@ Mary
The 2019 AFLW GF at Adelaide Oval had a non-international, female- stand-alone crowd of 53,004- a world record up to 2018.
The 2016 exhibition game AFLW game peaked at 1,000,000+ – also a record in Australia for a female stand-alone team game, for any sport.
The AFLW has had average crowds of about 6,200 since inception in 2017, 2018 and 2019. This is the second highest average in the world for a female, stand-alone non-international seasonal competition (WNBA is first).

Did you deem this things not worthy of mention?
They are even more of a “revolution” (using your word) when it is considered the AFLW only started in 2017, and the AFLW is responsible for a huge boom in female Australian Football registered participant numbers.

@ Bernie Vinson
Yes, some Brisbane GPS schools, prior to 2019, had some Australian Football teams, playing for a few years only.
In 2019, however, ALL the GPS schools introduced Australian Football, playing in their own GPS competition.

I actually underestimated the total AFLW payments, which will be spread amongst about 420 AFLW players from 2020, for an 8 week home and away season in 2020 (will expand later).

2020- $8,121,000
2021- $8,722,000
2022- $$10,098,000
There will be additional prize money for the Grand Finalists.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-28/aflw-players-agree-to-three-year-collective-bargaining-agreement/11646892

The AFLW will probably become an 18 team competition about 2025.

@ Shane
My comments are correct. NA and CA announced big pay rises for their players late in 2016- the AFLW started the first week of 2017 (Hence my words “Just before the AFLW started in early 2017”).
It was well known that the AFLW was starting; and numerous media reports said other codes were aware of the AFLW challenge for players, media publicity, sponsorship etc.
A 2016 exhibition game, Sunday afternoon, between the Western Bulldogs v. Melbourne OUTRATED an AFL Adelaide v. Essendon game on the preceding Saturday afternoon.
Another Saturday night 2016 exhibition game had a peak TV ratings over 1,000,000.

There was constant media coverage that the good ratings and crowds for female Australian Football would cause concerns for other female sports.
There is no doubt the creation of the AFLW caused a significant boost for elite female sport in Australia. The NRL decided to create its own, short 4 team competition. A coincidence?
Are you suggesting that the big pay rises, occuring almost concurrently with the promotion of elite female Australian Football, for netball, cricket, basketball and soccer were just a coincidence.

The AFLW in 2017 created semi-professional positions for about 240 players in 8 teams- for a 7 week Home and Away competition (plus a Grand Final only). AFL and Club wages were a total about $2,500,000+.
In 2020, there will be 14 teams- about 420 players- playing an 8 week Home and Away competition, with 3 Finals- total AFL and Club wages about $6,000,000+. AFL clubs also spent about many millions on exclusive, professional facilities for their female.
The AFLW is playing in front of great crowds (for women’s sport, average about 6200 per game). This is a big advantage for the AFLW.

Since 2017, female community Australian Football registered team numbers are showing considerable growth all over Australia.

@ Mary
and your comment “There have also been huge strides in relation to pay”.
It was remiss of you to provide the main reason this has happened- the creation, and huge popularity, of the AFLW.

Just before the AFLW started in February 2017, or just after, all these sports announced VERY significant increases for their elite female players:
.cricket
.netball
.soccer
.basketball

Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with this fact- and acknowledge its seminal importance for female sport in Australia.
How important do you think the spectacular impact of the AFLW was on these sports’ decisions to vastly increase their female remuneration?

Also, the 2019 AFLW Grand Final in Adelaide had an Australian stand alone record crowd of 53,004- until 2018, a world record crowd for a non-international, stand alone, female game.
It is disappointing you did not categorize this record crowd as one of your nominated “absolutely spectacular moments” for women’s sport.

@ Craigo

I note you have not responded to John O’Neill’s comments recognizing the recent growth of Australian Football in Sydney.
Until 1982, community Australian Football registered numbers there had a very small presence.
Now, however, it has a very good presence, and is growing strongly, re club and school (government and private, both primary and secondary) players.
eg Australian Football Junior Club teams in Sydney

Fixtures & Results

(then click on “Fixtures and Results”- this will show the names of all Community Club teams- and some schools- and all age groups, from 2012 – 2019 inclusive. These numbers do NOT include AusKick figures, which is for 5 y.o – 8 y.o.)
Team numbers have, approximately, tripled- including in western Sydney (where Australian Football had a very small presence until 2012).

Australian Football junior numbers are strong in Sydney’s North Shore and northern suburbs, ES, and inner west.
League senior community player numbers have almost collapsed in those areas (forcing the 80 year old+ Manly, and North Sydney, senior League competitions to be dismantled. The remaining 5 senior teams have had to join the Sydney Combined League Competition in 2019, playing in the far west etc.).
Australian Football registered junior numbers easily eclipse Junior League tackle numbers in those areas of Sydney.

Re government and private primary and secondary schools in Sydney since 2012, there has been a similar considerable rise in Australian Football school competition teams.
In Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Club, and government and private primary and secondary schools, Australian Football competition numbers are also strong.
(The last Brisbane Union “hold-out bastion”, the GPS, introduced Australian Football competitions in 2019).

Re Sydney’s west, many League experts have expressed their concern over the considerable decline in male League junior tackle numbers (which has forced the Western Suburbs District Junior competition to combine with the Canterbury Junior District from U14 upwards).

David Grant, when he was NRL Chairman, wanted to establish a $100 million Community League Fund to rescue community League, due to the decline in playing numbers. He was overridden by the NRL Clubs, who wanted these funds for themselves.
NRL Chairman P. Beattie said in 2018 that League had a “problem” with its declining male teenage player numbers.

In Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Cairns district, Australian Football registered numbers are about the same level as League tackle junior registered numbers.

Why is P. V’landys PUBLICLY saying (re soon expanding to Perth) NRL funds would be “wasted on rusted-on AFL areas”? VERY definitive comments, surely?

@ Craigo
and your comments
a. ” This so called record about 100 players in the AFL who were drafted from Qld and NSW is very poor”.
b. “I have no doubt Perth will get a (NRL) team”.

Both of your above comments are very dubious.

The AFL, with good reason, has expressed great satisfaction that about 100 current players, originally from Qld., NSW and ACT have been drafted into the AFL. This is a considerable increase, compared to 10 years ago.
Why do you say the 100 number “is very poor”?

The Draft numbers will almost certainly continue to increase. The growth of community Australian Football in Qld, NSW and ACT since 2011 has been extraordinary.
Also, the elite talent recruitment has undoubtedly been assisted by the creation of the Swans, GWS, Brisbane and Gold Coast Academies- and these are being expanded.

Many Union, League and soccer officials have publicly noted this considerable growth of Australian Football in areas once considered Union and League heartlands eg John O’Neil (former ARU and FFA chief) .

https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/rugby-s-struggle-for-relevance-and-unlikely-grassroots-revival-20180820-p4zyjm.html

How many tackle League male adult players were in Melbourne in 2019? And 1996?
And how many tackle League junior male players in Melbourne in 1996?

P. Beattie said, when he was ARL Chairman, re the need for the NRL to expand ” We must have expansion, or we die”.
Are you denying that P. V’landys’ comments’ ( re “waisted money on rusted-on AFL areas” last week) almost ensured there would be no Perth NRL team in the near future?

When do you think Perth will get its own NRL team?
(If NRL players can overcome the 5 hour flights x2, which V’lands stated is too tiring).

@ Craigo
and your comment that “So in other words NRL expansion is working well for the Rugby League”.

P. V’landys, the new ARL Chairman, apparently doesn’t agree with you.

Two weeks ago he virtually stated that the NRL would not be expanding to Perth, as it would be too expensive and “wasteful” to expand in an AFL heartland. He only wants another team (ie a 17 team NRL) in Brisbane.
Perhaps he was cognisant that Melbourne Storm has only ever had 3 Victorian- born recruits (all average players, and all of Islander background). This is despite Melbourne Storm being the most successful professional team (of any sport) in Australia since St George in its Premiership run in the 50’s-60’s.

He said he wants the NRL to focus on protecting its heartlands in Qld. and NSW- probably because community Australian Football is having strong growth in those areas.
There is now a new, record about 100 players in the AFL who were drafted from Qld. and NSW.

What would AFL State of Origin look like in 2018?

The AFL has said it is very pleased with this increase, and expects many more AFL players to be drafted from Qld. and NSW.

@ Tooly
and your comment ” Rugby will still thrive…).

There have been considerable long term declines in male tackle Union player numbers in Australia…and NZ. The current Union numbers are being “boosted” by non-contact versions of Union- which has major ramifications for the 15 -a-side game.
How will that be reversed, and when?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/117805707/new-zealand-rugby-reveal-radical-changes-at-school-and-club-level

If even in NZ male tackle Union numbers are experiencing considerable decline, are there valid reasons to believe Australia can recover?

How much a factor is that many Maori and Islander juniors are far heavier and stronger than others? And parents’ safety concerns?

@ Don

I note you have failed to address the main issue about me referring to Rita Panahi’s Herald Sun article (the biggest circulation newspaper in Australia). She also does other media work.

The main issue you ignored was Josh Bornstein’s view that I. Folau was very likely to win his case- because Federal anti-discrimination laws, on freedom of religion, overide “counter” employment and Code Of Conduct terms.

Maurice Blackburn is the leading Union law firm in Australia, yet the leftist Bornstein (to his credit) said, in his professional opinion, Folau would probably win his case!
We all know this issue is about the Cultural Wars.

@ Mango Jack

Josh Bornstein was one of the only (?) employment law experts who was willing to, publicly, express their expert and reasonably definitive views (and reputation!) on Folau’s chances of success in court.
The fact he is a Senior Partner in Maurice Blackburn, probably Australia’s biggest Left employment law firm, is telling- he is going against the usual Left narrative of their firm.

One can never be certain in a case of this type, however. Folau, therefore, was probably advised to accept the large multi-millions offer made to him by RA.

This is the full article from Rita Panahi, who excoriates RA- and it includes Josh Bornstein’s legal views on why the court would favour Folau on this matter the matter.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/rita-panahi/rita-panahi-time-for-rugby-heads-to-roll-over-folau-saga/news-story/0e805364a8c7d3fa0f26badc8fa091f0

@ Geoff Parkes

Your analysis is lacking in important facts.

Some employment law experts said, PUBLICLY, prior to the payout to Israel Folau being announced, that Folau had a strong case, and would probably win in court.
This is because Federal laws OVERIDE any private employment contract, or employer Code Of Conduct.
Federal anti-discrimination laws, which include freedom of religion/not to be discriminated against due to one’s religion, have priority over RA’s pro homosexuality policy.
(Different legal principles might apply if these religious freedoms are exercised whilst actually in the work place, and are causing undue disruption etc. to the workplace).

eg Josh Bornstein is a partner at Maurice Blackburn law firm, which is considered to be a Left firm, and does a considerable amount of work for Unions. It is, possibly, the biggest Left law firm in Australia (the ACTU has its HQ in Melbourne).
In June 2019 he publicly advised Folau’s case was strong, because Federal laws supersede RA’s Code Of Conduct and employment contracts etc. RA’s insurer, I assume, also knew they were probably going to lose if they went to court.

https://www.facebook.com/paulzanetticartoonist/posts/employment-lawyer-josh-bornstein-who-has-won-multiple-unfair-dismissal-cases-sta/2854266444614721/

In the Herald Sun on 5.12.19, commentator Rita Panahi (article “Rugby Heads Must Roll etc.” calling for Castle etc to resign from the RA Board) quoted Josh Bornstein, which he made after the payout. He reiterated that I. Folau would probably have won his case, for the same reasons he expressed in the above link.

You live in Melbourne. Why have you not included this crucial Herald Sun Bornstein link (I cant- it’s behind a paywall) in your article?
Can you include it in your response, specifically referring to Bornstein’s recent comments?
And RA’s folly?

Re Israel Folau again playing for the Wallabies, R. Castle did not categorically exclude this possibility, when she responded to this question “Never say, never”.
This is an humiliation for RA, after all it has been through in this saga. Do you agree?

Many political experts (including ALP figures K. Rudd, C. Bowen, T. Burke, T. Pilbersek etc.) have, after the 2019 Federal Election, when asked for the reasons why the ALP suffered one of the most surprising election defeats in Australian State or Federal history, “Many Christians feel uncomfortable with Labor”- or words to that effect.
Do you agree this is a possible explanation? And if so

. why do “Many Christians feel uncomfortable with Labor”.

. how likely is it that many private schools principals, managers, teachers and students’ parents have a similar view that RA is promoting values and lifestyles which are the antithesis of Christianity (and all other religions)?

@ Greg

You have not properly addressed the problem of diluting the standard of NRL games if it expands beyond 16 teams.

W. Bennett, M. Maguire, A. Johns. B. Fittler, P. Gallen and many other League experts have opposed expansion- since the lack of quality depth in League would cause an unacceptable drop in standard. They have said there has been a long term decline in community tackle League player numbers- and the NRL spending priority should be on expanding the grassroots.

Viewers, also, due to the drop in standard, would then spurn the NRL. This would have a negative effect on NRL ratings, crowds and revenues.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/117234678/rugby-league-test-coaches-wayne-bennett-and-michael-maguire-champion-grassroots-growth-over-nrl-expansion

Brisbane 2, however, should be introduced. It would certainly cause an increase in total, annual ratings and crowds.

The obvious solution would be to remain at 16 teams, introduce Brisbane 2 and merge 2 Sydney teams (or relocate one Sydney team to Brisbane- and encourage its old Sydney fans to buy a membership for when it plays in Sydney).

@jcmasher (interesting name)
and your comment “Wallabies will be better off without him under the new regime”.
I disagree (and not just because Folau is one of their best players).

The media reported recently that the I. Folau legal team had recently presented to the RA legal team pro Folau affidavits signed by many current Wallaby players (and these players were prepared to testify in court their opposition to RA’s decision to sack I. Folau).

Do you accept that many amateur and professional Union players (for religious reasons and/or Freedom Of Speech principles) and Union fans believe a person has the right to express their religious views (but not express violence, or threats of violence, to be taken against living persons)?
If so, this would represent considerable opposition to RA by these players and fans. Do you think this “smouldering” resentment is likely to hurt the game of Rugby Union?

95%+ of private schools are founded upon, and highly regard, Christian principles (particularly the New Testament of the Bible).
Do you think the game of Rugby Union (and their support for Union) is likely to be hurt if these schools consider (rightly or wrongly) that the RA administration is promulgating anti-Christian values? And RA is likely to discriminate against players expressing their Christian beliefs and values?

Melbourne Radio 693 commentator Neil Mitchell is saying the payout to I. Folau from RA was $8,000,000.

Other media commentators have said that Folau’s lawyers have recently presented to RA signed affidavits from many Wallaby players supporting Folau- and it was likely these players would be asked to give evidence in a trial on these affidavits.

It appears the Wallabies, and probably other Super Rugby players, are very divided on the sacking of Folau, and, perhaps, RA did not want these divisions to be publicly.
We know that many Christian players, and others, do not want players to lose their jobs, or be discriminated against, for expressing their religious views (which include anti-homosexuality).

@nemesis

You haven’t addressed most of the issues in my 2 posts on 27.11.

Also, in the Kayo link below, where Kayo gives detailed viewing figures, the A League is not even mentioned- this indicates that Kayo A League numbers are poor.
(1 AFL Kayo game had about 130,000 viewers, some are around 100,000- & and some NRL games have about 70,000. These are Kayo’s biggest sports, along with cricket).

When Kayo began its Summer Of Sport advertising, specifically mentioning numerous sports, the A League was again not mentioned. This also indicates A League numbers are poor.

AUSSIES CAN’T GET ENOUGH SPORT ON KAYO

Still no answer to my questions above.

In its recent, initial Summer season advertising campaign, the A League was not mentioned, but other summer sports were. This indicates the A League’s Kayo ratings are poor.

Again, in this detailed Kayo release, the A League is again not mentioned. This further indicates its figures are well below the sports that are mentioned
eg AFL (some games have 100,000 Kayo viewers, up to 130,000; some NRL Kayo games have up to 70,000 Kayo viewers).

AUSSIES CAN’T GET ENOUGH SPORT ON KAYO

@ nemesis

Of course I know that Kayo matches can be viewed on a TV.
I was referring, obviously, to watching on mobile devices away from home- hence my words “which also have small screens (but can be replayed at home)”.

Can you answer the other questions in my above post?

And this further observation.
Usually the ABC A League match has ratings double to triple the ratings of the same match showing on Foxtel. This indicates the ratio of ABC A League match ratings to the same Kayo A League match would be about the same ie Kayo is about half to a third of the ABC.
(Foxtel has about 6 times the number of subscribers to Kayo)

@ Fadida
Your comment “Using tv figures as a measure of interest is ludicrous” is incorrect.

We know the ABC A League broadcast on its main channel is averaging about 53,000 per match.
TV landline provides a better and more reliable, quality screen than Kayo etc. streaming- so why would anyone viewing at home prefer the unreliable Kayo etc. streamed match, compared to the FREE, better quality ABC broadcast? W must assume that the big majority of viewers would be watching the ABC broadcast.
This proves the landline TV viewing numbers are most indicative of the real interest in the A League.

No one suggest very large numbers stream matches on mobile devices- which also have small screens (but can be replayed at home, as can the ABC A league match on I View).

For the A League-commissioned survey showing matches streamed on Kayo and Telstra averaged 100,000-150,000 per match:

. which organization did the survey?

. details of its methodology/group size/how the group was selected etc?

. why does its numbers seem so high for A League matches, when compared to a few Australian team soccer matches- where streaming figures were made public-which had FAR lower streaming numbers?

Prior to Kayo being introduced, A League FTA and Foxtel viewing numbers were far lower, on average, than the A League-commissioned Kayo Telstra streaming survey.
How do you explain the discrepancy?

Further information re my above post.

AFR journalist, Max Mason, wrote on 22.7.19 ” Speculation is Ten is not jumping over itself to renew (ie its A League rights) and it has even been shopped (ie the A League) to broadcasters for FREE”.

Other reports have made similar comments.
https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/the-game-has-changed-for-australian-sports-20190613-p51x90

The creation of the Western Sydney Wanderers, therefore, does not support Brad’s view that professional sports are more likely to obtain attractive free to air TV deals if they add a second team to western Sydney; and sports officials should oppose teams or matches being played in Canberra, Hobart or other smaller cities.

It should also be noted that top of the ladder A League team Melbourne City played WSW (A League glamour team, also challenging for top of the ladder) at the new and exciting Parramatta Stadium on Friday evening. It only had a crowd of just over 12,000!
Is western Sydney the panacea for cricket’s problems in Australia? Are large cricket crowds likely if played in western Sydney, at Giants Stadium?

Where is the proof that a “shortage” of free to air TV (which is at record levels, compared to the pre BBL era) is the main reason for cricket’s problems in Australia?

Basketball is having impressive community player growth in Australia.
NBL crowds are, also, probably close to record levels now- having minimal free to air coverage in Australia is obviously not hurting basketball.
The same points can be made about Super Netball.

I am not suggesting free to air presence is not important for a sport- it is VERY important, possibly the most important element to grow a sport.
The travails of cricket, however, cannot be blamed on free to air coverage issues.

@ Brad
Don’t shoot the messenger, Christo’s comments are correct!
Your article is misguided, ill-conceived and is factually incorrect in several areas.

There is now a RECORD amount of FTA cricket coverage- all 5 tests, about 43 BBL games (often telecast in Prime Time- unlike Shield & Test cricket- thus partially explaining the huge BBL ratings).
And, of course, the huge number of hours now devoted to FTA female cricket.
FTA cricket coverage is obviously not a problem in Australia!

What is a MAJOR problem for cricket in Australia is the increasingly poor crowds in Australia (& overseas) for Test Cricket (excluding Ashes series). Tests are on FTA, get huge coverage also in TV news programs, newspapers, radio etc- but you have ignored the Test crowd problem.
Doesn’t suit your narrative?

Your claim that the establishment of an A League team in the big market of western Sydney is “the key to their first elusive lucrative free to air deal” is humourous, and wrong.

A League FTA & Foxtel ratings are plummetting- their ratings on Foxtel sometimes don’t make the top 20 programs, so an accurate average rating is impossible to calculate.
So low are they that it has been reported that the FTA rights to show an A League game were given away FREE to Channel 10 (on a secondary Channel); and also given away FREE to the ABC in 2019 (And previously, so poor were A League ratings on SBS- enamoured with soccer- that SBS transferred A League games to its secondary channel).

BBL cricket IS played at Giants Stadium, crowds aren’t that impressive- so your “huge market argument” is dubious.
Also, your arguments against cricket games in the small markets of Canberra and Hobart can also be challenged. Canberra sometimes gets good crowds for the Raiders and Brumbies (when they are playing well); and Tasmania also gets good BBL crowds, as does Australian Football.

Former AFL CEO’s Demetriou & Oakley, plus other mainstream media commentators, are currently saying there is a good chance that Tasmania will succeed in its current Bid to join the AFL in 2025. Current AFL CEO McLachlan has been reported that he is assisting, in his own PRIVATE time, the Tasmanian government in their current Bid application to join the AFL.

The NBL is planning to introduce another team into the NBL, based in Hobart.

There is, therefore, a place for smaller markets in professional sport (and Tasmania “punches above its weight” in cricket- the Hurricanes; and Australian Football- it provides many great players to the AFL).

You should not compare cricket with Union. Cricket is a major, mass participation sport in all parts of Australia, is generally in the top 2 Test nations in the world, and rates very highly in summer.
Union, however, is basicly concentrated in pockets in NSW and Qld, in elite private schools only- and its male Fifteen numbers have been in decline for about 2 decades. It is a second-tier sport in Australia, and its current world ranking is its worst ever: generally non-competitive against NZ, England and South Africa (and was defeated by Wales, struggled against Fiji at the 2019 WC)

Do you think there will be re-match? Who is likely to win?
When & where?

It has been reported that both were paid $500,000 each. This seems extremely high- what profits, and from which sources, were these profits derived?

If either of these were to fight Sonny Bill Williams, how would they go?

@ Chris

You are critical that the Swans only average 30 k at home games- hilarious!

Sydney is, by far, the home of soccer in Australia and has been for since the 1890’s- but has higher average home crowds than Sydney and WSW combined! In the context of soccer’s longevity and omnipresence, compared to Australian Football having only a very small profile until 1982, a major achievement for Australian Football.

It is interesting that, when presented with facts and other objective data, many soccer fans resort to absurd fabrications, deflections from the facts presented, or simply attempt to denigrate the Australian game. Very sad.
Why are some soccer fans so fearful of Australian Football and its considerable growth in NSW and Qld.?
Why do some deny its strong growth, despite eg, the data g provided by Maximus Insight above, with the full NSW and Qld, detailed competition figures?

As for quoting numbers “to suit themselves”, AusPlay is simply:
. an automated phone survey of 23,600 people who have mobile & land line phones.-less than 0.1% of the population.

.it counts someone as a “participant” in a sport or activity if they say they have been involved ONLY ONCE in the last 12 months!
The sport organisations own registrations are much more accurate (although all have 50%+ of their “participants” as fluff numbers- one off events, Gala Days etc.).

AusPlay says the biggest activities (at least once per year) are
. “Fitness and Gym”-43%
. “Jogging”-34%
.”Swimming”- 15%
. “cycling”- 15%
. “Bushwalking”- 11%
How are their crowds, ratings and broadcast rights going?

In the FFA’s 2018 Official figures, what are the 550,000+ “Community Event and Promotional Activities”?

@ Nemesis

Your comment “The AFL Grand Final attracts a viewing audience of less than 10% of the Australian population” is false- and you know it is false.

Because the Grand Final is watched by vast numbers in home parties, pubs, community Australian Football Clubs, bars etc, the Grand Final regularly attracts viewing audiences of 8,000,000+. This is consistently demonstrated in many Roy Morgan polls, as per this link below.

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7362-grand-final-afl-nrl-viewing-comparison-september-october-2017-201710032246

As for your claim that soccer is likely to be the number 1 sport in Australia, on the alleged metrics you offered, that is false- and you also know that is false.

Do you want another full discussion on the grossly inflated 2018 FFA Official Registered participant numbers (1,851,683 total), as per the excellent, detailed analysis in the article by Munro Mike in The Roar earlier this year?

And a full discussion that the FFA is counting coaches, referees, and volunteers in its Registered numbers total, which the AFL don’t (AFL 2018 Official Registered participant numbers were a total of 1,649,178. There are about 200,000+ volunteers, which are not included in this total).

And a full discussion on the FFA including in its total the nebulous Community Event participant numbers of 500,000+ (which have exploded in the last few years)?

@ Punter

At last!

A soccer fan actually using facts (which are relevant to the matters being discussed) to propagate their case; and rebut (partially) some of my facts and assertions.

Your points are well made, and I can’t strongly challenge them with counter facts or assertions.

Although nitpicking, entry fees were charged at a couple of AFLW games (eg the 42,000+ who attended Optus Oval Freo AFLW game; and probably a big majority purchase the expensive food/drinks etc at AFLW venues, and pay for public transport to attend).

Also, the final month of AFLW games coincide with AFL practice matches and regular season matches.
W League games are often played as double headers with A League games- and count those fans, who arrived just before the start of the A League game, as part of the W League attendance. AFLW games are stand-alone.