Crowd Watch 2014 part 3

[Pedro Morales Magonzales]

Barlow Park should near enough sell out right?
Last years game got of Souths v Titans got 16k, ground holds 18k.

As a Souths fan, I still don't understand the logic of taking the Knights match to Cairns.

Would have made more sense to have played the Titans up there again.

Playing Newcastle at ANZ would have attracted a better crowd than what we got against the Titans a few weeks ago.

 

[Jamberoo]

Sydney has 1 million more people than Melbourne. For some reason, and this goes back 60 or 70 years, they draw on average double to their prime club competition than we do to ours. When has a regular season NRL game in Sydney ever drawn 72,000 (aside from double headers)?

Actually, both cities' populations are the same if you include Mornington Peninsula which statistically is not part of Melbourne, and Melbourne growing heaps faster too.
There is way too much AFL talk here but given I live in Melbourne...
A 'blockbuster mentality' has developed in the AFL. The big games get bigger crowds (Hawks v Swans would get 30K if they were both bottom teams - they played in Tassie 2012 to 15K), and crowds are dropping for standard games featuring lower clubs. This is despite the AFL increasing prices for these big games, and more cheap tickets available to 'lesser' games. I am not sure if this is good or bad for AFL.
Storm's crowds are not following this pattern. Crowds are steady, when they should be growing.
If Storm get a home final I hope the club & NRL really pump it up and push for 30K+ as there will only be one AFL final here first week of NRL finals, so they can have a Fri or Sat night all to themselves.
We had under 20K last year v Newcastle which was disappointing (but atmosphere still good) - finals crowds at Etihad were over 30K and AAMI is so, so much better. I don't get it.
I still reckon if they can come up with the right strategy, Storm can get regular 30K crowds.
Interestingly, the Rebels have not taken off at all, and crowds are about 60% of Storm, despite RU being notionally more popular in Victoria the RL (i.e. there are 5 x more RU clubs/players here and way more RU on TV until recently).

 

[Timmah]

If the big games get bigger crowds why did Essendon v Collingwood a few weeks back get less than 60k?

They're actually experimenting with the schedule way too much and crowds have taken a hit. As a result crowds are 6% down on what they were 15 years ago.

 

[seanoff]

If the big games get bigger crowds why did Essendon v Collingwood a few weeks back get less than 60k?

They're actually experimenting with the schedule way too much and crowds have taken a hit. As a result crowds are 6% down on what they were 15 years ago.

Sunday night and monday night do not work in the afl. Much like the nrl.

Both codes need to stick to friday, saturday and sunday if they want big crowds.

 

[Billythekid]

If the big games get bigger crowds why did Essendon v Collingwood a few weeks back get less than 60k?

They're actually experimenting with the schedule way too much and crowds have taken a hit. As a result crowds are 6% down on what they were 15 years ago.

I would have thought that had more to do with the terrible crowds their expansion clubs are getting in NSW and QLD.

This whole AFL discussion is waaaaay off topic and annoying to read.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

The locations where the clubs are historically from have SFA to do with their current supporter bases or the crowds they pull. Yes. The AFL have always had reasonable crowds, but a lot of the later growth has been due to the use of two modern stadiums with good transport links in melbourne. Adelaide has followed this model and their crowds are up significantly this year, whether that lasts is a matter for those with crystal ball reading ability. Perth is going the same way.

collingwood has a population of less than 6500, carlton around 13000 - 16000. This hardly explains crowds of 80000+. The crowd comes from all over the melbourne metro area and beyond.

This is pretty much right...

Teams should remain in their traditional areas, but only for training/community engagement/ect. The games should be played at the highest quality, most accessible grounds (which, at the moment, is ANZ. The place is designed to entertain 100,000 people, 20,000 is easy)

It's not that at all. I am not going on Friday night I would if it was Sunday.

I leave for work at 5am finish in the CBD at 530. I can't possibly go home and back to game in time. So I either go straight there given I have to be at Burwood at 7am Sat a 11-11.30 home time doesn't appeal to me.

I have said we should have Blockbusters on a Sunday/ Public Holiday at ANZ but not every game. The setup of Sydney/time of games doesn't allow for it

The problem with these kinds of hypotheticals is that you imediately imagine the worst possible situation; Penrith at ANZ playing 7:30 on a Friday/monday, NO ONE would go to that (and fair enough)....

But if they were to play in centralised stadiums on Saturday or Sunday afternoons would actually be pretty promising (which we could assume it the ARLCs goal once they get a good bank account from this TV deal).

And even if this is still bad for Penrith/Cronulla/Manly fans, that doesnt excuse Tigers/Dragons/eels from playing in these centralised grounds. The average travel time isnt going to be any further, but centralised grounds will be far more accessible....

 

[Brutus]

Brookvale Oval seriously needs an upgrade. In all seriousness Manly cannot play anywhere else than the Northern Beaches. Stadiums on the north side of Sydney are shit and I think Manly deserve government funding as they have the potential to attract really big crowds at a re-developed Brookie. I mean they used to get 20,000 plus quite a bit at that ground. Not any more.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Do the nrl really think this super hero crap is good marketing? Poxy garbage that makes me cringe worse than the star wars day the bulldogs did. Why is our code so prone to caving to this crap

Any body itching to get to a game to see the superhero jerseys?

 

[CowboyFuriousFury]

Sunday afternoon is where the big crowds should be at, getting 22k between two Sydney teams on Sunday is unacceptable. Despite the preferred time and fine weather, there still no shows and excuses to not show up.

No matter what the nrl does to manage crowd growth, there still be excuses to not show up.

 

[El Diablo]

Do the nrl really think this super hero crap is good marketing? Poxy garbage that makes me cringe worse than the star wars day the bulldogs did. Why is our code so prone to caving to this crap

Any body itching to get to a game to see the superhero jerseys?

it's the jersey mob ISC behind it, not the NRL

that's why it's only the clubs that use their jerseys

 

[wests1]

The locations where the clubs are historically from have SFA to do with their current supporter bases or the crowds they pull. Yes. The AFL have always had reasonable crowds, but a lot of the later growth has been due to the use of two modern stadiums with good transport links in melbourne. Adelaide has followed this model and their crowds are up significantly this year, whether that lasts is a matter for those with crystal ball reading ability. Perth is going the same way.

collingwood has a population of less than 6500, carlton around 13000 - 16000. This hardly explains crowds of 80000+. The crowd comes from all over the melbourne metro area and beyond.

Apart from the real diehards who'd watch while being crucified, people want comfortable seats, unobstructed viewing, with decent food and drink options, plentiful bathrooms and cover from the weather. The NRL know this so games will be moved away from the suburban grounds to the stadiums with better facilities.

I couldn't take my 11yo daughter to brookie and stand on the hill. She wouldn't see anything, it would be uncomfortable, etc etc. however she did go to the MCG with her mum and 80000 others to watch geelong v hawthorn earlier in the year and she was comfy, could see and had easy access to food, drink and loos. It wouldn't bother me going to brookie but i'm 193cm so not many people are blocking my view.

This is 100% right. Full stop.
The biggest thing I notice living in Melbourne is how easy it is to get to the grounds. (This includes aami park)
They are both city edge stadiums (easy walk from the two busiest stations) and serviced by innumerable public transport options between train and tram (and bus for that matter at the mcg as a couple of services run down punt road)
Because they have centralised their games all games in Melbourne are easy to get to.
Contrast this with getting to nearly any stadium (or suburban ground) in Sydney. Campbelltown and parra are the only ones I can think of that are even close in terms of accessability.

 

[Timmah]

Sunday afternoon is where the big crowds should be at, getting 22k between two Sydney teams on Sunday is unacceptable. Despite the preferred time and fine weather, there still no shows and excuses to not show up.

No matter what the nrl does to manage crowd growth, there still be excuses to not show up.

No shows? The 22k at that game is more than the Dragons' other homes (well, WIN/Kogarah) can hold. Correct decision. Could've been bigger but with the horrible press around the Tigers it's really not a surprise.


And to the person whingeing about jerseys... wtf does that have to do with crowds? :lol:

 

[CowboyFuriousFury]

No shows? The 22k at that game is more than the Dragons' other homes (well, WIN/Kogarah) can hold. Correct decision. Could've been bigger but with the horrible press around the Tigers it's really not a surprise.

2 Sydney teams on Sunday afternoon should get 30k plus at anz. If league fans love Sunday afternoon as much we told the crowds on Sunday should be the biggest crowds weekly.

 

[Perth Red]

Just got tickets to Sth's v manly at scg. $97 for 2 adults, better be a good game!

$5.25 for the privilege of printing my own tickets, wtf is that about? Be like Coles charging you to do self checkout!

 

[Dave_]

Fact is, any game on a school/work arvo/night is f**ked for families, especially if you have to travel. I don't know where everyone gets the idea that Sunday games are easy for families.

 

[Jason Maher]

so you still have nothing but fail

Nothing but facts, which you can't handle, so you'll no doubt resort yet again to petulant schoolboy insults like the child you are.

NRL average crowd 2014: 16,191

AFL average crowd 2014: 32,534

Top 10 non double header NRL home and away crowds in Sydney 1957-2014:

59,708 (Souffs vs Easts, 2013)
55,934 (Balmain vs Saints, 1966)
53,146 (Souffs vs Saints, 1969)
51,919 (Parra vs Saints, 1964)
51,686 (Dogs vs Souffs, 2013)
50,668 (Parra vs Tigers, 2014)
50,153 (Saints vs Souffs, 1967)
50,130 (Easts vs Manly, 1974)
47,398 (Saints vs Norths, 1959)
47,298 (Souffs vs Saints, 1972)

Top 10 AFL home and away crowds in Melbourne 2014:

91,731 (Collingwood vs Essendon)
80,222 (Geelong vs Hawthorn)
74,664 (Essendon vs Richmond)
72,768 (Hawthorn vs Sydney)
70,516 (Hawthorn vs Collingwood)
68,251 (Carlton vs Collingwood)
68,130 (Melbourne vs Collingwood)
63,152 (Collingwood vs Geelong)
62,730 (Essendon vs Carlton)
62,100 (Richmond vs Collingwood)

See how the top 10 crowds in Melbourne this year are all higher than the top 10 crowds in Sydney ever? Any suggestion from you as to why AFL is a vastly more popular spectator sport in its city of origin? The AFL/VFL has had roughly double the average crowd of the NRL/ARL/NSWRL going back at least to the 50s, so it's not a new phenomenon. And as I pointed out in a previous post, Sydney is a much bigger city than Melbourne and always has been. Frankly, attendances to rugby league games in Sydney are, and always have been, a joke, with the odd rare exception. It's high time the NRL and the clubs themselves saw fit to do something about it.

 

[Brutus]

Has AFL ever had to share class space with another code that has similarities? No.

There is rugby union and rugby league in Sydney. Melbourne is just AFL and more AFL. All sections of society follow it. The same can't be said for the rugby codes in Sydney.

There is a big difference in the make up of footy codes in Sydney which ultimately affects crowds.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Has AFL ever had to share class space with another code that has similarities? No.

There is rugby union and rugby league in Sydney. Melbourne is just AFL and more AFL. All sections of society follow it. The same can't be said for the rugby codes in Sydney.

There is a big difference in the make up of footy codes in Sydney which ultimately affects crowds.

Ssh.

Rugby League and ozzie rules are equally comparable in every way and have the same historical background in their respective major cities.

Didn't you know?

 

[Leaguelegend20]

Why don't all you dribbling fumble ball fans go and spurt your wankfest over AFL on the BigFooty forums. Get f**ked you stupid merkins.

 

[franklin2323]

The problem with these kinds of hypotheticals is that you imediately imagine the worst possible situation; Penrith at ANZ playing 7:30 on a Friday/monday, NO ONE would go to that (and fair enough)....

But if they were to play in centralised stadiums on Saturday or Sunday afternoons would actually be pretty promising (which we could assume it the ARLCs goal once they get a good bank account from this TV deal).

And even if this is still bad for Penrith/Cronulla/Manly fans, that doesnt excuse Tigers/Dragons/eels from playing in these centralised grounds. The average travel time isnt going to be any further, but centralised grounds will be far more accessible....

Our Home ground should we get one in the finals is ANZ while the finals are different and most will go. It's rumoured we are moving a home game there next season either Tigers or Parra a Sunday works any other day a disaster