SA Footy

PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS

I honestly believe there were many more than 4,600 at the double header - Bays and Centrals had a good crowd which built up towards the Eagles game. Even when the Bays and Dogs fans left there was quite a reasonable crowd up til the end of the nail bitting finish of the Eagles game.

I believe over the day more like 6000 through the gates at the oval.
I also reckon at the first game at Prospect and last week at the Bay the crowds were larger than what was reported.

I'd be interested in what others think re the crowd numbers

Col D

Possibly that crowd numbers only count for paying spectators so kids Under 18 who get in free may not be counted. Just and idea on why the numbers are lower than what they are saying was actually there. I agree seemed to be more people there than what the numbers revealed would suggest.

So do I. I think there would have been around 4000 to see the Eagles/Norwood game - there would have been a number more who left the ground. I was surprised to see 4627 as the figure.

I posted a photo in the 'double header' thread, and I think taking in to account the people in the members stands, and the number of people on the hill, it was definitely over 4,600. I was thinking it could be around the 6,000 mark too.

The SANFL lie about the crowd figures all the time. Even the clubs have questioned the crowd figures on many occasions in the past.

I've never been interested in attendance figures because I don't believe they are accurate. I recall many years ago when SANFL was king, I went to a Sturt v Port Adelaide game at Adelaide Oval in 1982. I had to park the car that far from the oval I should have left it in the garage and walked to the ground. The ground was packed, there had to be at least 30,000 people there, remembering I have been to Adelaide Oval with crowds over 50,000 for Grand Finals. The official total .... just over 19,000. Absolute rubbish.

The AFL have also questioned the SANFLs figures for AFL games at Footy Park.

pafc1870 wrote:The AFL have also questioned the SANFLs figures for AFL games at Footy Park.

This was especially so in the early 90s. I have it on good authority that the Crows game against Collingwood in 1992 had a crowd over 54,000. Management stripped paint of the walls when they found out the gate staff let that many people in. The first Showdown match also went over 50,000. May have been 52k, i'd have to ask again.

Decpetively low crowd figures seem to be a recurring theme this season, just going on what I have read in numerous threads so far. I don't remember people writing so much on this particular topic last year. I can't see what the SANFL would have to gain from rounding down crowd figures, the less interest that there appears to be in something usually leads to a downturn in real interest.

cd wrote:PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS

I honestly believe there were many more than 4,600 at the double header - Bays and Centrals had a good crowd which built up towards the Eagles game. Even when the Bays and Dogs fans left there was quite a reasonable crowd up til the end of the nail bitting finish of the Eagles game.

I believe over the day more like 6000 through the gates at the oval.
I also reckon at the first game at Prospect and last week at the Bay the crowds were larger than what was reported.

I'd be interested in what others think re the crowd numbers

Col D

I was dissapointed with yesterday's Crowd CD , but the prospect crowd was huge ,we got to prospect just as the seconds started and there was already a large crowd in attendance.
My wifes brotherinlaw used to be a redcoat at AAMAI (other ovals as well) ,he said to me on a few occasions that crowd numbers were wrong ,one of the things they dont count the special invited people who attend AFL functions and then watch the game!!
On yesterdays crowd did they count the SANFL homematch ticket holders the guy on the gate didnt seem to know what to do with my ticket !!

The only way the sanfl could get it right, would be to isssue barcoded "credit cards" as they do for the Cows/Puffs. You have to scan for entry, thta information is collated in a central computer etc. I can't see the benefits of "lowering" crowd figures, unless they are trying to convince the AFL they need more $'s or something, or maybe to keep insurance costs down???

Personal thoughts with out knowing

Could it be with $ being shared between the different bodies?
If lower numbers declared then the body controlling the oval gets more money than having to share it?

Are some people not counted for a reason eg children/ inviteed guests/ people with official passes?

Whatever it just seems to me that crowds look significantly bigger than what is being reported - might be wishful thinking on my part wanting more folk to be involved with the SANFL!

Col D

cd wrote:Personal thoughts with out knowing

Could it be with $ being shared between the different bodies?
If lower numbers declared then the body controlling the oval gets more money than having to share it?

Ahhh, everybody has a crack at tickiling the kitty???

I thought there were less at Glenelg Oval last week than reported. I was very surprised when they said it was more than 2000.

As for Adelaide Oval, how do they count? If it is through the turnstiles, I didn't get counted as I went straight through after getting the season ticket clipped.

One thing about Adelaide Oval though, is that even with less than 5000, it was still a great atmosphere - unlike what it would have been at a place such as Footy Park, MCG etc.

[quote="Aerie"]

As for Adelaide Oval, how do they count? If it is through the turnstiles, I didn't get counted as I went straight through after getting the season ticket clipped.

That was my point as well Aerie the guy at the gate didnt know what to do !!

cd wrote:Personal thoughts with out knowing

Could it be with $ being shared between the different bodies?
If lower numbers declared then the body controlling the oval gets more money than having to share it?

Are some people not counted for a reason eg children/ inviteed guests/ people with official passes?

Whatever it just seems to me that crowds look significantly bigger than what is being reported - might be wishful thinking on my part wanting more folk to be involved with the SANFL!

Col D

The SANFL has no hand in determining the crowd figure to the Adelaide Oval games, because the ground is staffed by the SACA.

My understanding is that the attendance at the Vic Richardson side is collected by totalling the number of barcode swipes in the scanner. The turnstyle didn't have any clicky feeling when I walked through, so I doubt it is counting the attendance.

If the ground staff didn't each hold little counting things in their hands (sort of like those ones the cricket umpires have becacuse they can't count to 6), then they weren't counting season ticket holders. Similarly if kids weren't given a ticket with a barcode, they would not have been counted either.

I fely similar thoughts re the 3700 at Alberton last week for Port v Central. Looked closer to 5,000. At least I'm consistently out re Alberton.

Not sure about there being a financial advantage in declaring a lower figure.

Short term the breakup I thought was determined by the $ amount collected not x per attendee.

Long term stats showing declining crowds would only hurt sponsorship revenue and media presence.

For what it's worth, I thought there was a fair few more than 1,782 at Noarlunga last week also. Angles can be deceptive, but that figure didn't seem right at the time either.

Could it be that crowds in the past were inflated and they may be putting more effort into getting the crowd figures correct this year?

Although I too would have guessed there was more than 4600 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

But I think there were less in the members than for other crowds of similar sizes (there tends to be a high proportion of Sturt supporters amongst Members), which may have made the crowd seem bigger when looking at the outer.

On a side note, it was actually the biggest crowd Glenelg had played at since round 7, 2000 (Port at Alberton, 4647). Hopefully the fans will all jump on the "Bay Bandwagon" now and we will get a crowd close to that against North at Glenelg on Sunday week.

I think the only way we can be sure is of somebody actually counts the people at the game. Then they can compare the number they have counted with the actual figure released by the SANFL.
Spelly? Not asking too much this time am I?