Low Attendance

[DeeZone 10,136]

Just out of curiosity what were the attendance figures for all games?

[Dee Zephyr 19,269]

14 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

Just out of curiosity what were the attendance figures for all games?

You gave me something to do DZ.

Gabba - Lions v Pies 32,212

Optus - West Coast v Swans 42,888

Adelaide Oval - Crows v Tigers 33,031

MCG - Blues v Port 33,433

MCG- Hawks v Cats 48,030

20,791 for our game.

All three Marvel games aren’t showing a crowd figure on the AFL site.

[Sideshow Bob 2,421]

1 minute ago, Dee Zephyr said:

You gave me something to do DZ.

Gabba - Lions v Pies 32,212

Optus - West Coast v Swans 42,888

Adelaide Oval - Crows v Tigers 33,031

MCG - Blues v Port 33,433

MCG- Hawks v Cats 48,030

20,791 for our game.

All three Marvel games aren’t showing a crowd figure on the AFL site.

Saints gold Coast was 18k on the traditional Saturday afternoon slot. So 3 k less than us on the same day in the same city also against a low drawing interstate side

[Guest]

@rpfc, will we eventually be told who voted for what?

I’m just curious as to who that one arrogant [censored] is who only rocks up to finals coz H&A matches are for chumps. 😆

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

Let’s call a spade a spade. The crowd of 20,000 was quite frankly pathetic from our supporter base. We can’t blame GWS because they don’t have any supporters.

1) It was on one of the best April Melbourne  nights you will ever get from a weather perspective - 24 degrees at 7:25pm.

2) We’ve started the season magnificently to the extent that the media have us so far ahead of the second seed.

3) We’ve finally won a flag so I would’ve thought Melbourne people would be desperate to attend every single game imaginable after being denied a once in a life time opportunity to see a flag live, as well as two other finals.

4) I can’t accept or believe that 35,000 odd Melbourne members were out of town. So I’m not using the Easter holidays as an alibi for our supporter base.

Pert and Co would be disappointed by such a small crowd on a marquee time slot that is Saturday night. Still a long way to go if we want to be consider a Melbourne based power house club.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

3 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

You gave me something to do DZ.

Gabba - Lions v Pies 32,212

Optus - West Coast v Swans 42,888

Adelaide Oval - Crows v Tigers 33,031

MCG - Blues v Port 33,433

MCG- Hawks v Cats 48,030

20,791 for our game.

All three Marvel games aren’t showing a crowd figure on the AFL site.

Dons got 23K to their Marvel game which is way below what they historically get at Marvel.

[deanox 9,989]

After 2 games I didn't see any threads about how we had the best supporters because we were 2nd in the comp for home attendance but after the third, against an interstate team on Easter weekend, we are crying foul.

I really think that sums it up.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,305]

9 minutes ago, deanox said:

After 2 games I didn't see any threads about how we had the best supporters because we were 2nd in the comp for home attendance but after the third, against an interstate team on Easter weekend, we are crying foul.

I really think that sums it up.

The crowds in rounds 1 and 3 were also disappointing.

[JimmyGadson 3,455]

7 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Dons got 23K to their Marvel game which is way below what they historically get at Marvel.

And imagine what we would have got if we were travelling as poorly as Essendon?

20k was seriously poor and we should have done better. 

[rpfc 28,779]

7 hours ago, deanox said:

After 2 games I didn't see any threads about how we had the best supporters because we were 2nd in the comp for home attendance but after the third, against an interstate team on Easter weekend, we are crying foul.

I really think that sums it up.

I’m not really following that equation.

We had 58k for the Dogs & flag unveiling and low 40s for the Bombers. Those are not good. They’re not pathetic so no thread.

Generational team + pathetic crowd - meek excuses = ‘Crying Foul thread’

I really think that sums it up.

[BDA 22,891]

It’s a poor turnout. No getting away from it. Easter a factor so I don’t think this game is the best indicator

Covid has impacted attendances across the board and is the main reason for lower attendances. There are those who are afraid of catching covid but there are also iso rules still in place meaning isolating fans can’t get to the games and isolating workers can’t man the food and alcohol stalls and all the other supporting services. Once rules and restrictions are finally lifted (and its well past time they were imo), I hope the 10%-20% covid holdouts will return

Watching on TV will never replace attending the game live. It’s a social occasion centred around the game for me. Catching up with mates, enjoying the banter and beers and getting the chance to belt out Grand old flag with the rest of the faithful. You can’t replicate that watching on the TV

There are 2 types of Melbourne based Dees supporters (I’ll leave out country and inter-state given the logistics involved). Those who find reasons to attend and those who find reasons not to attend. Which are you?

[Rab D Nesbitt 8,497]

One thing I think we can all agree on is that if it wasn't for ...

Rail replacement buses.

Public transport in general.

Uber prices. 

Parking. 

Too long a walk after we've parked. 

Traffic. 

$10 beers.

Mid strength beer. 

Food outlets closed. 

Loud music.

Weather too nice to go.

Weather too bad to go. 

Games on public holidays.

Games at night. 

Games at 3.20pm on a Sunday.

Games at 1.10pm on a Saturday. 

Games on a Wednesday.

Games on a Thursday. 

Games on a Friday. 

Games at Easter.

Games on Mother's Day. 

Bringing the family to a night game. 

Leaving the family to go to a night game. 

Games against interstate teams. 

Games against teams with no rivalry. 

Games at Marvel. 

School holidays. 

Going away for the weekend. 

Can't sit exactly where we want. 

Sitting on level 4. 

Can't stand at the game. 

Spending all our money on the Grand Prix the week before. 

Can't pay in cash at the gate. 

Not being able to access our digital ticket until 72 hours before a game. 

Stupid ticketing system. 

Ticketek

Ticketmaster

Free to air on TV

Kayo

Club not promoting games enough. 

2 years of lockdown.

Covid. 

...we would all crawl over broken glass to watch this Melbourne team right now. 

 

 

 

[layzie 34,014]

23 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Not speaking for others but I don't have an issue with people who are getting away for the weekend. I don't expect people's lives to revolve around the footy, we all have other stuff going on. It's more those who could've gone but opted not to because it was easier to watch on TV.

Definitely and at a time slot like this as well. Would have loved to be there myself especially with that second half and can't wait to get back to the G, it is a worthwhile question from OP. 

[poita 3,902]

Whilst people are getting giddy over our membership numbers, they have to accept that a large portion of these are 3 game memberships so these people are unlikely to be seen at anything other than blockbuster matches. I doubt that most of these people even particularly care about the club, they just want to be along for the ride.

Other than that, night games are a major hassle and I don't blame people for not attending when you are almost guaranteed to have public transport problems every second week.

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, BDA said:

There are 2 types of Melbourne based Dees supporters. Those who find reasons to attend and those who find reasons not to attend. Which are you?

Personally, I’m a third type of Melbourne supporter: I don’t need to find reasons either way. I have one never-ending, omnipresent, unwavering reason, that being simply, the MFC. And in particular, the fact that the Dees are my one constant in life. People come and go, relationships begin and end, good things happen, bad things happen, awesome things happen. But through the peaks and troughs and everything in between there’s always been the Dees. I love this club with every atom of every fibre of my being. I love every single player as if he were my (much) younger brother 😉 Therefore, there’d have to be the MacDaddy of reasons to keep me from attending. End of passionate outburst. 😁

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,909]

3 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Personally, I’m a third type of Melbourne supporter: I don’t need to find reasons either way. I have one never-ending, omnipresent, unwavering reason, that being simply, the MFC. And in particular, the fact that the Dees are my one constant in life. People come and go, relationships begin and end, good things happen, bad things happen, awesome things happen. But through the peaks and troughs and everything in between there’s always been the Dees. I love this club with every atom of every fibre of my being. I love every single player as if he were my (much) younger brother 😉 Therefore, there’d have to be the MacDaddy of reasons to keep me from attending. End of passionate outburst. 😁

Wow. The club is over 160 years old. I dare not make any further comment. It might be seen as impolite. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Wow. The club is over 160 years old. I dare not make any further comment. It might be seen as impolite. 

I have no idea what this means 🤷‍♀️ 
Edit: I just saw the bolded bit. 😂

 

Edited April 18, 2022 by WalkingCivilWar

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,909]

1 minute ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I have no idea what this means 🤷‍♀️ 

Is it safe to point out that if your younger brother is over 160 years old, that makes his older sister, well, older than that. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Is it safe to point out that if your younger brother is over 160 years old, that makes his older sister, well, older than that. 

Of course it’s safe to say that!

*begins making voodoo doll of LDVC*

[Diamond_Jim 12,628]

Another strange contrived fixture next week.

Only two matches in Melbourne. Ours on Sunday night and the game at the MCG on Monday

 

[hemingway 7,631]

58 minutes ago, poita said:

Whilst people are getting giddy over our membership numbers, they have to accept that a large portion of these are 3 game memberships so these people are unlikely to be seen at anything other than blockbuster matches. I doubt that most of these people even particularly care about the club, they just want to be along for the ride.

Other than that, night games are a major hassle and I don't blame people for not attending when you are almost guaranteed to have public transport problems every second week.

 

Agree on night games. They are a significant deterrent for country fans. There are a lot of Demon fans in the country. Until I moved to the country I had not realised how many committed Dees fans live in central Vic. For most, home is a minimum of 2 to 3 hours from the MCG. Meaning that if you go by car, it’s a 1am return to home. So that’s a problem. The second problem is that public transport/trains is dodgy/unreliable. Most don’t have any faith in the train service. I understood why when at the end of the Doggies game I walked back to Southern Cross only to find that the last train had been cancelled and there was no replacement bus service. No service, no warning, no apology just an empty train station. Fortunately, I was able to find a billet at a friends flat for the night but incredibly frustrating and inconvenient given my plans early the next day. 

Most country fans have given up. They love the club and are probably more passionate than city dwellers but it is all to hard. The TV and the armchair have to suffice. 

[deanox 9,989]

11 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

The crowds in rounds 1 and 3 were also disappointing.

Compared to what?

Compared to 2019 AFL crowds, it's a poor showing.

But if it's compared to 2022 crowds to date, they were pretty good. After 5 rounds (45 games) our first two home games rank no. 3 and 7 for highest crowd of the season. Yeah they could have had bigger crowds, but they fit within the current climate. 

Do people expect that suddenly, with a flick of a switch, we'd be drawing Collingwood level crowds every week?

 

[58er 6,568]

4 hours ago, BDA said:

It’s a poor turnout. No getting away from it. Easter a factor so I don’t think this game is the best indicator

Covid has impacted attendances across the board and is the main reason for lower attendances. There are those who are afraid of catching covid but there are also iso rules still in place meaning isolating fans can’t get to the games and isolating workers can’t man the food and alcohol stalls and all the other supporting services. Once rules and restrictions are finally lifted (and its well past time they were imo), I hope the 10%-20% covid holdouts will return

Watching on TV will never replace attending the game live. It’s a social occasion centred around the game for me. Catching up with mates, enjoying the banter and beers and getting the chance to belt out Grand old flag with the rest of the faithful. You can’t replicate that watching on the TV

There are 2 types of Melbourne based Dees supporters (I’ll leave out country and inter-state given the logistics involved). Those who find reasons to attend and those who find reasons not to attend. Which are you?

Well put BDA 

To be honest it's like marriage and divorce

Some find reasons to leave 

Others find reasons to stay 

Couples don't work hard enough to keep their marriages going these days.

 

[58er 6,568]

1 hour ago, deanox said:

Compared to what?

Compared to 2019 AFL crowds, it's a poor showing.

But if it's compared to 2022 crowds to date, they were pretty good. After 5 rounds (45 games) our first two home games rank no. 3 and 7 for highest crowd of the season. Yeah they could have had bigger crowds, but they fit within the current climate. 

Do people expect that suddenly, with a flick of a switch, we'd be drawing Collingwood level crowds every week?

 

No but nor should we get only North Saints and Freo numbers after winning  a flag and hAving record numbers in Members and Coteries etc. 

Since Round 9 2020 we have 

WON 31 matches LOST only 7 DRAWN  1 in 39  games That's 80% if we win next week. That's  nearly twice our AFL/VFL 125 year history of 45%! Winning rate . 

So success is sweet but I think the AFL and/ or Club  should send a survey out to Members and Supporters asking what are the 3 main reasons why you are not going and provide alternatives on the survey. 

They should also contact members who are not going ( or Unregularly) to games and find out why ?

Membership Corporate or Social support seems the highest ever so why not at games say 60% of members going?  
 

it's disappointing to say the least
Have  to say the 20,000 odd there were fantastic very loud passionate and appreciative and supportive but are they the only rusted on fans?

Time will tell ! 

Really who wouldn't  be with a GF like quarter 3rd quarter of 10 goals! Amazing 10 different players 10 different ways and some sensational footy to last with memories of last year ! 

Reckon Kossie Tommy Sparrow and Bowser's 3 goals are all in for GOTRound and  2 are GOTYear contenders  for the efforts and skills. 

 

 

 

 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,305]

3 hours ago, deanox said:

Compared to what?

Compared to 2019 AFL crowds, it's a poor showing.

But if it's compared to 2022 crowds to date, they were pretty good. After 5 rounds (45 games) our first two home games rank no. 3 and 7 for highest crowd of the season. Yeah they could have had bigger crowds, but they fit within the current climate. 

Do people expect that suddenly, with a flick of a switch, we'd be drawing Collingwood level crowds every week?

 

Essendon, Collingwood and Richmond are all having poor/relatively poor seasons. WA still has restrictions in place for attendances (or did, not sure if that's changed now but I don't believe so). If those clubs were not impacted so much by performance/restrictions we would not have the 3rd and 7th highest crowds for the season. 

Essendon have been rubbish for 20 years and have had a disappointing start to the season yet still got a higher attendance than us against an interstate team with minimal support. This was also on Easter Sunday when many people actually have family functions on as opposed to the Saturday fixture. St Kilda only drew 2k fewer than us on Saturday despite our performance. 

You can find excuses all you want, the facts are the crowds have been disappointing this year especially considering our performance.