Here's your 'Survey' AFL - Why dont you go anymore?

[Do the Dew]

Biggest blight is the 'Americanisms' that have been introduced. Annoying af music, lights etc. to try and drum up an atmosphere. The main thing that the AFL haven't worked out is that footy is fundamentally different to the 2 US sports where this is rife - baseball and american football. Both of those sports are so goddamn slow, with constant breaks that stretch for minutes at a time. That's why you have these crowd involvement moments, to artificially keep people entertained.

But footy is a different beast. It's continuous, the noise ebbs and flows, and is dictated purely by what happens onfield. There's no need to try and artificially hype it up as it maintains itself.

 

[Substance]

Constant rule changes makes the game feel arbitrary. That'd be my no.1.

 

[CM9000]

I suppose my interest in the game is purely contingent on West Coast doing well - apart from that, I have no interest at all. This has also coincided with overall change in my life, wherein my investment in Australian rules as a sport has significantly tapered off over the course of this year. Now, when I look at someone like Ginnivan being paid far too much for what he actually does as an occupation, given fame for no other reason than having a somewhat superior athletic ability compared to the general populace, I find it hard to invest my time as I used to before.

The AFL as a sport has become the end and goal of too many peoples day to day lives. What used to supplement a community in its pursuit of a common goal or as it existed, the sport has now become the end around which we form communities (this is more a comment on local clubs). The problem with this is that making sport the end around which we form our association with others will always be inadequate, because, by its very nature, it is deficient for this purpose. It is purely a thing that enables us to keep fit, not a source of social fabric around which we can situate our entire being.

It distracts us from far more important matters in society, such as the situation of the poor, or addressing the lack of direction that most young people find in their lives. I still read this forum and keep an eye on the competition, but, on top of what I said above, to put it in another way, the main problem with the AFL is that it has been expanded far too much for the purpose of profit - this inadvertently gives the sport a ridiculously unmerited position. The profile afforded to someone like Dustin Martin who, apart from his accomplishments on the field, has achieved absolutely nothing with his life so far, testifies to the fact that we place the AFL on a pedestal that just doesn’t make much sense.

I guess my solution would be the dissolution of the AFL. We should go back to state level competitions being the highest form of the game, mitigating the negative social consequences that the AFL currently inflicts. But that will never happen, because the AFL has turned into a commercial product driven purely by the profit motive - that would require a reorientation of what motivates the administrators of the game, and those (in power) who enable it to hold such a position in society.

 

[Macca180]

soft ticky touch umpiring and 50m penalties for breathing and as an adult I'm not allowed to drink a full strength beer if it is night time..

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

Am I the only one who's worried about getting covid in a big crowd? In the last 3 months I've had covid and the flu and the impact on my lungs (asthma) is significant. I'm nervous about sitting in the stands with thousands of others, considering I got covid at the footy in the first place.

Also the game times are shithouse - I have young kids who can't come to most games and I don't have much support by way of babysitters. More 2.10pm starts for the love of god.

 

[BringouttheGimp]

I don't go as much as I used to.. miss the Victoria Park days mate.. used to wait in behind the big sticks frothing for the opportunity for a player to snag one through the big sticks so that I can get my hands on it.. jump over the back fence with it.. and do the runner with it.. then sell it to my mates for $50 or whatever. Go to the game for $10.. make a profit of $40 from it and that man. Getting all emotional just thinking about it now and that man.. agh those were the days man.. those were the days. These days.. forget about it mate.

You can't profit from going to a game at all these days mate. If you get your hands on the leather after a player has snagged a sausage roll.. you've got to throw it back mate. Everyone's like.. throw it back you gallah and that.. and you're like.. allright man.. allright man. Take it easy mate.

In other words.. the game itself.. just feels too contrived these days. Doesn't feel as natural and spontaneous as what it once was. All the umpires have got chrome domes. The rules are a cods wallop. The stand on the mark rule.. say for eg.. does my head in mate.. the game should be all about trying to outwit.. outsmart.. outplay your opponent.. and all that sort of stuff and that.. it just doesn't feel like that anymore. If I'm on the mark.. say for eg.. I'm going to give my opponent enough room for him to take me on mate.. then it's a contest mate. Then it's game on mate. It's a thing of beauty mate.

And another thing.. if the crowd is not making enough noise.. why play music mate.. why play music mate.. defeats the purpose done it. Maybe folk want to get loud at the footy.. but they're not doing it cause they run the risk of getting booted out or being told to sit down. Not everyone wants to go to the footy and have a cuppa and a cut lunch and chew the fat mate.. It's not necessarily a good thing mate. Let's get loud mate.. then we can put the music on mate and then we can all get our Jen Lopez on mate.

That's it mate.

 

[btdg]

I want to throw in a vote for 'shocking scheduling'.

Carlton have so far played two Friday nights (including last night) and one Saturday day game (zero Saturday night) in Melbourne this year. I attended all 3.

The others are 2x Thursday night, 3x interstate, and 4x Sunday afternoon (late games). I haven't been able to get to any

There's 5 more games scheduled: 1x Thursday, 1x Friday, 1x Saturday, 2x Sunday (1 early and 1 late) and 1x interstate.

Still, if there are 4 'prime' attendance slots (Friday night, Saturday day, Saturday night, Sunday early) and 2 crappy ones for attending in person (Thursday, Sunday), it seems insane that at round 18 Carlton will have played 50% of its Melbourne matches in graveyard slots (for attendance).

I'd honestly try to use the following formula:
- Thursday night = 1 game = growth markets (for TV exposure). Try to include Sydney/GWS/GC/GWS and for Melbourne teams bring in St Kilda/Melbourne/Bulldogs/North. Play these at Docklands (better atmosphere even with lower attendance). This will involve quite a few of the lower in person matches (eg: North vs GC in Melbourne) but that's fine - it's showcasing teams on prime time that don't otherwise get that.

- Friday night = 1 game = the best footy in the showcase slot. Grand final rematch to start the year, then the best match every week (using floating fixture).

- Saturday day = 3 games each week running 1pm/2pm/3pm Melbourne start times. As many good in person attendance games as possible: Melbourne team vs Melbuorne team at Docklands every week, KP games when possible, Adelaide/WC vs a big Melbourne team, etc.

- Saturday night = blockbusters, derbies, and the second best match each week. This could be two matches - one MCG and one outside Melbourne with channel 7 showing different matches to different audiences

- Sunday early = 1x any of the Saturday day games that don't fit (eg: decent attendance games like 2x Melb teams)

- Sunday late = 1x match = Perth games that are less interesting (ie: played at 2pm in Perth but 4pm elsewhere), and then otherwise growth market games'

To me that strikes the perfect balance between maximising TV revenue, maximising in person attendance and maximising interest generally.


edit: under this formula I work out that Carlton (using a rolling fixture where Carlton are decent) would have likely played something like:
Friday night 3
Saturday day 5
Saturday night 3
Sunday early slot 2
Interstate (2xThursday/ 2x Sunday late)

Instead of there being 6 games in 'good' slots to attend, I think Carlton land in 13 - by round 18, instead of attending 5-6 matches I've probably attended 9-10. 3 of those end games up on Friday night (I think I had Carlton vs Sydney the first, Carlton vs Richmond during a bye week and Carlton vs Geelong in rd 18) and all are games I reckon neutrals would be ok with. 3 others are Saturday night (Carlton vs Richmond/Collingwood/Essendon) and again, those aren't too bad for neutrals if there is another game on Kayo they can swithc to if preferred.

 

[TEDDY24INC]

I do still go but its hard to go when your team constantly gets screwed with away games to Hobart/Launceston/Geelong/Ballarat/etc instead of Melbourne

Tassie and Ballarat you have a legitimate beef, Geelong, suck it up

 

[Juddernaut08]

For me it's:

1. Game day experience - absolutely horrible, deafening loudspeakers, flashing lights, not much human atmosphere
2. Rule changes and weird umpiring during home and away season, which vanishes during the finals... just umpire every game like the grand final
3. Cost - every aspect too expensive

Been to one game since 2015, and hated it

cost for me too. still go, just less

 

[Infamy]

Without question, the biggest issue that stops me from going and even watching on tv these days are all the rule changes, specifically those introduced by Hocking & Scott and it's just made the inconsistent umpiring unwatchable. The AFL have made the game impossible to adjudicate.

I used to go to 10+ games a year and watch all or most of 3-4 neutral games every weekend. It got to the point a couple of years back that I couldn't bare watching neutral games any more due to horrendous umpiring that appeared corrupt at times. Now I can barely watch my own team play and I haven't gone to a game all year, despite spending thousands of dollars on my coterie memberships. I'm likely to give those up at the end of the season given cost of living pressures as I can't justify such an extravagant expense anymore.

Where the AFL seems to be making it worse, is the lack of accountability and enforcing penalties for critisising the umpiring. You build trust through transparency and I feel like the AFL are treating their customers as fools, to the point that I think that the trust is broken and it's very difficult to win that back.

If the AFL replace Gil with another one of the "Boys Club", I may be lost to the game forever

 

[LightTower4]

I’d like the AFL to explain why 5 AFL members plus a visitor can’t get seats on Level 1 and instead want us to sit in Level 4. I guarantee there will be seats available bottom deck on game day.
Just lost another 6 going to the game.
Note that we tried to book Level 1 seats when they went in sale a couple of weeks ago. Level 2 or 3 we might have gone.
At least the corporate sector are looked after. That’s all that matters.

 

[The Sultan]

No seperate option for food and drink prices ??

Been mentioned by many but the super annoying flogs during quarter / half time breaks, I’ve just watched the game I don’t need you to tell me the scores etc, blasting MMM play list and cringe worthy games they do..

I’ve never thought once that, wow it’s quarter time and eventhough I’m enjoying game, I’m bored during the 7 min qtr time break so I’m going home… match day experience, the game is the F’ING experience!!!

 

[RAPPA]

Only downside of Carlton starting to do well is seeing the bunch of bandwagon supporters suddenly emerging out of the woodwork and attending games. Was so much easier - going to and from the game and in attendance - when so many of these people were hiding in the shadows.

 

[76woodenspooners]

We have a loser for a coach

We have an Idiot for a President

Cast your mind back to the time before you had your coach and your President. You had covers over the empty grandstands. And your game day performances sucked. You had elements of the media (and in the wider competition) suggesting that the forfeiture of your licence was inevitable.

Yeah, maybe the time has now passed for your coach and Pres to move on (Dunno), and they haven’t exactly been filling your trophy cabinet. But geez, at least your team and your club is not shithouse and an embarrassment like they used to be.

 

[Carringbush2010]

Not being able to rock up early to a game and just get a seat in GA.

That and the cost of food and drink, exacerbated by long wait times for those queues

 

[Cannon Dale]

Blaring music and constant noise through the load speakers during any break in play. You’ve got to yell at the person next to you if you want to discuss the game.

I also stopped going to the Big Bash for this same reason.

 

[windyhill]

I can’t not go. One thing which would push me over the edge is if they brought hird back. * me that rumour will not go away. sorry, any of the other excuses offered up are as weak as piss. It’s my job to go.

 

[Papa G]

Cast your mind back to the time before you had your coach and your President. You had covers over the empty grandstands. And your game day performances sucked. You had elements of the media (and in the wider competition) suggesting that the forfeiture of your licence was inevitable.

Yeah, maybe the time has now passed for your coach and Pres to move on (Dunno), and they haven’t exactly been filling your trophy cabinet. But geez, at least your team and your club is not shithouse and an embarrassment like they used to be.

Like Collingwood in the late 90s? Almost every club has been on skid row at some point, Collingwood, West Coast and Richmond included. Not sure we need constant reminding of the shitshow we were a decade ago to justify the dickheads still in charge now?

 

[ep2018]

The digital tickets are scaring the oldies away I reckon. That and covid.

 

[Alex09]

The digital tickets are scaring the oldies away I reckon. That and covid.

Why do they only have digital tickets now..given that old people hate this and that's a big proportion of the customer base, especially in Adelaide? Seems dumb...

 

[ep2018]

Why do they only have digital tickets now..given that old people hate this and that's a big proportion of the customer base, especially in Adelaide? Seems dumb...

Has something to do with covid but I'm not too sure on the specifics.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Like Collingwood in the late 90s?

… and like Collingwood in the mid 80’s, and Collingwood in 2009.

100%!

Almost every club has been on skid row at some point, Collingwood, West Coast and Richmond included.

Indeed

Not sure we need constant reminding of the shitshow we were a decade ago to justify the dickheads still in charge now?

You don’t think it’s worth acknowledging that “the dickheads still in charge now” are the ones who saved your club from said “shitshow”?

Obviously that doesn’t mean they should remain in charge today.

I just reckon folks would be taking their point a lot further with “You’ve done a fantastic job Kochie …” (and by any objective measure he has) “… but it’s now time to give somebody else a go.” (if that’s how they really feel).

 

[Progressive Aggresion]

Ken Hinkley is my 13th reason...

Another reason is the toxic amount of gambling promotion.

Players getting overpaid only to act like s##t c##ts off the field and chant the same stupid boys club mantra is another.

The other 10 reasons are mostly related to the deplorable standard of media coverage, commentating, journalism, etc...

Collectively we've gone backwards from a culture standpoint, as has many other aspects of our nation in the past decade.

 

[Saint12]

The question is, 'why don't you go', not, 'do you still go?'

You're seeking to answer a different question haha

The usual smart arse first reply

 

[Dangerousfield]

The AFL is a corrupt Vic centric boys club and they're slowing killing the game day experience. All they care about is massive salaries for themselves and their mates.

I want to go to the footy to enjoy the FOOTBALL!!!

I do not go to the footy to have my senses constantly blasted by pathetic excessively loud crap over the PA system and the visuals around the boundary fences. Don't get me started on gambling, no amount of advertising revenue justifies being in bed with gambling companies.

I formerly attended a lot of Adelaide Oval games and timed travel interstate to catch Crows games and other top of the table clashes. I haven't been to a match for 18 months, I'm one of the vacant seats the AFL is pondering over. It's not Covid, it's about the ruined game day experience, I found myself screaming inside every pre-match, at every goal break and every quarter breaks.

I'm sure the majority of fans don't want the americanised crap they carry on with. Bring back FOOTBALL to match day, ditch all the other painful match day bulls**t, it's like watching an episode of Big Brother.

And stop your corrupt boys club behaviour as well, stop looking at the bottom line and the fatness of your pay packets.