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

[HPKS]

Ahh.

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

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.


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.

I agree with you about everything wasn’t utopia back in the day.

I don’t watch a great deal of AFL now not because it’s not exactly the same as the old days, I’m fed up with a game that is a pseudo national competition and the congestion. Open the game up n you’ll see how great the players of today really are.

The administrators do my head in. Congestion was an issue ten years ago but it’s taken till now for it to be seriously looked at. That’s as amateur as it gets.

 

[Tbonefreo]

Trust me, bub. The league's so far up its own arse and ingrained with irremovable bias and prejudice that I could start ignoring it tomorrow and not feel anything. I'm only around for my team.

Quality of the play is one thing. The mentality of the people who run it and the people who do what it takes for a paycheck (Michael Christian is the latest in a long line of scrap eaters) make it truly unbearable.

Yeah I agree fully. I get tired of the brainwashed argument that gc and gws are for the 'greater good'. Games a mess with the current administration.

Stick a zooper goal up your arse, random suit pricks

 

[citizen-erased]

I find it odd so many richmond supporters are not fans of the game given their team is the reigning premier.

When the Hawks were winning flags en masse, their supporters loved every aspect of it.

 

[Maylandsman]

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

a study of 15 - 20 year olds showed that 70-80% considered texting as face to face contact.

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.

let's see a 50m drop kick hit someone on the tit today.
not so long ago forwards had to earn their marks. now you can't chop arms making a backman's lot that more difficult whilst making a forwards job easier. no doubt players are fitter and stronger though.
'the more things change the more they stay the same' is an old adage I agree with. but in the case of footy I cannot concur. the powers that be are ruining the spectacle.

 

[Gavin Excell]

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.

While I tend to agree with you, I think the viewing audience has changed from one of tribal support to one seeking entertainment. Not anything wrong on that by the way, just different.

There are many things better today about the game than in days gone

 

[boncer34]

I agree with you about everything wasn’t utopia back in the day.

I don’t watch a great deal of AFL now not because it’s not exactly the same as the old days, I’m fed up with a game that is a pseudo national competition and the congestion. Open the game up n you’ll see how great the players of today really are.

The administrators do my head in. Congestion was an issue ten years ago but it’s taken till now for it to be seriously looked at. That’s as amateur as it gets.

Agreed congestion is a pain.

It's what makes me laugh so much about how skills are so poor now apparently. Yeah ok lets throw the footballers from the 80's and 90's into todays game and see them hit up a target with 20 blokes around him and see how their "much better" skill holds up.

 

[Gavin Excell]

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.

I got all these references with the exception of Jap Zeroes - what’s that

 

[PowerForGood]

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.

Absolutely correct and have said this a number of times.
The AFL has traded a committed supporter base for a larger "passive" supporter base. Financially that makes sense obviously. But it means you have to keep working for the next new trend or gimmick to keep the fans engaged because its not about the game.

Now has the AFL got it wrong, or just did what they had to do based on the modern culture? Probably a bit of both.

But there is no doubt that the game has fundamentally changed in terms of tactics and players because of professionalism, to the point where it is essentially a different sport to what it was a generation ago. And much as we oldies want to, it will never go back.

That amount of change means they are in a twilight zone between the 'old days' and a new environment that hasnt been bedded down yet (witness the constant tweaking of the rules). Hopefully the game can find a balance where they can leave it alone for a decade and let the spectators feel there is some stability.

Now, about those "commentators".......

 

[Bollox]

I got all these references with the exception of Jap Zeroes - what’s that

You whippersnappers never had to fight a bloody war whilst trying to get a kick, did ya !

 

[Maylandsman]

I find it odd so many richmond supporters are not fans of the game given their team is the reigning premier.

When the Hawks were winning flags en masse, their supporters loved every aspect of it.

nobody has said they are not fans of the game. can you draw a longer bow?
when things appear to be turning to shit we should ask why. irrespective of whom you support?

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Agreed congestion is a pain.

It's what makes me laugh so much about how skills are so poor now apparently. Yeah ok lets throw the footballers from the 80's and 90's into todays game and see them hit up a target with 20 blokes around him and see how their "much better" skill holds up.

I think people who keep saying this don't actually go to a game and realise how near impossible it is.
Go to country football game and you still see players hitting a leading forward constantly and that's got nothing to do with superior skills.

 

[Maylandsman]

You whippersnappers never had to fight a bloody war whilst trying to get a kick, did ya !

unfortunately many did have to stop playing to go and fight.
lest we forget.

 

[DangerSloane]

Just one sentence to sum this up.

This has been said every year for the last 20 and it doesnt happen.




Record crowds, both TV and live last season.

 

[Roobs321]

I have had this suspicion at times myself, but I still do love the game. I'll watch virtually any Eagles, Swans or Giants game I can get my hands on, and with moving to Brisbane recently and the resurgent Demons (two of my favourite clubs as a kid), those two are increasingly tune-ins for me as well. However, the days of being enthralled by virtually any match are long gone. You'll never see me eager to watch something like the Bulldogs vs Carlton on a friday night. I need that week-to-week familiarity with a side nowadays to stoke my interest, a team needs to impress its relevance on me, and the sides I don't care about I'm happy to see maybe a few times a year tops. My interest in thursday night teams, tipping, the draft and supercoach is also long gone, but when the football is good, and the teams you follow are good, it's all good. If you reach a point where you aren't at least checking scores daily over the weekend, then you are officially a casual fan.

AFL media since 2012 has steadily become distasteful, which makes my eagerness to watch anything AFL deeply conflicted, but if a team or matchup I enjoy is on, I'll tune in. ABC Radio and fox games are most tolerated by me at the moment.

I would like the juggernauts to return though. I miss the top couple teams who would develop rivalry narratives over a few seasons, and felt stimulated by coaching strategies like the Paddock, Flood, Cluster, Cage, Press, etc. but it hasn't really been there over the last few seasons. A free-for-all 8 is fun in the moment, but cheapens the carrot. If just feels like the footy gods are cramming fairy tales at the moment for long-starved vic clubs, as much as I'd love the Demons to join that fray I'm desperate for a non-Vic to take the cup from Victoria.

 

[chunkylover53]

Thread is fine and worthy of discussion - articulated well and not just another 'old fart whingeing' OP so no need to treat it as such.

I'm in my mid-twenties and have lost interest - maybe because I have other responsibilities now, but I genuinely struggle to sit through 4 quarters of any game ('yeah yeah lol I would too if I were a Carlton fan lel'). I actually enjoy the news (if it's worthy), discussing, the off-season, I play locally and have a very keen interests in a variety of local leagues, also don't mind popping my head in the VFL; so I still love the sport. But when it comes to watching a full game start to finish of AFL; half the time I am struggling to keep up with what free kick is being paid, who a lot of the players are and getting annoyed by the commentators make it all about themselves.

And don't start me with this weird push to commodify the living **** out of it. Drawing ideas from the Superbowl and trying to make AFL similar - are you serious? The Yanks are obsessed with loud noises, fireworks and gawking at celebrities; Australians have never had that in their culture so stop trying to make us enjoy it, we don't care, neither will the younger generation.

It is harder to enjoy the overall sport when your team is rubbish though.

 

[HPKS]

a study of 15 - 20 year olds showed that 70-80% considered texting as face to face contact.


let's see a 50m drop kick hit someone on the tit today.
not so long ago forwards had to earn their marks. now you can't chop arms making a backman's lot that more difficult whilst making a forwards job easier. no doubt players are fitter and stronger though.
'the more things change the more they stay the same' is an old adage I agree with. but in the case of footy I cannot concur. the powers that be are ruining the spectacle.

But with the drop kick the same can be said about the rolling goal from the point post or the snap. Back in the day if it was done it was like “wow did you see that dad” n he’d answer with “goal of the year” now it’s a lot more regular.

I don’t agree with what you say about chopping the arms, they aren’t contesting the ball at all, may as well allow a kick to the lower leg on the lead or the old punch in the back of the head. It’s basically the same.


Like I said previously the coaches have become way to important, get rid of the massive interchange rotations. The players are bigger n stronger now, reduce it to 16 a side n the game opens up with just those 2 changes n that congestion will be fixed pretty quick.

I know people will say it’s been 18 a side for years but it won’t change without drastic change.

On the recent/current administrators, I wouldn’t pi$$ on them if they were on fire.

 

[dave123]

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.

I used to watch the golf majors ...all four rounds .....

Same same ....no time ...gaming, Netflix, Stan ....tv ..there’s so much entertainment available ...

 

[db swannie]

Thread is fine and worthy of discussion - articulated well and not just another 'old fart whingeing' OP so no need to treat it as such.

I'm in my mid-twenties and have lost interest - maybe because I have other responsibilities now, but I genuinely struggle to sit through 4 quarters of any game ('yeah yeah lol I would too if I were a Carlton fan lel'). I actually enjoy the news (if it's worthy), discussing, the off-season, I play locally and have a very keen interests in a variety of local leagues, also don't mind popping my head in the VFL; so I still love the sport. But when it comes to watching a full game start to finish of AFL; half the time I am struggling to keep up with what free kick is being paid, who a lot of the players are and getting annoyed by the commentators make it all about themselves.

And don't start me with this weird push to commodify the living **** out of it. Drawing ideas from the Superbowl and trying to make AFL similar - are you serious? The Yanks are obsessed with loud noises, fireworks and gawking at celebrities; Australians have never had that in their culture so stop trying to make us enjoy it, we don't care, neither will the younger generation.

It is harder to enjoy the overall sport when your team is rubbish though.

You could've just written the last line first and deleted the rest!

 

[Coaster2012]

Footy isn't as big in primary schools as it used to be

I'd suggest that is because kids are placed in cotton wool these days.

 

[dave123]

A lot of good points

My team is top of the ladder and will be 10-1 after this week and even me ...I’m not that excited

I do not love the game as much as I did .....the expansion and total dilution of the league has seeen me lose interest

There is just so many crap games of footy that aren’t worth watching at all ....

What needs to change ....hmmmm ....I don’t know ....

 

[dave123]

I'd suggest that is because kids are placed in cotton wool these days.

Not sure about that

My two boys are 11 and 13 just love other sports more

We are into stand up paddle boarding and mountain biking ....hockey and volleyball

These sports for whatever reason my kids enjoy more and they were decent footy players too

 

[Maylandsman]

I don’t agree with what you say about chopping the arms, they aren’t contesting the ball at all, may as well allow a kick to the lower leg on the lead or the old punch in the back of the head. It’s basically the same.

each to their own and I respect that...
but for mine they are spoiling as it were. kicking the legs is tripping. punching in the back of the head was a by product of 'toughness' and making them 'earn it.' this was a blight.
players held their marks even when chopping was in place. it was a skill. now players can just kick it up high and be less reliant on precision...lace out.
there are bigger fish to fry in righting the skewed thinking from the top.

 

[Roobs321]

I used to watch the golf majors ...all four rounds .....

Same same ....no time ...gaming, Netflix, Stan ....tv ..there’s so much entertainment available ...

oh totally! I used to watch the Australian events thursday through Sunday. Religiously. Felt like I knew a score or so of Australian golfers intimately. It was my cricket test match type event (didn't really take interest in test match cricket till the 2006 Ashes series).

Surf Life Saving Ironman I also followed passionately (as a kid who did nippers and teen lifeguarding), but the last 20 years has been a vicious decline. That and golf were a big part of my childhood sport viewing, seemingly lost to nostalgia now. At least the golf still gets adequate coverage, even if the local tour isn't what it once was.

 

[Coaster2012]

Not sure about that

My two boys are 11 and 13 just love other sports more

We are into stand up paddle boarding and mountain biking ....hockey and volleyball

These sports for whatever reason my kids enjoy more and they were decent footy players too

Globalization and internet probably have something to do with it too, they are just exposed to so much more now. I remember as a kid having to wait an entire week to get NBA results.

 

[HPKS]

each to their own and I respect that...
but for mine they are spoiling as it were. kicking the legs is tripping. punching in the back of the head was a by product of 'toughness' and making them 'earn it.' this was a blight.
players held their marks even when chopping was in place. it was a skill. now players can just kick it up high and be less reliant on precision...lace out.
there are bigger fish to fry in righting the skewed thinking from the top.

Yes there is definitely bigger issues