Qatar - Poor Crowds at the Asian Cup
When soccer’s governing body made its boneheaded decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar back in December, it didn’t realize it would only take a few weeks for the first tangible signs of its folly to be exposed.
Crowds in Qatar have been disappointing during Asian Cup competition.
Or maybe it did, and just didn’t care. Such is the autocracy and introspection in FIFA, that muddled and twisted organization that runs the beautiful game as it sees fit, apparently without much consideration for the billions who support it.
Either way, FIFA looks more foolish than ever this weekend, over the choice of Qatar – a miniscule and sweltering state in the Middle East – which was picked ahead of a small collection of more legitimate candidates, the United States among them.
Qatar is in the midst of hosting the 2011 Asian Cup, that region’s biannual continental championship. With 11 years to go before the greatest show in sports lands on Qatar’s doorstep it is far too early to call this a trial run. But it is a verifiable indicator of what to expect all those years from now.
And the signs are not particularly good.
If we are to believe that the Middle East is soccer’s next great boom region, then it would be nice to see some, you know, people watching what is actually a pretty decent Asian event that boasts some quality players and attractive play.
Instead, the Asian Cup has been played in front of embarrassingly sparse crowds. Fourteen of the 24 matches in group play saw attendance of less than 10,000. Lowest of all was the 2,022 who saw the contest between Japan, one of the pre-tournament favorites, and Saudi Arabia, which shares a border with Qatar just 50 miles from where the game was staged. If Middle Easterners, as FIFA is swift to tell us, are captivated by international soccer, then it is only from the air-conditioned comfort of their homes and television screens.
“Of course, we need to improve,” Asian Football Confederation competitions director Tokuaki Suzuki told AFP. “If all matches were a full house, it would be better.”
No kidding. That the average attendance has just managed to creep above 10,000 is largely thanks to the bigger audiences that witnessed the Qatar team’s matches, and those of India, which has a large expat presence in the capital, Doha.
For all FIFA’s smiling assertions that their 2022 decision was about growth and development and the crossing of new frontiers, the suspicion that it boiled down to money will never go away. Qatar’s ruling family is one of the wealthiest on the planet thanks to the natural reserves of oil that it controls. Its budget for the bidding process was astronomical, with soccer luminaries such as Zinedine Zidane recruited to assist at great expense.
Assurances of air-conditioned stadiums were presented in an attempt to assuage concerns about the temperatures, and since the vote, the likelihood has emerged that the tournament will be shifted to winter time to reduce the impact of heat on the players and fans.
A further helping hand was given by FIFA’s internal decision – not revealed until after the process had been completed – that both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments should go to countries that had never previously staged the event.
For 2022, that stiffed the United States, Japan and South Korea, effectively leaving Qatar in a straight fight with Australia, which was taken care of in the first round thanks to strategic voting that left it eliminated.
So Qatar ended up with the rights and faces an ongoing battle for credibility that cannot be fixed by a mere wave of a checkbook. The ideal of building interest in a fresh region is not a bad one, but first there needs to be some natural platform of interest to work with.
On the evidence of the past two weeks, Qatar and the Middle East just don’t have it. The billions that will be invested in stadiums and infrastructure over the next decade means there is every chance Qatar can stage a decent tournament, and the issue of crowds is one which will be fixed by the swathes of travelling fans who journey to World Cups.
But the answer to whether it is a deserving host, and whether FIFA made the right choice, is still no – perhaps more so than ever.
those poor school kids were forced to go and watch the matches...atleast give them the day off, they have to go to school early and end up at stadiums just to fill in seats!!!!...Ridiculous....
the complaining/criticisms will not stop! Just give the WC to them! Lol!
Yes....you are right. I too have the stats here.
Statistically the attendance is much higher than at the two previous Asian Cups.
In the Malaysia, Indonesia etc cup there were attendance levels of 3% and 4% capacity.
Indian can be proud that Aussies only out put four past them!
Beleive or not from a statistic's point of view this has been the most successful Asian cup ever in terms of spectators and tickets sold.
What a game last night.. Though Japan was so very lucky, Uzbeks seemed to be the most poor team ever as they allowed Australia to score 6-0 (the highest score ever i think during this AFC).. Higher than when the teams who defeated India..
Well, this must be a good game on the 29.. Still hoping Original Asian Nation will won the cup..
If its just money and attendance, just pass a law saying all bachelors must attend the games, and send some dilapidated buses to the industrial area to pick 'em up. Rope them off from the "modest" families, and put them in the spots the AC is not working. To save money on less popular games, just make it all worker and turn the AC off completely, and tell 'em that anyone caught not cheering will walk home. ;-)
Next, refuse entry to anyone from a long list of countries that may send undesirable fans that expect alcohol and plan to wear very little (in other words, the West).
Problem solved.
Then we will wait for the World Cup before we voice the criticism and support
The Aussies were undefeated in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) but they were not progressing in the World Cup. They thought the only way was to participate in AFC where teams are more competitive and have more WC qualifiers.
They petitioned FIFA and AFC to accept them and finally in 2005 their petition was accepted effective January 1, 2006.
But I don't think they will get past Japan or Korea if ever they defeat the Uzbeks.
Back to the topic:
AFC and World Cup cannot be compared. As the World Cup is more widely known. The AFC is only now having more media coverage because Qatar won the hosting for 2022. If they had not then media attention will be the same as previous years.
Yep Gaynor..
I bet ya they are one the favorite to take home the bacon..
In the advertisement, "16 Nations, 5 Colors, 1 Continent, 1 Cup" Is Aussy now part of our Continent?
and what if they take home the bacon?
Yes LostInSpace.. and why are the Aussies playing in the Asian Cup?
@ S_isale,all of India's games & i'm going on holiday in a couple of days else planned to see the final as well,why do you ask?...as i already said,if you actually read the whole of my post,i DO NOT THINK poor attendance @ this Asian Cup should be used as an indicator for the World Cup,simply because the World Cup is the World Cup...i.e i DO NOT AGREE with the OP,but is the attitude of that Qatari policeman @ the stadium & the Qatari fans during the World Cup going to be the same as it was/is during this Asian Cup?...That's what i meant by asking the questions i asked...
"over hundred thousand half-clothed,happy/drunken football fans roaming the streets?!?!?!..."
Hope these are the ladies only! Lol! And I would presumed that we should have expected this scenario in the on-going AFC? As a show-off for FIFA?
I thought we are talking about attendance here! Can anyone clear this thing?
http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news;_ylt=Apt3x8C21S02ZpZAJcvKwLUmw7YF?slug=ro-qatar012211
Leave the personal commentary alone next time and address the issues in the article. Nothing about bitterness. This was forwarded as an expression of free speech.
sure - and in perspective I have been told that the attendance has been better than two previous Asian Cups.
Anyway it will be interesting to hear what is said at the press conference.
I think maybe comparing Asian Cup and World cup is comparing chalk and cheese.
As I stated before I do think some of the timings are a problem and this issue about the corporate tickets. But I'm not so sure what you can do about that 2nd issue.
so gadarene - how many matches did you attend
@ Uranus1,it's the prevalent attitude & the mindset here that needs to change completely NOT the landscape & the roads!...they will build the air-conditioned stadiums & the other required infrastructure by "waving their checkbooks" as the OP stated but money cannot buy or change people's attitude & mindset,how are they going to deal with that?...or to be more precise,how does one get your standard,conservative "family-oriented" Qatari to accept the fact that come 2022,his country will be overrun by over hundred thousand half-clothed,happy/drunken football fans roaming the streets?!?!?!...
Susan Chang???
the never-ending discussion. Everything is related to WC! Wished Qatar return the right to host? Keep dreaming!
At least they have a decade to fix the problem of poor attendance and limited enthusiasm for the beautiful game. Think how much this place has changed in the last ten years . . . so it is possible to see a very different Qatar with full stadiums by the world cup.
I have a few questions:-
1) Were there REAL low cost flight deals offered by Qatar Airways or other regional airlines to Doha making it more affordable to fly here to watch the games?...
2) Were the visas really that easy to get ESPECIALLY for Indian fans?...
3) Is there low-cost(upto Qr. 200 all inclusive) decent hotel accomodation to be had in this town?...
4) Was the atmosphere & the set-up @ the stadiums entertaining enough to draw the crowds in?...
5) Does this town have anything apart from a bunch of malls & one big museum to attracts fans here as a tourist destination rather than just a venue that is hosting the tournament?...
As much as i'm opposed to Qatar being awarded the bid for 2022,i wouldn't say that the AFC Asian Cup ought to be used as an indicator for attendance @ the World Cup...the World Cup is the World Cup,die hard fans from all over the world will come no matter which small,unknown, extremely hot(@ that time of year) country is hosting it...BUT the above questions currently remain,if they will be able to truly answer in the affirmative in the next 11 years remains to be seen...but as of now,the answer is a big NO...
Stop concluding the turn out for Asian Cups and FIFA are one and the same...they are two entirely different game situations where in one does not give a damn to go and see and the other Damn if i dont see it!
also I believe that attendance wasn't so great at the two previous Asian Cups
last one held in Malaysia etc
and before in china
So when you put it in context...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_Asian_Cup#Attendance
There is a press conference at 11am at Aspire addressing this issue. I have a couple of friends attending so I will be interested to hear what they say
I was laughing to the comment of baldicks. yes, you are right baldriks. The writer is thinking that a huge Saudi population is living near the boarder and they will be jumping daily to and fro.
more attendane would be seen during final, for closing ceremony... :)
Moreover none of the gCC countries advanced to the quarters and beyond. If Saudi and UAE had qualified, then there would have been more attendance than what you are seeing now.
ex ex, a saouth asian cup, gcc cup etc will have more attendance than an AFC cup anywhere in Asia.
I think you yourself has mentioned about the crowds that were present when the Gulf cup was hosted in Doha a few years back.
well I don't quite agree....The Korean fans made lots of noise and so did the Iranians....the stadium was just about 1/2 full and the atmosphere was still good.
Iraq v Australia was a thriller and the atmosphere was tense and loud...stadium 3/4 full
The Uzbek fans are a really small crowd but they are very vocal - drums etc - they seem like great people.
Anyway we need the players' opinion really :)
testy? i am just asking a question and stating my opinion, well if it offended you, my apologies. we're in a discussion, i state my point and you give yours simple as it is.
and you do have to feel bad for the teams. It must be disheartening to give everything you got to a 3/4 empty stadium. :(
the Asian cup?
In fact, I personally don't care that much. I won't be living here in 2022 but may come to watch if this old body holds up. My point is that I don't understand why you lot have to get so testy about anybody who doesn't agree with you. And no, I do not criticise anybody who disagrees with me until they start something. Then I can give it back.
I think (I maybe wrong) but the governing body is thinking only about the money not the actual fan attendance.
It's ticket sales, not the cheering crowds.
From what I know tickets are sold out. But on TV there are a lot of vacant seats.
Much of the tickets were bought by companies and some schools who gave them as promotion or prizes. And most of those who got them did not bother to attend.
So long as these tickets are sold that is the measure of their success not what we actually see on TV.
1. people are at work
2. demographics - the teams playing don't always have a large expat presence here
3. its a long way to travel from australia and korea etc
4. some matches were 'sold out' but stadiums not full due to corporate hand outs not being used
And I was present at a lot of the games....
You guys are hilarious patting yourselves on the back about how much you support all things Qatar :P
ex ex, it holds true for the other side as well. isnt it.
attempt to shut people up or put them on the defensive? At any rate mate, you are not the only one to do it here. There is a small vocal group who constantly criticise anyone with an opinion that is not 1000% in support of Qatar hosting 2022. I figure there is some benefit for lining up behind Qatar on the issue, so don't judge you guys. But I do wonder why you criticise anyone who holds a different opinion.
arguments constructively though there are bitterness in some aspects.
Reality bites and there are still time for Qatar to really prove to the world that they really deserved to host WC on 2022. And one aspect is to lure fans to watch the game.
Expect amazing!!!
WK, how can they? Their teams are not here and they say general football is bad so they dont want to see it. They get extreme pleasure in stiing in front of their PCs and crying about low attendance
affects you much
Between Dec. 1 and Jan. 18, only four South Korean citizens applied for visas to attend the Asian Cup via the tournament website, despite the fact that South Korea is considered one of the favorites for the title. There were 97 applications from Australia, with India accounting for the most at 1,311.
http://en.news.maktoob.com/20090000550984/AsianCupstrugglingtoattractfullstadiums/Article.htm
Well if those countries people are not interested in coming and support their own teams, why do you expect the locals to come and support teams they dont know at all about?
I am expecting all the QLers who are persistent about their concern regarding the WC being hosted by Qatar based on the poor turnout of the spectators in the thus far played games of AFC were physically present in the stadiums for ALL such games ...
Well why don't you go to watch some games then.
I am getting tired of a thread everyday moaning about the poor presence at the matches.
If you are a football fan, I am assuming you are as you are concerned with the dwindling attendances then go and watch some matches.
I know some of the matches were "Sold out" but for most of them tickets were available right till the end.
My point was why do you feel the need to label people who question this as being "bitter" or having "sour grapes" (which means the same thing)?
Govt. Should declare holiday on match days and allow free entry
is bitter a word that affects much?
when it was hosted here in 2004. I was here working on my first contract and remember the crowds.
I think ,Every one is busy working thats why...
get onboard. I didn't check my brain at a storage locker in the airport when I came. I wouldn't be able to do the job I was hired for if I forgot how to think for myself :P
baldrick... Its norm for Qataris and Saudis to travel by car to either country. Distance is never an issue. My collegues and friends go back and forth every weekends. She was pointing at a bigger picture. :)
issue of Qatar hosting the WC? Why can't it just be because you are a real football fan and are concerned for both the tourney and Qatar?
"Saudi Arabia, which shares a border with Qatar just 50 miles from where the game was staged"
Does the writer think everyone lives at that border?
The nearest town is Hofuf, then Dammam, 180-360km away!
reality we have to face it
GT or Peninsula will get this article on their newspaper then all you guys can copy paste the source here. its ok
You should post your source.
This is an insignificant tournament.
For the world cup, real supporters will come and the stadia will be full...
where was this copy/pasted? you still seem so bitter can't you move on?
in the next 3 games the stadiums will be half full and half empty