2015 Crowd Watch part II

[Perth Red]

Afl crowds are slowly climbing again for last 3 seasons after a big drop off, partly caused by expansion.
This year will be our lowest since 2004 at this rate. The NRL and clubs are failing badly in this area and may need some radical investment and strategy to bring the fans back to the games. Timing wise it might long term be helpful to have a really poor crowd year as they are negotiating the TV contract and deciding what is most important in it.

 

[BunniesMan]

Afl crowds are slowly climbing again for last 3 seasons after a big drop off, partly caused by expansion.
This year will be our lowest since 2004 at this rate. The NRL and clubs are failing badly in this area and may need some radical investment and strategy to bring the fans back to the games. Timing wise it might long term be helpful to have a really poor crowd year as they are negotiating the TV contract and deciding what is most important in it.

When you account for population growth neither code has done well compared to where they were 10 years ago. Sure small growth is better than no growth or even decline but it's still not growth in real terms.

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

I think that joke's already sailed, bro, but good try. Try a few wacky quips about how Brisbane is getting half as many through the gates as it was 20 years ago, that'll slay 'em!

Get a clue. In 1995 Brisbane's crowd average was 35k. The average to date in 2015 is 32k.

Half?

Your maths skills have sailed.

To repeat another joke earlier in this thread, #NAPLANlowertwobands :lol:

 

[Timmah]

If that's the attitude fans have it's no wonder we can't improve crowd levels. One loss shouldn't suddenly turn fans away. You shouldn't have to be doing really good for fans to show up. Obviously a team on top of the comp should see crowds improving but a team sitting around the 8 shouldn't just see their crowds plummet.

More than ever lately, fans desert teams when they lose. There's more competition than ever for leisure spend and if someone thinks "well I'm not gonna go just to see them get hammered" then the decision is made easier for them. It's now far too easy to spend the night in and watch it on a 100 inch big screen with home cooking and comfort than it ever has been.

Throughout the debates on crowds in this very thread, there are too many wide-ranging assumptions that everyone who goes to games are as rusted-on as we all are. They aren't, and they're the ones who have "this attitude". The core of people turning up every week aren't the issue, it's the fringe dwellers who'll crack out their tag-still-on jersey they wore once last year when their team made the finals we need to convert and bring them in to this group of rusted on people.

In simple terms our clubs and the NRL have to find a way to grow the game.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Get a clue. In 1995 Brisbane's crowd average was 35k. The average to date in 2015 is 32k.

Half?

Your maths skills have sailed.

To repeat another joke earlier in this thread, #NAPLANlowertwobands :lol:

#keeppraying

 

[CowboyFuriousFury]

Average Home Attendances (after R20)
Broncos 32,395
Bulldogs 21,037
Rabbitohs 16,381
Cowboys 16,099
Eels 16,058
Knights 14,937

The 'Pride of the league' is only hundreds off the Cowboys despite being the premiers. You think being premiers they would be the biggest drawing team in NSW but not what's the excuses there. Eels/Knights are pretty good considering how poor there performing.

 

[TheFrog]

In simple terms our clubs and the NRL have to find a way to grow the game.

The decision has been made. Rugby League is a game played for TV audiences. If clubs can get people to pay to get into grounds, that is a bonus.

Thus TV interests tell the clubs when they may stage their games.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Going all in on TV and disregarding crowds is playing with fire as a long term growth strategy.

If the game just becomes essentially a TV show it becomes very easy to change the channel or switch off

TV shows all eventually get cancelled remember.

They need to work on these rusted on fans are and why they come

All each team needs is to grow that 9k base that they all have to a base of 15k

Then let the fair whether friends come and go as they please

 

[Perth Red]

The decision has been made. Rugby League is a game played for TV audiences. If clubs can get people to pay to get into grounds, that is a bonus.

Thus TV interests tell the clubs when they may stage their games.

Bit simplistic. I think the reality is the game has for two decades lost its negotiating power and has had to take a deal that brought in the $'s it desperately needed at the expense of controlling scheduling for fan attendance. Now if it is in a stronger position to maintain The $'s whilst wrestling back that fixture control will be the litmus test for Smith come 2018. We were all ecstatic at the $billion deal last time but can now see the hit we have taken to get it. big test of the nrl's negotiating ability now to see if they can take back schedule control from the media whilst maintains the $ value.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

We need a successful Knights parra dragons and tigers to bring that average up.

 

[Perth Red]

Out of current top 8, 5 of them should be capable of significant crowds with their success.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Anyone know the Warriors figure?

Cowboys v Crowd poison looks ok.

 

[Clifferd]

Anyone know the Warriors figure?

Cowboys v Crowd poison looks ok.

Warriors crowd was 12,000 odd

Cows game looks like 16015

 

[CC_Roosters]

Warriors crowd was 12,000 odd

Cows game looks like 16015

Well played lol

Gosford crowd will be interesting. Manly certainly have not had the same sort of engagement with the local council and media as the roosters did a few weeks ago. But manly have a lot of fans up here so could be similar to the roosters v titans

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Warriors crowd was 12,000 odd

Cows game looks like 16015

HAhaha, amazing.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

16,207 - So close!

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Want a crowd? Need more racist booing.

 

[elbusto]

Big crowd Gosford

 

[CC_Roosters]

Big crowd Gosford

Yes it looks pretty good. Coasties showing sydney-siders how to turn up

 

[Diesel]

2 games in Sydney last night and then nothing today.