Only 11,887 turned up to watch the GWS Giants on Saturday night. At home. For their venue’s first ever game. Against a high-drawing and in-form Victorian team in Essendon.
The figure, and the fact the 25,000-seat Skoda Stadium looked pretty empty on TV, should worry AFL House and motivate its detractors.
The real worry-slash-motivator would be that there definitely appears to be sub-10,000 crowds on the horizon.
If opening night can’t crack 12k, it’s destined to happen.
So what exactly do we make of all this? It’s a fairly rational assumption to say that it will take time to grow the Giants’ supporter base.
But these sort of crowds cannot be sustained at the AFL level, in the long-term and possibly in the medium-term, depending on the size of the next broadcast deal.
Almost 10,000 more spectators attended the Gold Coast Suns’ first home game at Metricon Stadium against Geelong last year. Their game against the Bombers this season, also a Saturday night game, brought in 17,069.
Clearly, there’s a gap in support between the two new teams.
That mightn’t be such a bad thing, remembering that Gold Coast has always been considered the market more “ready” for an AFL team.
When the AFL was pushing for a North Melbourne relocation, the thought of a team in western Sydney was farfetched. It was fast-tracked only once the Kangaroos rejected the AFL’s offer.
Still, it’s critical that the AFL get western Sydney right, so it’d be wrong to write off a disappointing start so easily.
The club’s name is one issue that needs to be thoroughly looked at.
Having moved to an area that is considered a rugby league heartland this year, I can attest that a great deal of people still refer to the club as “that new Sydney team”.
And why wouldn’t they?
“Greater Western Sydney” is a terrible mouthful. “GWS” just begs for a response like, “Where are they from?” or, “What does that stand for?”
Not only is it utterly awkward to say in public, who it’s supposed to represent is a bit of a mystery. Does anyone really identify themselves as living in Greater Western Sydney?
West Sydney would’ve done the trick, or even just Sydney. Greater Sydney? Perhaps.
The point is, two or three syllables is fine.
Five or six (not even including the nickname) is just absurd.
The AFL may be concerned with the number of “west” teams if such a change occurred. But maybe this is the perfect segue for the Western Bulldogs to become Footscray again. They’ve gone back to the hoops this year, so why not?
Another issue the Giants should seek to rectify is the use of four different home grounds.
Fair enough, they used Blacktown this year for one game while the finishing touches were being placed on Skoda Stadium, but even three is too many for a team still forming its identity.
The abundance of home grounds leads to confusion. It makes it hard for supporters to form routines, players to build that all-important fortress reputation and for some fans, it reduces the benefits of becoming a member.
Given it seems there’s only one opponent with the pulling power to fill Skoda Stadium – the Swans – why can’t all of the Giants’ Sydney games be played at the one venue?
Sure, “blockbuster” games should be played at the blockbuster venue. But why should the AFL kid themselves? Derbies aren’t going to draw majorly above Skoda’s capacity, and we all know the atmosphere of a full stadium beats a half-empty one.
A packed Skoda would serve as a better advertisement for the game than an ANZ crowd that can all too easily be portrayed as disappointing.
Of course, the biggest thing that could happen in terms of improving the Giants’ standing would be for them to start winning and winning often. And the club seem well on track to start doing that in two-to-three years’ time.
But a team that needs to win premierships just to survive simply isn’t a viable proposition.
The Giants need a more clear identity going forward.
If you want to know what an AFL expansion club with multiple identities looks like, look at Port Adelaide.
The game can’t make the same mistake in a non-football heartland.
Republican
Guest
Cat - why not Geelong? And yes I am suggesting that, why not since the AFL now is an org that promotes gambling to young people. Delusional - ah yes that has been suggested many times before, in fact when I first started Roaring about the AFL's clandestine plans to have a permanent presence in NZ and importantly, at the expedience of very worthy domestic markets, this was often a word used to deny me any sort of credibility in this respect - and so on it goes. I suggest that the realisation that this plan is now closer to fruition, calls for some humble pie on the part of those inherently virtueless bankers and promoters who like to keep a lid on it all by vilifying me as delusional when all I am doing is exposing their perpetual illusion of commercial farce. Ian, your call - I insist.
Ads
Guest
Mike, They don't need to because everybody knows they are the Giants with the G on the front of the jumper and in Canberra they also play with a silhoutte of the Canberra tower on the front of the jumper. Now if you have ever watched a Sydney game then look at the back of their jumper it says: SMFC i.e. South Melbourne Football Club. That is a recognition of the old club. Same with Brisbane Lions they have FFC – i.e. Fitzroy Football Club. This is the way the AFL recognise the parts of the whole entity. It's actually good marketing and recognition in my opinion.
Ads
Guest
Mike, I think the reason they have Canberra on the back of their jumper is to symbolise that not only are they the GWS Giants, but they are also representing Canberra. It's a tilt of their hat and a wink to say yes Canberra you are part of the Giants. Obviously everybody knows they are the Giants with the G on the front of the jumper and in Canberra they also play with a silhoutte of the Canberra tower on the front of the jumper. Now if you have ever watched a Sydney game then look at the back of their jumper it says: SMFC i.e. South Melbounre Football Club. That is a recognition of the old club. Same with Brisbane Lions they have FFFC - i.e. Fitzroy Football Club. This is the way the AFL recognise the parts of the whole entity.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
The Cattery, Not only that, but that all the different clubs have kept utterly silent about North Melbourne and WCE flouting it ! Alternatively, Republican is delusional. Your call.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
You're saying the AFL has advised clubs to go slow for the first half against GWS and then unleash in the second half?
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Why Geelong?
The Cattery
Roar Guru
In case you haven't noticed, the GWS logo is a Giant "G" in the shape of the state of NSW - there's a big one smack in the middle of the jumper. And I repeat: the ACT Government has a sponsorship deal to sell "Canberra".
The Cattery
Roar Guru
the AFL has done a pretty good job over the decades at sharing the wealth, not just between clubs, but right down to grassroots.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Sponsorship revenue would already be very close.
Republican
Guest
Maria I reckon there is an AFL brief for all clubs to go slow for the first half in respective games V GWS to create the illusion of hope. I note a pattern where the Giants appear competitive for the first and second quarters after which they are completely over run. This is very much integral to a contrived package in my opinion, while all elite sport is one big illusion truth be told.
Republican
Guest
I really don't believe they had Canberra on their back v the Cats at Kardinia Pk Mike but I didn't watch the game. The day may be closer than we would like to think, when Geelong sport 'Wellington' or NZ on the front and back of theirs.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Mike, No, I see your point, and its irrelevant. The team is the Greater Western Sydney Giants. Yup, its sponsored by the ACT government, and they play games at Manuka. Now, people inclined to have a whinge about GWS can have a whinge on this issue. But thats all it is - a whinge.
MIKE
Guest
You don't seem to get the point. They've got 'Canberra' on their back but nothing relating to western Sydney anywhere. To me that seems like very poor marketing.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Mike, Because you cant read a team name on a jumper unless you squint.
MIKE
Guest
You still haven't answered my question. Why don't they have 'greater', 'western' or 'Sydney' anywhere on their jumper.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Did they? I didn't notice that and it would surprise me if that was the case. My understanding was that it was only in Canberra they were going to wear the "Canberra" jumpers, but maybe I'm wrong there. If I am wrong, then the ACT Government's sponsorship deal represents even better value for money than I had first imagined.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Republican Ignorance is bliss.
MIKE
Guest
Cattery, They had 'Canberra' on their back at Geelong on the weekend and nothing else.
Republican
Guest
They are hoping for a sell out at the cake tin in Wellington! That equates to 36k. I find this very difficult to take seriusly, I mean not only is NZ a completely ignorant footy nation but one that holds much contempt for the code due to it's 'Australian' heritage. If they are fair dinkum in resepect of any the sell out gate you would have to imagine the break down would look something like this - 25k Vics heading across the ditch for a weekend of revelry, 5k expats living in the Welllington region and perhaps further afield while the remainder would potentially be made up of curious Kiwis with in AnzAc party mode. Yes CATTERY and while these undeserving Kiwis don't have to pay a brass razoo for such an auspicious event that Canberra has not eve been considered for, we in the nations capital continue to pay a motsa for these expedient scraps with clubs of the calibre of GWS and Melbourne! You along with may others represented here need to get their priorities in order.
Australian Rules
Guest
"You are all mystified why the AFL magic isn’t working. For you it is just a matter of getting the magic formula right and abracadabra Western Sydney belongs to the AFL." No-one is mystified about anything. In fact, EVERYBODY (with half a brain) knew W.Syd and Gold Coast would be very very difficult. The AFL is willing to put in the hard yards and be patient with its plan...it's one of the things that separates it from its competition. And btw, focussing on steady growth of membership + gates may seem to you like a "magic formula" but to Australian Football fans it's just common sense. If there's an example of a sport using "magic beans" to try and get results...look no further than the sports who hock their clubs to billionaires and rely on pokie revenue.