15.05.23 – HIGHEST ATTENDED AFL OPENING NINE ROUNDS OF ALL-TIME
The AFL is pleased to announce Rounds One through Nine of 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season represents the best-ever attendance after nine rounds in AFL history.
3,047,247 fans have attended the opening nine rounds of the season, the highest attended Rounds One – Nine on record. 33,275 attendees more than the previous record in 2019 (3,013,972).
Average attendance across the first 81 matches of the season equates to 37,620 fans a game.
The MCG has the largest attendance and is averaging 61,910 fans per game (31% increase year on year), Optus Stadium 43,509 (29% increase YoY), Adelaide Oval 37,633 (24% increase YoY), SCG 32,320 (18% increase YoY), Marvel Stadium 31,951 (7% increase YoY), GABBA 30,260 (25% increase YoY), Heritage Bank Stadium 11,971 (10% increase YoY) and GIANTS Stadium 8,930 (40% increase YoY).
Top 10 attended matches of 2023.
- 95,179 Collingwood vs Essendon, MCG (Rd 6)
- 88,084 Richmond vs Carlton, MCG (Rd 1)
- 86,595 Geelong vs Collingwood, MCG (Rd 1)
- 85,241 Collingwood vs Richmond, MCG (Rd 3)
- 83,985 Melbourne vs Richmond, MCG (Rd 6)
- 71,463 Collingwood vs Sydney Swans, MCG (Rd 8)
- 69,255 St Kilda vs Essendon, MCG (Rd 3)
- 68,691 Hawthorn vs Essendon, MCG (Rd 1)
- 67,457 Essendon vs Geelong Cats, MCG (Rd 7)
- 65,335 Geelong Cats vs Hawthorn, MCG (Rd 4)
Top 5 attended opening nine rounds combined all-time.
- 2023 – 3,047,247
- 2019 – 3,013,972
- 2018 – 2,967,279
- 2008 – 2,811,409
- 2016 – 2,791,315
The upcoming Round 10 fixture is the opening weekend of Sir Doug Nicholls Round with Port Adelaide hosting Melbourne on Friday night, Dreamtime at the ‘G on Saturday night along with traditional rivals Carlton vs Collingwood on Sunday afternoon where 80,000 plus fans are forecasted to attend.
The AFL will release the next block of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season fixture, Rounds 16 – 23 later this week.
