AFL is on the decline - the younger generation is just not that into you

[threesixpio]

great aussie sentence!

I do my bit to ensure that our native tongue is not diluted against a new wave of people who watch American football

 

[threesixpio]

The interest in the game has never been greater. Although, nowadays people have many more options. The game is now marketed for people's convenience. You can watch the game live at home if you choose or go to the game.

With 18 teams these days, fans can go missing more often because of lack of success. But when they start to win they come out of the woodwork. That's a bit of problem because kids hate losing all the time.

When kids get to age of 18 to 30 they have many more options like going out every Frid & Sat or travelling the world. When they have their own kids & those kids reach 5 plus they start the cycle again.

At least 98% of kids will never be good enough to play elite sport. Kids will dream early on at playing in the big time but the difference in the future will be when a kid realises he or she are not good enough, they are less likely to play mature sport. There will always be elite programs & you will always get all the elite kids playing. A bit like in the USA

I still love the game. Only thing, when will my bloody team start winning for a change.

Yep. There is definitely an age cycle with it although some don’t drop off in their twenties

 

[Gavin Excell]

I do my bit to ensure that our native tongue is not diluted against a new wave of people who watch American football

What’s life at the rural outpost like?

 

[threesixpio]

What’s life at the rural outpost like?

I’m about to drive away from it. So yes I don’t live there. Here for work

 

[Marc_Remillard]

The Auskick and junior clubs in our area have far more numbers than ever. We do a lot of work with parents from local schools, most kids that come in with their folks play juniors, own footy gear and bring footys in to play around with.

Not sure what areas everyone is from but Yarra valley isn’t seeing a decline in kids and footy.

That's because young families are being forced to live furher out so naturally there's going to be a larger concentration in those areas. The Auskick program is also driven by the parents.

I'm referring to what kids are doing in school time without the direction of their parents

 

[Madtiger2006]

Once the young wog generation realise they won’t make it in international soccer they will turn to the mans game

 

[demontim27]

That's because young families are being forced to live furher out so naturally there's going to be a larger concentration in those areas. The Auskick program is also driven by the parents.

I'm referring to what kids are doing in school time without the direction of their parents

So was I? We work with two of the local schools, and a few of our clients are teachers (and a lot are child care workers). The decline in kids support is either exaggerated or area based.

 

[dave123]

Saturation has made me less enthused about our game ...too many games ...

Meaninglesss ones already. Quality of product is a concern

My boys 11 and 13 love the game but dont watch much ...hmmm other entertainment like fortnite has an impact also

 

[Maylandsman]

So was I? We work with two of the local schools, and a few of our clients are teachers (and a lot are child care workers). The decline in kids support is either exaggerated or area based.

area based.
we have encouraging numbers at auskick...24 kids in a town 0f 2k.
when the kids get older (year 4) they go play for the Rams 100 clicks away.
the rams are struggling as is the whole area. without our town they would not exist.
they have had to join up with two other clubs in the area to form an under 16s.
and the biggest problem I see apart from numbers...is lack of parent involvement.
no one wants to run auskick here so I do the whole lot...coordinate, coach, set up, umpire and everything else in between including washing jumpers and half time oranges.
it has always been the way during my involvement. parents sitting n their fat arses not helping and that expectation someone else will do it. I leave this town next and have been trying to get parents on board to ready for that transition...not on your nellie. someone else will do it.

 

[demontim27]

area based.
we have encouraging numbers at auskick...24 kids in a town 0f 2k.
when the kids get older (year 4) they go play for the Rams 100 clicks away.
the rams are struggling as is the whole area. without our town they would not exist.
they have had to join up with two other clubs in the area to form an under 16s.
and the biggest problem I see apart from numbers...is lack of parent involvement.
no one wants to run auskick here so I do the whole lot...coordinate, coach, set up, umpire and everything else in between including washing jumpers and half time oranges.
it has always been the way during my involvement. parents sitting n their fat arses not helping and that expectation someone else will do it. I leave this town next and have been trying to get parents on board to ready for that transition...not on your nellie. someone else will do it.

Valley isn’t really remote these days, more considered outer suburbs. Understand about what you’re saying though. It’s tough for rural areas. My old club lost their under 18s side because no one could be ****ed driving past 3 other clubs to get there. That’s the only real side I’ve seen fold.

 

[Maylandsman]

Saturation has made me less enthused about our game ...too many games ...

same as horse racing. saturation and the ease to sit at home and bet in killing life at the track.
my boy plays a grade for his private school but you have to drag him out to watch footy.
and with fortnite and minecraft and a million other games there is little wonder they are turning off the telly.
more concerning is kids are not over the oval playing king of the pack or kick to kick and honing their skills...they are on the screens and this also contributes to diluting the product.

 

[dave123]

It’s time also

People are time poor ...

 

[dave123]

same as horse racing. saturation and the ease to sit at home and bet in killing life at the track.
my boy plays a grade for his private school but you have to drag him out to watch footy.
and with fortnite and minecraft and a million other games there is little wonder they are turning off the telly.
more concerning is kids are not over the oval playing king of the pack or kick to kick and honing their skills...they are on the screens and this also contributes to diluting the product.

100% agree

 

[Ocker]

I was born in the 70s and I lived for footy.

I played as often as I could, and I listened to games on the radio, watched highlights and was generally engaged with my club, obsessed even. I was in the majority as well, most kids my age, most people I knew, even older where the same.

Nowadays, with kids, even adults under say 25, that level of commitment and engagement is the exception, not the rule.

Most people take it or leave it as far as the AFL goes, some have a passing interest, I would put it to you that most people do not really care.

I feel like the glory days of the AFL are over. Crowds when you compare apples with apples over time will decline, and ratings will continue to go down as well. This is especially true with these two things when you adjust for population growth.

The AFL is in trouble, maybe not now, but in the future this comp will be battling, and the reason is that rusted on supporters are a dying breed. Plastic corporates like Gil running the show do not help either just quietly.

Same vintage as you mate and 100% agree with your points. The AFL had meddled and tinkered too much, the game seems to have lost a bit of its soul. Kinda feels manipulated / fabricated. Worst factor is that the umpiring is getting too close to the point of determining results in games...use to be that if you didn't notice the umps then it was a good game. This never happens now.

 

[mr bagcroft]

AFL is nearly as bad as Nazi Germany...minus the killing people thing...
their propaganda is rolled gold A1 superstar standard.
Wouldnt believe one single thing they try and tell us,ever.

 

[Ocker]

What a rubbish thread.

What a rubbish comment

 

[boncer34]

What a rubbish comment

Actually my comment was highly accurate. Just another "in my day things were better" wankfest.

Don't see anywhere near enough of those on here.

 

[Maylandsman]

What a rubbish comment

excellent point.
agree entirely with the umpires as well. they are having an impact on games and now this score review bullshit.
it has to go. I liked in when players pleaded their case as to having touched it.
now we see reviews from 50 out and see it tipped a finger...point.

 

[mr bagcroft]

Actually my comment was highly accurate. Just another "in my day things were better" wankfest.

Don't see anywhere near enough of those on here.

You know, sometimes, just sometimes, things WERE actually better and have not progressed in a positive light.
Or we can just continue to trot out the "I know better than you, your old" smartarse back handed digs.

 

[Ocker]

Actually my comment was highly accurate. Just another "in my day things were better" wankfest.

Don't see anywhere near enough of those on here.

Thats because things WERE better...being the whole point.

You know, when people actually eye balled each other to converse rather that live life through a 5 inch screen....for starters.

 

[HPKS]

Actually my comment was highly accurate. Just another "in my day things were better" wankfest.

Don't see anywhere near enough of those on here.

Back in the day skills were nowhere near what they are now, players are fitter & stronger now and game plans back then revolved around get it n kick it to the big bloke at FF.

But we’ve lost a lot to. One on one contests as Scarlett pointed out at the HOF, Characters, tribalism and the local kids staying in the local area giving kids something to look up to. Plus the over congestion of the game and the coaches becoming way to important. Commentators used to rip into the umpy because of a shit decision.

Some things back then absolutely shit over the game now just as some things now shit over the game back then.

It’s about finding a balance.

 

[boncer34]

Thats because things WERE better...being the whole point.

You know, when people actually eye balled each other to converse rather that live life through a 5 inch screen....for starters.

Ahh.

You're one of those people, I'll leave you to your bitter rants.

 

[boncer34]

You know, sometimes, just sometimes, things WERE actually better and have not progressed in a positive light.
Or we can just continue to trot out the "I know better than you, your old" smartarse back handed digs.

Except of course you know, sometimes, just sometimes, things have progressed in a positive light and "I know better coz I'm older and my era was better" is just rubbish.

Back in the day skills were nowhere near what they are now, players are fitter & stronger now and game plans back then revolved around get it n kick it to the big bloke at FF.

But we’ve lost a lot to. One on one contests as Scarlett pointed out at the HOF, Characters, tribalism and the local kids staying in the local area giving kids something to look up to. Plus the over congestion of the game and the coaches becoming way to important. Commentators used to rip into the umpy because of a shit decision.

Some things back then absolutely shit over the game now just as some things now shit over the game back then.

It’s about finding a balance.

I fully agree with you. But that's not what the peanuts I'm disagreeing with are saying is it? They're busy having their "in my day the world was a golden paradise and now its shit coz I'm not enjoying being older as much as when I was younger" rants.

 

[Bollox]

Preferred it when i could simply scoff a burger with the lot at qtr time and some biffo in the 2rd and 3rd qtrs, then go off and shoot down a couple of jap zero's in the last.
On Monday you knew all the kids at the steelworks would be talking footy when the boss gave us a 2 minute break in the arvo.
It all changed when they brought in womens dunnies at the ground, and those pinko lezzo commo purse carrying squat to piss water cooler things. We would ride our malvern stars 50 miles thru opposition territory just to find a park with a bubbler, and pick on the fat wog kid before heading home to our lambs fry and turnip stew that mum butted her *** into. Dad would come home pissed and beat the shit out of us before having a skin full and cuffing mum for not doing the dishes before pick-a-box came on the black and white.
I miss it man.
These days all these bloody sheila's want to come off just for a broken bone or when both their eyes closed over. I remember when it took half an hour after the game with a back hoe just to find Bobby Skilton buried in the mud at Moorabbin or Vic Park.

 

[Roobs321]

Agreed. Loved watching rhe Wallabies in late 90s right through to early 2010s. Now couldn't give a shit about them.

The Rugby World Cup is always good value, but the constantly shifty makeup of the Rugby Union Super competition has never been a good look. I'd only get interested if I moved to New Zealand.

I grew up in Rugby League territory, so became highly fluent. But my interest has waned over the past decade, I'll tune in for the final series and maybe bits of Origin but that's about it. Growing up in the culture, in school and the newspapers, was a major reason why I got interested, as well as things like beach footy. Whenever the Canberra Raiders make the finals I bandwagon fiercely, but otherwise it's a passing interest.

A fact of getting older is that you don't have as much time available for spectator sports as you once did, or interests have diversified. I used to be a fierce follower of the Tour de France from the late 90s through early 10s, but coupled with increasing dislike for late nights, I seldom watch it nowadays.