Giant struggle in Sydney's west

[Adelaide Swan]

Giant struggle in Sydney's west - AFL - Sportal Australia (http://www.sportal.com.au/afl-news-display/giant-struggle-in-sydneys-west-167449)

[WeHaveTheGoodes]

A good honest article about the real issues facing this new bastard child of a club. There is this thought down here that the GWS have already started well. What grates me is most people can't see the massive spin and the way the AFL has engineered the game on Saturday night to make it look like GWS have already garnered a nice supporter base. I came across one person who said they went to buy some GA tickets and when they were asked red or gws they choose RED (swans supporters) and were told no GA seats availbel..but then when they selected GWS there were GA tickets available.

Pretty poor form from the AFL and ironic given that NRL takes a battering from other AFL fans for using the same tactics to increase supporter numbers.

[Adelaide Swan]

A good honest article about the real issues facing this new bastard child of a club. There is this thought down here that the GWS have already started well. What grates me is most people can't see the massive spin and the way the AFL has engineered the game on Saturday night to make it look like GWS have already garnered a nice supporter base. I came across one person who said they went to buy some GA tickets and when they were asked red or gws they choose RED (swans supporters) and were told no GA seats availbel..but then when they selected GWS there were GA tickets available.

Pretty poor form from the AFL and ironic given that NRL takes a battering from other AFL fans for using the same tactics to increase supporter numbers.

Exactly right,

I must admit I am sceptical of the press saying that Great Waste of Space fans will outnumber ours.

There is no way that would happen and I would be stunned if that were the case.

I know Facebook doesn't give much of an indication of anything but our official page has over 78,000 people who have "liked" the page.

At this stage GWS is just over 13,000.

[AnnieH]

Don't forget to double-count some of our members!!
;)

[Adelaide Swan]

Don't forget to double-count some of our members!!
;)

Exactly

[Cheer Squad]

A good honest article about the real issues facing this new bastard child of a club. There is this thought down here that the GWS have already started well. What grates me is most people can't see the massive spin and the way the AFL has engineered the game on Saturday night to make it look like GWS have already garnered a nice supporter base. I came across one person who said they went to buy some GA tickets and when they were asked red or gws they choose RED (swans supporters) and were told no GA seats availbel..but then when they selected GWS there were GA tickets available.

Pretty poor form from the AFL and ironic given that NRL takes a battering from other AFL fans for using the same tactics to increase supporter numbers.

I disagree with you here.

I was impressed by how much support there actually was for the Giants on Saturday night. They were all sat at the southern end of the ground, and if people were expecting threadbare levels of support, well, it didn't happen.

I was more surprised by how many of our own supporters showed up. I was worried there'd be something of a boycott, but it didn't really happen. That's good, because as the Giants improve, our derbies are going to become hotly contested, and we're going to need all the support we can get.

[WeHaveTheGoodes]

Would love to see an independent survey to gauge the following:

a) How many people who attended were new to the game.
b) Of the people who attended the game, how many where ex Victorians or non sydney people.
c) The amount of people who had previously followed the swans for the sake of following a football team but have converted over to GWS. Steve Waugh is a perfect example.
d) How many non true AFL fans are coming back to watch GWS next game.

What were the ratings like? I read somewhere 150K it peaked.

[alison.z]

TV ratings from Media Week - Seven + 7mate 689k FoxFooty 196k ... Total 885k

[WeHaveTheGoodes]

TV ratings from Media Week - Seven + 7mate 689k FoxFooty 196k ... Total 885k

Are they Sydney or melbourne?

[Cheer Squad]

Would love to see an independent survey to gauge the following:

a) How many people who attended were new to the game.
b) Of the people who attended the game, how many where ex Victorians or non sydney people.
c) The amount of people who had previously followed the swans for the sake of following a football team but have converted over to GWS. Steve Waugh is a perfect example.
d) How many non true AFL fans are coming back to watch GWS next game.



You're not the only one who wants to know the answers the those questions!

I'm sure both clubs would just love to know that sort of information - especially question 3. Maybe you should start a market research company?

Looking at the draw, the next test for GWS in Sydney will be in April when they play the Eagles at Blacktown, but as there's virtually no seating out there, and it's too far away, I certainly won't be going.

Then they play Essendon sometime in May at the newly renovated Sydney Showground. The crowd will probably be inflated due to the novelty/curiousity factor.

It's Round 14 at ANZ that interests me, because this time it's our home game, and the Giants will probably have more than 10,000 members by then. That's when we'll get a good idea of how many people are going to stick with them.

[alison.z]

Are they Sydney or melbourne?

I assume both? That's the only reference to ratings I have seen so far but will keep my eyes out!

[Swansinger]

.....

Looking at the draw, the next test for GWS in Sydney will be in April when they play the Eagles at Blacktown, but as there's virtually no seating out there, and it's too far away, I certainly won't be going.
.

10,000 capacity , with 1,500 seated ! Maybe it's a nod to the West's Rugby League traditionalists who get nostalgic for "quaint" suburban stadia ?

Skoda would be better (not sure if the redevelopment is completed yet) , but to host WCE at Blacktown is an insult.
It's more Trabant than Skoda.

[Big Al]

10,000 capacity , with 1,500 seated ! Maybe it's a nod to the West's Rugby League traditionalists who get nostalgic for "quaint" suburban stadia ?

Skoda would be better (not sure if the redevelopment is completed yet) , but to host WCE at Blacktown is an insult.
It's more Trabant than Skoda.

Insult to who?? Have you ever been there?? It's a terrific little ground. The fact is Skoda can't be used until the Easter Show is finished and the ground brought up to AFL standard. So where should they play the West Coast??

[Swansinger]

Yes Al , I have , several times.
Simply , it's not a ground fit to host a side of the calibre of WCE.
It is in effect admitting GSW cannot draw a big crowd for a top team.
Alternative ground ? The AFL should have thought of that when the draw was made.

[tara]

Swansinger your kidding yourself - have a look at the SCG - Buy the Swans own admission their changerooms were(dont know if theve redeveloped them in the past two years) and probably are prehistoric joke. The changerooms at Blacktown are a mile ahead and the ground is fine to play on.

[Big Al]

Yes Al , I have , several times.
Simply , it's not a ground fit to host a side of the calibre of WCE.
It is in effect admitting GSW cannot draw a big crowd for a top team.
Alternative ground ? The AFL should have thought of that when the draw was made.

So you'd support playing Port there??

Again I ask, where do they play?? They can't play all away games so they needed a game in Sydney before Skoda became available. If not Blacktown you must know of an alternative. You can't complain about the venue and not have thought of an alternative.

[Matt79]

$80,000 worth of GWS merchandise sold on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium alone...a tidy start.

[Cheer Squad]

$80,000 worth of GWS merchandise sold on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium alone...a tidy start.

Yes, but from a very low base. It's the equivalent of only selling about 800 guernseys. Not that many when you think of it.

[ShockOfHair]

You'd have to see Saturday's game a win for the AFL and GWS. Good crowd, good TV ratings and competitive game.

Plus it did what the Swans have never done which is to get big coverage in the Daily Tele. The Tele needs readers so if the AFL is going to spend $100m on GWS they're happy to ride along on the buzz created.

The real test as someone has written will be against Port Adelaide on a wet evening in July. How much interest in that?

But the AFL would have to be happy with the outcome of Saturday night.

[Wardy]

Wow some very bitter people here it's time that you just accept GWS are here,they are not going anywhere else anytime soon. Honestly build a bridge and get over it. You are starting to sound like insecure NRL supporters. There really are more important things in this world to worry about

[Adelaide Swan]

A gigantic change for Harbour City (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/a-gigantic-change-for-harbour-city-20120324-1vrof.html)

This, the landing of a second team in Sydney, was the AFL's moon shot. ''One small step for the Giants,'' read the newest AFL team's inaugural run-through, channelling Neil Armstrong, ''one Giant leap for the AFL.''

[Adelaide Swan]

Orange people show faith as footy takes a giant leap (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/orange-people-show-faith-as-footy-takes-a-giant-leap-20120324-1vrdu.html)

THe landing of a second team in Sydney was the AFL's moonshot. "One small step for the Giants," read their banner, "one Giant leap for the AFL." It was more presentable than expected.
The Greater Western Sydney Giants were frighteningly inexperienced, consisting of 17 debutants - including 14 teenagers and a defector from rugby league - three young stars poached from other clubs, one disaffected player and one retired. Their opponents were the doughty old Swans, who were not especially pleased to be cast as visitors in their own city. ''30 years,'' read their tetchy run-through. ''This is our town.''

[WeHaveTheGoodes]

Plus it did what the Swans have never done which is to get big coverage in the Daily Tele. The Tele needs readers so if the AFL is going to spend $100m on GWS they're happy to ride along on the buzz created.



You really think the Daily Terror did all that out of kindness and for their love of the code? The AFL would have paid big bucks for all those aritcles and anyone who thinks otherwise is a sucker.

Let's not kid ourselves.

[wolftone57]

Yes the 'Daily Terror' is for sale to the highest bidder. But we all know what a saint good old Rupert is, the Murdoch press tells us so!