The AFL has retained its standing as the fourth-best attended sporting competition in the world, despite the addition in recent years of two expansion teams in states which historically favour the rugby codes.
The average attendance for AFL home and away matches in 2014 was 32,436 – a figure bolstered by the huge crowds drawn to the refurbished Adelaide Oval to watch the Power and the Crows.
The two Adelaide sides and three of Melbourne’s most popular clubs – Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond – all attracted an average of more than 43,000 fans to their home games in 2014.
Ten of the 18 AFL clubs pulled bigger home crowds than NRL pacesetters Brisbane, whose average attendance at Suncorp Stadium was 33,354 last year.
In a global sense, the National Football League in the US remained far and away the pacesetter for crowds, with an average of 68,776 supporters on hand for every match of the home and away season, according to figures published by ICYMI Sports.
Soccer claimed the next two spots on the table.
The Bundesliga was second with 43,500 and the English Premier League was third with 36,695.
The NFL and the Bundesliga operate predominantly on the one-team, one-town model.
In contrast, six of the 20 EPL teams in the 2013-14 were based in London, while half of the AFL’s 18 clubs are in Melbourne, with Geelong also just an hour away down the Princes Highway.
Expansion clubs Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney drew the smallest home crowds in the AFL last year.
Most attended sporting competitions:
1. NFL
68,776 in 2014-15
68,401 in 2013-14
2. Bundesliga
43,500 in 2103-14
41,914 in 2012-13
3. English Premier League
36,695 in 2013-14
35,931 in 2012-13
4. AFL
32,436 in 2014
32,163 in 2013
5. Major League Baseball
30,436 in 2014
30,514 in 2013
albatross
Roar Pro
Is the strength of the Friday night crowd you mentioned in any way due to the fact that the game is an event and part of the city's cultural thingy (not quite sure of the right word to use there)?
alicesprings
Guest
Well noted the the NT isn't a southern state! Also just for the record the NT is even more passionate about AFL than Victoria…so we might take that present back! Highest per capital rate of of participation in the country. In Alice Springs population bugger all...we have 4 divisions of seniors and 2 divisions of U18. Unfortunately we are in the same boat as Tassie, passionate about aussie rules and heaps of talent, but just don't have the population to justify it at the moment!
Bruce
Guest
Exactly AR.......once you've spoken its all over. No more comment allowed, end of story, game over, fat lady singing.....lol......lol. Look over the parapet you poor bugger - there's a whole new world out there and comment is for free.
cm
Guest
(And manipulation of the draw)
Bondy
Guest
It doesn't matter what sports tab one attends people argue regardless , as the great Detective Harry Hoo from Get Smart would say mazing .
bryan
Guest
Lazza,where are these "Southern States"? WA occupies the whole western third of Oz,so the Northernmost parts of that State are nearly as far North as those of QLD,& the Northern border of SA is somewhat to the North of that of NSW. That really just leaves NT,where they play both Aussie Rules & Rugby League, & QLD,as "Northern States".(OK,NT isn't a State,but I'll give you that as a present) The only remainiing "Southern States" on the other hand,become VIC & TAS!!
cm
Guest
See the laughing faces ar? Relax. I've already made my point a few times. Apparently I should just accept that the figures just mean we are the bestest and not discuss what it is that actually means at all. But never mind. Go sports team!
AR
Guest
Yeah but... compared to the total attendees of NFL, as well as merchandise, and TV ratings, and TV revenue of College & High School Football...and..the AFL doesn't get nearly as much as those...um... ...what was my point again?
cm
Guest
it could be. and I happen to agree (or, at least, I did... rules committee has improved things a bit this year, but I still find it less enjoyable than I used to). however, I disagree that that there is something inherent about the game that creates these crowds. there isn't. it's a historical and cultural quirk.
cm
Guest
An AFL game goes for about an hour longer though conchie, how many minutes are you paying for? :lol: I just worked it out - that EPL cheapest season ticket is about 3 times as expensive per hour of football, based on the cheapest I could find (Collingwood) :lol: So more expensive, and more games, and smaller stadiums, more teams (even the fourth division gets on average 4 times more people to it than the VFL, if being generous to the VFL). Anyway - absolutely, it's remarkable that the AFL attendances are so high.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
I feel as though Lazza literally has nothing to do at all during the day. Except of course sit on the AFL threads or bring the AFL up on the football tab at every opportunity. By his summation the following: Any sport that achieves anything cannot achieve more than soccer. If they do it is easily explained away with a list of complete and utter rubbish (usually missing the main point of the article at hand) because soccer is number 1 in every country everywhere at all times, no exceptions. Didn't you hear, even though the MLB has the fifth highest average of attendance of Pro Sports Worldwide (where MLB clubs play 100 regular season games more than any football club on the planet) a recent survey says that the MLS is poised to slot in there instead (Caution Note: Lazza cannot and does not ever produce factual links to any statements on the Roar that he spruiks as truth). Fight the good fight Lazza!!
alicesprings
Guest
Haha..Classic. Theres a few on here that have some giant sized chips on their shoulder!
alicesprings
Guest
What?…You are hilarious mate! Get over it. How awesome is it that AFL draws such massive crowds(Includeing over 1million in NSW/QLD)! I want to hear you say it!
conchie
Roar Rookie
those factors are also in some cases un explainable, they just are what they are it might just be that it is a very good game to play and watch
conchie
Roar Rookie
Bwuce is upset about the riverina and the big bad AFL taking all the kiddies, aren't ya Bwuce ?.
conchie
Roar Rookie
he is a 'yeah but" sort of guy
conchie
Roar Rookie
now Lazza tells us that baseball will fall and obviously soccer will jump in its place ..... where is my rolls eyes emoticon get a life lazza, although fuss would be proud
conchie
Roar Rookie
Compare the amount of games played and get back to me, compare 38 games to 22 the EPL has all the same things as some AFL clubs, free coach travel for some clubs, under 16 free for some games, 100 pounds off for renewing membership etc etc etc, Hull charge 16 pounds per game, West Ham have days where they charge everyone under 16 1 pound etc etc i could go one etc etc etc The point is the AFL have the 4th highest attendances in the world, that is a great achievement for a indigenous Australian game it is obviously loved by millions of Australians.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
"Yet more people around the world would rather watch our little Soccer league than the 4th best attended sport in the world?" Interesting... "TV ratings and global reach are far more important than average crowds. That’s where most of the revenue comes from." Remind me again how much the ALeague TV rights are worth compared to the AFL's?
Lazza
Guest
Yet more people around the world would rather watch our little Soccer league than the 4th best attended sport in the world? The average age of MLB fans is rising every year and it's increasingly popular amongst the older generation of Americans only. A recent survey found that Soccer was just as popular as Baseball for the under 20's in the States.