G Half Full

[Thats_Rubbish]

Firstly, last time I checked the game is played out on the ground, not in the grandstands apparently, but if you want to count bums on seats lets go for it.

It's always amazed me how so many Essendon 'supporters' display such arrogance and self belief of their superiority over others. During a couple of reality-check seasons they went a bit quiet didnt they and didnt the bandwagon suddenly have a few empty seats (pretty ironic this post is about crowds considering the drop-off in Essendon crowds at the Dome in recent years).

After a good win (granted) against the Crows and a small winning margin over a questionable unproven inconsistent Freo and low and behold the oozing arrogance rears its head again. It's safe to say this post wouldn't have appeared had the dons not won on the weekend.

I went to the Hawks V Melb game. I expected 50,000. They got 45,000 or so. There was one reason that crowd wasnt bigger and it had nothing to do with Hawks fans. There was a huge number of Hawks fans there. The same cannot be said for Melbourne. The split would have easily been 2-1. But it's too good an opportunity to have a shot at Hawthorn isnt it Allblack, SpiralDiver, dave27 and JarrydS.

So, I suggest to you Essendon people displaying your superiority complexes on this board that you get some perspective before you bag other clubs and at least direct your arrogance (if you must) at the group of supporters who didnt turn up yesterday.

And while I am at it - anyone notice the large number of EMPTY seats at the Dome on Sunday? Thats right - EMPTY seats. A crowd of 32,000 of which i'm sure we could say at least 2000 were Dockers. Pretty poor considering the win in round 1 and all the usual 'how good are essendon' early season spin. It was the only game in Melbourne, perfect weather blah blah blah. Same numbers as Hawthorn's turn out yesterday. Funny about that. But some on this thread would infer that the size of the stadium and the fact the G was less than half full has relevance. Haha. A seat is a seat you simpletons.

I always find it amusing how Essendon fans talk themselves up as being big crowd pullers alongside Collingwood. Difference is, Collingwood wouldnt have had empty seats on Sunday, nor would their crowds have dropped last year like Essendons.

 

[brad]

I think its vindictive of where the game is at that a 45,000 crowd is considered poor these days...[/QUOTE]




I wouldn't by any means suggest it's a LOW crowd but certainly not what you would expect for two teams who ONE has been in the finals regularly of late and another who is tipped to make big inroads with a spot in the 8 a realistic opportunity.

When throwing up figures of Richmond V St Kilda playing on Easter Monday and only drawing crowds in the 40Ks you will find (if you do your research) that these two teams were drawn to play at Telstra Dome where a crowd of 45K is looked upon as great.

The years you suggest that Essendon and Collingwood only drew crowds in the 50Ks is when the MCG was not at full capacity due to the reconstruction.

If Melbourne and Hawthorn want to be taken seriously for being the big drawing clubs they think they are we need to see them bringing in 50K+ crowds when they get the best opportunity to such as yesterday.

 

[GoYouBlues]

I was there on Easter Monday in 1982 to see Richmond play Essendon. Crowd?

92,000!!!

Hawthorn and Melbourne supporters are a joke.

 

[Hawkk]

I wouldn't by any means suggest it's a LOW crowd but certainly not what you would expect for two teams who ONE has been in the finals regularly of late and another who is tipped to make big inroads with a spot in the 8 a realistic opportunity.

When throwing up figures of Richmond V St Kilda playing on Easter Monday and only drawing crowds in the 40Ks you will find (if you do your research) that these two teams were drawn to play at Telstra Dome where a crowd of 45K is looked upon as great.

The years you suggest that Essendon and Collingwood only drew crowds in the 50Ks is when the MCG was not at full capacity due to the reconstruction.

If Melbourne and Hawthorn want to be taken seriously for being the big drawing clubs they think they are we need to see them bringing in 50K+ crowds when they get the best opportunity to such as yesterday.

I agree, I was a little disappointed with the overall crowd as well - I predicted 47,000 so it was 2-3,000 down on what I was expecting...going by some of the responses on this thread and on a different forum it seems it was more that the Demons numbers were a down on usual more then anything else.

Just on the St.Kilda/Richmond games, I can understand where you are coming from but 41-45,000 in a 54,000 seat stadium still suggests that the ground wasn't at maximum capacity and it wouldn't have got more if at the MCG. From a dressing the crowd perspective, the MCG isn't a great stadium to watch games if the crowd is under 60,000. While the stadium looks great, games that draw 40-50,000 (good sized crowds) look like 30,000 crowds in the old stadium.

 

[Hawkk]

I was there on Easter Monday in 1982 to see Richmond play Essendon. Crowd?

92,000!!!

Hawthorn and Melbourne supporters are a joke.

Was that before games were played on ANZAC day?

I remember hearing about a Collingwood/Hawthorn game drawing a similar crowd the previous year on QB.

These days with so much blanket coverage of the game and with all games becoming accessiable within Melbourne, the marquee games as a whole don't draw the same crowds they used to 20-25 years ago IMO.

 

[GoYouBlues]

Umm..that was Hawthorn vs Collingwood at Waverley!

How many were at the MCG Easter Monday in 1982? You got the exact figures there?

 

[Thats_Rubbish]

I was there on Easter Monday in 1982 to see Richmond play Essendon. Crowd?

92,000!!!

Hawthorn and Melbourne supporters are a joke.

Lets pluck out some more competely irrelevant stats shall we? perhaps we could go further back in time? time to enter the new age mate. Have a close look and you might notice we have teams from outside Victoria now, less grounds, more coverage, new rules, less contact, more finalists, less public seats, no mud, fatter chearsquads, no reserves games, more umpires, light beer blah blah blah.

Which bit of 1982 do you think is relevant to 2007? speaking of jokes - how many premierships has Carlton won since 1982 without cheating? yeah exactly.

 

[Hawkk]

How many were at the MCG Easter Monday in 1982? You got the exact figures there?

Not far off;

Richmond vs Essendon MCG 1982 - 90,564

The game I was talking about was:

Hawthorn vs Collingwood Waverley 1981 - 92,935

Like I said, the marquee games don't draw like they used to...

 

[ShanBoi]

pssssssst i think you should be pointing the finger at melbourne fans, not hawk fans on this one

If the crowd was 45k, 30k woulda been hawthorn and 15k woulda been the dees. I woulda liked to see a bigger turnout. I was there, beautiful sunny warm day. Public holiday. No excuse!

But yea if i were pointing the finger at someone i would point it at melbourne. Even if it wasn't our home game i would have shown up. Poor form

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

Quite happy for Dons & Pies to keep Anzac Day but Easter weekend is notorious for poor crowds especially Easter Sunday due to family commitments so probably give them a bit of slack for today as a lot of people still travelling and it can't be measured with normal Monday long weekend games

I can guarantee you that if Collingwood and Essendon played on Easter Monday, there would be 70,000+ there.

The fact is, Melbourne and Hawthorn would normaly get around 40,000 people, and playing on Easter Monday, ANZAC Day, or any other holiday simply isn't going change that.

People go to the ANZAC Day game because it's Collingwood vs. Essendon, not the other way around.

 

[Thats_Rubbish]

People go to the ANZAC Day game because it's Collingwood vs. Essendon, not the other way around.

so what? people go to watch a club they have been brought up on - usually by their parents. So what? does that make the players wearing a certain jumper better to watch? dont think so. If your comment was accurate then the return game would have the same number attend. It doesnt which is where your comment falls down. People go because it is an event. Take away the minute silence, take away the bugle, take away the anthem and what do you have? the return game and less people.

 

[Hawkk]

I can guarantee you that if Collingwood and Essendon played on Easter Monday, there would be 70,000+ there.

The fact is, Melbourne and Hawthorn would normaly get around 40,000 people, and playing on Easter Monday, ANZAC Day, or any other holiday simply isn't going change that.

People go to the ANZAC Day game because it's Collingwood vs. Essendon, not the other way around.

Hawthorn/Melbourne games are traditionally day games - out of 147 meetings we've only ever played 3 games under lights - outside the marquee games (ANZAC Day/Queens Birthday) games at night generally attract higher crowds then day games.

The Essendon/Collingwood game non ANZAC day home and away game (played on the Friday Night) generally draws a crowd of 55-60,000.

The Hawks/Demons game generally draws a 40-45,000 crowd - but has drawn an average of 51,000 to Night games, assuming the game in a home and away fixture draws 10-12,000 fewer then an Essendon/Collingwood home and away fixture....If ANZAC day featuring Collingwood/Essendon drew a 75,000 average, you'd expect - given the Hawthorn/Melbourne fixture generally draws 82% of the Collingwood/Essendon crowd, 61,000 would turn up to an ANZAC day game between the 2 sides.

Whether a 60-65,000 crowd (filling 60-65% of the stadium) is worthy of ANZAC day billing is up for debate, certainly there is a huge difference between 60-65,000 crowds and 80,000 crowds (80% of the stadium) from a crowd dressing point of view.

 

[doppleganger]

so what? people go to watch a club they have been brought up on - usually by their parents. So what? does that make the players wearing a certain jumper better to watch? dont think so. If your comment was accurate then the return game would have the same number attend. It doesnt which is where your comment falls down. People go because it is an event. Take away the minute silence, take away the bugle, take away the anthem and what do you have? the return game and less people.

the return games late in the season always tend to draw smallers crowds if one or both teams are stuggling

guess what since 95, the first year of the pies v essendon ANZAC day game the pies and essendon have both appeared in the finals twice, in 02 & 03

the return game in 03 drew a bigger crowd than the ANZAC day game that year..........perhaps the bugle, national anthem have nothing to do with it??

fact is at the start of the season all fans are optimistic of their teams chances, so the crowds early are usually bigger

but when pies and dons fighting it our for finals late in the season the crowd is bigger than ANZAC day

 

[Hawkk]

I can guarantee you that if Collingwood and Essendon played on Easter Monday, there would be 70,000+ there.

Hence the 50,000 against the Bulldogs on Easter Monday 2 years ago when the Magpies unveiled their new social club...

the return games late in the season always tend to draw smallers crowds if one or both teams are stuggling

guess what since 95, the first year of the pies v essendon ANZAC day game the pies and essendon have both appeared in the finals twice, in 02 & 03

the return game in 03 drew a bigger crowd than the ANZAC day game that year..........perhaps the bugle, national anthem have nothing to do with it??

fact is at the start of the season all fans are optimistic of their teams chances, so the crowds early are usually bigger

but when pies and dons fighting it our for finals late in the season the crowd is bigger than ANZAC day

In fairness you'd be disappointed with less then 60,000 to a friday night fixture between a top 4 and top 6 prospect both with big drawing power regardless of it being Collingwood vs. Essendon...

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

The game later in the year is generally a night game, which always results in a smaller turnout, and the teams have already virtually cemented their positions on the ladder.

The last time both teams made the finals, 2003, the rematch later in the season drew 68,381, which was reduced due to maximum capacity restrictions at the time - The Qualifying Final Against Brisbane the next week actually had a smaller crowd.

Moreover, you're questioning why people might go for Collingwood or Essendon? Is that relevant? The fact is, more people DO go for Collingwood and Essendon...

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Hence the 50,000 against the Bulldogs on Easter Monday 2 years ago when the Magpies unveiled their new social club...

If Collingwood played Essendon, there would be 70k+ there.

 

[Thats_Rubbish]

the return game in 03 drew a bigger crowd than the ANZAC day game that year..........perhaps the bugle, national anthem have nothing to do with it??

One example in one season is hardly anything to hang your hat on Dopple. What other circumstances affected the ANZAC crowd that year? was it raining or cold? results the week before? perhaps they both got pantsed the week before? I'd be interested.

 

[Hawkk]

If Collingwood played Essendon, there would be 70k+ there.

So you admit Essendon have a greater drawing power then Collingwood then

 

[MarkT]

Give Easter Monday to Collingwood and it will be a massively sought after fixture within 2 years. Same with Mother's Day. Who cares though. Our dance card is full enough and we don't need the money. If they are out of bread, let them make their own cake.

 

[Hawkk]

Give Easter Monday to Collingwood and it will be a massively sought after fixture within 2 years. Same with Mother's Day. Who cares though. Our dance card is full enough and we don't need the money. If they are out of bread, let them make their own cake.

You did - 2005 and 2006, and its no more sort after then it was before Collingwood had it....

 

[Thats_Rubbish]

Moreover, you're questioning why people might go for Collingwood or Essendon? Is that relevant? The fact is, more people DO go for Collingwood and Essendon...

Im not questioning that at all. You said people go to watch them. I simply commented on why peole go to watch them, and its nothing to do with football ability of the players. My question was SO WHAT if you read the post correctly. You now say more people DO go for Collingwood and Essendon.... I again say SO WHAT? If it gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling deep inside Im happy for you but apparently it doesnt make a fats cracker of a difference to winning premierships (shhh dont mention that) or wooden spoons (shhh dont mention that either). Players and coaches do however make a difference.

 

[doppleganger]

One example in one season is hardly anything to hang your hat on Dopple. What other circumstances affected the ANZAC crowd that year? was it raining or cold? results the week before? perhaps they both got pantsed the week before? I'd be interested.

2003 pies went into the ANZAC day game 3wins 1loss coming off a big loss in the GF rematch against brisbane

essendon came into the match 2-2 having had a win over the dogs

did u even read my post??

the rematch late in the season usually draws a smaller crowd, hence gate sharing arrangements between clubs that play twice

since 95 the dons and pies have both appeared in the finals only twice

in 02 and 03

i dont know the crowd figures for 02

but i know that in 03 the return game late in the season when both teams were up and going drew a bigger crowd than anzac day, and vinnie points out a bigger crowd than the pies first final

just shows that when both teams up and about they draw the massive crowds, ANZAC day doesn't bring the crowd, the teams pies v dons do

 

[MarkT]

So you admit Essendon have a greater drawing power then Collingwood then

How does that work? The 2 clubs pull more of their own supporters against each other than against some other opposition. Would that not be definitivelty what a rivalry would be about?

 

[MarkT]

You did - 2005 and 2006, and its no more sort after then it was before Collingwood had it....

You missed my point. Give it to them as a fixture and they will hammer it and it will be huge. Then everyone will be screaming. Like I said, who cares though.

 

[Hawkk]

How does that work? The 2 clubs pull more of their own supporters against each other than against some other opposition. Would that not be definitivelty what a rivalry would be about?

So you're working on the rivalry now and not the popularity of the 2 sides.

How is that different then me saying that if Hawthorn played Essendon on Easter Monday a 60,000+ crowd probably would have showed up? With that being considered was the 45,000 attendance that bad and worthy of a 7 page thread on the main board after all?

BTW I found the actual clash on the field to be a more entertaining clash - bias aside, then some of the ANZAC day clashes over the past 3-4 years...