Periodically we see some concern over the state of certain attendance figures in Australia’s various football codes, and it’s time some of these critics had a good look at the figures and their place in the big picture.
Here in Australia, we are blessed with four codes of football, two major and two minor players on the national stage and all drawing average crowds of over 10,000 to games. This is a situation not really replicated in too many countries around the world.
The problem for three of the codes is that they are going to be perennially compared to the biggest attendance driver of the four, and one has to ask: is that really a fair way to examine the crowd situation?
Today, I want to look at the four codes, and why attendances aren’t as dire in any of these codes as some might have us believe.
Australian rules football
So let’s get this out of the way. Australian football’s top league, the AFL, drew average crowds of 35,207 and total attendance of 7.23 million over the course of its 2017 season.
The AFL is the only professional Australian football competition in the world, and in 2017 benefited from strong attendances in Adelaide where it averaged 42,393, Perth where it averaged 34,563 and Melbourne where 4.4 million people attended football at an average of 42,911.
Even in Sydney, the Swans managed average attendances of 34,474.
The perception remains that the AFL is better viewed live than on TV due to the wide expanse covered by the gameplay and ticket prices for general admission have barely moved relative to the average wage since the 70s, while the AFL has been developing a membership program since 1984.
Stadium initiatives to drop food and drink prices at the MCG and Docklands, new stadiums and facilities at Adelaide Oval, SCG and Perth Stadium, free entry for children on Sundays and cheap entry for kids under 14 for every match anyway plus a healthy dose of good form from some of the bigger sides in the competition, and the attendances keep coming.
The AFL has benefited from a hugely profitable and popular era, without any of the off-field governance dramas being experienced by the NRL and FFA as they sought first to establish themselves, and then more recently to battle internal struggles over governance with clubs and unpopular moves with fans.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The AFL has also benefited from being massively covered by television and print media, as well as its own internal arms.
Rugby league
The National Rugby League, composed of teams from Australia and New Zealand, is the peak competition for rugby league in Australia, if not the world. In 2017, the competition averaged 15,704 through the gate across the season.
The other professional competition, Superleague, this season features teams from the United Kingdom and France and averaged 8,568. In addition, Australian rugby league features a highly attended State of Origin series, quite unmatched by anything else in the rugby league world.
The progress of professional rugby league was stymied somewhat by the Superleague shenanigans of the mid to late 90s, and the aftermath which saw a number of teams dropped or merged. NRL crowds hit their peak in 2014, but a combination of poor scheduling, outdated facilities, and poor weather have seen the league unable to deliver on its prediction that it would reach a 20,000 average in 2017.
For its part, the NRL has in recent times pushed memberships as an alternative and has set membership records year in year out a sign that program is working. The NRL also claims to have regained control of its scheduling from broadcasters, however some time slots – especially early Friday – remain very unpopular with attendees.
Clubs and stadiums are working together to deliver cheaper ticketing, including doubleheader events and reciprocating entry for members of competing teams, as well as reducing the price of food.
This may be having an effect since NRL crowds are experiencing a five year high over the first four rounds of the season in 2018, although this may in part be due to the Easter weekend being earlier than usual.
Over the next couple of years, a new stadium will open in Parramatta, the Sydney Football Stadium will be rebuilt and Stadium Australia will undergo refurbishment, with the not unreasonable hope that modern and shiny facilities will have a similar effect on attendance that was experienced by crowds at Adelaide Oval (opened in 2014) and currently being felt at Perth Stadium (opened in 2018).
Association football
The A-League, comprised of teams from Australia and New Zealand, is the peak competition for association football in Australia. In 2017, its attendances averaged 12,647 in 2017, which made it the 17th ranked association football league for crowds in the world.
It should be noted that while the attendance is lower, the leagues above are mostly in countries where association football enjoys top billing in the nations’ sporting conscience (exceptions being the USA and India).
The A-League was effectively a new competition born in 2005 after the disbanding of the National Soccer League and has had a number of issues with teams being dropped for financial reasons over the journey.
Attendance peaked in the 2007-2008 season, and fans in recent seasons have dropped off, citing issues such as stagnation over the season (the league has ten teams and plays 27 rounds) with no promotion or relegation as experienced in other leagues, poor scheduling, poor ticket pricing, poor crowd management, poor promotion, poor media coverage and New Zealand.
In addition, the governing body’s apparent war with active support groups over banners, flares and other activities is likely another factor, costing the A-League and association football in Australia the rich atmosphere typically experienced at similar leagues held around the world.
This may have affected crowds at Wanderers and Victory matches in particular.
For all this, there are positives with improving crowds in Newcastle and Adelaide.
Then there are stadium issues, particularly in Sydney, where the drop in crowds is being felt the most. Like the NRL, new stadiums in Western Sydney, the Sydney Football stadium and a refurbished ANZ Stadium could be pivotal in changing the fortunes of the A-League crowds in Sydney where the supporters have flatly refused to travel to Spotless Stadium in numbers, and Sydney FC have experienced a downturn at the SFS despite superb form.
If Brisbane’s proposed Ballymore development gets off the ground, and the new SA government delivers on its promise of a new stadium in Adelaide, we could see a huge uptick in attendance across the board in the new future.
The National teams have proven to remain popular, and the Matildas have made material gains in support over the last few years while visiting international sides have also experienced great attendances.
The fact remains that the A-League has been unable to capitalise on any of this due to timing and other factors.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
The A-League’s attendance problems may well all be linked back to the way the domestic competition is administered. FIFA, the FFA and various interested parties are working on this with a view that will hopefully lead to changes.
The FFA has somewhat controversially called for expansion, and a second tier competition has already been proposed by state-level clubs. We should start seeing some reform next year one way or the other, but I believe that 2020 might be the year the A-League really hits its straps again.
Rugby union
Super Rugby has morphed in a six-country tournament, featuring teams from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Argentina. In Australia for 2017, the then five Super Rugby sides averaged approximately 11,298 for the season (several games had no reported attendance).
This would put the Aussie contingent behind the average crowds for Top 14 (~13,798) in France and the Aviva Premiership (15,065) in the United Kingdom. The Australian team average is on par with the Currie Cup, South Africa’s domestic competition.
In 2017, the Australian rugby union announced that a team would be dropped from the Australian contingent, and later that year the Western Force were removed from the top flight rugby competition.
It hasn’t been all negative, with the Rebels recording their best home crowd figure – just over 16,000 – in their most recent home game.
Australian teams find themselves in a position where they spend far too much time overseas and not enough time in Australia, playing Australian sides, and this has to have an affect on the people who turn up.
I still believe Australia sacrificed a long term future for short term gain when it joined in Super Rugby, and it may be a difficult road before we see any substantial improvement.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
So why the long face?
Fans and pundits need to essentially ignore the AFL’s attendance figures. It’s a statistical anomaly in Australian sport and it’s the product of 120 years of strong attendance, strong membership culture and in the last 40 years, strong promotion, extensive government support and funding.
And let’s face it, there has been excessive media coverage across many states, while maintaining almost every team since it was formed in 1897 (University left of its own volition after World War One due to wartime losses, and Fitzroy was merged with Brisbane in effectively name only, the team continues in the VAFA) and having had a distinct lack of fighting between the Commission and its clubs since being formed in 1993.
All of the positives and almost none of the negatives.
We also need to acknowledge that we have four professional codes of football in Australia in a relatively small population, with the NRL and Super Rugby sides largely confined to the East Coast.
Rugby union battles for acknowledgement in the Australian winter against the all pervasive NRL and AFL, while in the spring and summer, the A-League has run headlong into the cricket, particularly the expanding Big Bash, and ends its season at the start of the AFL/NRL ones.
In context, NRL crowds are likely fine, and best in the world for rugby league. For the A-League, up against the behemoth that is cricket in the summer and finishing against a heavy starting AFL and NRL, a 12,000 average is probably not as far off being acceptable as some would have you believe.
Australian Super Rugby, faced with minimal matches against other Australian sides, and up against the NRL/AFL combination is also probably drawing crowds of a reasonable expectation when you consider all the factors involved.
Can things be better? Sure. Theres always room for improvement, and the AFL, NRL, ARU and FFA should never stop trying to be better. And perhaps stadiums should be a little more apropriately sized.
But there’s no need for the hyperbole around crowds either.
Eric
Guest
Poor old Mungoball fans.. such passionate sporting fans
Brian West
Guest
Stadiums benefited Perth and Adelaide because there was a DEMAND for a BIGGER and BETTER city stadiums. In Sydney the only reasonable conclusion is that there is a demand for SMALLER stadiums. The Superleague - please stop with that nonsense. Why not mention AFL's failure to install a team in Canberra and Tasmania. Or rugby's over ambitious expansion or FFAs inhouse fighting. You failed to mention the most important football development in decades - the AFLW. The AFLW is responsible and will continue to be responsible for some time to drive tremendous growth in Australian Football in Australia and around the world.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Still nothing on theRoar yet about the announcement last night/this morning re Vic Govt and AFL.
clipper
Guest
Hi The Joy of X, I wasn't specifically targeting Football clubs, but many sports like Swimming, Athletics, Tennis etc count visits to the centre, so if a parent visits the centre, they are counted as a user of that facility, or a one off visit is counted as a user of the facility - therefore when reporting to council there are many more users of that facility than actual participants. Not saying all places do it, but it is becoming increasingly common.
Perry Bridge
Guest
And of course Richmond, 90,000 members of club with an American lady as president. btw - good news today the announcement re some Vic State Govt funds finally towards the AFL after how many years!!!
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Cat That (weekdays) is a valid point for sure - similar issue to cricket - has baseball tried pink balls?
Aligee
Guest
New arrivals have always taken to our game, i probably could find many more examples but i just recently stumbled on the fact that both the first North Melbourne and Collingwood Presidents were both born in London, with North ( the club) being much older of course. Collingwoods current President parents were born in Scotland and so it goes on and on .......
Aligee
Guest
The FFA may have more participants noted down playing soccer in WA than playing football, but the annual reports from FOOTball west ( soccer ) and WA football commission from 2016 and 2017 have at club level football ( AF) quite a way ahead. Club level is IMO the real barometer, even in places in Perth where the UK % of the population through some suburbs gets up to 50% ( Northern Beach Suburbs) the game of Australian Football still has very big junior and senior clubs and would still by a fair margin be the most popular game. But this is not something new, immigration to Australia for the last 100 years has seen people take in ever increasing numbers to the indigenous game, it is a false flag by soccer people to claim that immigration will eventually be the demise of the indigenous game, in fact it has actually been the opposite. At junior football matches in the Northern suburbs of Perth you will hear plenty of British, Irish South African and for those with attuned hearing Kiwi accents.
Cat
Roar Guru
The other advantage football codes have is nearly ever6 game is on weekends or holidays. Baseball gets played every day of the week and often during work hours
The Joy Of X
Guest
@ Perry Bridge 12.4 -10.53 am and 1.38 pm Your comment "I'm calling it pretty close with the AFL a nose in front" is certainly arguable on the AFL's and FFA's Official Participant Reports for 2017. "DEMS FIGHTING WORDS. DUELING PISTOLS AT NOON". As you say, the FFA has included Coaches and Referees in their 2017 Official figure of 1,631,041. The AFL, thus, is entitled to add 48,745 to their Official figure of 1,547,915 :total 1,596,660. I also agree with your comments (re the big difference in the FFA Official 2016 and 2017 Reports) . "The 'Community Tournaments, Programs, and Events' number has ballooned from 157,284 to 461,844. That seems incredibly rubbery". This figure does not include lengthy Club and school soccer competitions -what exactly is it? . "social has almost doubled to 80,196. You don't think that most of them are playing regular season?" We don't know -their only soccer experience might be in a casual/short term event. . "the AFL reports (footnote to the highlighted, separate 1,547,915: an additional) 2.16 million in community "promotional" experiences. I assume to be one-off events/clinics at schools, AusKick etc...How blurred is the line between these and what the FFA has used to grow their Community Tournament, Programs, and Events". Again, we don't know. There should be much stricter, legal requirements for sports' Organizations to provide Definitions of their various activities -so "participants" can clearly be delineated as participating in lengthy Club/school competitions; and other types of involvement. As many private schools ban their Australian Football players also playing Club (fear of injury etc), and many private and state players find it too strenuous to play 2 Australian Football matches each week, I suspect there would be less double counting of these school and Club junior players. Soccer is far less prone to injury/ less strenuous than Australian Football, League and Union. Thus, I suspect, a higher percentage of junior soccer players would be willing to play 2 games each week -for school and Club, and are therefore more likely to be double counted in FFA Official registered numbers (even triple counted if they also play futsal, elite programs, summer soccer etc). Does anyone know if the FFA Official Report 2017 Participation Numbers can still be found on any FFA website; and what happened to it, if it was taken off?
clipper
Guest
It's hard enough getting regular ratings without going into the minefield that is regionals with overlaps, Tasmania etc. Doubt it would've done that much to push the matches into the top 20. The AFL figures also suffered as they screened on 7mate, not the main channel, hence not being higher up.
Kris
Guest
My point is that what you or I or anyone else care about doesn't matter. Our discussions of this type mean nothing to the leagues. They can report whatever they want to the public and we can be upset as we like. They have no duty to us at all, let alone reporting the truth. On the other hand if they start making decisions in house on dodgy numbers it could really result in some horrible decisions that do impact fans down the track.
Aligee
Guest
For example - Sydney juniors claim 10,000 juniors across the 2 districts ( Swans and GWS zone) in the comps, but dont claim the club auskick component that much of the time plays intraclub like minroos, Auskick usually comprises such is the pyramid effect of most sports around 40% of all clubs registration
The Joy Of X
Guest
@ Clipper 12.4 -11.32 am Your comment, re sport Organization Official Participant numbers " A lot of Clubs count visits by parents". Please explain what you mean by this.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Cat Yes - however - 10 teams across lets use 6 mill equals 600,000 per team. In NYC along it's about 4.5 mill per team. 81 home games into 4.5 mill (i.e. per each of the 2 NYC teams) equals 55,555 per game should every individual want to go to one game and one game only. If we run 17 games into our 600,000 and we get 35,294.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#The Joy of X The irony of being #1 is that you become the 'hunted'. I suspect that soccer folk are actively 'hunting' the AFL. As are or have been the NRL and their supporters (inc media via Daily Telegraph, or Roy Masters or others). So - false and misleading reporting. It's nothing new. You only need a lie or perhaps just a 'misinterpretation' to be reported once and even if disproved - it allows others to reference it with the phrase "It's been reported that....." and present that as a factual assertion. So - you only need one media numbskull to have no idea how to interpret survey stats (whether OzTam TV ratings or ASC SportsPlay numbers) and their misrepresentation becomes a reference able journalistic 'fact'. We've certainly seen FFA, in print, in their own annual reports - proclaim themselves number 1 based on what they call 'official' numbers derived from the AusPlay survey. That is clearly odd. Perhaps there is a subculture of millions involved in unaffiliated leagues/clubs......but the FFA's owned assertions suggest that's not the case. One of the last to come on line is a league in Sth Aust - perhaps that explains the leap from 2155 clubs to 2277? There have been some in the media who seem to blindly accept anything that is presented them. There are others clearly with an agenda. We do know though - unlike the media - that when it comes to the FFA that we aren't confused about agendas - - there's "self interest" and that's it so of course they will twist and manipulate and misrepresent if they feel they can get away with it. What is so odd though is the blind acceptance by a poster such as #Nemesis. His arguments contradict themselves. The other irony is that for so long people asserted that the AFL must be combining Auskick into their registered participants and the proof now that the FFA is including MiniRoos into their 'outdoor competition' stats while the AFL includes Auskick under 'programs' is somewhat instructive on this issue. And that's where it's important to try to break down and get apples with apples. Anyway - so apples with apples on 2017 Annual review/reports: Outdoor clubs: FFA 2,277 AFL 2,913 Outdoor teams: FFA ? AFL 15,431 Outdoor leagues: FFA ? AFL 237 Outdoor intro/mod jnrs: FFA (MiniRoos) 223,128 AFL (Auskick) 200,138 Outdoor club Youth/Snr: FFA 297,325 AFL 336,113 That's ignoring the schools, and one off tourneys and programs etc. To me - at this point in the process - I'm calling it pretty close with the AFL a nose in front. However - that nose might be kids doing auskick and playing junior footy at the same time (but in reality - most people in junior club land pull their kids out of auskick pretty quickly - very few in my experience doubled up - more's the shame as it would be beneficial to.)
HarryHP
Guest
Based on admittedly early data, they haven't gone past 55k yet and this includes the first ever AFL game played there. And yet - there is still a waiting list for WCE membership ('In the Wings'). I believe it was built to be easily expandable to 70k so once WCE and Freo and continually start turning people away at the gate they can go to 70k. But I get the feeling it will be similar scenario the Crows and Power at Adelaide Oval. WCE will sell out a few times and come close to others, and Freo will be a bit behind.
Cat
Roar Guru
You are still not drawing from the same people. People who are Bulldogs fans by and large only go to bulldogs games. Collingwood people go to Collingwood games etc. In NY Mets fans do NOT go to Yankee games and vice versa. There simply isn't 162 games for a Mets or Yankees fan. There is 81. For a Bulldogs fan they may go to all 17 Victorian games but very few would go to any of the other 142 games. Also NYC isn't Tampa Bay. NY teams even when they suck don't dip down to 1k crowds, which is where this whole convo started.
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Aligee re your ponderings. The reality of Melbourne football evolution was that it was 'free' to evolve. Initially it wasn't based on a particular school game nor hamstrung by competitive schools and old boys networks and other 'institutionalised' biases. The Melbourne game evolved to suit the wants of two main groups - the players and the spectators. And it evolved for the first 20 odd years without significant competition and as the universal football code in those areas. In England - the only way to replicate would be if the FA had succeeded in the one code for all - but they didn't. The FA game in the 1860s was struggling, the Rugby style advocates created the RFU in direct competition - and re the institutions and schools - well, Etonians still wouldn't lower themselves to play a rough-house handling game and all the notions of 'true football' evolved and these concepts were then shipped to Australia where 'code wars' was a migratory gift to Sydney and Brisbane in particular. It wasn't just the game - it was the setting. And the timing. 25 years later in Melbourne and the people arriving off the ships would have dictated that Melb would be a Rugby and Soccer outpost or whatever it was that the English new arrivals were bringing with them (as per cricket,hockey etc).
RandyM
Guest
Did they count regionals? doubtful