Attendances

[bandwagon]

Piece in the Herald Sun today about Western Bulldogs' travails with declining attendances. However our figures made very depressing reading:
2011 : 26,614
2012 : 21,497
The drop of 5,117 is the second largest in the league after Gold Coast.
Lowest overall figures are GC; GWS; Brisbane; Port Adelaide; Sydney.
We come in just below North and the Bulldogs. I wonder how much of that is to do with the SCG redevelopment?

[Swansongster]

Piece in the Herald Sun today about Western Bulldogs' travails with declining attendances. However our figures made very depressing reading:
2011 : 26,614
2012 : 21,497
The drop of 5,117 is the second largest in the league after Gold Coast.
Lowest overall figures are GC; GWS; Brisbane; Port Adelaide; Sydney.
We come in just below North and the Bulldogs. I wonder how much of that is to do with the SCG redevelopment?

We have normally played the home game against Collingwood by this time which would boost average by a few thousand. We've had a couple of low drawing teams at home (Freo, North, Dees and Dogs and arguably Crows). Reconstruction has probably also contributed.

The way we are going would suggest that this will pick up as the season progresses and some bigger drawing games head to Sydney (Brisbane, Saints and Hawthorn). I think there may well be a bumper crowd for the Pies game if we keep winning and particularly if we beat the Blues the week before.

[jono2707]

Piece in the Herald Sun today about Western Bulldogs' travails with declining attendances. However our figures made very depressing reading:
2011 : 26,614
2012 : 21,497
The drop of 5,117 is the second largest in the league after Gold Coast.
Lowest overall figures are GC; GWS; Brisbane; Port Adelaide; Sydney.
We come in just below North and the Bulldogs. I wonder how much of that is to do with the SCG redevelopment?

I wonder how much is due to some former Swans attendees choosing GWS?

[BillyRayCypress]

I wonder how much is due to some former Swans attendees choosing GWS?

Probably near zero as games are not at the same time.

With the ground re-development it means there are no GA tickets and therefore the appeal to pay $70 for Platinum tickets wouldn't be that high.

I would have thought Club membership would have been more important as those attendance figures don't give a break down of which ones are members and which ones are ticket purchasing.

[Cheer Squad]

I wonder how much is due to some former Swans attendees choosing GWS?

I don't think that would have much to do with it.

I think it's due to the re-development. Many members who used to sit in the Noble and Bradman stands have been re-located (temporarily) to the Trumper stand - but there are always empty seats where they're supposed to be. Either they don't like the view, or they can't be bothered attending for some reason.

[jono2707]

I think that perhaps a few thousand that have attended Giants games this year previously attended some or all Swans games, but have chosen for whatever reason to put their support behind GWS. The emergence of GWS will have had some impact on our crowd numbers IMHO. Two teams means now people can choose, and there's no accounting for taste with some people....

[BillyRayCypress]

Two teams means now people can choose, and there's no accounting for taste with some people....

I agree, people shouldn't be allowed to have freedom of choice. It's so un Australian. Happily that's not my problem. Those GWS mocassins are just so snug and warm and cheap too.

Your opinion is not necessarily reflecting fact. I wonder how many GWS people will boycott Saturday night by not going. Just to get back at the Swans supporters that did the same in Round 1. Probably about 25,000.

[goswannie14]

I wonder how much is due to some former Swans attendees choosing GWS?

[chalbilto]

My 2 cents worth. Attendances have obviously been affected by the redevelopment and as been suggested by playing games against the low drawing teams. However, I also believe that attendances and the general publics' lack of spending due to the current economical and political climate also has a direct bearing. You don't have to be blind Freddy to see that we have 2 distinct economies and that in the eastern states the economy is not faring as well as the west and particularly the mining sector. I do not wish to initiate a political debate as this is a footy forum.

[BillyRayCypress]

I do not wish to initiate a political debate as this is a footy forum.

It's OK if you add religion to the debate.

I agree, its not cheap going to the footy especially if you don't have a membership that gets you in a bit cheaper. Beers are $6.70. That more that what I pay for wine by the flagon. !!!

[CJK]

I wonder how much of that is to do with the SCG redevelopment?

98.5%

[jono2707]

I agree, people shouldn't be allowed to have freedom of choice. It's so un Australian. Happily that's not my problem. Those GWS mocassins are just so snug and warm and cheap too.

Your opinion is not necessarily reflecting fact. I wonder how many GWS people will boycott Saturday night by not going. Just to get back at the Swans supporters that did the same in Round 1. Probably about 25,000.

I shall have to ask my colleague at work who previously has held a Swans 3 match membership along with a number of family members, but has this year instead taken up GWS memberships as they live in the west.....

[wolftone57]

We have normally played the home game against Collingwood by this time which would boost average by a few thousand. We've had a couple of low drawing teams at home (Freo, North, Dees and Dogs and arguably Crows). Reconstruction has probably also contributed.

The way we are going would suggest that this will pick up as the season progresses and some bigger drawing games head to Sydney (Brisbane, Saints and Hawthorn). I think there may well be a bumper crowd for the Pies game if we keep winning and particularly if we beat the Blues the week before.

Crows are not a bad draw actually as there are a lot of Adelaidians in Sydney.

[wolftone57]

I don't think that would have much to do with it.

I think it's due to the re-development. Many members who used to sit in the Noble and Bradman stands have been re-located (temporarily) to the Trumper stand - but there are always empty seats where they're supposed to be. Either they don't like the view, or they can't be bothered attending for some reason.

It is the redevelopment and also the weather the other night. Ok it was a sell out but when the weather got so cold a lot of folk decided, even after paying, that they would watch it at home. Sydney is notorious for being 'fair weather' supporters no matter if it is the team doing well or the weather.

The other thing is that other than the Crows there has not been a team worth coming to see as yet. The Cats were a totally different proposition. GWS won't be huge but we play the Lions at the SCG on the 7th July and it will be big. Even though Lions are not that great most Sydney fans want to see then go down!!!

[jono2707]

It is the redevelopment and also the weather the other night. Ok it was a sell out but when the weather got so cold a lot of folk decided, even after paying, that they would watch it at home. Sydney is notorious for being 'fair weather' supporters no matter if it is the team doing well or the weather.

The other thing is that other than the Crows there has not been a team worth coming to see as yet. The Cats were a totally different proposition. GWS won't be huge but we play the Lions at the SCG on the 7th July and it will be big. Even though Lions are not that great most Sydney fans want to see then go down!!!

Sorry I'm not buying this one - the weather was beautiful for most of last week and there was nothing wrong with the weather on Friday. It's June so a chilly night was not exactly going to be a news flash either.

I would think that the number of SCG members attending this year has been down due to the redevelopment. It's probably quite tricky to estimate how many of them will turn up on a given night and I reckon fewer attended than expected, possibly as they weren't keen to sit with the plebs in the Trumper Stand.

Maybe it will give the club a better indication of the number of SCG members willing to show up, and may result in more GA tickets going on sale for the rest of the season.

I still maintain that GWS has had some impact on attendances. I also think that the economy has had an impact as stated earlier. Plus the redevelopment, an not helped by crappy weather for the Bulldogs game. With all this going on, thank goodness they're doing well on the field and playing a good brand of footy.....