A telling weekend for crowds across Australia
Columnist By Adrian Musolino, 11 Jul 2010 Adrian Musolino is a Roar Expert
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Fremantle's Aaron Sandilands flies for a ball during the AFL Round 15 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Fremantle Dockers at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne.
From the NRL’s rare visit to Adelaide to test the waters for possible expansion, to the visit of an English Premier League side (and their Socceroo) delivering a bumper crowd for Sydney FC, to two contrasting AFL crowd figures in Melbourne, it’s been a fascinating weekend across Australia, highlighting several key points for various codes.
Let’s examine them one by one:
NRL. Canterbury Bulldogs versus Melbourne Storm – Adelaide Oval. Crowd: 10,350
Arguably the most significant crowd figure of the weekend, as the NRL ventured to Adelaide.
Considering there was no local interest to entice South Australians to the truncated Adelaide Oval on a freezing winter’s night, the crowd of 10,350 was impressive.
It proved what many in the NRL foolishly ignore; that there is a core group of rugby league supporters in South Australia who could form the core support for a franchise based in SA.
In contrast with the AFL’s strategic expansion targets, the NRL remains, seemingly, non-committal on expansion, instead waiting for its Independent Commission to come in and save the day.
But what the crowd at Adelaide Oval and the similar success story in Perth (13,164 turned out when the Melbourne Storm and South Sydney headed west) showed is that the game needs to be putting the framework down in these two capitals for two new franchises.
There may be significant support on the Central Coast, but only by going to Perth and Adelaide can the NRL truly expand its national footprint – giving the league a presence in the five most populated cities/capitals in the country.
As for Adelaide, the Adelaide Rams were born and killed at the height of the Super League war. It was a tumultuous environment for a club and code to survive in enemy (AFL) territory. The NRL is a lot more of a stable environment for the rebirth of an Adelaide franchise, and the crowd at Adelaide Oval proved there is interest in the game to sustain it.
Remember, the expectations and commercial pressures on a potential NRL franchise are a lot less than an AFL one, and Adelaide remains the least congested sporting marketing of those five capital cities.
The potential is there.
Football. Sydney FC versus Everton – ANZ Stadium (Sydney). Crowd: 40,446
The huge crowd for this friendly in Sydney (notorious for fickle crowds) proved two points for football in this country: the power of proper marketing and the power of the pre-season friendly against visiting sides.
Undoubtedly the game benefited from the presence of Socceroos golden boy Tim Cahill, particularly so soon after the Socceroos’ World Cup campaign, but you couldn’t ignore the manner in which this game was promoted on television, in print and online, not to mention the decrease in ticket prices.
Getting the message out there was crucial for a pre-season friendly which has effectively launched the Australian club season, showing how crucial it is for A-League clubs to market extensively to entice the football fans that we know are out there.
Enticing EPL and other great clubs to tour Australia during the pre-season is a proven winner.
It’s just a case of working out a way to ensure those crowds back up for the A-League season.
AFL. Port Power versus Collingwood Magpies – AAMI Stadium (Adelaide). Crowd: 24,260
Playing one of their great rivals (the two great ‘Magpies’ Aussie Rules clubs) on a night they said goodbye to one of their favourite sons, Mark Williams, on a Friday night, when everyone knows the match would be delayed on Channel 7, Port Power couldn’t even pull 25,000 to AAMI – almost 10,000 down on the average figure for this fixture in Adelaide.
The Power was born out of the success of the Port Adelaide Magpies, but the reality is that supporter base was never big enough to sustain a franchise in a national competition.
For all its successes, Port represented one-ninth of the South Australian footy landscape (based on the nine clubs in the SANFL) in what is only Australia’s fifth biggest city. And in Adelaide you either love or hate Port. That dualism is what has flawed Port Power.
They were always going to struggle to expand beyond its Port origins, especially in a state where generic clubs who can draw support from the whole state (a lesson for a potential NRL franchise) rule – think Adelaide Crows, 36ers, Thunderbirds, United.
In debt, struggling for form and relying on the AFL for handouts, Port Power seems as vulnerable as ever. Whether they can survive long enough for the generation who have grown up with the Power to reach adulthood and sustain them remains to be seen. It’s their only hope of truly expanding their supporter base.
AFL. Richmond Tigers versus Fremantle Dockers – Etihad Stadium (Melbourne). Crowd: 25,707
Richmond’s recent run of form has shocked their critics and surprised their fans, yet they could only manage a 25,707 crowd against the in-form Freo in a week the Tigers were making headlines across the country (albeit the cause of that media frenzy, Ben Cousins, didn’t feature in this match).
When contrasted with the 69,220 at the MCG for the Geelong versus Hawthorn clash, what it shows is that at its core the great strength of the AFL, when it comes to crowds, is in its VFL origins and rivalries, not its national footprint.
ANZ Netball Championship. Adelaide Thunderbirds versus Waikato / Bay of Plenty Magic – Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 9,200 (expected).
The final of the trans-Tasman netball series sold out in 12 minutes – impressive for what many consider to be a fringe sport.
The enormous growth of the ANZ Championship over the past two years is a testament to the power of free-to-air coverage. For a fringe sport, being afforded such extensive coverage on ONE HD has been an enormous fillip, particularly when contrasted with the growth (lack of) of sports stuck on pay-television.
It’s been a big weekend of sport that’s confirmed several home truths for these codes – a fascinating snapshot of where they stand, with their relative weaknesses and strengths.
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July 11th 2010 @ 12:22pm
Realfootball said | July 11th 2010 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
AFL crowds are simply extraordinary. I put it down to the weather and lack of entertainment alternatives in the southern capitals.
Given that the game itself leaves me stone motherless cold (unlike football, rugby league, union and basketball, all of which I enjoy to different degrees), I suppose I have no alternative other than to put it down to the southern winter weather, the unprepossessing topography of Melbourne and Adelaide, or a kind of collective madness induced by the Irish goldfield influence that has remained in the south and west.
Whatever it, people sure go to AFL games. What they go for is beyond me, but I’m from up north, where we have beaches and a much, much better climate. And no goldfields and thus no Gaelic football.
July 11th 2010 @ 12:29pm
Beaver fever said | July 11th 2010 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
NO beaches in Perth, or the rest of WA, and of course their was never any goldfields in QLD.
You are right about one thing though …… it is clearly beyond you !!.
July 11th 2010 @ 2:00pm
Mapman said | July 11th 2010 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
Perth is further north than Sydney and Adelaide is on almost the same latitude as Sydney.
July 11th 2010 @ 6:15pm
Realfootball said | July 11th 2010 @ 6:15pm | Report comment
I’m from further north again.
And Perth has a cold, dodgy winter. To compare Sydney to Perth is a joke, frankly, in terms of the diversity of what is on offer.
There is a strong correlation between Irish populations and AFL, as is to be expected , given that the code is in reality a variant of Gaelic football.
My post was tongue in cheek, by the way. But I am interested in why AFL pulls much bigger crowds than NRL.
July 11th 2010 @ 6:31pm
Beaver fever said | July 11th 2010 @ 6:31pm | Report comment
Your posts make little sense, you really should investigate more, if strong Irish poulations correllate with Australian football then NSW should be the epicentre of Australian football, with Sydney central, unless you are mistaking gold rush Irish with NSW convict Irish.
How do you explain the Protestant clubs in Essendon, Western Bulldogs etc playing a catholic/Irish game when clearly in those early times protestant/English people were, even if not in the majority surely ran the country and the agenda of sports etc .
How do explain the free settler state in SA, which has probably the least of any state in terms of % of Irish heritage.
Perth does not have a cold winter usually, but this year is the coldest for many years, but it is unusual.
I suspect either this post was also “tongue in cheek” or else you clearly have little idea.
July 11th 2010 @ 12:40pm
Nick said | July 11th 2010 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
10k for NRL in Adelaide is great!!
No local media coverage, no advertising and no local team!
NRL constantly outrates AFL in the TV stakes. New TV contract in 2013 is nearly going to surpass afls tv rights deal!
July 11th 2010 @ 12:49pm
Beaver fever said | July 11th 2010 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
I dont agree that 10k is good, but it’s not bad either, but you are wrong about stating that the NRL constantly outrates the AFL, and quite frankly comparing one to the other is not a fair comparison.
When you have live against delayed and games picked a few weeks before on teams form then comparing is not apples for apples.
Here in Perth, the friday night game from the East is over before we start seeing it at 8.30.
July 11th 2010 @ 1:12pm
Akazie said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:12pm | Report comment
Yes xman, we get it, you don’t like the fact that the AFL has managed to out rate the NRL nation wide on a Friday night only 4 times this season, and that’s without including the regionals for both codes where RL clearly rules, and once they were added, RL won anyway, 5 states for AFL against 2 for RL, yet according to you and others, RL has all the advantages on a Friday night.
Fair dinkum, if it wasn’t so funny to rad, it would be quite sad.
You then say Live for RL and not for AFL, yet there has been 3 games of Live AFL on Friday night this season and the AFL out rated the NRL once.
For a better understanding, have a look at Sunday ratings where RL still wins the ratings even though it’s 2 hours delayed and only shown in 2 states against the AFL shown nation wide.
July 11th 2010 @ 1:34pm
captain nemo said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
not to mention the kiwi audience figures also Akazie because the game is telecast into that country also
July 11th 2010 @ 1:43pm
Akazie said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
captain nemo, if I did that, wouldn’t that be like me kicking a bloke when he’s down?
There is a lot more growth left in RL, RU and Soccer in and around Australia yet, the AFL know this, that’s why they are throwing everything bar the kitchen sink at these two new clubs, they know they have to try and take some ground of the other codes because the other codes are certain to head into all the AFL states soon enough.
It’s their last roll of the dice to get some decent support in QLD and NSW.
July 11th 2010 @ 1:51pm
Beaver fever said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:51pm | Report comment
I think both sides of this debate have valid points, but clearly you can’t see that, how about we wait for the next TV rights and then see what the networks think.
July 11th 2010 @ 1:10pm
Sammy22 said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
So 10,000 people from Adelaide city who like to go to a sporting game each week, went to the oval last night rather than travel a bit the night before. Thats not a figure to excite a code to introduce a new team, on that thinking everywhere AFL gets 5,000 turn up there should be a national team.
AFL will always have good numbers turning up because unless you were bred on the game you need to be there to understand what the ….. is going on. TV just too hard with all the close camera work it just looks like a bun fight to someone trying to understand it.
Yes promote a good international club in a well supported area and you will have a decent crowd. There is argument though that any code that gets less than 50-60,000 to a showpiece game at Olympic stadium got it wrong and should have played at SFS (especially if thats the club’s home ground)
Unfortunately the writer here is just loosing credibility trying to set up NRL as bafoons (not always hard) and AFL as the smart business people toiling in the right direction (not always easy)
July 11th 2010 @ 1:11pm
M1tch said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
depends how we think..
swans trail at blacktown got 8000 and the afl was beside themselves with excitment..
2 sydney teams trial in perth gets 9500 and nobody in rl says a thing about the game in perth..
the afl does it better to talk themselves up simple as that
July 11th 2010 @ 1:15pm
Akazie said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
Mitch, agree 100%.
10k is great for AFL on the Gold Coast with a team 45 mins away, yet 10k for RL in Adelaide is bad.
July 11th 2010 @ 1:17pm
Beaver fever said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
Depends if you include some more “facts” wasn’t the Blacktown venue sold out, and its capacity around 8,000 ?, if so what more can they do.
Old East Perth Oval, now Medibank stadium fits around 18,000 people.
July 11th 2010 @ 1:25pm
M1tch said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Either way, the game which included the swans (with plenty of free giveaways) while the perth game tickets were 30 bucks a pop
as i say, the afl just does it better
July 11th 2010 @ 1:30pm
Beaver fever said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:30pm | Report comment
I would imagine that there were plenty of RL ticket giveaways as well, but at any rate it was a decent crowd, BTW who was playing, if they had any sense why did they charge $30 a ticket for a pre-season game is a rip off !!, that astounds me.
July 11th 2010 @ 1:32pm
M1tch said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
dragons and roosters – because the roosters took it over and the NRL didnt help fund the trip
July 11th 2010 @ 1:37pm
Sammy22 said | July 11th 2010 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
So really this is just like the USA and the Russians
We caught 10 spies and we will exchange them for 4 spies of higher quality …… we win
We give over 4 spies, a bit over used and we get 10 back ……. we win
plus we get the pretty one 
!!!!!!
The bottom line is the TV ratings from a dollar perspective and did everyone have fun …… yes …good!!
July 11th 2010 @ 4:46pm
Midfielder said | July 11th 2010 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
The fist thing to do if you want to win is to study you opponent them .. look for where they are weak… look for where they are strong …
The AFL have weakness and if they want to pay me mega bucks I will tell … but one massive strength the AFL has is … CROWDS … CROWDS…CROWDS …CROWDS…. without any doubt the world best … OK OK OK Germany football, EPL & Gridiron, get more … but these are more regional teams.. in Melbourne there are 10 teams …the CROWDS still come… the reasons are varied but the management by the AFL of stadiums and crowds is arguably the worlds best … The hows / why & wherefores of how they do we can debate but that they succeed is without question and succeed very very very well is unquestionable..
To challenge the AFL on crowds is like challenging Football as a world code…
As for other ares .. TV ratings, player numbers. rubbery figures … all open for debate … but never crowds …
July 11th 2010 @ 4:57pm
Forgetmenot said | July 11th 2010 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
I also could point out a lot of areas of weakness for the AFL.
I read football, soccer, gridiron. business, books for to gain an idea of where the AFL can improve itself. This includes books on the history of all topics, biographies on all topics, and analysis texts.
For example obviously you would read football books to gain an a beter view of where football is, has been, and wants to be. Soccer texts can help with ideas of where football can go by analysing their past and present decisons. Gridiron books are excellent for the business side of sport. Business texts are a necessity in professional sport.
From reading many texts i have found a few key weaknesses:
off the top of my head
– lack of presence in key growth areas of Sydney and QLD (AFL are targettting these areas for a reason)
– in the past junior participation was not focused on. Soccers junior programs kickstarted Auskick. A lot of work still to be done.
– international growth is coming along nicely, but needs more support from Australian based football clubs (not money, but advice and makrting materials)
– restreucture of many of the local leagues (i believe the AFL is slowly going through them)
– increased awareness of the state leagues (AFL is working on a Northern Football League for NSW/QLD which would almost complete the picture).
July 11th 2010 @ 5:31pm
Beaver fever said | July 11th 2010 @ 5:31pm | Report comment
ATM there are around 46 Qlders on AFL lists, 28 Tasmanians, also 28 Northern Territorians and 40 New South Welshmen, this of course does not include the players at the new teams who include quite a few QLDers and NSW guys.
Compared with 124 from WA, 198 from SA and 309 from VIC.
I would imagine the AFL would want to increase the number of players from both NSW and QLD to around 80/100, much easier IMO in QLD rather than NSW, as many NSW players are from Wagga and below. A new academy in Canberra will help though as their is a good footy history/culture there.
Increasing to this number would make the new teams “self sufficient”, although they may not all play for “northern” teams.
BTW looking at those stats SA really is fighting out of it’s weight, suprised they have so many players on AFL lists, i would have thought WA would have had more.
July 11th 2010 @ 5:43pm
Forgetmenot said | July 11th 2010 @ 5:43pm | Report comment
Those numbers should be achievable with two teams in Sydney and QLD functioning to their potentials. A third Sydney team will increase those numbers further. Sydney is a HUGE growth area for football, and the AFL is dead right growing the game there.
July 12th 2010 @ 9:27am
Michael C said | July 12th 2010 @ 9:27am | Report comment
SANFL has done really well in attracting ex-AFL players, the strength of that league has helped develop a lot of guys who then have been rookied.
WAFL to a degree as well.
Melb based AFL clubs have been slack on the rookie listing of even slightly old guys from the VFL. That is starting to change.
For now though and recent past – the SANFL seems to have benefitted as a nursury.
July 11th 2010 @ 6:21pm
Midfielder said | July 11th 2010 @ 6:21pm | Report comment
Forgetmenot
Left your self open…. “”" you can read “”"
July 11th 2010 @ 8:31pm
Forgetmenot said | July 11th 2010 @ 8:31pm | Report comment
lol … thanks.
I did leave a target their didn’t i.
July 11th 2010 @ 6:21pm
JVGO said | July 11th 2010 @ 6:21pm | Report comment
The whole issue is really that AFL got such a good TV deal last time on the premise that it appeared to be expanding in NSW and QLD with the Swans and Lions going gangbusters. Of course those clubs have stalled or gone backwards since then and so Demetriou is trying to create the illusion that AFL is expanding further with GWS and GC. If the TV networks buy this baloney this time they are bigger fools than anyone would imagine. They are simply better off investing their money in NRL who can then improve their product and further increase their ratings stranglehold in NSW and QLD. The fact is it isn’t about outrating AFL in those markets but outrating Masterchef or whatever the other networks put on anyway. AFL is pretty much irrelevant.
July 12th 2010 @ 10:28am
James D said | July 12th 2010 @ 10:28am | Report comment
Lol ok mate add the number of people who watched AFL from the stands last week with the number who watched NRL.
See how the AFL number is double the NRL number. keep that in mind when you start saying things like the “AFL is pretty much irrelevant”.
Also the AFL are expanding – as well as Soccer (football) and Rugby in this country.
League just talks about expanding.
July 12th 2010 @ 11:12am
Nick said | July 12th 2010 @ 11:12am | Report comment
I am sure he meant AFL is irrelevant, in regards to TV numbers: see below
http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/06/21/2010-tv-ratings-and-the-magic-billion/
NRL has over 50% of the Aust population with NSW and QLD and those two states are mad keen on NRL. TV figures are massive for league games, turning up to the game not so much. But NRL make thier money with TV rights and so 2013 you will have 7,9 and 10 trying to buy 50% of the Australian public and that is going to mean alot of money for NRL to expand the game with.
July 12th 2010 @ 12:02pm
JamesP said | July 12th 2010 @ 12:02pm | Report comment
I think Mr Football tore those figures apart very early. Fancy trying to say that Sydney Siders like NRL more than Melbournians enjoy AFL….Ludicrous. They regularly don’t sell out their SoO and barely sell ouot the Grand Final every year….in fact i don’t think they would if ANZ stadium had a 100k capacity like the MCG.
July 12th 2010 @ 12:10pm
JVGO said | July 12th 2010 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
That isn’t what we are saying JP. We are saying simply that in Sydney AFL is still pretty irrelevant in TV terms and the NRL is a key product. What do you think the Super League war was about and why did News spend billions on RL, because it was the key product in the two biggest TV markets in Australia. Sorry if it upsets you, but it just happens to be true.
July 12th 2010 @ 12:45pm
Redb said | July 12th 2010 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
Yes but your not listening. The AFL has far greater fan interaction with the game in Melbourne, than Sydney has with NRL. The crowds show the true depth of support.
TV ratings might show the NRL has equal to or less than or above the AFL, but on crowds the AFL is clearly double the NRL.
July 12th 2010 @ 1:04pm
Beaver fever said | July 12th 2010 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
I am not going to comment on RL, but the big upside for the AFL in regard to TV rights would be more live games in Melbourne and Adelaide and a 7.30 start in Perth, which would guarantee much bigger ratings, whilst ratings have been poor in Sydney, Brisbane have been pretty good and will get better with the GC.
It remains to be seen if the GWS team actually suceeds, and’s possible that the ACT is a fall back plan, but it appears that GWS and the AFL are in for the long haul, so the flack they are commenting off the media and some people in sydney is water off a ducks back.
I note the GC17 does not respond to Searle’s or Palmers taunts, GWS has done exactly the same……………….. great move.
July 12th 2010 @ 2:18pm
JVGO said | July 12th 2010 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
But intercode crowd sizes are almost irrelevant unless you want to carry on a meaningless code war argument. How many people are at an AFL game in Melbourne is almost meaningless to RL. Intracode crowd sizes are more pertinent but you AFL zealots are so concerned about cornering other codes that you can’t see the problems in your own code. If one of your clubs is getting half the crowds of others it is a problem, it will start bleeding money and lots of it. Your clubs are actually in competition with each other not the NRL despite all your obsessons.
The AFL is maxed out in its heartland markets, many clubs are losing money and it has a much higher cost base than other codes, bigger rosters and higher salaries. And it is facing growing competition in its heartland from the other codes, which in time will erode support from many clubs, particularly the strugglers. It is also planning on adding two new clubs which will bleed money. The fact is that Demetriou knows if he doesn’t knock RL out in NSW and QLD in the next 5 years the AFL will have already peaked, which I suspect it has.
It’s really going nowhere further in NSW and QLD and GWS and GC are just smoke and morrors from Demetriou trying to convince the TV companies that the AFL is ever expanding northward. As I say the TV execs may well be fools, they’ve made dumb deals before, but we will see won’t we?
July 12th 2010 @ 11:38am
JamesP said | July 12th 2010 @ 11:38am | Report comment
“the TV networks buy this baloney this time they are bigger fools than anyone would imagine. ”
You’re the man JVGO……you are spot on mate. What would those billion dollarTV indistry executives know eh?
Forget about the fact that the Swans and Lions will eventually come again. Forget about having 2 teams in NSW/QLD, one game a week and the fact that if one team is down, the other may be up.
Yep, those TV execs wouldn’t know anything would they….lets plough all the money into the NRL….JVGO for Prime Minister!!
July 12th 2010 @ 12:06pm
JVGO said | July 12th 2010 @ 12:06pm | Report comment
What I am saying is that when the last deal was made it looked like AFL was going to grow like crazy in NSW and QLD. DO you really think it looks like going that way now? GWS and GC are purely smoke and mirrors from Demetriou. The TV execs probably aren’t fools, (although I wouldn’t bet on it) and will probably weigh the merits differently this time.
It’s just a fact that in NSW and QLD NRL is a key TV product, while AFL in those markets is pretty much irrelevant, it is in fact a negative for the channels forced to show it.
July 12th 2010 @ 12:50pm
Redb said | July 12th 2010 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
Again, a myth no doubt spread like a virus on RL forums.
The AFL had to INSIST the game was shown in Sydney and Brisbane in better timeslots than previously, that does not mean to me the TV execs were begging for it.
July 12th 2010 @ 2:21pm
JVGO said | July 12th 2010 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
What myth? What RL forums? I don’t know what you are talking about.
July 12th 2010 @ 3:02pm
Nick said | July 12th 2010 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
JVGO, I think the others cant comprehend how big the game is in QLD and NSW and I am in SA another AFL stronghold
The TV execs are coming together to give NRL a great TV deal. yeah crowds are 15k plus at a ground.
Some grounds dont hold more then 25k anyway. Adelaide oval even though there was only 10 000,
there wasnt any room for anyone else as half the ground was in construction.
Code strength may not have to rely on people turning up to the ground, code strength will be
from the billions in TV rights. as TV rights reflect the popularity of the sport.
AFL is weakening, poorer crowds, not a healthy competition, look at the AFL table re points and there
is a massive difference from top and bottom. NRL not so much (except the storm of course).
July 12th 2010 @ 3:31pm
Redb said | July 12th 2010 @ 3:31pm | Report comment
I know.
July 11th 2010 @ 7:38pm
apaway said | July 11th 2010 @ 7:38pm | Report comment
I have to admit, I’d love to see the day when 25,000 crowds at A-League games are “disappointing.”
July 11th 2010 @ 7:57pm
Michael C said | July 11th 2010 @ 7:57pm | Report comment
A. based on Becksmania a couple of years back, 35K there for Everton and 5K there for SFC (but, heavily attracted by Everton).
B. NRL wouldn’t NOT have given away stacks of freebies……which is fine, but, simply, they would have done it and in attempting to make a point…….well, I dunno. A 2nd game in the market shortly there after is more of a test.
C. AFL, interstate clubs thus far this year……..Crows avg home crowd 35,600, (suring again after a poor start) Eagles 35,400 (okay start, but, falling right away now), Dockers 36,500 (flying), Brisbane, 31,600 (not bad, likely to fall away a tad now), Swans 30,100 (okay with little to really excite but a better start than expected), and Port 22,700 (when even North have a higher home avg, then, somethings not entirely right).
Not sure how Adrian can suggest AFL interstate clubs are some form of weakness? Across the 6 interstate clubs, the sum of the averages is 191,900 so an overall average of near enough 32,000.
If that’s weak then I’ll be buggered, ……
Nice try at mounting a case, but, it’s pretty feeble really…….outside of Port,……but, we saw their colours triumph over the Magic; good effort by the Thunderbirds.
July 11th 2010 @ 9:03pm
Forgetmenot said | July 11th 2010 @ 9:03pm | Report comment
minor detail, but can you stop calling non-victorian clubs, interstate clubs. This forum is clearly based in Sydney, and Interstate means all of the teams other than the Swans.
Also, interesting to note that the averages for the state football leagues in the traditional Football states are quite strong,
July 12th 2010 @ 9:14am
Michael C said | July 12th 2010 @ 9:14am | Report comment
agreed –
my reference was clearly re NON-Melbourne clubs.
And when people talk about the RL and the Toyota Cup…..as with FMN, I can’t help but think that the WAFL, SANFL and VFL are each doing pretty well for 2nd tier pseudo reserves comps.
July 11th 2010 @ 8:22pm
chris said | July 11th 2010 @ 8:22pm | Report comment
I think Rugby Union and Rugby League are having a bad time in Australia and New Zealand when it comes to crowds.
Maybe it’s time for the Rugby codes to become one again and then we have a real Super League/Super 12/14/15/20 comp.
July 11th 2010 @ 8:33pm
Forgetmenot said | July 11th 2010 @ 8:33pm | Report comment
Would never happen. It would simply mean that a third rugby code is created.
July 12th 2010 @ 10:07pm
hutch said | July 12th 2010 @ 10:07pm | Report comment
the nrl has the highest average crowds byquite some way of any domestic ‘rugby’ comp on earth, and are on track to break the all time record average. im not sure how we are having a bad time!