Adelaide United commits to supporting next generation talent

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Adelaide United junior development program
Image credit: Adelaide United

Adelaide United has confirmed the launch of a new junior development program, set to start in October 2023.

The new program will be spearheaded by former Adelaide United player, Marcelo Carrusca, who brings eight years worth of youth development experience to the role. The program in fact will be an expansion of Carrusca’s pre-existing development program that has been a staple of the South Australian football community.

The new program will offer participants elite coaching, holistic development, confidence boosting activities, and it will also promote education on healthy lifestyles. The club aims for the program to be delivered in a safe and inclusive environment, helping participants not only grow as footballers but as better community members.

“Adelaide United Junior Development Program is built with a strong emphasis on skill development, respect, teamwork, and social skills. Not only will the Program develop football skills, but it will teach valuable life skills to use off the field,” the club said via press release.

The program comes off the back of a survey the club conducted with 700 of their fans. The aim of the survey was to better understand what fans wished to get from the club and football generally. As a result of the survey the club discovered that for many of the fans the Adelaide United Football Club is one of the paramount custodians of community football in South Australia.

Following this result, the Club then set to work developing ways that they can live up to this expectation. Adelaide United Chief Executive Officer Nathan Kosmina spoke of this custodial role in the programmes launch.

“As custodians of the game in South Australia, we are delivering on an aspiration to be champions of our community,” he said via press release.

“We are thrilled to be fostering skills both on and off the field to South Australian children, many of whom might have only been introduced to football recently.

“The investment in this program is testament to our commitment to the future of this great Club and the important role it plays in the South Australian community.

“The Adelaide United Junior Development Program is a key pillar in our community engagement and talent development strategies.”

The programs leader, Marcelo Carrusca, added to the CEO’s sentiments expressing the core aims that the program hopes to achieve for the South Australian community.

“I am so happy to be back home at Adelaide United,” he stated via media release.

“The new Adelaide United Junior Development Program will teach South Australian children the fundamentals of football, in addition to skills off the field to be the best person they can be.

“Our coaches are amongst the best in Australia, and I can’t wait to have a positive impact on so many South Australian kids.”

This announcement comes at a perfect time for football development. Not only is it the eve of return the hotly anticipated Isuzu UTE A-League season, but it’s also the time when interest in the game at the junior level is at an all-time high. Announcements such as this are a great indicator that the interest sparked by the home FIFA Women’s World Cup is going to affect real change and give more chances for the next generation of Australian football talent to succeed.

The full program schedule is as follows:

St Clair Oval
Address: Brocas Ave, St Clair SA 5011
Dates & Session Times:
Monday, 23 October – Monday, 11 December (8 Sessions)
5 – 8 Year Old – 6:00pm – 7:00pm
9 – 13 Year Old – 7:15pm – 8:15pm

Saturday, 28 October – Saturday, 16 December (8 Session)
5 – 8 Year Old – 9:00am – 10:00am
9 – 13 Year Old – 10:15am – 11:15am

Ridley Reserve East
Address: Judd Road, Elizabeth SA 5112
Dates & Session Times:
Wednesday, 25 October – Wednesday, 13 December (8 Sessions)
5 – 8 Year Old – 6:00pm – 7:00pm
9 – 13 Year Old – 7:15pm – 8:15pm

*The club has also committed to offering girls-only sessions at Ridley Reserve on Wednesdays and St Clair on Saturdays.

Registration can be made via this link: https://adelaideunited.com.au/community/junior-development-program

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FIFA has partnered with Konami to host the FIFAe World Cup

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Image credit: FIFA website

FIFA has entered into a partnership with Konami to use its eFootball game for the FIFAe World Cup.

This collaboration will feature two tournaments, one for console and one for mobile, with participants from 18 nations competing for the title of FIFAe world champion.

This move is part of FIFA’s strategy to maintain relevance in gaming and esports, particularly in engaging younger fans. FIFA has also expanded its esports portfolio with deals involving Rocket League and Football Manager.

The partnership fills the void left by EA Sports following their high-profile split with FIFA in 2022. Konami’s eFootball, an evolution of the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, is currently the only comparable game to EA Sports FC on the market.

FIFA’s Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai, has championed the new deal highlighting their excitement at the prospect.

“We are incredibly excited to join forces with Konami, this collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to promote football globally and to provide a platform for players to showcase their skills.”

Konami the Japanese gaming company, this partnership provides legitimacy and increased awareness for eFootball, which has struggled to compete with EA Sports in recent years.

The collaboration is seen as a necessary step for FIFA, given the lack of alternatives and the time it would take to develop a new soccer simulation game. It allows FIFA to continue its presence in soccer-based esports while exploring other gaming opportunities.

Esports has grown massively in viewership and investment over the last decades, it has become a major part of the franchising side of football.

Even in Australia the rise in Esports popularity has coincided with the rise in football popularity, one can not argue against their connection towards football popularity.

FIFA have shown that Esports has become an ever-present strategy in their development of the game. For investors and shareholders in football, Esports impact is something that should not be disregarded.

WSL triples viewership after move to YouTube

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Image credit: Jason Ilagan / Shutterstock.com

Viewership for Women’s Super League (WSL) matches streamed live on YouTube has more than trebled during the 2024/25 season.

This success is no coincidence. Beyond the clear rise in quality and star power across teams for the 2024/25 season, it’s also the first time in league history that non-televised games are streamed for free on YouTube.

Last season, the main issue with viewership was accessibility, where matches not picked up by domestic broadcasters were only available on the FA Player app or website, requiring users to create an account on a platform that was already unpopular.

In the 2023/24 season, the highest viewership for an online-only WSL game was Arsenal’s home fixture against Bristol City, which attracted 78,050 viewers.

However, this season has already shattered records. Over 250,000 fans tuned in on YouTube to watch Leicester face Arsenal in September, setting a new high for a WSL game not televised.

In total, the first three weeks of this season have seen a staggering 1,576,848 live views for WSL matches streamed on YouTube.

Women’s Championship matches have also benefited from the platform, with the season opener between newly promoted Newcastle and London City Lionesses setting a new record for the league, drawing 46,050 live viewers.

This spike in viewership comes at a crucial time for both the WSL and the Championship, as they are holding out for a new broadcasting rights deal set to begin after 2025. Both leagues smartly delayed signing earlier this year to avoid locking into a premature agreement.

The gamble absolutely paid off and the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), now in charge of the top two leagues, will be using these numbers as leverage in discussions over the next major TV rights deal which should include the BBC and Sky Sports amongst other suitors.

Streaming must remain free for A-League Women’s growth 

The A-League Women’s impressively saw a 114% increase in viewership on 10 Play, where every game is streamed for free, and 125% on Paramount+ for the 2023/24 season.

While a switch to YouTube seems unlikely given Channel 10’s monopoly over A-League football, it’s crucial to keep every game available for free on 10 Play if they want viewership to continue rising.

As the WSL and previously the NWSL have demonstrated, offering free streamed games draws in viewers of all ages and ultimately helps turn them into paying fans. The league’s primary focus should be on building an audience as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

The impressive figures from this season suggest that the demand for women’s football is only increasing.

The WSL has made a brilliant move that is sure to enhance the upcoming record-breaking broadcast rights deal, helping the league continue to improve both on and off the field.

The next step is to take it mainstream, and the Ninja A-League should look to follow the blueprint set by the WSL, which has demonstrated how to rapidly gain widespread popularity.

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