Richmond breaks AFL record as membership hits 90,000By Melissa Cunningham
The Age
12 April 2018 — 8:28pmRichmond has become the first AFL club in history to exceed 90,000 members.
On the back of a drought-breaking flag win that sent the Tiger army into overdrive last year, Richmond confirmed late Thursday that they had broken the AFL membership record.
The Tigers easily eclipsed the all-time AFL club membership record of 80,793 members set by Collingwood in 2014.
Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale said more than 20,000 new members had signed on since the grand final last year, bringing the total up to 90,023.
And, at just three weeks into the AFL season, membership could even crack six figures.
“It’s both very humbling and very special to know that the Tiger Army is now 90,000 members strong,” Gale said.
“Our members are in every corner of Australia and support us wherever we travel.”
It is the eighth consecutive year the Tigers have surpassed their own membership benchmark.
Richmond signed a club record of 75,777 members last year while Tigers superstar Dustin Martin also claiming a record-breaking Brownlow Medal victory, polling 36 votes.
More than 90,000 fans attended the Tigers’ season opener against Carlton while another 70,701 flocked to Sunday’s clash with Hawthorn - making it the highest home-and-away crowd ever between the two clubs.
Despite leading the AFL membership ladder last year, membership at the Magpies has dived significantly this year with only about 65,000 signed members down from 75,879.
AFL figures show Hawthorn are sitting second on the membership ladder with 74,201 signed members down from 75,663 last year, while Essendon are sitting third with 69,818 members up from 67,768 the previous year.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-breaks-afl-record-as-membership-hits-90-000-20180412-p4z9bf.html
