Its always a big occasion when a city the size of greater Sydney with a population of over five million introduces a new professional sporting team, even if the professional sport is a little bit foreign to most Sydneysiders.
The AFL is famous for their enthusiastic drive out of Victoria to grow the game and convert as many Australians as they can.
This is evidenced by the AFL’s growing presence in Sydney media, exemplified by Sydney newspapers running yet more stories about the “cross-town rivalry” between the Swans and the Giant, how the Swans were going to “teach the Giants a lesson”, and they “couldn’t wait till the big game”.
AFL management has always had a very positive attitude to any of their ventures, and with record income behind them they were very confident of making the Swans and the Giants a roaring success in Sydney.
However, some of the AFL administration are showing some concern about the Giants progress and their first baby steps into the Sydney sporting market.
Just three weeks before the AFL NAB pre-season comp kicks off, the Giants have signed up just a touch over 4000 members, which is well below their 17,000 membership target.
It’s also estimated that nearly half of those members don’t actually live in Sydney, but in places like Queanbeyan, Canberra and even Melbourne, so that’s only about 2000 Sydney folk who have signed with the Giants.
That’s also because in 2012 the Giants will spread their home games between four different venues – ANZ Stadium, Blacktown Olympic Park, Skoda Stadium and Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
“Greater Western Sydney” is taking on an increasingly large area, especially since the many “new AFL fans” of Blacktown failed to materialise.
The AFL prides itself on memberships and that’s money in the bank to them. They even sell three game packages as “memberships” to boost their numbers, so such a low number of members who actually live in Sydney is of concern to them.
The Giants figures don’t look too good either, when you compare them to the three rugby league teams in their area. In 2011 the Parramatta Eels had 11,339 members, Wests Tigers 9,286 and the Penrith Panthers 8,421. Even Sydney FC has a little under 10,000 members this year.
The AFL has a longer tradition of club membership than the A-League or the NRL, who have only recently started to expand their numbers.
Last year’s debutants the Suns had 14,000 members going into the comp, and the Gold Coast has a population ten times smaller than Sydney’s.
It’s not just the NRL and the FFA who are feeling the Giants’ aggressive push, cross-town rivals the Sydney Swans are also suffering.
Following a 30 percent drop in attendances and ratings for Swans home games last season, Sydney memberships are also way down on target compared to last year and might fall below 20,000 for the first time in years.
But GWS Giants boss David Matthews says he’s not targeting Swans fans or members. He is not low on confidence either. “I think the arrival of the Giants is advantageous to both teams and it’s a one plus one equals three situation where the game grows,” he says.
Israel Folau just isn’t having the star attraction impact that the AFL hoped for. He hasn’t been able to convert many NRL or other sports followers outside of the Minto islander community where he grew up.
The AFL even held this year’s AFL Draft in Sydney’s western suburbs and officially declared that “GWS conquered the national AFL draft”.
But judging by Sydney’s reaction to, or lack of reaction to, the draft and the Giants in general these past few weeks, it appears that the AFL’s 18th club has a long way to go to win the hearts and minds of those in Sydney’s football and rugby league heartland.
Kevin Sheedy and the Giants officials – and even the club’s new recruits – are still all spruiking the same confident message about AFL.
They know it’s going to be tough, but if the game wants to prosper further than Victoria, then Western Sydney is where the game must be won. Their optimism is backed by the fact that the AFL has the money to make sure that the Giants don’t fold any time soon.
As the song says, it’s a long way to the top, if you want to rock and roll, especially in Sydney.
Trust Me
Roar Rookie
I don't despise AFL or any other sport, just on the lookout for more AFL hype. You are branding me an AFL-hater and non-Australian for not agreeing with everything you guys post. You are the ones that are doing the hating.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
No - that was 7,000 twitter followers.
Phelpsy
Guest
I read somewhere on The Roar that it was now 7000????
Fitzy
Guest
Dont people have a choice? So what if kids pick up a sherrin rather than a RL ball, why does that bother you, kids will still play the traditional sports. Just maybe we will get kids off the lounge playing playstation or xbox. No one is forcing anyone! (and for a long time states OUTSIDE nsw have felt that if you get an NSW cap theres a baggy green cap to go along with it! Victoria has been in cricket finals for years and their players have been overlooked. Brad Hodge best batsman in Australia for years and couldn't get a gig)
Jaceman
Guest
There was a Jack playing u20s for the Bulldogs but he must have graduated by now...
piesman2011
Roar Rookie
Fitzy, ICF has an issue with checking facts. he prefers to make stuff up rather then doing any research. I haven't heard much from Brandon Jack lately he would be about 18 now. Have the Swans picked him up?
Tony
Guest
Australia's largest city with 5 mill people can support 2 AFL teams. GWS attendances & membership will rival NRL's within 2 years.
Tony
Guest
Smell the fear! JVGO proves that the AFL has already won his code war theory :-)
Phil
Guest
ItsCalledFootball, GWS has over 12,000 foundation members from last year and over 4,000 members for 2012. Go to their website and see for yourself.
Fitzy
Guest
Keiran Jacks youngest brother plays AR and is in line for Swans scholarship I hear, the middle bro plays RL havent read anything about them playing soccer?http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/lure-of-swans-too-great-for-jack-jnr/story-e6frexwr-1225828469134. Is that another misinformation?
Jaceman
Guest
This NRL friendly article written by someone in Northern Melbourne making judgements on western Sydney. eg "the NRL is in good hands: an AFL-style commission is on the horizon, membership is up 50 per cent in the past year (really in Mid December when Roar posts show individyual club NRL membership equal with GWS) , and the popularity of NRL and State of Origin football could result in the NRL securing its own $1 billion-plus TV deal?!! I could have written a better article and perhaps you too ICF because you seem to have access to NRL stats better than most..
Jaceman
Guest
Again ICF shows an unhelthily deep knowledge of AFL which he despises. His code runs 3rd or 4th in the country and despises the No1 code but not No 2. Verrry interesting...
Jaceman
Guest
AFL, Rugby Union , NRL and soccer require different body types. The Kangaroos play against 2 counties in the north of England and the 3rd rtaed sport in NZ (4m people) so how hard is it to win international games. The same argument could be made that NRL takes all the athletes away from Olympic sports )I keep on reading about it in NRL friendly articles - eg Idris)
Jaceman
Guest
Apparently Tiger knows Hunt and Folau personally - perhaps they wanted national exposure as well..
JVGO
Guest
What exactly are you talking about C? You're personal Quixotic campaign on behalf of the AFL? Everyone can see how absurd that is.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
JVGO I see it more as bringing the game back home. We're going back to where it all began.
JVGO
Guest
Explain to me logically Tony how, if AFL get even a 20% share of the Sydney sporting participation market they will have no effect on other sports who have international teams, both financially and in terms of player strength. The Australian Cricket team tomorrow has 1 Victorian and 6 or 7 NSW men. Victorians in the Kangaroos equal zero, Wallabies also zero, Socceroos ??? etc Seriously it is not that hard to figure. the fact that the AFL portray themselves as being in a battle with the NRL and are buying RL players is a clear indication that they are simply out to be number one and are not at all interested in being number 3 or 4 and would like a lot more than 20%. The fact is that they are not in a battle with RL but are out to reorder the traditional sporting landscape of NSW which will affect all the international sporting teams that NSW provides the backbone for. What you are admitting is that in the ranks of the AFL there is no athlete who might have been capable of winning Wimbledon. I guess after their international performance against pub level amateurs from Ireland this is actually believable.
woodsman
Guest
Sorry ICF, Football is not called AFL. Thats the name of the league not the sport.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Even blind Adolf could seee that was a joke - geez and TC tells me not to take it so seriously.
Lachlan
Roar Guru
The_Wookie you sumed it all up perfectly, good stuff. Keep up the good work. :)