Expansion club fanbase sizes

[Centy Coast]

Geez after seeing the crowds for the AFL semi finals is there a tier above God Tier ?, the Melbourne Demons v Carlton game had more than double the combined attendance of the Warriors v Newcastle and the Storm v Roosters games.
Absolute ridiculous crowds for that shit game lol.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Geez after seeing the crowds for the AFL semi finals is there a tier above God Tier ?, the Melbourne Demons v Carlton game had more than double the combined attendance of the Warriors v Newcastle and the Storm v Roosters games.
Absolute ridiculous crowds for that shit game lol.

Which is why I shake my head at the people on here who say game day revenue isn't important. If our clubs were playing in front of 80k or 100k fans then we would be able to expand into places like Adelaide, Port Moresby and Perth.

 

[blue bags]

Singapore 6 million

Singapore EELS

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Perth's fanbase has zero Western Australians. Their only fan is some soapdodger who cannot afford property in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

 

[Canard]

I cant look away from this, its like a car crash. Old mate is just mentally disintegrating

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

This song about Western Australians sums it up. One of the lines is "don't give a shit about the NRL".

 

[General Stripes]

Different expansion clubs will have different fanbase sizes. This isn't the only metric for measuring a club's potential. For instance, a club in a metropolitan area will likely access more corporate support than one in a regional area. This just shows where your favoured expansion club will sit in the scheme of things in terms of ongoing support once the dust has settled. For comparisons' sake, I've included all the existing football clubs in Australia and New Zealand.

God Tier – The biggest football clubs in the country out of any sport
Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs & Parramatta Eels
Collingwood Magpies, Essendon Bombers & Richmond Tigers

A Tier – Fans spread across 2-3 states/nations and/or dominating a state/nation
PNG NRL TEAM
St George-Illawarra Dragons, Wests Tigers, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Crows, Hawthorn Hawks, Carlton Blues,

B Tier – Fans spread across their state/nation and/or in the top 2 clubs in those areas
SOUTH/WEST BRISBANE NRL TEAM
Dolphins, North Queensland Cowboys, New Zealand Warriors, Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters
Port Adelaide Power, Fremantle Dockers
Auckland Blues

C Tier – Fans dominate a large regional area or are a non-major code in a larger city
PERTH NRL TEAM, ADELAIDE NRL TEAM
Canberra Raiders, Newcastle Knights, Melbourne Storm
Geelong Cats, Sydney Swans, Melbourne Demons
ACT Brumbies
Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers, Melbourne Victory

D Tier – Fans dominate smaller regional areas, non-major codes with niche following in large city or suburban/minority enclave clubs
WELLINGTON NRL TEAM, CHRISTCHURCH NRL TEAM, WESTERN MELBOURNE NRL TEAM, CENTRAL COAST NRL TEAM, BEARS NRL TEAM, SUNSHINE COAST NRL TEAM, CAIRNS NRL TEAM, BRISBANE-PASIFIKA NRL TEAM, NEW ZEALAND-PASIFIKA NRL TEAM
Gold Coast Titans, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Manly-Warringah Sea-Eagles
Brisbane Lions, North Melbourne Kangaroos, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, Tasmanian fumbleball team
New South Wales Waratahs, Wellington Hurricanes, Waikato Chiefs, Canterbury Crusaders
Melbourne City, Adelaide United

E Tier – Would or are perpetually struggling for fans and likely remaining at this tier
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND NRL TEAM, CAIRNS-PASIFIKA NRL TEAM,
Queensland Reds, Western Force, Otago Highlanders
Brisbane Roar, Newcastle Jets, Central Coast Mariners, Wellington Phoenix, Perth Glory

F Tier – Failing or failed
DARWIN NRL TEAM, DARWIN-PASIFIKA NRL TEAM,
Gold Coast Suns, Greater Western Sydney Giants
Melbourne Rebels, Fijian Drua, Moana Pasifika
Macarthur Bulls, Western United

Wow this is based on nothing but personal likes/dislikes and biases isn’t it.

 

[Dragonwest]

Perth's fanbase has zero Western Australians. Their only fan is some soapdodger who cannot afford property in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Well that's a complete lie ....

 

[Jamberoo]

Different expansion clubs will have different fanbase sizes. This isn't the only metric for measuring a club's potential. For instance, a club in a metropolitan area will likely access more corporate support than one in a regional area. This just shows where your favoured expansion club will sit in the scheme of things in terms of ongoing support once the dust has settled. For comparisons' sake, I've included all the existing football clubs in Australia and New Zealand.

God Tier – The biggest football clubs in the country out of any sport
Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs & Parramatta Eels
Collingwood Magpies, Essendon Bombers & Richmond Tigers

A Tier – Fans spread across 2-3 states/nations and/or dominating a state/nation
PNG NRL TEAM
St George-Illawarra Dragons, Wests Tigers, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Crows, Hawthorn Hawks, Carlton Blues,

B Tier – Fans spread across their state/nation and/or in the top 2 clubs in those areas
SOUTH/WEST BRISBANE NRL TEAM
Dolphins, North Queensland Cowboys, New Zealand Warriors, Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters
Port Adelaide Power, Fremantle Dockers
Auckland Blues

C Tier – Fans dominate a large regional area or are a non-major code in a larger city
PERTH NRL TEAM, ADELAIDE NRL TEAM
Canberra Raiders, Newcastle Knights, Melbourne Storm
Geelong Cats, Sydney Swans, Melbourne Demons
ACT Brumbies
Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers, Melbourne Victory

D Tier – Fans dominate smaller regional areas, non-major codes with niche following in large city or suburban/minority enclave clubs
WELLINGTON NRL TEAM, CHRISTCHURCH NRL TEAM, WESTERN MELBOURNE NRL TEAM, CENTRAL COAST NRL TEAM, BEARS NRL TEAM, SUNSHINE COAST NRL TEAM, CAIRNS NRL TEAM, BRISBANE-PASIFIKA NRL TEAM, NEW ZEALAND-PASIFIKA NRL TEAM
Gold Coast Titans, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Manly-Warringah Sea-Eagles
Brisbane Lions, North Melbourne Kangaroos, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, Tasmanian fumbleball team
New South Wales Waratahs, Wellington Hurricanes, Waikato Chiefs, Canterbury Crusaders
Melbourne City, Adelaide United

E Tier – Would or are perpetually struggling for fans and likely remaining at this tier
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND NRL TEAM, CAIRNS-PASIFIKA NRL TEAM,
Queensland Reds, Western Force, Otago Highlanders
Brisbane Roar, Newcastle Jets, Central Coast Mariners, Wellington Phoenix, Perth Glory

F Tier – Failing or failed
DARWIN NRL TEAM, DARWIN-PASIFIKA NRL TEAM,
Gold Coast Suns, Greater Western Sydney Giants
Melbourne Rebels, Fijian Drua, Moana Pasifika
Macarthur Bulls, Western United

I love this chart. Aside from the fact the West Coast are actually the biggest AFL club (second only to the Broncos), it is pretty close. The AFL has more big clubs (Carton also too low): but also the two smallest and weakest clubs in GC and GWS. The NRL should learn from this and never consider a second Melbourne team. Melbourne Victory was as big as some AFL clubs when they were our only team. Everyone was onboard until the introduction of Heart/City shattered that. Also the BBL does much, much better in the single team cities. Unless a club and sport is absolutely dominating like Broncos/West Coast - if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

 

[MugaB]

I love this chart. Aside from the fact the West Coast are actually the biggest AFL club (second only to the Broncos), it is pretty close. The AFL has more big clubs (Carton also too low): but also the two smallest and weakest clubs in GC and GWS. The NRL should learn from this and never consider a second Melbourne team. Melbourne Victory was as big as some AFL clubs when they were our only team. Everyone was onboard until the introduction of Heart/City shattered that. Also the BBL does much, much better in the single team cities. Unless a club and sport is absolutely dominating like Broncos/West Coast - if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Sounds like a croc if shit, you cannot praise AFL for their 2 team state/city expansion approach, then say NRL shouldn't do it coz ALeague sucked at it, it says a lot more about the talent in Australian soccer than it does about expansion fanbases, in a city of 5 million soccer should have shat that in, NRL is a far superior product, it should have no issues expanding there or anywhere else, if the player pool is large enough

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

GWS Giants and GC Suns have been a disaster.

 

[Jamberoo]

Sounds like a croc if shit, you cannot praise AFL for their 2 team state/city expansion approach, then say NRL shouldn't do it coz ALeague sucked at it, it says a lot more about the talent in Australian soccer than it does about expansion fanbases, in a city of 5 million soccer should have shat that in, NRL is a far superior product, it should have no issues expanding there or anywhere else, if the player pool is large enough

I am talking about two clubs in ‘enemy territory’ like GWS and Suns, not RL in Brisbane nor AFL in Adelaide/Perth. All a second RL team in Melbourne would do is split the fan base. Storm is about the only team the whole city can get behind.

Soccer has died right off in Melbourne. Basketball has taken its place as the second summer sport after cricket - going gangbusters down here.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I am talking about two clubs in ‘enemy territory’ like GWS and Suns, not RL in Brisbane nor AFL in Adelaide/Perth. All a second RL team in Melbourne would do is split the fan base. Storm is about the only team the whole city can get behind.

Soccer has died right off in Melbourne. Basketball has taken its place as the second summer sport after cricket - going gangbusters down here.

I cannot see a second Melbourne NRL team being good for the Storm. Especially if the Storm become also-rans on the field.

The Storm are drawing just 16k to MRS with a team that's been camped inside the top four of the ladder for the bulk of their existence. Let's wait and see how many stick around when they go on a losing run like the Wests Tigers. It's for this reason I'm dubious about adding a team in Perth. Having teams from Melbourne and Perth struggling on and off the field would be a disaster for the ARLC.

 

[Bukowski]

Yeah, imagine Perth being a disaster like Melbourne.

 

[Jamberoo]

I cannot see a second Melbourne NRL team being good for the Storm. Especially if the Storm become also-rans on the field.

The Storm are drawing just 16k to MRS with a team that's been camped inside the top four of the ladder for the bulk of their existence. Let's wait and see how many stick around when they go on a losing run like the Wests Tigers. It's for this reason I'm dubious about adding a team in Perth. Having teams from Melbourne and Perth struggling on and off the field would be a disaster for the ARLC.

Why would you say ‘just 16k’? It is actually over 17k which puts Storm second behind the Broncos (ex 20/21) since 2016. Perth would be similar.

Who is to say Storm will ever be also rans like WT? Storm are a fully professional, world class club, unlike WT and half the Sydney clubs who still operate like it is 1985.

 

[MugaB]

Why would you say ‘just 16k’? It is actually over 17k which puts Storm second behind the Broncos (ex 20/21) since 2016. Perth would be similar.

Who is to say Storm will ever be also rans like WT? Storm are a fully professional, world class club, unlike WT and half the Sydney clubs who still operate like it is 1985.

In absolutely no bias there lol, haha, world class cheats too... but you are right they are fully professional, so they'll know they'll have to expect local competition someday

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Why would you say ‘just 16k’? It is actually over 17k which puts Storm second behind the Broncos (ex 20/21) since 2016. Perth would be similar.

In 2022 it was less than 16k. In 2019, 2018 and 2017 it was just over 16k. In 2016 it was less than 15k.

What makes you think Perth will be the same?

Who is to say Storm will ever be also rans like WT? Storm are a fully professional, world class club, unlike WT and half the Sydney clubs who still operate like it is 1985.

Storm were propped up by News Ltd between 1998/2012 and the ARLC between 2013/2018, allowing them to overspend to attain success.

They were competitive from day one thanks to News Ltd and the culling of the Crushers, Reds and Mariners. The further loss of the Chargers and Bears helped them, too. Then they got lucky with Bellamy, who was at the Broncos and then wound up at Storm. Both clubs were owned by News Ltd. Once he retires they'll lose the best coach the game has seen in decades. None of his understudies have been able to replicate his success.

 

[Jamberoo]

In absolutely no bias there lol, haha, world class cheats too... but you are right they are fully professional, so they'll know they'll have to expect local competition someday

Nah, that day will never come. What would be the point of a second team in Melbourne? What would it achieve?

 

[Jamberoo]

In 2022 it was less than 16k. In 2019, 2018 and 2017 it was just over 16k. In 2016 it was less than 15k.

What makes you think Perth will be the same?



Storm were propped up by News Ltd between 1998/2012 and the ARLC between 2013/2018, allowing them to overspend to attain success.

They were competitive from day one thanks to News Ltd and the culling of the Crushers, Reds and Mariners. The further loss of the Chargers and Bears helped them, too. Then they got lucky with Bellamy, who was at the Broncos and then wound up at Storm. Both clubs were owned by News Ltd. Once he retires they'll lose the best coach the game has seen in decades. None of his understudies have been able to replicate his success.

Perth has half the population of Melbourne but RL is stronger there relatively speaking. Plus Perth is starved of top level sport, unlike Melbourne.

And everyone is aware of Storm’s history, but the fact remains that the way that they are now run, the level of professionalism and corporate support is miles in front of clubs like WT that are still run and sponsored by second rate local businessmen without the acumen nor dollars to compete in a modern top level sporting competition.

 

[Perth Red]

Perth will avg 15-17k. That'll be more than enough, and with few away fans to bolster the figures like many other clubs have. We got this.