AFL breaks crowd records through first round

March 18, 2024

The AFL has recorded its biggest attendance for a single round, with 413,405 spectators attending matches across round one on the weekend.

Across the nine games, the average AFL crowd figure reached 45,934, up from 43,583 in the corresponding round last season. The new record aggregate crowd figure tops the 400,401 which attended round one in 2017.

Combining the four ‘Opening Round’ matches, 530,105 fans have attended stadiums across the first 13 matches of the 2024 AFL premiership season.

The biggest crowds of the weekend came at the MCG, with the Carlton v Richmond, Collingwood v Sydney and Essendon v Hawthorn games all exceeding 70,000 spectators.

The crowd of 83,881 on Thursday night at the MCG was Carlton's 10th biggest home crowd in its history and its third-highest ever against Richmond, while the 78,933 who watched the Swans beat Collingwood on Friday night was the biggest crowd Sydney/South Melbourne has ever played in front of for a home-and-away match.

Geelong celebrated the opening of the new Joel Selwood Stand at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night with the crowd of 39,352 being the biggest crowd at the stadium in more than 40 years.

Advising that the season could not have got off to a better start with fans turning out in the droves across the country, AFL Chief Executive, Andrew Dillon advised “the season has started like no other, with a historic Opening Round in NSW and Queensland and four sold out matches.

“Footy is back and thriving and we’re thrilled the momentum has continued across Round One with fans attending the footy all around the country breaking our all-time attendance record for a single round.

“On behalf of the AFL a huge thank you to the fans, our venues and clubs. The 2024 Toyota AFL Premiership Season is set to become one of the most memorable of all time.”

AFL Round 1 Crowds

Carlton v Richmond - 83,881
Collingwood v Sydney Swans - 78,933
Essendon v Hawthorn - 73,805
GWS Giants v North Melbourne - 8,034
Gold Coast Suns v Adelaide Crows - 11,466
Geelong v St Kilda - 39,352
Melbourne v Western Bulldogs - 44,100
Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles - 33,230
Fremantle v Brisbane Lions - 40,604
Total: 413,405, Average: 45,934

The NRL has also recorded strong crowd figures to start its 2024 season, with a total of 338,687 spectators attending 16 matches (including the Vegas double-header), at an average of 22,579 per match.

It is understood the recommendation will be for the construction of a new $3.4 billion 55,000 seat stadium at Victoria Park, situated in inner-Brisbane.

The plan to rebuild the Gabba is now likely to cost $3 billion and should be scrapped in favour of a new, "marginally more expensive" stadium at Victoria Park, an independent review of Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure has found.

Record crowd marks debut of completed GMHBA Stadium
GMHBA Stadium’s crowd of 39,352 on Saturday was a record for the venue, with the completed Joel Selwood Stand marking the culmination of what has been a two-decade redevelopment project.

The Victoria Government’s $142 million investment in Stage 5 has delivered the venue’s largest-ever stand at a capacity of 14,000, plus a new Fred Flanagan Function Room, a new media centre, the Argyle Bar, AFL-standard unisex change rooms and other key amenities.

Along with AFL games, the new-look GMHBA Stadium will host T20 cricket, football, concerts and other community activities. More than 120 full-time jobs were created during construction of the Stage 5 project, with the stadium remaining operational throughout.

Construction on the redevelopment - managed and delivered by the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust - is a culmination of five separate stages of upgrades, with the Victorian Government investing $121 million in the first four stages between 2003 and 2017.

Main image: Fans fill the new Joel Selwood stand at Geelong's GMHBA Stadium on Saturday. Credit: Geelong FC.

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