I don't know if you've ever been to Sydney mate but there's a lot to do besides go to the footy.
It's on telly too so you can watch it either at home or at the pub (or both if you live in a pub).
Haha I've been to sin city more times then I care to share. Usually, I aim to make the trip as short as possible, based around the footy or an odd Victory game.
All your post is saying to me is that Sydney footy fans are non-committal when it comes to watching their teams. We've known that for a while but a true fan goes and watches their side, regardless of anything else. There's a lot to do in Melbourne too, but I usually try and base a night on the tiles or a bite to eat around the footy... its not usually too hard to sacrifice a couple of hours on a Friday night to watch my team play. You might find you enjoy yourself as well. :sarcasm:
Oh and as for the tv option, who honestly wouldn't prefer to watch it live? I guess though, when theres only 7000 fans at the ground, the atmosphere would be similar to something like Sheffield Shield Cricket, so maybe your point is valid.