AFL needing Pies, Blues and Dons myth busted

[mightytiges]

Record numbers flock to games
Greg Denham
The Australian
June 24, 2005

THE AFL is on target for a record year in attendances, with the six million barrier set to be overcome for just the second time.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou yesterday announced that total attendances were up 7per cent on last year and he predicted the 1998 all-time record of 6.119 million would be topped.

After 12 rounds, almost 3.5 million people have attended the 96 home-and-away games, which is the highest on record and 210,000 ahead of the corresponding time in 1998.

"It's been a phenomenal start to the year from a crowd perspective," Demetriou said. "In some ways it debunks the myth that the national competition needs a strong Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon, but of course it does in the general view. It's vindication of how strong the national competition is."

Historically, Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon have been the biggest crowd pullers, but all three sit in the bottom half of the ladder with just 10 wins between them.

The biggest surprise of the league's mid-season review was that Victorian attendances are up 20 per cent.

Richmond's home game attendances are up 30% (second biggest increase) . Well done to the Club and all of us  .

Full article found here: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15710202%255E36035,00.html

[mightytiges]

Historically, Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon have been the biggest crowd pullers, but all three sit in the bottom half of the ladder with just 10 wins between them.

Ah hmm.... The Tiges were the first club to break the 1 million barrier in a single year and when we haven't been a uncompetitive rabble (late 80's/early 90's/Spud's last 3 years) we have always had one of if not the highest attendances.   

[mightytiges]

Victorian football's fiercest rivals, Collingwood and Carlton, last night joined forces in their unanimous disgust at Channel Ten's decision to snub their next scheduled prime-time clash in favour of the showdown between Port Adelaide and Adelaide.

In a momentous decision, the round-20 return bout of the AFL's rivalry round has the free-to-air network turning its back on the traditional Victorian rivals in favour of the Showdown, which it will televise nationally on Saturday night, August 13.

For the first time, the struggling Melbourne-based Magpies and Blues will be televised on Foxtel.

By Caroline Wilson
June 30, 2005
The Age
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/06/29/1119724694090.html

 

"It's a slap in the face to two clubs who've carried the competition for more than a century," said the Collingwood president, Eddie McGuire. "Under any circumstances, Collingwood-Carlton is one of the matches of the year."

Yeah right Eddie   .

No surprise the Footy Show will be a sook and whinge fest tonight .