League in Vic

[Brownie.Kougari]

With Melbourne by far the best team in the comp and favourites to go back to back this year, it was kind of reminding me of the Brisbane Lions AFL team's 3-year streak.
During this time they were fairly well supported by the city and enjoy far more support than they would have without this streak.

This got me thinking, would back to back premierships or even 3 in a row for the storm lift their profile in the same way? Everyone loves to jump on the bandwagon (just look at soccer).

Just wanted to get some thoughts (esp those who live in Melbourne) because, never having been to Melbourne, I don't know just how strong AFL is down there & would fans support a Melbourne team from another code?

Good luck to all teams in 08, esp the Broncs & Gulls!

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I think fans would support Melbourne if they were consistantly successful. But that popularity would die down just like the Brisbane Lions, but it did help.

What the AFL plan on doing with the Western Sydney team is offer salary cap and draft concessions so that they will have an "advantage". A winning team is a popular team.

I think the best thing for Melbourne would be if they were as successful as their News Ltd counter-parts, the Brisbane Broncos.

 

[LeagueXIII]

AFL is a part of Victorian culture, it is part of their identity. They are indoctrinated from a young age. That's how big AFL is here. Whilst most people are aware of the Storm only 1 or 2 out of 10 would follow them more than a passing interest. The standard reply from a Victorian is "Rugby is sh*t......" or "I prefer Rugby Union......". Though they are completely ignorant of both codes. Just listen to their sport radio SEN and everything has to relate to AFL for the average "sports" fan to understand.

 

[lotti]

the crowds for home games depends on a couple of factors 1. the AFL of course Melbourne's an AFL town most of the teams in the comp are based in Victoria or in the case of the Swans and the Lions a Victorian fan base 2. the weather it's rather unpredictable so nothing about the team's success we get about 9,000 a home game and we'll most likely get that again. We got over 33,000 to the Prelim final down here and that was more than what the one in Sydney got. The AFL is as big as the NRL is in Sydney we've got 10 Football Stadiums because we've got so many teams. and the kids unless they're parents come from NSW or QLD are brainwashed early to support the AFL I moved to QLD when I was 5 and I'm an NRL girl partly because of that but I still watch the AFL GF and I visit the home ground of the Carlton Blues ever so often ok it's to watch the Storm train but you have to go through Carlton HQ to get to training.

 

[LeagueXIII]

One thing I will say is you do see alot of Storm merchandise around the shopping centres where I live in the northern suburbs.

 

[Ricky Walford]

I moved to Melbourne a couple of months ago and the big problem it would seem to me is a lack of television coverage for the Storm on free to air television. Foxtel (if you have it) is fine on a Saturday, Monday and to a lesser extrent Sunday, but the biggest 2 games of the round are on Friday and you have to wait up until after midnight for the start of the game. Ridiculous when the Storm should be featuring in a lot of those games.

The other issue is of course that lots of people don't have Foxtel.

One final observation - AFL in the northern states benefited from the number of southerners moving north. The flow is starting to go the other way now, so the demand for league down here will increase IMO.

 

[lotti]

you need Foxtel down here for league, hopefully 9 will show rounds 4 and 5 live.

 

[The Business]

AFL is just too popular down here. The Storm will always have a core fan base but they will never be any match for AFL.

I've been to a few Storm games however and have been surprised by the amount of Victorians that follow the game.

With the AFL season not starting til next week last night was an ideal opportunity to show the games live. From next Friday onwards it's all AFL.

 

[Perth Red]

I hope the VRL improves so we can have a SOO series between Vic and WA.

The Storm don't need to "crack" the AFL market, They just need to get enough fans to be legitamate, enough corporate support to be sustainable and enough TV viewers to keep the masters happy.

 

[lotti]

AFL is just too popular down here. The Storm will always have a core fan base but they will never be any match for AFL.

I've been to a few Storm games however and have been surprised by the amount of Victorians that follow the game.

With the AFL season not starting til next week last night was an ideal opportunity to show the games live. From next Friday onwards it's all AFL.

yeah but 9 wasted it, those that stayed up for the games were able to see the Storm game being advertised.

 

[NMFC fan]

To understand Melbourne, you have to understand how much we love sport.

Wether it be the Aus Open, the Grand Prix, Grand Final, Cricket or Melbourne Cup, there are always massive crowds.

I mean we get a public holiday, just to watch a horse race ffs.

Aslong as any successful team or person is representing us, we will back it.

Look no further then Melbourne Victory. 3 year old soccer franchise, and they've been pulling the largest crowds in the A-league by far.

Problem is, we have a very traditional love of sports. Australian Football is huge here, some of the clubs are 150 years old. People follow the game religiously, there is a real tribe mentality between teams.

A key point is that all the AFL clubs here are publicly owned. Everything has to put to the supporters of the club through votes. All positions at the club are elected by the supporters. There are no privately owned clubs.

The facts are that people will not take to a club that is privately owned by News Limited and that has a stupid mascot. Storm and Rugby League have a long way to go here. People know of the Storm, but not many have anything that resembles a passing interest in them. The strongest Rugby League comp in this state isn't even in Melbourne, and the local comp here only has a half dozen teams for the entire city. Until some of these things change, I don't think the Storm will get any more support outside of those core supporters it has now.

 

[joel caine number 1 fan]

To understand Melbourne, you have to understand how much we love sport.

Wether it be the Aus Open, the Grand Prix, Grand Final, Cricket or Melbourne Cup, there are always massive crowds.

I mean we get a public holiday, just to watch a horse race ffs.

Aslong as any successful team or person is representing us, we will back it.

Look no further then Melbourne Victory. 3 year old soccer franchise, and they've been pulling the largest crowds in the A-league by far.

Problem is, we have a very traditional love of sports. Australian Football is huge here, some of the clubs are 150 years old. People follow the game religiously, there is a real tribe mentality between teams.

A key point is that all the AFL clubs here are publicly owned. Everything has to put to the supporters of the club through votes. All positions at the club are elected by the supporters. There are no privately owned clubs.

The facts are that people will not take to a club that is privately owned by News Limited and that has a stupid mascot. Storm and Rugby League have a long way to go here. People know of the Storm, but not many have anything that resembles a passing interest in them. The strongest Rugby League comp in this state isn't even in Melbourne, and the local comp here only has a half dozen teams for the entire city. Until some of these things change, I don't think the Storm will get any more support outside of those core supporters it has now.

ever been to a game most of them are europeans who dont even count them selfs as australians

Melbourne hate sports man qld love it more just look at there crowds

the only sport melb has any interrest in is afl and cricket ive lived here for 5 years and thats all i ever hear about

 

[roughyedspud]

what do melbourne average now? 13-14,000? thats average for the league is'nt it? if so i would'nt say they are doing to bad..their next game is at the telstra dome is'nt it? they should top 20,000 for that and once they move to their new,more rugby friendly stadium i reckon they might nudge the 18-19,000 average mark......what does all that say? better stadia more fans?

the clubs in sydney should be looking at themselves because crowds outside of sydney are on the up....sydney has been going the other way..

 

[camsmith]

The location is a huge negative, once this new stadium is built and if we keep winning.. Melbournians will come along more often.

Media exposure is about the only thing letting us down.

 

[lotti]

the game at the Dome was advertised last night during the replays.

 

[NMFC fan]

ever been to a game most of them are europeans who dont even count them selfs as australians

Throwing generalisations out there like that doesn't disprove the fact that they are the most supported.

Melbourne hate sports man qld love it more just look at there crowds

Absolute rubbish.

I've been to QLD, it doesn't compare.

I'd like to see you pull 140k to a horserace, or 300k to a Gran prix.

ffs, you've got only one League team in Brisbane, they should be getting sellouts every game!

the only sport melb has any interrest in is afl and cricket ive lived here for 5 years and thats all i ever hear about

You have to be bullsh*tting.

Granted, they are the most popular, but there is still huge support and coverage of other events.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

It's funny seeing Victoria with the boxing day test, they pack the stadium out for the first day, yet it's lucky to average 25,000 for the next four.

If it's an event, the fumble ballers turn up, if it's not, they don't show.

I put it down to Vics trying to show off to the nation or international viewers and once the spot light is off, so are they.

 

[NMFC fan]

The location is a huge negative, once this new stadium is built and if we keep winning.. Melbournians will come along more often.

Media exposure is about the only thing letting us down.

How is its location a negative??

The ground is dead set in the middle of Melbourne.

It's a stones throw from the MCG itself. If you can get crowds there, then they get to Olympic park aswell.

And the new stadium isn't going to improve on location. It is going to be almost bang on the spot of the old ground.

Can't agree with your post at all.

 

[LeagueXIII]

It's true they love an event. Listen to their sports radio channel on SEN and you will soon learn that everything has to come back to AFL they are a very insular and parochial city.

Any sport outside the following is barely acknowledged:

Tennis & Cricket (in the summer months)

AFL season (March - September)

Spring Carnival (Spring)

That's it, plus they have the grand prix.

 

[lotti]

Throwing generalisations out there like that doesn't disprove the fact that they are the most supported.



Absolute rubbish.

I've been to QLD, it doesn't compare.

I'd like to see you pull 140k to a horserace, or 300k to a Gran prix.

ffs, you've got only one League team in Brisbane, they should be getting sellouts every game!



You have to be bullsh*tting.

Granted, they are the most popular, but there is still huge support and coverage of other events.

technically they have 2 in Brisbane, you're forgetting the Titans.