Losing your love/passion for the game

[Colonial]

Nope my love for the game has grown, now that I have a club to follow.

Am watching multiple games on 7 and 7mate where as before I would look and then switch over.

 

[Jack Bradley]

Yeah I can agree with you. I have been losing passion for this game over the last few years for a number of reasons but whats probably done it the most for me is the softening of the game(its an absolute joke some of the suspensions i have seen), the constant rule changes and the fact that the AFL runs the league as a totalitarian regime. They have pretty much outlawed anyone who plays the game opinions, therefore killing any personalities in the game. This hasnt just happened with me but with a few other members in my family. Unfortunately i think we are in the minority.

 

[joop]

There are way better leagues than the AFL. i love heading down to the local ground and watching my town go head to head with a rival, no bullshit rules, just hard local footy. drink a $4 vb, watch the teams get in a blew and then have a beer after the game.

i do enjoy watching the saints which believe me isnt the greatest, but i enjoy watching the kids coming through.

as a neutral supporter, the grand final is the last full game ive got through.

EDIT: except for Port, love watching port play.

 

[Colonial]

My main problem is that it is just a business now.

I used to love watching most of the games because each club had it's own culture and players had personalities.

Now there are just too many plastic clubs, the players are so bland and media trained, the commentary is terrible.

The media hype up star players and in particular indigenous star players way too much.

There is too big a gap between the top clubs and the bottom.

The game is too soft now, there aren't big hits in big games.

It'll only get worse when GC and GWS start dominating.

Plastic?? I wonder who your talking about?? I really don't think you can call any sides plastic considering the fans who love and breath every win (when it gets there) and loss. Who spend countless hours making banners, spend their hard earned on merch etc etc. About time we move on from this "if you were born before 2000 you aren't plastic" bullshit.

Just another note, I notice most (if not all) of the people saying they don't care for or are losing interest are vic fans. Could this be because of the nationalism of the game (no longer able to go watch all games in the comp?), not an attack the NRL has faced the same problem with allot of nsw fans.

 

[Randy Campbell]

Nope my love for the game has grown, now that I have a club to follow.

Am watching multiple games on 7 and 7mate where as before I would look and then switch over.

This is good to hear. Shows the growing of the game is working.

 

[blktreacle]

a year ago i was one of the most passionate supporters around. but this year my love of the game has diminished significantly. i even stopped playing this year, and i cant foresee me pulling on the boots again (not for aussie rules anyway). Im dissapointed in this whole drugs thing and i want to see the right decisions made. I have been growing increasingly frustrated with the AFL over the last 4 or 5 years. and i guess that its just come to a head now

 

[cynical]

Plastic?? I wonder who your talking about?? I really don't think you can call any sides plastic considering the fans who love and breath every win (when it gets there) and loss. Who spend countless hours making banners, spend their hard earned on merch etc etc. About time we move on from this "if you were born before 2000 you aren't plastic" bullshit.

Just another note, I notice most (if not all) of the people saying they don't care for or are losing interest are vic fans. Could this be because of the nationalism of the game (no longer able to go watch all games in the comp?), not an attack the NRL has faced the same problem with allot of nsw fans.

By adding extra clubs you dilute the talent that is there and further commercialise the game. The reason GWS and GC got created was because of money not because those areas cried out for a local team. Those teams got given the world so that they can win premierships and the AFL can reap the benefits of making more money.

Clubs like Brisbane, Sydney, GC and GWS will always have to be propped up by the AFL because few people care about AFL in NSW and QLD. Each of those states should have 1 team each.

 

[Colonial]

By adding extra clubs you dilute the talent that is there and further commercialise the game. The reason GWS and GC got created was because of money not because those areas cried out for a local team. Those teams got given the world so that they can win premierships and the AFL can reap the benefits of making more money.

Clubs like Brisbane, Sydney, GC and GWS will always have to be propped up by the AFL because few people care about AFL in NSW and QLD. Each of those states should have 1 team each.

And yet these new clubs open up new pathways for kids who were untapped before they arrived(about 5million if my maths is any good)

I have no doubt that tv money was part of the reason, the other part was opening up a whole new audience to Aussie rules footy.

Lets remember the whole member clubs of the AFL voted us in. With the rules we received and all (true they probably weren't expecting us to extend contracts and they would go running back to (or for the 1st time) Victoria.

I disagree that they will always need "propping up" as you put it as it think they aren't really propped up now (just getting their fair share of the tv dollars from a national comp they helped build).

This is a national comp now (except the for ACT and Tassie, which is shameful), if you want the VFL back go watch it.

And just your point the AFL didn't win the premiership (if GC or us do) it was those players and coachs who trained and learned. This is footy, and wether you get the star juniors or not (allot which have failed) it still takes allot of skill, training and effort to win a flag.

Your point about us deserves only one comment though. Kiss my arse!

 

[Feraligatr]

I don't care for the Administration. But I love the game as much as I ever have.

 

[VFL13]

since the A-league started my passion has shrunk quite a bit, i used to watch any game, now only one or two and not bothered if i miss them all.

 

[Thornton Melon]

It could become touch football and I'd still have my passion for the pies.

3 teams in this world are untouchable to me. Pies, Storm and Chelsea. As long as the 3 of them survive my passion for the sports as a whole stays in tact.

The dubious wisdom of blind loyalty aside, the irony of the last two words of your post is amusing.

 

[_Wang_]

I'm pissed that my side who I have followed for over 30 years is going to make a rare finals appearance and all we hear is bummers..

Thanks Hirdy you ****

 

[Forever North]

Money has basically corrupted the soul and integrity of the game. The AFL has now become just another part of the 'entertainment/leisure industry' that squeezes as much cash as it can from fans.

I simply loathe the self important spin doctors and PR w***ers at every club that feed the public complete bullshit day in day out, week after week.......we are treated as if we are completely stupid and ignorant.

I love North and go every game but am becoming very cynical and dissolusioned with all the crap that goes on.

 

[footy75]

AFL was a great game but is turning to shit... i mean u collide with someone and u get suspended from the game. its just not like it was. i will s till watch it on tv but wont go. i prefer goint to watch melbourne storm and the odd SANFL game when i can.

 

[VFL13]

my interest in this years finals is over, knowing that cheats will probably rob a few teams of finals games annoys me so much

 

[Plugger_87]

Yep, I only found out we were playing the suns this week today. Season has been hijacked

 

[VFL13]

thanks a lot james hird!

 

[mightymouse75]

In herds defence, he is bigger than the game

 

[biggiemediums]

The dubious wisdom of blind loyalty aside, the irony of the last two words of your post is amusing.

Explain... Not sure what you're getting at because there was nothing ironic about my post.

 

[aCunningPlan]

Was obsessed with the AFL a few years ago but honestly I'm hanging out for the A-League to start now.

 

[Balony_pony16]

So you dont mind the level of corruption in world soccer at every major league? Also that the ONLY way to win any league is to out spend the opposition.
Thats a pretty poor sport to follow, worse any day, than the AFL.

I can watch a game and not hear the whisle being blown every minute....the corruption is in world cup with bids which i can get over.

 

[BLPC08]

Interesting that those not interested are those following struggling teams...

I'd probably lose interest too if the Cats were struggling

I'll say this much. At the beginning of the season I wanted to watch as many games as possible. At the moment I am content with watching the second half of our matches and that's it. I haven't watched a neutral game in weeks.

I don't look forward to any of the AFL shows during the week (bar Open Mike). The Footy Show has become unwatchable, they're possibly the most immature and irritating people on TV. AFL 360 is the same s*** every night, "more dramatic turns today as Essendon......"

The umpiring has turned into a farce this season. I've seen teams robbed of a chance at victory PURELY because of inconsistent umpiring. I don't know who's to blame: the rules committee or the actual umpires. Either way it's been laughably poor this season.

I'll still watch the finals, however this has been the most unsatisfying season in history.

Even if we win the flag, people will mainly remember 2013 for Essendon drug saga, which is an indictment on the sport imo.

 

[Island Bomber]

I find it funny that a lot of people who have lost interest in the game are posting on BigFooty

 

[Podsnap]

Plastic?? I wonder who your talking about?? I really don't think you can call any sides plastic considering the fans who love and breath every win (when it gets there) and loss. Who spend countless hours making banners, spend their hard earned on merch etc etc. About time we move on from this "if you were born before 2000 you aren't plastic" bullshit.

Just another note, I notice most (if not all) of the people saying they don't care for or are losing interest are vic fans. Could this be because of the nationalism of the game (no longer able to go watch all games in the comp?), not an attack the NRL has faced the same problem with allot of nsw fans.

Go to the Age website on any day when there is an Essendon revelation. First three articles, front page, angry dark Essendon picture and end of the world headline.

Somethings happening at Collingwood? Front page, links to two more articles...

Jeff Kennett said something...quickly, report it!!

Its information overload. The Essendon saga just adds more to it and makes it intolerable. Doesn't help. There has been so much to complain about, the administration at the heart of it, always some kind of drama or money grabbing scheme or contract and FA issues. And the pure football is getting lost. I'm pretty sure I've read an article about that too.

 

[Ricmel]

I could never, ever give up footy.

I love footy, just not the AFL version. Head down to your local VFL game on a sunny Sunday....you are in heaven. $10 to get in, ice cold beer in a can, great standard footy and a walk on to the oval at the breaks.

Go to Etihad, pay through the nose and get searched on the way in for the priviledge, buy a beer and a pie for $18 and watch 44 highly paid employees put game plans that involve lapping the oval into play.