Geelong has struggled to reach capacity crowds since the Joel Selwood Stand was unveiled in March last year

The Joel Selwood Stand at GMHBA Stadium was meant to allow more Cats fans into games. Since then, empty seats have become a common place despite “sell outs”. Here’s what could be the factor.

Geelong champion Joel Selwood stands proudly in front of the grandstand named in his honour. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

On the opening night of the Joel Selwood Stand in March 2024, nearly 40,000 people rocked up to see the Cats down the Saints.

It was a night of grand celebration, heralding in a new era of sold-out crowds at the AFL’s glitzy, revamped boutique stadium which is the envy of every other non-capital city in the country.

However, since that Round 1 fixture, according to Austadium data, crowd numbers at Cats games have struggled to get even close to the 40,000 mark.

Two weeks ago, the Geelong v Western Bulldogs match was the most eagerly anticipated home and away game of the year and a “sell out” crowd was expected to attend — but just 32,641 people did.

Geelong fans show their support during the Round 11 AFL match between the Cats and the Western Bulldogs. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images.

Well short of the reported 40,000 capacity.

In fact, from the following 12 games since the Selwood stand’s debut, the best crowd the Cats have attracted for a home game was the 33,188 who saw Geelong beat Hawthorn in early July last year — edging out the 2013 qualifying final against Fremantle in third.

Just four home games have breached the 32,000 mark in that time, while the Matildas’ 6-0 flogging of Chinese Taipei – ranked 41st in the world at the time – in December last year, beat five Cats home games for attendance.

GMHBA Stadium following completion of the Joel Selwood stand. Picture: Alan Barber

The crowd at the Cats’ Round 1 game this year was particularly low with only 25,372 showing up on a Saturday afternoon for the match against the Dockers.

The average Cats home game attendance since the opening of the Joel Selwood Stand is 30,183 people … roughly two third of the stadium’s capacity.

SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

So why are the Cats struggling to fill the ground, despite matches being reported as sell outs?

There are plenty of theories flying around, from the cost of tickets, members with a reserved seat not taking advantage of the Cats’ Return Your Seats program – which allows members to get a discount on their future memberships – a lack of big four, and top four, opposition and perhaps a preference for afternoon games.

With supporters having to park blocks away from the ground, some may prefer to watch the match from the comfort of their living rooms rather than trekking back to their vehicle in the cold of night.

Retiring Matilda Clare Polkinghorne following Australia’s game against Chinese Taipei, which drew more than 30,000 in December last year. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

More than 32,000 came to the Cats’ Round 24 afternoon match against the West Coast Eagles last year, while internally, the club was happy with more than 28,000 coming to its Mother’s Day fixture against the Giants last month.

And yet, six of Geelong’s home games which breached the 30,000 crowd figure, were night matches.

Is it a lack of big four clubs, or top four teams, coming down the highway?

While obviously Collingwood rarely leaves the G, Carlton and Richmond have played games here in recent seasons while the Bombers will be back in Round 22.

Upcoming matches against top four teams in Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane this month may test that theory further.

However, this masthead understands the club has an average 80 per cent home game “show rate”, believed to be the highest across all Victorian venues.

IS IT THE MEMBERS’ FAULT?

Some suggest the club may need to introduce measures to resell unused seats which are left vacant by absent members.

It’s unclear how the match day ticketing split is laid out exactly, but it’s understood more than half of the ground is filled by season members.

It also remains unclear how many seats there are at GMHBA Stadium after questions to both the club and ground managers, the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust.

One theory is that the ground is like a game of Trivial Pursuit, with the seats spliced into several sections: about 3-4000 tickets put aside for away club fans – although this figure can be increased or decreased – members with a seat, members with GA entry, corporate hospitality and social club members.

The club runs the ticketing system in partnership with the AFL and relevant ticketing agencies.

But is it time the club got stricter on its non-attending members?

Originally published as Geelong has struggled to reach capacity crowds since the Joel Selwood Stand was unveiled in March last year