A-League popularity grows through controversial 2011/2012 season

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has reported record attendance in the current Hyundai A-League season in spite of its controversies.

A cumulative aggregate attendance total of 1,416,157 fans for Season 7 bettered the previous season-high total of 1,393,933 in Season 6 (2010/11).

The Season 7 aggregate was reached playing 30 less matches than the previous season with 135 matches being played across 25 weeks compared to 165 matches played in season 6.

Almost 50,000 fans attended matches in Wellington, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney over last across the weekend to ensure the new mark was set.

The Season 7 average regular season attendance of 10,490 was bolstered by significant increases in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle and Wellington.

The Hyundai A-League 2011/12 season also saw some increases in other key areas including goals, TV audience and memberships.

Season 7 saw an average of 2.7 goals per match, watched by a TV audience that has increased by 46% from last season. The season also saw a 23% increase in club members.

Head of A-League Lyall Gorman believes "this has been a fantastic season with our goals per game average in line with some of the biggest leagues in the world.

"The on-field action has been watched by more people proving that football has a growing footprint in this country.

"This season has witnessed the Hyundai A-League gain hugely significant boosts in ratings, memberships and attendances and the fact that more people have attended matches this season, with 30 less matches being played, is testament to the leagueï¾s potential and the work taking place in Clubs, communities and regions across Australia and New Zealand."

This week has also seen the FFA and A-League club owners agreeing on the formation of a new strategic committee to govern how the competition is run.

Follow an historic meeting of owners in Sydney on Thursday, FFA has announced the creation of the joint A-League Strategic Committee (JALSC), to be chaired by FFA Deputy Chairman Brian Schwartz.

Two other FFA directors and three A-League club chairmen - decided by the clubs - will be appointed to the six-member body, which will meet every two months.

Thursday's meeting came after growing concern from club owners over the lack of transparency and accountability of the governing body and a desire to have more say in how the league is run.

FFA chairman Frank Lowy said there was now a "united stance" while FFA Chief Executive Ben Buckley believed the formation of the committee would given the game's investors the hands-on role they desired.

Buckley stated "I think it will go a long way to addressing the issues they have about having a more direct say into the policy formation of the A-League."

FFA has also committed to the future of elite women's football with Lyall Gorman stating "(we) remain firmly committed to an elite pathway for women's football in Australia and this includes the Westfield W-League.

"We are proud to run one of the few women's leagues in the world that has a free-to-air broadcast partner and a blue-chip naming rights partner. Work on next season is well underway and the fundamental blocks are in place to build the already impressive brand profile of the Westfield W-League."

The Hyundai A-League 2012 Finals Series kicks off this weekend, with games in Wellington, Brisbane and Perth.

For more information go to www.footballaustralia.com.au/aleague/

Image: Perth Glory fans