2018 Copa Libertadores

[cantagalo]

http://app.globoesporte.globo.com/fu...e-b/index.html

And as for Série B....

Average crowd 5218. Occupancy rate 21%.

That average would have been significantly worse without the 28,702 average of champions Fortaleza who had 11 out of the top 12 attendances.

And not a great season for Boa Esporte, relegated with an average attendance of 236, less than 1% of capacity!

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

It is similar in kind to the reason why Canberra is largely bereft of significant clubs in any major Aussie sport other than rugby union, just on a much bigger scale.

Steady on there, as one of the self-appointed RL ambassadors on this board I have to point out that Canberra Raiders more than hold their end up in the NRL.

[danielmak]

@cantagalo: Yes, Vickery regularly notes that kick-off time and cost are two important factors. It's been a while since I've listened to the podcast but in the past he rarely talked about violence (although he does have a piece in an issue of the Blizzard about being held up at gun point after a Vasco (?) match. He noted that the TV networks prioritize the novelas so night time matches tend to start after the novelas. I assume this is in reference to matches on Globo since SporTV and Premium are 24-hour sports networks.

[cantagalo]

Yes, novelas get higher viewing figures than football and earn more advertising revenue so midweek games on Globo always start at 9:45 after the novela finishes.

I did say ‘perceived violence’. In 12 years, I’ve never had a problem at a Brazilian game. Any trouble that does occur is organised well away from the grounds, though it can be lethal. There are several deaths every year.

Tim’s incident was at a Vasco game, though I think it was a regular street robbery rather than football-related. The São Januário is in a tough area and I’m always quite relieved to get safely on the bus, especially after a night game there.