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The AFL uprising
By Greg Denham
March 26, 2004
THE television advertisements leading into tonight's season-opener have concentrated on troops rallying and armies rising. And they are, but not where expected.
There is an uprising in the northern football markets. The latest Roy Morgan AFL monitor shows Sydney and Brisbane are the league's two most supported clubs.
They have driven growth, which is up almost 10 per cent over the past two years to an estimated 8.568 million supporters across the country.
Research estimates that Sydney has 1.34m supporters, slightly more than Brisbane's 1.33m.
The survey, up to the end of last year, is based on a nationwide study of 25,000 respondents per year over the age of 14. The respondents are asked whether or not they support an AFL team. If they say yes, they are asked which club it is they follow.
Following an on-field resurgence in 2003, Sydney turned around a decrease in support in 2002 by gaining another 140,000 converts last year.
Three straight premierships has had a dramatic influence on Brisbane's supporter base, which has jumped 67 per cent from 798,000 in December, 2001.
From the basket-case Bears in the late 1980s and early 90s, Brisbane's attraction has improved remarkably since Leigh Matthews took over as coach in 1999. Under Matthews, support for Brisbane has more than doubled from slightly more than 600,000 when he arrived.
Since March 2000, Brisbane has shot up the ladder from the sixth most popular club.
The AFL is delighted with the groundswell of support for the Swans and the Lions, who have at least 83 per cent of their fans located within their state boundaries.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said yesterday that $15 million was spent collectively on game development in NSW and Queensland last year.
"We've probably spent more than $60m in the developing states over the years and we plan to spend a lot more," Demetriou said.
"The figures are fantastic from our point of view because it means the game is growing. It's been important for the AFL brand to grow in the northern states in conjunction with the brands of both Brisbane and Sydney."
The Morgan figures also demonstrate just how important the vibrant Sydney and Brisbane markets are to television broadcast rights.
The highest-rated Victorian club is Essendon with 796,000 supporters. Despite a slight decline, the Bombers claimed the honour of being the most popular of the 10 Victorian clubs for the third year running, from Collingwood, which has 749,000 supporters. Four years ago, the Bombers were the second most supported club in the country, and support for them peaked at 862,000 a year after winning their latest premiership in 2000.
The Magpies are rated fourth on the supporters ladder, up one place since March, 2001.
With the support of 746,000 people, West Coast trail Collingwood by just 3000.
While support for the Eagles is double that of fellow West Australian club Fremantle, the Dockers' supporter growth has improved almost 55 per cent.
Coach Chris Connolly, who is entering his third season with Fremantle, can take much of the credit for that.
The Dockers entered the competition nine years after West Coast, and support for them, like their membership figure, continues to improve.
In South Australia, the Adelaide Crows have an estimated 699,000 fans, compared with Port Adelaide's 315,000 supporters, up 15 per cent over the past two years. The Power are entering their eighth season in the AFL, and have improved their supporter base from 219,000 in 1999.
The biggest percentage gain outside the six non-Victorian clubs comes from the Western Bulldogs, who improved their support by 28.3 per cent, up to 254,000 followers.
The biggest decrease over the past two years has been St Kilda supporters, who had dropped off at an alarming rate of 12.1 per cent up to last December.
Melbourne are the lowest supported team in the competition with supporter numbers that are as topsy-turvy as the Demons' form year to year.
It is not surprising to the AFL that the three least supported clubs are the Western Bulldogs, Kangaroos and Melbourne.
By Greg Denham
March 26, 2004
THE television advertisements leading into tonight's season-opener have concentrated on troops rallying and armies rising. And they are, but not where expected.
There is an uprising in the northern football markets. The latest Roy Morgan AFL monitor shows Sydney and Brisbane are the league's two most supported clubs.
They have driven growth, which is up almost 10 per cent over the past two years to an estimated 8.568 million supporters across the country.
Research estimates that Sydney has 1.34m supporters, slightly more than Brisbane's 1.33m.
The survey, up to the end of last year, is based on a nationwide study of 25,000 respondents per year over the age of 14. The respondents are asked whether or not they support an AFL team. If they say yes, they are asked which club it is they follow.
Following an on-field resurgence in 2003, Sydney turned around a decrease in support in 2002 by gaining another 140,000 converts last year.
Three straight premierships has had a dramatic influence on Brisbane's supporter base, which has jumped 67 per cent from 798,000 in December, 2001.
From the basket-case Bears in the late 1980s and early 90s, Brisbane's attraction has improved remarkably since Leigh Matthews took over as coach in 1999. Under Matthews, support for Brisbane has more than doubled from slightly more than 600,000 when he arrived.
Since March 2000, Brisbane has shot up the ladder from the sixth most popular club.
The AFL is delighted with the groundswell of support for the Swans and the Lions, who have at least 83 per cent of their fans located within their state boundaries.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said yesterday that $15 million was spent collectively on game development in NSW and Queensland last year.
"We've probably spent more than $60m in the developing states over the years and we plan to spend a lot more," Demetriou said.
"The figures are fantastic from our point of view because it means the game is growing. It's been important for the AFL brand to grow in the northern states in conjunction with the brands of both Brisbane and Sydney."
The Morgan figures also demonstrate just how important the vibrant Sydney and Brisbane markets are to television broadcast rights.
The highest-rated Victorian club is Essendon with 796,000 supporters. Despite a slight decline, the Bombers claimed the honour of being the most popular of the 10 Victorian clubs for the third year running, from Collingwood, which has 749,000 supporters. Four years ago, the Bombers were the second most supported club in the country, and support for them peaked at 862,000 a year after winning their latest premiership in 2000.
The Magpies are rated fourth on the supporters ladder, up one place since March, 2001.
With the support of 746,000 people, West Coast trail Collingwood by just 3000.
While support for the Eagles is double that of fellow West Australian club Fremantle, the Dockers' supporter growth has improved almost 55 per cent.
Coach Chris Connolly, who is entering his third season with Fremantle, can take much of the credit for that.
The Dockers entered the competition nine years after West Coast, and support for them, like their membership figure, continues to improve.
In South Australia, the Adelaide Crows have an estimated 699,000 fans, compared with Port Adelaide's 315,000 supporters, up 15 per cent over the past two years. The Power are entering their eighth season in the AFL, and have improved their supporter base from 219,000 in 1999.
The biggest percentage gain outside the six non-Victorian clubs comes from the Western Bulldogs, who improved their support by 28.3 per cent, up to 254,000 followers.
The biggest decrease over the past two years has been St Kilda supporters, who had dropped off at an alarming rate of 12.1 per cent up to last December.
Melbourne are the lowest supported team in the competition with supporter numbers that are as topsy-turvy as the Demons' form year to year.
It is not surprising to the AFL that the three least supported clubs are the Western Bulldogs, Kangaroos and Melbourne.
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