2023 Crowds and TV/Streaming

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Crowds overall improved on last year when you back out the 4 games played at big stadiums (including a curtain raiser at the MCG)

All four of the teams that saw a 1K plus decrease in average crowds were also the 4 teams that hosted games at the MCG, Marvel, AO or Perth Stadium.

Every team except the Giants and maybe West Coast had an improvement in average home attendance

I think the standard is getting better too, it's still pretty ordinary, but hopefully in another 5 years time when most girls in the comp would have been playing from primary school age it could be an ok product.
 
IMG_8275.png I’m compiling the AFLW average home game crowds over the years. I’ve only compiled the first six teams alphabetically. But I’ve made two tables, one that just has all home games, and then a second which exclude outlier games, such as Adelaide hosting in Darwin or Fremantle opening Optus Stadium. There are also note worthy considerations mentioned.

But crowds most recently look on the up.
 

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234,525 for the H&A season

and

19,028 (4,209 + 2,710 + 6,678 + 5,431) for the first week of finals.

Brings the current attendance total to 253,553 with 5 games to go. Last season finished up on 265,917 btw.
 
The_Wookie I have searched this thread, but maybe I have missed it and couldn't find it, but have you done a summary of average ratings by time slot for 2023, that I know you did a few years ago for the season.

If so can you post the link? Thanks.

If not, can you comment based on what your knowledge and gut feel is for 2023 compared to this graphic that Cody Atkinson and Sean Lawson put up April 2022 for TV ratings average numbers for 2015-21 by time slot, where they used your data, and in particular Thursday night v Friday night.

With an increase to 11 games + 1 final for Thursday night games in 2023 and 14 games named so far announced for 2024, and supposedly for the 2025-31 media rights deal period there will be 18+, I'm curious to see if increasing it from 8 to 11 in the minor round had any real affect on the 7 season average.




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Less than 5000 at the Adelaide match last night was a bit disappointing for a final!
4,688 exceeded the reasonable expectation given Adelaide were coming off a loss.

There has only been one game so far in the finals to fall below the reasonable expectation, which was last week's crowd in Adelaide (4.2k when it really should've been closer to 6k), and the AFL's scheduling can take the blame for that.

Looks like the first few seasons of massive crowds when it was free to get in are a thing of the past!
7,083 turned up to the free grand final in 2018! Complaining about 4,688 for a semi-final therefore looks pretty dumb!
 
Less than 5000 at the Adelaide match last night was a bit disappointing for a final!

Looks like the first few seasons of massive crowds when it was free to get in are a thing of the past!
What would the gate takings be?
Looked to be plenty of u18 freebies in the crowd.
Would the Afl just be better off to just make it free?
Considering games are costing close to $300000 in wages alone wouldn’t it be just better off getting decent numbers rather than worrying about a token collection through the gate.
I noticed the swans had 6 coaches in the box are these paid positions?
 

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The_Wookie I have searched this thread, but maybe I have missed it and couldn't find it, but have you done a summary of average ratings by time slot for 2023, that I know you did a few years ago for the season.

If so can you post the link? Thanks.

If not, can you comment based on what your knowledge and gut feel is for 2023 compared to this graphic that Cody Atkinson and Sean Lawson put up April 2022 for TV ratings average numbers for 2015-21 by time slot, where they used your data, and in particular Thursday night v Friday night.

With an increase to 11 games + 1 final for Thursday night games in 2023 and 14 games named so far announced for 2024, and supposedly for the 2025-31 media rights deal period there will be 18+, I'm curious to see if increasing it from 8 to 11 in the minor round had any real affect on the 7 season average.




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ill do better than that, Ill put something together for you from the data
 
What would the gate takings be?
Looked to be plenty of u18 freebies in the crowd.
Would the Afl just be better off to just make it free?
Considering games are costing close to $300000 in wages alone wouldn’t it be just better off getting decent numbers rather than worrying about a token collection through the gate.
I noticed the swans had 6 coaches in the box are these paid positions?

I'd be surprised if $10 tickets put anyone off going. Maybe a few hundred.
 
What would the gate takings be?
Looked to be plenty of u18 freebies in the crowd.
Would the Afl just be better off to just make it free?
Considering games are costing close to $300000 in wages alone wouldn’t it be just better off getting decent numbers rather than worrying about a token collection through the gate.
I noticed the swans had 6 coaches in the box are these paid positions?

I'm all for the women's comp but when you see how much money is being pissed up the wall by the afl on it, it's concerning.

The amount of players still making it to the top level that can't even run and bounce the ball or can't kick a drop punt is concerning, especially with how much money is poured into the competition. I could do that stuff at the age of 11, yet these people are playing at the top level, paid thousands per game, on tv etc etc.

Also yes, all those coaches would be getting paid.
 
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I'm all for the women's comp but when you see how much money is being pissed up the wall by the afl on it, it's concerning.

How players are still making it to the top level that can't run and bounce or kick a drop punt is concerning with how much money is poured into the competition. Also yes, all those coaches would be getting paid.
Being involved in grass roots footy it is incredible the money being thrown at this!!
Can’t believe the men agreed to the EBA I suppose they aren’t the brightest and probably don’t realise this is coming straight out of their future and current earnings.
 
I'm all for the women's when you see how much money is being pissed up the wall by the afl on it, it's concerning.

The amount of players still making it to the top level that can't even run and bounce the ball or can't kick a drop punt is concerning, especially with how much money is poured into the competition. I could do that stuff at the age of 11, yet these people are playing at the top level, paid thousands per game, on tv etc etc.

Also yes, all those coaches would be getting paid.
Catch 22 I guess. I mean if you want the competition to grown and improve, you have to be wlling to invest in then it long-term.

Bigger question I have is what is the AFL's strategy to grow crowds, tv audiences etc. It's all fine and well to have targets but you also need a strategy on how to achieve it. It often feels like the AFL abd even some clubs have just adopted the Field of Dreams approach, build it and they will come, but it doesn't seem like they're actually doing anything to actively try and grow the game.
 
Catch 22 I guess. I mean if you want the competition to grown and improve, you have to be wlling to invest in then it long-term.

Bigger question I have is what is the AFL's strategy to grow crowds, tv audiences etc. It's all fine and well to have targets but you also need a strategy on how to achieve it. It often feels like the AFL abd even some clubs have just adopted the Field of Dreams approach, build it and they will come, but it doesn't seem like they're actually doing anything to actively try and grow the game.

What should they be doing that isn’t now?
 
7,083 turned up to the free grand final in 2018! Complaining about 4,688 for a semi-final therefore looks pretty dumb!
Poor comparison.


The game was played in wet and blustery conditions, with heavy rain falling in the hours leading up to the game. This kept the crowd numbers down, with most huddled under the sheltered areas, and caused the scheduled pre-match entertainment by Missy Higgins to be cancelled.

The attendance was smaller than all 3 Whitten Oval matches that season.
 
Womens footy is still in the investment stage, similar to the recent Northern expansion. The returns won't be for another generation.

it has to be a thing or else the AFL would lose massively in the future..

Do you agree that a W player that can't bounce the ball or kick a drop punt should be earning more than a VFL player?

The VFL salary cap is $220,000, for 40 players, at about 5k per player. W players earn over 40k on average for half the season length, moving to 80k in 2027.
 
Do you agree that a W player that can't bounce the ball or kick a drop punt should be earning more than a VFL player?

The VFL salary cap is $220,000, for 40 players, at about 5k per player. W players earn over 40k on average for half the season length, moving to 80k in 2027.
I do think some of the salary of the AFLW would be better spent on female junior programs and the level below. Have some higher paid professional players, the stars who also promote the game, but most of them part time contract , for the next 10 years or so, similar to now.

just my uninformed opinion.
 
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The AFLW is going to gobble up the talent. 82K average salary for 540 players is bigger than anything else on the planet.

Gobble up talent = every improving league = ever improving revenues
 

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2023 Crowds and TV/Streaming

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