Brisbane Lions membership: Fans urged to act now or risk missing out on 2024 blockbusters

Brisbane fans are being urged to act now or risk missing out on looming Gabba blockbusters as the club sets its sights on upstaging two Victorian rivals in the 2024 membership race.

Callum Ah Chee signs autographs and takes selfies for Brisbane fans.

Brisbane Lions fans are being urged to act now or risk missing out on a litany of looming Gabba blockbusters as the club sets its sights on upstaging two Victorian rivals in the 2024 membership race.

Fresh from a seven-sellout season that went all the way down to the wire in an agonising grand final defeat to Collingwood the Lions are suddenly one of the hottest tickets in the AFL and supply could soon fail to keep up with demand.

Off the back of an unbeaten home campaign in 2023 Brisbane broke new ground with a record membership of just under 55,000 — a jump of 26 per cent year-on-year — and the club anticipates that number will rise once again in 2024.

The Lions did not lose at the Gabba in 2023 and sold the venue out seven times. Photo by Michael Klein.

The Pride of Brisbane Town has plans to surpass the membership records of Victorian rivals St Kilda (60,239) and the Western Bulldogs (56,302) next year.

If the Lions do eclipse the 60,000 mark for the first time in history the demand for tickets to home games would reach a level rivalling the club’s legendary three-peat years of the early 2000s.

The 36,000 capacity Gabba was already close to bursting last season as the Lions celebrated seven sellouts and if their pristine home form continues into 2024 that number should only grow.

“The past 12 months have seen both our women’s and men’s teams make the grand final,” Brisbane chief executive Greg Swann said.

“The men were undefeated at the Gabba in 2023 … and the girls are in the mix challenging for another top four finish in the AFLW.

“Membership remains the financial backbone of our football club and to finish the season with 54,676 Brisbane Lions members – one of the biggest memberships of any Queensland sporting club – was a terrific result and we thank all our members for coming on the journey with us.

“However, after coming so close in both competitions we feel there is some unfinished business ahead of us.

“There were some magical moments at the Gabba this year and we want to share this with as many people as possible.

“The best way to guarantee a seat at every Gabba home game is through a Lions membership.”

A ticket to the Gabba could become a hot commodity next season as the Lions continue to grow in popularity. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

It’s a case of strike while the iron is hot for the Lions, who are enjoying unparalleled popularity in Brisbane off the back of five consecutive finals campaigns.

They will again be one of the major flag fancies entering next season.

But with the looming move away from the Gabba at the end of 2025 ahead of the ground’s multi-year redevelopment for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, there is a finite amount of time for fans to watch the Lions in action at their footy fortress.

A decision is yet to be made on where Brisbane will play its home games in 2026 and beyond.

The club would prefer to play out of a redeveloped RNA Showgrounds however it is understood the State Government’s preference is for the Lions to use their Brighton Homes Arena base in Springfield.

Neither Springfield nor the Showgrounds would be able to match the Gabba’s match day capacity of 36,000, with early estimates for both venues hovering around the low 20,000 mark.

Even before the move away from the Gabba, the squeeze could be well and truly on for fans wanting to watch the Lions in action next season.

The AFL is set to reward Brisbane’s booming popularity with a slate of blockbuster home fixtures, beginning with a preliminary final replay against Carlton in Round 1 next year.

A Lions membership might just be the only ticket into the Gabba next season.