Top five things footy fans want when they return to the stands next month

Cost of tickets and standard of umpiring are among the biggest issues footy followers want addressed, according to the latest AFL Fans Association report.

Footy fans eagerly awaiting the start of the AFL season have called for greater match day affordability, a larger slice of grand final tickets and an end to ever changing rules.

New AFL Fans Association president Ron Issko has revealed the top five things spectators want when they return to the stands next month.

And he proposed cut price ticketing and free public transport for fans travelling to matches as instant ways the AFL could get crowds onside.

Cost of tickets, food and transport, umpiring standards and rules, match scheduling, gambling and the split of grand final seats make up the top five things fans are concerned about.

The standard of umpiring is one of the biggest gripes for footy fans. Picture: Mark Stewart. Picture: Ian Currie

But as a cost of living crisis bites, Mr Issko said affordability would be an important factor to fans considering going to the footy.

“You’ve got to give credit to the AFL — they’ve done it before — made kids free for certain rounds,’’ he said.

“If you wanted to help people with affordability of tickets, why not have certain times of the year where you buy one adult ticket and get one free and get kids in free?

“That will just help people struggling with high interest rates, not every week but some weeks.’’

Fans want to see an end to ever changing rules. Picture: Jason Edwards

To help hip pocket costs, Mr Issko said the AFL could mandate stadiums dropping food prices by 20 per cent at particular times.

And public transport costs could be included in the price of a ticket, as they are for Sydney fans travelling to Swans matches in the Harbour City.

“In Sydney if you buy a ticket for the Swans, your transportation is included for free,’’ he said.

“And why aren’t there extra trains to get the fans out when it is pandemonium at the station after Marvel Stadium games?

“This is the stuff that fans are complaining about.”

AFL fans are hoping for cheaper tickets to games. Picture: Tony Gough

Mum of three Amanda Bull said families needed a free kick at the footy.

“There is a tribe of us so just trying to get to games can be a mission,’’ she said.

“If it’s a night game, you dread the thought of getting them home on public transport.

“The cost of tickets and food is an issue but so is lining up in queues with kids and making sure they are entertained the whole time’’.

Mr Issko, who wanted “to work closely with the AFL to help fan’s experience at the footy be the best it can be’’, said fan’s number one gripe was umpiring.

“People are saying leave the rules alone and let’s be more consistent with the umpires,’’ he said.

There are calls to include public transport as part of the ticket cost. Picture Rebecca Michael.

The prevalence of gambling adds on TV and at games was a growing concern.

“To the extent some fans are saying ‘my kids are 12-years-old and they know Richmond are favourites because they are paying $1.15 and Carlton are $1.25’,’’ he said.

“Kids shouldn’t really know the odds should they?’’

Scheduling matches on different days was a bug bear of some fans, as was the “floating fixture’’.

“The AFL did say after Covid settled we would go back to a normal fixture – well they actually haven’t,’’ he said.

“What they have done for 2023 is gone the first 16 rounds as fixed, round 16 onward as floating.

“So if you want to travel interstate … you can’t book because you don’t know if it’s going to be Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday and fans are not happy about that.’’

He said the AFL should increase the share of 34,000 Grand Final tickets going to competing club members.