Talking Footy

Drugs, tanking, controversies can't keep fans away
By AAP5:41pm AEST Thursday, April 18, 2013

Match attendance is higher than ever in 2013's opening rounds

LEAGUE chief executive Andrew Demetriou says record crowd numbers for the opening three rounds show fan faith in the game is withstanding the Essendon supplements saga.

The season start was clouded by concerns about the code's integrity, given both the ongoing anti-doping investigation into the Bombers and the league's recent sanctioning of Melbourne for the questionable way they went about securing a priority draft pick in 2009.

Demetriou admits the AFL had to act to restore supporters' trust.

But he believes the league's response, which included expanding its integrity department, increasing penalties for breaches and auditing all clubs, is paying off.

"To restore the trust in the game these are things that we have to do," Demetriou said at a Greater Western Sydney lunch in Sydney on Thursday.

"Most recently this faith has been tested.

"But it is clearly alive and well as evidenced by the way our supporters have turned out in record numbers over the first three rounds of the AFL season.

"It's the first time ever in our history over one million people have been to the first three rounds.

"They've voted with their feet."

He said last year's record club membership figure of 707,621 had also been exceeded.

http://www.AFL.com.au/news/2013-04-18/f ... ite-dramas

Beaussie wrote:

Australia's Game going from strength to strength. The people's game. =D> =D> =D>

Drugs, tanking, controversies can't keep fans away
By AAP5:41pm AEST Thursday, April 18, 2013

Match attendance is higher than ever in 2013's opening rounds

LEAGUE chief executive Andrew Demetriou says record crowd numbers for the opening three rounds show fan faith in the game is withstanding the Essendon supplements saga.

The season start was clouded by concerns about the code's integrity, given both the ongoing anti-doping investigation into the Bombers and the league's recent sanctioning of Melbourne for the questionable way they went about securing a priority draft pick in 2009.

Demetriou admits the AFL had to act to restore supporters' trust.

But he believes the league's response, which included expanding its integrity department, increasing penalties for breaches and auditing all clubs, is paying off.

"To restore the trust in the game these are things that we have to do," Demetriou said at a Greater Western Sydney lunch in Sydney on Thursday.

"Most recently this faith has been tested.

"But it is clearly alive and well as evidenced by the way our supporters have turned out in record numbers over the first three rounds of the AFL season.

"It's the first time ever in our history over one million people have been to the first three rounds.

"They've voted with their feet."

He said last year's record club membership figure of 707,621 had also been exceeded.

http://www.AFL.com.au/news/2013-04-18/f ... ite-dramas

Raiderdave wrote:

numbers manipulation only

smoke n mirrors
its what the Victorian game does best....