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.

 

[Peacock]

Just realised that Carlton v Collingwood on April 3 is on a Thursday night.

Strange day to put a marquee game. Does anyone know the reasoning behind this?

Because the AFL wanted to make sure their darling Collingwood weren't upset having to host a Thursday night game, so they made it vs a team they knew they would sell out against.

 

[The_Wookie]

In NSW, however both matches went ahead with the Swans and Hawks drawing 40,310 (up 1% on 2024s Swans/Dees) to the SCG, while the Giants and Magpies pulled 19,248 (down 9% on 2024) to Engie Stadium.

The Total AFL attendance for Opening Round was 59,558, down 3% in 2024s NSW Opening Round total of 61,247. This may have been due in part to the Giants being fixtured on Sunday afternoon in Sydney, as opposed to Saturday night.

AFL Opening Round 2025 - Crowds down, TV up, Fox well up! - SportsIndustryAU

An abbreviated Opening Round was held this year by the AFL as the very real threat posted by Cyclone Alfred caused the moving of both Queensland games to

footyindustry.com

 

[Rob]

It's certainly not the flop that some have portrayed it to be.

It's not that the games themselves were flops, just that the rest of the country was crying out for footy as well. Undoubtedly the cyclone didn't help, but there's no reason why there couldn't have been games everywhere.

It just looks like they're trying to placate the people that think Carlton v Richmond should be opening game every year. Look guys! It's still opening game in round 1!

 

[Walshawk]

In NSW, however both matches went ahead with the Swans and Hawks drawing 40,310 (up 1% on 2024s Swans/Dees) to the SCG, while the Giants and Magpies pulled 19,248 (down 9% on 2024) to Engie Stadium.

The Total AFL attendance for Opening Round was 59,558, down 3% in 2024s NSW Opening Round total of 61,247. This may have been due in part to the Giants being fixtured on Sunday afternoon in Sydney, as opposed to Saturday night.

AFL Opening Round 2025 - Crowds down, TV up, Fox well up! - SportsIndustryAU

An abbreviated Opening Round was held this year by the AFL as the very real threat posted by Cyclone Alfred caused the moving of both Queensland games to

footyindustry.com

Reckon it is more due to Pies fans not wanting to go out to Homebush two years in a row. Last year the crowd was pro-Pies, this year the opposite.

 

[The_Wookie]

Reckon it is more due to Pies fans not wanting to go out to Homebush two years in a row. Last year the crowd was pro-Pies, this year the opposite.

Maybe - Im basing my theory on what ive observed from travellers in Adelaide/Tas for the footy. But based on what happens in Adelaide with interstate visitors, I can say that saturday is far better than Sunday for interstate travellers to the footy

 

[Cmarsh]

Maybe - Im basing my theory on what ive observed from travellers in Adelaide/Tas for the footy. But based on what happens in Adelaide with interstate visitors, I can say that saturday is far better than Sunday for interstate travellers to the footy

It's also better for locals. That game finished Sunday evening with a working and school day the next day in Sydney. Not good for attracting local families.

 

[Bjo187]

Reckon it is more due to Pies fans not wanting to go out to Homebush two years in a row. Last year the crowd was pro-Pies, this year the opposite.

Is that some acknowledgement from you that the giants supporter percentage in their crowds is increasing year on year? Noted off a small base, but that's what giants fans themselves have been noticing.

 

[Walshawk]

Is that some acknowledgement from you that the giants supporter percentage in their crowds is increasing year on year? Noted off a small base, but that's what giants fans themselves have been noticing.

Sounded like a few more Giants fans compared to last year - there were certainly fewer Pies fans. They their next home games at Showgrounds are against WC in four weeks, then Freo in nine weeks, it gives them no chance to build on the Pies game. It renders Opening Round useless frok a Giants point of view.

They should be hosting the Swans this week or next to start the season with a bang. Then one of Blues/Tigers/Hawks/Bombers/Cats in round 4. They could start their season with crowds of 19k, 23k & 15k. Insted they will go 19k, 10k & 8k.

It’s not that hard,

 

[Bjo187]

Sounded like a few more Giants fans compared to last year - there were certainly fewer Pies fans. They their next home games at Showgrounds are against WC in four weeks, then Freo in nine weeks, it gives them no chance to build on the Pies game. It renders Opening Round useless frok a Giants point of view.

They should be hosting the Swans this week or next to start the season with a bang. Then one of Blues/Tigers/Hawks/Bombers/Cats in round 4. They could start their season with crowds of 19k, 23k & 15k. Insted they will go 19k, 10k & 8k.

It’s not that hard

The fixturing is often poor up there. However, the showgrounds are outta action for about a month, so I dunno if they could do the proposed anyway.

It's why they typically slot in the scg derby during that period, but it's an issue coz they would ideally want to create some momentum at Olympic park early each season.

 

[Walshawk]

The fixturing is often poor up there. However, the showgrounds are outta action for about a month, so I dunno if they could do the proposed anyway.

It's why they typically slot in the scg derby during that period, but it's an issue coz they would ideally want to create some momentum at Olympic park early each season.

They could. Show starts 11/4. They play WC there in Round 4. Any momentum is lost.

 

[Rouel_14]

Jumped on at lunch to reserve to seats for Dogs V Pies in AFL reserve. At 1.00pm there was an entire bay on level 1. Rang mate to confirm, 15 mins later only level 4 remains.

Very frustrating you get different seats availability within a 20 min period.


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[The_Wookie]

 

[dave10]

Ticket sales for this type of fixture appear pretty strong. Usually a strong walkup for this fixture, in previous years the staff have opened up the top of the MCC or AFL members to cater for overflows.

MCC sales are decent, it’s hard to know how crowded the reserve will be until Friday night.

I have doubts about 84,000 turning out, I think it can exceed 80,000 though.

 

[Rouel_14]

The way it’s framed - how dramatic.

[emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]]K rolling out for a home side not expected to win a game this year is exceptional and validation it should open the season in Melbourne no matter how you spin it.


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[Hawkk]

Ticket sales for this type of fixture appear pretty strong. Usually a strong walkup for this fixture, in previous years the staff have opened up the top of the MCC or AFL members to cater for overflows.

MCC sales are decent, it’s hard to know how crowded the reserve will be until Friday night.

I have doubts about 84,000 turning out, I think it can exceed 80,000 though.

Would 80,000 lock this in as a permanent round 1 fixture?

2021 - Essendon v Hawthorn - 25,128
2023 - Hawthorn V Essendon - 68,698
2024 - Essendon V Hawthorn - 73,805
2025 - Hawthorn v Essendon - 80,000?

Would also top the round 1 2017 Essendon V Hawthorn game as the biggest ever fixture (78,295)

Could be a handy way to give Essendon a 5th MCG home game and throw Hawthorn a bone after the Devils push them out of Launceston

 

[Hawkk]

The way it’s framed - how dramatic.

[emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]]K rolling out for a home side not expected to win a game this year is exceptional and validation it should open the season in Melbourne no matter how you spin it.


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Absolutely - incredible to think the round 1 game ‘only’ got 60,684 in 2011

This isn’t even the first fixture anymore - which I guess shows just how much of an ‘event’ that game is now

 

[Sammoll]

Ticket sales for this type of fixture appear pretty strong. Usually a strong walkup for this fixture, in previous years the staff have opened up the top of the MCC or AFL members to cater for overflows.

MCC sales are decent, it’s hard to know how crowded the reserve will be until Friday night.

I have doubts about 84,000 turning out, I think it can exceed 80,000 though.

A crowd larger than 78,294 would be the largest H&A crowd for Essendon vs Hawthorn in history. Pretty remarkable that this matchup has never reached 80k given the size of both clubs.

Thursday and Friday both being 80-85k would be a terrific way to start.

 

[Rouel_14]

Absolutely - incredible to think the round [emoji637] game ‘only’ got [emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]],[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]][emoji640] in [emoji638][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]][emoji637][emoji637]

This isn’t even the first fixture anymore - which I guess shows just how much of an ‘event’ that game is now

The ship has sailed on opening the season, but it would be nice to see it open the season in Melbourne at the G.


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[dave10]

Would 80,000 lock this in as a permanent round 1 fixture?

2021 - Essendon v Hawthorn - 25,128
2023 - Hawthorn V Essendon - 68,698
2024 - Essendon V Hawthorn - 73,805
2025 - Hawthorn v Essendon - 80,000?

Would also top the round 1 2017 Essendon V Hawthorn game as the biggest ever fixture (78,295)

Could be a handy way to give Essendon a 5th MCG home game and throw Hawthorn a bone after the Devils push them out of Launceston

I think it certainly locks in the fixture in 2026 as a minimum. I reckon if they go with Opening Round again next year, I could see this being the Sunday and only Victorian fixture, assuming Tigers / Blues locked into Thursday night and Pies probably getting Friday night in round one. Although, I sense the Pies will want out of ‘Sydney’ schedule for Opening Round next year in favour of being the MCG fixture that week.

 

[dave10]

A crowd larger than 78,294 would be the largest H&A crowd for Essendon vs Hawthorn in history. Pretty remarkable that this matchup has never reached 80k given the size of both clubs.

Thursday and Friday both being 80-85k would be a terrific way to start.

Reason it hasn’t drawn 80,000+ is a shite Essendon for 20 years and several top tier clashes between the two since 2000 being scheduled at Docklands. This looks like it might be the one that gets over the line.

 

[Hawkk]

Reason it hasn’t drawn 80,000+ is a shite Essendon for 20 years and several top tier clashes between the two since 2000 being scheduled at Docklands. This looks like it might be the one that gets over the line.

Well that, and Hawthorn never drew 70,000 before 2008 (it only happened three times and one was the last game at Waverley Park). That said it’s actually surprising that this fixture did not draw bigger crowds back in the 1980s - lots of Carlton / Collingwood v Hawthorn games drew 55,000-plus at Waverley. Essendon less so.

Perhaps Carlton and Collingwood were the bigger clubs before the mid 1990s?

 

[What else we can do]

Well that, and Hawthorn never drew 70,000 before 2008 (it only happened three times and one was the last game at Waverley Park). That said it’s actually surprising that this fixture did not draw bigger crowds back in the 1980s - lots of Carlton / Collingwood v Hawthorn games drew 55,000-plus at Waverley. Essendon less so.

Perhaps Carlton and Collingwood were the bigger clubs before the mid 1990s?

General Consensus
0.57 mins

23.24 mins
Stil are in most circles but can understand why you might include the other clubs as well these days

 

[PLATTS44]

Reason it hasn’t drawn 80,000+ is a shite Essendon for 20 years and several top tier clashes between the two since 2000 being scheduled at Docklands. This looks like it might be the one that gets over the line.

all good mate we will pull 60 k or more of our own

 

[Peacock]

I think it certainly locks in the fixture in 2026 as a minimum. I reckon if they go with Opening Round again next year, I could see this being the Sunday and only Victorian fixture, assuming Tigers / Blues locked into Thursday night and Pies probably getting Friday night in round one. Although, I sense the Pies will want out of ‘Sydney’ schedule for Opening Round next year in favour of being the MCG fixture that week.

A stand alone game in Victoria totally goes against what opening round is trying to do. And the Pies were the ones that dreamed up this opening round idea hoping to get all the attention on themselves, so no they shouldn't be able to opt out, they should have to go each year for their annual loss vs GWS. The regular fixture can resume the week after.

As for Haw/Ess
< 80k fail
80k pass
82.5k good
85k great
87.5k amazing

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Should be a labour day game, Dogs vs bigger club. I would go to it.