You've a little off the mark there.
If you watch any A-league advert, they are marketing the atmosphere as a draw card. Something that the fans created, not the FFA, or any governing body.
The first week was a mass walk out, instigated by several supporter groups, including the NT, and the RBB. The 30th minute was chosen very strategically.
The second week was a complete non-attendance by, if memory serves me right, all major supporting groups. The Mariners game drew less than 5,000 as a result, with other crowds being WELL below average.
The second week was key. Because it showed that, whilst the game would still exist, something the FFA have used strongly in attempting to draw crowds, were no longer in the picture.
The main reason for the boycott was the lack of managerial leadership shown by the heads of the FFA at the time of the newspaper article, shaming 192 banned fans. But also, the due process in which a banned fan could have their 10 year banishment from games overturned.
The fans don't give a sh!t about blokes who threw punches, or flares. They will remain banned, and rightly so.
However, there are quiet a number of fans whom have been wrongly accused, have had criminal charges placed against them for what have you, have the ruling overturned in court, and cleared of all charges.
However - the FFA, with their "above the law" stature, chose not to overturn the bans - they don't care.
Whilst there are many other gripes that vocal supporting groups have (don't get me started on the under cover security group Hatamoto), I have stated the key points.
As a closing point - any notion of a boycott against the Bulldogs would be absolutely stupid!
Lol not entirely correct. As a result of the collective actions of the fans the FFA has altered its position from:
FFA would "not consider any appeal" and that because it is not a government agency “the obligation to adhere to the rules of procedural fairness and natural justice does not apply to our organisation
To:
The FFA appears to have made peace with angry A-League supporters, agreeing to allow fans banned from stadiums to view evidence used against them in a major change to their unpopular banning policy.
Following a heated four-hour meeting with representatives from all 10 active supporter groups in Sydney last night, Gallop announced numerous in-principal alterations to its long-time policy.
Instead of a "ban" notice, fans will be issued with an "intention to ban" notice and allowed to see the evidence against them.
That includes retrospectively the 198 people already banned, if the evidence against them still exists.
If the ban is maintained, they will then have an opportunity to see an independent panel at a later date.
"Obviously there's some fine-tuning that needs to happen, but I'm pleased to say that representatives of all 10 clubs' fan groups were there tonight and endorsed those changes," Gallop said.
Gallop said one the finer details that still needed work was evidence given to FFA on the basis of anonymity.
The changes form part of a review of FFA's appeals policy promised last week by new chairman Steven Lowy and to be finalised at the next board meeting in February.
The organisation's overhaul is a significant departure from the uncompromising and hardline stance regarding confidentiality of evidence the governing body had maintained right up until Wednesday.
A transparent appeals process whereby the onus of proof lies with FFA has been a crucial demand of furious fans who have walked out of games and last weekend stepped up their protests to full-match boycotts.
The rage stemmed from News Corp Australia's outing of a leaked list of 198 banned fans late last month and mushroomed due to FFA's perceived unwillingness to show leadership and stand up for football supporters.
Gallop could not say for certain whether the breakthrough meeting was enough to stop fans from continuing their match boycotts for a second successive week.
But he described the breakthrough meeting as productive, albeit underpinned by "some strong feelings" and "robust debate".
About 30 fans from across the 10 clubs united to attend the unprecedented roundtable, attended by Gallop and A-League head Damien De Bohun.
Also in attendance was former Socceroo and now Fox Sports pundit Mark Bosnich, who it's understood organised and partly funded the exercise, while Fox Sports' Adam Peacock MC'd the occasion.
Supporter groups plan to issue a statement indicating their position on Thursday.
Earlier on Wednesday, FFA also partly placated A-League clubs' agitated owners and chairmen in what was Lowy's first formal monthly meeting in the role.
Discussions focussed on marketing, broadcast, financial transparency and fan discontent.
Some chairmen have been campaigning for change, unhappy with the direction FFA has been taking, particularly with the A-League.
Most declined to comment, but were said to be impressed with Lowy's ability to engage and listen.
Melbourne Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro, who last week slammed FFA for fostering a culture of "mediocrity", labelled the meeting a good start.
"But there is a challenge ahead," Di Pietro said.
"All the pressing matters were discussed and there appeared to be a collegiate approach in the room, which in my opinion is the only approach."
That to me says a reasonable outcome was reached. It also shows a level of collaboration between the FFA and the fans which may not be utopia but it's a step in the right direction and a win for the fans.
As I've said before I would not boycott the bulldogs specifically but if the cause involved majority or all clubs or was a broader NRL issue and was done with the right intent then of course I would.
