AFL clubs step in to give cheer squads a louder voiceSamantha Landy
Herald-Sun
March 01, 2015 11:37AMTHEY were once the home of diehard supporters run by veteran members, but AFL club cheer squads are now becoming “corporatised” in a bid to inject noise and combat dwindling fan numbers.
Clubs are even resorting to making squads invitation only and limiting numbers to boost atmosphere. But the changes have had mixed reviews.
The club-driven changes have been backed by an Essendon cheer squad stalwart, who says she will welcome any initiative to bulk up her red-and- black army.
But Tigers cheer squad head Gerard Egan, whose group is largely independent of the Richmond Football Club, said he thought it was “sad” that clubs felt the need to influence their fan base.
The Bulldogs intervened in their fan-run cheer squad in 2013, giving co-presidents David Porter and Gary Munn the boot and appointing a club staff member to a liaison role within the squad.
Then-chief executive Simon Garlick cited a dramatic drop in numbers, lack of interest from families and young supporters, and “financial management” issues as reasons for the move.
“We weren’t prepared to sit back and let such an important part of our club continue on the path it was,” Garlick said at the time.
The changes appear to have worked — the club’s cheer squad now has a healthy 454 members, who have the responsibility of making banners and leading chants.
The Bombers trimmed their squad to its 100 most passionate members and will transform seating behind them into an “Active Area” for a “back-up cheer squad”.
Essendon spokesman Justin Rodski said the club’s 220 cheer squad seats were often half full.
In an effort to fill them, the club had bought the seats left vacant by the reduced cheer squad to offer to members wanting to “play a major role in improving the atmosphere at our games”, he said.
Cheer squad co-ordinator Luisa Gaetano said she hoped the shake-up would boost the number of vocal supporters.
“Some people were just coming to a few games and we’ve had empty seats. It doesn’t look good,” she said.
“It will be great to see the whole bay red and black.”
St Kilda had “revitalised” its cheer squad this season in an attempt to “create more atmosphere at home games”, spokeswoman Breanna Gallagher said.
The club has created a “Goal Zone” membership for supporters keen to sit close to the cheer squad.
The Pies have revamped their cheer squad in a bid to revert it back to the formidable force of the 1980s and ’90s.
The new and improved “Barrackers End” will span three bays in the Ponsford Stand and big black and white banners will hang above it.
The squad was also stripped of traditional banner-making duties in 2014 to allow them to “focus on making a lot of noise”.
MEANWHILE, footy fans were left disappointed after being turned away from yesterday’s NAB Challenge clash between Richmond and the Western Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs tweeted that Whitten Oval had reached capacity, with the AFL reviewing if more members would be able to get in, or tickets made available.
“The AFL in conjunction with the venue will assess if there is any additional capacity remaining at the commencement of the match,” the club wrote.
http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/afl-clubs-step-in-to-give-cheer-squads-a-louder-voice/story-fnii5sms-1227243407074
