St Kilda’s coach, Ross Lyon, has come to the defence of the club following a disappointing attendance of just 20,502 fans during their Thursday night match against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium. This turnout marks the lowest number of spectators for a St Kilda vs. Western Bulldogs game in Victoria since 1999, coinciding with a hefty 72-point loss for the Saints.
Lyon’s remarks were likely influenced by recent criticism from Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick, who pointed out St Kilda’s attendance issues earlier in the season when only 13,000 spectators attended a match. Hardwick suggested the Saints should focus on improving their own situation rather than casting stones.
During his post-match press conference, Lyon took issue with a journalist’s inquiry regarding the crowd size, attributing the low attendance to the Thursday night scheduling. He highlighted that other clubs also struggle with crowds on weeknight fixtures, noting that it’s a family challenge with children needing to prepare for school the next day.
Lyon engaged in a spirited exchange with the questioning journalist, asking if Thursday night games typically draw good crowds. When the reporter conceded Lyon’s point, the coach doubled down, noting that many clubs find these fixtures difficult for attendance.
With Thursday night football becoming a regular feature in the AFL, Lyon pointed out that the attendance was relatively decent given the circumstances. He suggested that the figure of just over 20,000 could be viewed positively for such a challenging time slot. “What’s an acceptable number?” he queried, indicating that low turnouts might be expected given the timing.
This crowd is notably the second lowest for a Thursday night game this season, with only 12,314 attending the Suns vs. Hawks match in Darwin. In contrast, other Thursday night fixtures this season have seen far higher attendance, with notable matches drawing crowds of 35,725 and 26,441 earlier in the season. The average crowd for Thursday night games has hovered around 46,000, with Lyon’s recent matches averaging a mere 21,000 at Marvel Stadium.
In conclusion, Lyon’s defence of his team resonates with the broader challenges faced by clubs in attracting fans on Thursday nights, underscoring the complexities of scheduling in sports. As St Kilda grapples with this crowd issue, it also reflects a trend impacting various teams in the league.