It's a shame about the Broncos

[Dutch Oven]

I take it you mean it's fast becoming an AFL city, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Not even the inflation of Mexicans has spoiled the citys love for Rugby League; just look at the constantly increasing Bronco crowds, or the record crowd for the Anzac test, or the phenomenal interest in SOO.

No. Brisbane is fast becoming a rugby league city (which it has always been) with the Lions being the most popular side.

A rugby league city with an AFL side as it's most popular team. As I said, Weird huh?

Read the sentence a little differently next time and you will see what I mean.

 

[Dutch Oven]

The Broncos have won 10 in a row and can only half fill the best stadium in the country.

If the Lions had a stadium big enough they would average 40,000. Several games have been sold out months in advance. Thank heavens brisbane league fans have the Maroons to get passionate about, because they sure don't get passionate about the Broncos and with good reason after what's gone on in the past.

 

[renouf]

There is no doubt the support for AFL is bigger in Brisbane.. but when you've been in a premiership 4 years in a row you're bound to draw big crowds. It's the same thing.. Lions are having an average season yet they are still getting numbers to their games... that will change though if they continue to lose and Brisbane continue to win. People like following a winning side, they like to go and watch a winning team - that's all it comes down to.

 

[Brutus]

There is no doubt the support for AFL is bigger in Brisbane.. but when you've been in a premiership 4 years in a row you're bound to draw big crowds. It's the same thing.. Lions are having an average season yet they are still getting numbers to their games... that will change though if they continue to lose and Brisbane continue to win. People like following a winning side, they like to go and watch a winning team - that's all it comes down to.

You couldn't get a more winning team than the Broncos. They have made the finals every season since 1992.

I don't know of any side, in AFL or league, with a record like that. I think their crowds are disappointing.

 

[iggy plop]

The Broncos need to push season tickets a lot more. The reason the Lions get bigger crowds is that many supporters are locked up as members or season ticket holders. They are more likely to go every week.

Having said that, there are probably more non-bronco league fans than bronco league fans in Brisbane.

 

[Brutus]

I've just looked through the big league and the Broncos are averaging less than they did last year despite performing much better. Don't people like winners up there?

 

[JW]

They're averaging pretty much exactly the same as they were at this point of the season last year.

Cheers.

 

[Sun_Down]

Crowd Stats by Round:
43,438
24,719
25,843
27,514
29,845
18,081
25,780

...

 

[Brutus]

They're averaging pretty much exactly the same as they were at this point of the season last year.

Cheers.

I'd expect them to be doing better considering they've won 10 in a row. I'd hate to think this is as good as the Broncos could do with regards to crowds.

 

[JW]

It's a gradual process. And although the average remains the same as at the same point last year, the 'lower' crowds have picked up and the Broncos have now established a base of around 25,000 to work off. A couple of years ago this was unheard of, and even last year there were several <20,000 crowds and a few around 21-23,000. And just remember that it was only a couple of years ago when Brisbane were only averaging just on 20,000 at ANZ. Realistically I can't see us maintaining that 4,000 a year increase that we've been experiencing in the past couple of years (due to a larger base), but things should continue to improve steadily over the coming years. Expect Brisbane to finish this season around 28-30,000.

Cheers.

 

[Brutus]

I hope they do finish above 30,000. They deserve 40,000.

The game against the Dragons is shaping as the big one. 45,000 plus I'm hoping.

 

[JW]

I hope they do finish above 30,000. They deserve 40,000.

The game against the Dragons is shaping as the big one. 45,000 plus I'm hoping.

Yep, and that's what should drive the average back up again. A couple of big crowds against the Dragons and Roosters and a finish of around 30,000 is quite possible.

Cheers.

 

[Big Pete]

The Tigers and Rabbits were both average games though that the public didn't really want to see thus why it drew in a bad amount.

Also on what someone mentioned earlier, most of the Lions supporters I know of bought season tickets before the season started thinking they'd be succesful and a lot of them are thinking of not showing to games now the Lions are playing like crap.

I attended both games last week, and the reason the Lions game drew more people was that the team they were playing were playing as bad as the Lions were and thus people thought it would be a close game. In the end it was a thrashing (a rather boring game I must say) but the fans enjoyed it a lot, if it was against their best team in the comp. (West Coast?) I doubt you'd see as many people turning up and if they would've lost less and less people would turn up for the next match.

Also at Suncorp, to bring a family of 4 I heard costs around $100-200 when you take into account the tickets, food and that's not taking merchandise into the calculation. They actually did a story on it on a Current Affair type show so the media would also have another big part in why not enough people turn up to our games.

The Broncos crowds will eventually rise due to their current success (unless of course they suffer post origin form collapse).