Adelaide AFL fans = SOFT

[lesthemechanic]

even so, 50% or 60% . still a waste of money when the BIG showdowns , promoted to the hilt, can't fill Footy Park, I couldn't care less whose home game it is, if you are a fan, you go.
I'm yet to hear a good argument as to why Footy Park is outdated. And don't say it hasn't got a roof. How many time does it rain really anyway, not very many to be worth spending that sort of cash to keep some soft fans dry 2 tims a year at best.

[Dutchy]

The Crows crowd at the G last week was apparently very big, yet we're soft

exactly, it was a great crowd last week....where were they this week?

[Leaping Lindner]

A North Melbourne fan having a go at another's club's supporters for not turning up.
It's official now I have heard everything.
ROTFLMAO

[PhilH]

Better state my aligience first
- Crows supporter, was heavily into the cheer squad in 1991, moved to QLD in 1993, joined Crows QLD supporters group, came back to SA in 1988, lived at West Lakes got membership went to all home games, enjoyed SANFL more (with new baby girl to take), now SANFL media takes up most time so watch Crows from AFAR when I can.
- Have been to 3 AFL games this year all in Melbourne on june long weekend, 2 at Telstra Dome & Crows v Richmond at MCG.
- Been to approx 25 SANFL games so far.

I think WE ARE ALL GETTING SOFT.
- Weather like today would have wiped out thousands at any outdoors sporting event
- One needs only see the SANFL figures hitting record lows on wet weekends for verification.
- People are less "religious" about committing to activities every time and more selective on how they spend their money focussing more on a special event.
- Especially now that the games can be anytime from Firday night to Sunday Twilight.
- Thats why the SANFL can get 20,000 to one round and 8,000 to the next.
- For mine the almost LIVE TV is the killer factor in this as is what is becoming a pretty mindless agro factor between the supporters.
- To be blunt about 15,000 normal showdown attendees have voted with their feet and said that the benefit of being live at the game does not outweight the cost saving, time saving, weather benefit and lack of agro benefit of watching from home.
- I am sure the TV ratings will still be excellent.

One thing my Dad & I clearly noted in Melbourne was the good naturedness and banter between supporters (including Richmond & Crows at the MCG). We did not see one crowd issue and everyone was free to show their colours without rebuke for it. (Very different to my trips to Victoria Park, Windy Hill and Western Oval in 1991).

I think (whilst not there to witness it myself) there is still an immature agro factor between supporters at the showdown that keeps people away from these encounters. Hate to say it but the Vic set up with Telstra Dome & MCG so easy to get to and the enjoyable nature of the atmosphere there is now streets ahead of where SA Football sits, at least at AFL level.

[Hondo]

The Crows crowd at the G last week was apparently very big, yet we're soft

exactly, it was a great crowd last week....where were they this week?

As of Friday only 6000 tickets were left (88% of the stadium was sold) - so the crowd should have been 44,000 depending on the % of members and Port season ticket-holders that turned up.

So to find out why only 32,000 turned up you'd have to ask the 12,000 people who had tickets to go but didn't - SANFL members & Port season ticket holders would make up a big chunk of that number I assume? Again, laughable that Crows fans are singled out (note - Dutchy did NOT single out Crows fans, others have).

The weather would have been a HUGE impact on the missing 12,000 (as it would have been for all the other events organised for today) - as well as all the other reasons in PhilH's great post.

[Dutchy]

A North Melbourne fan having a go at another's club's supporters for not turning up.
It's official now I have heard everything.
ROTFLMAO

Happy with todays crowd? Dont think it requires discussion? If the Roos played there today i would have been there, but Im not sure what they have got to do with this discussion other than time to have a cheap shot cause you cant offer anything else?

[JK]

Biggest game of the year and they draw 31k?

WTF?

I agree with Rucci, time for there to be only 1 showdown each year, why would the AFL persist with 2 when the fans just dont show up?

Disgraceful and embaressing to SA..

With all due respect Dutchman, I can't believe this is coming from a Kanga's supporter!

Showdowns are money in the bank, both at the ground and with TV rights, you know better than that!

[Macca19]

Its fair to say somewhere between 6-10k Port supporters didnt turn up. To go with that, Crows supporters didnt want to buy tickets either, with 6 or 8000 tickets still available for sale.

Given neither club had won a game since about May and the fact it was 9 degress and raining at the start of the game, im not all that surprised.

[NFC]

Wasnt it a Port home game. If so my case concluded. Didnt they struggle to get 15,000 to their last home match

Yep, it was a Port home game, they're the soft ones. Can't blame the Crows fans for not wanting to sit amongst 20,000 Port fans.

I sat amongst 2 today, 2 of the worst, most feral, drunk, abusive "fans" I have ever seen. Good to see security do their job, told them to move, closer to me.

[Dirko]

Righto...Crowd numbers. This is the average attendance for the season 2008 so far
Collingwood.......63,509
Carlton.............51,818
Essendon..........46,756
Richmond..........44,144
Adelaide............40,447
Hawthorn...........39,708
West Coast........38,721
St Kilda..............38,544
Fremantle...........36,258
Western Bulldogs..34,331
Geelong..............33,638
Sydney...............31,942
Brisbane..............31,669
Melbourne............29,470
Nth Melbourne......26,012
Port Adelaide........25,636

On those number, I'd say the softest supporters (or lack thereof) would be Port & North Melbourne.....

[Sojourner]

I think that people are losing sight of the actual reason that Crows fans dont go to Port Adelaide home games and that is the simple fact that Crows fans dont want to put their hard earned coin into the Port Adelaide Football Club.

Perhaps some of the commentators who seemingly cannot understand why Crows fans are not going to the games have lost sight of just how embittered people are against Port Adelaide. No doubt a number of these people are those who get immense satisfaction from seeing reports of low crowds at Port games and financial statements provided at the end of the year showing a loss.

Still, the SANFL voted Port in over the other options at the time, so they have made their bed, they will likely have to continue to lie in it for a little longer yet!

[Macca19]

I think that people are losing sight of the actual reason that Crows fans dont go to Port Adelaide home games and that is the simple fact that Crows fans dont want to put their hard earned coin into the Port Adelaide Football Club.

And that shows how truly pathetic some people are. That they refuse to go and watch their team play. Yet its funny how when both teams were winning every week from 01-04, every showdown was sold out and none of this talk about not wanting to put money into PAFC was there at all.

Great 'supporters' there!

Still, the SANFL voted Port in over the other options at the time, so they have made their bed, they will likely have to continue to lie in it for a little longer yet!

I see your a south supporter. Ill leave this one alone.

[Psyber]

I think that people are losing sight of the actual reason that Crows fans dont go to Port Adelaide home games and that is the simple fact that Crows fans dont want to put their hard earned coin into the Port Adelaide Football Club.

Perhaps some of the commentators who seemingly cannot understand why Crows fans are not going to the games have lost sight of just how embittered people are against Port Adelaide. No doubt a number of these people are those who get immense satisfaction from seeing reports of low crowds at Port games and financial statements provided at the end of the year showing a loss.

Still, the SANFL voted Port in over the other options at the time, so they have made their bed, they will likely have to continue to lie in it for a little longer yet!

We all know the Norwood-Sturt merger plan should have got the second AFL licence, and that furthermore the Port Adelaide Magpies should have been cast out of the SANFL at the time of their earlier treachery and plotting with the VFL.

[Macca19]

I really dont understand the pissing contest that is memberships/supporter base in the AFL. It makes me laugh.

Collingwood have the most supporters plus probably the most passionate supporters, and that has inspired the mighty Magpies to completely dominate the AFL with 1 flag in the last 50 years. People act like crowd figures are the be all and end all.

In the end 44,000 people had tickets to yesterdays game. The vast majority of those would have been paid for (as opposed to some giveaways). Whether 44k show up, or 31k, or 10 people, its still 44,000 tickets that the club will get money from.

[Psyber]

I really dont understand the pissing contest that is memberships/supporter base in the AFL. It makes me laugh.

Collingwood have the most supporters plus probably the most passionate supporters, and that has inspired the mighty Magpies to completely dominate the AFL with 1 flag in the last 50 years. People act like crowd figures are the be all and end all.

In the end 44,000 people had tickets to yesterdays game. The vast majority of those would have been paid for (as opposed to some giveaways). Whether 44k show up, or 31k, or 10 people, its still 44,000 tickets that the club will get money from.

You're quite right there Macca.
The real issue is how many people really want to be locked up with that sort of hostility and agression all afternoon. For many people the Showdowns may be pencilled in early as a match to miss. The Adelaide media make it worse by stirring up that "rivalry" in advance. Many who are not into tribal violence may simply decide there are other matches they'd rather go to and take their kids somewhere else that day.

[Punk Rooster]

I think that people are losing sight of the actual reason that Crows fans dont go to Port Adelaide home games and that is the simple fact that Crows fans dont want to put their hard earned coin into the Port Adelaide Football Club.

hence the reason they are labelled soft.
You don't hear of Colingwood/Carlton/Essendon fans doing that do you? (or in fact any non-SA teams...)

[Brad]

I went to one showdown and the way both Port & Crows fans acted I know why crowds are low, people bag Collingwood fans but I've been to the MCG with 80,000 plus crowd and it is more civil than a showdown.

[Macca19]

I really dont understand the pissing contest that is memberships/supporter base in the AFL. It makes me laugh.

Collingwood have the most supporters plus probably the most passionate supporters, and that has inspired the mighty Magpies to completely dominate the AFL with 1 flag in the last 50 years. People act like crowd figures are the be all and end all.

In the end 44,000 people had tickets to yesterdays game. The vast majority of those would have been paid for (as opposed to some giveaways). Whether 44k show up, or 31k, or 10 people, its still 44,000 tickets that the club will get money from.

You're quite right there Macca.
The real issue is how many people really want to be locked up with that sort of hostility and agression all afternoon. For many people the Showdowns may be pencilled in early as a match to miss. The Adelaide media make it worse by stirring up that "rivalry" in advance. Many who are not into tribal violence may simply decide there are other matches they'd rather go to and take their kids somewhere else that day.

You are dead right. As far as im concerned, KG and Cornesy have a lot to answer for. They were the ones promoting Port showdowns being filled with nothing but violence and pandering to morons on their show before the first showdown last year. Ever since then, crowds have been shit, yet before that week, every showdown was sold out and the stadium filled.

[GWW]

The Sturt/Norwood consortium would never have worked, way too close to what the Crows already are. It had to be a club with tradition and, quite frankfully, Sturt's record from the 15 years leading up to 1997 quite frankly was quite poor, and not deserving of a place in the AFL.

[Dutchy]

I really dont understand the pissing contest that is memberships/supporter base in the AFL. It makes me laugh.

Collingwood have the most supporters plus probably the most passionate supporters, and that has inspired the mighty Magpies to completely dominate the AFL with 1 flag in the last 50 years. People act like crowd figures are the be all and end all.

In the end 44,000 people had tickets to yesterdays game. The vast majority of those would have been paid for (as opposed to some giveaways). Whether 44k show up, or 31k, or 10 people, its still 44,000 tickets that the club will get money from.

I think you will find the gate receipts go straight to the AFL, not the home club...except for Memberships which go direct to the club....

I guess at the end of the day it comes down to passion, Port and the Crows only have half their membership which are passionate and there for the good times and the bad, the other half just want the good....