Greater Western Sydney Giants

[Simmo79]

We've got no reliable data to extrapolate from yet, but I'll stick my neck out and say it'll be a similar crowd to the Swans highest crowd from last season. That was 38k at Homebush according to Stats RL.

[Simmo79]

^ Yes, but it's half of what the Swans had after ten years in Sydney and GWS haven't kicked a ball in anger.

Speaking of memberships, in my fantasy world, there would be a measurement in all codes about the substance of each, the same way job numbers are sometimes referred to as "full time equivalent". I.e. One 12 game membership = 2 x 6 game memberships = 1 unit of full season equivalent.

That's easy. It's $$$.

It's the only way to measure both the breadth of support (how many members you have) as well as the depth of their support (how much money each individual member is willing to give their club).

Membership tallies have lost all meaning over the last decade. The closest true measure of a club's popularity is how much money its fans give it.

[Egan]

^ Yes, but it's half of what the Swans had after ten years in Sydney and GWS haven't kicked a ball in anger.

Speaking of memberships, in my fantasy world, there would be a measurement in all codes about the substance of each, the same way job numbers are sometimes referred to as "full time equivalent". I.e. One 12 game membership = 2 x 6 game memberships = 1 unit of full season equivalent.

The AFL is a much more expensive league to run then it was when they tried to get the Swans established.

They also have more effective marketing techniques, bigger advertising budgets.

I'm not all that impressed with it.

[Egan]

http://theconversation.edu.au/bridging- ... ydney-5176

This was a good article. She is looking at it in the context of how Australian Rules makes an impact in a region that has such a strong support for Rugby League...

[yob]

The context is rugby league, and the impact is a whopping 2000 gws members.

[Simmo79]

TBF I think there's another 1,000 from other parts of Sydney in their base.

[nobleoz]

Giants 1st victory...& before 7,000 people

[Nines]

An all round good result.

[Simmo79]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6295922800

KEVIN Sheedy's sales pitch looks to have worked with early projections indicating Giants fans will outnumber Swans fans at the season opener at ANZ Stadium later this month.
Of the 21,000 tickets sold, 58 per cent have indicated they'll be supporting the AFL's newest team, while 42 per cent will be Swans fans making the trek west.

The fixture is a Giants home game but the numbers are remarkable considering the Swans are celebrating 30 years in Sydney this year and the Giants are yet to play their first genuine fixture.

Swans coach John Longmire has already gone on the record declaring just who is Sydney's team.

But the early numbers appear proof that there's definitely room for two teams.

"We do not plan on giving an inch to our new rivals, on or off the field," Longmire said. "While the opening round of the season at ANZ Stadium on March 24 will mark the official start of our rivalry, in many ways it has already begun."

But the traffic looks a little one-way so far.

Andrew Demetriou's visit to Sydney last week caused a spike in new Giants members, with 900 new fans joining the club, taking the total past the 7000 mark.

And throw in the club's first win at the weekend - a NAB Cup success against the Gold Coast Suns - and the first round crowd continues to grow.

"It's building really well and it should - it's history, the Swans are keen to defend their territory and are keen to show they're not giving it up easily," said Giants chief executive David Matthews.

The current pre-match sales of 21,000 indicate a crowd of between 40,000 and 45,000 for the stand alone fixture between the sides.

The magic number is 44,902 - the record for the largest first home game attendance in the AFL for a debut club.

That was set by the Crows when Adelaide played Hawthorn at Football Park in 1991. Weather on the night is sure to be the telling factor.

On Saturday night the Bulldogs versus St George-Illawarra clash drew just under 30,000 fans with 8000 walk-ups. The AFL's assault on NSW continues next week with Thursday's season launch at Sydney Town Hall.

[yob]

58 per cent.

[Simmo79]

We've got no reliable data to extrapolate from yet, but I'll stick my neck out and say it'll be a similar crowd to the Swans highest crowd from last season. That was 38k at Homebush according to Stats RL.

Oh! Picked like a dirty nose!

[nobleoz]

Spot on, Simmo

And just to clarify:
GWS: 38,233

NRL western Sydney games:
Fri 13,788. Sun 21,701

Not to forget Waratahs: 18,830 & A-league: 14,494

[Spirit of Santos]

Spot on, Simmo

And just to clarify:
GWS: 38,233

NRL western Sydney games:
Fri 13,788. Sun 21,701

Not to forget Waratahs: 18,830 & A-league: 14,494

How many free tickets?

Email my friend, who works at ANZ Stadium received.

Join us for the first-ever
AFL Sydney derby

Hi everyone,

As you would be aware, ANZ Stadium is set to host the first-ever AFL Sydney derby on Saturday 24 March, when new club the Greater Western Sydney Giants make their debut against the Sydney Swans.

The clash is shaping as one of the most-anticipated AFL season openers in recent history.

To mark this significant occasion and to thank you for your ongoing support, the Stadium would like to offer you the opportunity to receive four (4) complimentary tickets to this historic event.

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please reply to this email by writing your full name only in the subject line by 12.00pm on Friday 23 March, 2012.

Please note that you will not receive an email response to this.

Tickets will be available for collection from the Accreditation Booth at Ticket Box H on Saturday 24 March 2012 between 3.00pm and 7.45pm.

Please note the tickets will be left in your name. You do not have to pick up the tickets yourself.

However, there are some MANDATORY conditions in accepting this offer which include:-

* If you have been rostered to work then you MUST fulfil this commitment. The tickets can be used by your family or friends. Unfortunately, this offer will not be extended to staff who cancel their shift for Saturday 24 March 2012.

* Tickets cannot be sold, auctioned or bundled with other commercial offers.

* Details of this offer must not be communicated to third parties via social networking or the public domain.

* Most importantly, the tickets MUST be used.

Kind regards,

Your Event Staffing Team

Was sent to all ANZ stadium staff - workers in food and bar outlets, those guys in orange jackets who check your tickets. That's a lot of people. I presume there were other ways in which complementary tickets were put into circulation.

Not a criticism, the AFL are great administrators of their competition and they were going to ensure a good crowd (which it was) by any means necessary and it made for a fine spectacle. But you can't exactly brag about a crowd and compare it unfavorably to others if you're literally giving tickets away.

[IanRitchie]

afl wins! rugby league is gawwwn

[yob]

afl wins! rugby league is gawwwn

It's a two pronged strategy. "58%" of Swans fans and Canberra. Something about chasing two rabbits, works every time.