AFL is on the decline - the younger generation is just not that into you

[RedV3x]

Says the propaganda machine

I'd say it's more of a marketing success than a football gain.

 

[killtaker1993]

The younger generation are more into crap music and dork websites like Tik Tok and Instagram

 

[catscratchfever]

When I was a kid back in the ‘60s there were typically two sports you could choose from to watch and/or participate in: footy and cricket. There was no internet, no social media. Overseas travel wasn’t as common. Wealth was not as concentrated. Etc.

Put it all together + the fact that players at the top level come almost exclusively from private schools and there you have it: AFL footy has become a TV game played by the children of the rich and wealthy or those with scholarships to enter the old-tie network.

Sure, the AFL can claim that overall club memberships are at a record level but has it gone up as a % of the population? No matter what the powerbrokers say, I think not.

When was the last time you saw someone from a poor suburb tearing it up on the MCG?

 

[Prestigerrycomo]

The younger generation are more into crap music and dork websites like Tik Tok and Instagram

Better that than following the Crusty Boomers listening to 3AW and watching Sky News

 

[lenny&carl]

If they could change all the rules such that young Asian dudes think AFL is the thing they want to do. Because they kick arse at it.

 

[domus]

When I was a kid back in the ‘60s there were typically two sports you could choose from to watch and/or participate in: footy and cricket. There was no internet, no social media. Overseas travel wasn’t as common. Wealth was not as concentrated. Etc.

Put it all together + the fact that players at the top level come almost exclusively from private schools and there you have it: AFL footy has become a TV game played by the children of the rich and wealthy or those with scholarships to enter the old-tie network.

Sure, the AFL can claim that overall club memberships are at a record level but has it gone up as a % of the population? No matter what the powerbrokers say, I think not.

When was the last time you saw someone from a poor suburb tearing it up on the MCG?

It's a billion dollar industry now. That can't happen if there is no interest in the game or if interest is dying. This sky is falling routine has been going on for decades.

I remember the soccer tsunami which was going to overwhelm Aussie Rules. LOL. Now the beautiful game is on life support in Oz.

 

[domus]

The obvious thing i've noticed is how weak contested and uncontested marking skills are amongst many teams these days. How easily players drop marks, it just goes against the way the game used to be played and marketed for many decades as the league became a more defensive focussed spectacle. Punch the ball instead etc.

A mark is aways better than thumping the ball away unless you have a player with miles of space to gather the ball. A grab is a guaranteed possession and you can kick the ball 40 metres to advantage, always better and it's more fun to watch a marking focussed game then it is the ball being stranded in congestion.

The drop in marking skills and style is a big marketing loss for the overall game.

There are still big grabs! But you see so many players who are just poor at natural marking skills it makes you wonder if they not only don't practice it, or just flat out can't be bothered.

Then again, I go for Essendon so that probably doesn't help.

Drop in skills? What demonstrable rubbish.

 

[Fadge]

Kids are still turning up -

Kids just love their footy

Junior attendees flock to the footy in the past three weeks as part of the AFL's Kids Go Free month

www.afl.com.au

It's amazing what people will do when they get stuff for free.

My 'kid aged' son has attended a few neutral matches with his friends over the last few weeks because they do love their footy.

But next season when he is no longer 'kid aged', things will change when we need to pay anything between $30 and $45 for a concession ticket for him to attend a game (or $55 for a MCC Guest Pass as they don't do concession).

 

[blaisee]

It's not just the generational/ cultural changes that will hurt the AFL.

Sure we all understand structural changes in our workplace and time off don't lend themselves well to structured sport. We also understand football once competed with amazing alternatives of fishing, going to church, a visit to grandma where as today overseas holidays, the internet and everything a cashed up family can now afford.

The other big factor is the reality that the best time to follow a sport is what I call the in between stage. This is where a sport isn't amateur but also isn't professional. In this in between stage you see the rawness of amateurs but witness a higher quality spectacle. As it progresses, it becomes to polished, regulated and controlled.

Once fully professional, the cost is too prohibitive for the lower socio-economic groups meaning it is now exclusive rather than inclusive. Essentially breaking away from something that bonds community. You get media controls and lame arse comments of "we are taking this one week at a time", "we focus on our structures" etc etc rather than what they really think. You end up with players playing the game because of cash rather than enjoyment...........and that's evident with the mental health issues and level of player happiness. You get gambling, over legalistic and agenda driven lobby groups etc etc.


Think back of the hey days of 1960s boxing compared to the professional comp it is today. I think we'd all agree boxing was at its best when it was in the in between stage. Same said for cricket, film making and soccer.

It's sad but true, the best of AFL is behind us. It's still great but there are learnings, from other sports and industries for the AFL, to ensure it doesn't ruin the game it is supposedly a custodian for.

The biggest issue is that they are regulating the emotions of the fans and the players out of the game.

The fact that you have to wait for 1 minute after a goal to celebrate it is ridiculous. It is just stupid and takes away the enjoyment of the game, mistakes happen from the umpires, we should just live with it, move on.

The fact that if a player shows any emotion as to an umpires decision he is penalised is also just cruel.

The AFL will always exist, its too big, because of us, but its best days are behind it, of that there is no doubt.

 

[Fadge]

The biggest issue is that they are regulating the emotions of the fans and the players out of the game.

The fact that you have to wait for 1 minute after a goal to celebrate it is ridiculous. It is just stupid and takes away the enjoyment of the game, mistakes happen from the umpires, we should just live with it, move on.

The fact that if a player shows any emotion as to an umpires decision he is penalised is also just cruel.

The AFL will always exist, its too big, because of us, but its best days are behind it, of that there is no doubt.

Yep, I'm afraid you're probably right.

I fear for what the game will look like in 50 years.

 

[catscratchfever]

It's a billion dollar industry now. That can't happen if there is no interest in the game or if interest is dying. This sky is falling routine has been going on for decades.

I remember the soccer tsunami which was going to overwhelm Aussie Rules. LOL. Now the beautiful game is on life support in Oz.

I didn’t say there was no interest. I said it’s a game supported by TV and played by private school students - unlike what it used to be. AFL crowds are diminishing, not growing… BTW Australia just qualified for the World Cup and soccer participation (at least at junior levels) outstrips footy by a long way. Please don’t twist my words.

 

[domus]

I didn’t say there was no interest. I said it’s a game supported by TV and played by private school students - unlike what it used to be. AFL crowds are diminishing, not growing… BTW Australia just qualified for the World Cup and soccer participation (at least at junior levels) outstrips footy by a long way. Please don’t twist my words.

Oh stop it. This is the first season crowds have been down in years after constant increases in the past decade or two. This has happened to a number of spectator sports in Oz and covid is a factor.

Soccer has always been popular at junior level as it is less physical and easier for kids to get a kick. It has never translated into popularity of soccer on the national level. Once every four years there is a spike in interest if we make the world cup which quickly dies away just like our interest in rowing, swimming and hockey once the Olympics are over.

 

[Macca180]

The AFL will always exist, its too big, because of us, but its best days are behind it, of that there is no doubt.

That's how I feel .... but is that a personal point of view like me.... or is it as big as it's ever been?? tv ratings, memberships, junior numbers etc??

 

[theyellowsash]

The obvious thing i've noticed is how weak contested and uncontested marking skills are amongst many teams these days. How easily players drop marks, it just goes against the way the game used to be played and marketed for many decades as the league became a more defensive focussed spectacle. Punch the ball instead etc.

A mark is aways better than thumping the ball away unless you have a player with miles of space to gather the ball. A grab is a guaranteed possession and you can kick the ball 40 metres to advantage, always better and it's more fun to watch a marking focussed game then it is the ball being stranded in congestion.

The drop in marking skills and style is a big marketing loss for the overall game.

There are still big grabs! But you see so many players who are just poor at natural marking skills it makes you wonder if they not only don't practice it, or just flat out can't be bothered.

Then again, I go for Essendon so that probably doesn't help.

lol at skills being worse today. jason castagna would be one of the top skilled players in the 80s. just getting the ball to spin the right way puts you in the top 10%.

 

[theyellowsash]

The biggest issue is that they are regulating the emotions of the fans and the players out of the game.

The fact that you have to wait for 1 minute after a goal to celebrate it is ridiculous. It is just stupid and takes away the enjoyment of the game, mistakes happen from the umpires, we should just live with it, move on.

The fact that if a player shows any emotion as to an umpires decision he is penalised is also just cruel.

The AFL will always exist, its too big, because of us, but its best days are behind it, of that there is no doubt.

 

[RedV3x]

When I was a kid back in the ‘60s there were typically two sports you could choose from to watch and/or participate in: footy and cricket.

So that is all changed now and you've answered your own statement.

 

[PJays]

Oh stop it. This is the first season crowds have been down in years after constant increases in the past decade or two.

In the late 90's and early 00's total AFL crowds were usually just under 6 million in the Home and Away season. (It varied, 98 was a good year with over 6 million).

A touch under 7 million in 2017-2019. More games obviously.

The Australian population grew at a faster rate in that same period. Especially in Melbourne.

So footy crowds had dropped in real terms over the medium/long term even pre covid.

However, as I think I commented earlier in this thread, given the increased competition for people's time, and the incredible convenience and sport coverage now provided by technology, the AFL's crowds are a remarkable success story.

 

[Power Raid]

The biggest issue is that they are regulating the emotions of the fans and the players out of the game.

The fact that you have to wait for 1 minute after a goal to celebrate it is ridiculous. It is just stupid and takes away the enjoyment of the game, mistakes happen from the umpires, we should just live with it, move on.

The fact that if a player shows any emotion as to an umpires decision he is penalised is also just cruel.

The AFL will always exist, its too big, because of us, but its best days are behind it, of that there is no doubt.

What is even scarier is our society demands this.

Culturally we are at a very dangerous moment in time.

Just look at the isolation and threats against the unvaccinated, the shouting down of the politically incorrect but the desire to enshrine racism in our constitution.

Interesting times that has a 1930s feel about things.

 

[Prestigerrycomo]

Found the cooker

 

[Bjo187]

When I was a kid back in the ‘60s there were typically two sports you could choose from to watch and/or participate in: footy and cricket. There was no internet, no social media. Overseas travel wasn’t as common. Wealth was not as concentrated. Etc.

Put it all together + the fact that players at the top level come almost exclusively from private schools and there you have it: AFL footy has become a TV game played by the children of the rich and wealthy or those with scholarships to enter the old-tie network.

Sure, the AFL can claim that overall club memberships are at a record level but has it gone up as a % of the population? No matter what the powerbrokers say, I think not.

When was the last time you saw someone from a poor suburb tearing it up on the MCG?

You know all the players from poor suburbs get given scholarships at 15 or 16 to the elite private schools right? They are still from the rough areas.

 

[catscratchfever]

You know all the players from poor suburbs get given scholarships at 15 or 16 to the elite private schools right? They are still from the rough areas.

Name one that has played AFL. I’d be interested to know if there are any. In any case, they’d be from a private not a state school. Kinda proves my point.

 

[MickG88]

Yep, I'm afraid you're probably right.

I fear for what the game will look like in 50 years.

Like basketball or AFLX

 

[Demonalke]

As long as the players play hard, the parasitic AFL management & media will survive, not because of them but because it is a great game. I would love to see our game under decent guidance though. Fingers crossed for the new CEO.

 

[Bjo187]

Name one that has played AFL. I’d be interested to know if there are any. In any case, they’d be from a private not a state school. Kinda proves my point.

There are heaps, most of the players from the N.T, a shitload of players from the country.

 

[RedV3x]

Name one that has played AFL.

Well in W.A. They came from state schools, the exact opposite of what you're saying.