1. Some people sat Sydney is ready for another team in 15-20 years? It will be ready for one in 15-20 years if one is installed there now. I don't see a point in waiting and think the AFL should strike now when there is momentum and whilst they have cash to support a team.
I agree. The argument is that Sydney isn't ready, but the irony is that installing a second team is easily the best way to grow the code to take it to the level needed for a second team. Football needs to be played 22 weeks a year in Sydeny. I think Sydeny with a population of 4.2 million can support a second team. I am never ever surprised about the ability of the AFL's teams in their new markets to be successfully followed teams. I wasn't surpised when Bribane and Sydney eventually became big clubs avergaing 30,000 per game with 25,000+ members, and (accoring to morgan survey) the two most popular clubs in Australia.
I am not surpised that Freo, despite going into a market dominated by West Coast with no real supporter base to "draw upon" will sell-out Subi in nearly every game this season.
Nor will I be surpised when second teams in Brisbane and Sydney generate acceptable followings. What teams "havn't" generated big followings? The code has a remarkable ability to attract people to it's games.
2. I find it annoying in Sydney when I mention AFL and people look at you like you're a leper and say "huh? Why would you follow that?". And they're being serious. I don't excpect them to like the sport but I at least expect them to be educated enough to acknowledge it is the most popular code by a lengthy distance. It's like many of them think it's a crap sport that only people in Melbourne watch.
There are idiots everywhere. There are some in Melbourne who likewise can't accept that the NRL is a decent competition, the second biggest in the country in fact. Ignorance is everywhere.
3. And the other thing is, people in Sydney aren't really into league. Some are, but most have a passing interest. They follow a team and hope they win, but never talk about it. People just don't talk about football/league up here. They're happy to bag GAYFL like it's a crap sport and think they're real League guys, but they're not really.
LOL, I'm laughing because you are so correct. My Dad's entire side of the family is from Sydney and I've spent some time up there and you are 100% correct. They follow their team, but they don't care anywhere near as much. They have a "passing interest" as you said. You're right, they "think" they're real Leaguies but they're not. It's just that's what they've been brought up with. They watch it, but they're not as passionate. Not many people are genuine season ticket holders, crowds aren't as big. It's just not the same.
They just don't get it. They don't twig that they're not into footy like people in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, London, Manchester, Madrid, Rio etc. And it's because they have a second rate code. And they assume just because it's what they have grown up with and their favourite, that it must be a good game and the best game.
I don't like bagging codes, because I genuinally like all codes of football, but there is not doubt in my mind that Aussie Rules is the best of them, and I think the passion of Rugby League strongholds comapred to the passion of the Aussie Rules strongholds tells a story. The Aussie Rules strongholds are far more passionate, far more loyal. I remember a meaningless round 22 game between Collingwood and Carlton a couple of years ago (when neither club could make the finals) generated the seasons biggest crowd (61K in a half built MCG.) You just wouldn't get that in a meaningless round 26 NRL game.
Why is it more passionately followed? People say cap like, "It's the city".... the city has
nothing to do with it. It's the code. There is a reason why the AFL generates 35,000 per game (more the double the nearest competitor), nearly 5 million TV viewers a week (about double the nearest competitor) aand has 500,000 season ticket holders of clubs. Because it a great sport to watch.
It doens't jsut get those figures by accident. There are REASONS why those numbers are geberated that RL fans seems to not want to know about.
I have NO DOUBT that is the situation was reversed and Sydney had always been an AFL town and Melbourne a Rugby Legaue town that Sydeny would be averaging 35,000 per week amongst it's 10 AFL teams while Melbourne would average about 15,000 per week amongst it's 10 NRL teams. Like it is now, but reversed.
Aussie Rules simply generates more interest, more media coverage, more everything because it is the most spectacular form of football to watch.
Now whilst RL fans might not share that opinion (and that is their right) they have to acknowledge that most people in the country
do have that opinion, hence the bigger figures for the Aussie Rules over any other code.
I wonder if any RL fans have actually sat down and pondered the reasons why the AFL gets bigger "everything." Instead of making up excuses and being selective with statistics, it might "just" be because it's the best form of footbal to watch, even if they themselves don't share that opinion