Giants fans will outnumber Swans fans

[conradhc]

We've bought our tickets, and I can't remember whether or not we identified as Swans fans when we bought them. Who knows who we'll be sitting near!

We're not particularly keen on Homebush, but we only have two home games this year. This is an away round 1 match but relatively accessible, it's the opening match of the season and it's going to be the subject of attention because of being GWS's proper entry into the league.

Under those circumstances I really can't imagine not going. That means driving three hours to our usual hotel in Surry Hills before getting the train out to the match.

So looking forward to it!

[mcs]

Yep I can't wait for us to bash the guaranteed wooden spooners, but I don't buy this media beat up about swans vs gws fans. I dislike homebush, but there is no way I wouldn't be going unless there was a very good reason not to go. I'm looking forward to it - no matter whether we have more fans there than gws or not.

[sfan]

I will be going naturally but haven't bothered to buy a ticket as yet because I intend to buy it on the night at the stadium after all it's not as if the game will be sold out.

buy the ticket in advance and you get free public trasnport.

[Matt79]

I'd be near disgusted with any swans "supporter" or member that had nothing preventing them from being there other than their own choice, and they didn't attend.

It could be years before we open the season again, and most likely several decades until we have another team joining the comp in Sydney. It's a historic moment in Sydney's (the city) and the AFL's history. dawn of a new era and rivalry.

Support the boys, the club and the AFL and turn up loud and in numbers.

Very well said...totally agree!

[Cheer Squad]

A few scenarios:

1. Swans members that are also GWS members, and since this a GWS home game they would be counted as GWS fans for ticketing purposes. Probably not too many in this boat.
2. Swans members do not realise they do not have allocated tickets for this match and haven't bought their tickets yet. The club has been active in relaying this message yet I still meet a lot of Swans members who have assumed otherwise.
3. Swans fans wishing to seat in GWS allocated zones to 'spice things up'.
4. When buying tickets through Ticketek, the operator hasn't asked the buyer which area they want to sit in and it's allocated GWS by default.

Another couple:
1. Flexible interpretation of the word 'sold' - a lot of the Giants 'fans' were given tickets to bolster numbers.
2. GWS is Sydney's shiny new toy. A clearer picture of respective supporter bases will be evident after this year.

Here's another scenario.

The SCG lobby have been on the club's case for years to abandon Homebush as a venue.

They began seriously boycotting the venue in 2008, decimating attendances and gate takings at our matches, and undermining the "blockbuster" strategy, including at finals. Never mind that large match attendances are a symbol of pride for just about every other club.

Then, in 2009, they succeeded in forcing the club to introduce "SCG only" memberships, further undermining the club's finances.

This season, they've succeeded in getting the club to drop a home game at Homebush, restore it to the SCG, and in the process, abandon our support base in Canberra via the annual Manuka Oval match.

It's bloody-minded stuff, but it's been effective.

Now, they have their sights on the Giants and the AFL itself.

The same logic applies - don't attend, regardless of whether the Swans are playing, because turning up in large numbers will only encourage the club and the AFL to keep scheduling matches there. And who wants to support the Giants via gate takings anyway?

So if we are outnumbered on the night, we won't have to look very far to find a reason.

[R-1]

Maybe Im mistaken, but I thought a couple of years back when the Roos played a 'home' game in Sydney, you could add the extra game to your season ticket??

With respect to Crows/Port, I believe the Crows seats at Footy Park (showing my age here) are fully allocated to their members (save for a couple of thousand pere-allocated away seats) , so they could never be able to offer Port supporters an extra game on their membership. I dont know whether this is also the case for the Lions / Suns??

However, Im willing to bet my house that if you add up all the Swans members and all of the GWS memebrs this still would be less than the capacity of Homebush. So its entirely feasable to add an extra 'away' game to each clubs membership. The only caviet would be that you wouldnt get your normal seat in the 'away' game.

Seems to me to be a huge opportunity lost....AFL Marketing Fail.

Yep. There's serious capacity issues with Adelaide and Perth. Subiaco's constraints are well known, but remember also that Port even last year had 35000+ members and the Crows are usually around 45000+, you simply couldn't fit them all into 50000 capacity Footy Park even if the fans are staying away in droves right now.

The prohibitve issue with Queensland is probably also capacity, at Metricon Stadium. Sure, you could fit as many Suns fans as wanted to attend into the 40 000 person Gabba under a cross-ticketing arrangement, but the same just isn't true of the return game at the 25 000 capacity Metricon. Brisbane even last year had 20000 and Gold Coast are pushing 15000.

Among interstate clubs, ANZ offers a fairly unique situation in that you could fit both memberships comfortably into the ground (even assuming we ever hit 45000 and the Gaints 25000, a pipe dream currently, we'll all still fit) and both teams are playing at home in the same venue.

[magic.merkin]

Now, they have their sights on the Giants and the AFL itself.

The same logic applies - don't attend, regardless of whether the Swans are playing, because turning up in large numbers will only encourage the club and the AFL to keep scheduling matches there. And who wants to support the Giants via gate takings anyway?

So if we are outnumbered on the night, we won't have to look very far to find a reason.

And that will all help immensely with us gaining respect off the football public, when the season opens to 20,000 instead of the usual 60,000. Sure no one is expecting those numbers, but people will expect us to dwarf the GWS crew and have 30,000 plus. Anything less and we will be considered the usual, soft, non died in the wool, fair weather supporters. "Couldn't or wouldn't even turn up to a show-piece game"...

[jono2707]

And that will all help immensely with us gaining respect off the football public, when the season opens to 20,000 instead of the usual 60,000. Sure no one is expecting those numbers, but people will expect us to dwarf the GWS crew and have 30,000 plus. Anything less and we will be considered the usual, soft, non died in the wool, fair weather supporters. "Couldn't or wouldn't even turn up to a show-piece game"...

And there you have the issue with having two AFL teams in Sydney. There is a likelihood that there will not be sufficient, strong support for two teams to make it viable. Like it or not but a very large number (I'm not willing to say majority) of Swans supporters are not 'dyed in the wool'. Many people go to the footy as its a nice day or night out, where you can socialise in the pleasant surrounds of the SCG, without a lot of the 'common' hoo-haa that goes on at a local NRL game. AFL is seen by many in Sydney as a more 'pleasant' and less thuggish alternative to NRL, with a broader appeal than rugby or soccer. The reality is that plenty of people who identify with the Swans aren't particularly fussed to go to all the games or even watch them on TV.

This isn't Melbourne - this is Sydney. Whether or not Sydney people are or aren't good fans is a moot point - the fact is the Swans have occupied a small niche in a crowded market where there are plenty of other alternatives for the entertainment dollar....

[magic.merkin]

This isn't Melbourne - this is Sydney. Whether or not Sydney people are or aren't good fans is a moot point - the fact is the Swans have occupied a small niche in a crowded market where there are plenty of other alternatives for the entertainment dollar....

yes and no, the point exists, as I was suggesting supporters from WA, SA and VIC think we are a bit of a joke supporter base wise. And in regards to a crowded market, I don't buy it. Melbourne has less people and more events and bigger supporter numbers generally. As you alluded to it comes down to the people, and we have returned to my original point that opposition supporters mock us.

And in case anyone gets wound up, im not victorian and this isn't a state war or, souths vs sydney.

Just get along to the games that you are spoilt to have every second week you muppets

[wolftone57]

Another level was supposed to be added to Footy Park ten years after the first development, making the capacity 80,000. The final number was supposed to be between 90,000 and 100,000 depending on progress. The stadium is structured so it can be built onto and extended. There was some extension but it didn't extend the capacity as it was only corporate boxes.

Etihad is the biggest disappointment so far due to surface problems, capacity problems and bad design of the base. More work on the 'G' didn't do much to extend capacity as most was the same as Footy Park, Corporate.

The SCG keeps expanding but unfortunately they can't expand the surface. Homebush is a great capacity but has surface issues but there is no reason for our fans not to go there. Last year on RWO I read a lot of people not wanting to go there and saying that they won't go to games there. I think that is absurd! In Adelaide I used to head off to a ground we all hated to watch my beloved 'Bays' beat the hated North. Prospect Oval is shaped like an egg, the goals do not face each other. It is twice the length one side of the centre than the other. It is twice the width in at the short end. There is a huge advantage for North playing there. But I still went there and it did have it's advantages, the 'Ladies Auxiliary' made the best Hotdogs in Adelaide. fresh crispy rolls and butcher bought hotties, just delish.

Where we play is not important but how many support us is very important so you lot trying to get rid of Homebush games 'GET OVER IT', where the hell else are we going to play the pies?

[Ruck'n'Roll]

I understand that Homebush isn't everyones favourite ground for a number of reasons. And while my little group will be attending, that says a lot more about fan dedication that the attractiveness of Olympic park.
I have come to the conclusion that Homebush may in fact impede the proliferation of the game in Sydney. While getting more people to the game is the most imortant way to sell the game. Basically the place does not rock. Games there lack the sheer passion and vibrant sublimation of the individual, and it's this which converts attendees into fans.
Why this is the case I'm not sure, we've all been to some very well attended games there but the place seems to suck rather than add energy to the crowd. The experience there is so much more like Waverly than the MCG (and I'm not sure it has as great a capacity as either did).
In any case I hope the ground is packed and the home and away record mentioned is broken. I'd like to feel the proof that Homebush isn't an irredeambable dog, because I want other people to become hooked on the tranformative experience that is being part of an AFL crowd.

[aardvark]

The SCG keeps expanding but unfortunately they can't expand the surface. where the hell else are we going to play the pies?

Actually Wolfie in the latest redevelopment the length of the ground will be increased by 3 metres. Beating the pies in a redeveloped jam packed SCG sounds very appealing to me. Almost as good as a premiership IMO.

[R-1]

Yeah the problem with ANZ is it needs 60k+ to have atmosphere.

[Swansongster]

I'll be buying tickets for four Swans fans when I arrive in town next Friday. Much less drama getting to Homebush than the SCG from Chatswood (and free). I enjoy going there although I agree that you need about 40,000 (not 60) to get a good atmoshere. I suspect we will outnumber Giants for colour and noise easily for tw reasons - accumulated merchandise over the years and we should be winning by 15-20 goals.

[Cheer Squad]

I have come to the conclusion that Homebush may in fact impede the proliferation of the game in Sydney...Basically the place does not rock. Games there lack the sheer passion and vibrant sublimation of the individual, and it's this which converts attendees into fans...Why this is the case I'm not sure, we've all been to some very well attended games there but the place seems to suck rather than add energy to the crowd...In any case I hope the ground is packed and the home and away record mentioned is broken. I'd like to feel the proof that Homebush isn't an irredeambable dog, because I want other people to become hooked on the tranformative experience that is being part of an AFL crowd.

Yeah the problem with ANZ is it needs 60k+ to have atmosphere.

You guys must not have attended the final against Carlton at Homebush a couple of years ago. We got a crowd of just over 40,000 there and it was the best atmosphere game in Sydney for years.