The modern AFL patron experience. Would you ever walk away?

[BIRDBRAIN]

I just don't bother going anymore. The cost is annoying more than prohibitive but for me it's the time factor of getting to Etihad (an hour on the train), queuing, finding a seat, then have some dickhead who comes up with a prebooked ticket and tells you you're in HIS seat in a ****ing half-empty stadium. Queuing for a piss-weak beer at a rip-off price. Queuing to take a piss, while ****wits piss in the sink! Stuck in a gridlock of people trying to get out of the joint, dickheads looking to start fights, annoying kids waving flags right in front of you all game. Idiots yelling 'balllll' and 'in his back!' every 2 seconds. Sounds like I'm a whinger but I just have no patience for the general public these days. Meanwhile my local suburban ground is a 10-minute walk away, $5 to get in and cheap drinks, good atmosphere and don't feel like you're getting herded around like cattle and fleeced at every opportunity.

 

[pokerspiv]

Things the OP mentioned are the reason I stopped going to games over 10 years ago. Treated like a child and bossed around by security guards? No thanks, I'll watch the game on my 50 inch plasma.

 

[Seeds]

Hello friends. I want your opinions on this because I have been thinking about it for the past week or so.

Recently I attended two AFL matches in short succession. Bris v NM @ Gabba and GC vs Coll @ Carrara.

When I am at the footy these days I feel like I am being treated like a criminal, a child, and a fool-with-money all at the same time - because that is exactly how we are being treated on each occasion we attend an AFL match. Blaring music. Overpriced 'food' and mid-strength 'beer'. Fake crowd noise. Countless members of the gestapo walking around like cattle dogs in a sheep pen, as though a gangland turf-war is forever just a moment away from breaking out in the crowd.

The footy itself might be fantastic. I personally would argue that the rule interpretations by the umpires have not been this professional and consistent in many a year, and the quality of football being played has (at least where top 10 teams are concerned) never been better. The game has evolved into a modern, strategic sport, befitting the world-class athletes who compete in it. The spectacle is terrific imo.

But the AFL patron experience itself is putrid, and because it has been gradually changed over the past twenty years or so, like frogs in boiling water I think that most people either haven't noticed how pathetic the whole thing has gotten or, worse, noticed it but shrugged their shoulders because 'its only a little bit worse than last year'. Every year.

I am not calling for a mass boycott. I am not even suggesting a mass boycott is plausible, or that it would achieve anything. I think much of the problem with the AFL experience today is merely a symptom of a greater problem within modern Australian society (a topic I will leave for SRP). This is not a rant against the evils of Vlad/Gilligan/Colless/etc, and I'm not calling for change.

I am simply wondering if anybody has been personally put off attending AFL matches, and how far things have to get before others do likewise. I can't be the only one who has decided that I would literally rather go and watch local footy than AFL, not out of protest, but because I would (and do) actually enjoy the experience more than I enjoy attending AFL.

Over to you, bigfooty.

You can't base the modern football experience off going to games in Queensland. That's like evaluating the attractiveness of Australian women by going to two pubs in Hobart.

 

[Seeds]

Several question for the OP:

1. How are you being treated like a criminal? I have NEVER been bothered by Police / Security at a game because I have done nothing wrong. But I am assured if some drunken yobbo causes trouble he will be pounced on.
2. I have never heard fake crowd noises. From where is it coming? Fake supporters? This may be more of an issue in NSW & QLD.
3. What is it about the patron's experience of yesteryear that you consider so superior to today's experience? Being crammed in like sardines? Sitting on horrible timber benches, or more likely standing for 3 hours? Having a choice of meat pie or chips when it comes to take away food?
4. Are you a fair dinkum AFL (not Australian Rules) supporter?

The fake crowd noise is a Gold Coast thing. After they kick a goal the speakers blare crowd noise that is about 3 times louder then the real crowd there. Its really embarrassing.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

Jesus when I go to the footy down in Aurora Stadium we got a huge variety of food, sounds like all you guys get are hot dogs and pies. We get hot dogs, chips, pies, dagwood dogs, wedges, nachos, rolls and heaps more as well as cheap beer. You guys get rorted in victoria. Yes my location says Melbourne but I actually live in Tassie.

How much does the food/beer cost down there?

And is any of the food/beer real?

Imagine going to the AFL and getting real food and real beer.

That is all my generation (and those behind us) can do: imagine.

 

[Riccardo11]

Everyone gets so annoyed about food and drink prices, there is a simple answer - don't buy it. Eat before you come or after you leave, or just bring your own.
Every time I go to an AFL game (rare these days) there is always a group of people who tag team going in and out coming back with piles of food and drinks each time for the entire match. It's just pointless as far as I'm concerned - I'm at the footy to watch the game, not gorge myself on 10 luke warm pies and 64 cups of watered down beer.

Besides that, I will attend enough AFL games to justify my membership or when I have no other sporting event that clashes with it, but that's about it. I'd much rather be at the VFL, which feels more genuine as a sporting contest, whereas AFL feels to me like a live theater performance.

 

[Chezzalenko Reborn]

I have a simple philosophy on the AFL now, its Sport Entertainment at its finest. I don't consider it going to the footy anymore, and if I do, its when I go to games in Victoria.

For me AFL is now entertainment based around the sport of Aussie Rules. Its more and more becoming a Game of Thrones with the Presidents bitching about everything, its where marketing and viewership is so important they need to change the laws every single year, its a money grab where beer and food is being inflated to Airport prices. AFL has become rotten thanks to the mighty dollar.

I watch Friday Night footy when I can, I go to most Lions games, but general if I want to go to the footy, I find a local ground and watch community level footy (say what you will about Queensland grass root footy, I find it more pure than the AFL). If I want some entertainment, I'll flick on an AFL game..... not necessarily with the volume on

 

[Experimental]

I just don't bother going anymore. The cost is annoying more than prohibitive but for me it's the time factor of getting to Etihad (an hour on the train), queuing, finding a seat, then have some dickhead who comes up with a prebooked ticket and tells you you're in HIS seat in a ******* half-empty stadium.

I hate to say it, but if you're sitting in someone elses reserved seat, then move somewhere else. Too bad if the stadium is only half full.

 

[Chezzalenko Reborn]

I hate to say it, but if you're sitting in someone elses reserved seat, then move somewhere else. Too bad if the stadium is only half full.

I had something almost similar happen. I was in MY seat, when two ladies were wondering if I could move so they could sit together (One seat beside me was free).

Nek minit...... Gabba only had 12,000....... and there was an entirely empty row in front of me......

 

[Riccardo11]

I hate to say it, but if you're sitting in someone elses reserved seat, then move somewhere else. Too bad if the stadium is only half full.

I agree. I fork out extra $$ per year for a seat at the Melbourne Storm, as the best seats often fill up and I go by myself, so I don't want the pain of arriving an hour early or having to find another decent seat every time I get up.

Most people are understanding when you tell them it's a reserved seat area, but I have had two occasions when security has had to intervene because some smart ass simply refuses to move.

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

I hate to say it, but if you're sitting in someone elses reserved seat, then move somewhere else. Too bad if the stadium is only half full.

Sure, I'm in his seat, but don't you see how ******ed it could get? Move for that guy, find another seat, that is held by another reserved seat buyer who's gone for a beer, move again etc etc. In a stadium that is a quarter-full. And these guys have paid EXTRA to reserve what is probably a shit seat anyway. It's a pointless exercise, it's annoying for me, it's annoying for them to have to ask me to move, there's needs to be a better system in place.

 

[Experimental]

Sure, I'm in his seat, but don't you see how ******ed it could get? Move for that guy, find another seat, that is held by another reserved seat buyer who's gone for a beer, move again etc etc. In a stadium that is a quarter-full. And these guys have paid EXTRA to reserve what is probably a shit seat anyway. It's a pointless exercise, it's annoying for me, it's annoying for them to have to ask me to move, there's needs to be a better system in place.

I thought it was only the first few rows on the third tier of Etihad that were reserved, and the rest behind were all GA? Or can people just reserve wherever they want?

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

I thought it was only the first few rows on the third tier of Etihad that were reserved, and the rest behind were all GA? Or can people just reserve wherever they want?

Could just be my ignorance of sitting in the wrong areas!

 

[FrankDrebin]

Obviously being a Port supporter there has never been a better time to go to the Footy with the new stadium and my team playing some reasonable footy.

However i do agree that whenever there is a break immediately there is some gimmick, song, promotion, advertisement etc blaring out. To be honest some of it is not bad (kiss cam etc is mildly entertaining) but it wouldn't hurt to have a few moments of nothing over the PA system.

In the general scheme of things its a minor gripe and certainly nothing i would walk away from the game for.

 

[Roddy]

Seriously, Mods, PLEASE open up a new sub forum, called 'The WHINGE Forum - Come in here to whine like an overly entitled, moody teenager'

 

[Riccardo11]

Sure, I'm in his seat, but don't you see how ******ed it could get? Move for that guy, find another seat, that is held by another reserved seat buyer who's gone for a beer, move again etc etc. In a stadium that is a quarter-full. And these guys have paid EXTRA to reserve what is probably a shit seat anyway. It's a pointless exercise, it's annoying for me, it's annoying for them to have to ask me to move, there's needs to be a better system in place.

You mentioned this was at Etihad. Every time I've been there, which now must number in the hundreds over the last 14 years for various sports they have had both "reserved" bibs on the backs of the aisle seats of the rows in question and staff members at the entrances who can tell you where you can/can't sit, which seems like a fair enough system to me.

Regardless of wether you think it's pointless to reserve seats, they still paid extra for that seat and shouldn't be told to sit elsewhere because of you attitude.

 

[Riccardo11]

I thought it was only the first few rows on the third tier of Etihad that were reserved, and the rest behind were all GA? Or can people just reserve wherever they want?

I believe it varies depending on the home side. For St Kilda, the first 7 rows on level 3 are reserved, as are all of levels 1 and 2. GA tickets or memberships only entitle you to sit on level 3 behind the first 7 rows, but you can pay extra for reserved seats on levels 1, 2 and 3 either as a walk up or for the year as part of your membership, but that's only for home games.

 

[juss]

Hello friends. I want your opinions on this because I have been thinking about it for the past week or so.

Recently I attended two AFL matches in short succession. Bris v NM @ Gabba and GC vs Coll @ Carrara.

When I am at the footy these days I feel like I am being treated like a criminal, a child, and a fool-with-money all at the same time - because that is exactly how we are being treated on each occasion we attend an AFL match. Blaring music. Overpriced 'food' and mid-strength 'beer'. Fake crowd noise. Countless members of the gestapo walking around like cattle dogs in a sheep pen, as though a gangland turf-war is forever just a moment away from breaking out in the crowd.

The footy itself might be fantastic. I personally would argue that the rule interpretations by the umpires have not been this professional and consistent in many a year, and the quality of football being played has (at least where top 10 teams are concerned) never been better. The game has evolved into a modern, strategic sport, befitting the world-class athletes who compete in it. The spectacle is terrific imo.

But the AFL patron experience itself is putrid, and because it has been gradually changed over the past twenty years or so, like frogs in boiling water I think that most people either haven't noticed how pathetic the whole thing has gotten or, worse, noticed it but shrugged their shoulders because 'its only a little bit worse than last year'. Every year.

I am not calling for a mass boycott. I am not even suggesting a mass boycott is plausible, or that it would achieve anything. I think much of the problem with the AFL experience today is merely a symptom of a greater problem within modern Australian society (a topic I will leave for SRP). This is not a rant against the evils of Vlad/Gilligan/Colless/etc, and I'm not calling for change.

I am simply wondering if anybody has been personally put off attending AFL matches, and how far things have to get before others do likewise. I can't be the only one who has decided that I would literally rather go and watch local footy than AFL, not out of protest, but because I would (and do) actually enjoy the experience more than I enjoy attending AFL.

Over to you, bigfooty.

In terms of the the experience in Melbourne, I have been put off by the MCG and prefer Etihad, although I enjoy the footy more at the 'G.

Etihad shits on the 'G in terms of ease of access, and the food options just outside the ground, where you can also sneak into the toilet without having to line up behind 12 drunks to do so. The roof is also nice as a spectator, but again, not sure I love it from the footy game aspect. I'm a bit old school in the sense I don't mind a good old wet weather game. Parking is pretty bad/expensive at both venues, but that's kind of anywhere in the city.

The MCG food, drink and bathroom facilities are laughably bad, but it's hard to beat a big crowd there against a big rival.

These days I much prefer a couple of mates, a couple of pizzas and a few drinks on a nice big TV at someones house to watch a game. That's my best footy experience at the moment. Still buy a membership, and will go to the odd game, but there's a lot that pisses me off about it.

 

[Syrah]

I still love going to the footy at any level. Prices are a bit steep at Etihad but I usually buy the kids a bucket of chips and I have the odd beer, all part of the experience for me.

A couple of points of agreement with OP - the constant need to have loud noise booming over the speakers, and dickhead security people trying to stop me having a 5 metre kick to kick with the kids in a deserted corridor/stairwell at half time.

Also, while I'm on a rant, could the busker outside Etihad learn some new songs, bit sick of Classical Gas.

But overall, the good outweighs the bad, especially when you win.

 

[weirdtim]

I read/heard that the Crows were doing something along these lines earlier in the year? Cant vouch for this personally though.

Been to 3 Crows matches this year. Haven't heard any fake crowd noise. Just bloody noisy crowds. The only thing they were blaring from the speakers was an annoying "caw" sound effect from a crow whenever Adelaide scored a goal.

 

[juss]

Been to 3 Crows matches this year. Haven't heard any fake crowd noise. Just bloody noisy crowds. The only thing they were blaring from the speakers was an annoying "caw" sound effect from a crow whenever Adelaide scored a goal.

I will never understand for the life of me why places feel the need to do this gimmicky shit. Furthermore, I can't believe someone in marketing or something gets paid to come up with this stuff. Total unnessecary, ridiculous crap.

 

[DangerSloane]

I read/heard that the Crows were doing something along these lines earlier in the year? Cant vouch for this personally though.

That was port supporters who couldnt handle that our crowd is louder than theirs.

We have a small clip that comes on with some supporters after every opposition goal. Its lame, but hardly fake crowd noise.

Edit: Also those crappy crow noises need to go.

 

[Billy ray]

I will never understand for the life of me why places feel the need to do this gimmicky shit. Furthermore, I can't believe someone in marketing or something gets paid to come up with this stuff. Total unnessecary, ridiculous crap.

agreed... marketing types are the worst...

 

[TheMcManusNose]

I'm exactly the same, but having to pay $7.20 for it? What a joke. Any pub nearby will sell a schooner of mid for $4.00, and we're expected to pay what's basically double all because we're at a live game? All attendees have paid to enter the ground, and are paying way too ******* much for a beer. Simple fix is obviously not buying it, but the fact remains - there's no reason for such ridiculous prices.

I see you're from Queensland, and may not have experienced the joy that is Perth pub prices since 2005-ish. A Schooner of mid is probably going to cost you $6-8 anyway in Perth (bowls clubs and dingy sport's bars excepted). Pints are about $9-12 here depending on the beer, so I don't see how people can really complain about Subi's booze prices.

 

[Angus Young]

Going to Adelaide Oval is a pleasure oppossed to Ammi stadium where you had to stand behind white lines and in cages to drink etc etc

I can't believe people were oppossed to bringing footy to the city..where are these clowns now?

As for not being allowed to drink full strength beer as an adult if you choose to is disgraceful..where is that???