How Opening Round was a ‘success on every measure’ for Northern clubs

For the northern clubs, the AFL’s foray into NSW and Queensland for Opening Round gave clubs the best weekends they’ve had in memory with crowds, buzz and even merchandise off the scales.

Veteran Giants defender Nick Haynes has seen a lot in his 13 years at the club.

He’s been through finals campaigns, grand final heartache and has had the best view of the team’s growth in Western Sydney.

But on Monday, as he came into the club following the Giants’ 32-point Opening Round win over Collingwood, he experienced something for the first time.

“It’s the first time I signed an autograph in the car park, so we must be doing something right in the community,” Haynes said.

“I’ve been here from the start and just seeing the growth gradually over years and years, it is still increasing and getting higher and playing good footy can only help that.

“We’re excited that we represent Western Sydney and can really grow the game here.”

ENGIE Stadium attracted an enormous crowd for the Giants’ opening game of the season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

A crowd of 21,235 packed into ENGIE Stadium to kickstart the Giants’ season on Saturday. It was the largest home crowd the club has ever had for a non-Derby game, with the finals-like atmosphere a new benchmark for the AFL’s youngest team.

But the build-up to the match against Collingwood has had a tangible impact for the Giants financially as well.

Merchandise sales on Saturday generated the second-largest revenue for any home and away game in the club’s history.

The Giants are also 60 per cent ahead on membership revenue year on year and passed 30,000 members more than three months earlier than they did last season.

Giants CEO Dave Matthews believes the momentum generated by the Opening Round concept to help grow the game in the northern states is largely responsible.

With all attention on northern states, clubs like the Giants were also able to attract the eye of the Victorian-based media and help build their profile outside the Sydney market. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“It’s an unqualified success on every measure,” Matthews said. That’s the best start to a season we’ve had in our short history – and I’ll say that because it’s backed up by data.

“I think our need to start early as a game, or a code is well established. That’s why we’re so pleased that Andrew Dillon and Kylie Rogers made this decision because we do need to start earlier.

“In our situation, it’s exacerbated by the fact that we have the Easter Show that takes us out of Sydney for a period of time and, obviously, that allows us to play in Canberra. But to get momentum in Sydney this early is significant.

“The crowd was fantastic, helped accelerate our membership plans, our commercial plans and then gave us an opportunity to bring some people to town and showcase the club.

“Then to get the four points Collingwood was the icing on the cake.”

Over 61,000 fans attended the two Sydney-based matches, the best mark for a single weekend of footy in the State. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The free-to-air TV ratings back up Matthews’ claim with AFL the No. 1 program nationally for three nights in a row.

Thursday night’s game between Sydney and Melbourne peaked at 977,000 viewers nationally on Channel 7 and reached 2.3 million people across the country.

Swans CEO Tom Harley was confident the result of attracting a crowd of more than 40,000, while also captivating a huge broadcast audience, has set the Opening Round concept up to be a success long into the future.

“For me, it’s a win-win,” Harley said. “It was a great weekend up here and if you weren’t here, it looked like they watched in droves as well.

“It was a terrific opportunity for the four northern state clubs to have the spotlight shone on us, collectively. And they were four really good games.

“But it enabled those in the traditional states, and I totally understand the fear of missing out … but they were on TV, and it whet the appetite for this week’s games in terms of the forecast attendance.

“I think it’s been exceptionally well received. I don’t see any downside to it whatsoever. To have that crowd and the early arrivals on a Thursday night, which is not in the school holidays, is unprecedented for us.

“We would certainly be advocates clearly for the concept to keep going. Every club in every market is looking for their own little niche within the 24-round fixture, and we’d certainly be keen for it to carry on next year.”

The Giants want to lock in Collingwood to open their season in Sydney for the long term. Picture: Phil Hillyard

While the Swans would be open to playing Melbourne or any other of the big Victorian clubs each year, Matthews believes locking a Giants-Collingwood game in to start each season would be the perfect way to capitalise on the momentum.

He also had a strong message for anyone who felt the concept too heavily prioritised the AFL’s push into NSW and Queensland.

“In my simple view, we’re the AFL, not the VFL,” Matthews said. “I think that’s why it’s an important initiative.

“Victorian football fans enjoy 100 games a year and they have the AFL Grand Final locked in as well. They’ve got Gather Round every week. So, I think anyone who begrudged the fact that we need these initiatives to continue to grow our presence from a national point of view is a bit mean-spirited.

“We’re grateful that Collingwood and the other three Victorian clubs lead their weight to this concept. Ideally, we’d love to lock in Collingwood for three years – because of their size and profile, they’ve got the capacity to assist with the marketing of the code.

“But I’d like to see a commitment. The AFL made a commitment to Gather Round for a multi-year period and they should do the same for Opening Round.”

Originally published as How Opening Round was a ‘success on every measure’ for Northern clubs