2024 Membership Updates – March 22, 2024

There are many ways to spin membership numbers, and realistically many of them are largely just meaningless. Comparisons are largely pointless now as the goalposts continue to move every year. However here are the numbers we know anyway.

AFL

The clubs typically dont break down their membership numbers, and the AFL hasnt done it for individual clubs in years. You can find a breakdown of known historical membership data here.

Tasmania has been included because Im going to get grief whether i include it or not. It should be noted though that these are $10-$15 foundation memberships and not season or match access memberships.

Rumours are true – Giants do offer free season junior memberships to Auskick participants who opt in to the membership program.

“The Auskick Junior Membership is a bonus 11 game General Admission access membership provided to each 2024 Community/Club NAB AFL Auskick participant who opts into receiving an AFL Club membership at the time of registration, by nominating his/her AFL Club of support (GWS GIANTS).“

According to social media, there seems to be many people from other codes taking advantage of Giants and other clubs digital AFL memberships as its a cheaper way to obtain access to Kayo.

The definition of what the AFL considers a membership has changed a few years back to merely require unique contact details – there is no longer a minimum spend requirement. This makes accurate comparisons with previous years somewhat difficult.

The Hawks recently announced that they have reached 70,000 memberships in their fastest time ever, and the Crows have said that they are on target for their 70,000 aim.

NRL

NRL clubs and the NRL typically dont breakdown membership numbers either. All known historical data can be accessed here.

The Broncos have recently announced they have become the first club to pass 50,000 members, while Newcastle is also setting new membership records.

On the other hand, Wests have embarked on an honest reporting program which sheared almost 10,000 members off the total after revealing that they had around 9,000 non paying junior players listed as members.

“It’s a bit like being a recovering alcoholic. You can’t get over it until you admit you have a problem. And we have a problem,” Richardson said.“We’re the lowest paying membership club in the Sydney area. We’ve been including 9000 juniors who don’t pay at all, so there is no income to the club, and we’ve been declaring we have 20,000 members but we don’t have 20,000 members. Let’s be totally honest about what we have because we need you to become a member of this club, in whatever capacity that is. You need to become a member.”

While League fans and others like to laugh derisively at AFL pet memberships and whatever the Giants may be doing, its worth noting that league clubs have offered similar, including Wests Group who are offering a free Knights membership upgrade with every Wests Group membership.