Off the Pitch Podcast: How South Melbourne is going to fill its grandstands

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Credit: South Melbourne FC

With a loyal fan base and a strong digital presence, South Melbourne FC is well-positioned to attract crowds as it enters the new national second tier, the Australian Championship.

South Melbourne Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club that currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Victoria.

The club is set to be one of the founding clubs taking part in the newly launched national second-tier competition, the Australian Championship.

In episode eight of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch podcast, South Melbourne FC President Nick Maikousis explained that while the club can attract large crowds, doing so takes significant effort.

“I think if we’re talking about the clubs that have purely made the national second tier now, I think Preston and South is evidence that can be the case, but it still needs a lot of work, from all of us need to,” he said on the podcast.

“For example, we can get a crowd at South, but it takes a lot of effort on behalf of the club, for example, the FFA Cup games last year, we’d fill our grandstands and the product looked great, but it takes a lot of effort to achieve that.

“Will it get there? It’s just going to take a lot of work, I don’t think we should be too romantic about what the NSL looked like towards the end, because sure, South would announce crowds of 7,000 or 8,000 people coming to a Sunday afternoon or Sunday evening game in summer.

“The truth is, it was always slightly less a number than that, but in our forecasts, we plan to make sure we fill at least one of the grandstands there.”

Still, Maikousis confident the club will draw strong support ahead of the commencement of the Australian Championship, highlighting its large and active online following.

“We’re confident we’ll get the support, our social numbers are significant, our social numbers are still enormous,” he said.

“We put a video together not that long ago, Postecoglou’s highlights after he won the Europa and I think that’s had 2.8 million views globally.

“So we’re fortunate that we do have a successful South person in the game globally but we’ve maintained, I think, close to 120,000 social media followers now for a long time.”

To hear and learn more about South Melbourne FC, you can listen to the full interview with Nick Maikousis on episode eight of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast, available on all major podcasting apps and here.

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UEFA set to end FIFA boycott threat after World Cup investment plan collapse

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Image Credits: UEFA

UEFA is set to withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that a controversial private investment plan will not return. The dispute originally centred on FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to bring private investors into the commercial rights of the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments.

UEFA strongly opposed the plan. European football leaders argued that major international competitions should not become investment products. FIFA later withdrew the proposal. However, UEFA continued to demand guarantees that it would not be revived.

Those assurances now appear to have eased the immediate conflict.

FIFA’s money move

The dispute was about more than football governance. It raised a major question about who controls football’s most valuable commercial assets.

Infantino’s proposal involved creating a new commercial structure that could have attracted billions of dollars from private investors. Reports put the proposed business at around $28 billion ($20 billion USD), with investors set to take a stake in the new entity. For FIFA, private capital could have created new opportunities to expand commercial revenue and fund football development. For investors, World Cup-related rights would offer exposure to one of the world’s most valuable sporting properties.

But UEFA’s opposition highlighted the risks. Selling part of the commercial upside could reduce FIFA’s control over future revenue and create pressure to prioritise financial returns.

Why it matters for football

The outcome could shape how football’s biggest competitions are financed in the future. FIFA still controls enormous global media, sponsorship and commercial assets. Any move to bring outside investors into those assets could change the balance of power across the sport.

The failed proposal also exposed tensions between FIFA and major football confederations. UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC all criticised the original plan.

For clubs, broadcasters and sponsors, stability matters. A prolonged dispute between FIFA and UEFA could create uncertainty around competition. The FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup kicks off on September 5th. Not only was there debate over whether European nations would participate, but the tournament is being held in the European nation of Poland.

With the boycott officially over, the disruption to the tournament has been alleviated, but wider tensions still remain.

The conflict is not over

UEFA may now drop its boycott threat, but its discontent with Infantino’s leadership remains.

UEFA leaders continue to push for a change at the top of FIFA. European football figures have also called for greater transparency and stronger consultation with football stakeholders. So whilst the immediate business threat has eased, the bigger question remains. Who should control football’s future commercial growth and who could contest Infantino in March at the next presidential election?

Beyond Old Trafford: How Manchester United’s new stadium could reshape an entire district

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Image Credit: Manchester United

Manchester United’s proposed new 100,000-seat stadium is more than a replacement for Old Trafford.

It’s the centrepiece of one of the most ambitious urban regeneration projects ever planned by a football club.

Unveiled in March by architects Foster + Partners, the concept would see a new stadium built adjacent to Old Trafford, just 350 metres from the existing ground.

Supported by Trafford Council, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation the proposed development aims to transform the area surrounding the stadium into a thriving mixed-use precinct featuring housing, commercial space, public transport improvements and new public amenities.

While the stadium dominated headlines, the broader vision is about much more than just football.

Once complete, the new venue would become the largest club football stadium in the UK, increasing capacity from around 74,000 to 100,000 spectators.

 

More than just a stadium

However, the stadium is only one piece of a much larger plan.

Foster + Partners vision includes new homes, offices, hotels, retail and hospitality spaces, green public areas and improved pedestrian links.

They believe this “mixed-use” destination will attract visitors throughout the year and create a “vibrant destination” for tourists and visitors from across the world.

The proposal also places a strong emphasis on sustainability, with plans for a walkable precinct supported by public transport, rainwater harvesting and renewable energy technologies integrated into the stadium’s distinctive canopy design.

 

A major economic opportunity

The broader regeneration has been positioned as a major economic opportunity for Greater Manchester.

An independent study conducted by Oxford Economics found that the stadium and regeneration project could contribute approximately $15 billion to the UK economy.

In addition, the project would also support around 92,000 jobs while creating more than 17,000 new homes and attracting an additional 1.8 million visitors yearly.

Those figures remain projections rather than guaranteed outcomes, but they have become central to the club’s case for the redevelopment.

 

Connecting United to a Wider European Trend

A key component of the proposal is improving transport connections around Old Trafford

The British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the project as significant opportunity for the region, with investment in rail, Metrolink and surrounding infrastructure viewed as essential to unlocking the wider regeneration potential.

The plan also includes greater pedestrian accessibility, to integrate the stadium district with surrounding communities.

Manchester United’s proposal reflects a broader trend across Europe football.

Stadium developments are increasingly viewed as catalysts for urban renewal and economic development, rather than standalone sporting venues.

Projects such as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Everton’s new waterfront home and Real Madrid’s redevelopment of the Bernabeu have demonstrated how modern stadiums can generate revenue through hospitality, entertainment and commercial activity beyond football.

 

Transforming Old Trafford

Despite support for the proposal, significant hurdles remain before construction can begin.

Funding arrangements, planning approvals and major infrastructure upgrades will all need to be finalised before construction can begin.

If delivered, the project would represent one of the largest football-led regeneration projects ever undertaken in the UK.

The project would transform not only where Manchester United plays, but how the wider Old Trafford district lives, works and grows.

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