Where is cricket the national game??

[lionheart]

No doubt League followed by Rugby are the top sports in NSW, QLD and the ACT, but over all Aussie Rules is No.1. In fact large parts of NSW are Aussie Rules mad.

The Swans rate well in Sydney and the Lions are drawing bigger crowds then the Broncos.

Not that I have anything against any of the codes, most of us here in Canberra follow them all.

Just to add my few cents into the debate about Australia's favoured winter game, while Aussie Rules has done a better job of expanding than rugby league, Sydney TV ratings for the AFL are embarrassing in comparison to even the lowliest NRL fixture. I think rugby league has some sort of a case when you consider it still totally dominates the public psyche in the nation's biggest city.

The Canberra market for football codes is fickle; the public only supports whatever team is doing well. Example, the Raiders were on top of the ladder at the start of the season and were pulling big crowds, once they lost a couple of games the numbers dropped completely. I also read a few months ago in the Canberra Times that the numbers for the Kangaroos has plummeted steadily since the idea was first floated.
Really only Rugby Union is a sure-fire crowd puller in Canberra and really sparks any kind of passion.

I wouldn't say many parts of NSW are Aussie Rules mad, obviously there is a market for it but it's only a slightly more established than the Rugby League and Union is down in Melbourne and Adelaide, and for the most part that’s because in NSW and QLD the media doesn't black-out the AFL like they do to both Rugby codes down there.

The Swans only pull crowds when they are winning, and sure now they've won the grand final they'll draw more interest but League will dominate the NSW landscape. As is the case in QLD, sure the Lions are more popular than the Swans up there, and maybe a bit more popular than the Bronco's at the moment (although I find that very questionable) they are a non-issue outside of Brisbane, everywhere else in QLD is still strongly rooted in Rugby League and with the NRL putting creating the new expansion up there, it will be harder for AFL to gain much popularity outside of Brisbane. Much of the support for the AFL expansions also stems from the fact the AFL moved already established teams with a Melbourne-base, while the Rugby League expansions are completely new teams (though this has been succesfful, I can't help but think that what if the NRL made one of the now now defunct or merged clubs the Melbourne expansion instead of the creating the Storm, I mean surely the side would at least have more supporters in NSW).

The problem for ALF expanding in NSW and QLD is that they can't get the game going at a grass-roots level. There was a story at the a few months back that the AFL set-up a clinic with some of AFL's biggest names to promote the game in Sydney and no one turned up, I mean that goes to show you even if people are supporting the Swans, the kids aren't playing the game. This might have to do with a lot of things but I think a major factor is the draft; it works in Melbourne where AFL is the major sport but in NSW and QLD young kids with ball and kicking skills scouted by League and Union long before they can make the AFL draft. Plus it's not hard for League and Union players to switch codes, so that makes these sports more attractive. The ALF overall is too Melbourne-centric and I doesn't seem to want to do much about, while the NRL is much more willing to give take the emphasis off Sydney. Considering how screwed Rugby League was after the whole Super League fiasco and all those scandals, they've really made up a lot of ground.

 

[archie mac]

The Canberra market for football codes is fickle; the public only supports whatever team is doing well. Example, the Raiders were on top of the ladder at the start of the season and were pulling big crowds, once they lost a couple of games the numbers dropped completely. I also read a few months ago in the Canberra Times that the numbers for the Kangaroos has plummeted steadily since the idea was first floated.
Really only Rugby Union is a sure-fire crowd puller in Canberra and really sparks any kind of passion.

I wouldn't say many parts of NSW are Aussie Rules mad, obviously there is a market for it but it's only a slightly more established than the Rugby League and Union is down in Melbourne and Adelaide, and for the most part that’s because in NSW and QLD the media doesn't black-out the AFL like they do to both Rugby codes down there. The support for the AFL expansions also stems from the fact the AFL moved already established teams with a Melbourne-base (which is the better course of action), while the Rugby League expansions are completely new teams.

The Swans only pull crowds when they are winning, and sure now they've won the grand final they'll draw more interest but League will dominate the NSW landscape. As is the case in QLD, sure the Lions are more popular than the Swans up there, and maybe a bit more popular than the Bronco's at the moment (although I find that very questionable) they are a non-issue outside of Brisbane, everywhere else in QLD is still strongly rooted in Rugby League and with the NRL putting creating the new expansion up there, it will be harder for AFL to gain much popularity outside of Brisbane.

The problem for ALF expanding in NSW and QLD is that they can't get the game going at a grass-roots level. There was a story at the a few months back that the AFL set-up a clinic with some of AFL's biggest names to promote the game in Sydney and no one turned up, I mean that goes to show you even if people are supporting the Swans, the kids aren't playing the game. This might have to do with a lot of things but I think a major factor is the draft; it works in Melbourne where AFL is the major sport but in NSW and QLD young kids with ball and kicking skills scouted by League and Union long before they can make the AFL draft. Plus it's not hard for League and Union players to switch codes, so that makes these sports more attractive. The ALF overall is too Melbourne-centric and I doesn't seem to want to do much about, while the NRL is much more willing to give take the emphasis off Sydney. Considering how screwed Rugby League was after the whole Super League fiasco and all those scandals, they've really made up a lot of ground.

I was thinking Aubrey where they seem to no nothing about Rugby (both codes) League has tried to enter the Adelaide and Perth markets and failed in both, I know the super league did not help matters. I have no doubt that Aussie Rules is the No1 winter sport in Australia. The Kangaroos (in Canberra) had very good crowds this year, with both the Swans and Demons games being sell outs. The AFL now has two teams in Perth two teams in Sth Aust. One in Sydney and one in Brisbane plus games in Canberra, Tasi and Darwin, so what is Melbourne-centric about that?

 

[lionheart]

I was thinking Aubrey where they seem to no nothing about Rugby (both codes) League has tried to enter the Adelaide and Perth markets and failed in both, I know the super league did not help matters. I have no doubt that Aussie Rules is the No1 winter sport in Australia. The Kangaroos (in Canberra) had very good crowds this year, with both the Swans and Demons games being sell outs. The AFL now has two teams in Perth two teams in Sth Aust. One in Sydney and one in Brisbane plus games in Canberra, Tasi and Darwin, so what is Melbourne-centric about that?

Yeah, I guess Aubrey is one of the few, but overall rural NSW is into League more than any other code. And you’re probably right about AFL being more popular Australia wide. I mean if you assume that the entire population in Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide are Aussie Rules followers and you add up the populations you get a figure like 5.68 million, and if you do likewise for everyone in Brisbane and Sydney as League followers you get roughly 5.6 million...now that’s completely inaccurate and to a point foolish but its illustrates the fact that Sydney and Brisbane are two of the more populous cities in Australia and as long as Rugby League remains relatively popular in both of these cities, it will have a comparable following to that with Aussie Rules has.

The Kangaroos had good crowds in comparison to what? I'm just going off what I read about the numbers falling. Plus, compared to Bruce Stadium, Manuka Oval has such a small crowd capacity, I'd say the Raiders would have pulled more numbers for the best part of the season (obviously Brumbies have better numbers than both).

The Adelaide and Perth expansions were foolishly done; the Super-League had no idea what they were doing. The NRL has the right idea at the moment though, protecting a market which is already theirs from other codes, while promoting with the occasional game in less stable markets. The central coast expansion should be the next on the agenda for the NRL, along with a second New Zealand team. On a side note, I'm interested to see how Rugby Union's expansion out west goes; I think it will go a hell of a lot better than League went

When I say Melbourne-centric, I'm not saying the AFL refuses to expand, I mean they aren't really willing to take the more administrative and off the field side of the sport away from Melbourne, which leaves a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of people involved in the sport outside Victoria.

 

[Shounak]

INDIA - someone tried to tell me weightlifting but surely cricket??

I'm pretty sure India's is also hockey..

 

[Pratters]

I think cricket is the national game of Nepal. Some one must clarify this.

Regarding the Indian situation.

Hockey is the official national game of the country. But the question is why base a national game on the achievments. The national game should be the game which is popular and in the nation's consciousness and soul. Cricket fits that defination perfectly. Almost all children be it the richest of the rich or the poorest of the poor play some form of cricket - be it tennis ball cricket or rubber ball cricket when they are small. The number of people who join cricket clubs is far more than the number joining clubs for any other sport.

I for one have never held a proper hockey stick and I can safely say the same about most youngsters in India. There are other sports which are very popular in specific areas. Like in Goa and Bengal football is very popular. Chess has its support in cities in south India. Hockey is still a sport with fair level of interest in Punjab. Golf (an elitist game no doubt) is developing in urban places in India. Tennis - with Leander and Bhupathi in the 90s and now Sania Mirza is the game which is growing the most. It is quite possible it will be the sport whose growth will plummett in the future. I dont think it can match cricket's popularity though as its much more difficult for a child on the street to play tennis (nearly impossible). Cricket is a simpler game to adopt. Just need a bat and ball to start playing.

 

[archie mac]

The Kangaroos had good crowds in comparison to what? I'm just going off what I read about the numbers falling. Plus, compared to Bruce Stadium, Manuka Oval has such a small crowd capacity, I'd say the Raiders would have pulled more numbers for the best part of the season (obviously Brumbies have better numbers than both)..

Out of the three season games (proper) two were sell outs and the other had a fair crowd. I think in 2004 they struggled.

On a side note, I'm interested to see how Rugby Union's expansion out west goes; I think it will go a hell of a lot better than League went

Perth is the NO.1 Destination for British immigrants, so i think like soccer it will do well, to start with. Long term, will be the question.

When I say Melbourne-centric, I'm not saying the AFL refuses to expand, I mean they aren't really willing to take the more administrative and off the field side of the sport away from Melbourne, which leaves a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of people involved in the sport outside Victoria.

I suppose RL is still mainly run out of Sydney, but QLD has a fair say?

 

[honestbharani]

I agree with Pratyush. But FWIW, I think "officially" cricket is the national game of England and Australia. Hockey for India and Pakistan. Not sure about the others.

 

[Prince EWS]

Bermuda.