Filopoulos hails success as Football Victoria sets broadcast audience record

Liam Watson

The 2019 Senol Grand Final Triple Header at AAMI Park last Sunday drew record audience numbers for a National Premier Leagues Victoria live-stream event.

A statement from the Football Victoria can be found here:

The showpiece of Victorian men’s and women’s football attracted a milestone reach of 111,122 people and 78,515 views across the NPL and NPLW Victoria’s Facebook and YouTube platforms. This compares to a total reach of 96,357 and 53,079 from 2018, up 13.2 per cent and 32.4 per cent respectively.

2019 Broadcast Numbers

 

Engagement was an impressive 58 per cent for the NPL Promotion/Relegation Playoff match between Dandenong Thunder FC and FC Bulleen Lions (reach 39,753 / views 22,860), a commanding 77.3% for the NPL senior men’s Grand Final between Avondale FC and Bentleigh Greens SC (reach 62,086 / views 47,973) and a remarkable 83% for the NPLW Grand Final between Calder United SC and FC Bulleen Lions (reach 9,283 / views 7,682).

This year, the broadcast was hosted by Michael Zappone and featured NPL coaches and players Scott Miller, Moreland Zebras skipper Cam Watson, former Socceroos Sasa Ognenovski and Goran Lozanovski and former Matildas Melissa Barbieri and Kate Gill.

Match commentators featured emerging callers from Football Victoria’s media network such as Chris Gleeson, Joey Lynch, Bryce Ruthven, Katie Lambeski, Brandon Galgano, Damir Kulas, Josh Parish and Steve Curtain.

Football Victoria CEO Peter Filopoulos said all NPL, NPLW and selected NPL2 matches were broadcast weekly in 2019, promoting many clubs across the state. He said the Senol Grand Final Triple Header broadcast was a high-quality production, backed by a high-quality line-up and well supported by SBS’ promotion on its The World Game platform.

“To see so many viewers tune in throughout the day was a fantastic endorsement for football in Victoria. We have clearly struck a chord with fans across the NPL and NPLW competitions in this state and the fan base continues to grow,” Mr Filopoulos said.

“The quality of Victorian football, week in and week out, is well worth watching and it was also very satisfying to see comments from fans tuning in from as far away as Scotland. We very much thank SBS for their support in promoting it as well,” he said.

“We’re also working hard to grow crowd attendance on the day as we keep building on this marquee event on an annual basis. There’s no doubt AAMI Park is the showcase venue for football in Victoria and it’s a huge opportunity and honour to showcase the best of our state’s NPL and NPLW competitions each year.

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Chelsea and Tottenham Arrive in Sydney as Premier League Giants Launch Australian Pre-Season Tour

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Image Credit: Chelsea FC

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have touched down in Sydney ahead of their pre-season tour of Australia for the Sydney Super Cup. Both clubs have wasted little time settling into life in Sydney, beginning preparations for a busy week of training sessions, fan events and pre-season fixtures.

The London rivals will each face A-League opposition before meeting meeting in the marquee fixture of the tour at Accor Stadium, bringing two of England’s biggest clubs to Australian shores as they build towards the 2026-27 Premier League season.

For Chelsea, the tour represents the first opportunity for supporters to see new manager Xabi Alonso lead the Blues. Meanwhile, Spurs fans will be eager to see improvements from Roberto De Zerbi’s men following their narrow escape from relegation last season.

Chelsea will open their tour against Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday 28 July, while Tottenham will face Sydney FC on Wednesday 29 July, before the clubs meet in the headline fixture of the tour on Saturday 1 August.

The clash will mark the first time the London rivals have faced each other outside the UK. The tour is another sign of Australia’s growing stature as a destination for elite European clubs during the northern hemisphere off-season

With Chelsea and Tottenham among the Premier League’s biggest global brands, the fixtures are expected to attract strong crowds and give Australian football fans a rare opportunity to watch top-flight English footballers in person.

The tour will also feature the Chelsea Women’s team, which will take on the A-League Women’s All Stars in a showcase fixture on Wednesday 12 August.

Football Australia Chairman Reflects on Socceroos World Cup Campaign, Points to Reform Agenda Ahead

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Image Credit: Football Australia

Football Australia Chairman Anter Isaac has released a statement reflecting on the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, which ended in a penalty shootout loss to Egypt in the Round of 32 on 3 July.

Isaac thanked the players, coaching staff, medical and performance teams, and volunteers who supported the campaign, saying they represented the country with professionalism, humility and pride.

He said the tournament had brought Australians together across every state, culture and generation, calling it one of the few sporting moments capable of uniting the country.

Isaac linked the campaign to Football Australia’s broader governance work, pointing to the organisation’s recently announced reform agenda and the Enduring Principles adopted last year: Better Access to Football for All, More Football, Better Football, More People Enjoying Football, and Winning Football.

He said those principles, together with the organisation’s values of Welcome, Ready, Connect, Excel and Protect, formed the basis for every decision Football Australia makes.

“World Cups do not define our leadership,” Isaac said, adding that they instead reveal progress made long before a ball is kicked.

He said Football Australia’s responsibility extended beyond preparing for the next tournament to strengthening the institution that supports every tournament that follows.

Isaac said progress in a sporting ecosystem of Australian football’s scale depends less on any single body’s authority than on the willingness of clubs, federations, leagues and government to align around shared goals.

He said the organisation would study the lessons of the campaign carefully and continue refining its approach.

“Adaptability is not changing direction with every headline,” Isaac said. “It is improving the path while remaining true to the destination.”

Isaac framed his own role in terms of long-term stewardship, saying the game should be left in a stronger position for the generations that follow than it was for those who built it.

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