AFL Gather Round

[A-Town]

There are rumours around suggesting that the AFL will look at bringing in three Gather Rounds per year when Tasmania enter the competition.

Really hope this doesn't happen. Don't kill the golden goose with your greed, AFL.

This is the 9 News report: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=960503125451553

[abc]

can confirm 'Norwood FC's AFL bid' was a media hoax to drum up interest for Gather Round

while Port Adelaide are only getting about 25k to its home games there's no way there's room for a third AFL club in Adelaide any time soon

WA should be the front runner as the Weagles and Dockers regularly get over 50k despite their positions on the ladder and Perth has a million more people

[Hooligan]

while Port Adelaide are only getting about 25k to its home games

That’s simply not true

[rev]

while Port Adelaide are only getting about 25k to its home games

That’s simply not true

It's not. More importantly I don't see the correlation between crowd figures of existing clubs and a potential third club being setup in Adelaide or Perth. Rival fans generally don't attend each others home games? lol
The AFL isn't going to setup a third team in SA or WA any time soon. If they do a 20th team after Tassie, it will go to the east coast, where the biggest population growth is.

Not including the COVID years because each state had different restrictions and requirements and different lockdowns and border closures at different times throughout those years which skews the data.
Including end of year results as well, you generally dont end up in the 8 or win a flag if you're not performing (since ladder positions where brought up).

2023 Adelaide Oval 1,059,951, Optus Stadium 949,822. - Port in 8
2019 Adelaide Oval 863,195, Optus Stadium 1,097,709 - Eagles in 8
2018 Adelaide Oval 920,087, Optus stadium first year 1,197,733. - West Coast premiers
2017 Adelaide Oval 1,080,439, Subiaco saw 760,380. - Crows, Port & Eagles in 8
2016 Adelaide Oval 1,002,929, Subiaco 789,651 - Crows & Eagles in 8
2015 Adelaide Oval 954,471, Subiaco 961,490. - Freo, Crows & Eagles in 8
2014 Adelaide Oval first year 1,068,132, to Subiaco's 810,833. - Port & Freo in 8

If you want another perspective the previous ten year period compared to the last ten year period with the exclusion of the 3 covid years.

2014-2023 excluding 2020-2022
Adelaide Oval 992,730 average over 7 years
Subiaco & Optus Stadium 952,131 average of 7 years.

2013-2004
Footy Park 761,130 average a year
Subiaco 842,877 average a year

If we go deeper and look at the other major codes played at each venue..
Cricket
Australia vs West Indies 2023/24 Summer Adelaide Oval - 67,050 over 3 days, highest day 26,361 on day 1 which was a Wednesday. Lowest attended day 16,991 on a Friday and the game was over by midday.
Australia vs Pakistan 2023/2024 Summer Optus Stadium - 59,125 over 4 days, highest day 17,666 on day 2 which was a Friday. Lowest attendance day 4 9,244 on a Sunday.

A League Grand Finals..

2018/19 GF Perth vs Sydney - 56,371
2015-16 GF Adelaide vs WSW - 50,119

Considering our population is considerably smaller, and poorer since we don't have tens of thousands of cashed up FIFO/Mine workers, Adelaide Oval does considerably well. In fact I reckon if you broke it down per capita, it would be far ahead. Keep in mind obviously Adelaide Oval only has 3 actual grand stands and a grass hill with a couple rows of seating along the boundary on the northern side, whereas the complete stadium bowl of Optus Stadium has an extra 7,766 seats.

[abc]

2014-2023 excluding 2020-2022
Adelaide Oval 992,730 average over 7 years
Subiaco & Optus Stadium 952,131 average of 7 years.

this isn't a fair comparison. Subiaco was much smaller and is out of commission...actually I think its been disappeared completely.
Compare AO with Optus or nothing.
Optus crowds are killing it.

The AFL is already a dogs breakfast and bringing in a 19th team without a 20th will make it moreso. Another team in Perth would be the most logical however the main thing against it is Eastern state teams hate flying there for games because of the distance and significant home ground advantage to WA teams and wouldn't want to have to go there more times.

I can't see another team happening in QLD or Sydney any time soon due to the culture, so Canberra which is growing fast might be the 20th option. It depends on the demographic that moves there, whether they have a critical mass of people from southern states.

[rev]

2014-2023 excluding 2020-2022
Adelaide Oval 992,730 average over 7 years
Subiaco & Optus Stadium 952,131 average of 7 years.

this isn't a fair comparison. Subiaco was much smaller and is out of commission...actually I think its been disappeared completely.
Compare AO with Optus or nothing.
Optus crowds are killing it.

The AFL is already a dogs breakfast and bringing in a 19th team without a 20th will make it moreso. Another team in Perth would be the most logical however the main thing against it is Eastern state teams hate flying there for games because of the distance and significant home ground advantage to WA teams and wouldn't want to have to go there more times.

I can't see another team happening in QLD or Sydney any time soon due to the culture, so Canberra which is growing fast might be the 20th option. It depends on the demographic that moves there, whether they have a critical mass of people from southern states.

I did compare AO to OS. I just went further to disprove your assertion that crowds are far larger generally in Perth then Adelaide.

2023 Adelaide Oval 1,059,951, Optus Stadium 949,822. - Port in 8
2019 Adelaide Oval 863,195, Optus Stadium 1,097,709 - Eagles in 8
2018 Adelaide Oval 920,087, Optus stadium first year 1,197,733. - West Coast premiers


NSW is projected to hit 10.08 million by 2041. Currently 8.41 million. Growth of 1.6+ million.
Victoria is projected to hit 8.86 million by 2041. Currently 6.92 million. Growth of 1.9+ million.
Queensland is projected to hit 6.89 million by 2041. Currently at 5.54 million. Growth of 1.3+ million.
Western Australia is projected to 3.65 million by 2041. Currently 2.89 million. Growth of 800k.
South Australia is projected to hit 2.14 milion by 2041. Currently 1.88 million. Growth of 300k.
Tasmania is projected to hit 625k by 2041. Currently 585k. Growth of 40k.
NT is projected to hit 293k by 2041. Currently 257k.
ACT is projected to hit 599k by 2041. Currently 475k.

ABS sourced figures from https://forecast.id.com.au/australia


The east coast is going to grow by nearly 5 million people by the early 2040's.
WA & SA just over 2 million.

You said you're in business or whatever once. Would you invest in where the market is going to grow by 2 million people, or where it's going to grow by more then double at 5 million people?
Which one is going to give you the biggest return on your investment?

[A-Town]

The 20th AFL team will most likely be in Canberra IMO. If not Canberra, then a third WA team. It won't be Norwood, that's for sure.

[abc]

2014-2023 excluding 2020-2022
Adelaide Oval 992,730 average over 7 years
Subiaco & Optus Stadium 952,131 average of 7 years.

this isn't a fair comparison. Subiaco was much smaller and is out of commission...actually I think its been disappeared completely.
Compare AO with Optus or nothing.
Optus crowds are killing it.

The AFL is already a dogs breakfast and bringing in a 19th team without a 20th will make it moreso. Another team in Perth would be the most logical however the main thing against it is Eastern state teams hate flying there for games because of the distance and significant home ground advantage to WA teams and wouldn't want to have to go there more times.

I can't see another team happening in QLD or Sydney any time soon due to the culture, so Canberra which is growing fast might be the 20th option. It depends on the demographic that moves there, whether they have a critical mass of people from southern states.

I did compare AO to OS. I just went further to disprove your assertion that crowds are far larger generally in Perth then Adelaide.

2023 Adelaide Oval 1,059,951, Optus Stadium 949,822. - Port in 8
2019 Adelaide Oval 863,195, Optus Stadium 1,097,709 - Eagles in 8
2018 Adelaide Oval 920,087, Optus stadium first year 1,197,733. - West Coast premiers


NSW is projected to hit 10.08 million by 2041. Currently 8.41 million. Growth of 1.6+ million.
Victoria is projected to hit 8.86 million by 2041. Currently 6.92 million. Growth of 1.9+ million.
Queensland is projected to hit 6.89 million by 2041. Currently at 5.54 million. Growth of 1.3+ million.
Western Australia is projected to 3.65 million by 2041. Currently 2.89 million. Growth of 800k.
South Australia is projected to hit 2.14 milion by 2041. Currently 1.88 million. Growth of 300k.
Tasmania is projected to hit 625k by 2041. Currently 585k. Growth of 40k.
NT is projected to hit 293k by 2041. Currently 257k.
ACT is projected to hit 599k by 2041. Currently 475k.

ABS sourced figures from https://forecast.id.com.au/australia


The east coast is going to grow by nearly 5 million people by the early 2040's.
WA & SA just over 2 million.

You said you're in business or whatever once. Would you invest in where the market is going to grow by 2 million people, or where it's going to grow by more then double at 5 million people?
Which one is going to give you the biggest return on your investment?

did you just add the 2023 gather round crowds to the AO figure?

tell me you didn't do that

compare Weagles and Freo home games to Crows and Pear... just do that for me....

Vic already has 10 teams and some have scope for growth in support...they're already playing home games in Tasmania they're not going to dilute support further regardless of population growth within the next 50 years.

NSW doesn't give a flying fuck about AFL football apart from the wealthy inner city enclave that supports the Swans. Queensland really doesn't care and it'll be enough of a task to keep the Suns afloat, which is on southern state migration life support.

Canberra is right on the cusp of the Barrassi line and being a city/territory that population is concentrated in one area. Given its intranational migrants come from all over Australia seeking federal public service work it will have a mixed cultural demographic. Its the only logical market for a 20th team outside of WA.

[abc]

this is what gets me, a $40 million upgrade to facilities in the Barossa and $30 million spent in Mt Barker... this looks a lot like pork barelling. The local Mt Barker club wont even use the Summit Oval for its games.

where is the legacy for football when this money could be spent on revitalising SANFL grounds and clubs?

https://glamadelaide.com.au/barossa-val ... ouncement/

[SBD]

this is what gets me, a $40 million upgrade to facilities in the Barossa and $30 million spent in Mt Barker... this looks a lot like pork barelling. The local Mt Barker club wont even use the Summit Oval for its games.

where is the legacy for football when this money could be spent on revitalising SANFL grounds and clubs?

https://glamadelaide.com.au/barossa-val ... ouncement/

Half of that $40m is from the District Council - that suggests they might have been planning to upgrade the oval anyway. At least this article includes "expanded parking" as well as "enhanced roadways". I don't think the earlier one did, and Lyndoch didn't have enough parking to handle last year's Barossa Light and Gawler grand final between South Gawler and Nuriootpa. They arranged for LinkSA to put on special buses from the competing teams' clubrooms for the Seniors and Reserves matches (but not the three junior grades that played in the morning).