Interactive Footy Fan Map: AFL clubs' membership heartlands

http://m.heraldsun.com.au/news/inter...-1227255772155

Interactive footy fan map: AFL clubs’ membership heartlands
FIONA HUDSON
HERALD SUN
MARCH 10, 2015 3:59PM

VICTORIA’S footy fan heartlands are shifting from their traditional tribal turf.

Collingwood isn’t among the top 20 suburbs Magpie members call home, and paid-up Blues have ditched Carlton as their address of choice.

Reservoir is now the epicentre for both devoted Carlton and Collingwood members, a Herald Sun analysis of Victorian membership data from AFL clubs shows.

** Click here to view the map on a mobile device.

Clubs to retain the strongest links to their old territories include Richmond — home to the most Tigers members — and Essendon, top choice for paid-up Bombers.


But the preferred nest for Hawks diehards is Croydon; Hawthorn ranks second.

Living up to its establishment reputation, Melbourne is the only club to count Toorak among its top fan zones.


Cyril Rioli would get a friendly reception in Croydon. Picture: Quinn Rooney, Getty Images
The cream of the Cats’ members still cluster in Geelong and its surrounds.

But the pull of former Cat turned Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett Jr has helped turn Geelong suburb Belmont into the most-favoured turf for Suns fans.

Sydney supporters have clung to tradition: South Melbourne is the most popular roost for Victorian-based Swans members.

And Saints fans have a stranglehold on the bayside suburbs.

Port Adelaide has its strongest following in Horsham and Mildura, while Crows fans flock around the Docklands.

The Herald Sun obtained 2014 data from all AFL clubs except Brisbane, which refused to participate.

The Blues’ manager of fan development, Clinton Bown, said Carlton’s transient population helped explain its absence from the club’s top 20 strident supporter suburbs.


Carlton’s Chris Judd would find plenty of support in Reservoir. Picture: WAYNE LUDBEY
“Carlton had its historical roots in the migrant families of the Italian, Greek, Jewish and Lebanese communities,” Mr Bown said.

“Many moved to more affluent suburbs like Kew, Caulfield and Brighton, having established their wealth from very humble beginnings.”

Reservoir bar manager Steve Bower, an ardent Blue, says: “Everyone I know either barracks for Collingwood or Carlton, and we’re all from Reservoir. Society has changed and people are moving out of the city and taking their team support with them.”

Collingwood spokeswoman Elizabeth Muling said member numbers tended to be higher in the north, the club’s traditional recruiting zone.

Geelong’s Kevin Diggerson said the Cats were unique for their strong local ties.

St Kilda’s Luke Holmesby said one in five AFL club members living bayside was a Saint.

“We (also) have very significant support in Melbourne’s southeast,” Mr Holmesby said.

Tigers CEO Brendon Gale said the club had been “an integral part of Richmond for over 130 years, and our supporter numbers reflect that”.

I had a good look at that earlier today. We really do have a distinctly concentrated support base. Seemingly nothing East of the Tullamarine Fwy and nothing North of the Calder. The only exception being Sunbury where we give a yelp as the fifth biggest club behind Esendon, North, Carlton and Collingwood.

The bright side is that the area where we are represented is growing like wildfire. For me, that justifies the move to playing games in Ballarat. It really does peg the area out as ours. That Rockbank to Melton to Bacchus Marsh area will be choc-full of houses in 30 years time. If we play our cards right, engage the area properly and represent it well, people will embrace the club as their representative.

The polar opposite side of town is then left to be squabbled over by Richmond, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Sht Kilda etc. Carlton and Collingwood will brawl over Reservoir, Preston etc, Norf will bob their heads up here and there and everywhere and the Cats have clearly stamped Geelong.

Just on Norf, I see their 3rd biggest 'place' for members is Tassie. That just shows what a boost to their membership numbers their 3 games in Hobart have provided. Hopefully we can get a similar boost from Ballarat - albeit smaller, I'd expect.

The circle which draws out the radius of Greater Melbourne (to some extent) really helps to accentuate the abundance of space within a reasonable proximity of Melbourne that is still to be filled in the area represented by the WBFC. Really making a winner of Ballarat is key for us.

It really is amazing how closely aligned to the traditional zones most clubs still are!

We do have supporters east of the Tullamarine and north of the Calder but compared to west of the Maribyrnong it's not a huge amount. We have the East West Club supporter group which must mean we have a small presence in the east but yes I agree Webby it is very concentrated in our traditional heartland of the west.