Pridham: it’s inevitable that the Sydney Swans will be the biggest sporting club in Australia

[The_Wookie]

“I think it’s inevitable that the Sydney Swans will be the biggest sporting club in Australia for a whole lot of reasons,” Pridham said.

“All the data suggests that’s what is going to happen, and you can see it happening.

“Not diminishing the huge support for some of the big Melbourne clubs and in South Australia and Western Australia and Brisbane. But I think just given the population base, and the fact there are only two teams in NSW, it’s inevitable.

“I just think we continue getting stronger. We’re focused on our game day experience to make it fun for people to come. That’s the game and all the entertainment. The fact we’ve been consistent on-field, that’s also a very deliberate strategy and a credit to John Longmire, Tom Harley, Andrew Ireland and (Paul) Roosy before that.

“I certainly can envisage the day in not too distant future where we’ll get to 100,000 members for example, I think that’s not too crazy to think that will happen.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/news/afl-2024-chairman-andrew-pridham-says-its-inevitable-sydney-swans-become-biggest-sporting-club-in-australia/news-story/030c90ba1d7ff9616b34b517f7b67785

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

West Coast are the Goliath's of the AFL. They generate more football revenue than any other club by plenty, they don't need pokies or other non footy business income to be top of the list, and they have more hard core fans than Sydney will ever have.

Sure Sydney will get bigger numbers of casual fans, that are reflected in those Roy Morgan survey totals, but that doesn't mean that much. West Coast have a 15,000 people larger stadium that one day will expand by another 10,000 to 70,000 as per the design features before construction started. The SCG wont expand that much as they are land locked on 3 sides and they wont knock down the Ladies Stand.

I don't know what Pridham's time frame is, but I will be dead before Sydney overtake West Coast, if they ever achieve that.

 

[Prince Imperial]

West Coast are the Goliath's of the AFL. They generate more football revenue than any other club by plenty, they don't need pokies or other non footy business income to be top of the list, and they have more hard core fans than Sydney will ever have.

Sure Sydney will get bigger numbers of casual fans, that are reflected in those Roy Morgan survey totals, but that doesn't mean that much. West Coast have a 15,000 people larger stadium that one day will expand by another 10,000 to 70,000 as per the design features before construction started. The SCG wont expand that much as they are land locked on 3 sides and they wont knock down the Ladies Stand.

I don't know what Pridham's time frame is, but I will be dead before Sydney overtake West Coast, if they ever achieve that.

All true and FWIW, Perth's population growth has been consistently higher than Sydney's for a long time now and there is no sign that will change particularly given the latter's geographic constraints.

 

[The King!]

It is a goal they should have, but the culture of fans , the SCG etc seems obstacles. I think it would have happened if it was going too, will only get harder, as generations split to GWS.

As someone who visits Sydney to watch, as a tourist its not like you notice locals caring, like they do when you visit footy states, eg little things like having a chat because you have a Swans top on. I notice Sydney people dont seem to leave their areas as much for things like sport.

I like the club having ambition, but not like we sell the SCG out often

 

[RedV3x]

All true and FWIW, Perth's population growth has been consistently higher than Sydney's for a long time now and there is no sign that will change particularly given the latter's geographic constraints.

It's crazy in Perth with development and Perth is predicted to overtake Brisbane in size.
The main difference with growth is that immigrants to Perth are converted to AFL within a generation largely because the media is saturated with AFL and hardly a whisper about soccer. Also W.A. schools are AFL focussed.
In Sydney, the media is saturated with NRL so it is hard for AFL to get their message across. Also the Sydney schools are focussed on soccer and a mixture of rugby. A lot of schools wouldn't have room for an oval.

The Sydney Swans will probably always be the biggest club but only in a Roy Morgan environment.

 

[Walshawk]

Having a stadium that is unlikely to ever be expanded over 50k suggests that it is not inevitable. When every game @ SCG is sold out (like WC until recently), that is the opportunity for the Giants to gain new fans, just like Freo did last decade.