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

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Leeda

Talents B Sharp
Suspended
Sep 26, 2012
9,443
1,622
AFL Club
Hawthorn
I think the die hard fans would always find their way to the game but there will be a chunk (pun intended) of children who would rather breed dragons or crush candy on their ipad than get up and do something at the park.
Storm in Norman..he has a lot to live up to..
 

Ghossein

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 16, 2009
8,175
8,543
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Team Arrogance
AFL: Hey fellow kids, wanna play some footy?

Kids:
1546509643457.png
 

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basashi

Premiership Player
Jun 18, 2010
4,071
5,456
AFL Club
Fremantle
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FFC Quay Club
Im involved in football at that level you clown. I know boys between the ages of 16-18 are losing interest once they cant break into the state league colts system. They are nuts about NBA more than they are AFL. One note, in one of my boys teams they can barely make up 16 players and had to forfeit 4 games last year. In his group of 16 players, only 4 watch AFL regularly. The rest dont even watch it. So I am quoting first hand knowledge. Thanks for picking out all your points of sweet f/all. You are a dead set wannabee hero. You can go back to your office next to Gil and insert that nose of yours right up his date.

Teen and adult support is based on childhood attendance. WA has gone down the path of having small stadia (Subi 44k and new one 60k are both small in the context of the market), high prices and not enough clubs (2 is not enough.)

The metric that is important is seats available at games per week per 1000 residents. (Currently Perth 30.8, Adelaide 41.3, Melb/Geel 67.9 ). The new stadium barely dented that stat and leaves WA a looooong way behind SA and Vic.

The result is that it is unusual for a WA primary school class to have more than one kid who has been to A single AFL game. The vast majority of metro 16 yo kids have not been to a single AFL game. The new stadium will barely budge that at all. This is markedly different to the other southern states.

The chooks are coming home to roost from this unique small crowd / high price philosophy that the game runs in WA. SA and Vic would never do it.
 
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basashi

Premiership Player
Jun 18, 2010
4,071
5,456
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
FFC Quay Club
I think the die hard fans would always find their way to the game but there will be a chunk (pun intended) of children who would rather breed dragons or crush candy on their ipad than get up and do something at the park.

This is why it is the focus on the variable attendees that dictates the size of the market, not the die hard fans.
 

Zurgblade

Team Captain
Feb 14, 2018
417
596
AFL Club
West Coast
From the grass roots level, I notice that there is a growing trend in the number of 15 aside competitions at a junior level. In the northern corridor of Perth, in 2019 all year 7 - 9 boys teams will be 15's where our year 10's and 11/12 will remain at 18.

Also for the first time, year 11's and 12's will be a joint age group for our area which I think is a step in the right direction in terms of retaining a higher level of players and growing the sport.

Having followed the WABL (Junior WA Basketball League) for a while now, there was definitely a significant increase in the number of teams when the format changed to double year age groups rather than single....

Now if we could only get our local associations to start developing competitive junior leagues rather than building all inclusive leagues every level, we might actually develop some future superstars
 

blaisee

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 11, 2004
9,106
13,347
Punt Road
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
None
So having established that the younger generation is not that into footy anymore, we also have evidence to show the rusted on fans are waning as well

The AFL’s insistence to be involved in how I barrack at the footy, what I say, and even determine the motivation on my comments and then apologies on my behalf is just about enough

The AFL is doomed
 
Oct 3, 2007
16,084
17,344
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
West Perth
So having established that the younger generation is not that into footy anymore, we also have evidence to show the rusted on fans are waning as well

The AFL’s insistence to be involved in how I barrack at the footy, what I say, and even determine the motivation on my comments and then apologies on my behalf is just about enough

The AFL is doomed

I think the opposite, the younger generation are into it and that’s who they market to. Let’s face it anyone under 30 has never seen Aussie Rules played. All they know is this new hybrid sport called AFL.

It’s the people in their 40’s and above that are losing total interest in it.
 
Mar 17, 2009
21,636
17,319
Hobart
AFL Club
Collingwood
So having established that the younger generation is not that into footy anymore, we also have evidence to show the rusted on fans are waning as well

The AFL’s insistence to be involved in how I barrack at the footy, what I say, and even determine the motivation on my comments and then apologies on my behalf is just about enough

The AFL is doomed

Try abusing the Refs in the NBL & see how long you last in the arena.

The problem of course is the usual AFL overkill & knee jerk reaction to everything. The place is run by marketing 'flogs'. ;)

We know what real verbal abuse is. But 'a bald headed flog'??? Funny is about all that is.

Also barracking too loud? If its too noisy, GO HOME & TURN THE SOUND DOWN. IDIOTS! ;)
 

Leeda

Talents B Sharp
Suspended
Sep 26, 2012
9,443
1,622
AFL Club
Hawthorn
yeah we can indulge ourselves.. we don't have to say anything to our kith and kin... our children don't need to know...
Samson and delight.. or delignla.. or even the dubious personal of delihgla..
 
Jun 11, 2007
34,086
29,320
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Bayern, Milan, Boston Celtics
Try abusing the Refs in the NBL & see how long you last in the arena.

The problem of course is the usual AFL overkill & knee jerk reaction to everything. The place is run by marketing 'flogs'. ;)

We know what real verbal abuse is. But 'a bald headed flog'??? Funny is about all that is.

Also barracking too loud? If its too noisy, GO HOME & TURN THE SOUND DOWN. IDIOTS! ;)
This is a good point
There is no need to abuse the umps
Yes, they are terrible and get things wrong. But so do players. And we forgive them (largely) when they redeem themselves.

The AFL could do fans the service of letting us know the tolerance levels have changed.

Over time (too long), racism had a hard line taken against it. If aggressive behaviour or comments towards anyone (player, ump, fellow fans) is on the agenda, a small statement would be nice.
 

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Sep 15, 2009
13,126
11,013
Gippsland
AFL Club
Collingwood
yeah we can indulge ourselves.. we don't have to say anything to our kith and kin... our children don't need to know...
Samson and delight.. or delignla.. or even the dubious personal of delihgla..
I am gunna start to like all your posts.
I have absolutely no idea what you say, but i am positive, there is genius lurking in there.
 

frenchconnection

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 16, 2009
6,541
4,116
Wembley downs
AFL Club
West Coast
I think the opposite, the younger generation are into it and that’s who they market to. Let’s face it anyone under 30 has never seen Aussie Rules played. All they know is this new hybrid sport called AFL.

It’s the people in their 40’s and above that are losing total interest in it.
Yes I have a brother who has played and absolutely loved his Aussie Rules but just can't be bothered watching the modern game and plenty of his friends feel the same way. I have learnt to accept the changes, however in saying that would love it if they didn't keep changing the rules all the time which has affected the game that we grew up with and loved!
 

Kappa

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 7, 2014
27,769
37,135
AFL Club
Collingwood
So having established that the younger generation is not that into footy anymore, we also have evidence to show the rusted on fans are waning as well

The AFL’s insistence to be involved in how I barrack at the footy, what I say, and even determine the motivation on my comments and then apologies on my behalf is just about enough

The AFL is doomed

Does the fact that crowds and ratings are at record high numbers mean anything? Guess not because a few people on Bigfooty is all the evidence you need.
 

frenchconnection

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 16, 2009
6,541
4,116
Wembley downs
AFL Club
West Coast
Just my opinion and I could be completely off the mark here, but as in schools these days there is no such thing as failure and everybody gets a pass, I feel that kids won't give things a go unless they are guaranteed success - so therefore unless a prospective player is "top of the tree" do they even bother?? Not in all cases of course but do feel it does happen quite a lot?
 
Oct 3, 2007
16,084
17,344
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
West Perth
Yes I have a brother who has played and absolutely loved his Aussie Rules but just can't be bothered watching the modern game and plenty of his friends feel the same way. I have learnt to accept the changes, however in saying that would love it if they didn't keep changing the rules all the time which has affected the game that we grew up with and loved!

I’ve accepted it but I just don’t like it, it’s not Aussie Rules Football. I once lived and breathed this sport and now I am at a total loss with it, probably handing in the membership next year. Just can’t give money to something I don’t believe in anymore.
Feel gutted what they have done to the sport but nothing I can do about it so I will just move on, still follow the Eagles but the AFL can shove it.
 
May 3, 2007
36,003
20,771
Parts Unknown
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Man City, Valencia, Lazio, Panthers
Technology, propaganda of fear and political correctness is to blame.

Technology being born in 89 I've lived without and with technology, the stuff is addicting before I got my first computer at 12 I was never inside the house, now kids are given phones iPad and pcs when they are basically learning how to walk.

Competive video Games are huge in the young generation way more viewership and money in alot of sports these days, you pair that with parents who watch propaganda shows like the news today tonight aca and news.com.au and you have parents scared ****less for their children to even go outside or play a contact sport, so giving the child an iPad suits them well.

Look at all the top sports on the world right now, all the best athletes that are still dominating are born in the 80s bar a few.
true... and well said
 

Crusty Demon

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 20, 2009
7,863
8,310
Brighton
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
You used to show up to a party and find the blokes in the room. First question you always ask is who do you barrack for. Most say an NBA franchise or a Premier League team before AFL is even mentioned. Been a big shift in recent years. Football is becoming more of a thing people jump in and out of. I spent 4 years recently as a mature age student at University spending a lot of time with that 18-25 demographic. It was actually very very hard to find anyone to have a decent conversation about AFL. Most of the sporting conversations revolved around the NBA.

I'm now teaching a Grade 3/4 class where kids should be living and breathing AFL, and I can say that there are only 3 or 4 kids who even barrack for an AFL team. It's all XBox and basketball. Of course this is just 1 classroom among a million in this country, but it's concerning and having spent a lot of time with the younger generation recently, there is absolutely a shift away from AFL.
 

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