AFL not stressed by poor Sydney crowds

By Adam Cooper, 23 Jun 2009 Adam Cooper is a Roar Pro

Tagged:: AFL, ANZ stadium, Collingwood Magpies, Paul Roos, Sydney Swans

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The AFL insists the fall in Sydney’s crowds at ANZ Stadium is not a concern and won’t deter the league from its push into the city’s west.

The Swans’ administration was worried by the reduced crowd which attended Saturday night’s clash between Sydney and Collingwood, which drew 41,042 fans at the Olympic stadium.

That crowd was significantly down from the past two years – 64,222 watched the stand-alone clash in 2007 and 59,266 attended in 2008 – and well down on the 72,393 recorded in 2003, when the sides first played at Homebush.

The crowd drop at Sydney’s biggest home game followed recent admissions by the club and the AFL that attendances and viewership were down in the harbour city in 2009.

Swans chairman Richard Colless recently stated interest in the code in his city had “plateaued” and cast doubt over whether the AFL’s push into Sydney’s west can be successful.

But AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan refuted suggestions the weekend’s crowd size was poor.

He said the league remained focused on establishing an 18th team in western Sydney by 2012 (the Gold Coast will host the 17th side, due to enter the competition in 2011).

“Of course when you ask if we’d like 60,000 over 40,000 we’d take the 60,000,” McLachlan said on Monday.

“But (almost) 42,000 is an excellent crowd and I’m a bit bemused by some of the talk that it’s a poor crowd.

“The crowd has dropped in the last two years, but people understand that the Swans are rebuilding and they’re five (wins) and seven (losses), so 42,000 is still a very good crowd.”

In three games at ANZ Stadium this year, the Swans have drawn an average attendance of 36,745, down from the 43,340 mean recorded in four home and away games there in 2008.

But the 2008 average is reduced significantly when the crowd of 19,127 which attended the elimination final between the Swans and North Melbourne is taken into account.

Sydney’s next home game is against North, at the SCG in round 14, but a Swans loss to Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday could have an impact as Paul Roos’ side would be battling to reach the finals.

McLachlan said the AFL was still encouraged by Sydney’s off-field strength and the city as a destination to host another club.

“People talk about the demise of the Swans, but they turnover $35 million and they’ve got a membership of 25,000, so they’re a strong and powerful club,” he said.

“… from a strategic point of view, we are confident that we have to be in Sydney.”

Meanwhile, Roos said Sydney could not afford a downward slide following six successive finals campaigns.

“We are not going to have three years of rebuilding,” he said on Monday.

Roos said West Coast missed the finals in 2008 and could do so in 2009-10 without incurring the same pressures Sydney faced.

“They’ve got 45,000 members and they pack out Subiaco every weekend,” he said.

“That’s not going to happen in Sydney so that all affects your bottom line.

“It affects your ability to bring in a second team.

“There’s enormous ramifications.

“For (Eagles coach) John Worsfold and West Coast, there’s no ramifications of going down the bottom of the ladder other than that competitiveness that all coaches have.”

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The Crowd Says (22) | Page 1 of Comments

Kurt said | June 23rd 2009 @ 1:47am | Report comment

I think we’ve clearly got some expectation management issues in relation to Swans crowds. They’re a team in decline that are unlikely to play finals this year and people are calling 41,000 a poor crowd? I can think of a few other sports that would like to be doing that ‘badly’ when it comes to drawing crowds in Sydney!

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Michael C said | June 23rd 2009 @ 5:47am | Report comment

Well, surprise, surprise – - their crowds are better when they (the Swans) are in the top portion of the ladder. Gee – - they must be fair weather supporters (reality is – - who isn’t??).

In a weekend where the ONLY Wallabies test match in Melb all year that was billed as an important show of Victorian Rugby support with perhaps a Super franchise on the line drew only 20K,
and the Storm on Sunday with zero in town competition (other than the Wallabies the night before) – - and zero AFL on tele (as the only AFL game that day was a late starter beamed in from Subiaco) – - and they only drew 12K (don’t help if all the origin players aren’t playing!!),

so, the AFL having to be concerned about only 41K – - – isn’t too bad. If the Swans were running rampant and the weather a little better – - then, you’d really be concerned. The question I guess is, is that as bad as it’ll get? If yes – - then, no great issue. If No – then better hope that’s because westies are getting ready to support their own home grown team!!! (fat chance).

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MVDave said | June 23rd 2009 @ 7:13am | Report comment

The Swans games at Telstra are handpicked as their blockbusters and involve some of the biggest drawing Melbourne teams. Only a few years ago they were drawing 60-70,000 crowds for these games. This year the Swans are still in the finals mix and a very competitive team. Collingwood are on a winning streak and in the top 4. It was a game promoted comprehensively for 2 weeks by FTA Ch 10. It was played at a user friendly time of Sat evening. The CH 10 figures in Sydenee for this game were 90,000…nuff said. Given the $100millions the AFL have pumped into this market over a 25 plus year period they may well be disappointed with the significant decline in all aspects of the Swans, who are the face of AFL in that city.
Looks like plenty more AFL dough to be flushed down this money pit called Swans (and no doubt second Sydenee team).
Must be said though that Swans are the only strugglers with Roos putting their hands out more than Oliver, the Power needing AFL money to keep going, Melb struggling with limited support and both Freo and WC crowds on the decline.
Melb’s big 4-5 clubs are keeping the rest above water.

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Kurt said | June 23rd 2009 @ 7:28am | Report comment

MV Dave is right, any sporting team that only draws 41-42K in Sydney clearly isn’t supported by the broader sporting public and should really shut up shop. I mean, you just have to look at the socceroos crowd in Sydney the other night to see that…

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Redb said | June 23rd 2009 @ 7:59am | Report comment

In 2005, the Swans premiership year, they drew 44,000 to the Swans v Collingwood game.

Redb

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Michael C said | June 23rd 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment

MVDave -

actually, the hand picked element is perhaps true but the ‘biggest drawing Melbourne teams’ is not so true.

because, the Swans vs West Coast Eagles has been an annual fixture now for the last 3 years. Certainly hand picked on the basis of the stirling rivalry the two teams had re the ’05 & ’06 GFs and all their ripping games around that time.

The reality check though is that in 2005, the premiership year – the Swans averaged 39K for 3 games at Stadium Australia.
Then it got ridiculously good.
Now, perhaps we’re just back to normal.

In 2005, Syd vs Coll drew 44K. 4 years on, the get 41K with the Swans struggling and Collingwood continue to win these ruddy games year, after year, after year.

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Peter said | June 23rd 2009 @ 12:31pm | Report comment

Spot on Kurk,
The swannies got 2k more people to their game than the Socceroos did in Sydney the other night.
Now if you just ignore the fact that the swannies game ………
- was on a Saturday night, as opposed to a mid-week family unfriendly time.
- attracted 10,000+ oppositions fans as opposed to 10 for Bahrain.
- was HEAVLILY promoted by their TV partners with the line “the game that divides a nation” as opposite to a game that was promoted after Ireland v Sri Lanka highlights in the T20 Comp. And stuff-all promotion from the Daily Terrorgraph

And lets also ignore the fact that tickets to see the National Football Team were an average of $70-90 with gate takings of $3M+.
Whist out of the 41k to the swannies game, 15k were club NON-Paying patrons, 10K were on freebies/$5 entry,10k fans for the maggies, with gate tacking closer to $300K.

I love the way fans of which every sport can find the most irrelevant excuse as to why less people take interest in their preferred sport. I swear their could have been 7762 people at the game and the alf folk would of said that it was still a good crowd.
What was the reason for the piss poor TV viewers in Sydney? Let me guess………
- the game was to close, swannies fans rather watch their side get belted.
- they play ugly foddy, swannies fans are such “vicball connaisseurs” that they will only watch free flowing foddy.
- the game was up against the 6796908th reply of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory .

Get over it alf folk, you can compare all you like about the crowd figures the swannies get compare to the Nrl teams and Sydney FC, But TV viewership [where 70% of all money is made for any Sporting body] in Sydney is pathetic. The alf can throw away good money after bad (of which they have for decades on end) and the TV audience would still be crap.

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Lazza said | June 23rd 2009 @ 12:37pm | Report comment

What do you expect the AFL to say? Peter’s right, it’s all about TV ratings these days. That’s where most of the money comes from.

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Simmo said | June 23rd 2009 @ 1:01pm | Report comment

This really isn’t about the Swans though is it?

It’s about gauging how much demand there is for another club in Sydney.

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Justin said | June 23rd 2009 @ 1:18pm | Report comment

Spot on Simmo.

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