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With the AFL and pretty much every other league ending for the year, it’s time to turn the attention to the reporting season.
First cab off the rank is the AFL and its affiliated league releasing its participation data for 2012.
Total participation is up 6.81% compared to 2011, with 844,000 participants, and was the largest percentage increase since 2008.
On a state by state basis, the non-traditional states fared well with Queensland up 10% to 137,989, while New South Wales and the ACT are up 8.64% to 148,230. The Northern Territory recorded the highest state participation rate increase up 29% to 27,254 – 12% of the Territory’s population.
Only South Australia reported a drop, down 2.06%.
Auskick participation is up 9.44% to 182,000.
Female participation is up 43% – easily the highest growth sector for Australian football. Victoria alone accounts for 4,000 girls in Auskick, and 9,000 females registered as players with clubs.
AFL9’s, Australian football’s most recent incarnation, a 9-a-side game for both males and females, continues to grow its numbers with a massive 167% increase in participation numbers and now has over 12,350 registered participants.
International participation is also up 10% to 110,292.
In the AFLs newest target area, it’s reported that 36,000 juniors across 14 local government areas participated in Australian football, up 27% on last year.
Its important to note that to be counted as a participant by the AFL you must either be a registered player or complete a minimum six-week Auskick program.
“What we classify as a participant is a no-less-than-six-weeks paying customer. So they’re through our Auskick programs, through our clubs and our community programs,” said Dean Connors AFL NSW/ACT manager for Western Sydne.
Further details are not likely to be revealed until the 2012 AFL annual report is released in March next year.
Sources:
■October 16th, 2012 – “Participation numbers boom” – AFL.com.au
■October 16th, 2012 – “Female footballers on the rise” – AFL.com.au
■October 16th, 2012 – “Giant leap for participation” – gwsgiants.com.au
■October 16th, 2012 – “Record 29% increase in participation” – AFLnt.com.au
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