Twitter gets a dose of Grand Final fever with fans from 60 countries tweeting about Saturday's match
AFL fever has spread worldwide with the international football community rallying behind the Fremantle Dockers.
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AFL fever has spread worldwide with the international football community rallying behind the Fremantle Dockers.
In the past week, fans from 60 counties from around the world have tweeted their support for Hawthorn and Fremantle.
Fremantle x Hawthorn na #GrandFinal semana que vem. Vou assistir sem falta #AFL @AFL
— @ErickVict (@ErickVict) September 21, 2013
Both teams have received more than 16,000 tweets combined with more than a quarter of these from foreign-based fans.
Yewwwwww hawks!!!!! You bloody rippa! Gutsy effort boys! @HawthornFC Grand final here we come!!! #afl
— David Darbyshire (@MSIDarbs) September 20, 2013
And if social media be the judge than the Dockers are easily favourites for the flag this weekend.
There have been 13,574 tweets, or 82 per cent, of tweets mentioning the purple pride of Western Australia while 2951 tweets have backed the Hawks.
"The emergence of social media has helped us take steps to grow the game," said Tony Woods, International Development Manager for the AFL.
Think Aussie Rules could be my new no.1 sport come on the Hawks #AFL #Hawthorns #Hawks
— ryan mccartan (@ryanmcc100) September 20, 2013
"It opens up access."
Behind Australia, the United States has the second highest legion of AFL supporters followed by the United Kingdom, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Congrats to Freo but Get up Hawthorn in the GF!! #AFLFinals
— Anthony Morgan (@anthfieg1) September 21, 2013
Mr Woods, who formerly played for Hawthorn, has been working as the International Development Manager for three and a half years and was surprised by the reach of AFL.
"It has been rewarding to see how people connect with the game," said Mr Woods.
"Chile has a competition and even Iceland. The first thoughts are that these would be expats. But a majority involved in these competitions are locals."
Come on boys!!!!! #FreoFinalsFever #aflfreoswans
— Sarah Hooper (@pinkcooper) September 21, 2013
AFL fans can also be found in Barbados, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Israel, Italy, Mongolia, Qatar, Russia and Sweden.
To support the growing international fan base, AFL clubs are developing international memberships.
Fremantle Dockers have just qualified for there 1st ever GF! Absolutely brilliant!!! #FreoFinalsFever
— Ryan Ruthven (@Vlamkop) September 21, 2013
"Hawthorn has been active in New Zealand and Fremantle in Papua New Guinea, where a senior team in the Port Moresby competition is known as the Dockers," said Mr Woods.
Would love to be out in Subiaco right now! #FreoFinalsFever
— geoff jein (@geoffjein) September 21, 2013
According to twitter, Ireland and Brazil are backing the Hawks while France and Thailand will be cheering on the Dockers.
CONGRATS FROM FRANCE!!! RT "@Fremantle_FC MCG! MCG! #FREOFINALSFEVER https://t.co/0ewRdTN3bq"
— Someone Else (@zhorg) September 21, 2013
TOP TEN COUNTRIES FOR HAWKS SUPPORTERS
USA
UK
Vietnam
Canada
Indonesia
New Zealand
Ireland
United Arab Emirates
Argentina
Brazil
TOP TEN COUNTRIES FOR FREEMANTLE SUPPORTERS
USA
UK
Vietnam
Indonesia
Canada
France
United Arab Emirates
New Zealand
Thailand
Argentina
*Source: Twitter
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