Have Suns fans already turned off of AFL?

[exile]

Thought it would be bigger for the first game of the season, but it's okay.

We are playing for our survival though. Play well, and people will come watch. Another year like last year and the membership numbers will drop again.

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

Early days, but certainly something to watch- nothing to panic about at this stage, but by the same token, there is no guarantee they will be sustainable, and the AFL will wear some real financial pain if they have miscalculated.

Litmus test will be when they start to rise up the ladder.

 

[Black Diamond]

The Gold Coast is Australia's Las Vegas. There are no major sporting teams based in LV.

 

[Morris Major]

There's no Tassie team because they're already a AFL market, by setting up a team there it will literally do nothing except make Tasmanians happy because they have a team.

Expansion into GC means the AFL are penetrating a market that previously did not care about AFL, which is new money.

That's why.

 

[you pick one]

For a ground that has no parking and is a dead set prick to get to that's a good crowd.

EDIT:I'm in heavy training right now to get to the Cats game latter this year.

 

[brucetiki]

Crowd down 22% on last year's home game against Adelaide. Thought they'd be able to muster more enthusiasm for the first game.

I wonder if the fact Adelaide played at Metricon a little over 6 months ago (20 August last year) would have played a part in the smaller attendance. Many that would have gone up for last years game probably didn't this time because they've only just gone up recently.

 

[Ron The Bear]

For a ground that has no parking and is a dead set prick to get to that's a good crowd.

It was the lowest Suns crowd at Carrara. They drew only ~2K fewer in Cairns.

 

[CursoryMercenary]

13,000 would be considered a very good crowd for any other code in Gold Coast.

Fremantle were only getting 5k or so extra when we were on the bottom during our first years.

You guys got at least 20,000 for home games in 1995 onwards.

 

[you pick one]

It was the lowest Suns crowd at Carrara. They drew only ~2K fewer in Cairns.

Probable needed a little sarcasm thingo in there.

 

[SCHUMACHER]

We are playing for our survival though. Play well, and people will come watch.

No you're not. The AFL will throw money and/or draft picks at the problem almost indefinitely until GC are a success. The AFL never admit to their mistakes.

Another year like last year and the membership numbers will drop again.

Of course you're going to have another year like last year, the kids are still young and running around unprotected and there's no winning culture. The only positives for 2012 for GC are GWS and Melbourne are in the same comp.

 

[eskabah]

AFL will work - it's not a flash in the pan game.

 

[TooFar]

The Gold Coast is Australia's Las Vegas. There are no major sporting teams based in LV.

That has no relevance what so ever. There are no pro teams in Las Vegas as it is the gambling capital of the US, full of crooks and crime gangs. Hmm, that does sound like the Gold Coast. However, there has been a number of pro teams in GC, they just fail due to lack of support.

 

[Mappa]

FFS they were playing Adelaide

What difference does that make ? You support your team, not support them depending on who they are playing.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Probable needed a little sarcasm thingo in there.

Reckon so.

 

[fabulousphil]

If you look at the GC, what you will find is a city of around 520,000 growing at around 13,000 a year.

On the football side of things, the GC at both senior and junior levels is about the same size as a WAFL club zone, with around 4,000 to 4,500 juniors and another 700-1000 senior footballers.

In Perth there are 9 WAFL clubs and 2 AFL clubs, this IMO is the big difference, the support ATM is just not there, this is why the AFL has consistently stated that the GC is a long term plan, and as the GC grows so will the football clubs membership and grass roots base.

The GC has some great things going for it though, the stadium deal, and the Southport Football club with its financial backing.

 

[UrLordUnbeliever]

Unfortunately the Suns 2012 figures (attendances / members) may well fall short of the 2011 figures..
But while they aren't fantastic signs, they aren't disastorous either.. The support for the Suns is still out there, but fans are put off becoming members due to the teams inability to be competitive and their consistent failure to win at home.
Memberships for teams in melbourne vary by 4 - 8 thousand each year depending on varying circumstances and no-one pays much notice.
I day say that when the Suns turn around on-field and look like they are at least able to match it with their opponents the attendances will go up again, and with such a young list it may happen later this season, it may not be 'til 2014..

 

[cos789]

What difference does that make ? You support your team, not support them depending on who they are playing.

That's an extremely niave comment to make.

Adelaide not a great crowd puller in the GC but then they've improved to be NAB cup winners and there's the possibility of a win to draw the fans out.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Need a Surfers Paradise-Brisbane train that also stops at Metricon and OOL airport. Loved the venue but Metricon is a pain to get to

 

[Andrew Mc]

It's the Gold Coast. Home of tourists, the service industry young 'uns, and dying pensioners. Full of transients who mind attend the odd game, but won't generally sign up as full members. They will struggle forever, like every other code that goes there.

 

[mediumsizered]

It's the Gold Coast. Home of tourists, the service industry young 'uns, and dying pensioners. Full of transients who mind attend the odd game, but won't generally sign up as full members. They will struggle forever, like every other code that goes there.

Just in case you weren't aware, it is now 2012, not 1985.

Beyond the Gold Coast Highway lies a suburban sprawl stretching from Tugun at the southern end of the Coast to Ormeau on the northern end of the Coast. These suburbs are home to tens of thousands of families, many of whom have called the Gold Coast home for 20+ years. There are thousands of youngsters who have been born & bred on the Gold Coast & therefore consider themselves Gold Coasters. It will be them & their own kids who will ensure the Suns become more than just viable in the next 10 years.

In 3-4 years time when the likes of Swallow, Bennell, Caddy, Dixon, Matera, O'Meara etc have 50-100 games under their belt, the Suns will be playing some bloody good football & winning more games than they are losing. Take a look at the attendance figures when that is happening.

 

[legend166]

I don't think the idea of 'first round = big crowd' makes sense in non-football markets. It takes awhile for the general awareness that the season has actually started to spread. It's not like Melbourne where you've got non-stop coverage leading up to the first week.

 

[Arwib]

I don't think the idea of 'first round = big crowd' makes sense in non-football markets. It takes awhile for the general awareness that the season has actually started to spread. It's not like Melbourne where you've got non-stop coverage leading up to the first week.

This. This needs to be remembered.

 

[Mat the Cat]

I was at the game as a neutral and I was surprised with the number of supporters, both young and old, with suns hats and shirts.

The support is definitely increasing and I think the crowds will as the season goes on.

 

[jadr76]

When I heard about the crowd on Saturday on the Gold Coast it gave me hope that the NT might one day have its own AFL team. In my opinion, if the Territory Thunder played in the AFL they would get an average crowd of 15,000 people.

For the Thunder there should be little steps and a promotion from the NEAFL to the SANFL or WAFL would be the next. After five to ten years in the SANFL we can start exploring, dependent on the viability of the club, entry into the AFL.

The AFL needs to be careful with the NT as the NRL or A-League might base a team here, which will see suppport for Aussie Rules decrease. There is lots of money and young people here and the first to get in will reap the rewards...

 

[supernova_]

Its timeslots to be honest. Im a Gold member, and I cant make that ridiculous 3.40 slot on a Sat arvo due to my own football committments. Apparently there was a survey but I dont remember taking one! My preference is Sat night games due, they appear to be trying to appeal to the young families and kids with this time slot which is understandable to try build the member base from the ground floor, get in the kids head, and that longevity vision.

Apparently the Essendon match in Round 3 is already sold out for the Sat night.