Premiership win boosts Sydney Swans to top of the ladder of support
| Article No. 473 -
April 02, 2006 |
Following their 2005 AFL Premiership, the Sydney Swans have overtaken the Brisbane Lions to become the AFL’s most popular team, with an estimated 1,514,000 supporters in 2005. The Swans experienced the largest increase in support in 2005 up 179,000 since 2004, according to the Roy Morgan Sports Monitor.
The Brisbane Lions’ supporter base decreased by 114,000 fans, making them the second most popular AFL team. They finished 2005 with an estimated 1,378,000 supporters. Although well behind the top two teams, the West Coast Eagles benefited from a 2005 Grand Final berth with an increase of 111,000 supporters to 821,000.
In fourth place, Essendon were the top placed Victorian team with 798,000 (down 11,000 since 2004).
For a fifth year running, Collingwood was placed behind Essendon as the second most popular Victorian AFL team, with 703,000 supporters in 2005 (down 73,000 since 2004). Marginally behind Collingwood were the Adelaide Crows with an estimated supporter base of 655,000. The Crows experienced a small rise in support since 2004 (up 6,000).
After winning the wooden spoon in 2005, Carlton still finished as the third most popular Victorian team, although they experienced a fall in supporter numbers, down 64,000 to 467,000 since 2004. This continued their slow decline in supporter numbers since December 2001, down 23%.
Semi Finalists in 2005, Port Adelaide have increased their support levels by 30,000 supporters since 2004. Now with 355,000 supporters, Port’s fan base has been growing steadily over the past five years, increasing 30% from 274,000 supporters in 2001.
The Western Bulldogs — placed last on the popularity ladder in 2004 with 201,000 supporters — are now 15th in the popularity stakes, with 238,000 supporters in 2005 (up 37,000). They have experienced the highest percentage increase in support since 2001 of all the Victorian teams, up 20% over the five year period.
Despite qualifying for the Elimination Finals in 2005, the Kangaroos support base decreased by 8,000 fans to 206,000. This is down a substantial 23% from 268,000 in 2001 placing them in the unenviable position of the AFL club with the least support in 2005.
Overall, the number of AFL followers has grown by 13% between 2001 and 2005. Now, an estimated 8,799,000 Australians over the age of 14 support an AFL team (up 204,000 from 8,595,000 in 2004).
These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan Research Single Source, which interviewed 23,529 people aged 14 years and over from January to December 2005.
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When compared to all AFL supporters:
Adelaide Crows supporters are:
- Made up of 84% South Australians
- 22% more likely to be aged 50 or over
- 13% more likely to agree ‘a low fat diet is a way of life for me’
- 12% more likely to use coupons they find in magazines or on packets
- 13% more likely to be constantly watching their weight
- 16% more likely to like to drink wine with their meals
- 33% more likely to have been to a pub or hotel for a meal in the last three months
Brisbane Lions supporters are:
Carlton Blues supporters are:
- 28% more likely to live in a young parent household
- 9% more likely to like to be able to lose weight
- 12% more likely to buy a store’s own products than well known brands
- 13% more likely to not have time to spend cooking
- 14% more likely to be worried about interest rates at the moment
- 45% more likely to need a mobile phone to help them win new business
- 20% more likely to have ordered home delivered food (other than pizza) in the last three months
- 40% more likely to have been to a casino in the last three months
- 60% more likely to have collected stamps in the last three months
- 27% more likely to hve been to a beauty salon or spa in the last three months
Collingwood Magpies supporters are:
- 22% more likely to have one child under 16 in their household
- 11% more likely to believe they are an extrovert more than an introvert
- 17% more likely to not like to know too much about what’s going on in the world these days
- 16% more likely to agree their pet is a fussy eater
- 12% more likely to agree they can’t live without a mobile phone
- 17% more likely to have bought something from a TV offer in the last three months
Essendon Bombers supporters are:
- 51% more likely to be aged 14-24
- 33% more likely to work in sales
- 16% more likely to believe in taking risks
- 20% more likely to often enter competitions which are on packets or labels on products
- 26% more likely to choose a car mainly on it’s looks
- 21% more likely to often buy take away food to eat at home
- 36% more likely to believe it only feels like a holiday if they leave Australia
- 46% more likely to really enjoy going online to chat
- 24% more likely to have been to a nightclub or disco in the last three months
Fremantle Dockers supporters are:
- Made up of 92% Western Australians
- 16% more likely to live in capital cities
- 23% more likely to always think of the number of calories in the food they are eating
- 14% more likely to be eating less red meat these days
- 14% more likely to agree they are an environmental at heart
- 44% more likely to often enter competitions run by newspapers, magazines or radio
- 41% more likely to agree the food they eat is all, or almost all, vegetarian
- 15% more likely to agree they would rather clean than cook any day
- 13% more likely to drink alcohol mostly at home
- 21% more likely to have held a dinner party in the last three months
- 48% more likely have participated in dressmaking in the last three months
Geelong Cats supporters are:
- 62% more likely to live in country areas
- 11% more likely to be paying off their home
- 11% more likely to agree there are not enough hours in the day
- 26% more likely to regularly go to church or a place of worship
- 15% more likely to have been to a café for a snack or meal in the last three months
- 12% more likely to have traveled by air in the last three months
- 16% more likely to have been to a rock of pop music concert in the last three months
Hawthorn Hawks supporters are:
- Made up of 63% men
- 35% more likely to be aged 25-34
- 22% more likely to be employed full time
- 14% more likely to agree computers and technology give them more control over their lives
- 48% more likely to consider themselves a homosexual
- 13% more likely to find TV advertising interesting
- 25% more likely to feel comfortable giving their credit card details over the internet
- 18% more likely to agree beer is a good way to start the night
- 28% more likely to have been to a professional sports event in the last three months
- 18% more likely to have bought something over the internet in the last three months
Kangaroos supporters are:
- 20% more likely to love to do as many sports as possible
- 14% more likely to agree they would have difficulty coping with a demanding job or career
- 24% more likely to agree they seldom have time for breakfast
- 19% more likely to avoid staying at accommodation that does not hve genuine environmental policies
- 15% more likely to love to cook
- 18% more likely to need a mobile phone for personal security
- 26% more likely to agree Australian beer is the only beer worth drinking
- 37% more likely to have played a game of pool, snooker or billiards in the last three months
Melbourne Demons supporters are:
- 38% more likely to be in the AB Quintile
- 46% more likely to have a diploma or degree
- 55% more likely to be a professional
- 17% more likely to be single
- 29% more likely to agree freedom is more important than the law
- 17% more likely not to trust the current Australian Government
- 22% more likely to need a mobile phone when they travel overseas
- 31% more likely to drink more premium beer now than they used to
- 32% more likely to have been to a BYO restaurant in the last three months
- 17% more likely to have done some formal exercise in the last three months
Port Adelaide Power supporters are:
- Made up of 77% South Australians
- 13% more likely to be unemployed
- 20% more likely to be renting their home
- 13% more likely to think they are a bit of an intellectual
- 39% more likely to sometimes use force to get things done
- 27% more likely to agree you can tell a person by the type of car they drive
- 13% more likely to agree they cant relax until they know the house is clean and tidy
- 15% more likely to be worried about the health risks of mobile phones
- 47% more likely to have bought goods on lay-by in the last three months
Richmond Tigers supporters are:
- 39% more likely to be aged 35-49
- 16% more likely to be employed part Time
- 36% more likely to be a clerk or typist
- 8% more likely to like to be with a crowd of people
- 10% more likely to think environmentally friendly products are overpriced
- 17% more likely to want to shut themselves off from the rest of the world when they are at home
- 12% more likely to want to buy a home computer
- 18% more likely to go out of their way to find a bargain
- 21% more likely to think imported beer is a waste of money
- 11% more likely to have been to a fast food place for takeaway in the last three months
- 15% more likely to have played a board game in the last three months
St Kilda Saints supporters are:
- 10% more likely to have a university qualification or to be at university
- 16% more likely to wear clothes that will get them noticed
- 14% more likely to not buy genetically modified food if they can help it
- 25% more likely to prefer the bright lights and big cities when they travel
- 22% more likely to agree that if they didn’t have to carry a mobile phone for work they wouldn’t have one at all
- 11% more likely to look for new experiences every day
- 22% more likely to always read the business section of the newspaper
- 6% more likely to enjoy food from all over the world
Sydney Swans supporters are:
- Made up of 87% New South Welshmen
- 20% more likely to be a manager
- 16% more likely to own their home
- 13% more likely to believe a percentage of everyone’s income should go to charities
- 16% more likely to often notice the advertisements on the tops and backs of taxis
- 15% more likely to often buy frozen or chilled ready prepared meals
- 11% more likely to enjoy holidays where everything is organised for you
- 18% more likely to have been to the live theatre in the last three months
- 16% more likely to have played a sport in the last three months
- 36% more likely to have used a TAB to place a bet in the last three months
West Coast Eagles supporters are:
- Made up of 83% Western Australians
- 26% more likely to have an income of $10,000 - $19,999
- 8% more likely to think the Government is doing a good job running the country
- 12% more likely to buy a product because of the label
- 12% more likely to prefer pre- mixed spirits to spirits in a glass
- 16% more likely to have rented a video in the last three months
- 7% more likely to have participated in a hobby in the last three months
Western Bulldogs supporters are:
- 14% more likely to live in capital cities
- 13% more likely to be women
- 20% more likely to believe it’s important to look fashionable
- 17% more likely to believe it is important to have a full social life
- 17% more likely to believe there is too much change going on these days
- 31% more likely to believe there were born to shop
- 25% more likely to try to buy organic food whenever they can
- 19% more likely to believe credit enables them to buy the things that they want
- 24% more likely to have traveled by bus in the last three months
|
Which AFL Team Do you Support? |
Year Ending |
Change
2001 - 2005 |
|
Dec ‘01 |
Dec ‘02 |
Dec ‘03 |
Dec ‘04 |
Dec ‘05 |
| |
000s |
000s |
000s |
000s |
000s |
% |
|
Total AFL Supporters |
7,801 |
8,046 |
8,568 |
8,595 |
8,799 |
12.8 |
|
Adelaide Crows |
638 |
647 |
699 |
649 |
655 |
2.7 |
|
Brisbane Lions |
798 |
1160 |
1331 |
1492 |
1378 |
72.7 |
|
Carlton Blues |
603 |
582 |
596 |
531 |
467 |
-22.6 |
|
Collingwood Magpies |
688 |
693 |
749 |
776 |
703 |
2.2 |
|
Essendon Bombers |
862 |
829 |
796 |
809 |
798 |
-7.4 |
|
Fremantle Dockers |
237 |
341 |
367 |
403 |
381 |
60.8 |
|
Geelong Cats |
357 |
369 |
345 |
356 |
399 |
11.8 |
|
Hawthorn Hawks |
362 |
367 |
390 |
342 |
337 |
-6.9 |
|
Kangaroos |
268 |
226 |
249 |
214 |
206 |
-23.1 |
|
Melbourne Demons |
226 |
194 |
205 |
226 |
243 |
7.5 |
|
Port Adelaide Power |
274 |
297 |
315 |
325 |
355 |
29.6 |
|
Richmond Tigers |
398 |
381 |
401 |
367 |
387 |
-2.8 |
|
St Kilda Saints |
321 |
300 |
282 |
334 |
380 |
18.4 |
|
Sydney Swans |
1305 |
1201 |
1341 |
1335 |
1514 |
16 |
|
West Coast Eagles |
692 |
657 |
746 |
710 |
821 |
18.6 |
|
Western Bulldogs |
198 |
212 |
254 |
201 |
238 |
20.2 |
The Morgan Poll is conducted by the ONLY Australian member of the Gallup International Association.
No Other public opinion poll taken in Australia has this qualification.
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