GWS is the AFL's biggest problem - not North, GC, or Tassie

[Canberra Pear]

Thanks for sharing this.

Do these stats come out year on year and where may we view this ? Would be keen to read last year's stats when it comes out.

Agree that the Giants have embedded themselves based on my observations.

After reading posts online that we have no fans I was pleasantly surprised to see Giants stickers on cars, people donning Giants clothing out and about in Western Sydney. I see it every so often, probably not with the same regularity of other sports teams but it's there.

The attendance culture is a tough one as it seems to transcend Sydney sport in general but it's not an insurmountable one to overcome. Will probably have a better handle on things in the next couple of seasons once the data comes through as we move further away from the years where the impacts of covid/flooding rains were felt.

The 2017 and 2018 stats are on infographics that Footy Industry website. I found the 2019 infographic on Google. Not sure if they've put out any more recent ones. May have lost momentum with the graphic through Covid.

 

[Giant YoYo]

The 2017 and 2018 stats are on infographics that Footy Industry website. I found the 2019 infographic on Google. Not sure if they've put out any more recent ones. May have lost momentum with the graphic through Covid.

Brilliant - Thank you very much for sharing

Hopefully graphic re-appears in the coming years.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Brilliant - Thank you very much for sharing

Hopefully graphic re-appears in the coming years.

Hopefully, it usually appears on their socials first, but in recent years they've just posted milestones, but no breakdowns.

It's a shame, because the numbers look good. Especially in those years when everyone was saying it was boosted by Victorians looking for grand final tickets.

 

[PenrithGWS]

Well there's a big big sound from the west of the town..

 

[PenrithGWS]

les go

 

[BigVic]

Anzac Day will see GWS host Brisbane in an Anzac Day match in Canberra for the first time at Manuka Oval in a 2nd Anzac Day game. NRL already have 2 Anzac Day matches for a while. Good to promote the game in the ACT doubling up as an early 2024 AFL Grand Final preview

 

[PenrithGWS]

A great win by GWS in front of great crowd. Surely membership numbers are healthy.

What a club.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

A great win by GWS in front of great crowd. Surely membership numbers are healthy.

What a club.

Yes indeed - we got to 30,000 members in the fastest time in our club’s history!

Collingwood Clash Sold Out

The GIANTS’ Opening Round fixture against Collingwood at ENGIE Stadium on Saturday is officially a sell-out.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

 

[Shinboner '07]

Good to see GWS doing well on and off the field

 

[Canberra Pear]

I know expectations are sky high, but I reckon anything over 9k next week is a big win for the Giants.

The last time GWS hosted North (way back in 2015), they played in front of 7824 people.

9k would show growth since then, a bounce back from Covid, and likely that some people came back after what they saw in opening round. Anything more than 9k is just gravy.

 

[Giant YoYo]

I know expectations are sky high, but I reckon anything over 9k next week is a big win for the Giants.

The last time GWS hosted North (way back in 2015), they played in front of 7824 people.

9k would show growth since then, a bounce back from Covid, and likely that some people came back after what they saw in opening round. Anything more than 9k is just gravy.

Club is aiming for an average of 10k attendees at Giants/Engie stadium across 6 games (excluding Collingwood Game and Swans Derby) this year.

We were at just above 9k across 7 games last year (excluding the derby).

Club is aiming for double digit attendance growth this season at Giants/Engie stadium so I'd say 9k for the North game is a reasonable figure.

 

[Professor Knowall]

A great win by GWS in front of great crowd. Surely membership numbers are healthy. …

Indeed … though ironically, the members stand (I was on the other side of the ground) was the one and only stand that still had a large number of empty seats.

A few other random observations -
A fair number of supporters chose to stand at the back of level 1 around the ground rather than take there allotted seats

Right behind me was a giants fan (male aged about 35-40) who sat between his 2 mates that he had brought along to watch their first live AFL game. One was an NRL fan, the other was into soccer - he said he used to support the A-League Wanderers but now only the EPL as, to quote him - “most A-League supporters are nothing but moronic total w***ers”. Both knew little about our game, having hardly watched it alt all on TV. However, helped by the giants fan doing his best to explain the rules, plays and umpiring interpretations, both got into the game, loved the atmosphere and both said they would definitely come back for more - and bring their families.

The Giants fans, who made up perhaps a little more than half the total crowd, were drowned out early by the typically loud and boisterous pies fans (like me) but they really found there voice in the second half - the slow “Giants” chant was loud and strong.

The Giants supporters I observed seemed overwhelmingly of Anglo Celtic or at least of European ancestry, in direct contrast to most of the staff (ticket checkers, ushers, food outlets, security guys etc). I know it can be difficult, but does the club have to work even harder with various community groups in its region to get a more diverse fanbase (and also gaining many more potential members as a byproduct)?

 

[Walshawk]

Club is aiming for an average of 10k attendees at Giants/Engie stadium across 6 games (excluding Collingwood Game and Swans Derby) this year.

We were at just above 9k across 7 games last year (excluding the derby).

Club is aiming for double digit attendance growth this season at Giants/Engie stadium so I'd say 9k for the North game is a reasonable figure.

If 9k is reasonable in year 13, on the back of a top 4 finish, then it shows that footy in western Sydney has made no progress at all. There were 12k - 13k there last week, so if they can’t get all those back plus a few Roos fans, then last weekend was a waste of time. I don’t care how many free tickets they have to give away, but 13k should be the minimum.

 

[dave10]

If 9k is reasonable in year 13, on the back of a top 4 finish, then it shows that footy in western Sydney has made no progress at all. There were 12k - 13k there last week, so if they can’t get all those back plus a few Roos fans, then last weekend was a waste of time. I don’t care how many free tickets they have to give away, but 13k should be the minimum.

Not necessarily. Swabs were top 4 1986/7, then by 1993 we’re drawing 8-10K again. Then things turned around.

Giants will be a slower build, covid period certainly hurt progress. I still think they will grow into a strong boutique club in a growth market.

 

[The Educator]

Not necessarily. Swabs were top 4 1986/7, then by 1993 we’re drawing 8-10K again. Then things turned around.

Giants will be a slower build, covid period certainly hurt progress. I still think they will grow into a strong boutique club in a growth market.

Agree that the Giants shouldn't be judged on the Swans growth profile.

What the Giants have to contend with that the Swans didn't was an existing club in their city.

 

[Walshawk]

Not necessarily. Swabs were top 4 1986/7, then by 1993 we’re drawing 8-10K again. Then things turned around.

Giants will be a slower build, covid period certainly hurt progress. I still think they will grow into a strong boutique club in a growth market.

I was talking about GWS. In 2016 they pulled 10k @ Showgrounds v WC & Freo yet a GF & two prelims later we are happy with 9k? And almost every other AFL and NRL is up on crowds compared to pre-COVID. Why would it have affected the Giants differently? Why no bounce back?

Agree that the Giants shouldn't be judged on the Swans growth profile.

What the Giants have to contend with that the Swans didn't was an existing club in their city.

Exactly. AFL has a much, much greater presence in Sydney compare to 40 years ago, so the Giants should actually have an easier ride.

 

[Prince Imperial]

Not necessarily. Swabs were top 4 1986/7, then by 1993 we’re drawing 8-10K again. Then things turned around.

Giants will be a slower build, covid period certainly hurt progress. I still think they will grow into a strong boutique club in a growth market.

The Swans of '93 were enduring their second consecutive wooden spoon and as a club had not won a final since a fortnight after the end of WW2.

The Giants are premiership favourites having convincingly beaten the reigning premiers in Round 0. They have won multiple finals in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and again just last season.

AFL and NRL crowds are overall much higher than what they were three decades ago.

10k of their own fans plus whatever North will bring along should be the minimum or their owners, the AFL, should sacking their CEO on Monday morning.

 

[Bjo187]

The Swans of '93 were enduring their second consecutive wooden spoon and as a club had not won a final since a fortnight after the end of WW2.

The Giants are premiership favourites having convincingly beaten the reigning premiers in Round 0. They have won multiple finals in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and again just last season.

AFL and NRL crowds are overall much higher than what they were three decades ago.

10k of their own fans plus whatever North will bring along should be the minimum or their owners, the AFL, should sacking their CEO on Monday morning.

Settle down Prince.

 

[The Educator]

The Swans of '93 were enduring their second consecutive wooden spoon and as a club had not won a final since a fortnight after the end of WW2.

The Giants are premiership favourites having convincingly beaten the reigning premiers in Round 0. They have won multiple finals in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and again just last season.

AFL and NRL crowds are overall much higher than what they were three decades ago.

10k of their own fans plus whatever North will bring along should be the minimum or their owners, the AFL, should sacking their CEO on Monday morning.

You're overcompensating now

 

[The Educator]

I was talking about GWS. In 2016 they pulled 10k @ Showgrounds v WC & Freo yet a GF & two prelims later we are happy with 9k? And almost every other AFL and NRL is up on crowds compared to pre-COVID. Why would it have affected the Giants differently? Why no bounce back?

Exactly. AFL has a much, much greater presence in Sydney compare to 40 years ago, so the Giants should actually have an easier ride.

You obviously know I meant the complete opposite. There is a huge disadvantage growing a second "franchise" in a non-traditional market

 

[weewilly]

Indeed … though ironically, the members stand (I was on the other side of the ground) was the one and only stand that still had a large number of empty seats.

A few other random observations -
A fair number of supporters chose to stand at the back of level 1 around the ground rather than take there allotted seats

Right behind me was a giants fan (male aged about 35-40) who sat between his 2 mates that he had brought along to watch their first live AFL game. One was an NRL fan, the other was into soccer - he said he used to support the A-League Wanderers but now only the EPL as, to quote him - “most A-League supporters are nothing but moronic total w***ers”. Both knew little about our game, having hardly watched it alt all on TV. However, helped by the giants fan doing his best to explain the rules, plays and umpiring interpretations, both got into the game, loved the atmosphere and both said they would definitely come back for more - and bring their families.

The Giants fans, who made up perhaps a little more than half the total crowd, were drowned out early by the typically loud and boisterous pies fans (like me) but they really found there voice in the second half - the slow “Giants” chant was loud and strong.

The Giants supporters I observed seemed overwhelmingly of Anglo Celtic or at least of European ancestry, in direct contrast to most of the staff (ticket checkers, ushers, food outlets, security guys etc). I know it can be difficult, but does the club have to work even harder with various community groups in its region to get a more diverse fanbase (and also gaining many more potential members as a byproduct)?

I think you hit the nail on the head GWS need to push hard to get the Western Sydney non Anglo people on board esp their kids if they are to build a decent supporter base.

As an example the WesternBulldogs/Footscray have tried for decades to get the Vietnamese/Asian migrants/refugees that made the inner West their first home many of whom still live in the area involved in the club and they still don't have that many following them.

 

[WestCoast05]

They are very popular amongst the general afl community too which is a plus, a lot of people's second team.

Agree with this. I replaced North Melbourne with GWS as my 2nd club.

 

[Tandy]

Agree. Should have called them Western Sydney Giants.

 

[Orange crush]

Agree. Should have called them Sydney Giants.

Yeah …. Sydney Swans would have allowed that

 

[Tandy]

Yeah …. Sydney Swans would have allowed that

Oops fixed *Western Sydney Giants