Book in Boxing Day for football

Let’s book in Boxing Day for football. While yours truly is no marketing whiz, it would appear that the Boxing Day night permanent fixture should be placed on the A-League calendar. If not by Sydney FC, then certainly by the FFA itself.

It’s not rocket science just Marketing 101 and, hey, I’ll offer the marketing tip free of charge, with no strings attached. No copyright, no patent, just plain old common sense.

Every year there are two events on Boxing Day that are permanent sporting fixtures: the start of Sydney to Hobart yacht race and the first day of a cricket test match at the MCG. So why not add football on Boxing Day night and it wouldn’t even clash?

Sitting at Allianz Stadium watching the Sydney FC versus Brisbane Roar clash along with 17,662 spectators was my light-bulb moment. Okay, it’s not up there with history’s greatest light-bulb moments but it’s worth a try.

Other football codes have their “traditional” matches. Manufactured traditions but great events nevertheless. Look at the AFL’s ANZAC Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon and rugby league’s equivalent between St George Dragons and Sydney Roosters.

The best the A-League can offer at the moment is the “traditional” New Year’s Eve clash at Gosford at 6pm when the Central Coast Mariners take on somebody or other but never the same team.


Perhaps it's easy to forget that not so long ago the Queensland Derby took place on Boxing Day each year, with Gold Coast United taking on Brisbane Roar at either Robina or Suncorp. It's the game that started The Football Sack.

But with that game now an impossibility it’s time to invent a bit more football tradition on Boxing Day. 7.30pm is the perfect time slot for television and families. Carpe Diem because anything less is to bury our heads in the sand and football in Australia has a rich history of doing just so. That’s a tradition we can do without.