Carlton and Melbourne - who has the greater supporter base

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Rabman

Club Legend
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Exactly. South Melbourne fans continued to follow Sydney because they felt that it is still that same club. Kept the mascot, colours, theme song and history. Only difference is that they relocated to Sydney. Fitzroy fans who prior to their demise were about the same amount of support as the south Melbourne and North Melbourne gave the game away as they felt that they lost their Fitzroy heritage. Their jumper is not the same, their theme song is not the same. There were a lot of old Fitzroy supporters still following Brisbane but as soon as their last Fitzroy player Chris Johnson retired a lot just gave the game away. If they merged with North Melbourne in 1997 I’m pretty confident that a lot of Fitzroy supporters would be attending games supporting the North Fitzroy Kangaroos as they and north fans voted for the merger for only Ross Oakley to shaft the Fitzroy FC and their supporters.
Fitzroy were very close to moving to brisbane at the end of 1986, Pual roos and others confirmed in interviews they wanted to move to brisbane, the board voted in principle to move to Brisbane. looking back wished that had happened and avoided the pain that was inflicted.
 

gaelictiogar

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We all love these debates and everyone will point to stats that put his own club in a good light but ultimately what matters is the ability fans have to make their club games an "event" by turning out in big numbers and just as importantly getting behind the team and barracking for it.
 
Joined
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Nope. Carlton is still third. Just because their fans aren't going to games because their team is shit, 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
Haha. This is funny. "The single best gauge on a supporter base is Supercoach". Haha **** me, I don't even need to say anything else.
 

Goggin Our Best

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Exactly. South Melbourne fans continued to follow Sydney because they felt that it is still that same club. Kept the mascot, colours, theme song and history. Only difference is that they relocated to Sydney. Fitzroy fans who prior to their demise were about the same amount of support as the south Melbourne and North Melbourne gave the game away as they felt that they lost their Fitzroy heritage. Their jumper is not the same, their theme song is not the same. There were a lot of old Fitzroy supporters still following Brisbane but as soon as their last Fitzroy player Chris Johnson retired a lot just gave the game away. If they merged with North Melbourne in 1997 I’m pretty confident that a lot of Fitzroy supporters would be attending games supporting the North Fitzroy Kangaroos as they and north fans voted for the merger for only Ross Oakley to shaft the Fitzroy FC and their supporters.
Its just fate and luck - and im very pleased how it has worked out for the Swans - so if you were an old Sth Melb supporter - your team is basically the same - just plays its home games at the SCG -and they have had plenty of success - so all is good

However where the luck comes into it ( and Fitzroy had none ) is when the Swans were hopeless and penniless ( Buckenara coach - 20 losses in a row ) - there was a huge push to change their jumper ( and when your on the bones of your arrse you can make irrational decisions ) - on the lines of - ok your a Syd team - and basically irrelevant in the Syd market - how about looking like a NSW Team - and plenty were saying at the time - change the jumper to the light blue of the NSW Rugby League Team

Now if that had happened ( thank goodness it didnt ) then all of the original Sth Melb supporters would have dissappeared

I think most supporters to a degree couldnt care less if their team was based on the moon ( if it means survival ) as long as the jumper colours/design is basically the same - and the mascot - Swans in this case is kept - then they say - yeah thats my team
 
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