Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
· collected 2026-09-05 · by Hannah Kennelly
AFLW fans failed to fill seats at Ikon Park on Sunday due to lack of advertising. A crowd of 1931 watched the Richmond game, while 3892 attended the second game between Carlton and Collingwood. Despite a 50% increase in attendances over the first three rounds, driven by successful double-headers, many fans were unaware that there was a double-header on Sunday, citing inadequate advertising as the reason. Longtime AFLW fan Amy Stephens expressed frustration at the lack of promotion for the event, suggesting more advertising and activities are needed to encourage attendance.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
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It’s a shame more people weren’t there to see it.
left expressing disappointment that attendance was low
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A double-header typically means you want to encourage fans to stay at the stadium for both games, which means the following need to be on offer: music, entertainment, activation stands and numerous food options and stalls.
left specifying what is needed to make a double-header successful
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However, the supporter said she had no idea there was a double-header on today, citing the lack of advertising around the event.
left citing lack of advertising as reason for low attendance
Leaning score -0.35 for article 4468 (high confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-06
Sunday at Ikon Park showcased an action-packed day of footy with a double-header that saw Fremantle triumph over Richmond, and Carlton continue their winning streak with a resounding victory over Collingwood.
asserted
Carlton → showcase → Collingwood
It’s a shame more people weren’t there to see it.
asserted
people → ’ → it
A crowd of 1931 fans showed up to watch the Richmond game at 12.30 at Ikon Park for the second week of Indigenous Round.
asserted
crowd → show → Round
The Carlton versus Collingwood clash at 3pm had an attendance of 3892 (an accumulative figure that counts fans who came for the first game, but might not have stayed for the second).
uncertain
who → have → second
Mother’s Day has traditionally been a dead fixture for AFL men’s with significantly lower attendance records, so it makes sense the women’s league would experience a similar decrease for Father’s Day.
asserted
league → make → Day
It’s also important to note we’re in the middle of the men’s finals season – a time when many fans could be experiencing footy fatigue or aren’t paying attention to the women’s league.
uncertain
fans → ’ → league
But walking around Ikon Park, you couldn’t help feel this weekend was a missed opportunity.
asserted
weekend → walk → Park
A double-header typically means you want to encourage fans to stay at the stadium for both games, which means the following need to be on offer: music, entertainment, activation stands and numerous food options and stalls.
asserted
following → mean → offer
Longtime AFLW fan Amy Stephens has only missed two Collingwood games since 2018 and was cheering for the Pies from the boundary line on Sunday.
However, the supporter said she had no idea there was a double-header on today, citing the lack of advertising around the event.
asserted
she → miss → event
Stephens said only realised there was a double-header when she checked the fine print on her Ticketmaster account, but she’d already left home and missed the game.
asserted
she → say → game
“I think there needs to be more advertising for AFLW in general, let alone a double-header,” she said.
asserted
she → think → AFLW
Stephens said it would be good to have activities or entertainment between the two games, to “break up the day” and encourage people to stay.
asserted
it → say → people
She also wanted to see a bigger advertising push on social media and on television, so fans could actually know a double-header was on.
uncertain
header → want → television
Several other fans this masthead spoke said they had no idea a double-header was on today.
asserted
header → speak → idea
Sunday’s attendance at Ikon Park is made more bleak by the fact double-headers – when advertised and publicised properly – do really well.
asserted
headers → make → fact
Footy fans have voted with their feet over the first three rounds, with AFLW attendances up by more than 50 per cent compared with the same stage last season.
asserted
attendances → vote → stage
The growth has been driven largely by five double-headers, with the men’s game, which have drawn crowds as big 20,000, in tier one stadiums.
asserted
which → drive → stadiums
Carlton coach Matthew Buck reiterated his support for the double-header concept after the Blues won by 39 points – their fourth consecutive win this season.
asserted
Blues → reiterate → points
When asked if he was hoping for more advertisement around the double-header, Buck didn’t specify his thoughts, but said he thought there was “a great vibe within the crowd”.
asserted
he → ask → crowd
“I’m all for it [the double-headers],” he said.
asserted
he → ’m → it
“I think we could take those to Marvel as well, and fill Marvel up with them, it’d be fantastic.
uncertain
it → think → them
“But what we know is when we play at Ikon Park and our Carlton fans turn up, that it’s a great place to be.
asserted
it → know → Park
And I think Freo, Richmond might have felt a little bit of that towards the end of their game.”
uncertain
Richmond → think → game
Double-header are proven to work.
asserted
header → prove → ?
But if the AFL want to meet their attendance benchmarks and fill stadiums for W games, they need to make sure fans actually know when the games are on.
asserted
games → want → games
