Ideas to boost crowds

[Showtime]

It always surprises me that the club that puts the most effort into game day experience is a NSW Cup side. Young Henry's cans are a great match with the footy.

The food/drink at the footy is not just expensive, it's also terrible. Paying through the nose for a pie chips and a VB is a bit galling. American sports manage to give good options at the game, there is some effort put in to the food and you have a range of beers, often decent craft ones.

It's not just families where we are losing fans, it's across different demographics.

Agreed re the Viking Clap, bit naff maybe but it has been effective.


Big crowds then lead to improved atmosphere which increases the likelihood of returning again in the future, but it's getting that initial boost that league is struggling with.

The food/drink is just one of a many things the US sports do better than us. I didn't realise how poor the NRL game day experience was until I started going to US sports. It's 2017, I'm pretty sure we've moved on from a pie and beer.

I went to a baseball game in San Diego recently and they had a craft beer tents and a choice of multiple other beers. An option if you didn't want to sit in a seat was an outdoor bar area where you could stand at a table and watch the game from the outfield. You could choose between the traditional hotdog, gourmet burgers, Mexican food, pizza and your standard fast food.

For the kids they had the standard face painting but also pitching and hitting booths where they could compare themselves to the pros. There was a baseball museum and a proper merchandise shop.

There was constant crowd interaction with a theme every time the camera focused on someone in the crowd.

These a only small things but I enjoyed the experience a lot more than I've ever enjoyed a NRL game where you can only hope you get to see a close game.

 

[carcharias]

Shark park had heaps of different food options over the last few years.
Gourmet sliders
German sausage truck thing
The beer is shit because they sponsor the game
Lyall Gorman has even explained the beer thing on a sharks podcast.

 

[adamkungl]

Shark park's food trucks do look good but i've usually had a feed at the Leagues club beforehand so never tried them!

Btw i went to an NBA and NHL game in Brooklyn last year and still got ripped off for garbage food and beer so lets not go overboard with the America love-in. But you can afford to do it when you pull 20k+ 3 times a week.

 

[carcharias]

Shark park's food trucks do look good but i've usually had a feed at the Leagues club beforehand so never tried them!

Btw i went to an NBA and NHL game in Brooklyn last year and still got ripped off for garbage food and beer so lets not go overboard with the America love-in. But you can afford to do it when you pull 20k+ 3 times a week.

I went to Vegas last year
The food was the worst I've ever had in any country
Atrocious fast food crap.

 

[adamkungl]

Innovation alert!

All SFS finals games to have "Eat and seat" option
Reserved seat on the upper level with apparently unlimited sausage sizzle, popcorn and chips + a soft drink.

$60 Adult ticket for Roosters v Broncos.
For comparison
Cat 1 $65
Cat 2 $45
GA $20

 

[Perth Red]

tbf these are the games the NRL controls, they don't control regular season games so have no say in meal deals, ticket prices etc. Good to see they are showing clubs what they could be doing!

 

[Frank Discussion]

Shark park had heaps of different food options over the last few years.
Gourmet sliders
German sausage truck thing
The beer is shit because they sponsor the game
Lyall Gorman has even explained the beer thing on a sharks podcast.

Our game day experience is a mile in front of any other club and the Sharks do not get enough credit for the strides they have made in this department. Theres nothing major being done but a string of small improvements and innovations has really improved the whole Shark Park day out and other clubs would do well do adopt some of these very simple solutions.

- At each entry gate there are djs playing bangerz. I hate the music but it provides a vibe.
- They deck the stadium out with a whole bunch of medieval type flags.
-They let blokes who own classic cars with a sharks theme park next to the gates.
- As carch said there is a raft of different food trucks/coffee vans placed about the ground.
- They play sweet caroline or horses at half time and get everyone to sing. It's corny as hell but people enjoy it.
- They have jumping castles, rides and free face painting for kids.
- There are entertainers walking around. Blokes on stilts doing somersaults etc.
- They've had notable bands play in the Leagues club afterwards. Like the Radiators etc.

If you think these things are all lame then talk to my mates who have kids who absolutely beg to go to the footy.

 

[big hit!]

I HATE onfield warm ups!!!

It looks bloody amateur and it takes any anticipation out of the run-on.

For most pro sports, the run-on is treated as a big moment. Nobody ruins it quite like RL clubs...

just about every sport / league in the world does it now.

 

[big hit!]

Storm game was painful, every fracking try! Couple of them he is literally 3 foot from the try looking straight at it!

yeah, the storm raider game was the one i was immediately thinking about when i wrote the comment.