It’s probably Carlton but the attendance Melbourne’s two finals in Melb (both 90k) this year suggests a club with a significant latent support.
Carlton and Melbourne - who has the greater supporter base
- Thread starter Gavin Excell
- Start date
- Tagged users None
- May 20, 2014
- 20,985
- 26,781
- AFL Club
- Geelong
It's not 2000 anymore. Carlton get to play in Geelong these days. They've still got a bigger base than Melbourne but Tigers and Hawks would easily have Carlton covered now.
Do you not have an excel spreadsheet for this?
Nope. Carlton is still third. Just because their fans aren't going to games because their team is s**t, doesn't mean they have all died. They are still alive. The single best gauge on supporter base is the Supercoach club supporter rankings. Unlike Morgan surveys which survey a few thousand people, this is a defacto "survey" of 300,000 people.
Melbourne have been last for a while now. Young people just refused to barrack for the Dees after the mid 1960's. Carlton have always been a supporter powerhouse.
SUPERCOACH CLUB SUPPORTER NUMBERS (just counting the 10 Victorian clubs)
Collingwood 23,257.........16.33% of Victorians support Collingwood
Essendon 22,866............16.05% of Victorian support Essendon
Carlton 17,497...............12.28% of Victorians support Carlton
Richmond 15,824...........11.11% of Victorians support Richmond
Hawthorn 15,787............11.08% of Victorians support Hawthorn
Geelong 13,836..............9.72% of Victorians support Geelong
St.Kilda 9,595................6.74% of Victorians support St.Kilda
Nth.Melb 8,699..............6.11% of Victorians support North
W.Bulldogs 7,914...........5.56% of Victorians support the Bulldogs
Melbourne 7,121............5.00% of Victorians support Melbourne
- May 20, 2014
- 20,985
- 26,781
- AFL Club
- Geelong
Nope, it is clearly accurate. Collingwood/Essendon basically equal at the top, Kangaroos second last. Pies, Bombers, Blues, Tigers top 4, which is all pretty much what convention has told us for the last 40 years. Anyone who knows anything about football and club supporter numbers can see that it is accurate.
Do some naive people think Carlton fans have literally died off do they? lol.
- May 20, 2014
- 20,985
- 26,781
- AFL Club
- Geelong
Carlton have been poor for a generation. All the little glory seeking kiddies will be Hawthorn supporters these days.
No doubt a lot of Blues will come out of the woodwork when they start winning but they are not a big 4 club anymore.
No doubt a lot of Blues will come out of the woodwork when they start winning but they are not a big 4 club anymore.
What do those numbers look like if you include all teams, out of interest?
It takes longer than that to erode a supporter base built over 120 years.
Look at Richmond as an example.
And as for Hawthorn, they have been the most successful club of the past 50 years, but still sit in 5th spot. Why? Because it took them until 1957 to even make the finals. They have only really been building a supporter base for half the time that Carlton has. Carlton still has that generational support passed down from father to son, built from 100 years of success.
- Thread starter
- #11
But its an interesting comparison Melbourne as they were a dominating club in the 50s 60s
Perhaps the dormant support for Melbourne indicates a bigger than though supporter base.
I don't think so. No surveys or any sort of data indicates that Melbourne are anything other than bottom two for support. They really did fall off a cliff after 1964. They missed the finals for 22 consecutive years from 1965-1986, right as television started to take off. In such an important era for exposure, they were probably the least watched club over that important period. Kids just don't barrack for Melbourne.
Think about how many Melbourne supporters you know..... there's not many is there.
- Thread starter
- #13
Agree Blues ahead but these trends move slowly
You dont read anything into Melbournes massive finals crowds?
90k back to back is by any measure impressive
I went to see Melbourne. I got given tickets for one game too. Most of us didnt make finals but just love footy.
Most of us would watch any neutral final really.
Craze
Premiership Player
- Aug 7, 2013
- 3,513
- 7,925
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- Steelers
Four points.
1. Collingwood/Essendon are out in front of Carlton/Richmond all other things being equal. Hawthorn just below that. I remember going to the footy in the 70's and 80's and there were bugger all Hawthorn supporters. These days, they're everywhere.
2. Carlton are massive. Anyone over the age of 40 would remember what they were like in that era of '79-'82. During that period they were well ahead of Essendon and Richmond.
2. I'd have Melbourne on a similar level to St Kilda and Geelong, above North and Dogs.
3. I think there has been a significant shift in the attendances we can expect in Victoria for finals. 90,000+ will be a regular occurrence in future IMO when two Vic teams play, as a result of the explosion in club memberships. Versus an interstate club, the Big 4 are all capable of drawing 90,000+ in a non-GF final.
1. Collingwood/Essendon are out in front of Carlton/Richmond all other things being equal. Hawthorn just below that. I remember going to the footy in the 70's and 80's and there were bugger all Hawthorn supporters. These days, they're everywhere.
2. Carlton are massive. Anyone over the age of 40 would remember what they were like in that era of '79-'82. During that period they were well ahead of Essendon and Richmond.
2. I'd have Melbourne on a similar level to St Kilda and Geelong, above North and Dogs.
3. I think there has been a significant shift in the attendances we can expect in Victoria for finals. 90,000+ will be a regular occurrence in future IMO when two Vic teams play, as a result of the explosion in club memberships. Versus an interstate club, the Big 4 are all capable of drawing 90,000+ in a non-GF final.
One thing Sheeds did was grow Essendon’s supporter base/brand nationally, beyond Victoria. This holds us in good stead. I think Collingwood are still out in front nationally but I don’t think Carlton have grown their brand as they could have when the AFL took off.
Proper Gander
Owl whisperer and secret agent
I’m not naive. I’m living in hope.
- Aug 23, 2011
- 19,104
- 62,068
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- Grand Finals at the Gabba
The same thing was said about Richmond. “Lost a generation of supporters” apparently. Nek minute 100k members and monster crowds.
Carlton will be big when they finally return.
- Dec 21, 2012
- 19,971
- 15,738
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Chelsea, Redbacks, Adelaide United
Not sure you can judge a supporter base based on the clubs first final in over 10 years vs other Victorian clubs.
Carlton quite easily, every town Ive lived in (Port Hedland, Kalgoorlie, Noosa, Brisbane, Perth and even here in Sweden) Ive met numerous Blues fans.
I literally know one Demons fan.
I literally know one Demons fan.
proudhawk_65
Draftee
- Nov 17, 2018
- 5
- 17
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
- Banned
- #22
I’m sorry but Richmond is bigger than both Carlton and Essendon in Melbourne. They are on par with Collingwood
In Melbourne it is :
Collingwood and Richmond
Essendon
Hawthorn
Carlton
Melbourne
Hawthorn easily has more fans than Carlton nowadays
Masqualero
Club Legend
- Jul 2, 2015
- 1,658
- 2,231
- AFL Club
- Carlton
Our supporters are in the best shape they've ever been
Also grew up in Melbourne in the 73 to 81.
At my school it was dominated by Carlton and Collingwood supportes but closely after that it was Richmond, Hawthorn and Essendon.
Quite a few Melbourne and St.Kilda supporters. After that Geelong.
But only knew 1 supporter each of Fitzroy, Footscray, North Melbourne and South Melbourne.
Remember Hawthorn supporters were the most fun to discuss games with, the kids who supported them were the intellectuals and thought they knew most about the game. Funnily enough they were the only ones that never went to games. Go figure!
This is where Carlton fell over. Rested on the laurels of having a strong supporter base and successful history and didn’t really grow their brand in any positive way since 2000. It’s not too late and hopefully this reset is the change needed, but another 20 years like the last 20 and we’re in strife.
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