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

[kreglze]

Oh I see what you mean. Would still probably increase some sales, but the game itself will still need to be good, and that won't improve how the gameplay is. Don't think giving or paying someone else to take the license would work, as the AFLPA would want money to use players likeness and names.

Us fans get frustrated enough with the annual rule changes, but imagine trying to build a game where you need to change the game engine all the time. It's hardly a recipe for a good game.

Yeah creating a game engine to keep up with the all the different fascists of the game is almost impossible, and keep it as sharp as you want it.

Other choice would be releasing a licensed Coaching simulator, much like Football Manager in the UK. Where you don't play as the players but play as the manager make changes, adjust your lists depending on needs etc. Wouldn't require as much investment or Game Engine building, but wouldn't probably have the wide appeal of an AFL version of FIFA.

 

[Hawthorn United]

Yeah creating a game engine to keep up with the all the different fascists of the game is almost impossible, and keep it as sharp as you want it.

Other choice would be releasing a licensed Coaching simulator, much like Football Manager in the UK. Where you don't play as the players but play as the manager make changes, adjust your lists depending on needs etc. Wouldn't require as much investment or Game Engine building, but wouldn't probably have the wide appeal of an AFL version of FIFA.

I have that game. http://premiershipcoach.net/
Looks like they're developing a new one though, unlicensed.

Looks like the person behind the game is a bigfooty poster.

Premiership Coach

I developed and distributed this game, what seems like a lifetime ago. I'm always amazed that there is still a community updating and continuing to play the game, some 6 years later. I dont have the time to develop it myself these days, but would be willing to give the source code to the...

www.bigfooty.com

There was also this old game that I also have, but had a lot of bugs in it. Kept crashing on me. Kevin Sheedy AFL Coach.

AFL (video game series) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Was also unrealistic as one game, I had Nick Holland take 30 something marks and kick 20 goals in a game.

Games like these are more niche though. Even FM has a niche market of soccer fans. I was into those games before when I was in Uni, but jumping into now as a working adult, it's extremely tough. It feels like another job.

 

[zeggie]

We already have a stellar AFL game available

 

[Aussie in exile]

Interesting that the AFL is STILL the 4th highest average attended league world wide even given the much less amount of games AND our minnow population compared to the top 3. I'd imagine if the AFL had 380 games it'd be top of the tree, last year nearly one third of the Australian population went to an AFL game - that's heady stuff!



View attachment 692835

We have less than half the population of ANY of those countries.

Oh and there's this little bit of minor detail.

View attachment 692847

Yep the games in trouble shut it down Gil.

In my opinion i think if the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool and Arsenal and Tottenham had 100,000 capacity grounds i think they would sell them out MOST home games.

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

In my opinion i think if the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool and Arsenal and Tottenham had 100,000 capacity grounds i think they would sell them out MOST home games.

Tottenham wouldn’t go close, they showed that when they were at Wembley. If pricing was right I imagine the rest could “sell out” every game.

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

Tottenham wouldn’t go close, they showed that when they were at Wembley. If pricing was right I imagine the rest could “sell out” every game.

Except Wembley was an awful stadium that never felt like home, as soon as they returned to the Lane the stadium rocked and you couldn’t buy tickets

 

[RolandF1]

We already have a stellar AFL game available

View attachment 694978

Trying to kick goals in that...

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Except Wembley was an awful stadium that never felt like home, as soon as they returned to the Lane the stadium rocked and you couldn’t buy tickets

Do you think they would sell another 40,000? They never even filled Wembley which is 90,000 zero chance they somehow get 100,000 every game.

 

[NoobPie]

In my opinion i think if the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool and Arsenal and Tottenham had 100,000 capacity grounds i think they would sell them out MOST home games.

Poor poor Aussie in exile ....how much time are you spending digging up old threads like this you poor sorry sod?

 

[Consolaçao]

good luck finding those numbers

On crowd numbers however, pe capita, the AFL is 50% less popular than it was in 1980

You could run the same analysis for any sports league in the world and you’d come to exactly the the same conclusion. 1980 was a world without internet, with limited weekend retailing, and with a couple of tv channels. The game was competing with little else for people’s time.

 

[NoobPie]

You could run the same analysis for any sports league in the world and you’d come to exactly the the same conclusion. 1980 was a world without internet, with limited weekend retailing, and with a couple of tv channels. The game was competing with little else for people’s time.

....and was probably $2.50 general admission and you could bring an esky full of beer in and sit in seats that would now set you back $80

 

[Consolaçao]

FWIW, for as long as I’ve been watching sport, people have been predicting the eventual replacement of our national games with soccer/ basketball, though it’s yet to happen. Remember when A-League was gonna be ‘the thing’? NBL was the same in the 90s. Australians have always been open minded when it comes to other sports, but don’t underestimate culture and tradition in driving peoples preferences as they mature.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Do you think they would sell another 40,000? They never even filled Wembley which is 90,000 zero chance they somehow get 100,000 every game.

Ignorant post.

I am pretty tied in with Spurs and went to plenty of games at Wembley. It’s not a place where fans happily go and after a while it became a chore. It has no atmosphere yet despite that it was well attended.

There are also about 80,000 on the waiting list for a season ticket, despite the increased capacity of the new ground. It could have been a 90,000 seater and would have still been fully subscribed.

 

[Carringbush2010]

In my opinion i think if the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool and Arsenal and Tottenham had 100,000 capacity grounds i think they would sell them out MOST home games.

Fair speculation but they don't, in any case my point is with much less games and populations than those leagues and countries and the fact that the AFL is that highly attended suggests the game is not in trouble or that the younger are generally 'not that into it' to a point where the game is in trouble - From a public interest perspective.

 

[theyellowsash]

In my opinion i think if the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool and Arsenal and Tottenham had 100,000 capacity grounds i think they would sell them out MOST home games.

Manchester has a population of 2.7 million for 2 teams which play 30+ games a year. Of course their total numbers would be higher. For AFL to even be in the picture is incredible and shows how popular it is.

 

[theyellowsash]

Fair speculation but they don't, in any case my point is with much less games and populations than those leagues and countries and the fact that the AFL is that highly attended suggests the game is not in trouble or that the younger are generally 'not that into it' to a point where the game is in trouble - From a public interest perspective.

The 'afl is dieing' talk is just classic 'things were better back in my day' cliche bullshit

 

[Nunez]

The 'afl is dieing' talk is just classic 'things were better back in my day' cliche bullshit

Yep. There is some peak boomer stuff in this thread.

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Ignorant post.

I am pretty tied in with Spurs and went to plenty of games at Wembley. It’s not a place where fans happily go and after a while it became a chore. It has no atmosphere yet despite that it was well attended.

There are also about 80,000 on the waiting list for a season ticket, despite the increased capacity of the new ground. It could have been a 90,000 seater and would have still been fully subscribed.

I don’t think it’s ignorant at all. Their highest ever attendance in their history according to google is 85,000 even though they played in a 90,000 seat stadium. Their highest ever PL crowd is 83,000 and you think they are going to average 100k. I think that’s ignorant.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

FWIW, for as long as I’ve been watching sport, people have been predicting the eventual replacement of our national games with soccer/ basketball, though it’s yet to happen. Remember when A-League was gonna be ‘the thing’? NBL was the same in the 90s. Australians have always been open minded when it comes to other sports, but don’t underestimate culture and tradition in driving peoples preferences as they mature.

I can't presume to predict the future for AFL but as to the A-League, I think we can now all agree that the soccer juggernaut is never going to be much chop in Oz.

For all of soccer's worldwide appeal, its boosters have this incredible tendency to overlook (a) how many nations it is not the dominant sport in (in particular, India and the US, the 2nd and 3rd biggest nations in the world), and (b) as to Australia in particular, the fact that we are unique here in having four major professional football codes. No other country has that surfeit of football codes at the professional level.

Most Aussies have seen the odd game of soccer. They're not going to suddenly develop this mad passion for it if they haven't in the previous 150 years.

Anyway, probably for another thread..

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

I can't presume to predict the future for AFL but as to the A-League, I think we can now all agree that the soccer juggernaut is never going to be much chop in Oz.

For all of soccer's worldwide appeal, its boosters have this incredible tendency to overlook (a) how many nations it is not the dominant sport in (in particular, India and the US, the 2nd and 3rd biggest nations in the world), and (b) as to Australia in particular, the fact that we are unique here in having four major professional football codes. No other country has that surfeit of football codes at the professional level.

Most Aussies have seen the odd game of soccer. They're not going to suddenly develop this mad passion for it if they haven't in the previous 150 years.

Anyway, probably for another thread..

It’s not culturally significant in hardly any large country in the world. China, India , US, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nigeria are the only countries with over 150mil people. It would probably be bigger in two of those countries then it is in Australia for instance. (Per head)

having lived in England then moving home to see the sport really take off and the excitement around it from ~2005-~2011 it’s hard to believe the sport is where it is at atm.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Youth participation and interest in all sports is declining, but it's worse for the rugby codes than for Aussie Rules. The AFL will have to grapple with the issue of concussions just as every other contact sport must, and if they can figure that out it'll be pretty smooth sailing for another generation or two.

 

[Freomaniac]

There are 36 players 5'9" and under now...

https://www.zerohanger.com/afl/players/tallest-shortest/see-all-height/

This is exactly my point. 10 to 25 years ago it was a lot harder to get drafted if you were under 6' than it is now

Not bad bunch of talent on that list that stand at 5 foot 9 inches.

No shame being 5 foot 9 playing Aussies rules footy. If you got the talent and willing to work hard, you will get a chance

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I don’t think it’s ignorant at all. Their highest ever attendance in their history according to google is 85,000 even though they played in a 90,000 seat stadium. Their highest ever PL crowd is 83,000 and you think they are going to average 100k. I think that’s ignorant.

You could have any Premier League club play home games at Wembley and they wouldn’t sell the place out.

Fans simply do not want to go there. I have several mates who are season ticket holders who gave it a miss. The same people never missed a game at WHL and don’t miss a game at the new stadium either.

I repeat, there is a waiting list of 80,000 to get a season ticket.

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

You could have any Premier League club play home games at Wembley and they wouldn’t sell the place out.

Fans simply do not want to go there. I have several mates who are season ticket holders who gave it a miss. The same people never missed a game at WHL and don’t miss a game at the new stadium either.

I repeat, there is a waiting list of 80,000 to get a season ticket.

And I understand that but when you have never even drawn more then 83,000 for a game when they have had opportunities to then it doesn’t seem reasonable to be able to average 100,000 regardless.

it is a waiting list but how many of those do you think would actually cough up for the season ticket. I’m sure a lot would but there is probably an educated reason they only built a 60k seat stadium and I believe only 40,000 odd season ticket holders.
Richmond for instance have only about 20,000 odd less “members” (I know they are guaranteed games so probably not a great example) but they only avg 60k and away support makes up a lot higher % of that then it would in the EPL.
West Ham is a good example of cheap tickets where they are very accessible yet can’t pull the crowd even though they have a large fan base. (Actually caught out adding 10,000+ to their figures)
This would happen to Tottenham. A lot of People who are willing to cough up $75 to be apart of the club would not ever actually want/be able to pay the $1000 for a season ticket and wouldn’t show up every week. They guarantee the majority of the hardcore fans but make it a premium ticket. Much like west coast wanted.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

And I understand that but when you have never even drawn more then 83,000 for a game when they have had opportunities to then it doesn’t seem reasonable to be able to average 100,000 regardless.

it is a waiting list but how many of those do you think would actually cough up for the season ticket. I’m sure a lot would but there is probably an educated reason they only built a 60k seat stadium and I believe only 40,000 odd season ticket holders.
Richmond for instance have only about 20,000 odd less “members” (I know they are guaranteed games so probably not a great example) but they only avg 60k and away support makes up a lot higher % of that then it would in the EPL.
West Ham is a good example of cheap tickets where they are very accessible yet can’t pull the crowd even though they have a large fan base. (Actually caught out adding 10,000+ to their figures)
This would happen to Tottenham. A lot of People who are willing to cough up $75 to be apart of the club would not ever actually want/be able to pay the $1000 for a season ticket and wouldn’t show up every week. They guarantee the majority of the hardcore fans but make it a premium ticket. Much like west coast wanted.

Given I am on the waiting list I can answer that with some certainty. There were approximately 15,000 new season tickets offered when the new stadium seating plan became known. I moved up just under 19,000 spots so the uptake was a little over 75%. Now that would also have something to do with the team being in very good shape at that time (it isn’t looking as strong right now) but you are underestimating the demand for tickets hence they spent over 500m quid to build the new joint and increase capacity.

You keep banging on about them not filling Wembley. Have you ever tried to go to a match at Wembley? It’s a nightmare, hence people give it a miss. It is exactly the same reason why Waverley Park never became what the VFL wanted it to be.

So now Spurs are in a 62,000 seater at their spiritual home, in the heart of their base. A stadium which is fully subscribed and has an 80,000 person waiting list for a season ticket, not to mention those who cannot afford a reserved seat (Spurs have the most expensive season tickets in Europe) but will go to individual games and you think they wouldn’t regularly sell out a 100,000 seat stadium?

Also, comparing Tottenham to West Ham is not dissimilar to comparing St Kilda to a club like Hawthorn. For one, it is a completely different socio-economic base of followers and more importantly, one team is a shambles trying to avoid relegation most seasons, the other is a recent Champions League finalist. One is generally highly watchable and is littered with global superstars, the other is a workmanlike unit trying to stay relevant. Also, many Ham fans have jumped off due to their new home ground being not purpose built for football. It still has a running track around it and the fans hate being so far away from the action so have stopped attending matches.