Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

[Sedat]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/bulldogs-crowds-plunge-9000-in-three-years/story-e6frexx0-1226408340167

Any of our supporters wanting to 'bottom out' for another season or two might want to reconsider. This significant crowd drop has occurred after barely 18 months out of the top 4 - imagine how magnified the issue would be with 4-5 consecutive seasons out of September action.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

Seem to be heading back to the dark days where every newspaper article about us was centred around no money, low crowds and low membership. North has taken that mantle from us over the last few years.

It's a sad reality that many fans are fickle and if the team is not winning and playing attractive football, they don't turn up. I wonder also whether neutrals who in the past enjoyed watching us when were quick and skillful have also stopped attending our games?? All in all, it's a worry and I don't think anyone has the answers. I just took a look at the fixture and we seem to have a lot of Sunday late games to come - that won't help our cause.

Anyway, I still pay my membership, my Nephew's membership and social club despite the fact I can't get to games and I will continue to do this (hopefully) until I die as I love the club. I will say one thing, I made a donation of $100 (not a lot I know) last month to the Bulldoze the Debt campaign and although I didn't do it for any recognition, I was surprised that I didn't at least receive some kind of acknowledgement from the Club to say thank you.

Dogs fans, I know we live in tough financial times but if you can get to games, please show your support. Listening to the game on the radio on Saturday sounded like we were playing at the GABBA - Embarrassing and surely doesn't do much for the players morale out on the field.

Cheers
Dan

[G-Mo77]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

I will say one thing, I made a donation of $100 (not a lot I know) last month to the Bulldoze the Debt campaign and although I didn't do it for any recognition, I was surprised that I didn't at least receive some kind of acknowledgement from the Club to say thank you.

That's really disappointing. I remember back in 1989, I was 12 and donated all the pocket money I saved which was $20, it took me a long time to save so it was pretty significant. It took a while, which was understandable at the time but I received a thank you letter. It felt so good to get a piece of paper showing their appreciation.

Instead of articles like this why not focus on the members and supporters who have attended during these bad times, something positive. Maybe it's just me but it feels like there is the club and the members are a separate entity which it is in theory but members would like to feel they're apart of something and appreciated not just treated like revenue.

[Mantis]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

Dogs fans, I know we live in tough financial times but if you can get to games, please show your support. Listening to the game on the radio on Saturday sounded like we were playing at the GABBA - Embarrassing and surely doesn't do much for the players morale out on the field.

There wasn't too much to cheer about on the weekend, especially in the 2nd half when it was 10 goals to 2... with one of those coming in the last minute.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

How does this drop in attendance compare in relation to the number of Sunday twilight games being scheduled? We are not dropping off we are getting pushed off.
The club doesn't seem to care, and it is flowing onto the supporters. You saw it again last week with what they did (or didn't do) to Minson and maybe the fans again responded to that???

[Sedat]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

The club doesn't seem to care, and it is flowing onto the supporters. You saw it again last week with what they did (or didn't do) to Minson and maybe the fans again responded to that???

I heard David Smorgon this morning on SEN and he sounded flat, almost resigned to our current situation. Clearly he cares deeply for our club, but perhaps the past 15 seasons at the helm has taken a toll.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

There wasn't too much to cheer about on the weekend, especially in the 2nd half when it was 10 goals to 2... with one of those coming in the last minute.

A lot of people walked out very early, my own father left a few minutes after half time.
Three other people i know of also walked out in the second quarter.


I think unfortunately the club is on a downward curve after the winning years recently, and i think many bulldog supporters invested so much into those years and the hope of finally winning a flag that it's all starting to pour out now in dissapointment.
Once we start to bottom out for a while and everyone accepts that those years have gone and it's time to forget and move on, then perhaps a new passion might begin to emerge.
Unfortunately i think we are all still suffering from the years of recent success (even though we didn't really win anything).

[Ozza]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

How does this drop in attendance compare in relation to the number of Sunday twilight games being scheduled? We are not dropping off we are getting pushed off.
The club doesn't seem to care, and it is flowing onto the supporters. You saw it again last week with what they did (or didn't do) to Minson and maybe the fans again responded to that???

I think this is a bit of a cop out.

Of our Melbourne games - We've had 2 Sunday twilight games. We've also had 2 Friday night games. 2 Sunday 'day' games (1pm or 2pm starts), one Saturday 'day game' and we've had a Saturday night game.

There has been poor Bulldogs supporter/barracker attendances at all of these.

The fixture is blamed because its convenient. Our supporter numbers have been terrible because people are just choosing not to go.

And yes, there's plenty that have their reasons - they live in the country, interstate, have young families, can't afford it - so before 15 people reply with their own exact circumstances - I don't care - I'm talking about the supporter numbers overall.

The fixture is not particularly better or worse than it was in the past - we've always played plenty of Sunday games (I barely missed a game for a few years when I played footy on Saturdays) - we just don't get good attendances because people are choosing not to go.

And the same people will be blaming the AFL, the club, and Collingwood - if we ever fold or relocate. There were 75,000 people at Fitzroy's last game in Melbourne. Where were they all when they were needed?

[Dancin' Douggy]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

The best way to get Crowds back and Morale up is with fresh exciting new young players.

Stars of the future.
We are going to bottom out whether we like it or not, it's not the supporter's fault.

The compensation FOR THAT is High draft picks.

We need to draft exciting talented players. Buddy Franklin, Nic Natanui types.
We are so well stocked now with dour one paced midfielders,
I really hope we don't throw our picks away on more of the same.
With our first two picks we need two superstars.

That will get supporters excited and get them back at the games,
Players that will even bring in 'neutrals' to watch them
PLEASE DON'T SCREW UP!!!

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

The crowds this year have been down for most teams, I wonder whether live TV has contributed to it.

Here is a list showing the averages with half the teams either down or about the same. Only Richmond has had a large increase. (Note 2011 based on 22 games and 2012 12 games)

	       2011	  2012	
 Collingwood	57,725	57,313	down
 Carlton	49,553	44,867	down
 Essendon	49,691	45,821	down
 Geelong	39,223	35,128	down
 Hawthorn	39,279	38,507	down
 West Coast	33,113	34,028	
 Richmond 	40,695	43,988	
 St Kilda 	35,537	31,540	down
 Melbourne	33,231	34,023	
 Sydney 	27,359	26,942	down
 Adelaide 	30,559	31,380	
 Fremantle 	30,108	30,392	
WBulldogs	28,705	23,103	down
 North Melb	28,074	21,922	down
 Brisbane	25,190	25,156	
 Port Adelaide	23,065	24,139	
Gold Coast	22,075	15,969	down
Average Total	34,893	33,189	

[Ozza]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

The crowds this year have been down for most teams, I wonder whether live TV has contributed to it.

Here is a list showing the averages with half the teams either down or about the same. Only Richmond has had a large increase. (Note 2011 based on 22 games and 2012 12 games)

	       2011	  2012	
 Collingwood	57,725	57,313	down
 Carlton	49,553	44,867	down
 Essendon	49,691	45,821	down
 Geelong	39,223	35,128	down
 Hawthorn	39,279	38,507	down
 West Coast	33,113	34,028	
 Richmond 	40,695	43,988	
 St Kilda 	35,537	31,540	down
 Melbourne	33,231	34,023	
 Sydney 	27,359	26,942	down
 Adelaide 	30,559	31,380	
 Fremantle 	30,108	30,392	
WBulldogs	28,705	23,103	down
 North Melb	28,074	21,922	down
 Brisbane	25,190	25,156	
 Port Adelaide	23,065	24,139	
Gold Coast	22,075	15,969	down
Average Total	34,893	33,189	

I would have thought that poor crowds for GWS and Gold Coast games would be impacting the averages also.

North Melbourne, for instance, have played Gold Coast twice, GWS once - and have also played Port Adelaide who pull bad crowds.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

With so many clubs having falling attendances perhaps in part it is a response to the AFL ripping the heart and soul out of the game.

That the main reason I've missed matches this year.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

I think this is a bit of a cop out.

Of our Melbourne games - We've had 2 Sunday twilight games. We've also had 2 Friday night games. 2 Sunday 'day' games (1pm or 2pm starts), one Saturday 'day game' and we've had a Saturday night game.

There has been poor Bulldogs supporter/barracker attendances at all of these.

The fixture is blamed because its convenient. Our supporter numbers have been terrible because people are just choosing not to go.

And yes, there's plenty that have their reasons - they live in the country, interstate, have young families, can't afford it - so before 15 people reply with their own exact circumstances - I don't care - I'm talking about the supporter numbers overall.

The fixture is not particularly better or worse than it was in the past - we've always played plenty of Sunday games (I barely missed a game for a few years when I played footy on Saturdays) - we just don't get good attendances because people are choosing not to go.

And the same people will be blaming the AFL, the club, and Collingwood - if we ever fold or relocate. There were 75,000 people at Fitzroy's last game in Melbourne. Where were they all when they were needed?

What is your explanation for it then?
For those that live in Melbourne I can tell you almost any interstate AFL fan will schedule in a game (Any Game) when spending a weekend there. Especially those from towns that don't have an AFL team. They don't care who they see, but it will almost certainly be who ever is playing at the MCG on a Fiday night, Saturday arvo or Saturday night. Couple that with form, a few years ago all the people I'd talk to in Tassie would all state that the Bulldogs were their favourite team to watch aside from thier own. With their free flowing running it was exciting to them. When these types of people go to Melbourne, they don't want to see a flat side run around on a Sunday afternoon.

Or could it be that the AFL bubble has burst?

[Dazza]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

I'll be pissed if the club didn't budget for a fallout.

Nothing is more certain than crowds dropping off when you are going through a rough patch.

They'll be back up when we are playing finals again.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Bulldogs crowds plunge 9000 in three years

I heard David Smorgon this morning on SEN and he sounded flat, almost resigned to our current situation. Clearly he cares deeply for our club, but perhaps the past 15 seasons at the helm has taken a toll.

I'm totally disillusioned with him.
He seems to be only spinning the BS these days.
Preseason it was refresh not rebuild, today it's we have played interstaters.
I don't buy the hard financial times argument either. We have 30K members who have paid up yet less than 20K of those are turning up.