[Pznrrmaf]

Apart from the Good Friday success with a crowd of around 5 - 5500 it seems WAFL crowds are well down and i think the excuse in the early weeks of the hot weather are well gone. So the question is why? Crowds have been on the up for the last few years the numbers seem to be well down on last year.

I've noticed a significant decrease in crowd numbers at Brownes Stadium and the Anzac day crowds were well down on a few years ago. I'm not sure of the official numbers but that's the impression I am getting. One thing i have noticed is the gate entry fee. I was paying $9 for concession entry to away games last year, this year it's $12 and $15 for full fare. Also wasn't it kids under 16 free entry? I notice it's now free for under 15 only.

It would be silly for the WAFL to try and drag an extra few dollars out of WAFL crowds who are modest in numbers at best and perhaps it's the families who can't afford to go to an AFL game or be an AFL member who get their football fix at the WAFL?

And when you factor in the number of families doing it tough these days it isn't a smart move to increase the entry fee to the WAFL. We want to see the trend of crowd increases continue and not go the other way. Putting up the price is not going to help.

I say drop the price back to $12 full fare and $9 concession and make it free for kids 15 and under.

[zawhmqswly]

The price is hurting for sure. Seems a bit too much.

The other thing that is really hurt us is the AFL fixturing this year. It's absolutely killing us. Every bloody week there are Eagles or Dockers or both up against us on Saturday and we refuse to play on Sunday. Hopefully we have some fixtures without AFL conflict soon.

Having said that, its not too far down compared to the first 28 matches last year...about 3,000...not great but time to get that sorted.

[dubGucKcolo]

I suppose when you put it that way it's not too bad but still any trend going the wrong way is bad in my opinion and it should be a wake up call.

Just did check on the official crowd numbers at the first 3 games at Lathlain Park between this year and last year.

2010 - 7992 @ 2664 average

2011 - 4823 @ 1607 average

That is a massive drop of just over 1000 per game or 40%. The outer is a disgrace at Lathlain this year. I have never seen it worse. I know we've had a very long hot spell but surely they can throw some water on it a couple of weeks before the season starts and now we are 6 games in and it is still a disgrace. I'd like to know who's decision it is to let the outer go like that?

[Erwtbimp]

Increasing the price of entry again this year was stupid. You can't just keep raising the price and expect to get the same number of people coming to the games. The die hards will keep coming but the people who go to WAFL games just for a casual family day out will start turning away. The appeal for families to come to WAFL games has always been the very low prices of entry, but the prices keep going up.

[Anckzxik]

Regarding Sunday games, players don't like them but I think they need to compromise. The competition is losing out big time by not playing Sunday games.

Maybe just have one Sunday game a fortnight, dividing them up evenly amongst the clubs. That way no club should play more than three games on a Sunday for the season, and that is out of 20 games. Surely that would be OK.

[Endatrybeeddy]

Yeah agree with all that Robbo and it's only going to get more difficult to find gaps in the AFL fixtures next year. We've got to get the players to play some Sunday games. Like you say just 3 per year per club.

[klnbgqr]

Yep, bit alarming now

For the same number of matches played by each club in 2010 and 2011

East Perth +255 (per game)
South Fremantle +36
Subiaco -36
Peel -63
Claremont -68
East Fremantle -229
Swan Districts -240
Perth -251
West Perth -404

[Byxtysaaqwuz]

At least this week we have a Dockers/Eagles free Saturday. That will make a big difference. Swan Districts v Subiaco at Bassendean and Perth v West Perth at Lathlain should be big crowds.

[MinisuipGaicai]

;-; I know the pain, i wished for my little bro to see a game while he was over here but the price hike didnt justify it >.<

[TessUnsonia]

Hopefully someone from the WAFL is reading this and makes the necessary changes. It's clear that people aren't happy and that just isn't good for business.