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.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Looking further into the Giants fixture their absence from Western Sydney is actually insane.

• 28 days between OR and around 4
• 41 days between round 4 and 10
• 22 days between round 12 and 15
• 30 days potentially between round 20 and 23.

How on earth do you expect people in Western Sydney to build an attachment to a team that’s only in Western Sydney part time???

100% agree with this.
People blame it on Western Sydney Populace
I blame it on the AFL setting them up with 1 foot out the door.
Sydney full time with a new Canberra team. Watch support in Sydney increase

 

[Air_Chester]

Wouldn’t expect much of a crowd at Suns-Dockers, rain looking horrific.

 

[pOleK]

Wouldn’t expect much of a crowd at Suns-Dockers, rain looking horrific.

Doesn’t look overly impressive at the moment. Huge shame, looks ~10k

edit: slowly filling a bit more. having never been to carrara, how is the transport to it? seems to constantly take half a quarter for majority of the crowd to pour in

 

[Billy ray]

9-10k i think.
Rain definitely stopped 2-4k

 

[Billy ray]

More coming

 

[dave10]

More coming
View attachment 2330137

Yes, I’m sitting in my local cafe in Surfers right now, looking over the road to the angry ocean! The big fireworks extravaganza tonight cancelled too!

 

[pOleK]

So pretty much like for like, if not worse weather, of the last game these two teams played at Carrara. Anything over 10k with this rain is a bonus and bodes well as a floor for the Suns moving forward.

Atmosphere at the moment sounds pretty good through the tele

 

[TheGoldPersons]

11750 according to the match report

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Crowd for our Richmond match was 9,770. The 5th biggest crowd vs Richmond at Giants Stadium (we have played 9 in total), but lower than the 10,155 average crowd for a Richmond game at GS.

AFL: GWS Giants v Richmond • Engie Stadium • 2025

GWS Giants v Richmond at Engie Stadium in Sydney in 2025. Buy tickets, view the seating map, get directions, book nearby accommodation, find flights and live stream.

www.austadiums.com

 

[Canberra Pear]

Crowd for our Richmond match was 9,770. The 5th biggest crowd vs Richmond at Giants Stadium (we have played 9 in total), but lower than the 10,155 average crowd for a Richmond game at GS.

AFL: GWS Giants v Richmond • Engie Stadium • 2025

GWS Giants v Richmond at Engie Stadium in Sydney in 2025. Buy tickets, view the seating map, get directions, book nearby accommodation, find flights and live stream.

www.austadiums.com

Just reiterates why Canberra should get to host more of the bigger teams.

People cite Manuka's capacity, but the only time we hosted Richmond we had 14,974 people there.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Sydney vs Adelaide = 35,229

 

[pOleK]

Sydney vs Adelaide = 35,229

Big test for the swans in the coming weeks, especially if the wheels start falling off. Genuinely wonder how crowds will hold up if things keep going south

 

[Canberra Pear]

Happy to be corrected though I'm not sure how it does reiterate that Canberra should? No other team in the comp plays bigger clubs in secondary markets?

Fair point.

I would argue Canberra is probably the only secondary market capable of drawing higher crowds than its primary market. North or Hawthorn aren't getting higher crowds in Tasmania for any respective opponent.

I know you're pro Canberra getting its own team, so this isn't directed at you. I am happy with Canberra copping the low-drawing teams if we get the 20th team. But if we continued to be tied to the Giants after a 20th team is announced, I'd very much be expecting a greater slice of the larger opponents.

 

[Cmarsh]

Big test for the swans in the coming weeks, especially if the wheels start falling off. Genuinely wonder how crowds will hold up if things keep going south

But it wouldn't be a wonder though would it? Every club's home crowds deteriorate if their form deteriorates.

 

[Hawkk]

Fair point.

I would argue Canberra is probably the only secondary market capable of drawing higher crowds than its primary market. North or Hawthorn aren't getting higher crowds in Tasmania for any respective opponent.

I know you're pro Canberra getting its own team, so this isn't directed at you. I am happy with Canberra copping the low-drawing teams if we get the 20th team. But if we continued to be tied to the Giants after a 20th team is announced, I'd very much be expecting a greater slice of the larger opponents.

The Giants do play big clubs in Canberra — Geelong in 2015, 16 and 2022, Hawthorn in 2019 and 2024 and Richmond in 2016.

The AFL have scheduled plenty of big clubs in Tasmania too — Richmond in 2006, 2015 and 2016 and Carlton in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Plus Geelong in 2007, 2022 and 2024.

It’s a condition of the York Park and Bellerive contracts to have higher drawing games in both stadiums given the sponsorship agreements are both fundementally tourism contracts.

The issue for the Giants is if their objective is to grow the game (and its fan base) in Canberra or Sydney. Also are these extra fans going to Canberra Giants fans or legacy fans of the traditional clubs playing?

As an aside, I have no idea why the AFL is playing Giants games in Canberra if their objective is to grow the game in Western Sydney.

 

[Canberra Pear]

The Giants do play big clubs in Canberra — Geelong in 2015, 16 and 2022, Hawthorn in 2019 and 2024 and Richmond in 2016.

We get a sprinkle of bigger teams, but there's no denying that Canberra gets a disproportionate number of smaller opponents.

The Dogs, Dees, Suns and Saints are arguably four of the smallest clubs (alongside North and the Giants). Yet those four clubs have made up more than half of our games.

Of the 36 times the Giants have hosted a "big four" Victorian team, we have hosted one single game, compared to the 35 at Engie.

I don't count Hawthorn and Geelong as big a draws (compared to the other four), but even then, only 6 out of 52 games to against the "big six" opponents have at Manuka. That's less than 9%. But we host 27% of games.

The issue for the Giants is if their objective is to grow the game (and its fan base) in Canberra or Sydney. Also are these extra fans going to Canberra Giants fans or legacy fans of the traditional clubs playing?

As an aside, I have no idea why the AFL is playing Giants games in Canberra if their objective is to grow the game in Western Sydney.

I agree with this. I completely understand the objective is to grow in Sydney.

But it still sucks as a Canberran. As I said, I can suck it up if Canberra becomes the 20th team. A few more years of lower-drawing clubs will help the Giants before they go solo.

But if we're stuck with the Giants, I hope our Government starts demanding bigger clubs for the millions we're paying each year.

 

[Rabman]

There is a 60% chance of rain next Friday night in Adelaide, although it should be before the game. Highest crowd between Adelaide and Brisbane 47,279 2002 (Top 4 battle back then). One of the few remaining matchups where the highest crowd still remains at Football Park. Would love for 50k on Friday night, it deserves it.

 

[wagstaff]

Big test for the swans in the coming weeks, especially if the wheels start falling off. Genuinely wonder how crowds will hold up if things keep going south

Their crowds held up very well in 2019 when they were never really a chance for finals; got over 30k to their last few home matches.

 

[pOleK]

But it wouldn't be a wonder though would it? Every club's home crowds deteriorate if their form deteriorates.

Their crowds held up very well in 2019 when they were never really a chance for finals; got over 30k to their last few home matches.

I think my main concern comes from the fact there’s a real sense of doom around the Swans current predicament. They’re a proud club with consistent success who have very rarely missed out on finals over the past 2, nearly 3 decades.

New coach, 4 thrashings in consecutive grand final appearances, and as of right now look a long way off from the team they were at this point last year. I’m not just talking about a blip in the radar of missing like 2019, I’m talking about if they were to go through an extended period of mediocrity like the Lions did for 15 years.

 

[Cmarsh]

Really don't see the reason the Demons continue to take their home game from the MCG to the desert of Alice Springs. Travel and accomodation costs must be hugely expensive.
What exactly is the point again?

 

[ep12]

Crowd in alice : who bloody cares.

 

[Hawkk]

Really don't see the reason the Demons continue to take their home game from the MCG to the desert of Alice Springs. Travel and accomodation costs must be hugely expensive.
What exactly is the point again?

Because it’s a probable Docklands game. The last time Melbourne played a home game at Docklands…

Rd 6 2016 Melbourne v St Kilda 27,260
Rd 23 2015 Melbourne v GWS 8,974
Rd 19 2014 Melbourne v Brisbane 18,094
Rd 16 2013 Melbourne v North 16,962
Rd 16 2013 Melbourne v Fremantle 13,284
Rd 21 2012 Melbourne v West Coast 15,740
Rd 19 2007 Melbourne v Dogs 18,946

The only decent Melbourne home game at Docklands was Rd 10 2005 when 44,263 attended a bizarre top 4 match between Melbourne and Richmond (which are probably the most random pairing at Docklands imaginable)

 

[Cmarsh]

Because it’s a Docklands game

Dees must really hate playing there if they would rather go to Alice Springs.

 

[Raz Man]

Crowd in alice : who bloody cares.

Man, Melbourne do Melbourne things.. this game was such a “Melbourne” thing to do, lose to a club you should have comfortably beaten. It won’t affect the crowd for next weekend but lose next week, it can affect the crowds post Collingwood.

 

[Hawkk]

Dees must really hate playing there if they would rather go to Alice Springs.

See my edited post. They played the Giants in probably the lowest non Covid crowd in post 1960s VFL/AFL history