After beginning in Sydney last weekend with a single match, the 2012 AFL season continued this weekend with matches across Australia. The round was massive both through the gate and on the box, and with plenty of entertaining games on the field.
Footy fans embraced the game’s return with open arms.
No amount of footy is too much, and by Tuesday morning, I will have seen eight AFL matches, a Foxtel Cup match, as well as VFL, SANFL and WAFL matches for the weekend.
Others will write about the plays and matches, my focus will be on the administrative side of the sport itself. For those who like that sort of thing, there’s some particularly good results from the first round of the season.
Firstly, the weekend’s crowds were huge. Always considered a strong point of the AFL, round one 2012 saw 367,671 people through the gates. This is just 219 people shy of the all time record set in round 22, 1998.
It is an all time opening round attendance record, up 14.4 percent on the 2011 start. To put this in perspective, the average crowd is only up 1.75 percent on 2011, and down slightly on the record. In counter to that it should be noted that both Gold Coast and GWS had home matches, where last year GWS did not exist and Gold Coast had the bye – so an increase is kind of a surprise in that regard.
Theres always a lot of hope around a football club a this time of the year, and this can be an early driver for attendances. Not to mention the AFL scheduling a lot of blockbuster matches in the early rounds between the big Victorian clubs – this week Carlton v Richmond and Hawthorn v Collingwood. Next week Collingwood have Richmond, Hawthorn have Geelong and the following week Carlton have Collingwood.
Secondly, TV ratings continue to grow. Last season’s opening round attracted 3.167 million viewers in the five-city metro and Foxtel catchments, the corresponding 2012 round has pulled in an astounding 5.253 million viewers – up more than two million or a 65 percent increase in metro and Foxtel viewers. I believe this is an all time viewing record for any round of AFL football.
Thirdly, for those wondering how the Foxfooty channel is fairing, FoxFooty was the top rated subscription TV channel for the opening week of the AFL season.
The advent of live football is a watershed for the Australian football fan – particularly in Victoria and Western Australia where night football is usually delayed. Foxtel too is benefitting from having all matches on all the time, and Seven’s ratings don’t appear to have dropped as a result of the simulcast. This really does appear to be win-win for everyone.
Fourth, memberships are another widely acknowledged AFL strength, and last year’s record of 650,373 could well be under threat as 2012 memberships passed 626,000 based on official club information. It’s worth noting that Collingwood are believed to have more than 75,000 members at the moment, and we are working with an official figure of 53,000.
It is entirely possible that the record has already been passed. We won’t know for sure until the AFL does its audit. Still 626,000 memberships by round one isn’t too bad when you consider membership doesn’t close until June 30.
The AFL would have to be happy with that.
References:
Crowd figures are sourced from AFL.com.au and stats.rleague.com
TV ratings figures are sourced from mediaweek twitter and tvtonight.com.au
Foxfooty rating info sourced from throng.com.au
Membership figures are sourced from club websites.
81paling
Roar Rookie
There was over 38k at the first game for GWS, do you seriously expect to see average attendances anywhere near this figure week in week ever. If you think that this team will ever get average attendances of anywhere near 40k then you have seriously misjudged the market and to throw the resources at it that are currently being expended is just foolish. Why the VFL chose to put a team in Western Sydney where it will have so much competition simply demonstrates ignorance. They have now got themselves into an overly competative, extremely diverse market across a huge area of people who do not like to travel. Why they did not do their homework and realise that the Central Coast of NSW is crying out for something like this shows a simple lack of understanding of the market they are trying to enter. Soccer has clearly demonstrated this but, VFL just saw the market of 2 million people and charged in like a bull in a China shop. If the Mexicans had any brains they would have seen this market with just over a million people and no competition. They also might have seen that they could draw crowds from Newcastle and the North of Sydney (a crowd that has been proven to travel to Eastern Sydney to watch the Swans and Rugby Union). Anyway chief will enjoy watching you waste your ignorant millions when the reality is there could have been a very easy market of Troll's for the VFL that has been stupidly and arrogantly ignored in the true spirit of "The_Wookie".
The Cattery
Roar Guru
A troll calling the AFL the VFL - how original?!!
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Nathan didnt say any of that at all. For a start he didnt call it the VFL, and everyone in the AFL world knew that averages would drop with new teams in non heartland areas. Its called expansion. The AFL continually told people for years that its a 20 year plan, and people like you seem to believe that we had no idea what was coming and that the league would automatically get huge crowds and massive support. NO ONE expected that, and NO ONE has suggested it from league HQ. Troll elsewhere chief.
Norm
Guest
It appears 81p has missed the point entirely. I was replying to It's Called Aussie Rules rants. Nathan is not an NRL troll & I agree with him entirely. Didn't see the VFL mentioned at all - Only ICAR's attempt.
81paling
Roar Rookie
It appears that you missed the point Norm, what Nathan is saying is that VFL average attendances are down and they have added a club that will only drag that figure down. To read a bit further into that comment and what Nathan is warning of here is that an expansion side has been added but, rather than the usual fan fair and upward spike in ratings that one might expect from such activity, the sheer amount of resources that has been shoved the way of the expansion has in fact back fired and there is a drop in ratings. Well done Nathan of Perth you have added an insightful and intelligent comment to this forum, perhaps Norm one day you might be able to do the same.
Norm
Guest
Always amusing to see comments about ave attendance from NRL trolls. Last w/e only 2 NRL games got over 15,000. Apart from 25,000 at SFS all other Sydney games pathetic. Yes, 25,000 is really good for Sydney & well above average :-)
Nathan of Perth
Guest
The average attendance per game for the openeing round is actually the lowest in 15 years. <-- Yes, they added an expansion side that will be below the average. You should have some experience with this sort of a thing.
clipper
Guest
Nothing wrong with 20 teams - EPL does it, and the lower league have 24, but that would be the absolute maximum. Then you've got more interstate teams, and hopefully a new area. Good idea with North Melbourne, although a border regional team with southern NSW would consolidate that area.
Australian Rules
Guest
It's hilarious when people try to have a crack at AFL crowds... Feel free to refer to this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Australian_football_code_crowds - Last year the 17 AFL clubs made the top 21 clubs in Australia for average game attendances - AFL games constituted the top 20 biggest crowds for the regular season - AFL crowds constituted 37 of the top 40 biggest crowds for the regular season (and 54 of the top 60) They get the 3rd biggest crowd averages in the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports_attendance_figures For some more perspective, consider the following: If Collingwood (for eg) played in the EPL, they would average the second biggest crowds behind Manchester Utd. In Europe, they would be 6th, behind Dortmund, Barca, Man U, Real and Bayern... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Average_attendances_of_European_football_clubs
Redb
Roar Guru
Its called AR is a troll.
Veni, Vedi, Sherrin Calcitravi
Guest
Why the Victorian reference? To be honest the Rich v Carl and Haw v Coll crowds at 78,000 each was good but not excellent- the problem of having so many reserved seats is the gap in attendance when people have to miss a game and their prime seat is unavailable. I for one would happily nominate games I cant attend for my club to get more coin from my seat- after four years on the waiting list for my premium ticket I still shelled out the big bucks knowing there will be eight games I cannot attend. Despite the likelihood of mates using my seat while I cant, its a ridiculous situation at premium games to see spare seats in the prime members areas.
Redb
Roar Guru
The only difference is the split round freeing up the Sydney debry as a stand alone game. I'd expect the AFL will come back to a 4M average, with some weeks up around 4.5M. That is still way above the 3M and 3.5M of past years. The same 'double counting' would occur in most comps were fans watch multiple games. All comps stagger their games that is nothing new. The live games and better spread is the real bonus. Ch 7 and Foxtel simulcast games are not double counting. Also two games did clash on Sat night. Freo v Geel, Ess v Nth. It would be fair to see that very few would watch all 9 games and in a silding scale down to those who would only watch their team.
Veni, Vedi, Sherrin Calcitravi
Guest
Now thats a good point. In the next ten years if the AFL could successfully complete St Kilda's attempt at a Geelong model down at Seaford, get North Melbourne established as a regional team by increasingly getting them to play games at Ballarat (sorry Kangas supporters) and consolidate GWS and GCS, that would be enough work. Then switch up to 20 and beyond after that. I could see us in 30 years having a competition of 24 teams having grown at a steady rate to keep the quality we have now without the competition becoming either unfair or chaotic. No lost teams Melbourne traditions maintained as a 'heartland' but not as over-represented as now. International feeders are fine, but no reason to base clubs o/s until we have tapped the strength of our own continent fully and made the competition truly national.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Excellent TV ratings. To put it in perspective though, we had 9 live games on Foxtel this season kick off compared to 4 last year. Also the games were played over 2 weeks, so there was no clashes and you could have watched all 9 games if you wanted to and I suspect most of the fans did - so there is a hell of a lot of double counting. But well done to the AFL and their expansion plans.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Fantastic result for which all Victorians can be proud, but it doesn't alter the fact that its the lowest in 15 years,
The Cattery
Roar Guru
To sustain a 40k average on the opening round, with both of the new teams having home games is an extraordinary result - don't kid yourself.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
20 teams is a good, level number, I wouldn't want to see it go beyond that. I like my American sports but 30-32 team leagues are absolutely farcical for fairness. Development past there would have to focus on women's footy and professionalising the state leagues. WA certainly could handle a 3rd team. Eagles and Dockers generate $90m pa of revenue with no pokies, no leagues clubs, no dodgy property deals, no private owner largesse. Within Western Australia no other teams come even close to matching their brand, presence, supporter numbers or community goodwill. Question is where would you base them. With West Coast covering the general angle and Freo having the centre, the big options seem like Joondalup in the northern extremity of the city or Peel/Mandurah in the southern extremity. Both have their drawbacks, especially if you still plan to use Subi/StadiumWA as a central stadium. Potentially you could bring Rushton Park (beautiful home of the Peel Thunder, poor benighted souls) to AFL level which would let you tap into Rockingham/Kwinana, Mandurah, Success, Bunbury and chunks of the south-west. Potentially you could also pull a Port Adelaide and try and generate an AFL structure atop an existing WAFL team, bring up something like the West Perth Falcons or Subiaco or Claremont.
Redb
Roar Guru
Massive ratings in anyones book.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Great to see the footy back and not the hype, but let's put things into perspective. Its also a record amount of money sunk into an AFL competition, by a long long way. You can't keep spending like that before the TV money runs out. We have 2 extra teams and an extra game that contibuted 40K to the total. The average attendance per game for the openeing round is actually the lowest in 15 years.
mick h
Guest
the nrl will get more as the wookie said rep fixtures and toyota cup and the fact that mnf continues to be a ratings winner for fox sports. it will be interesting to see how the gws game goes at blacktown up against the penrith vs wests tigers at penrith on the 15 april.