2018 AFL Crowds & Ratings thread

[Rouel_14]

What crowd do you think for Richmond/Essendon, 75k maybe.

I like the optimism, but Dreamtime only pulled 80k
Thinking similar to the Cats game around the 65-70 mark.
Tigers fans will turn out in the same type of numbers as that, the difference between a 65 and a 75 depends on how many bombers still have the faith..

Part of me thinks the dons getting up would be great for September and for the comp, the tiger in me says put a steak through the buggers


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[McCrann]

Comparison of docklands crowds 2017-2018

2017 total attendance 1,321,707 Avg 32,237 (41 games).

2018 total attendance 1,205,866 Avg 29,411 (41 games)

Decrease of 115,841

That result may well be what costs the AFL a 7 million attendance Home & Away.

 

[Defabs]

That result may well be what costs the AFL a 7 million attendance Home & Away.

WB coming off a double premiership hangover has seen their average drop by almost 20% from 31K to 25K. Being defending champions and some large early season crowds such as raising of the flag against Syd last year were strong reasons for their averages not being replicated this season.

St Kilda has only fared slightly better than the WB with averages dropping from 31K to 26K.

 

[gaelictiogar]

Essendon and richmond will be bigger than most expect. Remember both fan bases have targeted this for weeks if not months as a must see. At home the Tiger Army will be out In force and the Don's are still a chance and Essendon have a huge rusted on core anyway.

Over 75000. Perhaps 80000.

 

[Rob]

WB coming off a double premiership hangover has seen their average drop by almost 20% from 31K to 25K. Being defending champions and some large early season crowds such as raising of the flag against Syd last year were strong reasons for their averages not being replicated this season.

St Kilda has only fared slightly better than the WB with averages dropping from 31K to 26K.

Pretty much - you look at the clubs that play the bulk of their games at Docklands and they're all going to finish outside the finals. Not sure you can blame the ground when the teams playing there are mostly rubbish.

 

[gaelictiogar]

I like the optimism, but Dreamtime only pulled 80k
Thinking similar to the Cats game around the 65-70 mark.
Tigers fans will turn out in the same type of numbers as that, the difference between a 65 and a 75 depends on how many bombers still have the faith..

Part of me thinks the dons getting up would be great for September and for the comp, the tiger in me says put a steak through the buggers


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Dreamtime adds nothing to what is a regular Sat evening game with a lot of PC nonsense added. The fixture will draw huge next week

 

[AstuteTiger]

I like the optimism, but Dreamtime only pulled 80k
Thinking similar to the Cats game around the 65-70 mark.
Tigers fans will turn out in the same type of numbers as that, the difference between a 65 and a 75 depends on how many bombers still have the faith..

Part of me thinks the dons getting up would be great for September and for the comp, the tiger in me says put a steak through the buggers

Dreamtime 81,046, well anything over 80K on a sat night is massive. Friday night footy as we know if the weather is good and the game enticing the fans will come. Im tipping 75-80K, tiger fans will be out in force and with our last 2 home games before finals you will most likely see a higher proportion of members rolling up.
Bombers still a mathematical chance to make the 8, their fans will come out maybe not in the same numbers had they beaten the hawks but the dream is still alive for them.

 

[Great8]

One would have imagined reserved seat holders would be the rusted on supporters who turn up to each game. But Essendon tweeted that 40% of reserved seat holders do not turn up on average, hence the 42-43k sellouts at Docklands. It is not as big an issue for MCG home games as there are usually other seats (and I have the unsubstantiated suspicion that reserve seat holders turn up to these games in better numbers). I imagine other Melbourne clubs are similar with 40% not turning up, at least for Docklands matches.

Yet, it doesn’t seem to be the issue outside of Melbourne and Sydney. The big 4 Melbourne membership clubs - Richmond, Hawthorn, Essendon and Collingwood - have extremely high membership numbers like West Coast. But in median form will never pull the same amount of their own supporters to their matches as West Coast or Adelaide. Fremantle’s crowds this season are holding up better than all Melbourne clubs would in a similar circumstance, too.

So why do only a fraction of Melbourne-based supporters turn up to matches? Is Melbourne now too big that the logistics and costs of getting to a game make it unviable to attend in the same numbers and Perth and Adelaide unless of course it’s a ‘big game’? For example, Richmond had crowds of 28k and 95k against interstate opposition in their premiership year. Even with appropriate capacities, I can’t imagine a West Coast pulling 95k or especially 28k in their premiership year. Additionally, any hint of rain seems to impact crowds in Melbourne more than elsewhere.

Can’t speak for West Coast supporters but living in Adelaide I know that fans only get to see their sides live every two weeks so they shuffle their arrangements nd social life around the footy. I have a lot of Crows and Power friends in this boat and no matter the weather they tend to go as they know it’s a couple of weeks before the next game. Melbourne based fans are spoilt in a way because most of them have 16 or more at home so can be a bit choosier with which games they go to

 

[madmug]

That result may well be what costs the AFL a 7 million attendance Home & Away.

And why would that be? Why do people turn away from the indoor venue?

 

[Billy ray]

As a tourist who does one or two footy trips a year to Melbourne i find it hard to fathom the hate for Etihad.
I mean when i come down i catch train circle route, go to the G, go to ticket window and pay $25 and sit on top level of stand around the 50m arc/boundary intersection spot.
When i go to Etihad i catch train circle route, go to ticket window and pay $25 and sit on top level of stand around the 50m arc/boundary intersection spot.

 

[McCrann]

And why would that be? Why do people turn away from the indoor venue?

Well, speaking personally, I don't, find it plenty comfortable in winter when it's pissing down outside.

 

[Cmarsh]

Thought that the 40,028 for Fremantle V Carlton was a great figure. Dockers crowds have done really well this year despite being underwhelming onfield.

 

[MattF185]

The MCC predicting 45,000 for the Pies v Power match. Feel like anything over 40,000 would be a great crowd. The prediction might be a couple thousand overs, I feel.

 

[AstuteTiger]

Essendon and richmond will be bigger than most expect. Remember both fan bases have targeted this for weeks if not months as a must see. At home the Tiger Army will be out In force and the Don's are still a chance and Essendon have a huge rusted on core anyway.

Over 75000. Perhaps 80000.

MCC going with 75K at present but wouldn’t at all be surprised if we get 80K

Estimated attendance: 75,000
Public gates open: 6.00pm

GENERAL ADMISSION SEATING

Great Southern Stand
Q1-Q3
Q4-Q15 (Rows P-DD)

Ponsford Stand
Q29-Q36

Olympic Stand
Q49-Q55 (Rows P-MM)

 

[Ned_Flanders]

The MCC predicting 45,000 for the Pies v Power match. Feel like anything over 40,000 would be a great crowd. The prediction might be a couple thousand overs, I feel.

Agree

MCC going with 75K at present but wouldn’t at all be surprised if we get 80K

To go to 80k we will need the efc afl and mcc members. If they still think they are a live chance of finals, 80k is a chance. But if the dons fans have the queue in the rack for 2018, I wouldn’t be surprised with 70k

 

[manicmagpie]

The MCC predicting 45,000 for the Pies v Power match. Feel like anything over 40,000 would be a great crowd. The prediction might be a couple thousand overs, I feel.

Apart from their first ever game, Port’s highest crowd at the G is just 37,685.

So yeah, I think they’re expecting a bit much from this week.

 

[AstuteTiger]

Agree
To go to 80k we will need the efc afl and mcc members. If they still think they are a live chance of finals, 80k is a chance. But if the dons fans have the queue in the rack for 2018, I wouldn’t be surprised with 70k

Yes and no but remember we got 55K v crows with the MCC and AFL being very sparse! Even if dons fans don’t roll up in big numbers tiger fans will.

Only level 4 remaining and in some bays more so back rows! Weather permitting should see a good walk up too and it will likely push high 70’s if not 80K.

 

[Tassieboy]

If Richmond can bring a similar amount of fans this Friday night as they did against Adelaide, 75k would be about right.

 

[Rob]

And why would that be? Why do people turn away from the indoor venue?

Because they have to pay to get in. The difference between MCG and Etihad crowds can mostly be explained by the missing MCC members.

 

[Defabs]

Apart from their first ever game, Port’s highest crowd at the G is just 37,685.

So yeah, I think they’re expecting a bit much from this week.

That is true but there has never been a bigger game for Collingwood against Port at the G. The only other time the Pies have played Port this late in the season at the G was in 2004 but the season was already over for Collingwood.

Other times were during very poor periods for Collingwood. Ie 2016 and 2017. 2014 was a Sun twilight game and Pies has lost 5 of 6 going into that game. Even in 2009, we were 3-5 when we played Port.

I would be disappointed if the record were not broken, excluding Round 1 1997.

 

[madmug]

Because they have to pay to get in. The difference between MCG and Etihad crowds can mostly be explained by the missing MCC members.

So begs a question, was their any value in the AFL buying it? Will it offer any value back to the clubs?

 

[dave10]

MCC going with 75K at present but wouldn’t at all be surprised if we get 80K

Estimated attendance: 75,000
Public gates open: 6.00pm

GENERAL ADMISSION SEATING

Great Southern Stand
Q1-Q3
Q4-Q15 (Rows P-DD)

Ponsford Stand
Q29-Q36

Olympic Stand
Q49-Q55 (Rows P-MM)

Usually the MCG not too far off the mark. All dependent on weather of course. My perception is Essendon supporters are far from ‘lid off’. I think you need both teams supporters to be ‘lid off’ so to speak to draw over 80,000 late in the season.

 

[MattF185]

I think for Essendon supporters sake, a bit depends on the team selection. If all of Goddard, Saad, Hooker and Fantasia don’t play, then I feel it’ll turn quite a few Bombers supporters off attending the match. Does seem likely the three minus Hooker won’t play.

 

[Rouel_14]

As a tourist who does one or two footy trips a year to Melbourne i find it hard to fathom the hate for Etihad.
I mean when i come down i catch train circle route, go to the G, go to ticket window and pay $25 and sit on top level of stand around the 50m arc/boundary intersection spot.
When i go to Etihad i catch train circle route, go to ticket window and pay $25 and sit on top level of stand around the 50m arc/boundary intersection spot.

The only problem with Etihad is it suffers from big brother syndrome..
That and us Victorians tend to take anything less than 50k a crowd for granted

Etihad is easier to get to, easier to get out of, both from public transport and driving. It even has much better sight lines (having 50k less seats helps).

All that being said, it’s just not home.

It doesn’t have Swan Street pumping just around the corner, it doesn’t have the tribal walk past punt road with the Army. It doesn’t have the old and depleted Southern stand that we would all rather sit in than dare go down the Ponsford End.

It’s hard to compete with tradition, and in Victoria, probably Australia, there isn’t a place with much more traction than the MCG


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[Rouel_14]

Can anyone tell me how many plus 80k crowds Richmond and Essendon have pulled, (excluding Dreamtime and Sheedy/Hird farewell)?

Trying to understand where people are pulling the remote possibility of an 80k plus crowd


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