AFL overtaking NRL in QLD

[Bjo187]

When the state government built Perth Stadium cricket and football were separate.
Perth was crying out for a new oval stadium. cricket wanted NO PART of the new stadium.
The WACA was a very good option, saving the government many $ millions but cricket wanted NO PART of the new stadium.
The first thing cricket did after the build was schedule games at the new stadium.
games that drew well under the minimum break even point.

Just like in Tassie, albo made sure the afl drained the coffers and had to put $15 mil into the stadium there 'I want a bigger commitment from the afl' he said. That's basically a whole years worth of the afl's annual profits. Yet cricket as usual put in nothing and get the same benefits, then they jump in late on the gravy train. Then Aussie in exiles sports nrl and soccer are even worse, they never put a cent in yet demand new stadiums, then fill them less than 50 percent full, creating a massive financial burden on repaying the costs of the build.

To give you an indication, a stadium in Brisbane would cost less than 0.5 percent of the state governments annual revenue. If the afl were to build the $3 billion stadium, it would take them over 100 years to pay off.

 

[RedV3x]

To give you an indication, a stadium in Brisbane would cost less than 0.5 percent of the state governments annual revenue. If the afl were to build the $3 billion stadium, it would take them over 100 years to pay off.

The damage is done. Some idiot thought the Olympics would be a good idea.
They justified this decision by saying we'll use existing infrastructure as much as possible.
They compounded this decision by saying that we could simply "upgrade" the Gabba.

Then reality hit.
The Gabba is too small and not really upgradeable only demolishable.
The Olympics demands a flash stadium and the cost equates to the cost of an unsuitable Gabba and temporary builds.
The post Olympics demands that infrastructure builds will be the best bang for buck and incorporate transport options.

The Perth Stadium is fantastic and suitable for all codes and big events but it has one huge drawback.
The Perth Stadium is expensive to run because of transport requirements.
The Perth Stadium, built in a better position would have allowed much more frequent use.

 

[Seedsfan]

Woe behold us if China starts playing rugby then.

I don’t agree with it. I think the policy is laughable yet I am just stating what the justification is

 

[The_Wookie]

Back to QLD, I’ve been an interested observer in SEQ this week. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I suggest the apmosphere and build up to the GF this week has been underwhelming. Likely because no QLD team. There was unquestionably more hype around SEQ for the AFL / Lions last week than the NRL this week. The papers were swamped with Lions last / this week with NRL taking a backwards step. That’s evidence of the changing landscape up here for sure. AFL is taking market share….

ABC Brisbane hasn’t really been focussing on the NRL. No live sites, not much focus. Just the state election which is probably sucking the Oxygen out of the NRL too.

Times are changing. The Lions and the AFL are here and are more than just making up the numbers in SEQ. I sense AFL / Lions are bigger than even the NRL pundits thought these days.

And if LNP win, the GABBA will either be rebuilt or a new stadium will be supported and that means another big lift for AFL and its encroachment in rugby league heartland.

May the AFL keep forging forward!

No Queensland sides left in the NRL finals, or this would be completely different.

 

[RedV3x]

No Queensland sides left in the NRL finals, or this would be completely different.

There were no W.A. sides in the AFL grand final yet there was much anticipation and hype about that event.
I suspect the same would be true for S.A.

 

[RedV3x]

I don’t agree with it. I think the policy is laughable yet I am just stating what the justification is

The attempted justification. If this is indeed fact then we need a new government.

 

[The_Wookie]

There were no W.A. sides in the AFL grand final yet there was much anticipation and hype about that event.
I suspect the same would be true for S.A.

was there though

 

[Bjo187]

I saw the lions have impressively added 40k Instagram followers over the past 5 months off a previous base of 170k back in May this year, to now be at 214k followers. That's a significant jump in such a short period of time.

The giants and swans also added some good numbers in the past year. I'd say those 3 northern clubs might have had the highest percentage increases in the afl in the last 5 to 18 months.

 

[The_Wookie]

I saw the lions have impressively added 40k Instagram followers over the past 5 months off a previous base of 170k back in May this year, to now be at 214k followers. That's a significant jump in such a short period of time.

Its not even 5 months, I measured all social media for AFL clubs on September 19th and they were at 187,000. They've gained 27,000 followers in a little over 2 weeks

 

[Bjo187]

Its not even 5 months, I measured all social media for AFL clubs on September 19th and they were at 187,000. They've gained 27,000 followers in a little over 2 weeks

It shows what success does. It's interesting though, they have been successful for 6 years and played in a grand final last year, so I dunno what the difference is this year, unless a lot of those came after the flag win. This is where it was 5 months ago.



Also the giants I'm pretty sure were just over 100k at the start of 2023, now at nearly 150k.

 

[The_Wookie]

This was last year, and this year on September 19th - all clubs.

2024 State of the Game: Australian Football League (AFL) - Sports Industry AU

By almost every measure the AFL has had a sterling year, with attendance, membership, participation and television viewing reaching unprecedented numbers. Attendance Attendance is the AFLs bread and butter, and I doubt theres anyone who seriously believes that they have a serious rival in crowd...

www.footyindustry.com

 

[Philhawk]

um that just stems from an inferiority complex. Success breeds hate and jealously.
NRL fans hate it that AFL is the biggest sport in the country.

AFL fans are secure and just don´t give a ****.

Yeh this entire thread just screams “secure”.

 

[GOTHELIONS16]

I disagree, the afl should not put a cent into any stadiums in the future, as they are the only ones that ever do of any sport in Australia and it's unfair. Particularly considering cricket use the facilities too, plus footy is the only sport that actually fills them consistently allowing for the paying off of the initial spend.

Also on another note, qsac isn't cheaper when you dig into the detail of all the costs and transport associated with it, it's a shame nobody points this out. Miles went with a quick an easy dollar grab to look like he is looking after Queenslanders, but effectively it's giving them zero legacy and will cost more overall, whilst embarrassing the state at the same time.

Fair, not fair, who cares? Invest the money, reap the rewards. AFL are the richest sport in Australia. We could boast joint ownership of the Olympic stadium. Let’s house the Brisbane Lions and fans with the best stadium in QLD. Let’s overtake the NRL in QLD. No better opportunity then right now.

 

[RedV3x]

was there though

There is always significant hype and interest in Perth for an AFL grand final regardless.
The statistics for Sandgropers flying over is quite staggering and there
is always a desire to purchase grand final ticket packages.
The AFL grand final is an Australian and world event.

.

 

[Bjo187]

Fair, not fair, who cares? Invest the money, reap the rewards. AFL are the richest sport in Australia. We could boast joint ownership of the Olympic stadium. Let’s house the Brisbane Lions and fans with the best stadium in QLD. Let’s overtake the NRL in QLD. No better opportunity then right now.

Why when you can and should get it for free as I don't see any other viable option. Therefore you can put that money into grassroots footy in Queensland instead, further building the fan base. How much are you talking they should put in anyway?

 

[kalex6251]

Why when you can and should get it for free as I don't see any other viable option. Therefore you can put that money into grassroots footy in Queensland instead, further building the fan base. How much are you talking they should put in anyway?

if history is any guide, afl will make a financial contribution to any stadium build ..... and fair enough (although as has been repeated elsewhere - no other code does this

[edit] by-the-by ........ any afl contribution to a future brisbane stadium [be it gabba refurb or new build] should come with the very firm condition - drop-in centre wicket is a MUST .... granted that would be difficult with a gabba refurb given access/egress constraints

 

[1990crow]

I think the AFL should seriously consider T20 to be Sunshine Coast. AFL is exploding in SE Queensland.

North Melbourne and St Kilda should be relocated.
One to Canberra.
The other to Newcastle.

Future of AFL is on the east Coast.

Northern Territory and Cairns just isn't financially viable.

 

[2 eazy]

I think the AFL should seriously consider T20 to be Sunshine Coast. AFL is exploding in SE Queensland.

North Melbourne and St Kilda should be relocated.
One to Canberra.
The other to Newcastle.

Future of AFL is on the east Coast.

Northern Territory and Cairns just isn't financially viable.

AFL want to be truly Australian wide extremely unlikely 3 Queensland teams

 

[2 eazy]

Great Lions getting coverage as of late but it was perfect storm with Dolphins Broncos not in finals and Lions winning GF in dominant fashion. Last year when both Broncos and Lions were in GF Broncos were everywhere.

 

[RedV3x]

should come with the very firm condition - drop-in centre wicket is a MUST

Then cricket should contribute, don't you think ?

 

[RedV3x]

AFL want to be truly Australian wide extremely unlikely 3 Queensland teams

i don't think the AFL primarily "want to be truly Australian wide".
IMO the AFL want to grow trhe game where possible.

 

[dave10]

View attachment 2132931

This was last year, and this year on September 19th - all clubs.

2024 State of the Game: Australian Football League (AFL) - Sports Industry AU

By almost every measure the AFL has had a sterling year, with attendance, membership, participation and television viewing reaching unprecedented numbers. Attendance Attendance is the AFLs bread and butter, and I doubt theres anyone who seriously believes that they have a serious rival in crowd...

www.footyindustry.com

18 months ago, Essendon were level with Carlton on Instagram. Now the gap is 45,000. It reinforces the view social media numbers are a good measure of how engaged fans are with their teams.

 

[Hawkk]

18 months ago, Essendon were level with Carlton on Instagram. Now the gap is 45,000. It reinforces the view social media numbers are a good measure of how engaged fans are with their teams.

Absolutely, but given the sample size this is a far better indication of engaged club support than the Roy Morgan polls

 

[dave10]

Great Lions getting coverage as of late but it was perfect storm with Dolphins Broncos not in finals and Lions winning GF in dominant fashion. Last year when both Broncos and Lions were in GF Broncos were everywhere.

It’s not just that. That’s a simplistic view. I live in SEQ and I can assure you that AFL and the Lions (in particular) are certainly getting more coverage across all media platforms here. Have been for years. The media focus on the Lions has been steadily increasing for years, I think the Covid year really propelled it to a new level.

As a comparison for Vics playing along, the Lions imo get more coverage and certainly have a stronger foothold in this market than the Storm do in Melbourne. AFL is a genuine competitor and threat to the native game up here and a significant presence, NRL isn’t a genuine competitive threat to AFL in Melbourne. The Storm are there and they play to good crowds and have strong secondary focus but they aren’t the same widespread talking point around town as AFL is generally up here.

The Gold Coast region is stronger for AFL than Brisbane itself. However, there’s no denying the growth of AFL and the Lions up here. There’s a steady increase in AFL grounds around the joint and their presence is stretching further.

The AFL / Lions are significant enough in the sporting landscape here that the Lord Mayor of Brisbane on ABC Brisbane last week proclaimed the Lions were now too big an entity and with cricket demand a solution to support the games / clubs growth and expansion. He said Brisbane needed a larger oval stadium to support the games growth. Who’d have thought that would be a consideration a decade ago!

 

[GC2015]

It shows what success does. It's interesting though, they have been successful for 6 years and played in a grand final last year, so I dunno what the difference is this year, unless a lot of those came after the flag win. This is where it was 5 months ago.

Success has always been the best way to grow the game in a new/emerging market and the Lions got lucky that no SEQ NRL teams competed in the finals this year, so they were able to maximise their finals/premiership impact. We saw the significant inroads that were made in the 2001-04 era when they the Lions were undeniably the envy of all clubs in the land and would regularly sell out the Gabba. That flowed into an explosion of draftable Queensland talent over the 2006-10 period because those juniors grew up seeing their local team succeed on the big stage and wanted to be a part of it.

We're seeing the same thing happen now and it'll grow even more if the Suns can get it right by playing finals in the near future. There has never been a better opportunity than now for the AFL to really challenge the NRL for supremecy in Queensland. It's still going to take time, but keep in mind that the last time a SEQ team won the NRL premiership was back in 2006. It's been a long time between drinks for them. The longer the Lions (and Suns hopefully soon) can keep themselves in a position to challenge for flags, the greater chance there is to successfully pull of a generational change in Queensland. Win the next generation, win the future.

AFL want to be truly Australian wide extremely unlikely 3 Queensland teams

Depends on what the AFL actually wants to achieve internally. Would you rather set up a team in 130k Darwin to claim you are "truly national" or would you keep pushing hard into the 4 million SEQ market (that's growing quickly) by setting up a team to represent Brisbane's north/Moreton Bay/Sunshine Coast region (over 1.5 million people)? If a new stadium/renovated Gabba is truly on the way, then you could guarantee an AFL game in Brisbane every week by having the two teams share the new stadium and you'd also have two games in SEQ every fortnight when the Suns play at home. You can't underestimate the difference it can make to have a weekly presence within a market and we've seen that work well in both SA & WA. It would also reduce the travel factor for each of the Queensland teams as they would play an extra game or two in SEQ every year. Keep in mind that Queensland teams travel the second most after the WA teams, so if you want to increase the likelihood of them being competitive on a regular basis, then reducing travel will help.

Again, just depends on what the AFL wants to achieve but I don't think it's a stretch to say that we're just scratching the surface of what's possible in Queensland and I get the feeling that the AFL really wants to keep this ball rolling.