TOPIC:

Wont call it AFL, as some diehards here think its the VFL extended. Being honest though where is our great game heading. Now "generally WA and SA crowds hold up ok on average for their teams in the national comp. What of the second tier as in WAFL VFL ( the old vfa faded away) and SANFL? .

I suspect that the last years that despite more teams the overall attendances at best "holding". Not enough quality players going around, and the last few years any decent kids have gone to the expansion clubs. Seriously will qld and nsw ever SERIOUSLY get behind the AFL?. Meantime the home of footy sees teams like Tiges Pies Bombers and Blues ( lets be honest these are the big crowd drawing clubs) "not even close" , Sure some of this is self inflicted, BUT in reality wat we have here is the jewels in the afl crown being withered away for 8000 fans at a gws game. This is all before WEEKLY rule changes, and umpiring decisions that no-one not even the players know what is going to be paid. I read with interest that the poor crowd last night was because it was wet and cold, shezzz as a Cats supporter in my youth i would stand in the freezing cold and rain, trevel from melb by train, just to watch me team. Its just not the same these days, plastic stadiums, rigged draw, silly amercanism of the game, trying to appeal to everyone, meantime losing the die hards. Once the theatre goers stop going ( collingwood last night), where does the AFL grow the game?? Luckily for the buffoons who run the game there is no other choice for a sporting fix, i do see though that grass roots footy may well swell in coming years

UNKA2 wrote: Wont call it AFL, as some diehards here think its the VFL extended. Being honest though where is our great game heading. Now "generally WA and SA crowds hold up ok on average for their teams in the national comp. What of the second tier as in WAFL VFL ( the old vfa faded away) and SANFL? .

I suspect that the last years that despite more teams the overall attendances at best "holding". Not enough quality players going around, and the last few years any decent kids have gone to the expansion clubs. Seriously will qld and nsw ever SERIOUSLY get behind the AFL?. Meantime the home of footy sees teams like Tiges Pies Bombers and Blues ( lets be honest these are the big crowd drawing clubs) "not even close" , Sure some of this is self inflicted, BUT in reality wat we have here is the jewels in the afl crown being withered away for 8000 fans at a gws game. This is all before WEEKLY rule changes, and umpiring decisions that no-one not even the players know what is going to be paid. I read with interest that the poor crowd last night was because it was wet and cold, shezzz as a Cats supporter in my youth i would stand in the freezing cold and rain, trevel from melb by train, just to watch me team. Its just not the same these days, plastic stadiums, rigged draw, silly amercanism of the game, trying to appeal to everyone, meantime losing the die hards. Once the theatre goers stop going ( collingwood last night), where does the AFL grow the game?? Luckily for the buffoons who run the game there is no other choice for a sporting fix, i do see though that grass roots footy may well swell in coming years

Unk....you only have to observe the evolution of E sports to understand that dragging in life long fans in future that attend games is going to be somewhat more difficult. AFL will not be the number one attended sport in this country within 20-30 years, mark my words...nothing lasts forever

Dirty Weekender wrote:

UNKA2 wrote: Wont call it AFL, as some diehards here think its the VFL extended. Being honest though where is our great game heading. Now "generally WA and SA crowds hold up ok on average for their teams in the national comp. What of the second tier as in WAFL VFL ( the old vfa faded away) and SANFL? .

I suspect that the last years that despite more teams the overall attendances at best "holding". Not enough quality players going around, and the last few years any decent kids have gone to the expansion clubs. Seriously will qld and nsw ever SERIOUSLY get behind the AFL?. Meantime the home of footy sees teams like Tiges Pies Bombers and Blues ( lets be honest these are the big crowd drawing clubs) "not even close" , Sure some of this is self inflicted, BUT in reality wat we have here is the jewels in the afl crown being withered away for 8000 fans at a gws game. This is all before WEEKLY rule changes, and umpiring decisions that no-one not even the players know what is going to be paid. I read with interest that the poor crowd last night was because it was wet and cold, shezzz as a Cats supporter in my youth i would stand in the freezing cold and rain, trevel from melb by train, just to watch me team. Its just not the same these days, plastic stadiums, rigged draw, silly amercanism of the game, trying to appeal to everyone, meantime losing the die hards. Once the theatre goers stop going ( collingwood last night), where does the AFL grow the game?? Luckily for the buffoons who run the game there is no other choice for a sporting fix, i do see though that grass roots footy may well swell in coming years

Unk....you only have to observe the evolution of E sports to understand that dragging in life long fans in future that attend games is going to be somewhat more difficult. AFL will not be the number one attended sport in this country within 20-30 years, mark my words...nothing lasts forever

Interesting DW, though im not sure what exactly "E" sports are?. What in your opinion will be the number one attended sports in the future??

Unka2 - you have nailed it.

Afl should have gone for quality over quantity...too many shit teams and players

Google E sports as I did when another member here on Ozfooty alerted me to the phenom that it is...integrate virtual reality in to this sporting landscape and you will have the most interactive sporting event on the planet. For me it is not really sport but the kids of today treat it as one. Future generations will grow up without footy ingrained in to them and that's where I see the AFL audiences falling off. Alternately the AFL should get on board with the e sports craze, embrace it, revolutionise and create a viewing platform with virtual reality technology where spectators would actually feel like they are out on the ground and part of the action. I know it's a giant leap but look at where we have come from as a species in the past 30 years...highly unlikely AFL will go there and will still be a successful sport in its own right just not number one. Virtual reality technology is the game changer organisations like the AFL will embrace if they want strong future audiences.

My interest in the AFL competition is non existent. Last year was the first time since the Grand Final telecasts started that I didnt watch any of the game, and preferred to work overtime instead. The only clubs I support are Swan Districts and Armadale, and I have more interest in how they go than any AFL team.
It also doesnt help only 3 teams have won the last 10 flags between them in Hawthorn, Geelong and Sydney. This sort of domination may be great for the clubs supporters, but come finals time, most people will start to walk away if it is the same teams every year.
In regards to the WAFL, the commission are complicit in driving the competition into the ground. They are going to be stuffed in 2 years when the AFL moves to the new stadium. Their only option will be to sell the two licenses to the AFL for as much as possible, pay off existing debts, put some money away, and start assisting the clubs that need it, not the ones who are AFL reserves teams or self sufficient.

Americanisation of our game is killing it as a truly Australian sport.
You're dead right DW, in 20 years time our kids will be hitting the ball with their heads

How was the game Jimmy? It were great mate. What was the score? Nil all, but it were great mate.....FMD.

Footy where is it going?

Obviously not in the right direction!

Actually a good question?
Other than watching Swan Districts every week the only interest I have in that other League is how the Swans boys are going across the country.
I am getting less and less interested by the year in the footy with defensive minded coaches and their flimsy strategies conjured up to try and justify their cushy 6 figure salaries taking away what made our game great back in the 70-80s-90s.
Whoever was responsible for the flooding & press styles that are so prevalent across all levels of footy should be subjected to an old school public flogging in Forrest Place!
Another thing that still rankles me as a former forward was who was the dingbat responsible for the old style Full Forward & Centre Half Forward positions being made redundant?
As a young fella being able to watch the likes of Beasley, Olson, Hutton, Sidebottom, Caton, Cummings & Ugle from my side plus the likes of Ralph, Sewell, Bauskis, Stasinowsky, Rea et al from other WAFL clubs and on the VFL Winners Lockett, Ablett, Dunstall, Quinlan, Roach, Taylor, Davis, Bosustow, Capper, Salmon et al taking weekly hangers on those hapless custodians (also known as Full Backs) kicking big bags of goals and aiming for the magical 100 goal target each year was the MAJOR reason I got excited and then involved in our great game but that role has now disgracefully been coached out of the game and with it my interest.