SA Footy

I don't think I have done this stat on this site, so here it is. This is to give an idea of the interest in the Grand Final compared to the minor round crowds. I think this a better way of gauging a Grand Finals crowd than just GF to other GFs. The most obvious limitation here is the sell out crowds of the 70s and 80s, so if anyone knows exactly which Grand Finals were sellouts let me know. This works best with the crowds post 1991.

Year Crowd x the minor round average crowd
1923 37000 4.05
1924 44300 5.25
1925 37750 4.80
1926 40000 4.65
1927 33222 3.75
1928 35700 4.82
1929 35504 5.47
1930 23609 4.27
1931 34202 6.58
1932 29717 5.17
1933 33444 5.75
1934 30045 5.54
1935 26496 5.73
1936 35120 6.17
1937 35985 6.29
1938 33364 6.04
1939 43885 7.23
1940 28500 5.24
1941 30742 12.22
1945 47500 11.70
1946 53473 6.63
1947 40233 5.11
1948 48755 7.03
1949 42490 5.40
1950 50489 6.41
1951 41997 5.59
1952 50105 6.10
1953 42949 5.06
1954 42895 4.78
1955 44826 4.58
1956 45514 5.14
1957 58924 6.04
1958 54282 5.64
1959 48884 4.90
1960 54162 5.71
1961 40409 4.31
1962 43567 4.60
1963 52668 5.87
1964 56353 7.44
1965 62543 7.50
1966 59417 7.01
1967 58849 6.42
1968 57811 6.72
1969 55600 6.54
1970 48575 5.90
1971 52228 6.40
1972 55709 5.94
1973 56525 6.29
1974 58113 7.14
1975 53283 6.95
1976 66897 8.88
1977 56717 7.09
1978 50867 6.57
1979 50428 6.47
1980 54536 6.66
1981 52659 6.48
1982 47336 6.45
1983 47129 6.49
1984 50271 7.65
1985 50289 6.77
1986 50538 7.23
1987 50617 7.33
1988 50313 6.91
1989 50487 7.72
1990 50589 7.74
1991 39263 8.86
1992 42242 10.14
1993 42719 11.31
1994 40598 10.27
1995 45786 10.98
1996 46120 12.31
1997 44161 13.72
1998 44838 12.16
1999 39135 12.25
2000 34819 11.74
2001 26387 8.49
2002 35187 11.35
2003 28199 9.76
2004 24207 8.61
2005 28637 10.44
2006 25130 8.85
2007 30493 10.64
2008 34128 11.15

With 1941 and 1945, I only have 13 and 17 minor round crowds for those years respectively, so that's why they are no within this years trends. However, at least with 1941, the minor round crowds were much smaller due to the war, so it would still be out of that trend. Years in which I don't have a complete set of figures are: 1923, 1924, 1930, 1933, 1935, 1937, 1941-52, 1955, 1958, 1962 and 1974.

I estimate the minor round average this season to end up around 3000 per match. So, if we apply that figure to a possible Sturt/Glenelg crowd, I'll use the highest ratio in that list (13.72). This would work out to 41,160 spectators at this years Grand Final.

spell_check wrote:I don't think I have done this stat on this site, so here it is. This is to give an idea of the interest in the Grand Final compared to the minor round crowds. I think this a better way of gauging a Grand Finals crowd than just GF to other GFs. The most obvious limitation here is the sell out crowds of the 70s and 80s, so if anyone knows exactly which Grand Finals were sellouts let me know. This works best with the crowds post 1991.

I reckon back in 1991 I read or heard that the Grand Final of that year was not a sell out, and that the last time a Grand Final hadn't sold out was 1983. That's from memory, so take it with a grain of salt.

Pseudo wrote:

spell_check wrote:I don't think I have done this stat on this site, so here it is. This is to give an idea of the interest in the Grand Final compared to the minor round crowds. I think this a better way of gauging a Grand Finals crowd than just GF to other GFs. The most obvious limitation here is the sell out crowds of the 70s and 80s, so if anyone knows exactly which Grand Finals were sellouts let me know. This works best with the crowds post 1991.

I reckon back in 1991 I read or heard that the Grand Final of that year was not a sell out, and that the last time a Grand Final hadn't sold out was 1983. That's from memory, so take it with a grain of salt.

The only two Grand Finals at Football Park below 50,000 before 1991 as you can see was 1982 and 1983. I would think that these two at least weren't sell outs. I would think that the capacity reduced slightly over the years, when you look at the highest attendance at Football Park when seating was first installed in 1982:

1982: 47,336 GF Norwood vs Glenelg
1983: 47,129 GF West vs Sturt
1984: 52,719 SOO SA vs Victoria
1985: 50,289 GF Glenelg vs North
1986: 50,538 GF Glenelg vs North
1987: 50,617 GF North vs Glenelg
1988: 50,313 GF Port vs Glenelg
1989: 50,487 GF Port vs North
1990: 50,539 GF Port vs Glenelg
1991: 45,684 20 Adelaide vs West Coast
1992: 46,540 23 Adelaide vs Geelong
1993: 48,522 23 Adelaide vs Collingwood
1994: 45,639 4 Adelaide vs Geelong
1995: 45,786 GF Port vs Central
1996: 46,120 GF Port vs Central
1997: 47,256 4 Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
1998: 46,405 19 Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
1999: 45,585 6 Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
2000: 42,659 22 Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
2001: 49,846 18 Adelaide vs Port Adelaide (with new grandstand opening in Round 16)
2002: 50,275 20 Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
2003: 51,140 5 Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
2004: 46,978 PF Port Adelaide vs St.Kilda
2005: 50,521 2SF Adelaide vs Port Adelaide (remember this match was dubbed "the biggest match in SA Football History")
2006: 50,514 PF Adelaide vs West Coast
2007: 46,507 21 Adelaide vs Brisbane

Despite the low crowd figure Spelly, Im almost certain that the 1982 GF was a sell-out still ... I reckon from memory it was a live telecast for that reason too, I'll try and watch it again soon to see if Daysy commences with "The umpire holds the ball a loft, and the grand final of 1982 is underway - It's a selliout!"

A theory might be that possibly the tickets were sold, but there were a number of no-shows (don't know why anyone would have wanted to miss any Grand Final). When you consider the 1978 and 1979 crowds, were just above 50,000 each, where as 1977, 1980 and 1981 were comfortably above 50,000.

For sure, might also have been less tickets on sale for some reason back then (I reckon there was but can't remember why), as you would bank on Norwood and the Bays filling the place out back in the 70's and 80's.

Well, I can see why 1979 was only just over 50,000 - the weather - but 1978 and 1982 being a sell out, I can't work out at all.

spell_check wrote:Well, I can see why 1979 was only just over 50,000 - the weather - but 1978 and 1982 being a sell out, I can't work out at all.

I reckon it had something to do with the seating setup back in 82' but like I said can't be certain (lol can't remember what I did on Wednesday let alone 26 years ago )

Constance_Perm wrote:

spell_check wrote:Well, I can see why 1979 was only just over 50,000 - the weather - but 1978 and 1982 being a sell out, I can't work out at all.

I reckon it had something to do with the seating setup back in 82' but like I said can't be certain (lol can't remember what I did on Wednesday let alone 26 years ago )

Yeah, what did you have for breakfast on Grand Final day in 1982?

spell_check wrote:

Constance_Perm wrote:

spell_check wrote:Well, I can see why 1979 was only just over 50,000 - the weather - but 1978 and 1982 being a sell out, I can't work out at all.

I reckon it had something to do with the seating setup back in 82' but like I said can't be certain (lol can't remember what I did on Wednesday let alone 26 years ago )

Yeah, what did you have for breakfast on Grand Final day in 1982?

LOL Probably a coupla pies and cokes, was a chunky little bastard as a kid

Constance_Perm wrote:

spell_check wrote:

Constance_Perm wrote:

spell_check wrote:Well, I can see why 1979 was only just over 50,000 - the weather - but 1978 and 1982 being a sell out, I can't work out at all.

I reckon it had something to do with the seating setup back in 82' but like I said can't be certain (lol can't remember what I did on Wednesday let alone 26 years ago )

Yeah, what did you have for breakfast on Grand Final day in 1982?

LOL Probably a coupla pies and cokes, was a chunky little bastard as a kid

Funny that, how often someones build is now was not what it was as a kid. Like me, small and fairly thin, but then I ended up gaining weight at about 18, before losing most of it last year.

Ok, for this year: 34,128/3064.91 equals 11.14 times the minor round crowd average.