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For a nation that prides itself on its sporting prowess and rich history, the one thing I’ve noticed is how poor, many sporting competitions are attended in this country.
There is one exception however; the AFL.
Now I know what you ‘leaguies’ are thinking: “Oh, just another GayFL wanker who likes starting code wars.”
Believe me, this is an amicable article, addressing a quite serious matter. But the simple fact is that I’m correct.
And trust me, it’s not a good thing either.
You see, I live in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide, and so I don’t have a broad and encyclopedic knowledge as to why things are the way they are in the Australian sporting landscape.
The Crows are supported religiously in my particular area and the majority of the state as a whole. The Power also has enough support out there to fill a stadium, let alone attract more people to games than many league, union and soccer matches.
And why is that?
Why can a club such as Port Adelaide – in its darkest hour – trounce attendance figures of those belonging to most of the biggest clubs in the second, third and fourth biggest codes in the land?
The thing is, I don’t have an answer for you.
The Broncos set the benchmark for rugby league; however attracting just over 33,000 people on average to games in a one-team city, with a population of over two million people in the spiritual heartland of the code, isn’t an impressive feat at all.
Then you have Melbourne. With 10 teams in the AFL, collectively averaging 43,500 per match, it encapsulates exactly what a sports organisation aims to achieve.
In addition; Perth’s two teams average 36,000 each and Adelaide’s teams average 28,000, which are hardly shocking figures after the two clubs had very disappointing seasons.
And while the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions matches have decreased in attendance in the last couple of seasons, they still come up favourably against every other code.
But the most disappointing statistic of all is the Gold Coast. The Suns, who have been in the AFL for less than seven months, have attracted over 19,000 per match, even while finishing bottom of the ladder.
Yet, the Titans averaged a shocking 15,000 playing out of a bigger stadium. For a rugby league town with a population of 650,000 to be trounced by an AFL team in its debut season is disappointing.
And rugby union fares no better. The Reds in Queensland, who won the Super Rugby premiership this year, only averaged 30,000 and the Waratahs in New South Wales, a touch over 20,000.
The Hyundai A-League is even more poorly attended at 8,500 per match, and while Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton have joined the league, they have a long way to go before they catch up to everyone else.
The big question remains, why?
Why does the AFL do so well, yet every other code is so far behind?
It’s an incredibly astounding set of statistics that other leagues need to channel and analyse, because if they don’t, the AFL will take over the entire sporting landscape.
While I support the AFL and its standing as the number one sport in the country, people should listen to Phil Gould because he’s right.
You have no idea how powerful and how well-resourced the Australian Football League is.
And until the administrators of the respective leagues trailing behind, strategize a counter attack, the other sports will continue to be miles behind the most professional and powerful sports organisation in this country.
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