It’s a myth that Melbourne supporters aren’t turning up, it’s a myth that we aren’t buying memberships. Our resilience has been excellent in the face of great adversity, drawing attendances higher than two other clubs who both have on-field results in their favour.

I’m not asking for the other small Victorian clubs to get bashed. I just don’t want mine being bashed all the time by the very people who supposedly are tasked with promoting the AFL brand. Constant talk of our demise and failure, while ultimately false, is enough to truly undermine sponsorship opportunities and morale at the club.

Anyone with an internet connection can investigate for themselves, through sites like footywire.com.

Average attendances at home games 2008 –

Melbourne – 33,336

Bulldogs – 33,233

Kangaroos – 29,217 (note Gold Coast game, the in-Melbourne Average is about that of the other two)

The spread of opponent drawing power and fixture times at homes games has been roughly even for these three clubs (yes, they are all being screwed in that way)

However, we have matched the attendances of both of these clubs, one of which is copping no heat whatsoever (Bulldogs) and the other has been explicitly congratulated by the AFL for it’s turnaround (Kangaroos).

Our Queen’s birthday game against the Pies will push our overall home game attendance average even further ahead of these two clubs.

All this despite our most miserable year on-field in a very long time, and despite both of these teams traveling well on field and receiving boosts off-field (the Kangaroo ‘fightback’ momentum, the Bulldog’s heavy government funding for facilities).

Just compare -

Bulldogs, currently in 3rd with 8 wins and a draw from 10 matches.

Kangaroos, currently in 8th with 5 wins and a draw from ten matches.

Melbourne, currently in 16th with 1 win from 10 matches.

I won't repeat what I've said on this board recently (I've banged on about the same thing in this thread and others), except to say that I largely agree.

NB: I think last year's performances are just as relevant, if not more so, than this years. As well as their 'call to arms', the Kangaroos made the prelims. WB weren't too shabby either, while we were terrible.

You make a compelling argument.

DD ..you speak the truth..be careful he might hear you.. ( AD that is ) he doesnt like truth to interfere with the BIG picture !! It wont agree with the spin eminating from AFL house.

We need to take a leaf out of the Kangas book and tell them to f -off and get their facts straight.. But do it nicely of course !! lol

Honestly..AD and Co change their tune more than the radio !!

If you didnt know better ( <_< ) youd almost think He wants us to fail .

"Kangaroos – 29,217 (note Gold Coast game, the in-Melbourne Average is about that of the other two)"

And we have our ACT appointment in a couple of weeks. I'll just happen to be in Canberra that weekend, so I'll try and keep our attendance numbers up by dragging a few mates in.

Indeed, if Monday draws 66,656 people, we'll have an average home attendance of 40,000. Which would be 7th best.

Now of course it'll be hurt by the Manuka game, but that's another reason to get rid of it. We can always claim to only count MCG crowds.

Another excellent post DD. Well thought through, with the facts to back it up. Thanks!!

We really are a sleeping giant.

Great post mate well said, stick that up you Demetriou

This post should be on bigfooty to shut the anit-Demons knobs up.

I honestly reckon North will have about 5-7,000 less members next year due to neutral sympahisers jumping off board.

If we were top 8, with the same attendance I am pretty sure it would not be seen as an issue. I am one of the regular memebers hwo attends, and I sit beside the same dedicated people week in, week out. They all come along and support rain hail or shine.

The thing that annoys me most, is that with the general public/media/afl on our case about low attendance figures, it is only a matter of time before the "snow" jokes start coming in full force. Give it 2 weeks!

News just in - Hawthorrn vs Essendon at the Telstra dome just got 46,000, about the same as our game against the Hawks.

Clearly, Essendon are in strife, and in danger of losing their big fixtures...

Eg -

Carlton, MCG, Saturday night,

Bulldogs, TD, Friday night,

Port Adelaide, TD, sunday Twilight

Richmond, MCG, Saturday Night,

Hawthorn, MCG, Saturday Night

West Coast, TD, Friday Night,

Brisbane, TD, Saturday Night

Collingwood, MCG, Saturday,

Melbourne, MCG, Saturday

Adelaide, MCG, Saturday

St. Kilda, TD, Sunday Twilight.

So, more than half on either saturday or friday night, and the rest on saturday day time except for round 22 against St. Kilda, and the game against port.

They also play ALL of Carlton, Richmond, Collingwood and St Kilda twice. Doesn't that include the "dreamtime at the 'G" and some modestly promoted game in late April?

We would [censored] ourselves with joy if we had that set of fixtures next year, and still be laughing about it in 2010.

Self-fullfilling prophecy, favouring the 'big-drawing' teams with better fixtures, and it drives me mad.

One of the big fallacies is that MFC trails off well behind the Kangas and the Bullies.

MFC are facing problems just like Kangas and WB.

Our on field problems have magnified the media focus on us.

The truth is that all 3 clubs are battling to survive.

The truth is that regardless MFC needs to improve his attendances, memberships and sponsorships.

Its no good saying we are worse better than WB or NM.

We need to lift. Hopefully the threat on the QBW game is the line in the sand that we can look proudly at as the day the Club started to turn around.