2012 Match attendances

[HARKER]

Live TV will always effect the crowd.

Its a lot easier to come home from work on a friday and prop in front of the big screen TV and have a few beers than to drag yourself to the G. Also a lot cheaper.

For sure, but I was questioning the figures of Friday night against Thursday night.
Same situation applied with the live feed, and given the circumstances you would have expected a higher figure for Friday than for Thursday.
That didn't happen although the crowd did look to be bigger for the Friday game, I must say.

 

[Abaddon]

I also thought it looked a lot more than the crowd on thursday.

Not really. Though thought it may have been marginally higher last night, maybe just on 80k.

The crowd on Thursday night was packed in on the lower levels with some larger empty sections at the top, which stood out when the camera panned around.

Whereas last nights crowd was very thinly spread in some areas, even in the premium lower levels seats. What looked like the Hawthorn members area (Punt Rd end goals up to the wing on the southern stand side) had loads of vacant seats.

 

[1873 United]

Supercoach scores are more meaningful than AFL attendances

They've been fudging these figures for years

It's funny the way people just accept them as fact.

Somewhere there is a village missing its idiot!

 

[Madtiger2006]

May get 400,000 for the round.

GC v Syd got 38k
Rich v Carl for 78k
Haw v Coll got 78k
Ess v North will get close to 50k, think it might be a sellout
Melb v Bris should get about 35k, Lions get a few to the G
Port v St K should get about 30k, Port strong preseason, hopes are up
Frem v Geel will get the usual 40k
GC v Adel should get 20k
Foots v WC will hopefully get 30k for Round 1

Looks like every game has/will have fine weather too. If Port need 30k to get 400,000 then they should mention it before the game so supporters make the extra effort to get there

 

[Underarm]

Whereas last nights crowd was very thinly spread in some areas, even in the premium lower levels seats. What looked like the Hawthorn members area (Punt Rd end goals up to the wing on the southern stand side) had loads of vacant seats.

Thursday was empty on the top deck of the Ponsford, but filled up over time.
it baffles me why anyone would pay money(especially carlton fans) and sit in the back dozen rows in the GSS when they could easily move down the other end and sit at the front.

78k last night though? I thought it was close to sell out the other day "4k for public, 2k for afl" tweet. baffled.

 

[Roddy]

What a competition we have if we whinge about an almost 80,000 strong crowd as being 'poor' or 'less than expected'.

95% of sporting competitions on the entire planet would sell their souls, grandmas and right arms to have crowds even close to that.

 

[finders]

Not really. Though thought it may have been marginally higher last night, maybe just on 80k.

The crowd on Thursday night was packed in on the lower levels with some larger empty sections at the top, which stood out when the camera panned around.

Whereas last nights crowd was very thinly spread in some areas, even in the premium lower levels seats. What looked like the Hawthorn members area (Punt Rd end goals up to the wing on the southern stand side) had loads of vacant seats.

Yep last night looked more like an 80,000 + crowd on TV.

The MCC members area looked pretty full for once as well.

 

[finders]

What a competition we have if we whinge about an almost 80,000 strong crowd as being 'poor' or 'less than expected'.

95% of sporting competitions on the entire planet would sell their souls, grandmas and right arms to have crowds even close to that.

I suppose we have been spoilt over the years.

The next biggest crowd drawing comp the RL is averaging only 130,000 a week for their entire round of matches so far this year.

 

[Roddy]

I suppose we have been spoilt over the years.

The next biggest crowd drawing comp the RL is averaging only 130,000 a week for their entire round of matches so far this year.

And football SMASHED that in 2 games.

 

[manicmagpie]

Last night should have easily passed 80K. The AFL and MCC areas were very full, the public seats almost sold out. Clearly Hawthorn members were most to blame. There were literally thousands of empty seats dotted throughout the Hawthorn members reserved seat sections.

It staggers me how people can pay for a season reserved seat and then not show up for what will be one of the biggest games of the year.

This will become a bigger and bigger problem as the rise in memberships and reserved seats continues. Every week thousands of prime seats will go empty whilst people who genuinely want to go get put off by the only available seats being in the nosebleed sections. We need to implement schemes like the Essendon one where you have an incentive to offer your seat up to someone who wants to attend.

Still, I take solace in the fact that 78K is considered a relatively poor crowd. How many sports in the world would say that?

It was actually the 3rd biggest Hawthorn - Collingwood crowd ever and Hawthorn's 4th biggest home crowd ever.

 

[Groupie_]

Poor effort last night.

If Richmond/Carlton was on Friday night the crowd would have went deep into the 80s.

 

[azza29]

Teams with the most and second most members playing on the preferred night can only match a Thursday night fixture, for what was presented to have been the inferior contest?

Clearly the Storm match across the road affected the AFL crowd, right?

 

[lethal03]

I suppose we have been spoilt over the years.

The next biggest crowd drawing comp the RL is averaging only 130,000 a week for their entire round of matches so far this year.

That's with the broncos pulling around 40k per home game

People in Sydney would prefer to attend the mardi gras than attend sport.

 

[manicmagpie]

Poor effort last night.

If Richmond/Carlton was on Friday night the crowd would have went deep into the 80s.

Ah, if. The favourite word of Richmond supporters.

Getting 80K is harder than people realise. For example Richmond have only achieved it 10 times in their history, despite having played at a stadium that easily holds that number for longer than all other teams except Melbourne. Plus you needed one of the big teams to get you there every time.

However as I posted earlier, it was shocking to walk into the ground just before the first bounce and see so many empty seats in the Hawks members' sections. The rest of the ground was as full as you'd expect from a low to mid 80s crowd.

 

[Hornet]

However as I posted earlier, it was shocking to walk into the ground just before the first bounce and see so many empty seats in the Hawks members' sections. The rest of the ground was as full as you'd expect from a low to mid 80s crowd.

That's a common scene at Hawthorn home games at the G.

Not sure why... either they can't sell every reserve seat in that section or have large chunks of supporters too busy with other engagements.

 

[Pessimistic]

Last night should have easily passed 80K. The AFL and MCC areas were very full, the public seats almost sold out. Clearly Hawthorn members were most to blame. There were literally thousands of empty seats dotted throughout the Hawthorn members reserved seat sections.
It staggers me how people can pay for a season reserved seat and then not show up for what will be one of the biggest games of the year.

This will become a bigger and bigger problem as the rise in memberships and reserved seats continues. Every week thousands of prime seats will go empty whilst people who genuinely want to go get put off by the only available seats being in the nosebleed sections. We need to implement schemes like the Essendon one where you have an incentive to offer your seat up to someone who wants to attend.

Still, I take solace in the fact that 78K is considered a relatively poor crowd. How many sports in the world would say that?

It was actually the 3rd biggest Hawthorn - Collingwood crowd ever and Hawthorn's 4th biggest home crowd ever.

Same with collingwood sections - you have those at away games right ?

Also was live on FTA as was Thursday so the numbers are very encouraging

 

[Groupie_]

Ah, if. The favourite word of Richmond supporters.

Getting 80K is harder than people realise. For example Richmond have only achieved it 10 times in their history, despite having played at a stadium that easily holds that number for longer than all other teams except Melbourne. Plus you needed one of the big teams to get you there every time.

However as I posted earlier, it was shocking to walk into the ground just before the first bounce and see so many empty seats in the Hawks members' sections. The rest of the ground was as full as
you'd expect from a low to mid 80s crowd.

You saying it wouldn't have gone into the 80s if it was on Friday? Most people work on Thursday..

 

[Prudster]

You saying it wouldn't have gone into the 80s if it was on Friday? Most people work on Thursday..

Most people work on Friday's to

 

[funk44]

And football SMASHED that in 2 games.

I thought you knew better Roddy, you're not taking into account the regionals!!


On topic i went to the game on Thursday and last night and only sat one bay to the right on Friday and last nights crowd looked much bigger than it did on Thursday

 

[Fire]

As a neutral supporter at last nights match, I can remember having a conversation with a group of about 4 of so many more supporters at the game than Collingwood.

I guess people see things differently in different parts of the ground.

 

[Roddy]

I thought you knew better Roddy, you're not taking into account the regionals!!

Oh yeah, the regionals. And it was raining in Sydney. And everyone was at the beach. And league is better on tv. And......

 

[Groupie_]

Most people work on Friday's to

I meant most people work on Friday, the day after Thursday hence why they would not attend.

 

[manicmagpie]

Same with collingwood sections - you have those at away games right ?

Obviously not every single seat in our away sections would have been filled but I can't say I saw as many empty seats there.

To illustrate my point about limiting crowd numbers: the chart of Hawthorn's reserved seating for home games below shows just how much of the 'public' area is taken up now that membership numbers are booming:

That's a hell of a lot of prime seating gone. If those members don't show up then it really limits the capacity.

This is not a dig at Hawthorn, this will be the same for all clubs now and even more so in the future with large membership numbers. If we want to continue to have blockbuster crowds we need to find ways of ensuring the vast majority of seats get filled.

Also was live on FTA as was Thursday so the numbers are very encouraging

As I said before, it was your 4th largest home crowd ever. 78K is nothing to be ashamed of, I'm just annoyed it wasn't the 85K that it warranted.

 

[Air_Chester]

38,203 - GWS vs. Sydney at ANZ Stadium
78,285 - Richmond vs. Carlton at the MCG
78,464 - Hawthorn vs. Collingwood at the MCG
33,473 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane at the MCG

228,425 total so far for Round 1.

No figure yet for Gold Coast vs. Adelaide that I have seen.



As an aside (can't be bothered starting a thread for it) the 100 millionth fan to attend an AFL game at the MCG (will happen this year) gets FOUR 10 year memberships worth $25,000 according to the MCG Twitter. Now THAT is a great prize.

 

[Livid_Swan]

12,790 - Gold Coast v Adelaide Crows.