AFL? Struggling? Yep, the AFL is currently struggling too keep fans interested week in, week out.
I’ll couch this first by stating that I understand the AFL is unable to do anything about the outcome of games.
However, the obvious gulf in class between the top four or five teams and the bottom four or five has never been more evident.
The prime example of this was on Sunday when Sydney and West Coast, two legitimate premiership contenders, systematically annihilated their opponents Brisbane and Western Bulldogs respectively.
Sydney got going from the start, as a lacklustre Brisbane outfit that would have been more at home at a junior carnival than in top flight football.
The Eagles welcomed back Nic Natanui and Sharrod Wellingham (the latter out because of a freak trampoline accident) and celebrated by winning by 70 points.
These games only serve to damage the AFL for the future. Fans won’t bother turning up if they’re not going to be entertained, or their team has no chance of winning.
The Lions face West Coast this week, a game which they won with a minute to go last season to cause the upset. Somehow I don’t think that will happen this time.
AFL fans aren’t fickle. For the most part they will stick by their team. But the new fans are part of a generation which thrive on success and will not be so faithful when it doesn’t come.
The new teams of Gold Coast and GWS still struggle to fill stadiums, despite having the novelty of being the ‘new boys’ when playing at home. Fans don’t enjoy watching their team get roughed up week in week out.
It becomes less about giving them a chance and more about seeing some progress in their play and results. Patience is not a virtue that young AFL fans possess.
Brisbane’s crowds have been dwindling since their fluke 2010 season. The Dogs missed a premiership window around the same time and struggle to draw in the numbers.
GWS attracted just under 7000 to their game against the Gold Coast on ANZAC weekend in Canberra. Gold Coast struggle to fill the upgraded Carrara, and Melbourne haven’t seen a full house of Dees fans in a long time.
Kids aren’t pressuring their parents to go see these teams, and they’ll soon stop asking to watch the games on TV.
The AFL needs GWS, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Dogs to grow up quickly and become more competitive, or face losing a generation of fans that they will sorely miss.
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