Why has Footy Park fallen out of favour in just 10 years?

[spell_check]

Which raises the question - in the last 10 years, Footy Park seems to have fallen out of favour. Consider the 1999, 2000 and 2001 Semi Final attendances (which we were all in a part of):

1999: 20685 - Glenelg vs Norwood; Port vs Eagles
2000: 20321 - Port vs Sturt; Eagles vs Central
2001: 18463 - Port vs Norwood; Central vs Eagles

The 2000 and 2001 days had forecasts for rain of some type - and both had rain in them too. What has happened in the last ten years for the consensus against the venue? It's only ten years, but with everything going for these matches today, it's safe to say there was not more than 15,000 there.

[dedja]

A campaign by the Murdoch press for a start ...

[therisingblues]

I think Port are a factor. Where as the other clubs have had their loyalties combined into one club to represent them all in the AFL, Port has a club in the AFL called Port that they all follow. The retention of identity perhaps keeps them a bit closer to their SANFL namesake. Or it could be that in the earlier part of this decade, with the Power still very young, the ties between the two Ports was possibly stronger, with the majority of the Power's players coming from the Magpies, the fans could drop back to the SANFL to see how their "reserves" were coming along.
Just a theory.
P.S. In the finals maybe three years ago, didn't we have an instance where Sturt, Glenelg, Port and Norwood all played on the same day in a double header? What was the crowd like that day?
Was that at Footy Park?

[spell_check]

I think Port are a factor. Where as the other clubs have had their loyalties combined into one club to represent them all in the AFL, Port has a club in the AFL called Port that they all follow. The retention of identity perhaps keeps them a bit closer to their SANFL namesake. Or it could be that in the earlier part of this decade, with the Power still very young, the ties between the two Ports was possibly stronger, with the majority of the Power's players coming from the Magpies, the fans could drop back to the SANFL to see how their "reserves" were coming along.
Just a theory.
P.S. In the finals maybe three years ago, didn't we have an instance where Sturt, Glenelg, Port and Norwood all played on the same day in a double header? What was the crowd like that day?
Was that at Footy Park?

It was at Adelaide Oval, and 22,568 attended. When you think about it, it's not much more than those years anyway. Which I still think is to do with the decline in attendances in the finals as a whole. Possibly the ABCs' coverage of playing the games in full with only an hours' delay for the first match doesn't help either. I can't remember what the coverage was back then; I'm thinking it was the 1st game in full but a couple of hours late and the last half of the 2nd game live.

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

2001 IIRC there was quite a bit of thunder and lightening about at half time so the forecast couldn't have been to great at all.

[Dutchy]

Gen Y

[spell_check]

2001 IIRC there was quite a bit of thunder and lightening about at half time so the forecast couldn't have been to great at all.

That's one of my more enduring memories of that match. Sitting in the newly completed Northern Stand and watching the lightning in the hills. It was warm to start with, then the rain came about halfway during the 2nd Semi. 2000 was heavy showers - I remember one during the Port/Sturt match, one halfway between matches and one big downpour during the last quarter of the 2nd Semi.

[spell_check]

I think Port are a factor. Where as the other clubs have had their loyalties combined into one club to represent them all in the AFL, Port has a club in the AFL called Port that they all follow. The retention of identity perhaps keeps them a bit closer to their SANFL namesake. Or it could be that in the earlier part of this decade, with the Power still very young, the ties between the two Ports was possibly stronger, with the majority of the Power's players coming from the Magpies, the fans could drop back to the SANFL to see how their "reserves" were coming along.
Just a theory.
P.S. In the finals maybe three years ago, didn't we have an instance where Sturt, Glenelg, Port and Norwood all played on the same day in a double header? What was the crowd like that day?
Was that at Footy Park?

It was at Adelaide Oval, and 22,568 attended. When you think about it, it's not much more than those years anyway. Which I still think is to do with the decline in attendances in the finals as a whole. Possibly the ABCs' coverage of playing the games in full with only an hours' delay for the first match doesn't help either. I can't remember what the coverage was back then; I'm thinking it was the 1st game in full but a couple of hours late and the last half of the 2nd game live.

Actually, the 2nd week of the finals had 22,588 - Sturt vs Norwood; Central vs Glenelg. The first week of the finals was Norwood vs Port; Sturt vs Central. 15,825 saw that match. Only a few hundred more than the 2000 equivalent between Sturt/Norwood and Central/Port.

[therisingblues]

So the recent comparisons between attendances at Adelaide Oval and AAMI have a bit of a gap in them. Also the attendances at Footy Park 10 years ago and Footy Park now have a similar gap. Hence you are asking the question about why Footy Park has fallen out of favour.
I thought Port may have been a factor, but your above figures from about the year 2007 or 8 show that the latter week where Port weren't playing attracted almost 7,000 more spectators.
Last week I think we had 12 to 13,000. It was rumoured that a similar number attended today.
Sorry if this post is basically rehashing everything you have already said, but I just wanted to get all the figures together in one place for clarification.

[mal]

A reason why the crowds have dropped this millenuim is the standard of players ?
There are simply no more superstars like Robrans, Eberts etc flowing thru
The demise started in the 90s when the Crows were formed
The complete demise was just after 97 when there were 2 Port Adelaides

Some of the best footballers are coming over from the East
Clayton, Allan, Callinan are supplementing the comp

So in essence the SANFL still has talented footballers, but no worldbeating superstars

Also with 2 AFL teams in SA means a lot of supporters follow one of the AFL teams and stopped on thier SANFL clubs


Lets face it in the 80s there were about 6 players from each SANFL club that were good enough to be good AFL players
Whaddaabout now, no way

[Reddeer]

Quote Lets face it in the 80s there were about 6 players from each SANFL club that were good enough to be good AFL players
Whaddaabout now, no way Quote
And why do think that is. FCOL The AFL teams grab anyone who shows some promise by the time they about 18 yo
The SANFL is just a feeder system for the Victoria supremeos

[MatteeG]

Why has Footy Park fallen out of favour in just 10 years?

Cos we cant win a **** game there...

[Adelaide Hawk]

Give me a game at Adelaide, and one at Footy Park, I'd be at Adelaide Oval every time.

[Barto]

Gen Y

Good call.

[whufc]

Has the City to Bay always been run on the second semi final weekend, this seems to have picked up in value.

[mal]

Quote Lets face it in the 80s there were about 6 players from each SANFL club that were good enough to be good AFL players
Whaddaabout now, no way Quote
And why do think that is. FCOL The AFL teams grab anyone who shows some promise by the time they about 18 yo
The SANFL is just a feeder system for the Victoria supremeos

Some of the champs still play SANFL , bit its a short term thing
A classic example is Cooney who played for about a season at WA
He ended up winning a Brownlow Medal

Ryan Griffen, Bryce Gibbs are 2 others who snuck in a few games as well

Dutchys GEN Y post is another reason
A lot of footy hungry kids pressure thier mums and dads to take em to the footy
That was a SANFL custom for a long time
GEN Y has the kids pressurinug Mum And dad to attend AC + PP games thesedays

Im not sure of Adelaide Oval will remedy the situation in the SANFL
Perhaps in the short term it will, any staduim that is central is more accessable for crowds
Bit I reckon Adelaide Oval will increse AFL attendances

[centrecirclelegend]

negative Murdoch press, Dimitriou, Eddie Maguire, greedy developers, the greedy rich in positions of power who are only lining their own pockets, the SANFL for being sucked in to pay off cricket debts,the cost to attend games and the timing of games by the AFL....there is nothing wrong with footy park!

[Dutchy]

Bays poor form aside, I cant wait until its back at Adelaide Oval next year. The new stand will be fantastic for viewing all sport and I remember fondly the 2007 & 2008 finals series on the Scoreboard hill, with everyone screaming themselves hoarse and great banter. It just doesnt happen sitting in the sparse seated stadium. SANFL to me is still standing on a mound with mates, having a few drinks and having a yell for your team, not sitting down and getting beer with a lid on it

[CENTURION]

I firmly believe that more people will attend finals at Adelaide Oval, so long as the prices for food & drinks aren't as high as they are at Footy Park. It's a lot easier to get to, by both car & public transport & is visually far more appealing. PLUS those superb concrete urinals!!

[Pottsy]

Bays poor form aside, I cant wait until its back at Adelaide Oval next year. The new stand will be fantastic for viewing all sport and I remember fondly the 2007 & 2008 finals series on the Scoreboard hill, with everyone screaming themselves hoarse and great banter. It just doesnt happen sitting in the sparse seated stadium. SANFL to me is still standing on a mound with mates, having a few drinks and having a yell for your team, not sitting down and getting beer with a lid on it

Enjoy it while the mound survives. I can see it being greedily eyed off by the executives as soon as the first seemingly "reasonable" excuse to get rid of it comes along - like having too much fun as the masses aren't plonked into a bucket seat each! May it never ever happen, I love that patch of earth.