Crowd Attendance - 2025

[GVGjr]

I've been having a look at our Home and Away attendances for 2025 and it hasn't been great.
We also seem to have plateaued out over the last 3 seasons
Now there is probably some good reasons why but playing games at Ballarat, Darwin and Canberra doesn't help. Games on Thursday hasn't been well attended either.

We got the season off to a good start with games against North, Collingwood and the Carlton but we haven't capitalized on it since
Any thoughts on why we aren't drawing bigger crowds? We are growing our membership numbers but it's not resulting in bigger crowds at games.

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[Bornadog]

I haven't looked at other years, but this year we have played at a lot of venues that don't hold man,y and that means the average goes down. MCG home game makes up some of that average.

TIO Stadium	9816
Manuka Oval	12234
Mars Stadium	4814
Norwood Oval	9242

On the other hand we are averaging 37,000 at Marvel and that includes the 20,000 that went to the Saints game.

At other venues:

MCG	78027
Optus Stadium	41491
GMHBA Stadium	32641

I don't think we are too bad, but of course would like to see more at our home games which currently sits at 35,409 ie all home games including Ballarat and the MCG game.
Last year that figure was similar at 35 268, but we will have one less Ballarat game coming up.

[Mitcha]

Yep playing in Ballarat, Darwin, Canberra and at Norwood is the lot of the unloved Melbourne based clubs. Ballarat is a self inflicted wound but the other three are out of our control and surprised we didn't cop one in Tassie although I'm sure the AFL will stick it to us as soon as they can. Us averaging 37k at Marvel is a more realistic measurement.

[jeemak]

The product is shit and noisy when the actual game itself isn't being played and I think it turns as many people off as new people come in.

It's keeping me and others I know away.

[GVGjr]

The product is shit and noisy when the actual game itself isn't being played and I think it turns as many people off as new people come in.

It's keeping me and others I know away.

Definitely something with that. There seems to be quite a few people put off by the match going experience.
It's an expensive hobby as well.

A couple of years back the club contacted me as a player sponsor to use one of those small hospitality rooms with the other player sponsors for Cody Weightman as it was his 50th game
it was $300 for some drinks and a fairly basic level of Canapés and some party pies etc. You could also be in guard of honor. There was no dining so very limited. It was a one off so I accepted.

I got a similar offer for an away game this year and the cost had risen to $450. That's a heck of an increase so I knocked it back.

The cost of attending games with buying food and drinks etc must factor into it.

[josie]

The product is shit and noisy when the actual game itself isn't being played and I think it turns as many people off as new people come in.

It's keeping me and others I know away.

You’re probably right Jeemak.

When I attend I have to wear noise cancelling headphones. The rah rah rah of so called entertainment is just mind numbing at best and ear damaging at worst. One of the things I like about vfl when I attend is that you can hear yourself speak although that’s now been gazumped by deafening so called music through speakers located around entire perimeter of whitten oval.

And if that bloke with drums sits near you (I am cheer squad member) it really is hearing damaging levels. Fortunately it doesn’t seem to be every match & as I said I wear noise cancelling headphones.

The lights are too bright at night as well. Have to wear a cap to shield out glare. Arrgh!!

I think the high number of night matches I think is difficult for families. As we are a good team to watch & this year nearly always competitive I understand scheduling & it’s ok for me as family grown up.

[Aidan7557]

Having a big gap between Marvel games probably hurt and so does playing at small venues but i think our home crowds have been pretty solid. 38k against the Tigers is great for us on a Sunday. I think we are no different to any club. If we win and play good people come, if we lose and suck not as many want to go. Same applies to even the big clubs in Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon etc. West Coast are probably the only club that get big crowds no matter what. And yeh Thursday nights at Marvel specifically NEVER get good crowds so I don't know why the AFL bothers with them.

[Grantysghost]

I prefer vfl.

It's loud, crowded, over priced and for anyone over 6ft the seats are horrendous especially at Marvel.

Love it during the game, struggle every other time.

Also, soooooo many night games.

Can we just get a nice, simple Saturday arvo game.

[jazzadogs]

I'm 100% with jeemak on the experience of attending games, but I think our crowds have been really good this year. Sold out Mars, Norwood, and I suspect Darwin. Got the cats their biggest crowd at Goomba all year. Some solid high 30/low 40 home crowds at Marvel. All while factoring in shit timeslots.

It would be interesting to look at our TV viewing numbers...I know we have actually lead that metric in previous years. I suspect the club and AFL put more value on tv viewers as they can use that to attract sponsors...

[SonofScray]

Not great, but not bad. Fixture and grounds plating the biggest part in any plateau or concern.

Echo the sentiments about the experience of going. From the point the fixture is released, until I am in my seat and the ball has been bounced, it’s a frustrating feeling going to the footy. Thursday night games, the assault on the eyes and eardrums etc just makes me angry. Wife and daughter refuse to go anymore. Killed a family tradition across generations right back to the start of the club.

[angelopetraglia]

Lot of variables. Let's just focus on games at Marvel Stadium.

We have played 301 games at Marvel since season 2000. Only 294 in front of crowds. So I will report only on games where crowds were allowed.

The all time average is 31,32.
217 as the Home team. Average is 30,159.
77 as the Away team. Average is 34,596.

Average crowd by day

Thu - 27,612
Fri - 38,275
Sat - 29,670
Sun - 29,385

Average Crowd by Year

2000 32,624
2001 29,550
2002 29,784
2003 26,112
2004 28,806
2005 32,165
2006 37,665
2007 34,231
2008 36,015
2009 40,426
2010 35,723
2011 28,897
2012 25,613
2013 26,358
2014 25,290
2015 26,561
2016 33,363
2017 37,969
2018 28,901
2019 31,218
2020 -
2021 24,030
2022 30,086
2023 33,710
2024 32,645
2025 36,656

In 2025 we are averaging the best crowd at Marvel since the year 2017 and well above the long term average.

[angelopetraglia]

I attend every game at Marvel unless there is something on I can't miss (Weddings, Funerals, ..... Ha) home and away games. Always attend with the immediate family and most of the time with extended family.

We are so spoilt. Always perfect conditions. Don't have to sit in the rain. There is really not a bad seat in the house and even 25 years after it opened I still pinch myself that either on the bottom deck (where our reserved seats are) or the middle deck, how close you are to the action and what a great view of the ground you have. It is such a better venue than the MCG to watch football at.

I understand that many people have issues with some of the game day experience, but from my perspective, things are never perfect, but we really are blessed to have such a great venue as our home ground.

[angelopetraglia]

Marvel Stadium | Average Crowd by Team Played

Adelaide 22,115
Brisbane 24,422
Carlton 33,410
Collingwood 40,434
Essendon 40,694
Fremantle 20,455
Geelong 36,911
Gold Coast 20,931
GWS 20,023
Hawthorn 34,778
Melbourne 26,169
North Melbourne 29,355
Port Adelaide 19,285
Richmond 37,252
St Kilda 31,738
Sydney 27,132
West Coast 24,070

Victroian Teams 34,527
Interstate Teams 22,304

[angelopetraglia]

Analysis of Season 2025 Marvel Crowds

North Melbourne - 34,406 - Sat (Well above average against North. Good crowd).
Carlton - 44,894 - Fri (Super crowd versus the average against Blues. Amazing crowd.)
St Kilda - 35,511 - Sun (Well above the average against Saints. Good crowd.)
Essendon - 47,266 - Sat (Super crowd versus the average agaisnt Bombers. Amazing crowd.)
Hawthorn - 35,725 - Thu (Bang on average for Hawks, but it was a Thursday night. Good crowd.)
St Kilda - 20,508 - Thu (Well below average. Even factoring for a Thursday night. Poor crowd).
Richmond - 38,280 - Sun (Bang on the average against Richmond. Average crowd.)

So my summation is that our crowds this year have been good. Our average for 2025 is inflated as we have not played any interstate teams.

Our 2025 Average is 36,656. So we are averaging ~ 6% more than the long term average

[Bornadog]

I attend every game at Marvel unless there is something on I can't miss (Weddings, Funerals, ..... Ha) home and away games. Always attend with the immediate family and most of the time with extended family.

We are so spoilt. Always perfect conditions. Don't have to sit in the rain. There is really not a bad seat in the house and even 25 years after it opened I still pinch myself that either on the bottom deck (where our reserved seats are) or the middle deck, how close you are to the action and what a great view of the ground you have. It is such a better venue than the MCG to watch football at.

I understand that many people have issues with some of the game day experience, but from my perspective, things are never perfect, but we really are blessed to have such a great venue as our home ground.

Agreed. Hate the flashing lights and dumb music played and stupid games played in breaks.

I do agree with GVGjr that pricing is keeping people away. Cats Sedat park is down on crowds and many are blaming the inflated pricing.