Play Nice 2024 AFL and State League Attendance

[Hawkk]

Just looking forward to the future here.. Collingwood are set to smash their own home match attendance record this H&A season and could be the first team to ever average 70,000 or more.

So far the pies have hosted 6 matches for a total attendance of 374,092 (62,349 avg.). Two of those six were Marvel games.

The following home fixtures await the pies in the run home:

Collingwood vs Essendon (MCG) - 82-86k
Collingwood vs Geelong (MCG) - 75-83k
Collingwood vs Richmond (MCG) - 71-83k
Collingwood vs Carlton (MCG) - 84-89k
Collingwood vs Brisbane (MCG) - 62-83k *big dependance on lions form here

*bold denotes public sell-out already

Taking a mid-point of all these estimated crowds, we get a total season home attendance of 773,000, equating to an average crowd of 70,273 per game!

The previous highest season total and average were 720,698 and 65,518 respectively, set by Collingwood just last season.

How high will Collingwood go? How soon until this seasons' attendance record is surpassed?

Two, possibly three sell outs in that list, plus sell outs against North (Marvel), the Suns (GC) and Swans (SCG).

Added to that are games against the Giants, Lions (Gabba), Hawks (AO), Ess (ANZAC), Carl (MCG), Frem (Optus), the WB (Marvel) and Melb (KB) and that's 13 or 14 sold out games plus Syd, Geel, Haw and Rich which could all be over 70k, and then St K, Adel, PA, (and BL) which all drew over 60k.

No other club can compete with that, half the Melb clubs only have a dozen games over 60k in their entire history let alone in a season!

 

[The_Wookie]

When was the last time 3 clubs averaged almost 60,000 or higher



Blues, Dons 2 games so far at Docklands, so that average will drop off with 4 or more still to come.
Pies 2 games so far at Docklands but rest of the season is at the G so a lift to be expected there.

Blues/Cats in R16 should go big
Pies/Bombers in R18 should be massive
Pies/Cats in R19 should be huge
Pies/Blues in R22 is going to massive

Tigers/Blues in R17 would be massive if a Blues home game

 

[Peacock]

I don't think you are getting where he is coming from......he is claiming both Carlton and Essendon are being persecuted by the AFL!

Well lets see what happens when the Bombers Docklands deal is up. If the AFL rolls out the red carpet and allows them to move to the G then there clearly isn't a "conspiracy" against them, only us. And it's not a conspiracy it's a strategy, their "Carlton strategy" is to keep us at Docklands forever, I think everyone can agree that's pretty obvious.

If all the other Victorian clubs are so keen to keep Docklands then they should be playing more games there and pulling their weight.

Not at all. You just don't get it.

-Fremantle, who made the 8 last year

Say what?

 

[Walshawk]

A lot of confusion on Tiger Twitter re ticketing for Saturday.

Club email tonight confirms it is a fully ticketed game causing angst for members who thought they could just scan In on the day and looks like they have missed out and also members who have bought GA tickets with concern as they don’t have an allocated seat.

Hawk replacement members confused too.

I really did think they would just have a huge GA roll out and potentially steal a bay or two off the probably under-utilised MCC or AFL Reserve.

Restricted view went on sale briefly again today beside the screens but nothing else left again.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Ticket allocations have been pretty much exhausted since Monday, yet no AFL announcements. Weird.

 

[ep12]

A lot of confusion on Tiger Twitter re ticketing for Saturday.

Club email tonight confirms it is a fully ticketed game causing angst for members who thought they could just scan In on the day and looks like they have missed out and also members who have bought GA tickets with concern as they don’t have an allocated seat.

Hawk replacement members confused too.

I really did think they would just have a huge GA roll out and potentially steal a bay or two off the probably under-utilised MCC or AFL Reserve.

Restricted view went on sale briefly again today beside the screens but nothing else left again.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

MCC reserved seating is up to row X (just over 60% of the way to the top) all the way around the reserve

 

[ep12]

Ticket allocations have been pretty much exhausted since Monday, yet no AFL announcements. Weird.

Its because its not sold out yet. There will be additional allocations that get sporadically released (unused corporates, areas held back for various reasons). Only when all these are used up does the AFL House tweet that its sold out.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

 

[Underarm]

Ticket allocations have been pretty much exhausted since Monday, yet no AFL announcements. Weird.

Since they waited so long to make it fully ticketed, they've limited the last tickets to just Members and are trying to get the message out that you need to book and can't scan in.

So currently the only tickets left are q32 row X-MM.

 

[Walshawk]

Since they waited so long to make it fully ticketed, they've limited the last tickets to just Members and are trying to get the message out that you need to book and can't scan in.

So currently the only tickets left are q32 row X-MM.

I hope it sells out, There are thousands of Hawks supporters who would like to buy tickets if Tiger members don’t take them up.

 

[Underarm]

I hope it sells out, There are thousands of Hawks supporters who would like to buy tickets if Tiger members don’t take them up.

Isn't it a replacement game? Or is it sold out for those members as well?

 

[weewilly]

I hope it sells out, There are thousands of Hawks supporters who would like to buy tickets if Tiger members don’t take them up.

The weather forecast is good so no reason not to get another record crowd easily = at least 70K plus.

"Round 12, 1980, at the MCG, is when the record attendance for a Tigers-Hawks H & A encounter was established – 57,572.

Since then, only twice have matches between the two sides attracted crowds of more than 50,000 – 52,562 in Round 21, 1994 at the MCG, and 52,189 in Round 14, 2001, also at the ‘G".

 

[Hawkk]

The weather forecast is good so no reason not to get another record crowd easily.

"Round 12, 1980, at the MCG, is when the record attendance for a Tigers-Hawks H & A encounter was established – 57,572.

Since then, only twice have matches between the two sides attracted crowds of more than 50,000 – 52,562 in Round 21, 1994 at the MCG, and 52,189 in Round 14, 2001, also at the ‘G".

That's wrong.



Seven home and away games have outdrawn that attendance since 2013.

In fact, if 80,000 turn up on Sunday the average MCG attendance (not including Covid years) will be 60,000 plus.

 

[manicmagpie]

When was the last time 3 clubs averaged almost 60,000 or higher

View attachment 2018217

Blues, Dons 2 games so far at Docklands, so that average will drop off with 4 or more still to come.
Pies 2 games so far at Docklands but rest of the season is at the G so a lift to be expected there.

Blues/Cats in R16 should go big
Pies/Bombers in R18 should be massive
Pies/Cats in R19 should be huge
Pies/Blues in R22 is going to massive

Tigers/Blues in R17 would be massive if a Blues home game

I've got the Pies beating last year's record total (H&A + Gather) by enough to break through the 1.4 million mark for the season.

I've also got both Carlton and Essendon smashing their own record totals, with both beating Richmond's 2018 total as the largest non-Collingwood seasons ever.

For home crowds only (no Gather Round) Collingwood will smash their own record - the only question is whether we will hit a 70k average. It will be touch and go.

Carlton should set a home record for a team playing a majority of home games at Docklands.

 

[Hawkk]

Isn't it a replacement game? Or is it sold out for those members as well?

Very limited allocations, with a small allocation being set aside according to an email yesterday.

I know this is Richmond and Dusty, but it will likely be an issue for the Carlton game in a few weeks as well - which drew 66,317 and 66,307 in 2022 and 2023, when Carlton and Hawthorn were bottom 4.

The member replacement model worked pre 2007 but with substantially larger crowds and far greater membership reserves its no longer value for money (or perhaps it's better as the Hawks can minimize the amount they need to pay the opposition club for every member who rocks up)

 

[Hawkk]

When was the last time 3 clubs averaged almost 60,000 or higher

View attachment 2018217

Blues, Dons 2 games so far at Docklands, so that average will drop off with 4 or more still to come.
Pies 2 games so far at Docklands but rest of the season is at the G so a lift to be expected there.

Blues/Cats in R16 should go big
Pies/Bombers in R18 should be massive
Pies/Cats in R19 should be huge
Pies/Blues in R22 is going to massive

Tigers/Blues in R17 would be massive if a Blues home game

You can also add Blues v Hawks to that list too, which has drawn 66,300 the last two years in the supporter friendly early Sunday slot.



And that was when Carlton was bottom 6 and Hawthorn were bottom 3. With decent weather that could draw mid 70,000’s

 

[dave10]

I've got the Pies beating last year's record total (H&A + Gather) by enough to break through the 1.4 million mark for the season.

I've also got both Carlton and Essendon smashing their own record totals, with both beating Richmond's 2018 total as the largest non-Collingwood seasons ever.

For home crowds only (no Gather Round) Collingwood will smash their own record - the only question is whether we will hit a 70k average. It will be touch and go.

Carlton should set a home record for a team playing a majority of home games at Docklands.

I am not best to analyse all crowds but the Bombers, a few thoughts.

I don’t think they will set the record, they need to be legit finals threats, otherwise the neutrals won’t go and the big games won’t be viewed genuine blockbusters which are needed to draw big numbers. Example recent Geelong / Carlton game was deemed a top 4 heavyweight contest and people came from everywhere to see it.

Examples. Geelong Vs Essendon in two weeks. Bad slot (Sat night for travelling Cats fans), Cats home game, Bombers not beating Blues takes oxygen. Won’t get neutrals in required numbers. 75,000+ quickly could be ~60,000.

Demons three weeks away, and now floundering. Dee’s home game so at this stage this could be a relative disappointment crowd of 50-55,000..

Things can change but for Essendon to land the numbers driving your forecast Essendon need to be the genuine finals worthy team that draws the big blockbuster interest levels that fill the member reserves and get footy followers along. Stand corrected but I doubt Essendon are at this point in their on field journey at this point.

 

[ep12]

I am not best to analyse all crowds but the Bombers, a few thoughts.

I don’t think they will set the record, they need to be legit finals threats, otherwise the neutrals won’t go and the big games won’t be viewed genuine blockbusters which are needed to draw big numbers. Example recent Geelong / Carlton game was deemed a top 4 heavyweight contest and people came from everywhere to see it.

Examples. Geelong Vs Essendon in two weeks. Bad slot (Sat night for travelling Cats fans), Cats home game, Bombers not beating Blues takes oxygen. Won’t get neutrals in required numbers. 75,000+ quickly could be ~60,000.

Demons three weeks away, and now floundering. Dee’s home game so at this stage this could be a relative disappointment crowd of 50-55,000..

Things can change but for Essendon to land the numbers driving your forecast Essendon need to be the genuine finals worthy team that draws the big blockbuster interest levels that fill the member reserves and get footy followers along. Stand corrected but I doubt Essendon are at this point in their on field journey at this point.

I would be absolutely asstounded if Melbourne Essendon gets above 50,000 on a Saturday night on our form.
We'd have to beat North, Brisbane (we wont) and West Coast in the next three weeks for it be above 50,000.

 

[dave10]

I would be absolutely asstounded if Melbourne Essendon gets above 50,000 on a Saturday night on our form.
We'd have to beat North, Brisbane (we wont) and West Coast in the next three weeks for it be above 50,000.

Assuming Essendon don’t get flogged by Cats, then Pies, rendered then as pretenders, Essendon are good for 30,000 as an away team as long as this game has some reasonably weight to it. That ensures 50-55k as a minimum.

Looking back through the years, rarely does a Melbourne / Essendon crowd really disappoint. The base crowd for even lowly ladder positions each side is usually still ~45,000. That said, Demons home game in the traditionally poor slot will impact the crowd.

 

[Walshawk]

Isn't it a replacement game? Or is it sold out for those members as well?

It was, but we have not had access to any tickets since Monday (some restricted view excepted). Our barcodes don’t work. Tigers members only.

If you know any way to get tickets, please let me know.

 

[manicmagpie]

No other club can compete with that, half the Melb clubs only have a dozen games over 60k in their entire history let alone in a season!

There's a few potential records out of this season in relation to large crowds.

In terms of the whole league, we just need:

10/11 crowds over 60k to match/break the record # for a season
3/4 crowds over 70k to match/break the record
3/4 crowds over 80k to match/break the record

All of these should be accomplished.

Individually, Collingwood should complete the set of getting 60k+ at every MCG game for the season and end up with 14, beating last year's record of 13.

We should also set records for crowds of 50k+ (currently 14 - we should end up with 15) and 70k+ (currently 9, we should end up with 9-11).

Both Carlton and Collingwood have a chance at setting a record for 80k+ games. The record is currently 6 (Coll 2023).

Carlton already have 4 this season and have chances against Geelong, Richmond and Collingwood still to come.

Collingwood have 3 so far and have chances against Essendon, Carlton, Geelong and less likely but still possible ones against Hawthorn, Richmond and Melbourne.

 

[manicmagpie]

I am not best to analyse all crowds but the Bombers, a few thoughts.

I don’t think they will set the record, they need to be legit finals threats, otherwise the neutrals won’t go and the big games won’t be viewed genuine blockbusters which are needed to draw big numbers. Example recent Geelong / Carlton game was deemed a top 4 heavyweight contest and people came from everywhere to see it.

Examples. Geelong Vs Essendon in two weeks. Bad slot (Sat night for travelling Cats fans), Cats home game, Bombers not beating Blues takes oxygen. Won’t get neutrals in required numbers. 75,000+ quickly could be ~60,000.

Demons three weeks away, and now floundering. Dee’s home game so at this stage this could be a relative disappointment crowd of 50-55,000..

Things can change but for Essendon to land the numbers driving your forecast Essendon need to be the genuine finals worthy team that draws the big blockbuster interest levels that fill the member reserves and get footy followers along. Stand corrected but I doubt Essendon are at this point in their on field journey at this point.

As a counterpoint, Essendon have banked a lot of their big crowds already.

And even if your pessimistic take is true there's a lot of Docklands crowds coming up that will stay around 40k anyway. There's only really the Geelong and Melbourne games that have the potential to fall significantly short, and the Geelong game should come on the back of a win against WC with Essendon sitting around the top 4.

You've got enough winnable games throughout to keep you well within the 8 and the ladder is so tight it will only take one win from one of the challenging games to have you continue to challenge for the top 4.

 

[Underarm]

It was, but we have not had access to any tickets since Monday (some restricted view excepted). Our barcodes don’t work. Tigers members only.

If you know any way to get tickets, please let me know.

Ah yeah that's a little messed up. But even now I imagine there's a tonne of Richmond members who still don't know it's now a reserved seat game and they cant just scan in so I get why they're being prioritised.

Hawks fans could buy a $65 richmond membership to access those seats, or scrounge an AFL members barcode?

 

[Walshawk]

Ah yeah that's a little messed up. But even now I imagine there's a tonne of Richmond members who still don't know it's now a reserved seat game and they cant just scan in so I get why they're being prioritised.

Hawks fans could buy a $65 richmond membership to access those seats, or scrounge an AFL members barcode?

Ticketek now has all tickets exhausted. Why no standing room for sale?

 

[AstuteTiger]

I hope it sells out, There are thousands of Hawks supporters who would like to buy tickets if Tiger members don’t take them up.

Here's the thing there's nothing available and I keep reading Post after post on Facebook and Instagram tiger members saying they can't get tickets.
Most tiger members have snapped up every possible ticket available.

I've checked in the AFL reserve pretty much all gone and also checked in the public reserve (inputted member barcode), same pretty much nothing left.

 

[Colossal Snagger]

Here's the thing there's nothing available and I keep reading Post after post on Facebook and Instagram tiger members saying they can't get tickets.
Most tiger members have snapped up every possible ticket available.

I've checked in the AFL reserve pretty much all gone and also checked in the public reserve (inputted member barcode), same pretty much nothing left.

On top of this in the MCC, reserve seating is now all the way to the back row. Will be very close to sold out by game time on Saturday. Could we nudge 85k here?