Souths move game to Gosford

[Le Rouge]

It's not the Bears but its a good chance for the CC to show support for League.
There's no way the Bunnies will get a crowd the size of what they'd get for the Bears if they were still there.

The Bunnies should try up at the GC too.

 

[Big Bunny]

Souths aren't playing this game in order to guage support for a move. We are firmly commited to life at Aussie Stadium and a lot of Souths fans couldn't care less about going back to Redfern. This game is being played at the Central Coast because the Cowboys have a very small following in Sydney, hire costs are considerably lower and will provide bigger returns regardless of how many people go. This is all in keeping with the clubs projection that we will make a small profit even with 3 wins under the belt in 2004. Crowds are up, signs of improvement on the field are shown, the administration has handled its one minor crisis swiftly, the board remains united and is doing a fair job and our finances are looking positive as well. There is good reason for Souths fans to be positive in 2004.

I don't think that the Central Coast should get a team before the Gold Coast, but if they gain a club that they can identify with rather than dislike ie Manly, who have an alien culture to the area, then it would be well supported.

 

[Southernsaint]

I think Souths have recently signed a 10 year lease for the SFS. They're not going anywhere...

By all accounts, the CC Stadium is great to watch footy. It should be a good day out against what is, in all honesty, not a well supported team in Sydney in the Cowboys.

Cheers,
Ben S.

 

[yakstorm]

Yeah Souths are on a long term contract with the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium (Aussie Stadium) Trust, but under that contract they are allowed to take I think it is up to 2 home NRL games to other venues during a year.

BB is right on the money when he points out the reason Souths are going to the CC. It is to try and ensure that the game makes a good financial return.

To cover hiring costs and so on at the SFS, you roughly need a crowd of about 8-10K.

Meanwhile ExpressAdvocate Stadium only requires a crowd of around 4K-6K in order to break even.

Also there are benefits of greater atmosphere, increasing support out of traditional areas (just cause the people of the CC may not come down for Souths games doesn't mean Souths can sell of merchandise and other things to people up there)

Sponsors also don't mind the occational travel when it means there brand name is promoted to new areas, and they all know that the match will get decent coverage in both the Central Coast papers, but also the likes of the Telegraph and Herald cause based upon the crowds, journos will put in their 2cents over whether the CC deserves an NRL team or not.

 

[yakstorm]

Yeah Souths are on a long term contract with the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium (Aussie Stadium) Trust, but under that contract they are allowed to take I think it is up to 2 home NRL games to other venues during a year.

BB is right on the money when he points out the reason Souths are going to the CC. It is to try and ensure that the game makes a good financial return.

To cover hiring costs and so on at the SFS, you roughly need a crowd of about 8-10K.

Meanwhile ExpressAdvocate Stadium only requires a crowd of around 4K-6K in order to break even.

Also there are benefits of greater atmosphere, increasing support out of traditional areas (just cause the people of the CC may not come down for Souths games doesn't mean Souths can sell of merchandise and other things to people up there)

Sponsors also don't mind the occational travel when it means there brand name is promoted to new areas, and they all know that the match will get decent coverage in both the Central Coast papers, but also the likes of the Telegraph and Herald cause based upon the crowds, journos will put in their 2cents over whether the CC deserves an NRL team or not.

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

The game will easily get at least 10,000 people, which is great for Souths. I really hope they keep playing well, I know they won't stay in fourth spot, but even if they finished in the top ten it would be a good, even great season.

If the club can continue to stay stable off the field, wit good things like keeping the same board, we should be right.

 

[Big-Steve]

If we dont get that much for this match, there will definately be a bigger crowd for the City V Country match next month.

City vs Country is a bloody rep game! You cant use that as an example of the turnout for club matches.

Infact the C vs C game should be played in Gosford. It should be taken to the real country where they would love to have ANY Rugby League played....

The only real test in my opion is to give the Central Coast Bears a licence and let them play.

 

[DIEHARD]

This is it Central Coast, time to prove you want a team. That stadium had better be packed!

If the Bunnies continue form and keep winning. I'm moving to Sydney for the remainder of the year to go to every game.

 

[iggy plop]

The game will easily get at least 10,000 people, which is great for Souths. I really hope they keep playing well, I know they won't stay in fourth spot, but even if they finished in the top ten it would be a good, even great season.

If the club can continue to stay stable off the field, wit good things like keeping the same board, we should be right.

I wear black on the outside because black is how I feel on the inside.

Up Souths!!

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Of course Central Coast deserves a team, I reckon they'll be at least 10,000 there. Its not the Bears, but at least there's some Souths supporters in Gosford, they got 10,000 there the last time they played there, and that was a trial game. Express Advocate Stadium, its a stadium too good to waste.

Who says the Central Coast dont deserve a team?

 

[bazza]

If they can't get over 15,000 for this game - give the 16th licence to the Gold Coast

 

[ouwet]

If they can't get over 15,000 for this game - give the 16th licence to the Gold Coast

If they can what would you do?
Give the GC the license and give CC and Wellington regions a team in a few years time, but in the mean time... encourage teams too move one or two games too the CC & Wellington like the Dogs, Raiders & Rabbitohs are doing...

 

[bazza]

If they can't get over 15,000 for this game - give the 16th licence to the Gold Coast

If they can what would you do?
Give the GC the license and give CC and Wellington regions a team in a few years time, but in the mean time... encourage teams too move one or two games too the CC & Wellington like the Dogs, Raiders & Rabbitohs are doing...

All you ever hear from the Central Coast is whinging.

They had a team and no one went - they need their own team
The Gold Coast get crowds of 20,000 + to their trial games for 2 years in a row.
The Central Coast have trials and are lucky to get 10,000 - and then claim it is a great crowd.

The Gold Coast are way ahead at this stage as far as I am concerned. To me - it looks like if CC had a team they would get crowds between 8 - 15 thousand like most of the Sydney teams. If the GC got in they would average over 15,000.

If CC people don't turn up for the Souths game and fill the stadium - then forget it

 

[Tupac Shakur]

If we dont get that much for this match, there will definately be a bigger crowd for the City V Country match next month.

City vs Country is a bloody rep game! You cant use that as an example of the turnout for club matches.

Infact the C vs C game should be played in Gosford. It should be taken to the real country where they would love to have ANY Rugby League played....

I can use that as an example. Souths V Cowboys isnt really an 'entertaining' match and cant count for what the CC crowd turnout would be if we had a club here. If Central Coast was playing Souths it would be a sellout. You know what i mean?
There still will be a decent crowd at this game and i for one, will go.
Expecting around 15,000 maybe more.

 

[Tupac Shakur]

All you ever hear from the Central Coast is whinging.
If CC people don't turn up for the Souths game and fill the stadium - then forget it

Why forget it? Its Souths Vs Cowboys not Central Coast Vs Souths or Central Coast Vs Cowboys.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

All you ever hear from the Central Coast is whinging.
If CC people don't turn up for the Souths game and fill the stadium - then forget it

Why forget it? Its Souths Vs Cowboys not Central Coast Vs Souths or Central Coast Vs Cowboys.

I'll be very suprised if 10,000 dont turn up for that game.

Whinging?? I hear that from the Gold Coast as well.

 

[bazza]

All you ever hear from the Central Coast is whinging.
If CC people don't turn up for the Souths game and fill the stadium - then forget it

Why forget it? Its Souths Vs Cowboys not Central Coast Vs Souths or Central Coast Vs Cowboys.

This is a chance for the people on the CC to put up or shut up.

Why bring out excuses? If it was the CC playing it would be a sell out - that's bullshit!

There will be 3 games at the Central Coast stadium this year.

There was a trial a month or so ago, City v Country and Souths v Cowboys

The trial crowd was poor - there are 2 more chance for the CC to show that if they have a team playing 11 matches per year there they will get more than most NRL teams currently do.

The bottom line is - get less than 15,000 for this game a keep dreaming about having your own team. Get a big crowd and you still have a chance

 

[Big-Steve]

The bottom line is - get less than 15,000 for this game a keep dreaming about having your own team. Get a big crowd and you still have a chance

This is rubbish. The NRL partnership committee is not going to make a decision on the Central Coast Bears bid based solely on crowd numbers at games let a lone this particular game.

Having said that, the best test so far was the opening games of the Northern Eagles (before the Manly bias set in).

They were sell outs!

The Central Coast have already answered the crowd debate as far as I'm concerned.