A rare feat is set to bestow more massive crowds across the AFL in Round 9.
League CEO Andrew Dillon and head of scheduling Josh Bowler would already be thrilled with what they’ve seen in 2024, with this season already hosting the three highest attended rounds in the game’s history.
Rounds 1, 7 and 8 have all seen total attendances of over 400,000. The 400,000 mark had only been passed once prior to this year.
While the league is no doubt preparing for a dip in crowds as the colder weather sets in and the season reaches its hump, there are reasons to be optimistic for another week.
For only the sixth time in history, all top eight sides will clash against each other in making up a Round 9 that will shape season 2024.
That particular fixture anomaly has only happened once in the last decade.
Carlton’s Thursday night blockbuster against Melbourne headlines a massive four days of footy, with both sides boasting genuine premiership credentials.
Locals in Geelong likely won’t be deterred by their side’s first loss of last week and will turn out in force for a home game against Port Adelaide at the freshly renovated GMHBA Stadium, while Essendon fans arguably have the most belief they’ve had in their men for some time.
A meeting with GWS on Saturday will be a true test of where Brad Scott’s side sits. And Fremantle is expected to attract it’s biggest home crowd (outside of the derby) for some time when the Dockers host Sydney on Friday night.
With only two games scheduled at the MCG – the other being Richmond and the Western Bulldogs – 400,000 almost certainly is not within reach.
But Adelaide great Mark Bickley notes it’s a further cause for optimism over the state of the game.
“For all the discussion about the state of the game, the umpiring, the match review, the stand rule, the ruck nomination and in the middle of a cost of living crisis, people have never been more passionate about their club and supporting their teams by turning up to watch,” Bickley told SEN SA Breakfast
“I’m not saying the game is perfect, far from it. But what it is is it’s captivating. Much of this has to do with the evenness of the competition.”
Dillon and Bowler are both in their first seasons in their new portfolios, having been appointed late in 2023. Laura Kane has also made changes to how the game runs in her role as the league’s executive general manager of football.
This weekend will also again see the AFL reduce the number of games on Sunday, Mother’s Day, to just two fixtures, given the significance of the day and typical lower crowds in recent years.
For the third straight year, the league has taken the opportunity to install a double-header on Friday night to free up Mother’s Day.
403,452 fans came through the gates last week, following up on the bumper attendance of 408,433 in Round 7.
“Round eight was simply incredible on all levels. It started strong with the Showdown in Adelaide followed by traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood in front of 88,000 at the MCG on Friday night. That momentum followed us into the weekend, with the Swans hosting their highest home crowd of the year and the round finishing with the biggest ever QClash in Queensland,” Dillon said on Monday.