Saw this page on BigFooty Today http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/attendances

I think that is a pretty good effort, but compared to the Filth we have still got serious work to do.

Got me thinking though as to how high we could get a CORE attendance to a game, win lose or draw, where did we sit in decades past when we were winning flags?

Maybe an older supporter can help me out

Edited October 30, 201015 yr by why you little

think we did really well for a team that never played finals.

have a good look we played 22 games and interstate where as collingwood played 26 games and almost never left the state and had two grand finals in their !!

think we did really well for a team that never played finals.

have a good look we played 22 games and interstate where as collingwood played 26 games and almost never left the state and had two grand finals in their !!

I am not saying, we didn't do well...just showing the amount of improvement we have in front of us if we wish to be a Top 4 AFL Club.

I see it as a challenge to all of us.

In 2000 including all games came 3rd behind Essendon and Carlton, so we can do better.

Interesting we did very well this year compared with both Saints and Bulldogs if you look at just home and away.

In 2000 including all games came 3rd behind Essendon and Carlton, so we can do better.

Interesting we did very well this year compared with both Saints and Bulldogs if you look at just home and away.

Says a lot for playing at the MCG and the docklands doesn't it. That Docklands ground should never have been built..a Wayne Jackson memory for us all!

We'd easily manage 50-55k in this climate if we were up and flying. Bulldogs and Saints figures are laughable considering we'd just come off two wooden spoons and come close to their figures.

Our attendences were up by about 8k on average this year. Average percentage rise in attendence is as follows.

Rise and Fall in Attendences

1. Melbourne 25% up

2. Collingwood 21% up

3. Fremantle 15% up

4. Geelong 9% up

5. St Kilda 8% up

6. Hawthorn 3% up

7. North 2% up

8. Sydney 1% down

9. Brisbane 2% down

10. Port 2% down

11. Richmond 4% down

12. Eagles 4% down

13. Carlton 5% down

14. Bulldogs 7% down

15. Essendon 8% down

16. Adelaide 17% down

I think it becomes obvious after this why the AFL gave us such a favourable draw considering we played at TIO this last year

i reckon our attendence was remarkable.

Rise and Fall in Attendences

2. Collingwood 21% up

How amusing that Collingwood markedly improved their attendance this year when apparently all their supporters always turn up regardless of form...if that was true, how could they improve by 20%? Perhaps a few percent would be understandable due to neutrals, but 1/5?

That's not a shot at Pies supporters - just the idea that Melbourne are somehow different to any other Club in that we have lower crowds when losing and vice versa.

How amusing that Collingwood markedly improved their attendance this year when apparently all their supporters always turn up regardless of form...if that was true, how could they improve by 20%? Perhaps a few percent would be understandable due to neutrals, but 1/5?

That's not a shot at Pies supporters - just the idea that Melbourne are somehow different to any other Club in that we have lower crowds when losing and vice versa.

Yes it is interesting. But it is also amazing that the Filth averaged 63,000 for the 26 weeks. That is incredible revenue, however you look at it.

That is not to say the Demons cannot get to this level in the coming years. Almost everybody Hates Etihad stadium. The MCG is our home ground.

If the Team Performs in September we can draw huge crowds, something the Kangaroos can only vaugely dream of.

For us to average 36,000 with a membership of what 34,000?? That is a great Base to work from.

Schedule could have had a bit to do with Collingwood increasing their attendances.

The increase could have easily been opposition supporters attending away games.

Our attendance will drop in 2011, because even though a lot of our games are at the G, a large percentage of our home games are against low-drawing interstate teams.

And the home games are what counts.

Schedule could have had a bit to do with Collingwood increasing their attendances.

The increase could have easily been opposition supporters attending away games.

Our attendance will drop in 2011, because even though a lot of our games are at the G, a large percentage of our home games are against low-drawing interstate teams.

And the home games are what counts.

No it won't, our attendances will continue to grow over the next 5 to 6 years.

Saw this page on BigFooty Today http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/attendances

I think that is a pretty good effort, but compared to the Filth we have still got serious work to do.

Got me thinking though as to how high we could get a CORE attendance to a game, win lose or draw, where did we sit in decades past when we were winning flags?

Maybe an older supporter can help me out

Here you go: Round 2, 1961. OUr first game at the MCG for the season. Previous two years' we were premiers, in fact we had won five of the preceding six premierships.

Sat, 22nd Apr

2nd Melbourne 2.5 3.10 4.13 5.14 (44)

10th Hawthorn 3.1 4.5 8.8 11.10 (76)

Crowd - 34,640 at MCGView Details

Melb - A.Rowarth 2, F.Adams 1, R.Barassi 1, C.Laidlaw 1

Haw - G.Young 4, P.Hay 2, I.Law 1, M.Browne 1, B.Edwards 1, G.Arthur 1, K.Connell 1

Hawthorn went on to win their first premiership that year. If we pulled 34,000 at the MCG in 2011 or in any recent years v Hawthorn demetriou would be calling for our re-location.

First game at the G, round two 1957, this after winning both '55 and '56 flags got us 44,000.

8th Melbourne 1.2 5.6 8.13 10.20 (80)

12th Collingwood 2.2 5.4 6.8 10.12 (72)

Crowd - 44,971 at MCGView Details

Melb - B.Johnson 3, G.Tunbridge 2, A.Webb 2, P.Cook 1, D.Fenton-Smith 1, R.Barassi 1

Coll - I.Brewer 3, M.Weideman 2, B.Serong 1, N.Waller 1, B.Jones 1, K.Smale 1, B.Greve 1

Round One, 1958,,, Our first game of the year at the G (after winning three flags in a row) was 38,000.

Melbourne 4.1 7.3 10.7 11.13 (79)

Carlton 2.1 3.5 5.9 9.11 (65)

Crowd - 38,006 at MCGView Details

Melb - I.Ridley 5, B.Johnson 3, G.Case 1, A.Webb 1, N.Crompton 1

Carl - B.Crowe 4, L.Brereton 2, G.Donaldson 1, R.O'Dwyer 1, D.Zeunert 1

Round Two, 1959, first game at the G v. the old enemy, 53,000

2nd Melbourne 3.4 7.7 11.10 13.14 (92)

12th Collingwood 3.1 5.1 8.4 12.7 (79)

Crowd - 53,342 at MCGView Details

Melb - D.Jones 3, F.Adams 3, I.Ridley 3, T.Gleeson 1, B.Johnson 1, R.Barassi 1, A.Rowarth 1

Coll - B.Harrison 3, K.Burns 2, K.Turner 2, T.Merrett 2, B.Serong 1, M.Delanty 1, B.Beers 1

1960, Round One, unfurling the '59 flag at the G got us 36 thousand.

Melbourne 3.2 7.5 11.8 14.15 (99)

Nth Melb 0.4 2.7 4.12 5.14 (44)

Crowd - 36,766 at MCGView Details

Melb - B.Johnson 4, F.Adams 3, C.Laidlaw 2, R.Barassi 2, I.Ridley 2, H.Mann 1

NM - P.Schofield 2, A.Carr 1, G.Eastmure 1, J.Waddington 1

In quoting these figures has to acknowledged that the population base was much lower, and that all games were played on the same day.

Our attendance will drop in 2011, because even though a lot of our games are at the G, a large percentage of our home games are against low-drawing interstate teams.

And the home games are what counts.

This will be a real interesting for us in 2011. With home games at the G against Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide & the two big ones Fremantle & the Gold Coast, the averages will be tested.

We will need to be winning & winning well to bring good crowds to these games.

No it won't, our attendances will continue to grow over the next 5 to 6 years.

Uh, yes it will mate.

Think about it for a moment.

Who in their right mind would really want to watch St.Kilda choke the life out've a game .

They're attendances we're better when their list was on the rise and exciting under Thomas's watch .

Both Thomas and Buttress sold the dream to the supporters and they started turning up in droves , similar position to where we are now IMO .

Last year both the Aint's and (especially) dogs fans suffered a case of post traumatic stress after being so close for so long with no result causing the supporters to drop off . Reiwoldt going down and the the dog general poor form sure didn't help either .

There is no way we will become a top 4 drawing club without sustained success and crafty salesmanship . We need success for the young kids to want to support us for long enough to become members in their own right . Hereditary supporters/members just won't cut it .

Again , JMO .

First game at the G, round two 1957, this after winning both '55 and '56 flags got us 44,000.

8th Melbourne 1.2 5.6 8.13 10.20 (80)

12th Collingwood 2.2 5.4 6.8 10.12 (72)

Crowd - 44,971 at MCGView Details

Melb - B.Johnson 3, G.Tunbridge 2, A.Webb 2, P.Cook 1, D.Fenton-Smith 1, R.Barassi 1

Coll - I.Brewer 3, M.Weideman 2, B.Serong 1, N.Waller 1, B.Jones 1, K.Smale 1, B.Greve 1

Round One, 1958,,, Our first game of the year at the G (after winning three flags in a row) was 38,000.

Melbourne 4.1 7.3 10.7 11.13 (79)

Carlton 2.1 3.5 5.9 9.11 (65)

Crowd - 38,006 at MCGView Details

Melb - I.Ridley 5, B.Johnson 3, G.Case 1, A.Webb 1, N.Crompton 1

Carl - B.Crowe 4, L.Brereton 2, G.Donaldson 1, R.O'Dwyer 1, D.Zeunert 1

Round Two, 1959, first game at the G v. the old enemy, 53,000

2nd Melbourne 3.4 7.7 11.10 13.14 (92)

12th Collingwood 3.1 5.1 8.4 12.7 (79)

Crowd - 53,342 at MCGView Details

Melb - D.Jones 3, F.Adams 3, I.Ridley 3, T.Gleeson 1, B.Johnson 1, R.Barassi 1, A.Rowarth 1

Coll - B.Harrison 3, K.Burns 2, K.Turner 2, T.Merrett 2, B.Serong 1, M.Delanty 1, B.Beers 1

1960, Round One, unfurling the '59 flag at the G got us 36 thousand.

Melbourne 3.2 7.5 11.8 14.15 (99)

Nth Melb 0.4 2.7 4.12 5.14 (44)

Crowd - 36,766 at MCGView Details

Melb - B.Johnson 4, F.Adams 3, C.Laidlaw 2, R.Barassi 2, I.Ridley 2, H.Mann 1

NM - P.Schofield 2, A.Carr 1, G.Eastmure 1, J.Waddington 1

In quoting these figures has to acknowledged that the population base was much lower, and that all games were played on the same day.

Thanks Bush, it is what i suspected. I have noticed the crowds in AFL stats website, and it wasn't really until the 70's crowds were consistently big. Channel 7 promoting.

In our Halcyon years clubs ran on good will and a shoe string compared to now.

Which is why we should really view ourselves as almost a new club (with the oldest History).

We missed that late 60's 70's era when "The Big 4" emerged.

Our time is now.....

Thanks Bush, it is what i suspected. I have noticed the crowds in AFL stats website, and it wasn't really until the 70's crowds were consistently big. Channel 7 promoting.

In our Halcyon years clubs ran on good will and a shoe string compared to now.

Which is why we should really view ourselves as almost a new club (with the oldest History).

We missed that late 60's 70's era when "The Big 4" emerged.

Our time is now.....

I have always thought that was due to the coming of television, which didnn't really hit its straps until the '66 Grand Final. None of Melbourne's greatness is preserved, whilst the "modern era" replays begin around this time. Mike Williamson was talking like a BBC announcer prior to this. So the collective memory of the public tends to go back to the time when carlton richmond stkilda collingwood essendon were the big teams.

Our attendences were up by about 8k on average this year. Average percentage rise in attendence is as follows.

Rise and Fall in Attendences

1. Melbourne 25% up

2. Collingwood 21% up

3. Fremantle 15% up

4. Geelong 9% up

5. St Kilda 8% up

6. Hawthorn 3% up

7. North 2% up

8. Sydney 1% down

9. Brisbane 2% down

10. Port 2% down

11. Richmond 4% down

12. Eagles 4% down

13. Carlton 5% down

14. Bulldogs 7% down

15. Essendon 8% down

16. Adelaide 17% down

I think it becomes obvious after this why the AFL gave us such a favourable draw considering we played at TIO this last year

i reckon our attendence was remarkable.

Favourable draw how? On field? Sure. For attracting crowds? Nah. Too many Sunday games, a lot against interstate clubs, plus a home game against last year's wooden spooners at Etihad on a Sunday at 1:10pm. Our draw is great for the team to succeed on field, but it's far from the best from a marketing perspective. It's probably one of the worst in that regard.

How amusing that Collingwood markedly improved their attendance this year when apparently all their supporters always turn up regardless of form...if that was true, how could they improve by 20%? Perhaps a few percent would be understandable due to neutrals, but 1/5?

That's not a shot at Pies supporters - just the idea that Melbourne are somehow different to any other Club in that we have lower crowds when losing and vice versa.

I suppose the extra finals games for Collingwood (cf prev year) would be worth at least 200,000 (2xGFs)

That in itself is nearly equivalent to 10k per game

So if the figures are just total season attendances the 20% is more understandable

If it was per-game I'd expect it would be less than 20%

Edited November 1, 201015 yr by daisycutter

No it won't, our attendances will continue to grow over the next 5 to 6 years.

I agree- as our position on the ladder increases and people notice such a quality team - people will just want to come and watch- membership and sponsorship will also increase over the next 10 years.

Fancy a wager?

Our attendances will go down in 2011...

Fancy a wager?

Our attendances will go down in 2011...

You really think so?? Even if the team improves??

Shall be interesting to follow that one.

Purely on fixture, yes.

Without a doubt.

Purely on fixture, yes.

Without a doubt.

Fair enough, but i would expect to average more than 36k next year, just from members and interest in the team alone.

But we shall see. A lot depends on if we can win consecutive games. 4-5 in a row would get a crowd,