footy atmosphere

[The Edukator]

I've always wondered about the atmosphere generated at footy and always thought it was comparatively poor to soccer games where songs are sung from all corners of the stadium. as a victory member I regularly go to the games for the atmosphere add much as the spectacle itself.

I've been to a few big soccer games around the world in England, Italy and just lest week the River vs. Boca derby in Argentina . I've never witnessed anything quite like the passion in display at this Game where the drums were beating and team.songs being embraced by every fan. Even the guarded away section made noise and there may have been a adherence of 70k fans to 5k fans.

The only other comparable Game I've attended was when Aus best Uruguay too qualify for 06' WC and that was different because the tension in the air that night was as close to tangible as I've ever experienced.

I love footy andtry go every week and have been to over 10 grandfinals in the last 15 years yet I feel the atmospheres have only come close a few times.


Why as fans can we only chant <club name> clap clap clap and how can we improve the experience?

 

[Dont be a lemon]

There's going to be a million "Soccer is boring so they have to do something" replies but I think that's flawed because...

In British rugby union and rugby league they do soccer-style chants but obviously nobody does it at Australian rugby games.

So it may be a cultural thing perhaps?

I don't know. But "Soccer is boring" is a weak explanation I feel.

 

[LeverPuller]

Different sort of game relative to soccer. The thing with soccer is you do get downtime in possession, where there isn't necessarily an attack in play and thus gives fans the chance to fire up.

If you take an encounter where one side kicks 15 goals and the other kicks 12 in AFL, that means that across the (approximately) 120 minutes of AFL you have a goal every ~4 minutes, and that's not taking behinds into account. The result is the frequency of events to focus on means that it's difficult to fire up a song to that sort of extent if you're talking about the chants.

I find you can get some electric footy games too - it does depend on how the game develops.

And besides, "BALL!" is totally unique to the Australian game and is a great one.

 

[CrowAboutIt]

Imagine being a foreigner at our game and all they hear is the crowd cheering ball without understanding why we were.. They would think we were so simple, "yes there is a ball on the field u dumb aussies" haha

 

[xXJawsaXx]

The 'soccer is boring so they have to do something to pass the time' argument is crap. Case in point, European Basketball leagues have full on chanting, flags, banners, flares, and I daresay most basketball games are relatively high scoring.

 

[yakka man]

Soccer is shit and that's why they resort to riots and chants to keep them occupied. To all you so and so's who claim there is no atmosphere at AFL games I regularly lose my voice by the end of a game. Don't forget the field size is enormous in comparison so people are spread out a lot more.

I don't know about you guys but I actually like to focus on watching the best game in the world instead of participating in pointless soccer style chants.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

The atmosphere is pretty fun when you're

1. Sitting in the West Coast Eagles Captains Club seats with avid and long time Eagles supporters
2. At a Carlton v WCE match at Subiaco
3. Booing Adam Selwood for being the disgusting dog that he is and attempting to kill Judd

The atmosphere feels pretty intense in that situation

 

[stmookeyj]

A lot of the atmosphere before the game is so manufactured it's pitiful. Instead of letting the crowd dictate the atmosphere we're basically now told when to start cheering before the bounce by a ground announcer who should just shut up. Then there's the annoying music between quarters, if I wanted to go listen to music I'd go for a run with the iPod in the ears.

At least it's better than the basketball, just watched tonight's game between Townsville and Cairns and it was almost as though a Basketball game broke out at a disco.

 

[Shane Hird]

Aussie rules fans haven't got time for ####ing chanting and singing during a game.

There's too much action going on.

Non-stop action. Tackles, runs, marks, smothers, bumps, goals, shepherds..

Who gives a #### if soccer crowds in Europe are 'loud' and the atmosphere is 'electric'?

Our game is the only sport in the world where you have an opportunity to yell your guts out every 2 minutes.

 

[Marlowe]

It's unfair - soccer crowds are allowed flares.

All we have is scarves!

Not a fair fight.

 

[The Edukator]

Aussie rules fans haven't got time for ####ing chanting and singing during a game.

There's too much action going on.

Non-stop action. Tackles, runs, marks, smothers, bumps, goals, shepherds..

Who gives a #### if soccer crowds in Europe are 'loud' and the atmosphere is 'electric'?

Our game is the only sport in the world where you have an opportunity to yell your guts out every 2 minutes.

You obviously have no idea

 

[Wallaby]

I don't know about you guys but I actually like to focus on watching the best game in the world instead of participating in pointless soccer style chants.

Not going to get into 'which game is better' - but this point I agree with. Haven't enjoyed 'chanting' since I was 7. I dislike the organisers trying to force us to chant via scoreboard instructions and the like (I cringe when I remember the infamous Tiger 'Roar meter', and please don't ask for more information). I'm not sure where I stand on cheer squads - at least they tend to confine their activities to between-action periods.
As for those self-appointed 'hilarious' chant leaders like the Fanatics or the Barmy Army, please go and find yourself a pub and fill it on your own, and leave those of us who enjoy the genuine and spontaneous crowd atmosphere at a sporting event in peace.

 

[zetz]

There's going to be a million "Soccer is boring so they have to do something" replies but I think that's flawed because...

In British rugby union and rugby league they do soccer-style chants but obviously nobody does it at Australian rugby games.

So it may be a cultural thing perhaps?

I don't know. But "Soccer is boring" is a weak explanation I feel.

Soccer is shit and that's why they resort to riots and chants to keep them occupied. To all you so and so's who claim there is no atmosphere at AFL games I regularly lose my voice by the end of a game. Don't forget the field size is enormous in comparison so people are spread out a lot more.

I don't know about you guys but I actually like to focus on watching the best game in the world instead of participating in pointless soccer style chants.

Right on cue

 

[Balance]

It's a cultural thing, Aussie fans happy to sit there quietly until something happens, they seem a lot more timid to start a chant, security seem a lot more strict given we don't have the violence they have in England. Maybe we cater more for the family crowd. There are exceptions of course.

 

[MaccaKnowsBest]

It's unfair - soccer crowds are allowed flares.

All we have is scarves!

Not a fair fight.

Re flares: try telling that to Central fans here in the sanfl.

 

[finders]

Two totally different games so the "atmosphere" will always be different.

Australian Football is full of non stop action ,high marks, big hits and scoring, soccer has not as much esp the scoring and gets bogged down in a lot of defensive plays.

I think it is more of a cultural thing as well- have a look how cricket crowds act around the world and it goes from the quiet Anglo crowds at Australian,English, NZ,RSA matches and the very loud and noisy crowds on the sub continent and the Caribbean Islands

AFL crowds can still make a lot of noise esp if the game is close and scoring is see sawing.

 

[le dominateur]

Has someone mentioned soccer is boring and shit?

 

[Sunshine Saint]

Yes the experience is different. But do we really want that here for our great home grown game? Do we really want:

- continuous chanting and mindless singing

- flares, missiles, fires, riots

- cages to contain spectators

- large security fences to stop intergroup violence and pitch invasions

- pre and post match spectator fights and rampages and car burnings through neighbouring suburbs

Does cricket, golf, motor sports and a variety of other sports need this manufactured "passion", or do they like AFL have a game that can stand on its own, with the supporters enjoying the rhythm, flow and contest of their sport?

 

[hawkman]

The biggest difference is that all the supporters are mixed at football games while at soccer they are segregated. Personally, i enjoy the atmosphere at a soccer game more whereas at a football game i preferred to go and watch the game and listen to the radio at the same time. For a game to watch it is football every time though.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Yes the experience is different. But do we really want that here for our great home grown game? Do we really want:

- continuous chanting and mindless singing

- flares, missiles, fires, riots

- cages to contain spectators

- large security fences to stop intergroup violence and pitch invasions

- pre and post match spectator fights and rampages and car burnings through neighbouring suburbs

Does cricket, golf, motor sports and a variety of other sports need this manufactured "passion", or do they like AFL have a game that can stand on its own, with the supporters enjoying the rhythm, flow and contest of their sport?

Golf with continuous chanting and mindless singing would be good.
Of course, it goes on all the time at motor sports, I'm surprised you haven't noticed it.

 

[FootyGeek]

The atmosphere at any number of cricket games on the subcontinent is incredible and arguably better than at any soccer game.

Why don't soccer fans try to change their supporting style to be more like cricket supporters?

 

[go team]

There's a guy at Victory games with his back to the field leading the chants. Who would want to do that at an AFL game?

 

[muttweed]

AFL is a very fast game. Within a matter of seconds after beginning your song, the opposition team could have gathered the ball and kicked a goal. And of course you'll look like a dumbarse singing your team's song when the other team has just scored. It's like saying "WELL DONE FOR LETTING THE OPPOSITION GET A GOAL!".

I would rather commentate the game.
"Enright fumbles the mark, but luckily takes a firm hold of the Sherrin, kicks it across to Selwood who handballs to Duncan...AND DUNCAN KICKS A BEAUTIFUL 60M GOAL!"

If my team is in full control, that's when I start to sing and shout. I've heard

-"Gee-long *clap clap clap*"
-parts of our theme song
-"Let's go Gee-long, let's go *clap clap*"
-"Too oooold, too sloooow, too goooood" (in patches at the 2011 GF)

And I heard a really odd one in 2011
"DNA, DNT, DNR, DNC" which I guess meant don't need Ablett, don't need Thompson, don't need Rooke, don't need Costa (?).

 

[gimp!]

A lot of oldies (I've seen some knitting) and families with young kids at footy games, that's a big part of the reason.

 

[hawkman]

A lot of oldies (I've seen some knitting) and families with young kids at footy games, that's a big part of the reason.

True the soccer games i've been to here would be about 75% adult males in the crowd