Play Nice 2024 AFL and State League Attendance

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Define "heaps".
If it genuinely is taken up by corporates or sponsors or whatever, you can imagine them not being invested in sitting in their seat or even leaving early, especially if a greater proportion of them do not support either team (corporate tickets often do end up in the hands of a fan supporting a team, such as sponsoring companies knowing who supports what teams, or people giving them to the friend they know supports the team or whatever).

It doesn't mean that they didn't scan in in the first place though.
 

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There are always thousands of people walking around the concourse and lining up for food and drinks at every moment of the game, jfc.
 
If it genuinely is taken up by corporates or sponsors or whatever, you can imagine them not being invested in sitting in their seat
Spot on. I got a corporate ticket for a recent NRL final, and all 18 people attended however there was never more than 50% sitting in their seats at any one time. Many people had barely more than a passing interest in the actual game and spent the time eating, drinking and socialising. The AFL Grand Final would be the same.
 
This year has comfortably beaten the record crowd between non Victorian teams.

The previous best was 97,431 in 2006 - the only other post MCG redevelopment non Vic GF.

Second highest crowd for both teams, including their Victorian ancestors.
 
Another suspect grand final attendance. Heaps of empty seats in the public reserve and no justification for them to be in the bars front eh start of the game.
You're right about it being suspect, wrong about the reasoning.

There's no way the crowd numbers would be so consistantly similar when the only variable is how many MCC members rock up each year.
 

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NRL-
According to Roy Morgan the number of Australians who attended an NRL game increased from 1,273,000 in 2019/20 to 2,003,000 in 2023/24. This represent 730,000 more Australians attending an NRL game or a 57.3% increase.

According to AFLTables the NRL average home and away game attendance (excluding NZ games) increased from 14,955 in 2019 to 19,640 in 2023. This represents 4,610 more attending per NRL game or a 30.7% increase.

According to AFLTables the NRL home and away total season attendance (excluding NZ games) was 2,691,927 in 2019, which with 1,273,000 Australians attending a game suggest they on average attended 2.1 games each back then.

According to AFLTables the NRL home and away total season attendance (excluding NZ games) was 3,734,404 in 2023, which with 2,003,000 Australians attending a game suggest they on average attended 1.8 games each now which seems bad.

AFL-
According to Roy Morgan the number of Australians who attended an AFL game increased from 3,010,000 in 2019/20 to 3,668,000 in 2023/24. This represent 658,000 more Australians attending an AFL game or a 21.8% increase.

According to AFLTables the AFL average home and away game attendance increased from 35,122 in 2019 to 36,110 in 2023. This represents 988 more attending per AFL game or a 2.8% increase.

According to AFLTables the AFL home and away total season attendance was 6,954,187 in 2019, which with 3,010,000 Australians attending a game suggest they on average attended 2.3 games each back then.

According to AFLTables the AFL home and away total season attendance was 7,474,684 in 2023, which with 3,668,000 Australians attending a game suggest they on average attended 2.0 games each now which also seems bad.

Summary-
With the average number of games people attend decreasing for both the AFL and NRL it means there is a larger increase in people attending one game per season than there is of people attending multiple games a season.

When you consider the number of people with 11 home game memberships or 3 game memberships, then how many people are only attending 1 game per season, to result in the average number of games attended per season to be around the 2 games per season mark.

For the NRL (rounded)-
1,000,000 people attending 1 game results in 1,000,000 people averaging 2.7 games.
1,500,000 people attending 1 game results in 500,000 people averaging 4.4 games.
1,700,000 people attending 1 game results in 300,000 people averaging 6.8 games.

For the AFL (rounded)-
1,000,000 people attending 1 game results in 2,650,000 people averaging 2.4 games.
2,500,000 people attending 1 game results in 1,150,000 people averaging 4.3 games.
3,000,000 people attending 1 game results in 650,000 people averaging 6.9 games.

Edit: perhaps I should have run these numbers including finals attendances, because how many people may have attended a final as their single game for the season.

Regardless, it seems like there is about 5-7 times as many people who attend a single AFL or NRL game a season compared to the number of people who attend multiple games a season.

If the AFL could get 1,000,000 of those 3,000,000 people who only attend one game a year to actually attend two games a year, the average attendance would increase by 5,000 people (rounded).

If the NRL could get 500,000 of those 1,700,000 people who only attend one game a year to actually attend two games a year, the average attendance would increase by 2,500 people (rounded).
 
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For the NRL (rounded)-
1,700,000 people attending 1 game results in 300,000 people averaging 6.8 games.

For the AFL (rounded)-
3,000,000 people attending 1 game results in 650,000 people averaging 6.9 games.

To put this another way, of the 16 Australian NRL teams, they on average get 106,000 people attending one game each, 18,750 people attending multiple games a season.

Of the 18 AFL teams, they on average get 167,000 people attending one game each, 36,000 people attending multiple games a season.

In summary, it’s too hard to say exact numbers, and there could be a lot of people attending 2 and 3 games a season which reduces the number of people attending only 1 game a season. But there are a lot of people only attending 1 game in an NRL or AFL season.
 
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To put this another way, of the 16 Australian NRL teams, they on average get 106,000 people attending one game each, 18,750 people attending multiple games a season.

Of the 18 AFL teams, they on average get 167,000 people attending one game each, 36,000 people attending multiple games a season.

In summary, it’s too hard to say exact numbers, and there could be a lot of people attending 2 and 3 games a season which reduces the number of people attending only 1 game a season. But there are a lot of people only attending 1 game in an NRL or AFL season.

Or the numbers are highly inflated with people who went to a game last year or the year before stating they attended this year etc.

IIRC they had a breakdown by city a few years ago and according to their figures almost nobody in Sydney could have gone to a game more than once.
 
Some snippets for next year

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...s-story/e0456309095d32115ee2fad4ac4f6811?amp#

  • Essendon and Carlton want an extra MCG game each (Dons to split 5/6 and Blues 6/5).
  • Hawthorn and Essendon to play in Round 1 again (third year in a row and fourth time in five years)
  • Hawthorn, North and the Dogs to play VFL/AFL centenary fixtures
  • Cats to play Hawks in Easter Monday at the MCG

Regarding the 1925 celebration games, why not replay the first round like they did in 1996…

In which case:

Hawthorn v Richmond at the MCG
North Melbourne v Geelong at Marvel
W Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions at Marvel


IMG_7230.jpeg
 
Dogs are requesting home MCG for 100th year I think.

Interestingly enough the Dogs surveyed members if they would attend MCG home games if given in the future.

Last time the Dogs had a non final mcg home game was in 2006 vs Adelaide. It drew 29988, more than typical Dockland crowds. Although was delayed telecast by channel 10
 
That doesn’t help meet the quota at Marvel.

If Blues and Doms get an extra MCG game, you would assume that Melbourne and Richmond get an extra Marvel game (Dees play none and Tigers only one).

I’ve said this for years but once Tasmania comes in, I would love to see Essendon, Carlton and Hawthorn all have a 6/5 MCG / Marvel split of games.

Leave Collingwood, Richmond and Melbourne at the MCG full time and you have a 3 / 3 / 3 MCG / Hybrid / Marvel mix in Melbourne.

Fix up the stadium deals and allow the Marvel clubs to play home finals at Marvel - we used to have a Waverley final every year so we have precedence if the AFL can secure a deal with the MCC (more Essendon and Carlton games will help)

The security will allow the clubs to sell 11 home game packages with a reserve seat for all games
 
I’ve said this for years but once Tasmania comes in, I would love to see Essendon, Carlton and Hawthorn all have a 6/5 MCG / Marvel split of games.

Leave Collingwood, Richmond and Melbourne at the MCG full time and you have a 3 / 3 / 3 MCG / Hybrid / Marvel mix in Melbourne.

Fix up the stadium deals and allow the Marvel clubs to play home finals at Marvel - we used to have a Waverley final every year so we have precedence if the AFL can secure a deal with the MCC (more Essendon and Carlton games will help)

The security will allow the clubs to sell 11 home game packages with a reserve seat for all games

Aren't the hawks gonna play their extra games in Cairns going forward? I think it's important at least a few games are played in nq each year, whether that's the hawks or another team it doesn't particularly matter.
 
Aren't the hawks gonna play their extra games in Cairns going forward? I think it's important at least a few games are played in nq each year, whether that's the hawks or another team it doesn't particularly matter.
That is the talk, however details have not been tabled. I think that would be a massive step back for Hawthorn given it’s membership, crowds and finances
 

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