Comparison in crowd figures between Giants and West Sydney NRL teams

[Matchu]

I started a similar thread to this in the Suns sub-forum and there has been quite a bit of interest so I thought I would start one for the Giants too. This is a list of all the AFL (Swans - Collingwood game is not included in any statistics) and NRL games going on in West Sydney in the 2012 season. GWS games in Canberra have also been included and will be compared to Canberra Raiders games. It is intended to compare crowd figures and provoke discussion. I will also post Stadium capacities as I think it is a relevant factor when comparing. There are 8 GWS games being played in west Sydney, while there will be 51 NRL games played in west Sydney in 2012.

Round 1 - Eels v Broncos (Fri, 2 March, 7.30pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 11,399 (capacity: 21,487)
Round 1 - Panthers v Bulldogs (Sat, 3 March, 7.30pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 9,585 (capacity: 22,500)
Round 1 - Tigers v Sharks (Sun, 4 March, 2.00pm)
Leichhardt Oval: 19,762 (capacity: 22,000)
Round 1 - Rabbitohs v Roosters (Mon, 5 March, 7.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 18,278 (capacity: 83,500)

Round 2 - Bulldogs v Dragons (Sat, 10 March, 7.30pm)
ANZ Stadium: 29,641 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 2 - Eels v Warriors (Mon, 12 March, 7.00pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 12,102 (capacity: 21,487)

Round 3 - Panthers v Rabbitohs (Sun, 18 March, 3.00pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 13,876 (capacity: 22,500)

Same Weekend
Round 4 - Eels v Panthers (Fri, 23 March, 7.30pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 13,788 (capacity: 21,487)
Round 1 - Giants v Swans (Sat, 24 March, 7.20pm)
ANZ Stadium: 38,203 (capacity: 82,500)
Round 4 - Bulldogs v Knights (Sun, 25 March, 3.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 21,701 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 4 - Tigers v Raiders (Mon, 26 March, 7.00pm)
Campbelltown Sports Stadium: 14,388 (capacity: 21,000)

Round 5 - Panthers v Sharks (Sat, 31 March, 5.30pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 13,920 (capacity: 22,500)
Round 5 - Eels v Sea Eagles (Sat, 31 March, 7.30pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 13,158 (capacity: 21,487)

Round 6 - Rabbitohs v Bulldogs (Fri, 6 April, 4.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 35,221 (capacity: 83,500)

Head to Head
Round 3 - Giants v Eagles (Sun, 15 April, 1.10pm
Blacktown International Sportpark: 6,875 (capacity: 10,000)
Round 7 - Panthers v Tigers (Sun, 15 April, 3.00pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 15,759 (capacity: 22,500)

Round 8 - Bulldogs v Sea Eagles (Fri, 27 April, 7.35pm)
ANZ Stadium: 24,743 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 8 - Rabbitohs v Cowboys (Sat, 28 April, 7.30pm)
ANZ Stadium: 12,213 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 8 - Eels v Tigers (Sun, 29 April, 3.00pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 19,654 (capacity: 21,487)

Round 9 - Eels v Bulldogs (Fri, 4 May, 7.35pm)
ANZ Stadium: 28,214 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 9 - Panthers v Storm (Sat, 5 May, 7.30pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 9,517 (capacity: 22,500)
Round 9 - Rabbitohs v Sharks (Mon, 7 May, 7.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 13,281 (capacity: 83,500)

Round 10 - Panthers v Dragons (Mon, 14 May, 7.00pm)
Centrebet Stadium 10,367 (capacity: 22,500)

Round 11 - Tigers v Warriors (Fri, 18 May, 7.35pm)
Leichhardt Oval: 16,406 (capacity: 22,000)
Round 11 - Bulldogs v Sharks (Mon, 21 May, 7.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 12,012 (capacity: 83,500)

Same Weekend
Round 12 - Rabbitohs v Raiders (Fri, 25 May, 7.35pm)
ANZ Stadium: 10,054 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 9 - Giants v Bombers (Sat, 26 May, 7.40pm)
Skoda Stadium: 11,887 (capacity: 25,000)
Round 12 - Panthers v Sea Eagles (Sun, 27 May, 2.00pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 11,844 (capacity: 22,500)
Round 12 - Tigers v Cowboys (Sun, 27 May, 3.00pm)
Campbelltown Sports Stadium: 13,059 (capacity: 21,000)

Round 13 - Bulldogs v Rabbitohs (Sat, 2 June, 7.30pm)
ANZ Stadium: 19,439 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 13 - Eels v Sharks (Mon, 4 June, 7.00pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 10,009 (capacity: 21,487)

Round 14 - Panthers v Warriors (Mon, 11 June, 7.00pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 5,778 (capacity: 22,500)

Head to Head
Round 12 - Giants v Tigers (Sat, 16 June, 2.10pm)
Skoda Stadium: 7,358 (capacity: 25,000)
Round 15 - Eels v Rabbitohs (Sat, 16 June, 7.30pm)
ANZ Stadium: 14,212 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 15 - Tigers v Roosters (Sun, 17 June, 3.00pm)
Leichhardt Oval: 20,327 (capacity: 22,000)

Round 16 - Panthers v Eels (Sat, 23 June, 7.30pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 15,275 (capacity: 22,500)

Head to Head
Round 17 - Eels v Knights (Sat, 30 June, 7.30pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 12,022(capacity: 21,487)
Round 14 - Swans v Giants (Sat, 30 June, 7.40pm)
ANZ Stadium: 22,565 (capacity: 82,500)
Round 17 - Rabbitohs v Panthers (Sun, 30 June, 3.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 13,096 (capacity: 83,500)

Round 18 - Rabbitohs v Knights (Sun, 8 July, 2.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 16,104 (capacity: 83,500)

Same Weekend
Round 19 - Bulldogs v Eels (Fri, 13 July, 7.35pm)
ANZ Stadium: 31,102 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 19 - Tigers v Panthers (Sat, 14 July, 7.30pm)
Campbelltown Sports Stadium: 12,384 (capacity: 21,000)
Round 16 - Giants v Crows (Sun, 15 July, 1.10pm)
Skoda Stadium: 7,669 (capacity: 25,000)

Round 20 - Eels v Storm (Sat, 21 July, 7.30pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 9,029 (capacity: 21,487)
Round 20 - Rabbitohs v Dragons (Sat, 21 July, 7.30pm)
ANZ Stadium: 21,019 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 20 - Panthers v Roosters (Sun, 22 July, 3.00pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 9,646 (capacity: 22,500)

Head to Head
Round 18 - Giants v Magpies (Sat, 28 July, 4.40pm)
Skoda Stadium: 8,102 (capacity: 25,000)
Round 21 - Bulldogs v Cowboys (Sat, 28 July, 5.30pm)
ANZ Stadium: 15,650 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 21 - Rabbitohs v Tigers (Sun, 29 July, 5.30pm)
ANZ Stadium: 29,863 (capacity: 83,500)

Same Weekend
Round 19 - Giants v Power (Sat, 4 August, 2.10pm)
Skoda Stadium: 6,811 (capacity: 25,000)
Round 22 - Tigers v Eels (Mon, 6 August, 7.00pm)
Campbelltown Sports Stadium: 14,822 (capacity: 21,000)

Swans game not included in any statistics, just here to show crowd
Round 23 - Eels v Roosters (Sat, 11 August, 5.30pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 12,193 (capacity: 21,487)
Round 20 - Swans v Magpies (Sat, 11 August, 7.40pm)
ANZ Stadium: 45,827 (capacity: 82,500)
Round 23 - Panthers v Raiders (Sun, 12 August, 2.00pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 7,437 (capacity: 22,500)
Round 23 - Bulldogs v Broncos (Sun, 12 August, 3.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 19,870 (capacity: 83,500)

Round 24 - Bulldogs v Tigers (Fri, 17 August, 7.35pm)
ANZ Stadium: 29,194 (capacity: 83,500)
here
Round 25 - Panthers v Titans (Sat, 25 August, 7.30pm)
Centrebet Stadium: 7,297 (capacity: 22,500)
Round 25 - Rabbitohs v Eels (Sun, 26 August, 3.00pm)
ANZ Stadium: 24,121 (capacity: 83,500)

Head to Head
Round 23 - Giants v Kangaroos (Sat, 1 September, 4.40pm)
Skoda Stadium: ??? (capacity: 25,000)
Round 26 - Bulldogs v Roosters (Sat, 1 September, 7.30pm)
ANZ Stadium: 23,391 (capacity: 83,500)
Round 26 - Eels v Dragons (Sun, 2 September, 7.00pm)
Parramatta Stadium: 45,863 (capacity: 21,487)

Canberra Games

Same Weekend
Round 5 - Giants v Bulldogs (Sat, 28 April, 2.10pm)
Manuka Oval: 9,128 (capacity: 13,550)
Round 8 - Raiders v Sharks (Sun, 29 April, 2.00pm)
Canberra Stadium 12,227 (capacity: 25,011)

Same Weekend
Round 7 - Giants v Suns (Sat, 12 May, 1.40pm)
Manuka Oval: 8,603 (capacity: 13,550)
Round 10 - Raiders v Eels (Sun, 13 April, 2.00pm)
Canberra Stadium 9,210 (capacity: 25,011)

Head to Head
Round 21 - Giants v Demons (Sat, 18 August, 2.10pm)
Manuka Oval: 7,561 (capacity: 13,550)
Round 24 - Raiders v Roosters (Sat, 18 August, 5.30pm)
Canberra Stadium 8,860 (capacity: 25,011)

Highest Attendance: Eels v Dragons - 45,863 (Sydney) Raiders v Sharks - 12,227 (Canberra)
Lowest Attendance: Panthers v Warriors - 5,788 (Sydney) Giants v Demons (Canberra)
2012 Head to Head Weekends: 4-1 West Sydney NRL teams (Sydney)
2012 Same Weekends: 3-1 West Sydney NRL teams (Sydney) 2-0 Raiders (Canberra)
2012 Giants Sydney Crowd Average: 12,907 (total so far: 116,166 in 9 matches)
2012 NRL West Sydney Teams Crowd Average: 16,923 (total so far: 863,076 in 51 matches)
2012 Giants Canberra Crowd Average: 8,430 (total so far: 17,731 in 3 matches)
2012 Canberra Raiders Crowd Average: 10,189 (total so far: 122,274 in 12 matches)
(last updated 3.09.12)

I'll update more as the season progresses. What do we think so far?

 

[dlanod]

Nothing to say yet. The home derby was pretty much a free kick, this game should sell out but be limited to 10k-ish. When we start playing in Skoda, that'll probably be the most legit crowd figures.

 

[Nauru]

We have it all over the NRL in west sydney the west sydney teams in the nrl are going poorly and if the giants can somehow be competitive the crowds will flock to the afl.

 

[skearney]

the NRL in Sydney will die in the next 15 years, hundreds of lads like myself have seen the light and are following the Giants and AFL.

 

[Unfinished]

Hopefully there is a fullhouse in tommorow.

 

[oozeboss]

Manuka will be sold out for Rounds 5 (Western Bulldogs) & 7 (Gold Coast), and both games are winnable. (I'll be travelling up from Sydney for both.)

Skoda will be sold out for Rounds 9 (Richmond), 12 (Essendon) & 18 (Collingwood) as all of those sides have massive supporter bases and travel well, but there are outside prospects only of us stealing one of those.

We play a Swans home match at ANZ in Round 14, and although it won't sell out, a crowd of 40 - 50k would not suprise, especially if the Swans continue their very respectable surge towards September and we'll have won a game or so by then and will be showing awesome signs for our future.

"The future's so bright that I gotta wear shades."

 

[Go Giants]

AFL and NRL will both be fine long term - enough fans for both in sydney

 

[Northern_Union]

6875 official crowd apparently.

 

[full on]

Tsunami.

 

[Matchu]

6875 official crowd apparently.

That's the figure I'm seeing also. The NRL game in Penrith probably affected potential numbers but close to 7k at a very small and local stadium isn't too bad considering there would hardly be anyone from Perth there. I think they would have drawn a much bigger crowd had they played a Victorian team. It'll be interesting to see how many they pull next game in Canberra.

 

[Scully2Folau]

Similar crowd number to the NAB Cup this year, but definitely a bigger orange contingent.

 

[full on]

That's the figure I'm seeing also. The NRL game in Penrith probably affected potential numbers but close to 7k at a very small and local stadium isn't too bad considering there would hardly be anyone from Perth there. I think they would have drawn a much bigger crowd had they played a Victorian team. It'll be interesting to see how many they pull next game in Canberra.

Whichever way you play it it's just a terrible crowd. Looked closer to 4k than 7k. This is the first game at the Blacktown stadium and they couldn't fill it??? Maybe people in Western Sydney just dislike AFL???

 

[Matchu]

Whichever way you play it it's just a terrible crowd. Looked closer to 4k than 7k. This is the first game at the Blacktown stadium and they couldn't fill it??? Maybe people in Western Sydney just dislike AFL???

Obviously everyone at the AFL and the Giants would like a bigger crowd than that but that is the first and only regular season game that will be played at Blacktown. It's no secret that AFL isn't that popular in West Sydney, their new stadium (Skoda Stadium) is in Homebush which is much more central than Blacktown and should attract more AFL fans from the Eastern side of Sydney because that is where majority of the AFL fans are in Sydney.

If you go back and look at the Swans crowds in the 80s and even as recent as the late 90s they were shockingly bad. They found a niche in the market and now they pull upwards of 25,000 to every game they play. Give the Giants time and they will find their niche, I can guarantee that.

 

[Matchu]

15,759 at the Panthers v Tigers NRL match today in Penrith. Looks like an uphill battle for the AFL from here but anyone who knows anything about this topic already knew the AFL has lots of work to do from here.

 

[Scully2Folau]

Meaning Penrith Stadium was at 70% capacity today, BISP 68.75%.

Not a great crowd for GWS, but such a small capacity also means the impact of members who don't make it to the game is magnified.

 

[IanW]

The crowd was overwhelmingly either GWS or West Coast - very very few Swans fans.

Its going to be a long hard slog, but thats OK.

 

[Mountain Giant]

Pretty fair indication of west Sydneys interest in GWS. The Canberra members would not have traveled and the Swans members would have been unlikely to travel out to bloody Doonside.

 

[oozeboss]

The cold hard reality made obvious by today's crowd is that BISP is no AFL standard venue, especially in regards to access. And even moreso when the Council that actually owns it chooses to do roadworks outside on its biggest game day of the year.

This is no overnight struggle we're engaged in here. Revolutions take much longer to come to fruition, and we devoted AFL fans in Sydney just have to stay true to The Cause & dig in for the long haul.

 

[dlanod]

Whichever way you play it it's just a terrible crowd. Looked closer to 4k than 7k. This is the first game at the Blacktown stadium and they couldn't fill it??? Maybe people in Western Sydney just dislike AFL???

Looked pretty much like 7-8k to me, but hey, you'd know, right?

 

[Professor Knowall]

The cold hard reality made obvious by today's crowd is that BISP is no AFL standard venue, especially in regards to access. And even moreso when the Council that actually owns it chooses to do roadworks outside on its biggest game day of the year.

This is no overnight struggle we're engaged in here. Revolutions take much longer to come to fruition, and we devoted AFL fans in Sydney just have to stay true to The Cause & dig in for the long haul.

Good post. Not that I've ever been near there, but I've heard from the NAB Cup game reports their it;s a b***h of a ground to get to by either public transport or car

Looked pretty much like 7-8k to me, but hey, you'd know, right?

It looked at least 70 to 75% full - so the announced crowd was less then what I expected.

Also consider they were always expected to be belted by at least 20 goals. Of course they will struggle for crowds this year - that was already a given. Than again, the supporters they do get this year will be the ones that will do the hard yards and stay loyal through the difficult early days ... But in 4-5 years time ...expect growth as the team grows.

 

[Go Giants]

I was at the game. Crowd and atmosphere was good-

 

[Nauru]

billy and I went it was hard slog walking to the ground and not going to kareela reserve to watch doonside, but we did it
the toilets seemed to be in use a lot though not sure why there was such a big line up in the mens room

 

[Matchu]

Just added the Canberra games to the list on the first page. Should be interesting to compare their crowds with that of the Canberra Raiders as well.

 

[captainMyCaptain]

It will obvious help some what with numbers when we have skoda stadium up and running especially as it such a central location and fairly easy to get to.

Also will be interest to see how we go with crowds in Canberra.

 

[dlanod]

Good post. Not that I've ever been near there, but I've heard from the NAB Cup game reports their it;s a b***h of a ground to get to by either public transport or car
It looked at least 70 to 75% full - so the announced crowd was less then what I expected.

Capacity is about 10k (those were the crowd figures for the sell-out Swans NAB Cup games out there) so 70% full is about spot on. But yes, it is a bitch for public transport and, while not too bad to get there by car, the parking system isn't designed for that many people.