GWS is the AFL's biggest problem - not North, GC, or Tassie

[Orange crush]

Oops fixed *Western Sydney Giants

They are

Not their fault they are greater than all the other western Sydney giants

 

[PaythePerryman]

They are

Not their fault they are greater than all the other western Sydney giants

I agree that it probably should have just been Western Sydney Giants. The Greater adds nothing...maybe more G.
But it's done now and I cant see them changing it.
Crowd was great on the weekend. Two contenders clashing early in the season.

This weekend will be much tougher. Can't see many North fans wanting to make the trip to see this game.
Hopefully Giants fans show up to watch us go 2-0

 

[Walshawk]

Agree. Should have called them Western Sydney Giants.

Massive mistake.


One to two would million identify as being from ‘western Sydney’. I doubt that a single person has ever said ‘I am from Greater Western Sydney’

 

[Walshawk]

8k today. Horrible crowd.

 

[Cmarsh]

8k today. Horrible crowd.

It was actually a record home crowd vs North.

 

[Walshawk]

It was actually a record home crowd vs North.

Enough said.

 

[Giant YoYo]

It was actually a record home crowd vs North.

Agree

Also, generally hostile poster towards the Giants.

 

[Walshawk]

It was actually a record home crowd vs North.

Agree

Also, hostile towards the Giants.

Hey Giants fans. What can be done? Why have crowds hardly grown in 12 years? It must be depressing out there.

 

[Bjo187]

Hey Giants fans. What can be done? Why have crowds hardly grown in 12 years? It just be depressing out there.

Give it a rest walshawk.

 

[Walshawk]

Give it a rest walshawk.

Yeah nah. 8k at an AFL game is a disaster. Game would have no atmosphere. Do we just accept this indefinitely? What is that definition of insanity again?

 

[Coolangatta]

Yeah nah. 8k at an AFL game is a disaster. Game would have no atmosphere. Do we just accept this indefinitely? What is that definition of insanity again?

Do you have any suggestions? Because the Giants aren’t going anywhere. The AFL will never, ever let go of the Western Sydney market, I’m almost certain of that.

 

[Walshawk]

Do you have any suggestions? Because the Giants aren’t going anywhere. The AFL will never, ever let go of the Western Sydney market, I’m almost certain of that.

So am I. That is why change is needed. It is clearly not gaining any traction. Top of the ladder and 8k. That is unheard of.

And I have made many suggestions in the thread. Don’t get my wrong. I want it to work. It just isn’t.

 

[Giant YoYo]

So am I. That is why change is needed. It is clearly not gaining any traction. Top of the ladder and 8k. That is unheard of.

And I have made many suggestions in the thread. Don’t get my wrong. I want it to work. It just isn’t.

No comment you've made to date has been supportive, so what you're saying now is not indicative of that.

I'll be blunt, it's been shambolic but what you're saying is nowhere near supportive.

Come out into NRL territory, don an AFL guernsey and tell us how easy it is.

Edit: I'll go out on a limb and say there are a many people who just don't watch/follow sport in western Sydney given the options presented.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Do you have any suggestions? Because the Giants aren’t going anywhere. The AFL will never, ever let go of the Western Sydney market, I’m almost certain of that.

Kind of person that expects to plonk a team just anywhere and for them to do well.

 

[PenrithGWS]

Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Cmarsh]

I think the biggest factor (challenge) in trying to get traction in Western Sydney is the nature of its population. Its highly represented by immigrants with no background in Australian Rules whatsoever. Melbourne is also very culturally diverse but AFL hasn't been particularly successful in attracting this section of the population. If you look at the typical makeup of the crowd at an AFL game in Melbourne, its still not all that diverse.

Gives you a sense of what the challenges are for GWS in Western Sydney.

 

[Giant YoYo]

I think the biggest factor (challenge) in trying to get traction in Western Sydney is the nature of its population. Its highly represented by immigrants with no background in Australian Rules whatsoever. Melbourne is also very culturally diverse but AFL hasn't been particularly successful in attracting this section of the population. If you look at the typical makeup of the crowd at an AFL game in Melbourne, its still not all that diverse.

Gives you a sense of what the challenges are for GWS in Western Sydney.

Exactly. If they can tap in to the Parramatta market they'll do well and expand from there IMO.

 

[The Educator]

I think the biggest factor (challenge) in trying to get traction in Western Sydney is the nature of its population. Its highly represented by immigrants with no background in Australian Rules whatsoever. Melbourne is also very culturally diverse but AFL hasn't been particularly successful in attracting this section of the population. If you look at the typical makeup of the crowd at an AFL game in Melbourne, its still not all that diverse.

Gives you a sense of what the challenges are for GWS in Western Sydney.

This is a dubious assertion. AFL crowds are very diverse.....obviously not in direct proportion to demographics but why would you expect that?

 

[Cmarsh]

This is a dubious assertion. AFL crowds are very diverse.....obviously not in direct proportion to demographics but why would you expect that?

Didn't say that crowd demographics should be in direct proportion. Don't think it's that dubious to say that AFL crowds aren't all that diverse.

 

[Pommie Docker]

Living in Sydney, I just don't really see GWS being a success. It's noticeable how little coverage or support they get in Sydney and they haven't managed to resonate in a meaningful way yet with Western Sydney. What should worry the AFL is it's been a pretty successful club for a while now, including a granny and still hasn't moved the needle with attendance. There's a world this season where the suns and gws play each other in the GF in front of no one.

 

[The Educator]

Didn't say that crowd demographics should be in direct proportion. Don't think it's that dubious to say that AFL crowds aren't all that diverse.

I think it is.

Ultimately there are very large crowds in Melbourne which are obviously going to be largely driven by inter-generational supporters from anglo-celtic and continental european backgrounds given that is where pretty much all immigration came from up to the mid 70s

The same number of south and east asian fans would stand out far more at, say, a soccer or NRL crowd cos there are far less people.

 

[The Educator]

Living in Sydney, I just don't really see GWS being a success. It's noticeable how little coverage or support they get in Sydney and they haven't managed to resonate in a meaningful way yet with Western Sydney. What should worry the AFL is it's been a pretty successful club for a while now, including a granny and still hasn't moved the needle with attendance. There's a world this season where the suns and gws play each other in the GF in front of no one.

A Giants v Suns GF would sell out.

The Giants will be fine. I think most reasonable people would agree that covid wasn't great timing for them

Ultimately it is just a matter of staying the course - which the AFL clearly understands.

 

[Bjo187]

I think the biggest factor (challenge) in trying to get traction in Western Sydney is the nature of its population. Its highly represented by immigrants with no background in Australian Rules whatsoever. Melbourne is also very culturally diverse but AFL hasn't been particularly successful in attracting this section of the population. If you look at the typical makeup of the crowd at an AFL game in Melbourne, its still not all that diverse.

Gives you a sense of what the challenges are for GWS in Western Sydney.

It is an interesting point, the western bulldogs are the second smallest club in Melbourne where AFL is the dominant sport and they have that whole area of the western suburbs which is now massive, to themselves. I know they have been trying to tap into the Vietnamese population for decades, with no success.

It's therefore interesting that the AFL thought they would have success tapping into diverse populations in WS, when it hasn't even worked in the heartland.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, the Asian market isn't worthwhile tapping into, however the Indian market is, in both Melbourne and Sydney. You get into the Indian market via cricket, a lot of Indians go to the cricket at giants stadium in the summer, they like sport more and they are the most dominant 'born overseas' population in and around the homebush area. They also don't have the old r.l fan mentality as they don't typically absorb the mainstream Sydney media.

 

[Fletched]

Living in Sydney, I just don't really see GWS being a success. It's noticeable how little coverage or support they get in Sydney and they haven't managed to resonate in a meaningful way yet with Western Sydney. What should worry the AFL is it's been a pretty successful club for a while now, including a granny and still hasn't moved the needle with attendance. There's a world this season where the suns and gws play each other in the GF in front of no one.

Its notable the GWS receive a large support in Victoria compared to other interstate sides

 

[The Educator]

It is an interesting point, the western bulldogs are the second smallest club in Melbourne where AFL is the dominant sport and they have that whole area of the western suburbs which is now massive, to themselves. I know they have been trying to tap into the Vietnamese population for decades, with no success.

It's therefore interesting that the AFL thought they would have success tapping into diverse populations in WS, when it hasn't even worked in the heartland.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, the Asian market isn't worthwhile tapping into, however the Indian market is, in both Melbourne and Sydney. You get into the Indian market via cricket, a lot of Indians go to the cricket at giants stadium in the summer, they like sport more and they are the most dominant 'born overseas' population in and around the homebush area. They also don't have the old r.l fan mentality as they don't typically absorb the mainstream Sydney media.

There is a solid number of east asian extraction fans that go to the footy. The reality is though sport in general is less culturally central so there will always be limits. The Doggies seem to have a lot of asian (Vietnamese presumably) fans from what I have noticed

I agree we will probably see a greater portion of the indian community engaged over time though