We are now only days away from the official start of our Isuzu UTE A-League 2024/25 campaign, 117 days since pre-season training commenced on 1 July.
While our 23/24 pre-season was marked by significant change due to well-publicised player movements, the nearly four months of preparation for our 24/25 campaign has been the most stable during my time at the Club. We’ve maintained consistency in training, provided valuable playing minutes across the squad, and recorded several strong performances against both local and A-League opposition.
The Men’s coaching staff’s top priority each pre-season is to maximise the number of ‘competitive’ matches played. This can only be achieved through an extended Australia Cup run or regular A-League matches. Although we didn’t reach the Cup Final, which was our pre-season KPI, we made it to the Semi-Final for the first time since 2019. Combined with positive results against the Football SA All-Stars (20 September), Brisbane Roar (5 October), and Melbourne City (12 October), confidence is high within the playing group as we head into our opener against Central Coast Mariners this Saturday afternoon.
Alongside improvements in the Men’s program, our Women’s program has made significant strides following a disappointing 23/24 campaign. For 24/25, we’ve increased our investment in the playing group and began pre-season three weeks earlier than the fixed 35-week league window. This additional time is vital for improved conditioning, especially as the six-week pre-season for A-League Women’s teams is too short to adequately prepare for a 22-round home-and-away season. We’ve already seen the benefits of this investment, with a 2-0 win over Western United in our pre-season trip to Mildura and several strong results against local opposition, including the Football SA All-Stars on 15 September. We are excited to start our Ninja A-League campaign with the Original Rivalry against Melbourne Victory next Saturday 2 November at ServiceFM Stadium, kick off at 4:30pm.
Thank you to the local South Australian football community, including Cove FC, Adelaide Blue Eagles, Cumberland United FC, West Adelaide Soccer Club, Adelaide Croatia Raiders Soccer Club, and Football South Australia, for assisting with our pre-season preparations. The exciting NPL All-Stars initiative, in particular, is something we look forward to continuing in future years.
From a business perspective, the Club continues to grow, despite the challenges posed by significant reductions in our centralised revenues. Our sponsorship revenues have already surpassed last season’s full year total, which is an outstanding achievement considering we have yet to kick a ball this season. This commercial growth highlights that the fundamentals of football remain strong, on the back of three seasons of consistent broadcast and attendance growth. I believe the league will continue to gain momentum this season now that the furore created by contentious league investments is behind us and we can once again focus on the football.
Memberships, especially in our reserved seating sections, are tracking ahead of last season, currently up 9% year-on-year. This is a testament to the support of the South Australian football community, particularly during a time when cost-of-living pressures are real for everyone. I want to thank all of our Members for their ongoing commitment, and we will do our best to repay your faith as we strive for significant improvement on the field in 24/25.
The combination of positive membership growth and good ticket sales means we’re on track for a big crowd for our first home match with well over 10k expected at Coopers Stadium on Saturday.
Two additional member focused initiatives we’ve been working on over the past few months are The People’s Loyalty Program and our Member Representative Group (MRG).
The People’s Loyalty Program has been a club priority for several years where we have recognised the need to better acknowledge and reward Members who consistently invest their time and money into the Club. Last season, we celebrated our 20-year Members, and this year we’re expanding the program to reward Members for more regularly for attending both our Men’s and Women’s matches. In future seasons, we envision a much broader rollout, but we’re excited to launch this for 24/25 and will continue to communicate its benefits and incentives throughout the season. More information on The People’s Loyalty Program is available here.
Last season, we formed the MRG in line with the national rollout by the APL. Much of the 23/24 season was spent gathering feedback and building relationships with the group. Now, for 24/25, we are well-positioned to better utilise the MRG as a conduit for member engagement, providing feedback to help us improve the Adelaide United experience for all who attend matches. You can find more information about the MRG here.
I’d like to thank MRG Chair Joe Aylward and the broader group for their hard work and commitment over the past 12 months. We encourage all members to use the group to provide feedback throughout the season.
In early September, the final phase of upgrades to Coopers Stadium—originally committed to in 2019—were completed with the installation of a new pitch, irrigation, and drainage system. It had been over 30 years since the pitch was last renovated, and this new surface is not only more environmentally sustainable but also allows for increased usage, including more doubleheaders, which have been a long term priority for the Club.
With the addition of numerous LED screen upgrades, Coopers Stadium is now a truly modern venue, without losing any of the suburban characteristics that make it the best football stadium in the country. For me, it is South Australia’s most important footballing asset, and I’m proud that my children can enjoy attending matches here, just as my father and grandfather did during the past 60+ years of its existence.
I’d like to extend my thanks to Adelaide Venue Management (AVM) for their ongoing support and investment in Coopers Stadium. AVM is fully committed to football’s growth, and this season we’ll work together on several fan-focused initiatives to further enhance the matchday experience.
Returning to football, at this time of year, there is always discussion about the Club’s ambitions for the season ahead, and more often than not we are not tipped to make the finals. Aside from what was undoubtedly a poor 23/24 season, we have consistently proven the pundits wrong over the past decade, as one of the A-League’s most consistent clubs.
This consistency has been grounded in our loyalty to South Australia, and we remain committed to giving young South Australians the chance to follow their football dreams. This philosophy is part of our Club’s DNA and how we were founded in 2003. It is not simply a cost-saving measure or a strategy to drive transfer revenues. We have further invested in high-performance initiatives this pre-season to better provide for local player development, including our partnership with PSV and increased investment in technology facilities at our Playford training base. This off-field investment will remain our focus for future seasons.
Over the past three months, led by Head Coaches Carl Veart and Adrian Stenta alongside newly appointed Technical Director, Ernest Faber, we’ve begun documenting the football culture, values and methodology that will underpin our investment priorities and on-field performance moving forward. Establishing a clearer football identity for the Club is important for our players, coaches, Members, stakeholders and the South Australian footballing public and work on this will continue throughout the season.
With all this in mind, the baseline expectation is Finals football in 24/25 for both our Men’s and Women’s teams, with a Top 4 finish as our target as the pathway to silverware. Whether we achieve this or not is to be seen but we are confident that with clearer priorities and increased investment, the framework for success is in place this season.
In closing, I’d like to thank everyone involved with the Club—our players, coaches, staff, and partners—for their hard work and dedication during the pre-season. We look forward to replicating this commitment on the pitch in the upcoming season as we strive for success.
Thank you for your ongoing support. Let’s make this season one to remember.
Nathan Kosmina
Chief Executive Officer
Adelaide United Football Club
