Don't give me the stupid wetaher excuse. For every perosn that doesn't go to the MCG because of the weather, there are others that DO go to the MCG, because of the extra MCC and AFL members that can attend MCG games.
Any apples vs apples comparison put both clubs at the same crowd drawing level. Every year you have mentioned is post 2000, which is when Essendon moved to the Dome.
Essendon and Collingwood's crowd drawing capacity against interstate teams is proved to be the same. The crowd drawing capacity in high-performance years is the same (TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ESSENDON PLAY AT THE DOME) and the Bombers 1998 and 1999 figures reflect this, when they were an MCG tenant.
So, it's hard to compare Essendon's finals years (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004) because Essendon was a Dome tenant in this time.
Okay, so lets do an apples vs apples comparison, of both clubs bad years, which are almost identical at around a 35% win-loss record each.
ESSENDON'S 5 YEARS OF 2005, 06, 07, 08, 09
2005: 979,102
2006: 935,522
2007: 1,088,652
2008: 1,044,123
2009: 1,089,224
Average crowd over those 110 games of 46,696. Lost more games than they won every year. Total win-loss record over those 5 years 36.0%
COLLINGWOOD'S 6 YEARS OF 1995, 96, 97, 98, 99, 00
1995: 1,033,444
1996: 924,919
1997: 1,102,961
1998: 1,041,431
1999: 886,750
2000: 951,346
Average crowd over those 132 games of 45,006. Lost more games than they won every year. Total win-loss record over those 6 years 34.8%
See, what I mean? If you compare apples with apples they are both about the same.
Even looking at the last couple of years where Collingwood hit the all-time record (1,189,932 in 2009, 1,247,391 in 2008 and 1,226,604 in 2007) in the years where you were "around" that Preliminary Final mark. What do you think Essendon would have done in 2000 and 2001 had they been primarily an MCG tenant!!!!
In those years the Bombers had 1,107,345 in 2000 and 1,124,805 in 2001!! Playing at the Dome!
There were 4-5 Dome games every year in those two years that got high 40,000's that would have drawn 60 and 70,000 at the MCG. A couple stand out, particularly the Hawthorn game in 2001 that would have got 75,000 if it was at the MCG and the Geelong game in 2000 that would have got 75,000.
But even games against Sydeny and teams like that would get 60,000. Back in 1996 and 1998, we played two games against Sydney at the MCG which got 69,000 and 62,000. I remember when we stole a game late in 2001 at the Dome with a late Alessio goal in front of a typical mid to high 40,000's crowd thinking "this is one of those games that would have got around 60,000 at the MCG, with more MCC members, more AFL members and more theatre goers."
There were HEAPS of those types of games in 2000 and 2001 against mid-range teams like the Bulldogs, Hawks, Swans etc that got 45,000+ that would have easily drawn 60,000 or more at the MCG. In 1998, we drew 68,000 versus the Dogs in round 21.
In 2000, that same round 21 match versus the Bulldogs with them playing for a finals berth and Essendon for an unbeaten season drew a virtual sell-out at the Dome. No doubt it would have been 65,000-70,000 at the MCG, with MCC and AFL members able to just rock up. As well as other theatre goers.
Essendon would have drawn 1.2 million easily in 2000 and 2001 if we were an MCG tenant. Just about every Dome game versus a Victorian opponent or the Swans in those two years would have been 60,000-plus at the MCG.
Weather excuse? You're the one making excuses dude. I was just demonstrating that the dome does not even come close to explaining the gaping distance between Essnedon's and Collingwood's attendances.
You are the one making excuses about the dome dragging you crowd figures down. Once again you are the embodiment of hypocrisy. All evidence suggests the docklands will draw a higher crowd on a wet day / night than at the G. The 04/05 games of ours you showed would seem to strongly support that. Our dome crowds were much higher than our MCG crowds against port/freo/west coast.
How is comparing Collingwood in the late 90's and essendon in the late 00's comparing apples with apples?
Again I refer you back to my previous post which compared crowds over the last decade on a year to year basis, noting performance.
Every year this decade (and the you could go back 30 years if you like) is consistent with Collingwood drawing significantly more people to its games than essendon.
It is blatantly obvious
Essednon win 4 more games and average a few hundred more
Essendon win 3 games more and Collingwood average 1600 more
Same number of wins Collingwood average 4,900 more
2 or 3 more wins Collingwoood average 1,500 to 5,000 more
4 plus wins we average 5 to 10,000 more
The pattern is so straight forward you could give it to some primary school kids to solve. Collingwood have a significantly higher draw power and every year individually this last decade supports that
essendon and carlton have around the same support





