2021 AFL Membership Tracker / Figures

[Cool Kangas]

A traditionally small club, who is bottom of the ladder, with almost 45K paid members?

I am not saying its BS, but i cant help but feel that that figure seems somewhat inflated

I’m pretty confident the club’s not gonna just make figures up. It’s a testament to the roos fans.

 

[CarnTheScray]

It's a generational thing m8. If only the founding pups had the foresight to know the game would transform from a grassroots tribal game to an exhibition in revenue for suits.

Don't think any vic club that was established in the late 1800s or early 1900s had that well thought out...Do you mean that my club in the 1920s that didn't have the pre-established supporter base or wealth of other clubs had to plan out decades in advance to avoid a non-existent stigma of being a working class club? Seems to have worked for Richmond/Collingwood who have plenty of working class supporters.

Teams in Vic have more supporters because of success, just like Adelaide have more supporters than Port because they are the AFL amalgamation of all the SANFL clubs bar Port and have won more AFL flags than Port. It's not as complicated as "people won't support you because you promoted yourselves as "working class" at one point."

 

[CarnTheScray]

A traditionally small club, who is bottom of the ladder, with almost 45K paid members?

I am not saying its BS, but i cant help but feel that that figure seems somewhat inflated

If you are implying North give out freebies or count 1 membership as 2, they don't. Only vic clubs that give away freebies as far as I know are Carlton Essendon and St Kilda. North have been around the 40k mark for nearly a decade now.

 

[Raz Man]

If you are implying North give out freebies or count 1 membership as 2, they don't. Only vic clubs that give away freebies as far as I know are Carlton Essendon and St Kilda. North have been around the 40k mark for nearly a decade now.

I’d like dave10 to correct you or set the record straight on the Essendon giving out freebies.. I’m not sure that’s correct sir.


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[CrowInFiji]

Don't think any vic club that was established in the late 1800s or early 1900s had that well thought out...Do you mean that my club in the 1920s that didn't have the pre-established supporter base or wealth of other clubs had to plan out decades in advance to avoid a non-existent stigma of being a working class club? Seems to have worked for Richmond/Collingwood who have plenty of working class supporters.

Teams in Vic have more supporters because of success, just like Adelaide have more supporters than Port because they are the AFL amalgamation of all the SANFL clubs bar Port and have won more AFL flags than Port. It's not as complicated as "people won't support you because you promoted yourselves as "working class" at one point."

Would've saved you a tonne of effort if I prefaced my comment with sarcasm indicators.

 

[CarnTheScray]

I’d like dave10 to correct you or set the record straight on the Essendon giving out freebies.. I’m not sure that’s correct sir.


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They gave out free ones that included ANZAC day access. Think it was a very limited batch but I didn't claim they did it in mass like Carlton have.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Would've saved you a tonne of effort if I prefaced my comment with sarcasm indicators.

Only took a couple minutes to write haha don't worry no harm done.

One good thing to come out of the 2020 lockdown is that I can now type pretty fast.

 

[dave10]

A traditionally small club, who is bottom of the ladder, with almost 45K paid members?

I am not saying its BS, but i cant help but feel that that figure seems somewhat inflated

Of those, 6,000 are in Tasmania.

Also, I’d also suggest an amount of their 6,000 and Hawthorns 7,500 Tassie members probably are not actually supporting these clubs. They would buy memberships to gain match access if AFL footy in Tasmania.

 

[dave10]

I’d like dave10 to correct you or set the record straight on the Essendon giving out freebies.. I’m not sure that’s correct sir.


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I don’t think Essendon do anything other clubs aren’t all doing.

 

[dave10]

They gave out free ones that included ANZAC day access. Think it was a very limited batch but I didn't claim they did it in mass like Carlton have.

This isn’t correct.

They had an offer where you could get access to a couple of games for $1.00 each which was tied to a 6 game membership.

However, the supporter had to pay the balance ($80.00) for the remaining games of the 6 game membership after the first two games were used. If they did, they would become a member and counted as per a 6 game package.

You need to read beyond the headline / marketing slogan (which clearly worked!).

 

[CarnTheScray]

This isn’t correct.

They had an offer where you could get access to a couple of games for $1.00 each which was tied to a 6 game membership.

However, the supporter had to pay the balance ($80.00) for the remaining games of the 6 game membership after the first two games were used. If they did, they would become a member and counted as per a 6 game package.

You need to read beyond the headline / marketing slogan (which clearly worked!).

The deal I saw was in a group chat with a guy who worked for the club, don't know if it was a small deal they just gave to employees to give out to mates or whether it was larger scale. I'm pretty certain it was free I'll have to double check the screenshots on my phone.

I do know for certain that Carlton give out free memberships though. My mate has been given 2 free memberships, one last year and one this year. He is GA member.

 

[dave10]

Collingwood - 76,479.

 

[dave10]

The deal I saw was in a group chat with a guy who worked for the club, don't know if it was a small deal they just gave to employees to give out to mates or whether it was larger scale. I'm pretty certain it was free I'll have to double check the screenshots on my phone.

I do know for certain that Carlton give out free memberships though. My mate has been given 2 free memberships, one last year and one this year. He is GA member.

All clubs do that I can assure you. They give them out to sponsors and coteries.

Carlton did run a program which in effect gave away thousands of free memberships which is a seperate initiative on a much larger scale. If they were winning it’s hoped that they would convert to paying packages in 2022. This is on another scale to what Essendon (and other clubs do).

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Latest

Richmond = 103,301
West Coast = 100,000 (announced on May 7)
Carlton = 81,012
Essendon = "almost" 78,000
Collingwood = 76,479
Hawthorn = 70,000 (announced on April 20)
Geelong = 67,008
Port Adelaide = 57,871
St Kilda = 55,012
Melbourne = 50,725
Sydney = 48,737
Western Bulldogs = 45,759
North Melbourne = 44,385
Brisbane = 35,000 (announced on May 12)
GWS = "around" 25,000 (as of March 25)
Gold Coast = 18,823

Updated Collingwood numbers.

OP is also updated.

 

[Raz Man]

This isn’t correct.

They had an offer where you could get access to a couple of games for $1.00 each which was tied to a 6 game membership.

However, the supporter had to pay the balance ($80.00) for the remaining games of the 6 game membership after the first two games were used. If they did, they would become a member and counted as per a 6 game package.

You need to read beyond the headline / marketing slogan (which clearly worked!).

I knew davey boy would settle this! An allegation of bombers giving freebies does not sit right with me. We don’t need to do anything of the sort.


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[CarnTheScray]

I knew davey boy would settle this! An allegation of bombers giving freebies does not sit right with me. We don’t need to do anything of the sort.


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[Raz Man]

View attachment 1160781View attachment 1160782

Hmm game changer


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[dave10]

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That would be the sponsor / coterie Flexi was was talking about. All clubs are doing this sort of stuff.. Memberships are flicking around everywhere.

 

[Cool Kangas]

Of those, 6,000 are in Tasmania.

Also, I’d also suggest an amount of their 6,000 and Hawthorns 7,500 Tassie members probably are not actually supporting these clubs. They would buy memberships to gain match access if AFL footy in Tasmania.

Buying memberships actually does support those clubs whether they are “supporters” or not. So quite frankly I am grateful that if there are in fact 6000 north members in tassie, that they are “supporting” my club with their contribution. I have no doubt Essendon have members that are not Melbourne based but in buying a membership they are supporting your club.

 

[dave10]

Buying memberships actually does support those clubs whether they are “supporters” or not. So quite frankly I am grateful that if there are in fact 6000 north members in tassie, that they are “supporting” my club with their contribution. I have no doubt Essendon have members that are not Melbourne based but in buying a membership they are supporting your club.

My point was that a portion of them wouldn’t actually barrack for the Kangaroos. But agree with your point regarding ‘support’.

 

[CarnTheScray]

That would be the sponsor / coterie Flexi was was talking about. All clubs are doing this sort of stuff.. Memberships are flicking around everywhere.

Nobody in that group chat was involved with sponsorship or coterie, it was literally a free membership with the requirement of a staff referral.

I'm not using it to say half of Essendons numbers are fraudulent I'm simply showing that it exists and that it is not what you are saying it is.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Of those, 6,000 are in Tasmania.

Also, I’d also suggest an amount of their 6,000 and Hawthorns 7,500 Tassie members probably are not actually supporting these clubs. They would buy memberships to gain match access if AFL footy in Tasmania.

My point was that a portion of them wouldn’t actually barrack for the Kangaroos. But agree with your point regarding ‘support’.

Still, say in this hypothetical that half of those Tassie members minimum are North fans, that's still around 39,000 paying members that are full on supporters.

Small by league standard and VIC's average sure but that's still bigger than Brisbane GWS Gold Coast and only a few thousand from Dogs, Saints, Freo, Sydney and I think bigger than what they were getting ten years ago.

I think membership overall in the AFL is in a very healthy spot.

 

[dave10]

Nobody in that group chat was involved with sponsorship or coterie, it was literally a free membership with the requirement of a staff referral.

I'm not using it to say half of Essendons numbers are fraudulent I'm simply showing that it exists and that it is not what you are saying it is.

All clubs are doing this sort of stuff. You’d be amazed what all clubs do. Including your club.

 

[dave10]

Still, say in this hypothetical that half of those Tassie members minimum are North fans, that's still around 39,000 paying members that are full on supporters.

Small by league standard and VIC's average sure but that's still bigger than Brisbane GWS Gold Coast and only a few thousand from Dogs, Saints, Freo, Sydney and I think bigger than what they were getting ten years ago.

I think membership overall in the AFL is in a very healthy spot.

Agree, especially in a COVID world.

 

[CarnTheScray]

All clubs are doing this sort of stuff. You’d be amazed what all clubs do. Including your club.

I know. I still think Essendon have minimum 70-75k paying members regardless. Only time that has slumped below 70K in recent times was last year I think where the only clubs that held or gained members were Richmond and West Coast.