Richmond licking its wounds after small Easter Sunday crowd (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

AFL has hopes of record season after first two rounds draws big crowds
Cheryl Critchley, Karen Collier
Herald Sun
April 06, 2010


FOOTY is thriving as 2010 hits top gear, but Richmond is licking its wounds after a big loss and small Easter Sunday twilight crowd.

The AFL is thrilled with the first two rounds, which attracted some bumper crowds.

"The AFL was very happy with the attendances we drew for round one, and round two has been very pleasing as well," spokesman Patrick Keane said.

"Every AFL club has continued to work extremely hard on their membership numbers, and the AFL is hopeful that we can see the 2010 year be among the best one or two in the history of our game."

Thanks to the 72,000-strong Carlton-Richmond season opener at the MCG, round one saw 337,109 fans turn up.

It was the third highest opening round behind 2009 (349,489) and 2007 (364,544).

Round two was even better, up by about 35,000 on the same round last year.

Brisbane and Carlton drew almost 37,000 to the Gabba for Brendan Fevola's first game against his old team on Thursday night, while the Collingwood-Melbourne clash attracted more than 50,000 to the MCG on Saturday.

More than 68,000 fans watched yesterday's MCG nailbiter, in which Geelong beat Hawthorn by nine points.

But the Tigers had just little more than 27,000 at their 4.40pm home game against the Bulldogs on Sunday, adding to the pain of a 72-point drubbing.

Last year's Easter Sunday twilight game between Fremantle and Adelaide at Subiaco drew 30,000.

Richmond refused to blame the twilight start for Sunday's poor crowd. But many of its 30,000 members clearly voted with their feet.

Tigers' president Gary March said the timing was not ideal, but he understood the need to spread games across the holiday break.

"It's a difficult time slot exacerbated because it was Easter Sunday," he said.

"I don't think it would have mattered who was playing. Easter Sunday is a difficult day for any sport.

"We all get games that are not perfect. We haven't had that time before - we were pleased to have round one on the Thursday night."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-has-hopes-of-record-season-after-first-two-rounds-draws-big-crowds/story-e6frf9io-1225850119554

[Mr Magic]

Tigers' president Gary March said the timing was not ideal, but he understood the need to spread games across the holiday break.

"It's a difficult time slot exacerbated because it was Easter Sunday," he said.

That's true Gary and a bit of foresight by the AFL might have prevented this however despite this excuse you well know that if our round 1 performance against the Blues was better then so would the crowd have been.

[Smokey]

Tigers' president Gary March said the timing was not ideal, but he understood the need to spread games across the holiday break.

"It's a difficult time slot exacerbated because it was Easter Sunday," he said.

That's true Gary and a bit of foresight by the AFL might have prevented this however despite this excuse you well know that if our round 1 performance against the Blues was better then so would the crowd have been.

I'll also be willing to bet he is walking on eggshells at present regarding next year's R1 fixture and doesn't want to rock Adolph's boat by having a whinge about this game.

[tiger till i die]

i cant belive i am seeing this BUT i hope the crowed numbers drop for us ... might send a REAL message to the board and its team that were not always gonna expect crap and then sign up for another year of crap .. thats not how it works Gary and the quicker u learn this the better

[jackstar is back again]

I could be wrong, but there didnt seem to be the "'presidents lunch/dinner  on sunday ???

[smasha]

Richmond had a great contingent there.

20k I reckon so if the Doggies fans showed up,it would've been high 30's which for an Easter Sunday is great.

The real issue is Hawks(50k members) and the Cats(premiers) get 68k compared to cellar dwellers Richmond whose home game got 72k,Round One.

HUN conveniently forgot about that!

The other flaw in that dirty HUN article is naming Carlton as the home side,trying to say that Carlton's supporters were responsible for the big crowd when it was our home game and we definately had more fans there.


Shame file again HUN.

That Richmond chip doesn't go away.

You will need bigger chisels in the office to try to keep it down.

[Penelope]

Went to watch the storm game on Friday and was surprised at the number of people there getting around in Richmond gear. I suppose it's just nice to to follow winners for once 

[jackstar is back again]

Went to watch the storm game on Friday and was surprised at the number of people there getting around in Richmond gear. I suppose it's just nice to to follow winners for once 

Was there as well.
Seen heaps wearing RFC jumpers , strange

[Beren]

I could be wrong, but there didnt seem to be the "'presidents lunch/dinner  on sunday ???

There was no President's Function. The Club knew that there would be a small turnout so postponed it to the Essendon game.
Have been told the Club are really dirty on the AFL & the scheduling.

[tigersalive]

I could be wrong, but there didnt seem to be the "'presidents lunch/dinner  on sunday ???

There was no President's Function. The Club knew that there would be a small turnout so postponed it to the Essendon game.
Have been told the Club are really dirty on the AFL & the scheduling.

Of course they are filthy.  Look at this crap.

1   Thursday, Mar 25 (TEN, Thu/Fri Night)   Carlton   MCG   Home   7:10 pm
2   Sunday, Apr 4 (FOX, Sun Twi)   Western Bulldogs   MCG   Home   4:40 pm
4   Sunday, Apr 18 (FOX, Sun Early)   Melbourne   MCG   Home   1:10 pm
8   Sunday, May 16 (FOX, Sun Early)   Hawthorn   MCG   Home   1:10 pm
11   Friday, Jun 4 (SEVEN, Thu/Fri Night)St Kilda   Etihad Stadium   Home   7:40 pm
12   Sunday, Jun 13 (FOX, Sun Early)   West Coast EaglesMCG   Home   1:10 pm
14   Sunday, Jul 4 (SEVEN, Sun Aft)   Sydney Swans   MCG   Home   2:10 pm
16   Sunday, Jul 18 (SEVEN, Sun Aft)   North Melbourne   MCG   Home   2:10 pm
18   Sunday, Aug 1 (FOX, Sun Early)   Adelaide Crows   MCG   Home   1:10 pm
22   TBC   Port Adelaide   Etihad Stadium   Home   TBC

Just 1 home game vs the "big 4" that wasn't even ours before we got peeed off and went to Vlad furious, and the rest, except Hawthorn are against poor drawing teams is poor timeslots and we play a dome tenant at the dome for our only Friday night game.

Sure you make your own bed, you lie in it but the membership drop isn't the only thing that's going to kill our revenue stream this year, it's our poohouse draw too that will effect crowd numbers.

[WilliamPowell]

Sure you make your own bed, you lie in it but the membership drop isn't the only thing that's going to kill our revenue stream this year, it's our poohouse draw too that will effect crowd numbers.

Our draw will continue to be crap until we start winning games or at the very least become competitive in the media's eyes

We keep going the way we are at the minute we will have a worse draw in 2011

[tigersalive]

Sure you make your own bed, you lie in it but the membership drop isn't the only thing that's going to kill our revenue stream this year, it's our poohouse draw too that will effect crowd numbers.

Our draw will continue to be crap until we start winning games or at the very least become competitive in the media's eyes

We keep going the way we are at the minute we will have a worse draw in 2011

How could it possibly be any worse? 

I forgot to mention the fact we don't get one Saturday home game, afternoon or night.

They could not possibly give us a worse draw.

[smasha]

Sure you make your own bed, you lie in it but the membership drop isn't the only thing that's going to kill our revenue stream this year, it's our poohouse draw too that will effect crowd numbers.

Our draw will continue to be crap until we start winning games or at the very least become competitive in the media's eyes

We keep going the way we are at the minute we will have a worse draw in 2011

What else is new.

Vlad you crooked bastard.
How could it possibly be any worse? 

I forgot to mention the fact we don't get one Saturday home game, afternoon or night.

They could not possibly give us a worse draw.

[Tigermonk]

the blame lays with the club for not fighting harder for a better draw
Eddie fights tooth & nail for the magpies so why cant March
This has been going on for years now & RFC have done nothing

Oh how football used to be on a Saturday all at the same time & had no problems till greed set in 

[WilliamPowell]

How could it possibly be any worse? 

Easy

No Friday night or the opening Thursday night game of the season - which go to air in prime time (that's what sponsors want primetime exposure)

No games at all on FTA television

All Sunday games being the early start games or worse the twilight game

Take away the "Dream time at the 'G" game

Believe me it could be worse

And don't blame the Club for not fighting for a better deal. Reality is the free to air networks dont want to show us and they get first preference to when games are scheduled

You cannot compare the RFC to the Pies - the Pies win games of footy