WAFL attendences on the up...

[David Votoupal]

http://www.wafl.com.au/default.aspx?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=32392

This is indeed good news for grassroots football. The WAFL seems to be on the way to recovery with a significant increase over last year's opening round attendence, and one hopes the SANFL and other local leagues will follow the same pattern when they kick off shortly. We could well be seeing a genuine revival in grassroots sports IMHO with things like this :cool:

What factors do you think contribute to this revival? Is there an underlying disillusionment with the perceived commercialism of AFL football? Or are more people just wanting to go and watch some footy?

I still think Fox Footy should give us the matches of the round from the SANFL, WAFL and other regional comps, as greater exposure can only do wonders...

[Charlie]

7,800 at one match leads me to thinking it's more a blip than a sign of things to come.

It's pointless to complain about commercialisation in the sport; the truth is the AFL had a choice between commercialisation and marginalisation. I know which I'd prefer.

[Tooth Fairy]

It must be because I joined up as a member of South Freo, who by the way had a win last friday night. $2 pots in the members. Can't go wrong.

[Tooth Fairy]

Originally posted by Charlie
7,800 at one match leads me to thinking it's more a blip than a sign of things to come.

It's pointless to complain about commercialisation in the sport; the truth is the AFL had a choice between commercialisation and marginalisation. I know which I'd prefer. I think it's more a case of you don't know how strongly supported the WAFL actually is over here perhaps.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by Tooth Fairy
I think it's more a case of you don't know how strongly supported the WAFL actually is over here perhaps.

You're right, I don't. But 13,800 people, with 4 games one of which got 7,800 people, means that the others were averaging about 2,000. For round one, after months without footy.

Translation? They're about as dependent on the commercialised national structure as everyone else. 2,000 is about average for second-tier football, but that doesn't make it a great turnout.

As I said, a blip rather than a sign of things to come.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by David Votoupal
http://www.wafl.com.au/default.aspx?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=32392

This is indeed good news for grassroots football. The WAFL seems to be on the way to recovery with a significant increase over last year's opening round attendence, and one hopes the SANFL and other local leagues will follow the same pattern when they kick off shortly. We could well be seeing a genuine revival in grassroots sports IMHO with things like this :cool:


Stupidly the SANFL has scheduled the biggest clubs in the league to have a bye in Round 1. With 5 days in which to play matches, most of the clubs are not even playing. Having said that, North vs Norwood (Dale Lewis's debut coaching game for the Leggies) on Thursday night should be an absolute cracker. Go the cocks of the North!!! :cool:

Western Swan or Port1978 will probably pipe in with the latest goss from the Subiaco camp as well. Good to keep an eye on footy in the west as well.

JF

[David Votoupal]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Stupidly the SANFL has scheduled the biggest clubs in the league to have a bye in Round 1. With 5 days in which to play matches, most of the clubs are not even playing. Having said that, North vs Norwood (Dale Lewis's debut coaching game for the Leggies) on Thursday night should be an absolute cracker. Go the cocks of the North!!! :cool:



North vs Norwood would definitely be worth watching- the Roosters aim to build on a remarkable 2004 (one gets the feeling a premiership is coming their way) while the Redlegs just aim to rebuild, albeit with a so far unproven coach. No disrespect to Dale Lewis, there's absolutely no reason why he won't be a good coach, but at senior level such an appointment is a gamble.

I've said before that the SANFL and WAFL both need their "big guns" (Magpies, Norwood, Sturt, North; East Perth, West Perth, East Freo, South Freo) to be doing well in order to get the crowds for its big matches and especially the finals. In 2002, some 35k saw Sturt break its 26-year premiership drought and at least 31k saw East Perth go three in a row. The GF crowds since have been something of a disappointment, but surely they will improve this year.

In country Victoria the GV and O&M comps can get well over 10,000 to their GFs- better than the VFL gets to its GF and better than some second tier comps in other sports.

[port1978]

Originally posted by Charlie
7,800 at one match leads me to thinking it's more a blip than a sign of things to come.

That particular game was played at the Claremont Showgrounds instead of Claremont Oval, Claremont's normal home ground. There were apparently rides and all sorts of entertainment on.

[port1978]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG

Western Swan or Port1978 will probably pipe in with the latest goss from the Subiaco camp as well. Good to keep an eye on footy in the west as well.

JF

Attendance at the Subi game on Friday night wasn't that great....less than our average attendance for last season.....I would've thought more people would attend, being the 1st game of the season.


Oh, but we're off to a great start.....gave last year's wooden spooners an absolute thumping...over 80 points....Top of the ladder, right where we should be. :)