Asia Crucial To Australia's World Cup Bid - FFA Chairman Frank Lowy

Australia will be relying on the lure of the Asian market in its bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

Football Federation Australia Chairman Frank Lowy says the potential income generated from television rights in Asia, where having Australia as a host will present friendly time zones for “two thirds” of the world’s football audience, is a key consideration for FIFA when deciding on the hosts.

"We are able to show that bringing the game to Australia and having the Asian continent in the same time zone, will benefit not only Australia, not only Asia, but the whole football world,” Lowy said, quoted by Sportal.

“We are able to show FIFA that the income projected from television rights and other income will be larger than if they go anywhere else.

"Europe is full of football, there is nowhere to go. The same thing applies in North America, but nobody can offer what we can offer.

“We are in the backyard of Asia, we know how to stage big events and the audience which is going to watch us is two thirds of the world audience.

"That of course can be translated to dollars and cents. I think Asia's development in sport is such that if the World Cup comes to this part of the world then we will be able to cash in."

Indeed, according to FIFA’s official website Asia was the highest contributor to the global television audience at the last World Cup, with 8.28 billion in-home viewers making up 32.2% of the global total – China on its own accounts for approximately one-fifth of the total.

The fact that the total audience in Asia fell by 25.7% though for the 2006 World Cup in Germany is a reflection of the impact that time zones have on television audiences, with the previous tournament having been hosted in Japan and South Korea.

There is of course, a counter to Lowy’s argument about Australia’s strategic positioning.

An increase of 29.6% for viewers from Europe upon the World Cup’s return to friendly time zones in 2006 might suggest that the number would decrease if Australia were to host the World Cup, though in all likelihood a European nation would host the event either in 2018 or 2022.

Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com

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