2025 Attendances

[The_Wookie]

11.12.2024

Gather Round tickets snapped up in record time


The AFL is pleased to announce that more than 195,000 Gather Round…Festival of Footy tickets have sold… with five of the nine games sold out, 20,000 more than this time last year.

Member on sale on Tuesday saw a significant uplift in demand for tickets this year, selling more than 100,000 tickets in the first four hours, in comparison to the same amount in 24 hours last year.

This year there are an extra 47,000 tickets on offer for fans with the two Saturday matches being ticketed separately.

Tickets still remain for Collingwood vs Sydney Swans on Friday night, Carlton vs West Coast on Saturday afternoon, Melbourne vs Essendon on Saturday night and a very limited number of restricted view tickets and tickets for the Pepsi Collective for Port Adelaide vs Hawthorn on Sunday evening.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said it was clear Gather Round momentum was not slowly down.

“The demand for tickets this year was significantly higher than the first two Gather Rounds, with more than 195,000 tickets being purchased in the first two days,” said Mr Dillon.

“A ticket to the matches at the Barossa Park was always going to be one of the hottest tickets in town and the fans have certainly illustrated that by selling out both matches so quickly.”

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said: “Gather Round continues to exceed all expectations.

“We are honoured that so many footy fans from around the country are making the commitment to travel to our beautiful state to experience this event like no other.

“They’ll be truly welcome.

“If you haven’t got a ticket already – get in quick!”

Tickets for the remaining matches can be found here.

 

[Hawkk]

Saints also don't sell their worst games out of the city.

Which I guess it the point - why build a 30k stadium in Melbourne when it suits everyone to play those games in non afl towns?

Also, points out that the AFL still has massive issues getting fans to Marvel.
Those are terrible attendances, at the same time MCG attendances are growing rapidly.

 

[Hawkk]

The context around those MCG games in 2003-05 is that the renovations were going on, so you had MCC members being moved to the AFL members with temporary portable facilities in Yarra park, giant holes in the stands causing arctic winds like Waverley and most of the bowl seating left over had ans looking directly into the sun. A shiny new indoor Docklands venue would have been a much better experience, so not surprised it drew better.

Lowest MCG games in 2000 to 2002

North Melb v Fremantle 12,400 (2000)
Melbourne v Adelaide 17,566 (2001)
Hawthorn v Port Adel 18,976 (2000)
Richmond v Fremantle 19,519 (2002)
Melbourne v Port Adel 19,611 (2002)
Hawthorn v Brisbane 20,374 (2000)
North Melb v West Coast 20,580 (2000)
Melbourne v St Kilda 20,892 (2001)
St Kilda v Hawthorn 21,744 (2001)
Melbourne v North Melb 23,378 (2000)

Not much difference between the full stadium and the rebuild (at least for low drawing games)

 

[Underarm]

Also, points out that the AFL still has massive issues getting fans to Marvel.
Those are terrible attendances, at the same time MCG attendances are growing rapidly.

There are zero Marvel tenants in the 8 this year. Have there even been 10 docklands based teams in finals over the past 10 years?

 

[Hawkk]

There are zero Marvel tenants in the 8 this year. Have there even been 10 docklands based teams in finals over the past 10 years?

The Dogs are eighth and a popular flag fancy (and made it in 2015, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 24). Carlton made the finals in 2023 and 2024, the Dons in 2017, 19 and 21 and the Saints in 2020 and 2023.

The Saints and North are the only clubs that draw lower crowds in the 2020s than what they drew in the 90s and early 00s.

 

[dave10]

The Dogs are eighth and a popular flag fancy (and made it in 2015, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 24). Carlton made the finals in 2023 and 2024, the Dons in 2017, 19 and 21 and the Saints in 2020 and 2023.

The Saints and North are the only clubs that draw lower crowds in the 2020s than what they drew in the 90s and early 00s.

Essendon are possibly drawing lower Marvel crowds in recent years than those early 2000’s years. Obviously form a factor but I think the biggest factor is members reserved seating empty.

In the 2000-2007 period, Essendon were regularly drawing 46-51K to Marvel against the likes of Eagles, Lions, Swans, Roos etc. Since about 2012, it ramped up reserved seating allocations and these sellout blockbusters now draw 40-44K. That’s a significant change.

 

[Fletched]

Marvel tennants have won what 1 flag since post 2000?

The other vic teams have won 13 flags since then

90 to 2000 saw 5 flag wins to the marvel teams

No wonder marvel was higher closer to 2000 long term declines have hit saints essendon and north

 

[What else we can do]

The Dogs are eighth and a popular flag fancy (and made it in 2015, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 24). Carlton made the finals in 2023 and 2024, the Dons in 2017, 19 and 21 and the Saints in 2020 and 2023.

The Saints and North are the only clubs that draw lower crowds in the 2020s than what they drew in the 90s and early 00s.

Love to know Hawthorn and Carlton crowds (esp Hawthorn) at Princes Park between 1974 and 1991, they won 10 flags between them curious to see if their was some growth for the Hawks.

 

[Hawkk]

Marvel tennants have won what 1 flag since post 2000?

The other vic teams have won 13 flags since then

90 to 2000 saw 5 flag wins to the marvel teams

No wonder marvel was higher closer to 2000 long term declines have hit saints essendon and north

The Dons and Blues are both in their longest flag droughts in history. Despite this, Carlton drew their largest home and away attendance last season (1,127,120) and Essendon drew its second largest ever (1,148,090). I mean, Essendon played 8 games at the MCG this year and drew 60,000 despite fielding a VFL team for half the year…





I know there is an extra home and away game now, but their average attendances are growing (especially at the MCG) despite their on field woes. Both are massive clubs and have incredibly loyal support bases.

By contrast North and St Kilda have definitely shrunk.



I’m convinced that on field success means stuff all for supporter growth. The big clubs have a monopoly on new supporters because they play so much in the prime time slots. I think Coll, Carl and Ess are only getting bigger and bigger…

 

[Hawkk]

Love to know Hawthorn and Carlton crowds (esp Hawthorn) at Princes Park between 1974 and 1991, they won 10 flags between them curious to see if their was some growth for the Hawks.

Hawthorn’s crowds at Princes Park were terrible. The Hawks were drawing bigger crowds at Glenferrie than at Princes Park. They didn’t get their first bump until they relocated half their games to Waverley Park in 1990 and didn’t get their massive push until the start of the Buddy era (2008) and, an even bigger push from last year…




The Hawks MCG crowds were actually bigger in 2023 (when they finished 16th) than during the three-peat era.

2023 - 52,537 (9 games)
2024 - 63,157 (9 games)
2025 - 66,034 (10 games)

Like I said, I think we over estimate the impact of on field performance on attendances. The draw and club size has a much bigger impact (hence Big 3, Big 4 etc.)

Regarding Carlton, they were easily the biggest club in the VFL up until the Second World War. Some time after the Pies caught them (on crowds) and the Dons also caught them in the 90s. Since they shook off Princes Park and now play at the bigger stadiums they appear to have passed Essendon again. Well at least for peak attendances…

 

[What else we can do]

Hawthorn’s crowds at Princes Park were terrible. The Hawks were drawing bigger crowds at Glenferrie than at Princes Park. They didn’t get their first bump until they relocated half their games to Waverley Park in 1990 and didn’t get their massive push until the start of the Buddy era (2008) and, an even bigger push from last year…


View attachment 2404583

The Hawks MCG crowds were actually bigger in 2023 (when they finished 16th) than during the three-peat era.

2023 - 52,537 (9 games)
2024 - 63,157 (9 games)
2025 - 66,034 (10 games)

Like I said, I think we over estimate the impact of on field performance on attendances. The draw and club size has a much bigger impact (hence Big 3, Big 4 etc.)

Regarding Carlton, they were easily the biggest club in the VFL up until the Second World War. Some time after the Pies caught them (on crowds) and the Dons also caught them in the 90s. Since they shook off Princes Park and now play at the bigger stadiums they appear to have passed Essendon again. Well at least for peak attendances…

Thanks for that Hawthorn did have some good crowds at Waverley from 74 to 91. I had a quick look and Hawthorn had a lot 30k plus crowds.

 

[What else we can do]

Fun fact from 1970 to 2025 the most attended return match up has been Carlton vs Collingwood or Colingwood vs Carton.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Are people completely oblivious to the fact that Docklands introduced Medallion club seating, in effect partially reducing the capacity and ease of selling a variety of different tickets across the stadium?

 

[Hawkk]

Surprised this didn’t draw 50,000 plus but still pretty decent for a final round dead rubber. It looked a lot more than Thursday…

 

[The_Wookie]

As of last night

 

[Hawkk]

As of last night

View attachment 2404833

Not to be pedantic but you’ve got a typo on the Hawks marvel game. It was 26,425 not 25,425.

AFL - News, Fixtures, Scores & Results - AFL.com.au

Australian Football League. All the latest AFL news, video, results and information

www.afl.com.au

It was a very, very forgettable game too

 

[dave10]

As of last night

View attachment 2404833

Have Richmond been relegated from the AFL

 

[The_Wookie]

Have Richmond been relegated from the AFL

Richmond played today.

 

[dave10]

Richmond played today.

Oh sorry, my bad!!

 

[The_Wookie]

Oh sorry, my bad!!

nah all good, it was a weird way of doing this really. Should have just waited probably

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

North Melbourne vs Adelaide = 17,494

 

[manicmagpie]

Adelaide finish on 948,277. This is their highest season total ever, beating last year by 53k. It's the 5th highest total recorded by a non 'Big 4' club and the 2nd highest non-Vic total behind West Coast in 2019.

North Melbourne finish on 673,961. It's their 9th highest total ever and their highest since 2008. It's a huge rise of over 115k from last year.

Richmond finish on 936,278. It's their 11th highest total and their lowest since 2016. It's 68k down on last year.

Geelong finish on 916,915. It's their 3rd highest total ever and the 10th highest non 'Big 4' total. It is however a fall of over 48k from last year.

 

[manicmagpie]

36,029 for WC/Syd.

 

[____]

36,029 for WC/Syd.

I wonder if that's their lowest non-covid impacted crowd at Perth Stadium?

 

[Cmarsh]

I wonder if that's their lowest non-covid impacted crowd at Perth Stadium?

They got 32k the other week.

 

[manicmagpie]

I wonder if that's their lowest non-covid impacted crowd at Perth Stadium?

It’s their worst crowd since their last home game.