Seasons home crowd figures

[Bald Tiger]

Our average home crowd (Campbelltown and Leichhardt combined) was only 8993. That does not include the two double headers.
That meant we had the worst home crowds in the competition.
Even worse than Souths and Melbourne.
I hope the club is very concerned about that and has some sort of plan in place to try and reverse that next season - apart from hoping that the team will do better and the crowds will return. That would be a very foolhardy approach.

 

[Gobbso]

After working with the club at the back end of the 2002 Season, Steve Noyce explained to me the reason why both Leichhardt and Campbelltown, only ended up receiving 5 home games each. It was nothing to do with equality or anything like that. It was simply because of the poor crowds at both venues, the Joint-Venture was losing money, due to the hiring of lights and TV Screen which totalled up to $30,000 each Home Game. Why is this an issue? Well due to the poor figures, the club's gate receiots were extremely low, which means, they failed to break even and had to fork out extra cash for the use of these facilities. In the long run, it does hit the pocket, but if Wests Tigers were consistently getting solid healthy crowds at both Grounds, the two games at Telstra Stadium would be given back, as the club would have no problem generating the sort of income expected and needed to pay the hiring costs.

Due to embarrasing crowd figures once again, it looks as if the two games at Telstra Stadium will remain, and possibly more to come. The facilities at Homebush are paid for, therefore the Joint-Venture does not have pay a single dollar to use the ground, especially when they participate in Double Headers, which has been the case for 3 Seasons now. The Supporters are the only ones who can change this occurernce from happening, by getting their bum's on seats at not just one ground, but both Leichhardt and Campbelltown.

 

[Tigerpete]

Cant say im surprised about that. I think it stinks we cant find 10,000 people to attend each home game. ,most of the 8000 average are regulars too.

 

[brook]

the problem with that is that the ones that went on the double headers are the games that WOULD have made money (the parramatta game as an example would ALWAYS be the highest drawing game to leichhardt)

 

[pug306]

well since I just found these forums,
i thought i might as well contribute

Back in 2001 I travelled to both Leichardt & Campbelltown to watch the Tigers play.
But in the game v Newcastle that year at Campbelltown, if you remember a fine victory against a Joey-less Knights squad, my car was broken into & about $2,500 worth of stereo & sports equipment taken.
Since this act I haven't been back to Campbelltown, as the great reaction from the Campbelltown Police patrolling the Car Park doesn't inspire confidence in me taking my car out there.
There reaction went like this: "we saw some activity happening around your car when we drove by, and when we circled the block again they had left the car & we noticed it had been broken into"
like come on, why didn't they stop the first time to see what was happening? :shock:

& since then u will only see me at Leichardt & Stadium Australia supporting the Tigers (as well as a few other grounds in the Sydney area).

I'm not slighting Campbelltown, but a few individuals have spoiled my fun of going there to watch Tigers games

 

[innsaneink]

Two questions ....
I know its only slightly related to crowd figures......but the problem that has been at Leichardt for several years now wouldn't help.
Those two ancient, ugly ,decrepit , unsafe grandstands are a major embarrassment for our club!!
Why are they still there??

What sort of crowds where Balmain getting at the height of theyre success??
Since moving to Campbelltown, Western Suburbs havent been what I would call successful unfortunatelt.
We lost some loyal Wests & Balmain fans forever when we merged, I know some personally and to this day wont have a bar of Wests Tigers
It would be intersting to compare Penriths crowd averages for '01 & '02,
they would still have better figures than Wests Tigers I'd reckon.....
Why have the Panthers broken their ground record 2 or 3 times this year???

 

[Bald Tiger]

innsaneink: you are dead right about those 2 white-ant ridden stands. Its a disgrace they have not been fixed. Apparently the Council which is responsible for the ground is coming up with a plan. Dont hold your breath. But with low crowd figures we sure dont want poor ground facilities giving the NRL any excuse for ending games at Leichhardt.

Brook: while thats true about Parra games I understood that we still make more money by playing at Telstra. Is that not correct?

 

[Alan Shore]

Two questions ....
I know its only slightly related to crowd figures......but the problem that has been at Leichardt for several years now wouldn't help.
Those two ancient, ugly ,decrepit , unsafe grandstands are a major embarrassment for our club!!
Why are they still there??

What sort of crowds where Balmain getting at the height of theyre success??
Since moving to Campbelltown, Western Suburbs havent been what I would call successful unfortunatelt.
We lost some loyal Wests & Balmain fans forever when we merged, I know some personally and to this day wont have a bar of Wests Tigers
It would be intersting to compare Penriths crowd averages for '01 & '02,
they would still have better figures than Wests Tigers I'd reckon.....
Why have the Panthers broken their ground record 2 or 3 times this year???

The Grandstands WOULD be fixed if people went to the games!

I've gone to see the Sharks play at Leichardt, and although it was in 2000 and we lost a close match 24-22, it was a good game and I enjoed the atmosphere on the hill. What strikes me as stupid though is that there's no advertising of WT whatsoever.

 

[B_Tiger]

innsaneink: you are dead right about those 2 white-ant ridden stands. Its a disgrace they have not been fixed. Apparently the Council which is responsible for the ground is coming up with a plan. Dont hold your breath. But with low crowd figures we sure dont want poor ground facilities giving the NRL any excuse for ending games at Leichhardt.

Brook: while thats true about Parra games I understood that we still make more money by playing at Telstra. Is that not correct?

yeah, that's right about the parra match. Stadium australia demanded better matches then last years tigers vs canberra match. It is a shame though that we had to sacrifice st.george-illawara and parra. Maybe next year we can get matches like brisbane and newcastle played at stadium australia.

 

[Gobbso]

Brook: while thats true about Parra games I understood that we still make more money by playing at Telstra. Is that not correct?

Yes. The Joint-Venture generates more profit, as they do not have to pay expenses for lighting and TV Screen resources-hiring as they would at either Leichhardt or Campbelltown. But as i said, if consistent healthy crowd figures at both grounds are achieved in the near future, the club will be able to have those games returned to Leichhardt and Campbelltown, as they would generate enough profit from gate reciepts to pay for the costs without having to worry about falling in the red! ;-) Hope that makes sense...

 

[brook]

Brook: while thats true about Parra games I understood that we still make more money by playing at Telstra. Is that not correct?

Yes it is correct - but we would have made more money playing ANY game at telstra

by sacrificing the parramatta game (which will ALWAYS be the highest drawing at leichhard, just as the dogs will always be at campbelltown) all you are doing is ensuring that we lose even more money at leichhardt by taking away the one game that might have actually had a chance of turning a profit

 

[Gobbso]

Brook, there was no deliberate move by Wests Tigers to have that game moved their on purpose. Its just the way things panned out, due to both clubs wanting to compete in the Double Header, and consequently it lead to lead to the Tigepies and Eels having to play at Telstra instead of Leichhardt. I see where you are coming from, and agree that traditiobnally and looking on past results and general rivarly between the Joint-Venture club and Parramatta, would have ensured a solid turnout at Leichhardt.

 

[Mighty Tiger]

Gobbs spot on mate!

The Wests Tigers are always going to approve a double header for the simple reason it brings in the most cash. Now with this in mind it also needs to be a clash that draws the fans, and also a game that dosn't involve us giving away one of our home games to the Bulldogs as well.

Also with the draw having been decided well in advance of the double header being approved, the double header will always be allocated for either a long weekend or the school holiday period.

 

[Tap Twist Snap]

They should consider other options as well as the double header where they would still get crowds. Gosford or Gold Coast would make money i would say NZ but the Bulldogs have that covered. The Tigers would have enough fans getting to both of those locations to make it worth while and well the Gold Coast might cost a little more i'm sure Keebra Park would be happy about having a game up here.

 

[brook]

those who were at the meeting in Balmain leagues where steve noyce responded to a question about this precise issue with 'campbelltown people want to see parramatta too' might be forgiven for their suspicions

when a bulldogs game is taken off campbelltown i might change my tune

 

[Alan Shore]

If WT need extra money then I think they should go to the NRL and ask for money to host a game in Adelaide or Perth. In all likelihood they'd get more than by playing in the double header.

 

[Mighty Tiger]

If WT need extra money then I think they should go to the NRL and ask for money to host a game in Adelaide or Perth. In all likelihood they'd get more than by playing in the double header.

How would they make more money in having a home game in Adelaide or Perth?

Think about it....

Travel costs involved
Accomidation
Hire of Stadium during the AFL season
Training facilities for both teams.
and the list can go on..

Sure you could ask the NRL for money but its up to the clubs to arrange where abouts they want to play there home games at. Bulldogs are a perfect example of this ;-)

 

[King Tigerman]

so why do we play in adelaide for , rugby league in south australia doesnt work the rams couldnt fill an 8000 seat stadium

also on telstra stadium if we do play there next year we shouldnt be in double headers as the dogs as the other team , we should even ask to play the cheats over easter their home game play some1 along the lines of penrith or stgeorge at telstra stand alone try to get em on the queens birthday thered be 20000

 

[bazza]

So do the Wests Tigers have a plan to try and improve their crowd averages besides their current strategy of

a. Hope the team performs better on the field
b. Complain that is all the Western Suburbs/Balmain factions fault

 

[Bald Tiger]

Sadly Bazza - and i speak in total ignorance of the marketing plans of WT - but as an outsider that sure looks like 2 points of a 3 point plan.
The 3rd point is to whinge about the pokie tax - a tax the clubs have know was changing for about 4 years - Its a worry.
Would love to see a pro-active, forward-thinking, revenue-raising plan. Is that too much to expect?