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Hawks dwindling crowds

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Incidentally, do people really go to games they might not otherwise because a club hero is running through the banner with his kids? Maybe I'm just not hardcore enough
If its an opposition hero whose kids I can boo, then I will go out of my way to attend. Maybe that's just the Richmond in me :D
 

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http://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-18/kennett-chides-absent-hawk-fans-over-mcg-crowd

What’s going on here? Their average crowd this year is 29,000

The only game they can pull a crowd is against Geelong during Easter.

Why don’t their fans show up?

You imagine without the milestone factor they probably would have pulled 20,000 tops last Saturday.

A cause for concern.
I love the fact that in the real world, going to the footy every week pretty much makes you a tragic loser - but in the footy world if you don't go every week and 'support the boys' you are a tragic loser.
 
Cold night, interstate opponent, first world cup match on up against it.

Major storm in a teacup.

Incidentally, do people really go to games they might not otherwise because a club hero is running through the banner with his kids? Maybe I'm just not hardcore enough

lol, I certainly wouldnt attend a game just because its a certain players particular milestone game... club champion playing their final game then thats different.. but im fairly sure he is going to be running out to play a 351st game so big deal, I think the cold weather definately plays a part.. Richmond V Geelong was a dismal crowd given the position of both teams, lots of marquee players all playing etc... There was only 20k more for a game on a Sunday arvo between 2 top 4 teams and a combined membership total of about 150,000!
 
So of the four games we've played against teams that draw well (Collingwood, Richmond, Essendon, Geelong) in Melbourne, only one of those games was a designated Hawthorn home game despite being played at the MCG. That's two 70,000 + crowds plus two more 50,000+ crowds that could have been allocated to us as a home game: the figures would look very different simply based on who gets allocated the home ground.

We've also had bad weather for our games against Melbourne and Sydney plus despite it not happening, the forecast for Saturday night was hail, storms etc.
Plus no trains on the South Morang/Hurstbridge lines, Chandler Highway closed, World Cup Soccer and Rugby, etc. We are also going through a run of playing every non-Victorian side. My guess is the figures will improve once we play Victorian sides again.

I've managed to get to every Hawthorn game in Melbourne so far this year but it's been a bloody struggle. If you've got kids or are elderly or whatever, you would give it a second thought. I took my 10 year old son along on Saturday night who loved it for most of the night and then sat there looking cold and miserable (the result made him happy in the end though).

Oh, and 46,000 to Richmond/Geelong. Top four clash, day game, two Victorian sides.
 

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It was not wet Saturday night

It was cold, sure - but was actually really good night to watch footy
Really good night to watch footy? Lol.
I was there and it was the worst night I can remember for a few years. Really cold, and the wind came up more in the 2nd half.
The cold really affects the skills too.
The forecast was for plenty of rain, that's what people use to decide, luckily for those that attended it held off until after midnight, it was raining in the hours leading up to the game down further south around Geelong.
 
Could be possible that their recent success has left their fans slightly disinterested. A feeling of job done perhaps?

I think also the rugby and world cup on at similar times didn't help on Saturday.

Hopefully things pick up a bit if we string a few more wins together.
 
Be interesting to see the attendance for Thursday night. Weekday, no public holiday Friday. Raining all week and forecast rain on Thursday. Socceroos scheduled to play at the same time and trains aren’t running to the ground as normal.

My 6 year old daughter will still be there though
 
I believe the crowd at the game on Saturday night had all the things discussed prior as part of it.
Historically hawks members and supporters myself included prefer traditional Saturday arvo timeslot.
The actual member numbers are well over 79k.
So if people don't attend the club already has the money.
Spoken with others and this year the winter is the worst in decades that is also a factor.
The members demographic is also one that needs to be taken into account.
Older folk that don't want to be out later at night and families with kids can be factors etc.

It is true the biggest home and away match attended is usually on Easter Monday, warmer weather,
work and kids activities etc don't clash with the game.

There are a host of reasons and commitments during the season that clash with footy.

I did attend the game but even being rugged up the chill factor made it difficult as well as other who
didn't go who were sick with the cold at home.

More games against fellow Vic clubs would help crowds.
I recall in the 80's the hawks v pies games at VFL Park had over 80k with everyone cramming in so it
felt warmer and the games didn't have the live coverages back then as now many don't go out in
the elements if they can watch live on tv.
Etihad games are poorly attended as many don't like to go there myself included unless I really want
to watch it, than rather not go there.
 
images
 

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It's the middle of June with some of the coldest days in decades, it was a miserable weekend weather wise, plus the novelty of Australia playing a World Cup match at prime time. Then you have the bandwagon jumpers...Richmond will know about this in a couple of years when their closet supporters disappear in droves once things turn sour... The Friday and Saturday night scheduling this year has been appalling. Marvel stadium needs to be used far more often in 2019 ...June through August. If they want more Thursday night matches then they must have two games on a Friday night. IMO Marvel should have a minimum of two games a week, sometimes three! Is it time for rolling fixtures? Hawthorn V Adelaide at the MCG seems wasteful to me.
 
Collingwood - average home crowd in 2010 (when doing well) - 63,256. Last year - average home crowd (not doing so well) - 46,815

Geelong - average in 2011 (when doing well) - 44,703. Last year, average crowd (not doing as well) - 35,965.

Richmond - average in 2010 (when all hope was lost) - 37,943. This year when they are on top of the world - 56,843

What does it mean? Every club has around the same percentage of fans who turn up hail, rain or shine, every club has bandwagon supporters that jump on and off depending on the success of the club, every club has supporters that will only attend certain games and these threads are a meaningless exercise akin to teenage boys measuring up in the showers.

https://afltables.com/afl/crowds/2018.html
 
Pies - Home 58k - Disappointing Crowd TBH. Pies were looking crap then, so I think alot of them stayed away too
Cats - Away
Tigers - Away
Demons - Home 42k - Was a horrible wet sideways rain day.
North - Away
Saints - Home (Tas) 15.7k - Ordinary crowd given the level of Saints support in Tassie as well.
Bombers - Away
Sydney - Home 32.7k - Bout right. We were travelling badly by then
Lions - Away
Eagles - Home 28.1k - Avergae crowd. Haw fans detest Ethihad
Port - Home (Tas) 13k - Terrible crowd. Both side doing shit
Crows - Home 27k - Reasons well documented. Wet/World Cup, and a crap opponent

Our draw has not been kind (money wise) really, as the bigger drawing games v Geelong and the tiges were away games this year. We have had alot of sunday arvo slots versus interstate teams.

Also, for the first time in forever, we fell out of the top 1/3 grouping for fixtures, so play more avergae sides (yeah, we are average too).

I think there is a degree of Apathy after the run we have had as well. Most ppl happy to stay members (~80k) and contribute tot he club, but attending each week is not as important.

It is a tad concerning that crowds in Tassie are not showing up. Perhaps they got used to winning every week, and turning up to cheer a mid table team isnt as fun.

Might see a pick up in the next few weeks, as we should start favorites in the next 6 games, and have won a few on the trot.
 

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