GWS in Canberra

[MelbourneGWS]

Article in today’s Canberra Times but unfortunately under a paywall.

Some key information from the article for those interested

• says League is looking to “close out” a “decade long deal” with our ACT government
• deal is approx $3 million a year and includes 3 AFL matches a year and AFLW matches (the article doesn’t specify how many AFLW games a year)
• according to our CEO, the announcement is formally expected “in the early stages of the year”
• 3 matches in 2023 with Brisbane in Round 6

-quotes our CEO as saying “all parties have been vindicated in doing the 10 year [initial] deal”
- again quotes David Matthews as stating GWS as “being born in Canberra as much as it was born in Sydney”

 

[Colonial]

Western Sydney and Canberra have nothing in common.

 

[dlanod]

Western Sydney and Canberra have nothing in common.

Both are broadly ignored by politicians in favour of the CBD and further east. But that's about it.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Western Sydney and Canberra have nothing in common.

This is the article in question - 'Born in Canberra as much as Sydney': Giants fixtures locked in

I guess we both WS and ACT have GWS Giants in common! . I know the club has been stating that it sees both Giants stadium and Manuka as its home grounds. I also am appreciative of GWS for having a long term 11 year relationship with us, and according to this article, another 10 more years. It has brought ongoing AFL to us and given a reliable stable fans. Much different to how North Melbourne treated us and left to Gold Coast when they offered more $ for the home games.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

3 games in Manuka

https://resources.gwsgiants.com.au/aflc-gws/document/2022/12/09/d0d99420-81b7-42a7-8d69-c267bf226fef/2023-GIANTS-Fixture-ALL.pdf

• Round 6 - Brisbane Saturday 22 April 1635
• Round 8 - Bulldogs Saturday 6 May 1925 (night game)
• Round 19 - Gold Coast times TBC

 

[Giant Pete]

There’s a lot of Giants support in Canberra… people with money and time on weekends to go to the footy.
Better than the support the Giants get in Western Sydney.

 

[Determinant]

I enjoy going to the games in Canberra, and in afew years will be moving to our retirement home in the Riverina, ACT will probably be the only games we get to. Given it's proximity to that recruiting zone and by far the nearest top level footy its not surprising that tha Manuka games are often fully ticketed, whilst the Sydney games are often attended by smaller crowds despite the better ground and facilities. It's been a great partnership imo and hopefully it continues long into the future

 

[Colonial]

There’s a lot of Giants support in Canberra… people with money and time on weekends to go to the footy.
Better than the support the Giants get in Western Sydney.

I see this as a weak argument.

Western Sydney was always long term and multi generational.
Of course Canberra we’re going to get good crowds as it was always a footy region, even with the Raiders and Brumbys.

The club was supposed to be about building support, grassroots etc in WS but they then went the easy route of
getting coin from Canberra and juniors from the Riverina.

The club and AFL talked a good game about doing the hard yards and being in it for the long hall, but took every easy turn.

 

[Giant Pete]

I see this as a weak argument.

Western Sydney was always long term and multi generational.
Of course Canberra we’re going to get good crowds as it was always a footy region, even with the Raiders and Brumbys.

The club was supposed to be about building support, grassroots etc in WS but they then went the easy route of
getting coin from Canberra and juniors from the Riverina.

The club and AFL talked a good game about doing the hard yards and being in it for the long hall, but took every easy turn.

Yeah. You’re right. I just get frustrated at how low our crowd numbers are.

 

[sydney_gws]

Both GWS and swans are ,NSW/ACT teams as much as Sydney teams.
Games in ACT are easier to get to for families/friends of players from the Academy like Rowston ( which I am only just calming down about).
If eventually GWS doesn't need to play in ACT, they might have their own team, or both us and swans could play say one game their.
Nobody really complains about st george needing Illawarra in league ( although 70km and 270km are very different trips).
I think we will be in ACT for a long, long time.

 

[Giant Strides]

I understand, but don't agree with the angst - although arguable that's because it benefits me personally. Having been in Western Sydney when the Giants began, but subsequently moved to Canberra for the last 8 years, I have to admit I enjoy the games that are easily accessible at Manuka, though we do travel for some but not all of the western Sydney games. With Canberra having a strong AFL presence, and numerous academy kids coming from the location - or as the gateway to the Riverina, that area - I do think it makes sense to have a presence here.

I am not convinced that a standalone Canberra-based club would necessarily thrive in the AFL. While there is junior and local Canberra footy in abundance, the population is relatively small, and already supports a diverse market of Brumbies and Raiders in the winter. Crowd figures for those codes are not huge. Raiders were 14th in 2022 with an average of 12,620, while recently the Brumbies have struggled to crack the 10,000 barrier for H&A games. A small number of quality games - as is being done - gets bums on seats for those games, but might struggle similar to the western Sydney experience if extended to a whole season. I'd also note that Sydney Thunder, despite starting out as a western Sydney side, bring 2 games per season to Manuka Oval - but even those haven't been overly well supported (less than 10,000 for the late 2021 games).

I think the crowd numbers come down to a sense that NSW/ACT folk, for whatever reason, tend to go to live sporting events in smaller numbers than in Victoria and Queensland. While the Swans have been very successful in building their baseline crowd numbers, it has taken time, and it will take time for GWS in western Sydney (with a more diverse population) that has to be wooed and won over. Add in the issue around access to our stadium around the Easter Show, and IMHO the current arrangement (while it might not be ideal in some people's eyes) works. It means slightly smaller numbers of games in each market, which in my view is not a detractor, but actually a positive - people can see all (or a higher percentage) of the home games without needing to budget for 11 games. The issue is getting our games in timeslots attractive to the locals (and it may be different for each locality), and the team playing an attractive brand of football, that combined will get them wanting to attend games.

I understand that others hold an opposing view, and interpret some of the issues in a different light, and that's fine. We'll agree to disagree.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

I enjoy going to the games in Canberra, and in afew years will be moving to our retirement home in the Riverina, ACT will probably be the only games we get to. Given it's proximity to that recruiting zone and by far the nearest top level footy its not surprising that tha Manuka games are often fully ticketed, whilst the Sydney games are often attended by smaller crowds despite the better ground and facilities. It's been a great partnership imo and hopefully it continues long into the future

I too agree. Joined the ACT4GWS campaign and am a foundation member. I think the partnership with GWS has been beneficial for the club, the Australian rules fans and the talent pathway. Obviously, the club agrees that this long term commitment is working as seen by trying to get a further 10 year extension.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Both GWS and swans are ,NSW/ACT teams as much as Sydney teams.
Games in ACT are easier to get to for families/friends of players from the Academy like Rowston ( which I am only just calming down about).
If eventually GWS doesn't need to play in ACT, they might have their own team, or both us and swans could play say one game their.
Nobody really complains about st george needing Illawarra in league ( although 70km and 270km are very different trips).
I think we will be in ACT for a long, long time.

I know that there are people, including in the BF community, who look at a standalone Canberra AFL team as a logical Team 20, once Tasmania enters as Team 19. I think the earliest timetable for a Team 20 entry (assuming Tasmania enters in the next 5 years) will be at the commencement of the new media deal from 2032 (so that there’s a higher $ paid in the new deal for the extra 10th game every week). Till then, I hope GWS continues its long term relationship with us

 

[captainMyCaptain]

Key points from the article:

The agreement includes:

• At least three AFL Premiership matches at Manuka Oval each year (with an option to purchase a fourth match annually should it become available)
• One pre-season match annually (if pre-season games are scheduled by the AFL)
• Up to two AFLW Premiership matches at Manuka Oval per year (plus another where the schedule allows)
• Prominent exposure of the Brand CBR logo on the playing guernsey of both teams for the first time
• Expanded opportunities to market Canberra leveraging the Giants and AFL profile, particularly into the Sydney market
• Enhanced marketing and brand exposure at stadiums, events and free-to-air broadcasts
• Enhanced engagement at a local club level by both AFL and AFLW teams

The Giants are now well established in Canberra with a loyal supporter base including more than 6,400 members based in Canberra and the surrounding region.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Key points from the article:

The agreement includes:

• At least three AFL Premiership matches at Manuka Oval each year (with an option to purchase a fourth match annually should it become available)
• One pre-season match annually (if pre-season games are scheduled by the AFL)
• Up to two AFLW Premiership matches at Manuka Oval per year (plus another where the schedule allows)

The Giants are now well established in Canberra with a loyal supporter base including more than 6,400 members based in Canberra and the surrounding region.

Thanks for posting the information. Good outcome and interesting that there’s an option of purchasing a 4th game as well

 

[steviewonder36]

3 games in Manuka

https://resources.gwsgiants.com.au/aflc-gws/document/2022/12/09/d0d99420-81b7-42a7-8d69-c267bf226fef/2023-GIANTS-Fixture-ALL.pdf

• Round 6 - Brisbane Saturday 22 April 1635
• Round 8 - Bulldogs Saturday 6 May 1925 (night game)
• Round 19 - Gold Coast times TBC

Sadly we get the same teams most of the time fixtured for Canberra. We will never see the Pies, Blues, Bombers or Weagles playing the Giants in Canberra.

Sick of seeing the Suns and Dogs here, been done to death!

 

[steviewonder36]

Both GWS and swans are ,NSW/ACT teams as much as Sydney teams.
Games in ACT are easier to get to for families/friends of players from the Academy like Rowston ( which I am only just calming down about).
If eventually GWS doesn't need to play in ACT, they might have their own team, or both us and swans could play say one game their.
Nobody really complains about st george needing Illawarra in league ( although 70km and 270km are very different trips).
I think we will be in ACT for a long, long time.

You cant compare that RL team to the Giants, that was a merger team of St George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers. Same as the Balmain and West Suburbs merger which makes no sense to me, even for someone who doesn't support RL or lived anywhere near Sydney.

Giants were created from the ground up, but to the acommodate the Riverina/ACT (Barrassi line) they decided to make Canberra a part of it.

Those old enough to remember, would know that Canberra was actually more an Aussie Rules town before the Raiders came along.

Alot of people moved here from Melbourne and Adelaide when the Govt was centralised to Canberra in the 70s and early 80s.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

News from the Giants

GIANTS Announce Landmark Long-Term Partnership Extension with ACT Government

The GIANTS have extended their partnership with the ACT Government.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

 

[steviewonder36]

You cant compare that RL team to the Giants, that was a merger team of St George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers. Same as the Balmain and West Suburbs merger which makes no sense to me, even for someone who doesn't support RL or lived anywhere near Sydney.

Giants were created from the ground up, but to the acommodate the Riverina/ACT (Barrassi line) they decided to make Canberra a part of it.

Those old enough to remember, would know that Canberra was actually more an Aussie Rules town before the Raiders came along.

Alot of people moved here from Melbourne and Adelaide when the Govt was centralised to Canberra in the 70s and early 80s.

The problem I see them having over the next decade or so, is the ex Vics and others (Aussie Rules supporters) etc who will retire away from Canberra as someone mentioned above. We have already seen a massive drop in grass roots footy here since the 90s, there has been a definitive shift in support for other codes here since the Raiders and Brumbies now have the kids who grew up here supporting them, and their parents too.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Hopefully this long-term commitment can help lead to a Manuka Oval upgrade.

 

[Giant Strides]

Hopefully this long-term commitment can help lead to a Manuka Oval upgrade.

That is much needed, and would be nice.


But I won't hold my breath!

 

[Colonial]

Yeah. You’re right. I just get frustrated at how low our crowd numbers are.

I agree 100% there. We have more than enough AFL fans in our region to sell Giants Stadium out 50 times over.

They just haven’t supported their local side. Sticking with their original vics.

 

[Colonial]

Both GWS and swans are ,NSW/ACT teams as much as Sydney teams.
Games in ACT are easier to get to for families/friends of players from the Academy like Rowston ( which I am only just calming down about).
If eventually GWS doesn't need to play in ACT, they might have their own team, or both us and swans could play say one game their.
Nobody really complains about st george needing Illawarra in league ( although 70km and 270km are very different trips).
I think we will be in ACT for a long, long time.

StGeorge have decades of history of being StGeorge before taking over the Steelers.
We do not. We have never just been Western Sydney.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

That is much needed, and would be nice.


But I won't hold my breath!

I tend to agree. Our Chief Minister, Andrew Barr is getting a lot of flak for not upgrading/ replacing the rectangular Bruce stadium that’s currently being used by the Raiders and the Brumbies. The Canberra Times article that broke this $28.5 million, 10 year deal has been getting negative comments on this deal, and whilst that’s (probably) not reflective of the wider Canberra community, indicates the problem a government that prioritises a substantial upgrading of Manuka before Bruce stadium will face. And the next Territory election will be on October 2024

 

[Andre the Giant]

I don’t want to upset anyone on here as I can see the reasoning to push more into Western Sydney and also the push to grow Canberra.

The only thing I will say is that I do enjoy about Canberra is that it’s the only place where it feels like we get a dominant crowd and it feels like we’re more like a footy club.

At so many of our home games in Homebush it feels soulless and often like we’re the opposition team. That sucks for us fans and I can only imagine how it makes the players feel.

The Prelim against the Dirty Dogs when they booed our players when they came onto the field will stay with me forever. Imagine how deflating.

It’s such a slow burn but hopefully some of the younger generation can come through and eventually we will have a decent core of support all through NSW!