The Biggest Club in Australia

[Markfs]

I have a story.

I had a friend years ago. He had a group of mates. One of his mates gave him the name "Wally". After a while, all the guys in the group called my friend Wally. Initially, he was a bit confused why he got the name, but after a while he got used to it and answered to it like it was his own.

A few years down the track, he got a bit wiser and knew a bit more of the world. He learnt that being a wally meant that a person was a bit silly....a bit useless.

The thing that I've noticed over the years that a lot of people outside the club, call Collingwood it the biggest in the land. To me, they're mocking the club, not in the good-natured way that my friend copped it, but in a sneering smart-arsed way. And yet so many Pie supporters seem to revel in it.

 

[magpienato]

Huh? We are the biggest club in the land whether you want us to be or not, just looking at any metrics.

 

[Jafo]

First thing’s first, I love the club and will always be a Pie. But honestly, our club is overrated and one of the biggest underachievers in the league.

For all the finals appearances and Grand Finals we’ve been in, we’ve lost more than any other club.

It really should be us with our flags and daylight between our nearest competitor. But it’s not that way.

Big name club, small on Silverware (in comparison).

Not an arrogance thing regarding should be us and daylight.

 

[Markfs]

It really should be us with our flags and daylight between our nearest competitor. But it’s not that way.

Why should it be that way?

 

[Markfs]

Huh? We are the biggest club in the land whether you want us to be or not, just looking at any metrics.

membership? financial?

 

[Jafo]

Why should it be that way?

Because we have been in that many Grand Finals and lost them. Not saying we should be the biggest and best and f@ck the rest. More pointing to the underachievement we have had vs other clubs that sometimes get one shot and take it. Aka Doggies etc.

 

[Jen2310]

We're the most famous club, that's for sure.

But if we're tallying the biggest club as having the most premierships, then wouldn't that be essendon/carlton? lol

 

[SpongePie]

Huh? We are the biggest club in the land whether you want us to be or not, just looking at any metrics.

Huh? Which metrics, specifically?

 

[adammania9]

Over the years I’ve realised how little importance there is in being the biggest club. It’s good to be big, but it’s not a big deal to be the biggest. Geelong are not a big club. For most of history, Geelong has been a small club that’s envious of everything the big cities have to offer. But how many times now have they shown us up in finals recently? And they’re contending in a grand final this week and are getting our dream target. Nobody cares about big clubs, the joy is supporting the best run clubs, by which we are nowhere near the top.

 

[Doc1763]

Huh? Which metrics, specifically?

This'll be good!!

 

[magpienato]

Huh? Which metrics, specifically?

Popularity, money, supporters, you could also say the most successful in terms of perpetually being 'up there'.

 

[sr36]

I have a story.

I had a friend years ago. He had a group of mates. One of his mates gave him the name "Wally". After a while, all the guys in the group called my friend Wally. Initially, he was a bit confused why he got the name, but after a while he got used to it and answered to it like it was his own.

A few years down the track, he got a bit wiser and knew a bit more of the world. He learnt that being a wally meant that a person was a bit silly....a bit useless.

The thing that I've noticed over the years that a lot of people outside the club, call Collingwood it the biggest in the land. To me, they're mocking the club, not in the good-natured way that my friend copped it, but in a sneering smart-arsed way. And yet so many Pie supporters seem to revel in it.

We are the biggest, but at the moment we are definitely not the best.

 

[Markfs]

We are the biggest, but at the moment we are definitely not the best.

how are we the biggest? How do you judge that?

 

[sr36]

how are we the biggest? How do you judge that?

Most supporters.
In terms of the media, we're also treated as the biggest story around.

 

[Markfs]

Here is a financial ladder showing West Coast has the biggest dollar turnover of all the clubs. Most importantly, it has the biggest profit. It gives a ton of money to the WA footy commission which uses it to run the WAFL. I'll concede that the ranking indicates that we were the biggest the year before, but the trend is that West Coast is getting bigger - especially with the opening of the perth oval

 

[Markfs]

West Coast used to have a waiting list membership where Western Australians use to pay money to be wait-listed for a membership.... I'm not sure if they still have it...


2020 CLUB MEMBERSHIP LADDER

1. West Coast Eagles — 100,776 (2019 tally: 90,445 | +11.2%)

2. Richmond — 100,420 (2019 tally: 103,358 | -2.8%)

3. Collingwood — 76,862 (2019 tally: 85,226 | -9.8%)

4. Hawthorn — 76,343 (2019 tally: 81,211 | -6%)

5. Carlton — 67,035 (2019 tally: 64,269 | +4.3%)

6. Essendon — 66,686 (2019 tally: 84,237 | -20.8%)

7. Geelong — 60,066 (2019 tally: 65,063 | -7.6%)

8. Adelaide — 54,891 (2019 tally: 64,437 | -14.9%)

9. Fremantle — 51,577 (2019 tally: 51,431 | +0.3% )

10. St Kilda — 48,588 (2019 tally: 43,038 | +12.9%)

11. Sydney Swans — 48,322 (2019 tally: 61,912 | -21.9%)

12. Port Adelaide — 46,820 (2019 tally: 51,951 | -9.9%)

13. Melbourne — 40,571 (2019 tally: 52,421 | -22.6%)

14. Western Bulldogs — 38,876 (2019 tally: 44,373 | -12.4%)

15. North Melbourne — 38,667 (2019 tally: 42,419 | -8.8%)

16. GWS Giants — 30,841 (2019 tally: 30,109 | +2.4%)

17. Brisbane Lions — 29,277 (2019 tally: 28,023 | +4.5%)

18. Gold Coast Suns — 16,236 (2019 tally: 13,649 | +19%)

TOTAL — 992,854 (2019 tally: 1,057,572)

 

[Markfs]

Most supporters.
In terms of the media, we're also treated as the biggest story around.

Roy Morgan Research has confirmed the Swans are once again the most widely supported AFL team in Australia in 2020, with 1.052 million fans.

The impressive numbers eclipse the second most popular club, Collingwood, with the Magpies having 726,000 supporters.

With footy being based in Queensland for much of this season, it’s no surprise that the Brisbane Lions and the Gold Coast Suns have seen the biggest percentage growth in number of fans in 2020, with the Lions fan base growing by more than 27% to 658,000 and the Suns growing from 35,000 to 93,000.

According to the research, more than 7.7 million Australians now support an AFL club and 7.75 million have watched an AFL match on TV in the past year.

It’s the 16th consecutive year Roy Morgan’s statistics have ranked the Sydney Swans top of the table for total supporters.

Sydney most supported club in AFL

Cheer, cheer the red and the white – and Sydney Swans supporters who continue to make the club number one among AFL fans.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

.

 

[Markfs]

Roy Morgan research

 

[Markfs]

Popularity, money, supporters, you could also say the most successful in terms of perpetually being 'up there'.

Popularity.... sydney see figures above

money............west coast see figures above

supporters....sydney, can you be popular without being a supporter?

the most successful in terms of perpetually being 'up there'...........Que? Up in where?

 

[Markfs]

We're the most famous club, that's for sure.

But if we're tallying the biggest club as having the most premierships, then wouldn't that be essendon/carlton? lol

most famous? ok give you that one. maybe we're the club with the most stripes too, although geelong and north might argue

 

[Markfs]

Because we have been in that many Grand Finals and lost them. Not saying we should be the biggest and best and f@ck the rest. More pointing to the underachievement we have had vs other clubs that sometimes get one shot and take it. Aka Doggies etc.

so we're the biggest club because we have been in the most grand finals? That's your measure? ok, hang you're hat on that one.

 

[magpienato]

Popularity.... sydney see figures above

money............west coast see figures above

supporters....sydney, can you be popular without being a supporter?

the most successful in terms of perpetually being 'up there'...........Que? Up in where?

You're clearly filled with a lot of self-hatred for your own club so I'll leave you to seethe here.
But I have to lol if you think Sydney is the most supported/popular club.

 

[Jafo]

so we're the biggest club because we have been in the most grand finals? That's your measure? ok, hang you're hat on that one.

How did you translate me saying we’re the biggest club because we’ve been in the most Grand Finals? Now you’re clutching at straws.

Again, saying we should be as good as our name is carried across Australia and sometimes overseas. At least here.

Sure we have the supporter base, the money and great facilities since our tin rattle days back in the 80s.

But what have we achieved on field to say we’re still a Powerhouse?

Geelong and Hawthorn stand stronger than us at current pace.

 

[barrackers]

supporters....sydney, can you be popular without being a supporter?

Recognised yes. Much like how a Victorian with minimum interest in NRL would state they’re a storm fan but would struggle to name players outside of those widely known.

 

[Doc1763]

Popularity, money, supporters, you could also say the most successful in terms of perpetually being 'up there'.

Yep, way out in front.