2015 Crowd Watch part II

[Timmah]

If the NRL really wants to test WA for RL support, give them 4/5 games involving the following:

Souths/Warriors
West Tigers/Titans
Cowboys/Penrith
Cronulla/Canberra
Broncos/Bulldogs

Take the unattractive sub 10k games and put them in WA. See the response then along with the annual Souths/Warriors game.

This x 1000. It's all well and good to get excited over one crowd figure but let's see a sustained effort first.

 

[Perth Red]

Yep lets. We know Souths and warriors have thousands of fans here, we need to know how many of them are die hard RL fans who will turn out to any game. Having said that I am not sure you can judge the future crowds of a Perth team as fans here can call their own and get invested in by how many will turn out for two teams they don't care much about. Especially at $60 a ticket!

How many people would turn out at Melbpurne for Brisbane v Titans for example? I am confident a Perth team will draw a starting avg of 15-16k with some sell outs against the obvious opposition clubs, but that is dependant on a number of things like any other club.

The sell out one off crowds show there are RL fans in Perth, converting them to Pirates fans who go regularly to games will be the job of the new club with support from the nrl hopefully.

 

[Timmah]

Thing is PR, you can make the same argument for Gosford - games with Manly/Souths, Manly/Tigers etc routinely have sold Central Coast Stadium out. It's when the clash isn't that flash - Bulldogs v Cowboys, Roosters v Titans etc - that the proof isn't always in the pudding.

 

[gallagher]

Thing is PR, you can make the same argument for Gosford - games with Manly/Souths, Manly/Tigers etc routinely have sold Central Coast Stadium out. It's when the clash isn't that flash - Bulldogs v Cowboys, Roosters v Titans etc - that the proof isn't always in the pudding.

That's crap. So a Bulldogs game v cowboys at the dogs home ground can't rate a crowd but it is supposed to in perth to gauge leagues interest. Play 5 crap games of interstate teams in brisbane and see what the crowd is like.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

To be fair, Souths have been going to Perth since 2009 and slowly building this event.

And the matches vs Storm, Broncos and Warriors over the seasons have usually been high quality encounters and all those teams - they've done their fair share of promo and meet 'n' greets, etc.

I seem to recall the Bulldogs went to Perth a year or two ago. Why didn't they go back? [I know it was raining and all that which hurt the crowd]. So it can't all be peaches and cream over in Perth if only 1 NRL game is being taken there each year.

I hope they get a team in WA, but it has to be for the right reasons and make fiscal sense. Having 20,000 turn up each year to a one off event is one thing, but 12 games of season grind is something all together different. And sure, build it and they will come but I think the NRL would want to see hard proof that Perth can sustain itself.

 

[Perth Red]

Thing is PR, you can make the same argument for Gosford - games with Manly/Souths, Manly/Tigers etc routinely have sold Central Coast Stadium out. It's when the clash isn't that flash - Bulldogs v Cowboys, Roosters v Titans etc - that the proof isn't always in the pudding.

I agree, and it shows that Gosford probably has a RL audience that would make a nrl club there viable. I don't think many have argued that a club in Gosford couldn't draw a reasonable crowd, that is not the argument generally against having a club in Gosford.

Other less popular club games have drawn around 12-15k in Perth in recent years, manly v warriors drew 21k at Subiaco. I think what you can draw from a sell out one off is there is plenty of potential for a new club to attract t a decent following.

The flip side of this is somewhere like Adelaide that is drawi g sub 10k crowds at the moment for one off games. That would indicate a lot of work needs to be done there before considering a future team.

If a Perth team could avg 16k it would put the. In the top 5 supported clubs this season. That should be our goal.

Also when some existing clubs are avg 11k it is a bit rich to suggest a club needs to be getting 20k crowds to be worthy of a nrl place.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Also when some existing clubs are avg 11k it is a bit rich to suggest a club needs to be getting 20k crowds to be worthy of a nrl place.

I agree with this 100%.

 

[Perth Red]

To be fair, Souths have been going to Perth since 2009 and slowly building this event.

And the matches vs Storm, Broncos and Warriors over the seasons have usually been high quality encounters and all those teams - they've done their fair share of promo and meet 'n' greets, etc.

I seem to recall the Bulldogs went to Perth a year or two ago. Why didn't they go back? [I know it was raining and all that which hurt the crowd]. So it can't all be peaches and cream over in Perth if only 1 NRL game is being taken there each year.

I hope they get a team in WA, but it has to be for the right reasons and make fiscal sense. Having 20,000 turn up each year to a one off event is one thing, but 12 games of season grind is something all together different. And sure, build it and they will come but I think the NRL would want to see hard proof that Perth can sustain itself.

Problem is the nrl is doing nothing to give us the opportunity to show that proof! they are Taki g a very different approach, rather than building g excitement and getting cities bidding and fans excited like s15 have done they have just taken it all behind closed doors and my sense is will just announce at some point where the new teams will be, if there are to be any.

Re why aren't more clubs playing in Perth, good question! I guess it easier for them to meet In Sydney and whinge about the nrl not giving them enough money. Souths would have made close to $750k min from yesterday's game, but they have had to work for it. They've worked with wa govt to get support, built a strong connection and membership in wa, committed to a reasonable length of relationship, do the hard yards whilst in town, found new wa corporates to get behind the game etc etc. in comparison other clubs tend to fly in, little promotion, little commitment play the game and bugger off.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Problem is the nrl is doing nothing to give us the opportunity to show that proof! they are Taki g a very different approach, rather than building g excitement and getting cities bidding and fans excited like s15 have done they have just taken it all behind closed doors and my sense is will just announce at some point where the new teams will be, if there are to be any.

Re why aren't more clubs playing in Perth, good question! I guess it easier to meet I Sydney and whinge about the nrl not giving them enough money. Souths would have made close to 750k min from yesterday's game, but they have had to work for it. They've worked with wa govt to get support, built a strong connection and membership in wa, committed to a reasonable length of relationship, do the hard yards whilst in town, found new wa corporates to get behind the game etc etc. in comparison other clubs tend to fly on, little promotion, little commitment and bugger off.

Personally, I think Perth should bid to host Monday Night Football for a season.

I'm sure they tell the NRL they're serious about getting in anyway but this would hammer it home even more.

6pm Perth kick off for 8pm East Coast kick off.

Hype it up to the gunnels.

And whatever crowd is there is a bonus for the NRL. And if the NRL were smart, they'd do this for a season and announce the Pirates entry in to the comp so each Monday, recruit members/fans/scurvy landlubbers to sign up to the Pirates. Give out free flags and caps and build it.

But then again...that might be too hard.

 

[gallagher]

Personally, I think Perth should bid to host Monday Night Football for a season.

I'm sure they tell the NRL they're serious about getting in anyway but this would hammer it home even more.

6pm Perth kick off for 8pm East Coast kick off.

Hype it up to the gunnels.

And whatever crowd is there is a bonus for the NRL. And if the NRL were smart, they'd do this for a season and announce the Pirates entry in to the comp so each Monday, recruit members/fans/scurvy landlubbers to sign up to the Pirates. Give out free flags and caps and build it.

But then again...that might be too hard.

So give a new club the crappiest of timeslots for a whole year and reduce the opportunity to be on fta by half? How about we mske them play with a pineapple aswell?

 

[The Mad Hatter]

So give a new club the crappiest of timeslots for a whole year and reduce the opportunity to be on fta by half? How about we mske them play with a pineapple aswell?

No - I did not say the Pirates get MNF. I said Perth (the city) should host MNF for a year (so each week 2 NRL go to Perth to play MNF), and then have their team come in, building off some momentum of having had 24-26 games in Perth each Monday night, exposing the city and region to constant NRL and a host of teams.

Then when the Pirates come in to the comp, they play as scheduled, not Monday nights.

If Perth / WA (city not Pirates) have MNF for a year, the NRL in conjunction with the Perth City council, WA Govt, sponsors, corporates etc, could tee up a deal that makes it attractive for Perth to host MNF. The NRL could take a hit on sponsor / corporate revenues to advertise WA businesses on MNF live in to the East Coast. You scratch my back and we scratch yours kind of deal.

 

[Perth Red]

Time slot for Monday night's in Perth makes it a no go. Most people are still at work or on the road at 6pm which is what time it would need to kick off.

 

[Perth Red]

1. Take the magic to Perth, says Campo

Terry Campese says the NRL should play a whole round in Perth, starting next season. The former Canberra star had his first taste of Super League's Magic Weekend on Saturday and reckons the concept would be a winner with fans and make the NRL plenty of money if held in the right venue. "I think it's a good concept – they brought it to Newcastle which is predominantly football land," he tells Set of Six.

"And I think you could do it Australia in Perth or somewhere where they want to expand the game in future." Campo has a new teammate: former Penrith star Tony Puletua was in dispute with Salford who were forcing him to train without picking him. But when another Canberran, Dane Tilse, broke his hand, Hull KR called for reinforcements and one of the original Hair Bears now has a chance to go out on his own terms.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...perth-says-terry-campese-20150531-ghdfia.html

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Time slot for Monday night's in Perth makes it a no go. Most people are still at work or on the road at 6pm which is what time it would need to kick off.

Cool. No probs then. Saturday afternoon?

 

[gallagher]

Even the most ardent league fan would not go to MNF every week. Sounds like a stupid idea to me.

 

[Perth Red]

Yeh Saturday afternoon or if fox wanted to have a late night game in east you could have sat 7pm as a regular Perth time.

Tbh all they really need to do is announce Pirates are in and invest in some serious marketing and fan engagement between now and 2018. When we thought we were going to get the Reds in for 2013 I was part of a supporters group with the WARL to generate interest and it was getting big quickly, there are a lot of RL hungry people in WA.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

10k General public tix left for Origin 2 - says the NRL - http://www.nrl.com/state-of-origin-ii-tickets-selling-fast/tabid/10874/newsid/86828/default.aspx

I wonder how many MCC members have issued tix.

 

[Timmah]

That's crap. So a Bulldogs game v cowboys at the dogs home ground can't rate a crowd but it is supposed to in perth to gauge leagues interest. Play 5 crap games of interstate teams in brisbane and see what the crowd is like.

That's kinda the point mate... I think you're actually supporting what I'm saying.

I'm saying it's all well and good to back a Perth team based on a sell-out when two popular teams play a one off... but when you put 4 or 5 games there and mix the teams up a bit, will the same thing happen? Answer is likely no.

What I'm saying is it's pretty naff to gauge interest in Perth in these one-off Souths-Warriors games each year - we need a better snapshot of what RL's support is in Perth.

I have no doubt it's very good and could sustain a team easily, just I don't think 1 game a season is proving that just yet.

I agree, and it shows that Gosford probably has a RL audience that would make a nrl club there viable. I don't think many have argued that a club in Gosford couldn't draw a reasonable crowd, that is not the argument generally against having a club in Gosford.

Other less popular club games have drawn around 12-15k in Perth in recent years, manly v warriors drew 21k at Subiaco. I think what you can draw from a sell out one off is there is plenty of potential for a new club to attract t a decent following.

The flip side of this is somewhere like Adelaide that is drawi g sub 10k crowds at the moment for one off games. That would indicate a lot of work needs to be done there before considering a future team.

If a Perth team could avg 16k it would put the. In the top 5 supported clubs this season. That should be our goal.

Also when some existing clubs are avg 11k it is a bit rich to suggest a club needs to be getting 20k crowds to be worthy of a nrl place.

To be fair, the Adelaide clash (I think Bulldogs v Storm) at Adelaide Oval two years ago (maybe 3) was played when the Bulldogs were arse-ordinary, AO itself was in the throes of construction and I think only had 15k tickets available in the first place etc.

The other game I remember going there from memory was Sharks v Cowboys I think, played at Hindmarsh which caps out at 16k (or did back then, anyway).

Take a more substantial game to Adelaide, play it at a now renovated AO... I reckon we'd get 25-30k.

 

[undertaker]

Take a more substantial game to Adelaide, play it at a now renovated AO... I reckon we'd get 25-30k.

This.

Adelaide Oval is also more central to the CBD than Hindmarsh Stadium. Crowds in the past have proven that RL can draw a big crowd at Adelaide Oval. It would need proper promotion and exposure. It's absolutely no surprise that Adelaide/Port Adelaide's home crowds in the AFL have increased since they moved from Football Park - which is a good 13km away in the West Lakes precinct - to Adelaide Oval which is within walking distance from the CBD. I have no doubt if Sydney had a stadium walking distance from Central Station, it'd also achieve a similar increase in crowds.

OT, if Origin matches are taken to a neutral venue every 3rd year (like it has been since 2006), I would like to see an Origin game there. Similar capacity to Suncorp (approx. 52-53k), only 30mins time difference behind NSW/QLD. Adelaide Oval and the new Perth stadium (due to be completed in 2018) would be the strong candidates for mine.

 

[oldmancraigy]

I know Perth Red rubs people the wrong way, but a Perth team is a no brainer.

They had a 14k 20 years ago. I am sure they could easily replicate that, and most likely beat it with ease. There are local comps etc, it is much better situated than Melbourne in the local sense.