Week 11 - AFL Crowds
At the conclusion of round 11 of the AFL season, Gillon McLachlan released an article I saw on the AFL website, thanking fans for attending games so far in 2022. After two seasons of COVID-19 affected football with games postponed and shifted, players moved into hubs and on occasion no crowds, Gil thanked the public for their continued support, passion, and loyalty. website article from the AFL.
The key points noted at the top, “Gillon McLachlan: Thanks to our fans, 2.7 million times over,” the title read. The title references the 2.7 million fans that have attended the footy thus far this season, sending a key message to the public that their support in the return to footy does not go unnoticed. Throughout the release Gil is able to set the tone he is trying to convey, in essence encouraging the fans to continue to buy tickets and that they are an important part to the success of our game. It’s kept interesting throughout highlighting the crowd numbers during the season, mentioning that “of our top six crowds this year, Carlton, Richmond or Essendon have featured in every one of those matches.”
Lastly, Gil closes with a mention of the 2:30pm traditional Grand Final slot will come quickly to cap off the return to footy after the two most challenging years it has faced. Overall, I believe this release was put out smartly to show that the AFL CEO is grateful for the fans in their return to attending matches, with the hope and aim to encourage it to continue for the rest of the season.