Ticket sales for ANZ Stadium’s cross-code finals bonanza slowed on Thursday, as the AFL aimed to draw a record crowd to Friday night’s preliminary final at the venue.
On Thursday night, the AFL said 57,000 tickets had been sold to the Swans’ clash with Collingwood.
An NRL spokesperson said the league had moved the exact same number to Saturday night’s grand-final playoff between Canterbury and South Sydney.
The biggest crowd for any AFL game outside of Victoria is 72,393, which attended the round 21 fixture between the Swans and Magpies in 2003.
“It is (a different venue when a big crowd turns up),” Swans coach John Longmire said on Thursday.
“It’s fantastic to be able to have that sort of crowd out there … it’s a great opportunity for the players to play in front of a big crowd.”
The updated figures show 3000 tickets were sold on Thursday to the AFL fixture – and only 6000 NRL tickets were moved on the same day.
Regardless, the two finals are set to be the western Sydney venue’s biggest weekend of sport since the 2000 Olympics.
The weekend’s combined attendance is set to comfortably outdo the most recent time the ground hosted back-to-back preliminary finals.
In 2006 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.
Anthony
Guest
The NRL now has its greatest fear..........the Swans in the GF. Next Saty will be a record for AFL on TV. Which probably means a record for any sport in Australia?
Brewski
Guest
@Celtic bandaid. I have no doubt that there are a few happy Swannies fans in Nepal. http://australianetwork.com/guide/schedule_nepalxxx.htm#AFTERNOON
Dingo
Guest
Ok, you've had your say, now take your medication and sit in the corner and rock yourself into a trance.
celtic bandaid
Guest
Play Rugby - See the World Play League - See Wigan Play AR-See Wagga Wagga Play Soccer- See the whole World think they're Matthew Mitcham Yep AFL is taking over the world. I'm sure there is a Swans supporter now in his glee in Nepal . In saying that I'm sure there is also a Nepalese St Johnstone supporter on the 7th day of his victory binge after beating Celtic last Saturday. If AFL has a relevant global presence RL must be bigger than Basketball which we know and accept that it doesn't. AFL is just some very well managed insular 19th century village game that matters to half of a country that is at the arse end of the world. Know one else cares
Punter
Guest
Hate is such a horrible word, to hate you have to care!!!!
Punter
Guest
Breezy, that may be the case, but it's 5 more than AFL. This is the issue with an int'l sport, we all just want to see the best. However, whenever the best do travel, the crowds come do come out to watch in all the countries, Australia included.
Phelpsy
Guest
How many turned up in the end ???
Ballymore
Guest
Not an AFL fan, so please forgive my ignorance. But what is ANZ stadum like for AFL? Do the fans have the same aversion to it as fans of rectangular codes do?
Breezy
Guest
Simple reason for the dislike Punter. It's jealousy. Fans of other codes hate the AFL for their take no prisoners attitude. Hate it, but deep down they admire it.
Breezy
Guest
Punter - that's because you struggle to pull in a big crowd regularly. Your game is played all over the world, but there are probably only half a dozen countries that manage decent crowds.
Punter
Guest
"Sydney is the center, and the protagonist of the code war, for one very simple reason, they do not match the passion of the general AFL fan, and have a chip on their shoulder." Why is then that when I talk to football fans done in Melbourne who care little for AFL, generally have a greater dislike for AFL than NRL. Yet the football fan in Sydney who also care little for NRL, generally also have a greater dislike for AFL than NRL. Protagonist maybe? Channel 7 mistreating football SEN no longer calling football games in AFL off season WC bid Need I go on? I think most can see who is the code war protagonist. BTW, very jealous of your crowds!!!!
Dingo
Guest
Definitely worth a trial in the pre-season comp, which is where the AFL usually implements any rule changes to see how they work. I would really like to see it in that comp and would be equally happy to see them get rid of the 9 point goal that they have used for a few years now. I doubt very much if it will ever become permanent though, one thing is for certain, Australian Football fans do like the history and traditions of our game and we are reluctant to change too much about it. Also by reducing the numbers of players on the ground it could open up another can of worms, such as constant end to end play much like basketball but on a much bigger scale. That might appeal to some people.
Punter
Guest
Breezy, of course, we crow about it, but we don't go about telling everyone we have the best game because we pulled a large crowd.
Punter
Guest
RC, don't you understand it's attendances & that is how we tell which the best sport, it's Friday night, difficult for interstate travellers, the cost is twice as much, why does AFL get such big crowds!!!
Breezy
Guest
Rough Conduct - you can think that if you want but you are only lying to yourself. Interesting that fans of RL, Union and soccer always say that the crowds don't matter, but as soon as they get a decent one, you can't stop them crowing about it.
Australian Rules
Guest
In theory you're right RC - international Tests *should* have more meaning behind them... But in this case, "meaning" might be literally in the eye of the beholder. The ratings for the Aus v Arg game were woeful and 22k is a very small crowd for a Test. Arguably, the Haw v Coll final (albeit just a provincial "folk" game) actaully *meant* more to the majority of people, given it drew a crowd of 90,000 and had over 1.5M viewers. Horses for courses.
Rough Conduct
Guest
Breezy, you honestly think that Rugby people gauge the legitimacy of their sport by crowd numbers? You obviously know nothing about the sport, test Rugby in front of 22 people let alone 22K is stll a more meaningful contest than the suburbs of Melbourne or the other contrived organisations battling it out in 'our' folk game, no matter the crowd.
Rough Conduct
Guest
"Two OF the biggest states", as in two of the three biggest (most populous) states, you know NSW and QLD? We all clear now?
Breezy
Guest
TC - I bet you're a Union fan then. I was in the Gold Coast last weekend, and the head of Rugby Union was practically begging people to turn up to see the Wallabies play Argentina. They ended up getting 22k, and this was after they hadn't had a test for about 4 years. RL might be king up north, but footy holds its own against all others.
Rough Conduct
Guest
TC, how's that plan going? Long term vision I suppose?