More games = bigger crowds, Busting this myth

[Xman]

Let me add this for discussion,

Imagine if Sydney had a different comp named the NAFL and it was made up of only 4 sydney teams. Each team played the other only once, therefore there would be 3 rounds. This would mean each round involved 2 matches and therefore the total number of matches for per season was 6.

Each team had a strong heartland following of around 30k, so you could safely say theyd get game attendances of around 50k, with home teams providing 30k (members) and away teams providing 20k (paying public). So over the season of 6 games their total attendance would be 300k and their average crowd size 50k.

Round1
Syd1 v Syd2 50k
Syd3 v Syd4 50k


Round2
Syd4 v Syd1 50k
Syd2 v Syd3 50k


Round3
Syd2 v Syd4 50k
Syd1 v Syd3 50k

Total attendance: 300k, average crowd: 50k =D>


Now, if they expanded into Qld and Vic, with a new team in Brisbane and Melbourne, they would gain an extra game per round. =D> yeah, expansion! But to ensure their season wasnt too long theyd stay with 3 rounds per season so theyd end up with 9 games. Also, If these two new expansion teams had smaller followings of say 10k home crowd, how would this affect the competitions average crowd and yearly total?

Round1
Syd1 v Syd2 50k
Syd3 v Syd4 50k
Bris v Mel 10k

Round2
Syd4 v Syd1 50k
Mel v Syd3 10k
Syd2 v Bris 30k

Round3
Syd1 v Syd4 50k
Mel v Syd2 10k
Bris v Syd3 10k

Total attendance: 270k, average crowd: 30k


So, the competition has expanded into new markets and increased their matches per round and season, but has actually seen a drop in total attendance and a drop in average attendance.

Are there less fans interested in the game? No! They actually have 20k new members!

But because of expansion there are now less homeland games, more games in expansion states, and less local derbies.

Sound familiar?

[Fred]

I think the storm are doing okay but no where near the penetration AFL is having in Sydney. When I lived in Vic if my son wanted to play rl there simply wasn't a club or competition in the area ... I think the closest club was in berwick . There level of junior clubs in Melbourne is very minimal compared to junior AFL clubs in Sydney ... Although I do believe it is improving with a few clubs popping up. Evidence of this are the amount of players on AFL lists from Sydney ... Raised in Sydney at that . Keiren jack springs to mind and Lewis Roberts Thomas. I think the work done by the AFL at junior level is the difference compared to the little nrl did when setting up the storm

[piesman2011]

Let me add this for discussion,

Imagine if Sydney had a different comp named the NAFL and it was made up of only 4 sydney teams. Each team played the other only once, therefore there would be 3 rounds. This would mean each round involved 2 matches and therefore the total number of matches for per season was 6.

Each team had a strong heartland following of around 30k, so you could safely say theyd get game attendances of around 50k, with home teams providing 30k (members) and away teams providing 20k (paying public). So over the season of 6 games their total attendance would be 300k and their average crowd size 50k.

Round1
Syd1 v Syd2 50k
Syd3 v Syd4 50k


Round2
Syd4 v Syd1 50k
Syd2 v Syd3 50k


Round3
Syd2 v Syd4 50k
Syd1 v Syd3 50k

Total attendance: 300k, average crowd: 50k =D>


Now, if they expanded into Qld and Vic, with a new team in Brisbane and Melbourne, they would gain an extra game per round. =D> yeah, expansion! But to ensure their season wasnt too long theyd stay with 3 rounds per season so theyd end up with 9 games. Also, If these two new expansion teams had smaller followings of say 10k home crowd, how would this affect the competitions average crowd and yearly total?

Round1
Syd1 v Syd2 50k
Syd3 v Syd4 50k
Bris v Mel 10k

Round2
Syd4 v Syd1 50k
Mel v Syd3 10k
Syd2 v Bris 30k

Round3
Syd1 v Syd4 50k
Mel v Syd2 10k
Bris v Syd3 10k

Total attendance: 270k, average crowd: 30k


So, the competition has expanded into new markets and increased their matches per round and season, but has actually seen a drop in total attendance and a drop in average attendance.

Are there less fans interested in the game? No! They actually have 20k new members!

But because of expansion there are now less homeland games, more games in expansion states, and less local derbies.

Sound familiar?

The RL fans will laugh but tat is exactly what happened in the AFL.

[Xman]

No surprise we haven't had a response from the likes of KE and RaiderDope