4174.0 - Sports Attendance, Australia, Apr 1999  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/12/1999   
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MEDIA RELEASE

December 20, 1999
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
151/99
More Australians are going to Aussie Rules

Survey results released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that 2.5 million people aged 15 years and over went to see Australian Rules football at least once in the year ending April 1999. This was up from 1.9 million in the year ending March 1995.

Just over 7 million people (47.1% of Australians aged 15 years and over) had been to a sporting match or competition (excluding school and junior sport) in the 12 months to April 1999.

Males were more likely to be spectators than females. Over half of all males (55%) attended sport compared to 40% of females. Aussie Rules topped attendance rates for both males and females, followed by motor sports for males and horse racing (excluding harness racing) for females.

Sports attendance declined gradually with age. The attendance rate for 15 to 24 year olds was 63%. This was nearly three times that of people aged 65 years and over (22%).

Nationally, the Northern Territory had the highest attendance rate (59%) while New South Wales (42%) and Queensland (43%) had the lowest.


SPORTS WITH MOST SPECTATORS*
Spectators
Attendance rate
'000
%
Australian Rules
2509.2
16.8
Horse racing
1756.4
11.8
Motor sports
1574.3
10.6
Rugby League
1501.1
10.1
Cricket
942.5
6.3
Soccer
621.2
4.2
Harness racing
534.8
3.6
Basketball
526.0
3.5
Rugby Union
446.2
3.0
Tennis
444.0
3.0
Dog racing
276.4
1.9
Netball
248.7
1.7
    * Data relates to people who had attended at least once during the 12 months ended April 1999.


Further details can be found in Sports Attendance, Australia (cat. no. 4174.0) available in all ABS bookshops.

If you wish to purchase a copy of this publication telephone 02 6252 5249.