Play Nice Which club has the biggest supporter base? Collingwood, Richmond or West Coast?

[HAPPY BUDDHA]

Why have Richmond never, not even once, brought 1.2 million people through the gates in a season?

We should wait to see how they go this year first.

2020 and they are banging on about their highest membership EEVAAASSS!! plus are going for their 2nd shot at B2B in two years so it should be a ****ing Monty this season.

Anything less is a fail not to mention a massive underachievement.

 

[Grin]

Why have Richmond never, not even once, brought 1.2 million people through the gates in a season?

Because Rome was the biggest empire in the world, it must still be. Or am I just living in the past?

 

[HTT]

Why have Richmond never, not even once, brought 1.2 million people through the gates in a season?

Because we were shit when crowds across the board were at their highest. Now we are good, but have to play games away to GC and GWS which don’t draw very well at all.

 

[Boston tiger]

Why have Richmond never, not even once, brought 1.2 million people through the gates in a season?

Why do Collingwood need other big clubs to help them fill stadiums and Richmond doesn't .

 

[HAPPY BUDDHA]

Why do Collingwood need other big clubs to help them fill stadiums and Richmond doesn't .

Your last game against another BIG4 club drew zero.

 

[Grin]

Your last game against another BIG4 club drew zero.

West Coast also had a very poor home crowd turnout against Melbourne. Although in fairness, Sunday afternoon is a horrible time slot for crowds.

 

[HAPPY BUDDHA]

West Coast also had a very poor home crowd turnout against Melbourne. Although in fairness, Sunday afternoon is a horrible time slot for crowds.

Like Richmond would know.

#VICBIAS

 

[eipuorg_]

Why have Richmond never, not even once, brought 1.2 million people through the gates in a season?

in the last few years ? we got very close to 1.2 in 2018 (5k off) when we outdrew a collingwood that went further than us

reckon if the eastern suburbs train lines weren't affected we'd have comfortably gone past 1.2 mil. going to the footy became a 3 hour trip for tigers supporters from the eastern suburbs in 2018/19. it was ridiculous

the northern train lines where collingwood fans live were nowhere near as affected as the eastern ones .

but im confident that with the same fixture, no train works, same weather Richmond will outdraw collingwood every time. there are too many things that need to go right but we have more supporters in victoria than Collingwood and we're growing at a rapid rate . The pies are losers at the moment who are known for losing grand finals. you arent picking up any new young supporters

kids want to win, want the best colours/jumper, mascot, song and the best gameday experience in the country

 

[HAPPY BUDDHA]

reckon if the eastern suburbs train lines weren't affected we'd have comfortably gone past 1.2 mil. going to the footy became a 3 hour trip for tigers supporters from the eastern suburbs in 2018/19. it was ridiculous

So it was the public transport travel that screwed Richmond?

Bloody hell mate you fair dinkum sound like a West Coast supporter.

 

[eipuorg_]

So it was the public transport that screwed Richmond?

for not achieving 1.2 mil by only 5k absolutely . i didnt go to the footy about 10 times in 2018 cos would have had to take multiple buses and in the end im not travelling 3 hours to go to the footy because of train works

i would have gone every time if everything was normal

 

[Richo83]

Western Australia has 2.6 million. Victoria has 6.6 million people. Let's presume 60% of WA's population are footy fans, and let's say West Coast get say 65% of footy support, that equals to over 1 million eagles supporters.

Collingwood? Let's also presume 60% of the population are footy fans, and let's say, Collingwood fans make up 15%. By my math that's 590,000 fans. Collingwood have to have a lot of interstate fans. Maybe they do, maybe they don't, but I think West Coast come up on top. I mean would Collingwood really be as well supported outside of Victoria as in Victoria? Doubt it.

Not even going to entertain Richmond. Yes their support is impressive but it's come on the back of fans starved for success and the club finally succeeding. Collingwood don't even need this amount of success to equal Richmond's level of membership and attendances. Collingwood's best attendance records beat Richmond's.

I think Collingwood is catchable though in the Victorian context. Carlton and Essendon used to regularly get some of the best crowds in the league in the 90s and 00s and if a big club continues to beat them and they have a down patch, maybe? Thing about Collingwood though is that they have never been far away from finals which helps their profile be maintained. Their longest finals drought is only seven years. That's impressive. The mantle of best supported club in Victoria may change soon. Best supported Victorian club in Australia is likely to be Collingwood for a bit. They also market themselves well, have a prominent president and coach which keeps them in papers and have a fixture which makes them highly exposed to a national audience.

So I'd say:

West Coast
Collingwood
Richmond
Essendon
Adelaide (tempted to shift them up more)
Hawthorn
Carlton (yes, really, alienated supporter base which isn't engaged yet still are blues fans)

 

[Richo83]

Why have Richmond never, not even once, brought 1.2 million people through the gates in a season?

I don't know why you're using total home and away numbers given Richmond's away attendances are largely shaped by other members attending.

 

[kaiserchief13]

in the last few years ? we got very close to 1.2 in 2018 (5k off) when we outdrew a collingwood that went further than us

reckon if the eastern suburbs train lines weren't affected we'd have comfortably gone past 1.2 mil. going to the footy became a 3 hour trip for tigers supporters from the eastern suburbs in 2018/19. it was ridiculous

the northern train lines where collingwood fans live were nowhere near as affected as the eastern ones .

but im confident that with the same fixture, no train works, same weather Richmond will outdraw collingwood every time. there are too many things that need to go right but we have more supporters in victoria than Collingwood and we're growing at a rapid rate . The pies are losers at the moment who are known for losing grand finals. you arent picking up any new young supporters

kids want to win, want the best colours/jumper, mascot, song and the best gameday experience in the country

lol

 

[kaiserchief13]

I don't know why you're using total home and away numbers given Richmond's away attendances are largely shaped by other members attending.

Probably because another team has 1.2million through the gates with away games in there as well, just like Richmond?

 

[Richo83]

Probably because another team has 1.2million through the gates with away games in there as well, just like Richmond?

That's more of a measure of the support your opponents have than anything. IMO the gold standard of measurement for Victorian clubs is home attendance. Collingwood's 2010 figures come out on top proving to me that they have the most support. But that 1.2 million mark is meaningless to me.

 

[HAPPY BUDDHA]

Who else besides Gil is wishing for a final top 5 consisting of (in no particular order)

Collingwood
West Coast
Richmond
Essendon
Carlton

 

[gopies1981]

in the last few years ? we got very close to 1.2 in 2018 (5k off) when we outdrew a collingwood that went further than us

reckon if the eastern suburbs train lines weren't affected we'd have comfortably gone past 1.2 mil. going to the footy became a 3 hour trip for tigers supporters from the eastern suburbs in 2018/19. it was ridiculous

the northern train lines where collingwood fans live were nowhere near as affected as the eastern ones .

but im confident that with the same fixture, no train works, same weather Richmond will outdraw collingwood every time. there are too many things that need to go right but we have more supporters in victoria than Collingwood and we're growing at a rapid rate . The pies are losers at the moment who are known for losing grand finals. you arent picking up any new young supporters

kids want to win, want the best colours/jumper, mascot, song and the best gameday experience in the country

Lol like from 1990-2014, 2017 and 2019???

richmonds premiership years and they still cannot outdraw Collingwood!! In 2010 collingwood drew 1,306,604 yet Richmond cannot even break the 1.2 million mark....

 

[gopies1981]

Western Australia has 2.6 million. Victoria has 6.6 million people. Let's presume 60% of WA's population are footy fans, and let's say West Coast get say 65% of footy support, that equals to over 1 million eagles supporters.

Collingwood? Let's also presume 60% of the population are footy fans, and let's say, Collingwood fans make up 15%. By my math that's 590,000 fans. Collingwood have to have a lot of interstate fans. Maybe they do, maybe they don't, but I think West Coast come up on top. I mean would Collingwood really be as well supported outside of Victoria as in Victoria? Doubt it.

Not even going to entertain Richmond. Yes their support is impressive but it's come on the back of fans starved for success and the club finally succeeding. Collingwood don't even need this amount of success to equal Richmond's level of membership and attendances. Collingwood's best attendance records beat Richmond's.

I think Collingwood is catchable though in the Victorian context. Carlton and Essendon used to regularly get better attendances than them and if a big club continues to beat them and they have a down patch, maybe? Thing about Collingwood though is that they have never been far away from finals which helps their profile be maintained. Their longest finals drought is only seven years. That's impressive. The mantle of best supported club in Victoria may change soon. Best supported Victorian club in Australia is likely to be Collingwood for a bit. They also market themselves well, have a prominent president and coach which keeps them in papers and have a fixture which makes them highly exposed to a national audience.

So I'd say:

West Coast
Collingwood
Richmond
Essendon
Adelaide (tempted to shift them up more)
Hawthorn
Carlton (yes, really, alienated supporter base which isn't engaged yet still are blues fans)

Carlton for a start have never outnumber Collingwood after the home and away season and Essendon have only achieved this in 1996, 1998-2001 and 2004 when Collingwood were bottom 4 and Essendon were top 4!!

 

[Spanish_Fly]

for not achieving 1.2 mil by only 5k absolutely . i didnt go to the footy about 10 times in 2018 cos would have had to take multiple buses and in the end im not travelling 3 hours to go to the footy because of train works

i would have gone every time if everything was normal

Thats the same year they decided that shutting the car park at the G for every Richmond game was a smart idea. Idiots.

 

[Spanish_Fly]

Honestly have no idea about WCE, but you'd have to think they have a vast majority of support in WA and that would probably see them as no. 1, Collingwood definitely more support over a longer period than Richmond.

 

[eipuorg_]

Lol like from 1990-2014, 2017 and 2019???

richmonds premiership years and they still cannot outdraw Collingwood!! In 2010 collingwood drew 1,306,604 yet Richmond cannot even break the 1.2 million mark....

thats an impressive number but if you had won the flag in 2018 you wouldve been outdrawn by us. attendances are different now especially in the last few years with closed carparks, train works and 2 new teams that play in a tiny stadium

they may never get as high again across the comp. will be interesting to see if Richmond with a similar fixture, no train works etc can get close.

weve outdrawn you in 3 of the last 5 years for total attendance and have destroyed you in home crowds

 

[What else we can do]

Carlton for a start have never outnumber Collingwood after the home and away season and Essendon have only achieved this in 1996, 1998-2001 and 2004 when Collingwood were bottom 4 and Essendon were top 4!!

Wrong Carlton outnumbered Collingwood after the home and away season in 1975,1976,1982,1986 and 1987. Source afl tables

 

[Richo83]

Carlton for a start have never outnumber Collingwood after the home and away season and Essendon have only achieved this in 1996, 1998-2001 and 2004 when Collingwood were bottom 4 and Essendon were top 4!!

Yeah fair enough with Carlton. Although I still say that the levels of support both sides enjoyed in the 90s was pretty similar, with Carlton reaching roughly 90% of Collingwood's fan base.

With Essendon, I presume you're counting home and away matches, which is dumb, because away match attendances aren't controlled by your fans and therefore are a bad gauge of your fan base. In 1993 they finished ahead of Collingwood too. So that's four years in the 90s even though they only won one flag in that period. Memberships were roughly the same during the late 90s as well. Essendon had more members in 2000 than any other Victorian club. That's impressive given much of those memberships would have been sold before their historic run in 2000 on route to a flag.

It's also worth pointing out that Collingwood had a leg-up by playing at the MCG at a time when Carlton and Essendon played at smaller suburban grounds.

My main argument is that Collingwood are gettable in a Victorian context. The club has never had a full decade out of the finals, and constant finals appearances have helped Collingwood remain on top. If Essendon can re-emerge as a force, or if say another well liked MCG tenant like Richmond keeps going, I can see you being caught.

I don't believe that Collingwood being the biggest club in Victoria is destiny or will always be the case.

 

[dave10]

Yeah fair enough with Carlton. Although I still say that the levels of support both sides enjoyed in the 90s was pretty similar, with Carlton reaching roughly 90% of Collingwood's fan base.

With Essendon, I presume you're counting home and away matches, which is dumb, because away match attendances aren't controlled by your fans and therefore are a bad gauge of your fan base. In 1993 they finished ahead of Collingwood too. So that's four years in the 90s even though they only won one flag in that period. Memberships were roughly the same during the late 90s as well. Essendon had more members in 2000 than any other Victorian club. That's impressive given much of those memberships would have been sold before their historic run in 2000 on route to a flag.

It's also worth pointing out that Collingwood had a leg-up by playing at the MCG at a time when Carlton and Essendon played at smaller suburban grounds.

My main argument is that Collingwood are gettable in a Victorian context. The club has never had a full decade out of the finals, and constant finals appearances have helped Collingwood remain on top. If Essendon can re-emerge as a force, or if say another well liked MCG tenant like Richmond keeps going, I can see you being caught.

I don't believe that Collingwood being the biggest club in Victoria is destiny or will always be the case.

Good post. Some sensible and logical points made here.

 

[Football Tragic]

I would suggest that both West Coast and Collingwood have more followers but less supporters. I think they both have plenty of people who state they follow the team but do not turn up for games or buy memberships. It's a bit like how the Roy Morgan survey that has Sydney as the most supported club in Australia yet how relatively small memberships and crowd numbers compared to other clubs.

Really, when its all said and done, having a great deal of supporters means absolutely nothing to the club unless they support the club financially. This equates to memberships, attendance, merchandise and (to a lesser degree) ratings.

NRL always hold up their TV ratings as an indication of following but this doesn't directly assist or improve their clubs. Yes, the NRL does award clubs finances based on their TV rights, but this is not based on their specific supporter numbers but rather the overall ratings of the whole competition.

So when its all said and done - congratulations to all those codes and clubs with big supporter numbers but if you can't turn that into club revenue it means absolutely nothing.