Play Nice 2024 AFL and State League Attendance

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Some updates after Round 21:

  • Overall the season is on 6,791,080 - this is already the 4th highest total on record with 3 rounds left to play. We need only 683k to break the record total, which should be easily done.

  • We need another 867,903 to break the record average for the season - still touch and go but we'll hopefully get there.

  • Collingwood passed 1.2 million on the weekend - the 8th time they've done so. They are currently the only team to ever reach this level but this will only remain true for another couple of weeks as...

  • Carlton reached 1.1 million - the second time they've done that after 2023. Are only 69k away from Essendon's best total and 94k away from Richmond's to get the highest non-Collingwood total ever. Will beat both within 2 weeks so won't even be relying on the extra game.

  • Collingwood/Carlton became the 3rd highest aggregate within one season with 175,241 for their 2 games. This is just behind Coll/Ess from this year which got 175,355 and Coll/Ess from 2019 which got 177,646

  • Coll/Carl was the 9th crowd of over 80k this season, tying last year's record. If Carl/Haw gets over 80k to break that record it will also be a record equalling 6th 80k+ crowd for Carlton this year (tying Coll in 2023).

  • Coll/Carl was the biggest ever crowd on a Sat night. It was just the 10th 80k+ crowd on a Sat night, with 7 of the other 9 being Dreamtime games.
 
Some updates after Round 21:

  • Overall the season is on 6,791,080 - this is already the 4th highest total on record with 3 rounds left to play. We need only 683k to break the record total, which should be easily done.

  • We need another 867,903 to break the record average for the season - still touch and go but we'll hopefully get there.

  • Collingwood passed 1.2 million on the weekend - the 8th time they've done so. They are currently the only team to ever reach this level but this will only remain true for another couple of weeks as...

  • Carlton reached 1.1 million - the second time they've done that after 2023. Are only 69k away from Essendon's best total and 94k away from Richmond's to get the highest non-Collingwood total ever. Will beat both within 2 weeks so won't even be relying on the extra game.

  • Collingwood/Carlton became the 3rd highest aggregate within one season with 175,241 for their 2 games. This is just behind Coll/Ess from this year which got 175,355 and Coll/Ess from 2019 which got 177,646

  • Coll/Carl was the 9th crowd of over 80k this season, tying last year's record. If Carl/Haw gets over 80k to break that record it will also be a record equalling 6th 80k+ crowd for Carlton this year (tying Coll in 2023).

  • Coll/Carl was the biggest ever crowd on a Sat night. It was just the 10th 80k+ crowd on a Sat night, with 7 of the other 9 being Dreamtime games.
Re the Saturday night record… Was that 2000 encounter between Carlton and Essendon a Saturday night? My memory doing funny things..
 

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Some updates after Round 21:

  • Carlton reached 1.1 million - the second time they've done that after 2023. Are only 69k away from Essendon's best total and 94k away from Richmond's to get the highest non-Collingwood total ever. Will beat both within 2 weeks so won't even be relying on the extra game.

Just going by PonsfordMagpie numbers (excluding gather round), the blues need roughly 113K to surpass Essendons highest season attendance and 138K to surpass Richmond's.

Carlton (19) = 1,056,891 (55,626)
 
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Not as yet, but I suspect it will. It’s selling very well.

This has an eerily similar feeling about it as the 2009 late season Hawks / Bombers game that had a finals spot on the line too. I was there and remember it well. Crowd was 77,278.

A few things in this week’s fixture that support a significantly larger crowd than that game. Firstly., it’s Carlton’s home game (2009 was Hawks homer). Second, I’m assuming it’s a Hawks home replacement game? It’s in a good timeslot with a good forecast weather too. The big one though, MCC restricted / provisional members can access the reserve and as a result I’d expect the MCC reserve to be full. In 2009 the MCC reserve was half empty on level 4, the public sections were full and the AFL members catered for the overflow as the top of the AFL was opened up. That MCC change is helping crowds at blockbuster games in recent times.

Against it are frustrated Blues fans who could stay away. I think given the stakes this is a minimal impact.

My guess is this game could draw around 85,000. It will get huge publicity through the week and the AFL / MCC reserves will be full and a healthy neutral following as we see during the finals series. This crowd could be anything imo.
100 per cent.

I've said for weeks but Carlton v Hawthorn has been drawing very, very well BEFORE both teams started playing well. This is a sleepy rivalry which I think deserves a lot more profile - like Ess v Haw before Line in the Sand.

I'm pretty confident this will become fully ticketed by Wednesday and sell out by the weekend. I highly doubt Hawthorn members will be able to rock up and sit on level 4.

As an aside, this looks like being the fourth 70,000 plus Hawthorn game this year. A competitive Hawthorn turns these high 50,000’s / low 60,000’s crowds against the big 4 into 75,000…especially with the member replacement.
 
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13,268 for our match against Hawthorn at Manuka. Highest crowd of the year at Manuka, and our highest ever crowd against Hawthorn at our Manuka home (although to be fair we have only played them only once before at Manuka!)

Hmmm… bit of an unfair comparison given it was SNOWING in the previous game!

Seriously though, a really great crowd, and while watching it only reaffirmed to me that GWS need to absolutely milk the Canberra connection as much as possible for as long as possible while they find their footing in Sydney.

It’s a genuinely good position for them, and by the time we get the inevitable Canberra team, there’s an instant rivalry for both teams right off the bat.

Both GWS and Gold Coast have had some impressive crowds this year, you can see their reach starting to grow. They’d be well advised to look ahead and plan to drum up something with Tassie when they arrive.

Personally, I think the crowd is fine but slightly under par, but at the same time, we're allowed to criticse ridiculous demands and over the top chest puffing from "big" teams when the net result is a crowd that isn't all that much bigger than the equivalent crowd when a small team plays against them.

Freo have only had 30,000+ against the “small teams” in Melbourne twice in their history. The last time was 2012. Even Carlton have only done it twice.

“Fine” or “pretty decent” are accurate descriptions, though. I get the feeling people expected it to be significantly lower and are disappointed they don’t get to shit on it with any real authority.
 
Dusty has retired effective immediately. From a crowd pov, it means no big farewell game. Totally fair for Dusty himself, who wouldn’t want all that extra attention, especially since he already got it for his 300th.

But for Rd24 vs Gold Coast the lack of farewell game is probably the difference between something like a 65k crowd or a 22k crowd perhaps
 
Dusty has retired effective immediately. From a crowd pov, it means no big farewell game. Totally fair for Dusty himself, who wouldn’t want all that extra attention, especially since he already got it for his 300th.

But for Rd24 vs Gold Coast the lack of farewell game is probably the difference between something like a 65k crowd or a 22k crowd perhaps
Surely the richmond faithful led by Mario from Doncaster can come out and boo Dimma on his return?
 
Dusty has retired effective immediately. From a crowd pov, it means no big farewell game. Totally fair for Dusty himself, who wouldn’t want all that extra attention, especially since he already got it for his 300th.

But for Rd24 vs Gold Coast the lack of farewell game is probably the difference between something like a 65k crowd or a 22k crowd perhaps
Yep, it was shaping as another possible sub 20k. I reckon it still draws 25k as a member thanks last game. Even if Dusty does a lap of honour it would help them avoid another poor one. Don’t know if he’s interested though.

In terms of attendances It possibly means Richmond comes up just shy of 1 million in aggregate attendances for the year, although they should get there still. It’s amazing though, if he played that last game they could’ve got another 50,000 through the gates. Certainly helps the bottom line. A send off would’ve been good for the fans. As it is they’ll still likely record a commendable year of crowds for the bottom team.
 
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That’s a shame that Dusty retired on the spot. I was hoping the last game of the year would be a big farewell game.
He will be presented to the fans, that’s a pretty good result. Thst will get the fans along for a decent farewell 👍

I’m pleased he’s doing that. I’m firmly in the Dusty does whatever he wants camp. I’ve always respected his want to have a ‘private’ footy life. I’m also glad he will be there in round 24.
 
Further to the Coll/Carl game being the biggest Sat night crowd here are all the other timeslots*:

1722919088564.png

*Twilight is anything started from 4-5.30pm. Anything earlier is day, anything later is night. e.g. I don't have records for 3.20pm compared to 1.10pm

Obviously almost all are marquee games or special occasions which got me thinking about what the biggest crowds are outside of those. As far as I can recall all the below games generated their crowds solely on the basis of form, importance and historical enmity. Let me know if you think any don't belong:

1722919483579.png


And this is the complete list of 'normal' games over 85k:

1722920857505.png
 

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Can't believe I missed this at the time: but Saturday night was the 6th time in a row that Collingwood/Carlton has topped 80k, the first time this has ever been achieved!

4 of the 6 games were over 86k.

To put that into perspective, Carl/Ess have only had 7 80k+ crowds ever, Coll/Rich only 6.
 
Can't believe I missed this at the time: but Saturday night was the 6th time in a row that Collingwood/Carlton has topped 80k, the first time this has ever been achieved!

4 of the 6 games were over 86k.

To put that into perspective, Carl/Ess have only had 7 80k+ crowds ever, Coll/Rich only 6.
Ye that’s great and all but isn’t it going to be amazing to watch Melbourne and port draw 15k on Saturday night? 💀 ⚰️
 
It will get them all along..

If they were smart, they would frame as a farewell to Benny too, don’t underestimate the love we have for the Chief too.

Hell bring back Peggy, Cotch, Rewoldt, Bach and Titch and in Benny and Dusty and celebrate a dynasty like last year and you might get 50K through the gate.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
Further to the Coll/Carl game being the biggest Sat night crowd here are all the other timeslots*:

View attachment 2070406

*Twilight is anything started from 4-5.30pm. Anything earlier is day, anything later is night. e.g. I don't have records for 3.20pm compared to 1.10pm

Obviously almost all are marquee games or special occasions which got me thinking about what the biggest crowds are outside of those. As far as I can recall all the below games generated their crowds solely on the basis of form, importance and historical enmity. Let me know if you think any don't belong:

View attachment 2070411


And this is the complete list of 'normal' games over 85k:

View attachment 2070427
You’d think as time goes on, Collingwo
 
This will really help push crowds for the daytime fixtures in round 24. Kids go free!View attachment 2071070

Good on them, last rounds normally do get a kick anyway to see their teams last game before the season is done (well for the teams not playing in finals).

For Dusty, if he was playing in the last game the crowd would be huge but for the lap of honour I still think a very good crowd will attend to say a final goodbye.

RD 24 locked in, we are playing the suns on Sat arvo. AFL have given us a good time ;)

dusty.jpg
 
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Good on them, last rounds normally do get a kick anyway to see their teams last game before the season is done (well for the teams not playing in finals).

For Dusty, if he was playing in the last game the crowd would be huge but for the lap of honour I still think a very good crowd will attend to say a final goodbye.

RD 24 locked in, we are playing the suns on Sat arvo. AFL have given us a good time ;)

View attachment 2071071
God, I am a sucker for a retro feel and that traditional time of 2:10 pm screams out the 90s for me!
 

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