SA Footy

Once again the AFL has come 3rd in averages for a sporting competition only 3rd behind the NFL in America and the Bunderslagia (sic?) in Germany.
A phenomenal result IMHO.

"phenomenal result" really?

gadj1976 wrote:"phenomenal result" really?

I think so considering how spread out a country we are and our population and the fact we dont have a winter sport that is dominant in every state and we still better the English Premier League for eg.
Mind you we are a very urbanised country and moreso around the southern states.
Mind you the achievement is even more phenomenal considering that figure carrys the Powers crowds!

I agree with you Wedgie

The game is maligned by some for being this and that and not being what it used to be, etc but despite these "problems" a hell of a lot of people watch it

The national AFL comp has been so successful I think it may have played a part in the decline of the National basketball and soccer competitions.

Hondo wrote:
The national AFL comp has been so successful I think it may have played a part in the decline of the National basketball and soccer competitions.

Well it certainly forced these two to change their seasons to avoid a Clash with footy......

Wedgie wrote:

gadj1976 wrote:"phenomenal result" really?

I think so considering how spread out a country we are and our population and the fact we dont have a winter sport that is dominant in every state and we still better the English Premier League for eg.
Mind you we are a very urbanised country and moreso around the southern states.
Mind you the achievement is even more phenomenal considering that figure carrys the Powers crowds!

Probably not the best example there. For these reasons

1. Any football side in England can make the Premier League ala Blackpool who only get attendances of 11000 per game yet teams like Leeds in the championship can get 30 000+ plus. Imagine the attendance if you had Central vs Fremantle at Football Park.

2. The fixtures aren't designed soley to maximise attendance like the AFL is. In the EPL every team plays every team home and away PERIOD! The fixture is about the eveness in the competiton. If they wanted to maximise attendance they could play the big 4 against each other 3-4 times a year.

3. Weather, for a winter sport Australias winters are very tame compared to many other countries in the world im sure the AFL attendances would be down if W.Bulldogs played Kangaroos in snowing -2 degree weather at the MCG.

whufc wrote:

Wedgie wrote:

gadj1976 wrote:"phenomenal result" really?

I think so considering how spread out a country we are and our population and the fact we dont have a winter sport that is dominant in every state and we still better the English Premier League for eg.
Mind you we are a very urbanised country and moreso around the southern states.
Mind you the achievement is even more phenomenal considering that figure carrys the Powers crowds!

Probably not the best example there. For these reasons

1. Any football side in England can make the Premier League ala Blackpool who only get attendances of 11000 per game yet teams like Leeds in the championship can get 30 000+ plus. Imagine the attendance if you had Central vs Fremantle at Football Park.

2. The fixtures aren't designed soley to maximise attendance like the AFL is. In the EPL every team plays every team home and away PERIOD! The fixture is about the eveness in the competiton. If they wanted to maximise attendance they could play the big 4 against each other 3-4 times a year.

3. Weather, for a winter sport Australias winters are very tame compared to many other countries in the world im sure the AFL attendances would be down if W.Bulldogs played Kangaroos in snowing -2 degree weather at the MCG.

Excellent points whufc.

whufc wrote:

Wedgie wrote:

gadj1976 wrote:"phenomenal result" really?

I think so considering how spread out a country we are and our population and the fact we dont have a winter sport that is dominant in every state and we still better the English Premier League for eg.
Mind you we are a very urbanised country and moreso around the southern states.
Mind you the achievement is even more phenomenal considering that figure carrys the Powers crowds!

Probably not the best example there. For these reasons

1. Any football side in England can make the Premier League ala Blackpool who only get attendances of 11000 per game yet teams like Leeds in the championship can get 30 000+ plus. Imagine the attendance if you had Central vs Fremantle at Football Park.

2. The fixtures aren't designed soley to maximise attendance like the AFL is. In the EPL every team plays every team home and away PERIOD! The fixture is about the eveness in the competiton. If they wanted to maximise attendance they could play the big 4 against each other 3-4 times a year.

3. Weather, for a winter sport Australias winters are very tame compared to many other countries in the world im sure the AFL attendances would be down if W.Bulldogs played Kangaroos in snowing -2 degree weather at the MCG.

Yep fair points ... You could also go a little further with the teams that have the best following playing at neutral venues like Wembley - Collingwood v Essendon (for example) is always played at the largest venue, whereas Man U v Liverpool is never played at a Stadium capable of holding 100,000 people.

Forgetting the EPL example for a moment, I do agree with Wedgie and Hondo though that it is a pretty massive achievement for the AFL.

whufc wrote:

Wedgie wrote:

gadj1976 wrote:"phenomenal result" really?

I think so considering how spread out a country we are and our population and the fact we dont have a winter sport that is dominant in every state and we still better the English Premier League for eg.
Mind you we are a very urbanised country and moreso around the southern states.
Mind you the achievement is even more phenomenal considering that figure carrys the Powers crowds!

Probably not the best example there. For these reasons

1. Any football side in England can make the Premier League ala Blackpool who only get attendances of 11000 per game yet teams like Leeds in the championship can get 30 000+ plus. Imagine the attendance if you had Central vs Fremantle at Football Park.

2. The fixtures aren't designed soley to maximise attendance like the AFL is. In the EPL every team plays every team home and away PERIOD! The fixture is about the eveness in the competiton. If they wanted to maximise attendance they could play the big 4 against each other 3-4 times a year.

3. Weather, for a winter sport Australias winters are very tame compared to many other countries in the world im sure the AFL attendances would be down if W.Bulldogs played Kangaroos in snowing -2 degree weather at the MCG.

Agree whole-heartedly with those points. And Collingwood, Geelong and Hawthorn are doing well and improved performances from Richmond during the year, mean that crowds will continue to be higher than you'd consider normal. It's the fixture that makes it skewed IMO.

I dont think this year's ladder has anything to do with it as to my knowledge the AFL is 3rd in the world every year.

India v Pakistan Test Cricket at Calcutta would far outstrip

whufc wrote:
3. Weather, for a winter sport Australias winters are very tame compared to many other countries in the world im sure the AFL attendances would be down if W.Bulldogs played Kangaroos in snowing -2 degree weather at the MCG.

Cant bring weather into it, NFL is the highest in the world and they play in snow regularly and still pack it out