86 000 poeple watching Swans in sydney has got to be bull@@@@

[footyhead]

With the rather large crowd at the SCG are we really supposed to beleive that only about 50 000 people were watching the swans during the whole of the match on saturday ??
I always thought the ratings were dodgy. Now I am pretty sure they are.

[Chubby Muffler]

Actually, I believe it, sad as it may be. I have worked at 3 companies since I have been a member (6 years), and in that time have only come across two people I would call fans - and only one of which was member. Alot of people in Sydney can't handle the game on TV, which I guess is understandable if you watch league as it's such a perfect game for TV.

Anyway - I'm outta here. Go you Swannies and YOU ROCK BAY 29! make some noise in my absence please. I want to hear you all from Homebush.

[Damien]

Think it only counts each person on the survey once they have watched a 15 minute block (might be a bit less).

A lot of people would have turned over to check scores etc, but the Union was always going to belt us in Sydney.

[footyhead]

It has to be bull@@@@, cos other wise the Swans are attended by just about 90 % of their fans at large stadium Australia games. That is impossible. That means that Sydney is by far the lowest supported club in its home city, but that its supporters are the most commited because more of them per capita actually go to the game week in week out. I don't think it's true. I wish somone would do a survey and find out how many sidney siders have gone to a Sydney AFL game two or more times a year for more than 2 years in say the last 4 years. What has our top number been for TV veiwers of a home and away game ?

[Bart]

Originally posted by footyhead
It has to be bull@@@@, cos other wise the Swans are attended by just about 90 % of their fans at large stadium Australia games. That is impossible. That means that Sydney is by far the lowest supported club in its home city, but that its supporters are the most commited because more of them per capita actually go to the game week in week out. I don't think it's true. I wish somone would do a survey and find out how many sidney siders have gone to a Sydney AFL game two or more times a year for more than 2 years in say the last 4 years. What has our top number been for TV veiwers of a home and away game ?

The numbers look correct unfortunately. Interestingly Rugby seems to have fared far better in Melbourne than AFL did in Sydney. The more I think about this the more I believe we are always going to be a niche club and niche sport in this city. A second team is a pipedream

[Bart]

Originally posted by Bart
The numbers look correct unfortunately. Interestingly Rugby seems to have fared far better in Melbourne than AFL did in Sydney. The more I think about this the more I believe we are always going to be a niche club and niche sport in this city. A second team is a pipedream

AND if we think last week was bad wait until tonight up against Bledisloe

[NMWBloods]

Low numbers wouldn't surprise me. When I lived in Sydney I can only recall meeting two people who followed the Swans (one was my cousin - a mad keen supporter and a big wig at JB Were, hence the JB Were signs in different spots) and only a few who watched any sort of AFL. Most of these were Melbourne expats. Given our generally boring games from a visual spectacle, it's not hard to imagine why people are not tuning in.

[footyhead]

Well you can say what you want , I have met many AFL supporters in Sydney, and a good many who have just started to follow in the last 8 yrs.
The thing is you don't get a doubling in crowd size, or up to 8 times as many attending (stadium oz 70 000 + ) to live games and then have absoloutly no follow on in the TV market. Somthing is wrong somwhere, wether it is the TV marketing of the schedueling or whatever, people are interested in AFL in sydney I am sure of it .

[sharp9]

There is no way yhtat in a city of 4 million paople there were only 84, 000 watching the Swans beat the Liona. That's just not possible.

[Diego]

Mention AFL to most sydneysiders and you get this reply:

"Bah messy game hate watching it on tv"

Maybe if they watched other games which are free flowing and a lot of skill on display instead of watching only the swans they can get a broader scoope of what footy is about. The way the swans have played this year does not make exciting viewing on the box, especially with all them stoppages.

[sharpie]

AFL has never been, and will never be, a good game to watch on TV, regardless of the teams' skill levels on display. Sure it is better watching a good game than a bad one, but it still does not compare in any way to seeing the game live.

[ROK Lobster]

As a convert (of about 12 yrs) from the rugby codes myself I found that it was not until I watched a few games live with some people who breathed, ate and bathed in Aussie Rules that I started to appreciate the game, and enjoy it. That does not happen watching the tele by yourself. More new people to the games first (even if they dont know why they are booing the ump for the first season or so), then the ratings will improve.

We have to keep in mind too Melbourne Storm's TV and crowd figures. And what happened to the Adelaide Rams (?) and Western Reds. AFL is a LOT stronger in NSW/QLD than league or union is in the more intelligent (football wise) states. Given the excellent Auskick program and the effort the Swans are making keeping my kids interested in the club and footy generally, I think they are going ok.

[footyhead]

Originally posted by sharpie
AFL has never been, and will never be, a good game to watch on TV, regardless of the teams' skill levels on display.

This is bullsh it I have always loved watchin the footy on TV.

[sharpie]

Originally posted by footyhead
This is bullsh it I have always loved watchin the footy on TV.

But have you grown up with AFL, or were you a convert like most of the Sydney based supporters who grew up with rugby?

I love watching footy now, on tv, live, however I can see it. But as a convert, I can appreciate that rugby is a much more tv-friendly sport. When watching AFL on TV, you can not see field position relative to where the player's team mates are. You do not have this problem in rugby, where both teams are set up in straight lines facing each other. If a break is made, you know if there will be a fullback to make the tackle, or if there is a clear passage to the tryline. In footy, if a guy is chargin along the wing, when wathcing on tv you have no real idea of what is ahead of him.

[Chubby Muffler]

Originally posted by sharpie
But have you grown up with AFL, or were you a convert like most of the Sydney based supporters who grew up with rugby?

I love watching footy now, on tv, live, however I can see it. But as a convert, I can appreciate that rugby is a much more tv-friendly sport. When watching AFL on TV, you can not see field position relative to where the player's team mates are. You do not have this problem in rugby, where both teams are set up in straight lines facing each other. If a break is made, you know if there will be a fullback to make the tackle, or if there is a clear passage to the tryline. In footy, if a guy is chargin along the wing, when wathcing on tv you have no real idea of what is ahead of him.

Have to agree here, you just don't see the leads and off the ball action on the TV, so it can be frustrating for people who hav grown up with union/league. In those games, you see 80% of the players and action at any one time. With AFL, you may only be watching 20-30% of what's going in on.