Prominent AFL personality Sam Newman has weighed in on the football fans debate, saying A-League crowds use the game as a platform to promote their ethnicities.
Speaking on 3AW, Newman said football fans would rather “use soccer as a vehicle… to promote some religious or ethnic background”.
The polarising AFL Footy Show host went onto compare this to situations in the AFL and NRL, where the crowds simply go to support their teams in action.
“In AFL and NRL, fans actually barrack for their team and their colours – it doesn’t matter where they live or what jurisdiction they come from,” Newman said.
“I’ve got a feeling in soccer that crowds support their country of origin and use the sport as a vehicle to promote their ethnicity.”
While clubs in the old National Soccer League held ethnic ties, Newman suggested the situation was still much the same in the A-League.
“The difference is that people use soccer as a vehicle to promote where they come from in the world and promote some religious or ethnic background,” Newman said.
“[That is] as opposed to AFL/NRL, where they actually support the team and don’t give a stuff where you come from.”
Coming from a man who once sported blackface as an apparent means of comedy on national television, that’s rich.
Tune in to the Daily Football Show from 5pm EDT tomorrow to hear the team weigh in on Newman’s comments.
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