Reacting to the Northern Territory government's amendments to bail laws in May last year, Senator Lidia Thorpe, then sitting with the Greens in the Senate, got to her feet and offered a scathing . ADVERTISEMENT. There's a level of self-indulgence about it all (take a lot of TV commentary now, for example) which is a real turn-off for a lot us who really do love the game a lot more than the celebrities jostling for airtime and who sometimes seem to make the actual game itself seem secondary. For others, attendance at an academy was the key to social mobility. No ones mentioned this yet but only 14,500 rocked up the G last night with a capacity of 25k! Quick look, each year there more games with less than 10k crowds than 10k+ crowd games. [ Top] Lowest Home & Away Crowds. Nat Fyfe impressed with three goals as the Dockers defeated the Power by 31 points in their practice match. Australia's athlete Power Rankings: Who are our most influential stars? 10 jersey previously worn by K.C. And while some of them are fixable, others are a bigger issue that won't be solved merely by some "value added" for fans to actually go to games, or even to turn on their TV sets. If the Giants have a rival, its the Western Bulldogs. Not to mention having to enter a ballot and redeem a ticket puts many people off. But for better and frequently worse, we were conditioned throughout Covid to watch the sport on TV. Carlton was under big pressure and the Blues defence gave away another free inside 50 to Jack Riewoldt, who kicked truly to bring the lead out to three goals. As a Tigers fan, I didn't see a lot of the really low-attendance games. WR Tyreek Hill . Shortly ahead of the start of Wednesday evenings match the AFL announced that a half-time fireworks show had been cancelled, citing circumstances outside its control. this is what half-time at the football used to sound like. Cookies will be used for the identification of users if the "Remember me on this computer" option is checked. The Giants biggest home crowd came in Round 1 against crosstown rivals Sydney. The 10 big moments that defined the AFLW season. The 32-year-old singer welcomed 110,000 fans to be serenaded in Melbourne, beating his previous record of 108,000 audience members just one night before, making it the biggest crowd he has performed to in his entire career, as well as the biggest ticketed event the MCG has put on. And while this one might be harder to judge for a while yet, I believe last year's three-month layoff due to the pandemic has had some lingering impact. Football fans line up at a bar at the MCG on Wednesday night. Ed Sheeran lit up the stage in front of a 107,000-strong crowd on Thursday night.Rick Clifford. That should have both the AFL and Seven a little concerned. View attendance data info FIXTURE EVENTS TICKETS AFL 2023 fixture: Five must-watch games in the early rounds, How 'Demon spirit' brings out the best of Tayla Harris, AFL Draft - The top 10 prospects for 2023, AFL Draft 2022 - Every club's draft haul rated. Watched some movies and TV shows I'd wanted to catch up on for ages. Quick look, each year there more games with less than 10k crowds than 10k+ crowd games. Across eight home matches this season, the Sky Blues attracted 141.508 fans at an average of 17,689 per game. The emotional moment of the match came next. AFL: The home of Australian rules football on Reddit, including the Australian Football League and all other aspects of the game. If youre so inclined, you can park yourself on the couch on a Thursday night, watch every minute of every game, and then sign the divorce papers on Monday. The club boasts close to 100,000 members, but most of their supporters preferred watching the match from the comfort of home. Id imagine that every Victorian whos been through a lot - and I think we can all collectively say that weve been through a lot - would be looking forward to the opportunity to watch the footy in a crowd, Mr Pallas said. Having made some key additions to their squad, the Brisbane Lions must make this years AFL grand final to avoid a disappointing season. But their loyalties and devotion can no longer be taken for granted. Four AFL matches have attracted crowds in excess of 50,000 over the last month, three at the MCG and one at Perth Stadium in Western Australia. For the first time in 50-odd years on a weekend between late March and June, I did other things. Round Table: What was the moment of the AFLW Grand Final? Looked terrible in a 75K seat stadium. The 2022 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football match contested between Geelong and the Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 24 September 2022. The Richmond player went over the mark, giving Docherty 50. The game endures for Carlton's incredible second half-revival, in somehow transforming a 44-point half-time deficit into a 10-point win - and for Alex Jesaulenko's famous mark over . Youve got to be optimistic at this time of year, especially when youre the reigning premiers. Includes current and historical data and statistics by team. Why are the Melbourne supporters not turning up? afl.com.au. Really poor crowd, Thursday night footy, cold but didnt look like it was wet, former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes said on SEN Breakfast. Melbourne brothers Paul and Jeroen Higgins were among those who paused to pay tribute to the cricketer, who died in Thailand on March 4. Last month, AFLFA president Cheryl Critchley confessed that dwindling crowd numbers has become an ongoing issue for the league. Carlton was still missing chances, andthe Tigers showed more composure inside 50 Shane Edwards drilleda kick to Liam Baker in space in the right forward pocket, and Baker went back and kicked it. We played 4.30pm last week against Freo thats not a great time for a Saturday night game. #13. But a stunning string of goals saw the Blues run over the top of Richmond, sparking big celebrations at the siren. The 360-degree stage consists of a central revolving platform surrounded by six 30-metre high masts. Includes current and historical data and statistics by team. April 24th, 2022 10:19 pm Melbourne have overcome a horror showing in front of goal to record a 22-point win over Richmond in their Anzac Day Eve blockbuster. You are using an out of date browser. For the first time in 50-odd years on a weekend between late March and June, I did other things. The Blues midfield had a big impact, withKennedy picking up touches, Cripps and Adam Cerra had 30 disposals each and the Blues won the clearances 40-22. The AFL is aiming for a record crowd when the season gets under way in Melbourne from Wednesday night, followed by matches in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth at the weekend. Showing results {{search.getShowingResultsStart()}}{{search.getShowingResultsEnd()}} of {{search.results.TotalResult}} for, Visiting the MCG for the 2023 AFL Premiership Season, Record Test match attendance (1936-37 over six days), 1970 VFL Grand Final, Carlton v Collingwood, Final ceremony Eucharistic Congress, 1973 (Est. As a result, its virtually impossible to have a conversation with the person next to you. Perhaps. Its a big difference. AFL 2022: AFL crowd attendances impacted by state of game, COVID-19, ticketing, scheduling issues say AFL Fans Association Sport AFL AFL 2022 This was published 8 months ago AFL crowds slump to lowest levels in 26 years, excluding COVID seasons Damien Ractliffe May 23, 2022 6.14pm Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size But AFL crowds are down "on average a few thousand across the board" compared to the record-breaking . After his milestone was announced to the TD Garden crowd, he capped the ensuing possession with a 3-pointer to put Boston in front 16-5. Finally with 12 minutes to go, Carlton went inside 50 once more and after the ballbobbled around Matt Kennedy snapped it high to go through. AFL match attendances. Navigating Ticketek, particularly for blockbuster games and for those trying to secure multiple tickets, can be a one-way trip to the nuthouse and the poorhouse. You cant take kids to the footy in that temperature. Swans games in the early 1990s were 10k to 12k sometimes. And when just a little bit of number-crunching followed, the results were pretty stark. Carlton cut off another Richmond foray and chipped the ball to Sam Docherty in the middle. The record-low attendance for the venue is currently held by the Melbourne-GWS fixture in Round 23, 2015, when just 8,974 people attended.. With North Melbourne and GWS currently occupying two of the . The early rounds in Melbourne were played before only 50 percent capacity crowds, while two games in Perth (including a Derby) have been "lockouts". The Arena Football League ( AFL) can refer to one of three successive professional indoor American football leagues in the United States. How do you make maths exciting? Just sitting there with it in front of you, he said. As the opening siren would sound at a packed MCG, over on Channel 7, Dr Harry would be poking his head in a beehive. Hopefully we can recapture what we didnt quite get to experience from the lounge room. At football games, youre constantly being addressed, constantly being shouted at, constantly implored to make some noise, have a punt, buy a jeep, kiss your partner, stuff your face, or sink some piss. Try 14-Days Free Now >. The last time the MCG hosted a crowd of more than 101,000 people was when Hawthorn defeated Carlton in the 1986 VFL grand final. Fraser Gherig ate the G's entire supply of pies and hotdogs pre-game so they had to close the gates early and only those who were inside before the onslaught were allowed to stay. Round Table: Who is Melbourne's most important player? Still married to her. Picture: Dylan Burns, Bulldogs head coach Luke Beveridge poses with fans at GIANTS Stadium. The game, a GWS home clash at Giants Stadium in Sydney, was the only AFL match held on Saturday night. 3 comments Or when Eddie McGuire pronounces matter-of-factly that "Saturday afternoon football is dead". Even in the digital age, you just swiped your membership card and plonked yourself down. The last time GWS drew a crowd of more than 10,000 to a home game at Giants Stadium was back in 2019 for the elimination final against the Western Bulldogs. Some attendees said they were impressed with food services outside the ground, but as the night progressed several reported frustration with long queues inside the MCG. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I got Sydney in May 1992 first gave v Hawks was 12.2k but things droped away until Lockett and Roos turned up in 1995 and only one game had less than 10k. Like when Fox Footy's "On The Couch" talks about redrafting the schedule so no games cross over (for TV viewing purposes), then in the next breath wonders why crowds might be down. Spent time with family. June 20th, 2022 9:12 pm Greater Western Sydney drew just over 6000 people to their big clash with the Western Bulldogs, in a figure that would be "alarming" for the AFL according to Nick Riewoldt. It took a poorly-attended Richmond game at Marvel Stadium last Saturday night for the agenda-setting AFL media to start thinking about how many people were actually going to the football in 2021. It was a night game, it was cold and raining, we lost. A fortnight ago, a man allegedly had his skull fractured by a didgeridoo. Adelaide Crows Women's Team: 3 x AFLW premiers! Richmond responded in the second half, upping the pressure levels with Lynch kicking a goalfour minutes in. Stream every match of every round of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. How in touch are they with what the average football fan thinks and wants? So various members of the AFL "boys club" and celebrity commentators paying lip service to greater engagement with the game's supporter base doesn't count for a lot if they don't have much of an idea what that base is thinking. St Kilda supporters I dont really blame after a poor season. Saw Adelaide vs St Kilda at Waverley one day - ended in a draw, and there was as many Adelaide people there on a bus trip as Saints fans. And last, the family was a welfare institution that functioned at various times as a hospital . This is pretty poor especially when a club like Richmond are playing who have 100k members. Ed, not everyone's kids go to a private school with organised weekend sport, nor are they all members of a golf club where you can get on the course of a weekend. at the MCG Richmond vs Brisbane Bears in 1989 or so. and I remember this being reported as the lowest post-war crowd for the MCG on record. Even though Covid no longer leads the nightly news, there has been a distinct shift in how we live, work, travel and connect. Will Hamill of the Crows and Andrew Gaff of the Eagles during the weekends game at Adelaide Oval. That game, Saturday night game there was 15,000 Sydney fans there according to people I know at the game. The low crowd figure comes after the AFL announced kids (aged between six and 15) could go to matches for free between rounds 14 and 17. These days, every game is live and in high definition. Every week, tens of thousands of Australians are sick and isolating. McKay answered for Carlton, but converted defender Noah Balta then kicked two goals including a brilliant curling kick from the left forward pocket to give the Tigers breathing space. Yep, if 10k people with tickets don't show up under normal circumstances, there'd be no difference in the crowd figure as everyone who wants to attend is able to do so in such a large venue. Sydney Showground. . The difficult bit is incentivising only people who can genuinely attend to redeem tickets when the capacity is drastically reduced. From the seventeenth century to present times, there has been a continuous debate over the role of the school in creating social classes and providing for social mobility. Victorian authorities announced mid-last month that full-capacity crowds would be permitted at the MCG and Marvel Stadium from the start of the season. And while this one might be harder to judge for a while yet, I believe last year's three-month layoff due to the pandemic has had some lingering impact. . G Train was in the MCG eating pies and I saw one of the pies and the pie looked at me! Hawthorn vs Fitzroy 1996 at the Western Oval - 10,239. At last year's do, former Howard government adviser-turned-Willard Public Affairs lobbyist David Miles put up more than $10,000 at the charity auction to win a game of snooker with the PM. Its very difficult to take your family in those temperatures., MCG crowd: 21,757Lowest Richmond crowd at the venue (outside of COVID) since August 2010 v Adelaide. For Jacinta Dal Ben, her father Dennis Ness and her young children, being back at the G was a celebration of spending time together. Richmond lifted a gear in the third quarter to lead by 15 points at the final change, and the Tigers got the first of the final quarter. Last Week around the Leagues. UP NEXT Nets: Host Charlottes on Sunday night. Apparently, because people now prefer to watch school sport or play golf on a Saturday, and watch the games on TV. Apparently, because people now prefer to watch school sport or play golf on a Saturday, and watch the games on TV. Is it Carlton's year? In addition, Viewpoint Caf . Because I suspect there's a convergence of factors at play. Had a great day - the cans went down very well and I got the courage up that night to ask a woman out who I'd been getting friendly with. Weve seen [the memorial] on the news and all the gifts and we wanted to pay our respects, Jeroen said. Full crowds back at Victorian AFL venues to begin season 2022 ESPN You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. Read more. A minute later, Bolton showed why his brilliance could make the difference, twisting and turning the Blues defenders before finishing coolly. But in the 80s and 90s I became a bit of a football nomad and went to quite a few neutral games (well, there wasn't much point watching Richmond then). Attendance: GM: Ave. Adelaide: 3696004: 93: 39742: 409386: 10: 40939: 155629: 3: 51876: Brisbane . Supporters were clearly excited as they thronged the stadium ahead of the grand final rematch. West Coasts dire year, the redevelopment of Kardinia Park, the floating fixture and a recent Arctic blast have also played a role. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Only 21,757 fans walked through the gates, making it the lowest home crowd for the Tigers at the MCG since 2010 not including the 2020 and 2021 seasons that were marred by Covid-19 restrictions. Which makes that free-to-air drop more significant. It looks horrible. Getting everyone together, I think thats important; to get out and enjoy [it], Ms Dal Ben said. Attendance: GM: Ave. Two more goals before the end made the final minutes more than comfortable for Carlton. AFL Results & Crowds | Austadiums AFL Home Fixture Results Teams Tickets Pre-Season Aus Football Official Site AFL Results & Crowds View the AFL Fixture for more crowd figures. I dont see it being one-sided, but Im super confident we can get the job done.. It was the 127th grand final of the Australian Football League (AFL), staged to determine the premiers of the 2022 AFL season.The match, attended by 100,024 spectators, was won by Geelong by a margin of 81 points, marking the club . 17,644 - Collingwood vs Gold Coast (Round 22 2016). *Odds are current as of 4th March 2023, 6:37pm AEST, The GWS Giants leave the field after a loss. AFL 2023: ESPN's way-too-early predictions - Can the Cats go again? That record was beaten slightly at the AFL season opener on March 18, which drew a crowd of 49,218 to the MCG. VFL Geelong v Carlton (Kardinia Park, Geelong, Victoria) ), 1971 VFL Grand Final, St Kilda v Hawthorn, 2022 AFL Grand Final, Geelong Cats v Sydney Swans, 2018 AFL Grand Final, West Coast Eagles v Collingwood, 2017 AFL Grand Final, Richmond v Adelaide Crows, 2016 AFL Grand Final, Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs, International Champions Cup (Manchester City v Real Madrid) 2015, Largest attendance for VFL/AFL home and away match 1958 (Melb v Coll), Soccer friendly (Liverpool FC v Melbourne Victory) 2013, ANZAC Day AFLmatch Collingwood v Essendon 1995, Record cricket attendance - 2015 World Cup Final, Australia v New Zealand, NRL State of Origin Game II (Queensland v New South Wales) 2015, Record Test cricket attendance - Australia v England, Boxing Day 2013, ICC Men's T20 World Cup, India v Pakistan 2022, Bledisloe Cup rugby union (Australia v New Zealand) 1997, Boxing Day Test, Australia v England 2006 (Day 1), World Cup Final, Pakistan v England, 1992 (Then world record limited-overs attendance), Rugby League State of Origin (NSW v Queensland) 1994, Rugby League State of Origin (NSW v Queensland) 2018, ICC Women's World Cup Final (Australia v India) 2020, World Cup Soccer Qualifier (Australia v Iran) 1997, Twenty20 International, Australia v India 2008, Record Australian domestic cricket crowd, BBL, Stars v Renegades (2016), ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final, England v Pakistan 2022. Can anyone confirm this? The earlier you arrived, the better your seat. The crowd on the weekend was really disappointing. The St Kilda great says he is "concerned" just 6208 people turned out to watch the highest-scoring contest of the season. This honour belongs to American evangelist Billy Graham, who in 1959 attracted an estimated crowd of more than 130,000 (some estimates go as high as 143,750), many of whom had spilled onto the arena. Particularly when in Melbourne, until last weekend, they were unable to sit in the reserved seats they usually occupied, and in some cases, had to pay more to sit elsewhere. If Tasmania gets the 19th license, what state or territory would you like to see team 20 based in? So Melbourne supporters didnt even turn up, nor did they turn up for the top-of-the-table clash the week before, 29,000, she said. Yeah Im the same for today with the Pies. The Blues badly needed the next goal, and they got it through a set shot from Jack Silvagni. Ed, not everyone's kids go to a private school with organised weekend sport, nor are they all members of a golf club where you can get on the course of a weekend. The uncertainty of covid has definitely played a part. Carlton led at the midway point of the quarter. Even, heaven forbid, took in the odd bit of art and culture. HairyO said: Swans games in the early 1990s were 10k to 12k sometimes. GWS are yet to draw a crowd of more than 9000 to a home game at Giants Stadium in 2022, averaging just 6008 fans per match this season. All data entered is sent securely via SSL to our system. This is pretty poor especially when a club like Richmond are playing who have 100k members. Max Gawn leads the Demons off the MCG field after defeat to Sydney at the weekend. Which makes that free-to-air drop more significant. If attendance for Thursday night's game is close to capacity, it will comfortably be the biggest sports crowd in Australia since 86,174 fans attended the MCG for the Women's T20 World Cup. expected to be a few hundred people short, match was initially floated by the Demons. 2022. Unfortunately there are a lot of people for whatever reason that are finding it more comfortable to be on their couches at the moment.. I went to Fitzroy vs. Sydney Swans in Round 19 1995 at the Western Oval, attended by a crowd of just 7426. They're not necessarily going to abandon the game as a result. Not by the game itself, the aesthetic quality of which has improved this year. I think the same thing apparently gws crowd numbers are 100% accurate lol as the AFL figures get audited. GAINESVILLE - Florida head football coach Billy Napier named Austin Armstrong the Gators next defensive coordinator. St Kilda supporters I don't really blame after a poor season. TMZ added that producers with SNL have asked his brother Jason Kelce to join the family - but not just in the crowd, but in front of the camera. New to Kayo? Let alone, as those worrying crowd figures indicate, their patronage. If it is a valid email, your password will be reset and emailed to you. 5,241 for the 2010 St Kilda Vs Fremantle NAB cup semi final. And yet it's one we appear to have been slow to diagnose and seemingly uncertain how to rectify. Funnily enough, McGuire's hypothesis, which could well be a self-fulfilling prophecy if the AFL continues to schedule the showpiece games away from afternoon timeslots, wasn't exactly supported by the evidence last Saturday, when more than 31,000 people turned up to the SCG for Sydney's clash with Collingwood, but just 18,798 to watch reigning premier Richmond play under the roof at Marvel Stadium later that night. The simplest and most plausible explanation is the ongoing impact of Covid. Both men said they loved being back at the MCG, with Jeroen reflecting it was something they had taken for granted before the pandemic. Nonetheless, that is still a considerable drop-off. Is it possible more hardcore AFL fans are choosing to watch from home instead of going, while at the same time fewer casual supporters of the code are either turning up in person or watching games on the Seven network? This season, the total attendance number is 792,858, with a crowd average of 7410. Nope they were about 7-9k most games in 1992-1994 years. On mobile, tap the 3 dots beside your profile picture and select "change user flair", Press J to jump to the feed. There's a number of factors that contribute to their attendance compared to league. Even, heaven forbid, took in the odd bit of art and culture. Home Away Finals; Team: Attendance: GM: Ave. COVID still a factor? Went to a Hawks game in Launie, a cold, wet wintry day, was around 11,000 I think. I'm not sure if the crowd number includes Fitzroy and Sydney players and officials, umpires and ground staff. And once Cripps kicked his third, and when Jack Martin and Zac Fisher booted two in a minute, the Blues were in front. Carlton beat Richmond by 25 points at the MCG in winning start to Michael Voss' time as coach, Follow the live scorecard of Australia's third Test against Indiain Indore. AFL 2023: ESPN's way-too-early predictions - Can the Cats go again? We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. And it doesn't appear to be simply a case of more people who did go now watching on TV, either. Brisbane v Fitzroy at the Gabba 1993. Just keep the throttle down and keep trying to drive the game up. Melbourne supporters Nathan Wigmore with his two sons Max and Billy. The crowd roared as the Blues defender, who has recovered from two bouts of testicular cancer to make it on to the field for round one, went back and kicked truly from 30 metres out. Probably this game: Not AFL, but this was a particularly small attendance. Particularly when in Melbourne, until last weekend, they were unable to sit in the reserved seats they usually occupied, and in some cases, had to pay more to sit elsewhere. Melbourne and GWS currently hold the unwanted record, attracting a crowd of just 8,974 at what was then known as Etihad Stadium in Round 23, 2015 the lowest attendance at the Docklands venue in its 22-year history. Here are some of the possible major contributing factors. Presented by The Golden Ticket - For Medallion Club tickets and Corporate Box tickets at the MCG and Marvel. Theres always been dickheads at the football, and theyve always been a tiny minority, but theres been some nasty incidents recently. When youre planning your Friday or Saturday evening out, especially if you have kids, incidents like that play on your mind. Have the Tigers over-achieved? I've lost all perception of what it's like to lead a normal life and going to the football is part of that. Theyve got no alternative, Riewoldt replied. The early rounds in Melbourne were played before only 50 percent capacity crowds, while two games in Perth (including a Derby) have been "lockouts". Share 04:00 AFL House is reportedly fearing the worst ever crowd for an AFL match at Marvel Stadium this Sunday afternoon when North Melbourne and the GWS Giants in a genuine stoush of the cellar dwellers.. Why St Kilda's second appointment of Ross Lyon is a massive gamble, Every AFL club's trade and free agency period graded. 2022. Were long-time Demons supporters one generation, two generations, and now three., Western Bulldogs supporters: Dennis Ness with his grandkids Vera, 8, Evan, 9, and their mum Jacinta.Credit:Jason South. But the solutions may not be so easy to come by. Thursday night at the MCG was the highest attended game ever between Melbourne and Brisbane (37,728), while it was the largest crowds for both Carlton hosting Fremantle (35,441) and Geelong hosting . The average attendance per game this year is 31,005, down from 37,250 in 2019. Total crowds from rounds one to eight this season compared to the same period in 2019 (the last "normal" football year) were down by more than 737,000 people, an average of about 8000 per game. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. But by the ever-present suspicion that to those who run the game or who broadcast the game -- who often come across as a little mutual back-slapping society -- the viewers are just the riff-raff who will lap up what they are offered, along with a dollop of condescension, no questions asked. Funnily enough, McGuire's hypothesis, which could well be a self-fulfilling prophecy if the AFL continues to schedule the showpiece games away from afternoon timeslots, wasn't exactly supported by the evidence last Saturday, when more than 31,000 people turned up to the SCG for Sydney's clash with Collingwood, but just 18,798 to watch reigning premier Richmond play under the roof at Marvel Stadium later that night. Its convenient. The Club will communicate directly with all Members on Tuesday night in regards to ticketing and game access as it relates to different membership categories. 4014. The two teams were looking for a kickstart to their campaigns after finishing 12th and 13th respectively in 2021. I loathe going to the footy when I have to sit ground level and I know that can be a factor for other people too. But after a while, paying $12 for a mid-strength beer loses its appeal, as does forking out $80 to get hypothermia at the top of the Shane Warne Stand. No GA, certain allocation for MCC/AFL members only, minimum ticket price $70. Eddie Brown was voted the best player in Arena Football League history in 2006 as the league celebrated its 20th anniversary. You do wonder. 21,000 is the lowest for a decade, but I do think it is set up for TV. Emails will NOT be used for the sending of unsolicited, spam or promotional materials. Total crowds from rounds one to eight this season compared to the same period in 2019 (the last "normal" football year) were down by more than 737,000 people, an average of about 8000 per game. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. McCollum opened this year's season Tuesday night at NRG Stadium for a crowd of 68,303. On that occasion, more than 19,000 fans attended the game. The 10 big moments that defined the AFLW season. There's a level of self-indulgence about it all (take a lot of TV commentary now, for example) which is a real turn-off for a lot us who really do love the game a lot more than the celebrities jostling for airtime and who sometimes seem to make the actual game itself seem secondary. Whether youre a rookie or master, this is your essential guide to KFC SuperCoach pre-season advice. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter. What I understood more when the game returned was that while I had actually missed the football itself, I hadn't missed a lot of the increasingly large circuses which surround it, the saturation media coverage, the clickbait and the endless puffing of chests and stroking of egos in the former player cartel which now is the face of much of that coverage.