Sydney FC have got it 100% right and I hope it stays like this.

Mmmm ... how well??