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RLWC2017 Crowd Watch

DlEHARD

Juniors
Messages
823
They can't keep burning the passionate fans that support these games with early purchases. Like me. Or people will simply stop buying early.
 

Hoofhearted

Juniors
Messages
725
My mates and I got in early on the pre sales for Perth to secure "best seats", we ended up in the upper area of the east stand. A couple of weeks ago I checked and there were tickets available right on half way Bay E128, I rang Ticketmaster and got our seats moved. It was pointed out that the best seats aren't released in presales, my reply was that why wouldn't you reward the people who are actually keen on the event and get in early with the best seats!!
Anyway Perth is doing the same weird things with ticket availability, you cant get tickets in the south stand even though I have never seen tickets available on the upper level. Other areas were only offering tickets in the corners until last week but now there seems to be seats available in much better positions. Imagine how many people might of had a look last week, could only get tickets in the corners and decided against going.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Nothing but negativity out of NZ in the lead up but they've been leading the way for crowds.
Very odd.
Sometimes they whinge worse than poms... or aussies
 

Billythekid

First Grade
Messages
6,570
Nothing but negativity out of NZ in the lead up but they've been leading the way for crowds.
Very odd.
Sometimes they whinge worse than poms... or aussies

There are a lot of issues facing NZRL both at the local and international level. There was every reason for fans to be put off and for crowds to struggle.

It's pretty funny that pre tournament everyone was worried that the NZ based matches might bring the crowds down. In the end it's Australia who is bringing all the shit crowds and NZ and PNG saving the day. Pretty much all the positivity from the tournament is coming from PNG, NZ and the the other pacific island teams.
 

Billythekid

First Grade
Messages
6,570
Also the way that pricing and ticketing has been handled just continues to baffle the mind. All tickets to matches should have been available from day 1.

We are constantly reminded that ticket sales don't really matter anymore in terms of making money. So why are we charging so much for tickets? We should be selling them cheaply and trying to fill up stadiums (even if it means a few freebies).

I still say we should have followed the Australian women's soccer team and how they handled their match in Newcastle. They just made tickets $20 across the board and extremely cheap or kids. They opened up all areas straight away (except for one upper stand which remained closed from the start to finish). As a result they got a fantastic crowd, sold a shitload of merchandise and created extra buzz around the match.

That's what we should have done. Cheap as dirt tickets across all matches except for the major ones like the finals. $20 or so a ticket and kids either like $5 or free. Offer tickets to members of the home teams NRL club. Open all the bays you intend to from the start and don't chop and change. If they sellout super quick than open up extras. Don't go playing around with ticket prices, especially increasing prices for matches. Gushing fans is not a good idea for a game trying to build goodwill and increase its mindshare.

It's frustrating because just a few thousand more people to each game can make a huge difference to the look of the tournament. It makes the tournament look successful and encourages more people to come to the games or watch on the TV. It also creates a much better atmosphere. Best of all it leads to increased merchandise sales.

We should have been doing as much as possible to get the maximum amount of people through the gates.

I realise some of the longer standing major issues can't be fixed by the RLWC organisers (like the lack of regular international matches etc) but the things they could control they totally f**ked up. That's not even mentioning the awful draw and lack of promotion.

Anyway hopefully the NZ game and the PNG game sellout. Whilst there will be a few shockers this week both those matches and the Aus match could draw decent crowds.
 

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
I reckon we'll have some good crowds this week, Aus vs Lebanon, Tonga vs NZ, Perth Double header and USA vs PNG should all draw good crowds.

Just a bit worried about Samoa vs Scotland and Fiji vs Italy.
 

Emu01

Juniors
Messages
833
I saw a few posters on telegraph poles advertising the Fiji v Italy game in Canberra along the Grand Parade Brighton in Sydney yesterday..

This game should be pretty close I hope it can pull a decent crowd but I’m not hopeful.
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,039
You can get up to 4 tickets in all categories. Absolute embarrassment. Like last week, a very good portion of the crowd would have got in with free seats.
 

miguel de cervantes

First Grade
Messages
7,469
Agree, it is an absolute embarrassment. It is an admission that the ticketing is a huge FU. One can only hope it will lead to a decent crowd despite all the other problems it generates.
 

kiwileaguefan

Juniors
Messages
2,426
On NZ v Tonga

"Ticket sales have already hit the 20,000 mark
- exceeding last week's bumper crowd of 18,000 that turned out to see Tonga outclass Samoa 32-18 - and tournament organisers are hoping the match will be close to a sell-out."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=11942123

Please stop being so amazing New Zealand rugby league people.

To be fair I would say it has more to do with the Tongan fans turning up the Kiwi fans....at the Samoan vs Kiwis game i would have suggested it was nearly 50/50 with Kiwi and Samoan fans.

Though 12,000 for the Scotland game is a pretty good effort though.

The true test will be the Quarterfinal and the Semi-Final when there are no Pacific teams involved.
 

kiwileaguefan

Juniors
Messages
2,426
1,460 left for PNG game....

Bugger all sold at the Wellington Quarterfinal and with Cat A being $70 will be interesting to see how they sell...
 

Jim from Oz

Juniors
Messages
724
Also the way that pricing and ticketing has been handled just continues to baffle the mind. All tickets to matches should have been available from day 1.

We are constantly reminded that ticket sales don't really matter anymore in terms of making money. So why are we charging so much for tickets? We should be selling them cheaply and trying to fill up stadiums (even if it means a few freebies).

I still say we should have followed the Australian women's soccer team and how they handled their match in Newcastle. They just made tickets $20 across the board and extremely cheap or kids. They opened up all areas straight away (except for one upper stand which remained closed from the start to finish). As a result they got a fantastic crowd, sold a shitload of merchandise and created extra buzz around the match.

That's what we should have done. Cheap as dirt tickets across all matches except for the major ones like the finals. $20 or so a ticket and kids either like $5 or free. Offer tickets to members of the home teams NRL club. Open all the bays you intend to from the start and don't chop and change. If they sellout super quick than open up extras. Don't go playing around with ticket prices, especially increasing prices for matches. Gushing fans is not a good idea for a game trying to build goodwill and increase its mindshare.

It's frustrating because just a few thousand more people to each game can make a huge difference to the look of the tournament. It makes the tournament look successful and encourages more people to come to the games or watch on the TV. It also creates a much better atmosphere. Best of all it leads to increased merchandise sales.

We should have been doing as much as possible to get the maximum amount of people through the gates.

I realise some of the longer standing major issues can't be fixed by the RLWC organisers (like the lack of regular international matches etc) but the things they could control they totally f**ked up. That's not even mentioning the awful draw and lack of promotion.

Anyway hopefully the NZ game and the PNG game sellout. Whilst there will be a few shockers this week both those matches and the Aus match could draw decent crowds.
All good points … but can I ask everyone out there;

Has there been ANY official RLWC merchandise at ANY of the games?

(I was at Eng v Lebanon but walked there from the "back" of the stadium in Paddington and there was nothing on that side, but there may have been merchandise for sale up the front )
 
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