The PM, the Lions and AFL in Brisbane
Roar Guru By Michael C, 8 Sep 2009 Michael C is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- AFL, AFL finals, ARU, Brisbane, Brisbane Lions, Gabba, Suncorp Stadium, Tri Nations, wallabies
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On Saturday night 32,702 fans, including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, were at the Gabba to see the Lions come from five goals down at three-quarter time to record a stirring home win.
The best crowd ever for the Lions was the 2001 preliminary final, drawing over 37,000. Other than that, this crowd figure was about on par with the earlier part of this decade, with around 32,500 about par.
In eleven previous home finals at the Gabba, the Bears/Lions have averaged 29,104.
Of interest, Kevin Rudd appeared to be the guest of AFL Commissioner Mike Fitzpatrick (a former Carlton premiership captain). On the same night, across town, the Wallabies played host to over 47,000 to defeat the Springboks. The curious thing at the Gabba was that there appeared to be fairly empty corporate box sections on the night.
The Lions obviously have a nice ‘place’ in the Brisbane sporting landscape. However, perhaps this example is a little reminder of where the corporates go when the Wallabies are in town.
Was this a mistake by the AFL or an unavoidable fixturing clash?
After all, normally the AFL and ARU do their best to avoid clashing.
Perhaps though, in a broader sense, this exhibited Brisbane as a vibrant multi-football code city, with 80,000 people turning up on the one night to two distinct football matches.
One wonders how we’d go with the Wallabies, Broncos, Lions and Roar running head to head. Perhaps, just perhaps, there would be NO clash for attendees……other than the corporates.
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- AFL, AFL finals, ARU, Brisbane, Brisbane Lions, Gabba, Suncorp Stadium, Tri Nations, wallabies
September 8th 2009 @ 3:03pm
JF said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:03pm | Report comment
Kevin Rudd going to the AFL is of little to no significance, he probably got a result back from one of his focus groups saying that he should go to an AFL game. Good old Symbolic Kevin.
September 8th 2009 @ 3:08pm
True Tah said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
Wasnt Rudd seen in a Wallaby dressing shed last year?
September 8th 2009 @ 3:10pm
Redb said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
are you trying to start a rumour?
He mentioned the Wallabies when interviewed on Ch 10 at half time.
Redb
September 8th 2009 @ 3:27pm
Michael C said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
And Quarters made some silly comment about “Don’t mention the war” and Ruddy said something along the lines of “Oh, it’s important too”…….and fair enough, I’m not sure what Quarters was on about other than Ch.10 not wanting to x-promote what’s on Ch.7.
btw – Westy, the main thing with ARU and AFL is that ARU isn’t strong in the national domestic club market segment – - that’s AFL vs NRL that is. AFL isn’t strong in the international segments – ARU is.
So, in general – their money thru the gate offerings don’t really compete directly – and, again, they generally avoid head to head clashing. The ARU would be satisfied with their gate I assume for Sat night.
At grass roots, everyone is competing.
September 8th 2009 @ 3:21pm
oikee said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
AFL and the NRL need to hit a target for average crowds for the year, the nrl target is 20 thousand, at the moment it is 16.
And rugby union of course. Thats 2 things to talk about.
The afl needs to hit 40 thousand, not sure what it is, but this is their ultimate figure. And mind you its very hard to acheive when you have teams not going well. Someone is going to be down in the bottom half of the table.
These 2 codes are not far off acheiving these figures.
Also dont forget that you need to have at least a 14 team comp to compete, so union has no hope of ever acheiving the mark, soccer can easily acheive this over maybe 10 to 20 years. At the momment they are victoms of their own success, all their good players head overseas. This might never change because the money to pay these star players does not exsist in oz.
So our 2 codes will continue to grow , here, and overseas, hopefully. Having the P.M at your game means he can spread the word overseas. Another reason soccer thrives around the world, the leaders have at least one thing to talk about.
September 8th 2009 @ 3:29pm
Redb said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
Oikee,
I would expect crowd averages to drop once GC and WS come into the comptetion. it is already down a bit due to more games played in Tassie, GC , Darwin, Canberra,etc. Wont be long before an AFL game goes to Cairns (not pres-season Cup).
The overall attendance will increase with the two new teams, certainly GC.
Redb
September 8th 2009 @ 3:42pm
oikee said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:42pm | Report comment
Yes,no, i am talking about your average season figures, without finals. The reason i say this, because it is what makes the games look at their best. Just a guideline i use for the 2 codes. Cheers.
September 8th 2009 @ 3:29pm
Michael C said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
Main reason I mentioned the PM was that it was ironic that he was where the corporates weren’t……now….traditionally that might be a good image for a Labor PM!!
September 8th 2009 @ 3:35pm
oikee said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
Going back to your 1st post M.C , having 1 team for a city is a huge bonus for any comps. This is how football UK became the golaith it is today. Brisbane is well placed in these markets with the codes because they dont bare the burdon of having a city with lots of teams. The broncos are a powerhouse in this sense, also the lions if you look at it that way, because they can draw huge crowds all the time by not being burdoned with losing teams. You must have a winning culture for this to happen,, these 2 teams have this at the momment. I nearly had kittens when i thought the broncos were not going to make the finals this year.
Probably wont, they have no such thing as a salary cap. At least in oz we are smart enough to have one, keep the codes alive.
The other 2 teams, Reds and Roar, have not done enough homework on building this culture for their Brisbane teams. Its a bit like Man U in soccer, that city thrives on their winning culture, god help them if this ever changed.
September 8th 2009 @ 3:40pm
AndyRoo said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
Football in the Uk has a lot of teams in each city though.
Manchester and Liverpool both have two in the EPL.
London has approx 1 million teams (approx 5 in the EPL).
September 8th 2009 @ 3:47pm
oikee said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:47pm | Report comment
Well yes, London has a 10 million population, but what i was saying is that is how they got so big. By being ultra competitive with other cities. One team , one city produces these sorts of clashes, look at the broncos, Melbounre Storm clashes. Even Storm, Warrior clashes are becoming a little feisty. And on the back of this, you grow a following for these events.
September 8th 2009 @ 3:52pm
oikee said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
I thought there was only 4 teams in the EPL, Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and ? another one, the rest are only making up the numbers aren’t they.
September 8th 2009 @ 3:56pm
Republican said | September 8th 2009 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
True Tah.
What pray tell was Kev doing in the Wallas dressing shed?
September 8th 2009 @ 4:00pm
AndyRoo said | September 8th 2009 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
Pretty much.
I now prefer to watch my lower division suburban comp (the HAL) as a result. But I think the AFL model of Two teams in a city is the one to follow and seems to fit with the English Football experience too
Spurs and Arsenal (both North london)
Fremantle and Perth
Everton and Liverpool
Adelaide and Port
Manchester Utd and Man City
I think the Titans coming in have helped the Broncos and a second team in Brisbane would actually help them in the long run. It just gives so much more news to talk about and you have a game in the city every week as well as twice the chance of a team beeing in the finals. Titans vs Broncos will be huge this week.
I think Rugby in NSW would benefit from West Sydney vs the Tahs and Penrith vs Parramatta in the NRL is huge when both teams are doing well
September 8th 2009 @ 4:24pm
Michael C said | September 8th 2009 @ 4:24pm | Report comment
Not just news etc – but, the capacity to have one game in the metro region every week and one beamed in on tele – thus, TV ratings PLUS gate revenue,
and also, the doubling of the number of locally based players for community work/clinics/visits etc.
And for expansion codes – it increases the likelihood of quality players settling permanently and adding to the increase in standard of the local leagues as players/coaches post their elite careers.
The 2 teams in ‘town’ also ensures that even in a crap year for both teams, you hope to retain bragging rights by finishing higher than the other team…..the AFL fixture at least seeks to ensure 2 local derbies each year – and, the later one often becomes like the ‘Grand Final’ for either or both teams should they look like missing finals action. Take that away, such as Storm in Melb/Swans in Syd in a bad year – and, there’s a complete absence of local interest/energy about it all.
September 8th 2009 @ 4:34pm
oikee said | September 8th 2009 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
I dont know about AFL M.C, but in league you have a wooden spoon, this keeps the games lively, well it has this year in league. Nobody wants that item.
As for growing in 1 city or the other, hopefully by now you have your rivalries, Brisbane has Manly, Storm, Cowboys, GCoast, Dragons, Ells, do i go on, we dont need a shirty team in Brisbane to get in our way, no the real growth is all teams becoming strong enough so your market becomes the world. Keep that in mind when i said that AFL is going to bog iteself down with a Sydney Gcoast push.
The NRL are out their selling their product to larger audience. Why do you think gallop does not want to worry about having more teams, he has the perfect product to sell. If we could let a couple of sydney teams go, would be ideal.
September 8th 2009 @ 4:03pm
oikee said | September 8th 2009 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
How right you are Andyroo. Cheers.
September 8th 2009 @ 4:27pm
oikee said | September 8th 2009 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
I think their are many things that can be improved for all codes. AFL just needs to keep building on their international series and stay out of it. At least they can grow the game without the knowleadge that oz will win. Soccer needs to get rid of the word friendlies, call them angry’s. Union needs to get rid of the super 15 and get a oz comp going, its becoming boring watching 3 countries play and then watch 3 countries play again, but under the guise 3 nations, or bledisloe. We have just witnessed this in the super 15.-14
League, rugby that is, just needs to stop trying to compete with all these other codes. You 3 can fight it out amounst yourselves. Cheers.
September 8th 2009 @ 4:44pm
Brian said | September 8th 2009 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
Pretty good result for the AFL although the margins were 7pts in the AFL game and 15pts in the RU. This is not exaclty normal. If Brisbane had towelled Carlton by 80 pts whilst the Wallabies won by 1pt the results might be different.
As far as two teams in a city goes its interesting there has never been a 2nd RL team in Brisbane. I think AFL & Futbol have more tradition in regards to derbies, possibly because of the strong NSW v QLD in RL. Certainly with the AFL I think GC/WS are more about gaining new audiences rather than creating a derby. If they were after rivalry they would put in Tassie. Having said that the derby has pretty much been Freo’s biggest thing in their whole 15 years, seems like every year is a bad one for them