There is one story in Adelaide that seems to be bigger than Ricky Henderson’s junk – the stadium deals between the SANFL and the two South Australian franchises.
There is an alleged ‘magic number’ that the teams have to hit in order to cover the cost of running AAMI stadium.
Looking around the internet I couldn’t find an actual number, but it’s reported to be around the 27-30,000 mark for Port Adelaide.
If they don’t make that number then the chequebook has to come out. After the GWS game and the reported official attendance of 25,122 the chat rooms went a bit tinfoil hat-crazy.
The SANFL had fudged the numbers in order to make money out of Port Adelaide. There were amusing calls for people hiring aeroplanes and taking aerial photos. Presumably so people could count the heads.
Port Adelaide has 40,000 members, but even if all members turned up the stadium still wouldn’t be full.
Partly because the membership numbers are supplemented by the AAMI stadium members and partly because dogs can’t go to the football.
As unbelievable as it may sound there are a couple of memberships held by our canine friends.
The question being asked is, if you add the membership numbers together and get decent walk up numbers then why can’t Football Park sell out for a showdown?
The simple answer is that society today has too many options when it comes to watching football. There has been an increase in the cost of parking, beer and pies.
If you choose to go to AAMI in your car and take a family prepare yourself to eat cheese and ham toasties for a week, or at least be comfortable with living with only one kidney.
The couch is comfortable and you can drink a beer, out of a glass, that you actually like. The pub is also a good option.
I accept those reasons for not going to the footy. As much as I would love to follow the Alberton Army, I can’t as shift work and rugby coaching get in the way.
But this weekend I have taken time off work and will be there. So why are the Adelaide supporters not going?
The overwhelming response coming from Crows fans is that they won’t be going to the showdown because they feel that as a Port home game, it isn’t their responsibility to attend.
I have no problem with the Crows fans, the Australian rivalry is tame compared to the ones I faced in the UK.
However the idea that Crows supporters won’t go to a Port-hosted showdown seems very bitter.
Listening to talkback radio I hoped that this ridiculously shallow reason for not attending a game was unsubstantiated. It seemed to be true though as fans called in and the overriding attitude was ‘why should we support a Port game?’
There is nothing better in sport than marching into an opposition stadium and drowning out the home fans. The Crows supporters have one chance to do this in really big numbers.
It is also an opportunity as a state to give a one-finger salute to the haters who live to the East. South Australian has a rich football history and yet we seem to be treated like a red-headed stepchild when it comes to decisions made in the corridors of Gringots – sorry I mean AFL – House.
The Crows have a motto plastered across their training facility; ‘The Team for All South Australians’ this is incorrect.
I know at least two Port Adelaide fans and the Crows are not for them.
Extremely pedantic semantics aside, the showdown is a ‘Game for All South Australians’ this is our chance to thumb our noses at our Victorian cousins.
The Melbournians love to laugh at our perceived quaint ways, an intrastate argument over filling a stadium just seems to be biting our noses off to spite an already battered and bruised face.
Hearing the barely concealed guffaws from across the border should be enough for all of us from Adelaide to gird our loins and fill Footy Park.
This is the only chance that fans of the Adelaide Football Club get to see their players run around in white shorts at an easily accessible location.
The 19th man of Adelaide Football Club seems to be sulking and refusing to play because the boy next door is having a birthday party in their back yard.
So come on you Crows, come out and play on Sunday and show the strength of South Australian footy. I’ll certainly repay the favour later in the year.
Sharon Newbound
Guest
Re Port Adelaide fans being 'feral' - yes, all clubs probably have them, however, the only people I have personally seen being evicted from a Showdown, have been Crows supporters. In fact, the only violence I have witnessed at a Showdown, indeed any game (and I have been going to the football for some 45 years) was when a female - I can't call her a lady - Crows supporter hit someone, twice. To see her she looked like the stereotype (note: I don't believe there is one, for either team) used for Crows supporters - the only thing she didn't have was the glass of chardonnay (maybe we should have checked her thermos!!). Considering her friend had, at one of the breaks, stood up, looked around and made a disparaging comment about "all the ferals", in some ways it was quite amusing to see them scrabbling to get their gear packed up, as security arrived to kick her out. As to her remarks about ferals, yes, we all have those supporters we wish were barracking for the other team, but as I looked around, all I could see around us were families with kids, groups of friends (from both teams), who were there just to support their team and enjoy the footy - and to my eyes, not a feral among them! Perhaps it is easy to become automatic with insults and preconceived ideas! I have heard them say they don't want to support us by paying for a ticket, but I also feel there may still be a bit of discomfort for a lot of them in sharing the oval with a large group of 'other team' supporters. I remember the first Showdown, and the look on faces of some of their supporters as they sat quietly, clapping at a goal, while we roared through the entire game, as we have always done. I guess if that's what makes us feral,l I can live with it! Go Port Adelaide!
nmj1654
Roar Rookie
Feral PA fans? A good friend of mine made a trip around Australia 2 years ago, and stopped over in Adelaide to watch his team, Essendon, take on the Crows. Seeing as his team led at a stage, a travelling partner of his had a urine-filled plastic beer cup thrown at him. Later, they saw their car had been broken into as they left the ground (Essendon bumper sticker, rookie mistake). No disrespect to the Crows fans who behave properly and enjoy the football, and I acknowledge the aforementioned feral Power supporters, but AAMI Stadium isn't labelled Moron Park without reason.
nmj1654
Roar Rookie
You can purchase a club membership for far less than $320 that will get you into most parts of the ground. In Melbourne you don't get any more games with a Victorian club membership than what you do with a Crows/Power membership. Perhaps Crows fans need to stop behaving in such a petulant manner and go to the football to watch their team play, not to engage in tit-for-tat rivalries.
Dave Webb
Roar Pro
I'm relatively new to SA. A lot of stems for PAFC winning a lot and then trying to back door into the AFL (allegedly)
Tom Dimanis
Roar Pro
It's interesting to read that the hate and resentment towards PA from non-Port south aussie football fans is so deep.
Dave Webb
Roar Pro
+1 The nonsense that Port fans are feral is a cover up for them not wanting to go and put money into the other club in SA.
margar
Guest
I go to every Port home game and the away showdown because it is how I support my club --- even if I am in the minority and get evil looks from those around me when I cheer a Port goal. No skin off my nose! As to 'feral' fans I must say that has not been too much of a problem. Every club has 'feral' fans. At the NAB Cup Port v Sydney game a Sydney supporter got evicted for abusing the crowd....there's one in every group! South Australians & crows fans need to grow up and accept that this town has 2 teams and that the Crows are NOT the team for all South Australians!
Dave Webb
Roar Pro
Stand by for the weight of numbers argument Cameron.
Cameron
Guest
There has been a recent study showing that there are actually more feral Crows fans than Port fans and more evictions at Crows home games than at Port home games.
Dave Webb
Roar Pro
I suppose it depends on your definition of feral. I have seen both Port and Crows fans that are feral. They are in the minority. Every club has feral fans.
Strummer Jones
Guest
Skip to 1 minute 50sec (1.50m) for the greatest ever footage of an animal at an Aussie Rules Game. Pure Gold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAOozFNXk0c
Strummer Jones
Guest
Feral doesn't actually mean to be violent per se. If you say you have never seen a feral Port Adelaide fan, then OK. I'm just reporting feedback from others that live in Adelaide.
Dave Webb
Roar Pro
The feral PA fans has never been seen by me and I sit around the cheer squad when I go. They are passionate and loud, but there has never been a skerrick of violence that I have witnessed. We have 2 showdowns left at AAMI. It's not a great place to watch football but it's all we've got until next year. It's just that 'the pride of South Australia' comes with many caveats. Surely a full stadium is good for the whole state. I'll be watching the game with baited breath. I hope Port's start of the season isn't a flash in the pan.
JBtoo
Guest
+1
JBtoo
Guest
But the really serious question arising from all this is... why can't dogs go to the football?
Strummer Jones
Guest
The word from the streets of Adelaide that I always hear is that there are too many feral PA supporters. All clubs have them of course, but I hear this consistently from my Adelaide friends (some Crows supporters, others supporting non-Adelaide teams). This appears to be at least one serious factor. The other comments made above on the subject appear valid as well. You pay $320 for 10 games and then have to dole out more dough for another game. The other comment that Footy Park is not a great stadium is another good point. Its location is miles (relative to Adelaide) out of the city, there are no pubs to go to afterwards except the shed thing and its a concrete jungle with no character. I don't agree with the parking as I always though it was in large supply there?? The move to Adelaide Oval will be sensational and if they can't get good crowds for PA games, then they do have to seriously consider whether Adelaide is big enough for two teams (or let Norwood/Sturt have a crack). Now having said all that Dave, my bet is they'll still get 40k+ this week, which is a good crowd. Finally, I caught up and watched the PA/GWS game last night. I am sorry to say this but Port Adelaide were absolutely woeful. The game itself was a horrible exhibition of Aussie Rules. Of course GWS weren't much better either, largely making the wrong disposal decisions, but I sat there last night thinking Adelaide are surely a good chance of beating PA by 10 goals + this weekend. Lets us see.
Franko
Guest
I don't really understand the obsession with development of these stadia. Are we too precious to stand on a hill to watch a game? Isn't that the attraction to playing at Adelaide Oval, the hill? Isn't that the best part of Friday night matches at the Parade? Suburban grounds were built for suburban people, McStadiums are built for corporate boxes (and the ability to slug a captive audience at the canteen with inferior, overpriced products) Power vs GWS at Alberton 2014 please.
Dave Webb
Roar Pro
Awesome news. There never seems to be a problem selling out your showdowns. Must be your decent stadium deal.
Dave Webb
Roar Pro
That seems like a strange reason not to go to our showdown. It's one game
Ash Lemson
Roar Rookie
These days Freo fans will full up the stadium, they have.60000 members