Analysis Dwindling Crowds

[Micksy]

Member since 2006.
Used to go to every home game and 2-3 of the Melbourne/Away games.
Last year the 2 blokes I go with moved to 2 other towns.
We used to rotate driving duties.

Also, got a mortgage.

Also, got Foxtel. Cheap ice cold stubbies and a close toilet, with a comfy couch to sit on with the central heating cranked.....maybe a Jameson and coke if its going to be a cracking game....not having to drive an hour there and an hour back. Not having some knobhead getting in my face.

Finally, I don't think I'm the kind of attendee the club wants. I like to sit and watch and analyse the game. I go off my head for a specky, or a goal, but I don't think every kick deserves a standing ovation. the club want ports fans who just spew dribble 24/7. Pass.

 

[iameviljez]

Finally, I don't think I'm the kind of attendee the club wants. I like to sit and watch and analyse the game. I go off my head for a specky, or a goal, but I don't think every kick deserves a standing ovation. the club want ports fans who just spew dribble 24/7. Pass.

I'd swap the blabbering braindead old woman behind me on Sunday for you any day of the week... particularly last Sunday, come to think of it.

Seriously, though, if that's how you enjoy yourself at the footy, why shouldn't you be allowed to do it like that? Kindof strange that some people need to be reminded that others have the right to remain silent, so as to speak.

 

[Micksy]

I pointed out in another post in this thread that as of 2013 the population of Green Bay was less than that of Geelongs, with Melbourne (population 4million+) an hour away there really isnt an excuse for low attendance. Yes obviously people come from all cornors to attend in the States but they do hear as well, and KP's capacity isnt 80,000 it's 32,000. It shouldnt be a big stretch to fill the stadium every week. Culture is the biggest reason for low attendance, not population.

If I had to wait 900 years to get a reserve seat, then pay $4500 to sign up and $2400 a year for 2 seats I would probably manage to get to a few more games...or sell my tickets for $500 a game to someone who wants to go.

 

[krisholio14]

If I had to wait 900 years to get a reserve seat, then pay $4500 to sign up and $2400 a year for 2 seats I would probably manage to get to a few more games...or sell my tickets for $500 a game to someone who wants to go.

There is also only 8 games a year.

The secondary market is far better run over here. Much easier to on-sell your tickets than in Australia.

 

[Willo_]

Let us also not forget that the three teams we've played down there are not what you'd call high drawing teams.

But we are never going to play a high drawing team there... it's all interstate or minnow clubs

 

[Willo_]

I probably need to put my 2 bob in since I started the thread and all...

I didn't start it as an excuse for a whinge or to attack others fwiw, just thought it would be an interesting point of discussion.

The cost and the timing of the games so far has been a big factor for me.. I'm a member and have a reserved seat at home. I'm by no means financially well off but the fact the memberships are now able to be paid monthly helps greatly. I enjoy going to the footy and getting a seat meant I don't have to worry about it each week.... but it is starting to get to breaking point, each year the cost has gone up... this year we got sold the prize freeze... my cost still increased because of course then we had to pay more for having an extra home game here....

For the first time in a few years I've missed games at home (the last 2) due to the timing of the game clashing with my other half working.. but both weeks I've handed my ticket on to someone else to go along.

I do get frustrated with all the deals for cheap seats at the moment as we have done the right thing and sorted a seat but people that haven't reap the benefits... that said they are just trying to fill the place and I understand that.

 

[krisholio14]

But we are never going to play a high drawing team there... it's all interstate or minnow clubs

This is the other side of the issue.

I'll admit in the 18 months prior to me going to the States halfway though last year I was only going to about half the KP games. I missed more in that period than I had in the previous 15 years.

Part of it is night games. It's a long way down there to see us play a mediocre team in the coldest part of the year then get back to Melbourne at nearly 1AM. It wasn't about being up too late, it's about being in no mans land. It's too late to get started for a night out, and if you had a few in Geelong, by the time you get back you've wound down a bit. I understand that the complaints from Geelong people coming up for home night games (or any night games) are along the same lines, the difference is that you're either seeing a bigger game, in a better stadium.

The thing is the night games don't really work for 'locals' either because often they are coming from outside of Greater Geelong, meaning they have the same problem as those coming from Melbourne and beyond. We'll get some use out of the lights over time, but the reality is night footy at KP doesn't really benefit anyone except people who live near the ground and the AFL because it gives them more fixture flex. No surprise the lights aren't getting that much of a workout this year.

I don't know where the last round of ground improvements is going to leave us in terms of capacity, and by extension the ability to play a couple of bigger clubs down there, but the first think I think we really need to look at how we can make the fixturing work better for everyone. Twilight Sunday games in Geelong don't make a hell of a lot of sense for anyone.. I don't purport to have all the answers, but I'd suggest if we want to do night games that we look at doing them at the very beginning or end of the season, and look at starting them a bit earlier. I would also be suggesting that if we get a Sunday game, that it doesn't start any later than 2:10.

Of course you can't suit everyone all of the time, but some of the early fixtures here haven't really been conducive to drawing big crowds given the demographics of our supporter base.

 

[krisholio14]

I probably need to put my 2 bob in since I started the thread and all...

I didn't start it as an excuse for a whinge or to attack others fwiw, just thought it would be an interesting point of discussion.

The cost and the timing of the games so far has been a big factor for me.. I'm a member and have a reserved seat at home. I'm by no means financially well off but the fact the memberships are now able to be paid monthly helps greatly. I enjoy going to the footy and getting a seat meant I don't have to worry about it each week.... but it is starting to get to breaking point, each year the cost has gone up... this year we got sold the prize freeze... my cost still increased because of course then we had to pay more for having an extra home game here....

For the first time in a few years I've missed games at home (the last 2) due to the timing of the game clashing with my other half working.. but both weeks I've handed my ticket on to someone else to go along.

I do get frustrated with all the deals for cheap seats at the moment as we have done the right thing and sorted a seat but people that haven't reap the benefits... that said they are just trying to fill the place and I understand that.

Are resales purely through the club?

 

[Willo_]

Are resales purely through the club?

meaning if someone vacates their seat for the week does the club offer it out? I'd assume the system is updated and it just becomes available for anyone looking via ticketmaster or whoever the seller is?

 

[krisholio14]

meaning if someone vacates their seat for the week does the club offer it out? I'd assume the system is updated and it just becomes available for anyone looking via ticketmaster or whoever the seller is?

That's what I'm asking. If you don't go to a game, if you want to on sell it as opposed to giving it to a mate, what is the process?

 

[Partridge]

Twilight Sunday games in Geelong don't make a hell of a lot of sense for anyone.. I don't purport to have all the answers, but I'd suggest if we want to do night games that we look at doing them at the very beginning or end of the season, and look at starting them a bit earlier. I would also be suggesting that if we get a Sunday game, that it doesn't start any later than 2:10.

Of course you can't suit everyone all of the time, but some of the early fixtures here haven't really been conducive to drawing big crowds given the demographics of our supporter base.

I'd go further. If we are going to have Sunday day games at Geelong, make them all 1:10 starts. It's an early enough time for even outer Melburnians to be back at a decent hour, and it caters perfectly for the 4:00pm game that we know will be scheduled elsewhere (typically interstate). Given we'll have Saturday day and Saturday night games, it should not be too difficult to request.

 

[JUBJUB]

That's what I'm asking. If you don't go to a game, if you want to on sell it as opposed to giving it to a mate, what is the process?

I think you ring the membership department.
Last year they advertised this in the lead up to each SS game but I don't recall seeing anything this year.

 

[Willo_]

That's what I'm asking. If you don't go to a game, if you want to on sell it as opposed to giving it to a mate, what is the process?

I'm not the right person to answer as I have never done it personally, the 2 games I haven't been since I got my seat I have just handed my membership card to someone else.

I believe you just need to let the club know that you will not be attending (I assume by early in the week) you are meant to get some benefit towards the following years membership but I am not sure what exactly it is

 

[krisholio14]

I'd go further. If we are going to have Sunday day games at Geelong, make them all 1:10 starts. It's an early enough time for even outer Melburnians to be back at a decent hour, and it caters perfectly for the 4:00pm game that we know will be scheduled elsewhere (typically interstate). Given we'll have Saturday day and Saturday night games, it should not be too difficult to request.

I hated the 1:10 start, that's why I didn't mention it. It's hard to haul ass down to Geelong by 1PM if you've had a big Saturday night, which I usually have lol.

 

[Willo_]

I think you ring the membership department.
Last year they advertised this in the lead up to each SS game but I don't recall seeing anything this year.

Yeah I remember every home game last year we got an email or something asking about it... haven't noticed this year

 

[krisholio14]

I'm not the right person to answer as I have never done it personally, the 2 games I haven't been since I got my seat I have just handed my membership card to someone else.

I believe you just need to let the club know that you will not be attending (I assume by early in the week) you are meant to get some benefit towards the following years membership but I am not sure what exactly it is

So once you have let the club know, do they then advertise at X price?

 

[Willo_]

So once you have let the club know, do they then advertise at X price?

I just assume it becomes available via ticketmaster?

Someone on my twitter mentioned on the weekend that they paid $4 to upgrade to GA to a seat and got one in the Players stand, so they are selling best available as an upgrade. (if that makes sense, again I haven't done it) So I am assuming that would be via the club though?

 

[CaptainJayho]

As someone who has watched a lot of live sport of a lot of different codes overseas I can tell you that playing home games against the best teams at their home ground instead of our own is totally and utterly bonkers. I suppose it's fine when we're thoroughly pasting all and sundry week in week out in the glory years no matter where we play - but now we're pants it is just a ridiculous strategy. We end up with small crowds at kp (where we make most money per ticket I believe) and we get smashed by the better sides playing on their familiar grounds.

 

[Partridge]

I hated the 1:10 start, that's why I didn't mention it. It's hard to haul ass down to Geelong by 1PM if you've had a big Saturday night, which I usually have lol.

It's a good point you raise though, who are they trying to attract? For me, a 3:20pm Sunday game means absolutely no way for me. A 1:10 start on the other hand is much more attractive.

 

[Willo_]

It's a good point you raise though, who are they trying to attract? For me, a 3:20pm Sunday game means absolutely no way for me. A 1:10 start on the other hand is much more attractive.

I like the Saturday twilight option myself, late enough to not be early but early enough to not be home too late.
Can make a night of it if you like or go for a meal and some drinks prior as well

Obviously everyone has their own perfect world situation, and across 18 teams across the country there is no way of keeping every one happy

 

[krisholio14]

I like the Saturday twilight option myself, late enough to not be early but early enough to not be home too late.
Can make a night of it if you like or go for a meal and some drinks prior as well

Obviously everyone has their own perfect world situation, and across 18 teams across the country there is no way of keeping every one happy

I think there needs to be more certainty and continuity for fans though. It's not going to be possible to play every game in your desired timeslot, but surely certain teams would benefit from having their games at certain times more than others.

I'd like to see a breakdown for Geelong something like this - predominantly Saturday afternoon/twilight games in Geelong with a couple of night games in April or August thrown in and maybe a Sunday afternoon game.

For Melbourne games I'd say apart from the Easter Monday game, and let's assume we get 3 home games an 6 away games in Melbourne- 3 Friday nights, a couple of Saturday nights, a couple of Saturday afternoons and maybe a Sunday arvo game.

I don't mind getting a bit more of a mix of times for Melbourne games, but in Geelong I feel like the times need to be as constant as possible.

 

[SJ]

It's a good point you raise though, who are they trying to attract? For me, a 3:20pm Sunday game means absolutely no way for me. A 1:10 start on the other hand is much more attractive.

3:20PM Sunday game attracts Channel 7 first and foremost.

 

[krisholio14]

3:20PM Sunday game attracts Channel 7 first and foremost.

Give it to someone else then lol. That's the other thing about us having Sat twilight games. That seems to be the most contentious time with supporters across the board (along with Sunday twilight). Maybe we should think about the benefits of owning that timeslot ourselves?

 

[SleazySimon]

I pointed out in another post in this thread that as of 2013 the population of Green Bay was less than that of Geelongs, with Melbourne (population 4million+) an hour away there really isnt an excuse for low attendance. Yes obviously people come from all cornors to attend in the States but they do hear as well, and KP's capacity isnt 80,000 it's 32,000. It shouldnt be a big stretch to fill the stadium every week. Culture is the biggest reason for low attendance, not population.

Most of Green Bay's support comes from Milwaukee nearby, a city with half a million. Of course population is the reason for low attendance. Geelong only has 180,000 people. So until Geelong becomes the only team in the whole of Victoria like Green Bay is the only team in Winconsin the comparison is utterly unfair and ridiculous.

As for this, im not potting members who can only attend a handful of games per week. In fact im arguing the opposite (maybe with all those extra "life" responsibilities keeping you busy you missed out on reading comprehension), i want it to be easier for people such as yourself to get to games and not have to pay extra fee's to get inside the ground. Who i am potting is reserved seat holders who either dont turn up and thus leave their seat unused, or do turn up and dont respect the fact that they are attending a football game and not a Sunday brunch at the retirement home. Maybe that is you though, in which case yes, id rather that seat went to someone else.

Interesting, I could have sworn you said 'I have little sympathy with anyone who can't do Sunday night games/Sunday 3:30/Saturday/Friday/Thursday nights etc' must be my poor comprehension skills.

Times change. So has society. I remember when going to the footy was like going to the pub. A game at the Western Oval and other places used to be free after half time. Standing room was very cheap at KP where you would get the Corio bogan types who would make a lot of noise. But these days higher ticket prices have made the game more exclusive and out of reach for those types of people. These days its more the golf/tennis crowd who go to the footy. More people work on weekends now. People do other things like go out for lunch instead. Women force men to stay at home and do household/family chores on weekends so they cant take their sons to the footy like they used to.

 

[Willo_]

I remember it was 2 bucks to get in for a kid at KP... as a parent faced with taking my little bloke to the footy in the future god that would be good