All-Time AFL Membership Numbers (1990-2020)

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BenBronx

Rookie
Jul 26, 2010
21
31
AFL Club
Collingwood
I thought this was interesting and wanted to share it on here, especially with the lack of Footy at the moment. This is the all-time AFL membership tally from 1990-2020.

Quite interesting to see where a few teams end up...


1. Collingwood 1.42M
2. West Coast 1.41
3. Adelaide 1.40
4. Hawthorn 1.27
5. Essendon 1.22
6. Richmond 1.22
7. Carlton 1.08
8. Geelong 0.99
9. Port Adelaide 0.96
10. Fremantle 0.96
11. Sydney 0.88
12. St Kilda 0.84
13. Melbourne 0.80
14. North Melbourne 0.79
15. Western Bulldogs 0.77
16. Brisbane 0.60
17. GWS 0.17
18. Gold Coast 0.13
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Surprised Adelaide were leading that up until this year. Thought WCE or Collingwood would be comfortably ahead of them.
Albeit membership numbers lost relevance a fair few years ago.

Weren't Adelaide including free email sign ups for years?
 

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Oct 16, 2003
5,486
9,765
Murrumbeena
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Weren't Adelaide including free email sign ups for years?

Whilst I've not put this list together (or verified its numbers), the figure that clubs release and the official membership tallies released by the AFL can sometimes be different. These official tallies (which is what we as supporters typically use in all the dick measuring threads on the topic) have minimum requirements and do not count free sign ups, pet memberships, etc. I think the minimum to count is entry to at least 3 games and some kind of minimum spend.

Therefore, all of the 'pet member's, 'free memberships', etc criticisms do not usually apply. Of course, that doesn't mean all memberships are equal as a 3 game concession interstate member does not hold the same value monetarily as a 17 game Gold Membership, etc. Membership revenue is where the key data is held.

In terms of Adelaide, their numbers seem to be built on having a lot of members early, before membership was embraced across the league as it is now. Hence, them not really figuring very highly in current membership totals but still being No 3 in overall memberships since 1990. At one stage, they were miles in front of any other club. I can't recall now exactly why that was the case for Adelaide (except that it was a newly introduced state team- which would have equally applied to West Coast). Does anyone remember?
 
Oct 16, 2003
5,486
9,765
Murrumbeena
AFL Club
Hawthorn
For those who can't be bothered watching the video, total memberships from 1990 - 2020 leader board looks like this:

1. Collingwood 1.42M
2. West Coast 1.41
3. Adelaide 1.40
4. Hawthorn 1.27
5. Essendon 1.22
6. Richmond 1.22
7. Carlton 1.08
8. Geelong 0.99
9. Port Adelaide 0.96
10. Fremantle 0.96
11. Sydney 0.88
12. St Kilda 0.84
13. Melbourne 0.80
14. North Melbourne 0.79
15. Western Bulldogs 0.77
16. Brisbane 0.60
17. GWS 0.17
18. Gold Coast 0.13
 
Not surprised. Adelaide had vastly more members from inception compared to everyone else. And looking at it, in 1997 when Port entered the comp they were straight to #2

1st club to 20k - Adelaide (1991)
2nd club to 20k - West Coast (1992)
1st club to 30k - Adelaide (1992)
1st club to 40k - Adelaide (1993)
2nd club to 30k - West Coast and Port Adelaide (1997)
2nd club to 40k - Collingwood (2003)

The Crows had a 130k lead in 2004 over West Coast and 180k lead over Collingwood.

It's been the past 10 years where things have changed (from 11game memberships) and other memberships became more common place and the AFL have brought in arbitrary rules for membership counts.

I'd expect adelaide to still be top 4 in 11 game members (With Eagles, Magpies and Tigers) and I wouldn't actually be shocked if we were still #2 (behind Eagles)

and on the free memberships

Adelaide count them (which is bs)
AFL do not (so wouldn't be in this table)

I think the current rule for membership is $50 and access to 1 game. (So the stunt Collingwood pulled a few years back - Buy a guernsey ($99) and get a 1 game membership actually qualified)

fwiw - I actually wish clubs went away from public sale. Or at the very least Adelaide introduce what West Coast has with their "In the wings" membership. West Coast would probably be the only club who could justify it (MAYBE Adelaide and Geelong too - Dont know the exact details). What that membership entails is that for $55 you go on the waiting list for season tickets, but the important part. PRIORITY ACCESS to matchday tickets.

Put that in at every club.

If there's 5k seats at the showdown which arent locked up by season ticket holders. They go to the members first (both clubs) and IF they dont use them, THEN they go to the public.

Clubs like Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Essendon, Sydney - They would all probably get spikes in membership if this was implemented. And at what cost? None in my opinion.
 

Brickwall

Senior List
Sep 24, 2020
194
217
AFL Club
Collingwood
Not surprised. Adelaide had vastly more members from inception compared to everyone else. And looking at it, in 1997 when Port entered the comp they were straight to #2

1st club to 20k - Adelaide (1991)
2nd club to 20k - West Coast (1992)
1st club to 30k - Adelaide (1992)
1st club to 40k - Adelaide (1993)
2nd club to 30k - West Coast and Port Adelaide (1997)
2nd club to 40k - Collingwood (2003)

The Crows had a 130k lead in 2004 over West Coast and 180k lead over Collingwood.

It's been the past 10 years where things have changed (from 11game memberships) and other memberships became more common place and the AFL have brought in arbitrary rules for membership counts.

I'd expect adelaide to still be top 4 in 11 game members (With Eagles, Magpies and Tigers) and I wouldn't actually be shocked if we were still #2 (behind Eagles)

and on the free memberships

Adelaide count them (which is bs)
AFL do not (so wouldn't be in this table)

I think the current rule for membership is $50 and access to 1 game. (So the stunt Collingwood pulled a few years back - Buy a guernsey ($99) and get a 1 game membership actually qualified)

fwiw - I actually wish clubs went away from public sale. Or at the very least Adelaide introduce what West Coast has with their "In the wings" membership. West Coast would probably be the only club who could justify it (MAYBE Adelaide and Geelong too - Dont know the exact details). What that membership entails is that for $55 you go on the waiting list for season tickets, but the important part. PRIORITY ACCESS to matchday tickets.

Put that in at every club.

If there's 5k seats at the showdown which arent locked up by season ticket holders. They go to the members first (both clubs) and IF they dont use them, THEN they go to the public.

Clubs like Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Essendon, Sydney - They would all probably get spikes in membership if this was implemented. And at what cost? None in my opinion.
adelaide who are they ?????
 

NetworkNerd

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 6, 2011
12,844
21,185
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
AFL Member so all clubs I guess.
Carlton might be doubling up this year for the legends lounge membership. They give you a free 11 game basic membership along with your main one. Not sure if other clubs do the same or if it counts towards the total. (Source: brother in law)
 
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