Well, based on that measure, the FFA should be throwing in clubs every year to boost metrics...

If they can afford to that is exactly what they should do to the point where there are enough clubs in the league and then if they can afford to they should sink money into a second division.

The cost of a 21 game 8 team season that came off the back of a semi professional league is smaller than the cost of the a 27 game 10 team season with higher wages and operating expenses

The investment the FFA have made into the A League since season one would be more than 10 fold, yet the interest is the same

The interest isn't the same.  The fact that there are 60% more games averaging the same means attendance has been sustained over a longer season while also bringing in 20%+ more patrons to game attendance.  The increased revenue has also allowed the establishment of a W-League and an NYL of sorts.

The total attendance for season 5 (same length but closest to season 1) excluding expansion teams was 1,159,586 with an average of 10736 (across 108 games)
The total attendance for last season excluding expansion teams was 1,147,409 with an average of 10624 across the same number of games

Bare in mind some home games for teams in season 5 were against NQF and GCU instead of MC and WSW. Also that this season is lower than last season

The sustained attendances for season 1 for a longer period was something achieved in season 5 at first attempt

So you are changing the point of discussion which was a comparison between Season 1 and this season.

This season will have roughly the same average attendance as Season 1 with 500k more total attendance because the season is 51 games longer and involves 2 more sides.  That's an improvement/growth whatever you want to call it.

After 13 seasons imagine comparing to season 1.

How lame.

If somebody is in grade 2 and can read at a 3rd grade level, then they are in grade 6 and can only read at a 4th grade level - that is improvement and growth by your rationale

while none of us are happy with the crowd numbers, this is an important point to make. the longer the season goes, the smaller the average crowds get as its harder for people to get to every game. People become less commited because they have the attitude of "its OK to miss one home game when you have 12 or 13 more."

Just to compare, Victory had 10 home games in season 1 and we have 14 home games in season 14. Plus 3 home ACL games. And we'll probably get a home final as well. 18 games is a big commitment. I can't get to Geelong this week as i have a birthday party... and I haven't missed a home game in 3 years. 

the last time we had 11 teams, we had 30 games and it ended up being the lowest average crowd figure in 14 seasons of the HAL. and just look at the recent BBL season... they just extended their season by 2 games each and had a huge drop in average crowd numbers. therefore, season 14 having the same crowd numbers as season 1 doesn't look at bad as people make out. 

Look at it this way:

Season 4 had the same numbers as season 2. After season 4 we had the same sized season as the current season (season 5) so it stands to reason if season 2 had expansion, we would have had the same average as season 5

Season 5 is the same as last year (as my stats on the previous page demonstrate) and last season is better than this season

If season 2 is a step ahead of season 1, then we are less than a step ahead of season 1. And dont forget also that season 3 was two steps ahead of season 1

A straight line between season 1 and this season shows little in determining where we are. For those who want to prove that things have moved forward they are technically correct. But it is undeniable that things have gone backwards. Not just attendances but also the TV deal which was tipped to be $60m a year in season 5 (which we declined because it was too small)

Also season 1 was effectively the NSL with a coat of paint, at a time when week to week football was unproven. Its not a great benchmark

Both Aggregate and Average attendance are valid measures. It’s best not to pick one only as they both tell a part of the story.

Syd v Adl 11,217.

Wow! Who would have thought it will come to this! Back to square one!

I thought it will happen and even think its gonna get a hell of a lot worse! Why? Because it is a boring closed league with a lot of boring meaningless games.

Geelong Victory 0 - 2 Newcastle Jets - 8,039

With a lot of boring meaningless clubs.

After tonights game total attendance passed total attendance last season after 102 games.  Its not going to stay there because there was some big crowds in round 22 last season.

"Clubs"?

What clubs? You mean franchises.

Does anyone actually feel they are a part of a club? lol

I wonder if the Patriots can get a similar attendance next season

Why would any Geelong people show up for a team that is planning to leave?

We'll probably never know how well a standalone Geelong team could have done down there.

My guess is they'll get 4k fans, and that's if they have a good year.

Matildas v Sth Korea - 10,520.

What was the Al3ague crowd figure

7,746

Pahahahhahaha bullshit

Im almost buying it , the maccas freebies behind goal area was pretty packed. Not that CFG care but i doubt this had more than 1500 paying spectators.

It's still more than South Melbourne had this weekend.

Love comparatives.

South had a crowd of 700 at a venue that fits about a thousand. Paying spectators almost on par with City, I’d take that.

If South come into the a-league, they would get less than City. That is the reality you need to accept.
Sure they would have the most entitled fans in the league but they would still be somewhere around the numbers of CCM.

Interesting take considering souths crowds were on par with City in a semi pro era when Melbourne had 1.5 million less people. 

In fact the last time South played Perth 12k turned up..no freebies either