Epping Eastwood Tigers FC commemorate 70 years since formation

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Epping Eastwood
Image provided by Football NSW

This past weekend saw North West Sydney Football Association side Epping Eastwood ‘Tigers’ FC celebrate 70 years since their formation.

Over a hundred local football players past and present gathered in Parramatta on Saturday to commemorate what was the birth of community football in the district.

Football legends Robbie Slater and Leigh Wardell were joined by Federal Member of Bennelong Jerome Laxale and Lord Mayor of Parramatta Donna Davis, and Karen Waud from North West Sydney Football Association, to mark the occasion.

Epping Eastwood Tigers FC Club President Chris Salmon said 70 years on from the first ever games being played locally, the legacy of the Tigers remained about bringing people together, creating a sense of community and enjoying the great game of football.

“As one of the founding Clubs in Sydney’s North West it is an honor to still be growing men’s and women’s football and testament to the hundreds of volunteers who keep community sport alive,” Salmon said in a statement.

“We are the Family Club and very proud to have introduced thousands of kids to the great game of football over this time, many still playing for the Club 10, 20, 30 and even 40 years later. We want to still be doing this another 70 years from now.

“The next 20 years will be focused on growing women’s football back to where it was in the 1980’s when the Tigers were the first Club in the district to introduce women’s teams.

“Being recognised as one of the Legacy 23 Clubs in North West Sydney Football was a great privilege for the club and we are proud to be an active force in growing women’s football and meeting the needs of a changing demographic.”

The Special Guest speeches were a highlight of the night including an animated entertaining guest spot by Robbie Slater and supportive words from ex-President Ian Kendall, the Mayor and attending local member – as well as a special video message from NSW Premier and Local MP Dominic Perrottet.

The night celebrated both the important milestone and a season of football post-COVID. A number of 20 Year Service Medals were awarded during the night as well as a Life Member acknowledgment and perpetual trophies.

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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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