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The AFL and NRL’s contest to draw a larger crowd in their respective weekend finals fixtures at ANZ Stadium remains neck and neck.
Bumper crowds are expected when Sydney host Collingwood in an AFL preliminary final on Friday night before Canterbury and South Sydney meet in an NRL equivalent the following night.
And early ticket sales suggest it will be the venue’s biggest weekend of sport since the 2000 Olympics.
The AFL confirmed in a media release on Tuesday night that 40,000 tickets to Sydney’s home final had been sold.
A spokesperson said the NRL had moved 42,000 tickets to the showdown between the ground’s two tenants.
The last time the ground hosted back-to-back preliminary finals was in 2006 when just over 60,000 fans went to the Swans-Fremantle AFL clash and a little over 40,000 attended St George Illawarra’s NRL match against Melbourne.
Depending on what figure the AFL delivers on Friday night, the ARL Commission will be desperate to better it the following night, particularly with many factors in their favour.
The top priced tickets to the AFL clash ($160) are double that of the NRL ($80).
Even the cheapest tickets to the AFL in the upper reaches of the spacious ground are twice as much ($70) than that for the 13-man game.
Given the disparity in ticket prices, even remotely similar crowds would mean a comparatively much larger financial windfall for the AFL.
Ticket sales for Melbourne’s home NRL preliminary final against Manly, and Hawthorn’s corresponding fixture at the MCG against Adelaide are a little more one-sided.
The Storm’s Friday night AAMI Park match has attracted 15,500 punters so far, while the AFL game on Saturday has already sold 47,000 tickets.
© AAP 2013The Crowd Says (167) | Page 1 of Comments
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September 19th 2012 @ 5:18am
Morotti said | September 19th 2012 @ 5:18am | Report comment
Lots of Media outlets have claimed that the Bulldogs vs Eels match that drew around 75,000 is the highest crowd figure in a finals series to date. I was at the Tigers vs Dragons game that attracted around 78,000 so some people are mistaken. Great game too.
Surely that two teams who play their home games at ANZ can sell the place out? I think any other outcome is a disappointment.
Also I would think that the storm might go close to a sell out down in Melbourne. Not sure how many seats AAMI stadium holds but you would expect that ticket sales could reach the 30k mark?
September 19th 2012 @ 7:48am
eagleJack said | September 19th 2012 @ 7:48am | Report comment
Not to be a stickler but the official crowd numbers were
2009 Bulldogs v Eels 74,549
2010 Dragons v Tigers 71,212
So the media outlets are correct.
There is no reason that the Bulldogs v Souths game can’t hit the 80,000 mark. Both teams have huge supporter bases and have overachieved in some respects surprising even their most passionate of fans. I expect Souths fans to go all out for the occasion as its the furthest they have got in a very long time. Should be a great game.
September 19th 2012 @ 9:19am
Happy Hooker said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:19am | Report comment
What about the Souths v St George grand final at the SCG that drew 78,000?
September 19th 2012 @ 9:28am
eagleJack said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:28am | Report comment
HH, that’s a Grand Final they are talking Finals.
Most Grand Finals are over 80,000.
September 19th 2012 @ 7:47pm
Morotti said | September 19th 2012 @ 7:47pm | Report comment
eaglejack, I didn’t realise this. My memory doesn’t serve so well then.
I still think this game should be a sell out. Pity I can’t make it.
September 19th 2012 @ 11:47pm
floreat said | September 19th 2012 @ 11:47pm | Report comment
Latest figures (as at 8.49 pm) are AFL 54,000, NRL 51,000. This now beats the Homebush Stadium record for a football finals weekend in 2006, when 60,000 attended Swans vs Freo & 40,000 St GI vs Storm.
September 19th 2012 @ 6:20am
pete said | September 19th 2012 @ 6:20am | Report comment
I think it will be super embarrassing for the NRL if they don’t get a bigger crowd, with two of the most well supported local clubs on a Saturday night in Sydney, than the swans and an interstate club on a Friday night.
September 19th 2012 @ 6:52am
justafan said | September 19th 2012 @ 6:52am | Report comment
Is Sydney the new sporting capital of Australia:
NRL large finals crowd,
AFL large finals crowd,
Sydney FC with Del Piero predicted close to sell out first game and local derby to sell out in round 2,
Rugby always a crowd puller in Sydney.
Maybe it has woken up to the fact that there is more to football than just NRL and you can follow more than one code or do they just like winners?
September 19th 2012 @ 8:28am
Boomshanka said | September 19th 2012 @ 8:28am | Report comment
Yes.
Contrasted with Melbourne (the former so called capital) who’s media are blinkered on one sport, it is possible to watch, read about or hear a wide variety of sport in the new sporting capital.
September 19th 2012 @ 8:37am
floreat said | September 19th 2012 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Rubbish, Boomshanka. Living in Melbourne you get exposure to all codes & sports. The Italian import for Sydney FC got top exposure here – as also Storm regularly, despite its low crowds by Melbourne standards. AFL gets most coverage because it gets huge crowds compared to the other sports. Generally Melbourne gets bigger crowds in all sports than Sydney (soccer, cricket, racing) – but the regular AFL crowds of 60-80,000 are world standard.
September 19th 2012 @ 9:44am
Boomshanka said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:44am | Report comment
That’ll be why, at the final whistle of the NRL final, we’ll be whisked away to the parochial news service that is Nine news.
Contest this with AFL fans in Sydney who’ll get a full afternoons coverage of their final.
September 19th 2012 @ 9:55am
Nostradamus said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Boomshanka, wasnt the NRL final in Melbourne on the Gem or Go where there is no news service???????
The full coverage on Seven is because the the AFL did a deal to get good coverage on the minor channel and maybe next year in the new NRL deal you may get similar but only if its in the contract.
I read the Herald and Age each day and the minor sport coverage is similar…Unless you somehow live in both cities simultaneously you cant possibly compare coverage.
September 19th 2012 @ 10:23am
Boomshanka said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
No the NRL final was (and will be this year) on Nines primary channel, and yes they will cut to the news, as they did in 2009 (when Melbourne won), 2010 & 2011 straight after the final whistle.
September 19th 2012 @ 10:34am
Matt F said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:34am | Report comment
According to the online TV guide it will be shown live on GEM into Melbourne and delayed on 9 at 11:30.
http://www.yourtv.com.au/guide/fri/
September 19th 2012 @ 11:01am
Boomshanka said | September 19th 2012 @ 11:01am | Report comment
Talking Grand Final here.
ie Melbournian’s will be denied the chance to see their team (if they win) celebrate their achievement because Nine think that we’d rather watch the news.
September 19th 2012 @ 12:02pm
nEd said | September 19th 2012 @ 12:02pm | Report comment
I also predict in Melbourne/Vic/Tasmania the grand final will be in fuzzy definition even if it is on GEM as well.
September 19th 2012 @ 12:58pm
Horatio said | September 19th 2012 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
Boomshanka,
So when is the GF. Is it twilight… The news is critical for TV stations and will interrpt anyhting because once they lose people from News they lose them forever and the News sets the evening viewing patterns (and is a riuch advertising stream) and in many cases viewing after ie the current affairs show etc…So no conspiracy here. There is a tradeoff in having an afternoon GF where you get full coverage on a minor channel or an evening GF on the major channel with poorer coverage. So no conspiracy here but I’m sure you will find one or move to Wagga would be my tip…
September 19th 2012 @ 7:42pm
Brewski said | September 19th 2012 @ 7:42pm | Report comment
Not to Wagga would be my tip, more AFL teams playing out of Wagga than RL ones, Ipswich or Newcastle, or perhaps even back to NZ would be the go, …. but not to Wellington …there is a AFL game there for the next 3 years.
September 19th 2012 @ 4:15pm
micka said | September 19th 2012 @ 4:15pm | Report comment
Why the hell would I want to watch the post game interviews?
I barely watch them for the AFL when it’s my team playing. You really don’t need a 3 hour expose on a game you just watched.
A completely redundant complaint.
September 19th 2012 @ 9:55am
oikee said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:55am | Report comment
You say low crowds for Storm games by Melbourne standards, it is up to the people of Melbourne who only have to fill a 30 thousand stadium to get out and support their team.
Brisbane a city half it’s size has bigger crowds to all codes.
20 thousand to soccer, 34 thousand to Union, 30 thousand to AFL when they are doing well, and 33 thousand to league. Average.
September 19th 2012 @ 10:02am
Nostradamus said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Oikee,
The Qld teams are doing well at the moment (except the Lions) so exopect good crowds. The Broncos will always do well becuae of a local bias in recruiting but the Roars weekly crowds werent all that great were they???d
September 19th 2012 @ 12:46pm
Redb said | September 19th 2012 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
Up until a week ago I had never heard of Del Piero.
Sydney are about celebrities and winners. Sold out ANZ due to Beckham, then normal service resumed for Sydney FC. One trick pony.
September 19th 2012 @ 12:59pm
AGO74 said | September 19th 2012 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
Its ok redb, we all know that Melbourne is the “Sporting Capital of the World” TM
September 19th 2012 @ 1:43pm
Redb said | September 19th 2012 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
Is it?
September 19th 2012 @ 4:36pm
planko said | September 19th 2012 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
I think Victorian Tourism probably bought the rights “Sporting Capital of the World” TM
September 19th 2012 @ 10:40pm
Punter said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:40pm | Report comment
And you are now richer for it Redb.
September 20th 2012 @ 8:00am
BigAl said | September 20th 2012 @ 8:00am | Report comment
Punter’s cheque is in the mail Red
September 19th 2012 @ 7:05pm
dogforlife said | September 19th 2012 @ 7:05pm | Report comment
Not a chance Queensland is the sporting capital of Australia. Melbourne and Sydney can argue who has the biggest rent a crowd but for producing world class elite athletes across the majority of sports in Australia Queensland outstrips everyone hands down.
September 19th 2012 @ 7:03am
floreat said | September 19th 2012 @ 7:03am | Report comment
It is quite remarkable that Sydney is the focus for Australia’s football finals this weekend. And will probably get bigger crowds than in Melbourne. When I attended the 1st AFL matches at the SCG back in 1979, I never imagined a scenario like we have this weekend. I would love to see the AFL GF at the Olympic Stadium!
September 19th 2012 @ 7:29am
oikee said | September 19th 2012 @ 7:29am | Report comment
They could really have marketed the “War of the Roses” a lot better than just a few words in the Paper.
2 poms going head to head in a huge clash. You could really have use this clash, along with he Bunnies Brand and the Doggies up and coming brand as a massive selling point.
Maybe they are, who knows. This is again where the NRL are falling down in the marketing and promotion of the brand.
The NRL easily are in front on this head to head, the NRL is a better TV product, it really is that simple.
Over time with better promotion the NRL is looking good,. Just wish they would pull their fingers out, i see more calls have now gone out for the NFL video setup, while they are at it, might as well bring in the Coach call and other marketing ideas from the yanks, lets get it on.
September 19th 2012 @ 7:33am
Crosscoder said | September 19th 2012 @ 7:33am | Report comment
It has woken up to the fact there is more to Sydney sport than the NR many years ago eg .RWC,soccer WC qualifiers,Olympic Games.
The Sydney print media in particular and the electronic to a lesser extent have given all sports in varying degrees decent coverage.
It’s just that the NRL is the dominantly followed winter sport in NSW and has been for yonks.
Considering the NRL’s aggregate crowds this year are at record levels for premiership games,and two of the Sydney clubs among the largest of followings, were down the end of the ladder,the message is well reinforced.
If anything melbourne was a little slower on the uptake with winter codes.
September 19th 2012 @ 9:10am
turbodewd said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:10am | Report comment
Its good to see a good crowd, but why do we bother with the McIntyre system which guarantees the first half of the playoffs get so so crowds. If ppl loved McIntyre so much then why werent all the games 2 wks ago sellouts – none were. The Raiders came very close, 2000 short of the 26,000 capacity of Canb Stadium.
September 19th 2012 @ 9:15am
eagleJack said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:15am | Report comment
You do realise we no longer use the McIntyre system right?
September 19th 2012 @ 1:58pm
Chop said | September 19th 2012 @ 1:58pm | Report comment
Incorrect, we actually use the original McIntyre system.
For some reason they used the sh!tty version before going back to the original this season.
September 19th 2012 @ 2:42pm
eagleJack said | September 19th 2012 @ 2:42pm | Report comment
The current system used by the AFL and NRL is not one of Ken McIntyre’s 5 different systems he devised
September 19th 2012 @ 9:34am
Matt F said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:34am | Report comment
Are you really going to bring this up in every NRL article?
If knock-out finals are so succesful then surely the two games last week would have got bigger crowds?
September 19th 2012 @ 9:27am
Bulldog Fan said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:27am | Report comment
I expect ticket sales to surge up to 60,000 by tonight for the nrl, should hit 80,000 by friday going on ticket sales already, should be an amazing atmosphere. The afl will get 70,000 by friday thats still pretty good, im embracing both codes this weekend
September 19th 2012 @ 10:00am
Matt F said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:00am | Report comment
Yep I’m heading out to both games and am desperately hoping for a Swans/Dogs double
September 19th 2012 @ 9:43am
Bring Back the Bears said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
Anyone think it’s slightly embarrassing that the Storm are likely to pull a bigger crowd in Melbourne during the AFL finals than Manly did in Sydney last week?
September 19th 2012 @ 10:02am
eagleJack said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Not at all. It’s a Preliminary Final. Even Manly draw decent crowds for Prelim finals
2011 v Broncos at SFS – 31,894
2008 v Warriors at SFS – 32,095
2007 v Cowboys at SFS – 32,611
September 19th 2012 @ 10:06am
Von Neumann said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:06am | Report comment
I think its awesome. I think Manly need to move, honestly. I am against Penininsulars, ect, poor home ground, its too hard for them short of a miracle to get to the standard I expect.
The games this weekend will be great for sydney. Hopefully this will also go a long way to stopping the code war bulldust.
I think the nrl will get a better crowd looking at the facts. It was delightful to read a factual article on it that was not from a paper with an agenda.
But the ARLC need to in future help do more for promotion; and just on this point, its not a critisism, rather than pointing to the obvious – and also that they will probably get to this in the coming years as no doubt this year has been busy enough for them, with more pressing issues.
September 19th 2012 @ 10:09am
oikee said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Manly crowds when they are winning grand finals each year are like the whipping boys crowds of the comp.
Be good to finally have Manly running in the bottom 8 so we dont have to talk about small finals crowds each year.
15 thousand to finals games, and they said Manly fans had bought 600 tickets to the Storm game. ?
Mankly is going backwards. Until our game realises that we have 1-2 million people cities waiting for expansion with billionaires ready to throw money at the game, and wake-up to the fact Manly cant ever , ever grow past 15 thousand, then we might as well get used to running 4th.
More turned up in Hobart at a Storm trail game, and more turn up to trail games than Manly home crowds.
Plus they are also sucking the life of our juniors from other teams. Imagine if we had Adelaide and Perth to also grow our junior base.
Our game has really got tot wake up and smell the roses. We are trapped in the 50′s man.
September 19th 2012 @ 10:19am
eagleJack said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Are the crowd figures I listed above for Prelim Finals, above or below “15 thousand”? It’s a serious question. I actually don’t think you would know the answer.
September 19th 2012 @ 10:37am
oikee said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:37am | Report comment
I am talking about Manly crowds in general as well, not just Finals times.
Look, Manly have been in finals now for 7 years, yet they have had a low crowd of 6 thousand to a home game, and they always only get 13 to 15 thousand crowds. This is a team at the top of the National Rugby legaue, come-on, we cant keep this up as a code.
This is damm nonsense and just trying to keep alive a dead weight, its like swimming with concrete boots, fair dunkum.
Manly are damm hopeless. The game is kidding itself if they ever think Manly can grow the game, when? they have had decades to do this and gone backwards in growth. What happens with a few wooden spoons.
The sooner Manly are looking for a new home the better. Sunshine coast sea eagles, and play half their games their, a couple double headers in Brisbane, anything is better than constantly trying to prop up a hopeless club without juniors, trapped in a area that cant grow.
They dug their own grave by ousting the Northern Bears support. The bears fans fled to AFL.
September 19th 2012 @ 10:37am
Bring Back the Bears said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:37am | Report comment
While you maybe correct eagleJack, it is still pretty sad that they can only crack those numbers by getting to the prelims. The fact is with the Bears gone, Manly had the potential to be a huge club (the only NRL club north of the bridge). However due to their self interest and the fact they have burnt so many bridges, they will never be fully embraced by the north shore or central coast.
September 19th 2012 @ 12:59pm
Horatio said | September 19th 2012 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
Have you been to Brooky???
September 19th 2012 @ 2:22pm
Chop said | September 19th 2012 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
Brookvale is a terrible ground to watch football.
September 19th 2012 @ 2:28pm
planko said | September 19th 2012 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
My rose coloured glasses used to love it and still do ? How many times have you been ?
September 19th 2012 @ 11:50am
Von Neumann said | September 19th 2012 @ 11:50am | Report comment
This is right, you can’t have Manly with its mediocrity and mention expansion teams in the same breath such as Brisbane 2, central coast, Perth, and not want to slit your wrists. Just crazy, NRL. Manly won’t be missed. The population gain is disproportionate and overwhelming.
September 19th 2012 @ 1:26pm
planko said | September 19th 2012 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
Von Neumann…..I have family who are all over the country that never get to a game at brooky they have foxtel for the soul purpose to watch the eagles. These supporters are the reason why the TV DEAL was so huge. People that pay up 1200 per year to watch their team on a TV screen. You will find that most of the traditional teams have these types of supporters. My daughters are six and nine years old and will be Sea Eagles. Supporters that probably never live in God’s Country and dont even know what Brookvale oval looks like.. TV revenue as a percentage will be over 50 per of most teams revenues next year and more than cover the cap.
The amount of people going to the game is becoming less relevant. The is more people on the Northern Beaches of Sydney than Canberra or NQLD…Not mention the North Shore of Sydney and the Central Coast that are not represented… No NRL teams north of harbour bridge all the way to Newcaslte… Von Neumann why don’t you go work for the AFL ….
September 19th 2012 @ 4:23pm
Brett McKay said | September 19th 2012 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
Oiks, name these billionaires “ready to throw money at the game”…
September 19th 2012 @ 4:35pm
planko said | September 19th 2012 @ 4:35pm | Report comment
Brett his going to talk about that complete nut case PALMER ….
September 19th 2012 @ 6:04pm
Australian Rules said | September 19th 2012 @ 6:04pm | Report comment
No Palmer’s apparently decided to take the prudent investment…building Titantic II.
September 19th 2012 @ 6:17pm
oikee said | September 19th 2012 @ 6:17pm | Report comment
September 19th 2012 @ 9:57am
Nostradamus said | September 19th 2012 @ 9:57am | Report comment
BBTB,
Friday night games in Sydney are shockers for people getting there esp the city so Manly shouldnt be held completely reponsible…The Swans will be the same this Friday so any comparison should take this into account….
September 19th 2012 @ 10:03am
Bring Back the Bears said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:03am | Report comment
According to this article the Swans have already sold 40,000 tix to Friday nights game.
September 19th 2012 @ 10:09am
Matt F said | September 19th 2012 @ 10:09am | Report comment
I think around about 10k of those are the pre-sold corporate boxes, stadium members etc so it might not be so high if they don’t turn up, though that would be the same for every event at ANZ.