2015 Crowd Watch

[Captain Apollo]

interestingly, that Bears vs Cowboys game was played at the old Suncorp Stadium. Dunno what the Bears were doing taking a home game there.

The reason was 1999 was the year the Bears had planned to move to Gosford.

Problem was after they had terminated their lease at North Sydney Oval due to its very high cost, they found in the 1998-99 off season that Gosford (now Bluetoungue Stadium) would not be ready as, due to a lot of inclement weather, construction had fallen well behind schedule.

That year Norths played "home" matches all over the place like Lang Park, Parramatta Stadium and Stadium Australia (now Telstra Stadium). It was not until Round 13 that they had negotiated a new lease for North Sydney Oval and returned their home games there.

 

[CowboyFuriousFury]

In other words a typical Roosters 'crowd' despite on Sunday afternoon the preferred spot for league fans apparently. Epic excuses about the cricket, the cricket goes day to night while league last 2 hours at worst. The 'heartland' prefers cricket over league in it's own heartland.

 

[Captain Apollo]

At the end of the day, the buck stops with the NRL, and they only have themselves to blame for this mess. It's not Ch9/Fox Sports fault, as they only get to sit down and choose their matches after they have seen the draw. I know designing a draw isn't a straightforward process given the NRL has to plan around those AFL/Super Rugby/Wallabies/Socceroos/A-League fixtures that are also played at NRL venues, as well as either miscellaneous events such as music festivals and concerts.

However, the NRL knew months in advance before the draw was created that there was a World Cup final on Sunday, March 29 (which was actually announced back in 2006 when Australia/NZ got the hosting rights to the 2015 World Cup), let alone the possibility that either of the host nations - Australia or New Zealand, or both of them - would make the final. The NRL has absolutely no excuse for not knowing or planning around this.

Actually I would not let the TV Broadcasters off the hook on this one. As far as us mere members of the public know about the contents of the TV contract, the NRL are obligated to provide so many games on certain days of the year to their broadcasters. If the broadcaster insisted the NRL meet its contractual obligation then there is nothing they can do.

Also the Rooster v Canberra game is not being covered by Channel 9 (they are broadcasting the Warriors v Broncos game). It is Fox Sports who are televising it and the game starts at 2.00 pm.

 

[insert.pause]

They could have even made time changes a week ago, moving the Warriors game to 11am our time would be reasonable. This whole round is a fiasco. The Warriors match could have easily been shifted to Saturday to avoid this rubbish. The NRL have botched this round. I know of about 20 people who won't go to the Sunday match because the CWC Final is on. Realistically, this is one day where the Sunday games should have been kept to a minimum.

I am so pro Sunday Football, I hate night football. This is one round where they could have had an extra two games on Saturday. Then have a live Sunday game at 12:30pm or 1pm leading into the cricket telecast. Honestly it is so obvious. Now you have the ridiculous situation of people staying home when a lot of fans would have liked to watch both. It is all well and good to have a set draw. This round should have been a "TBA" in terms of times and venues, then as soon as NZ made it, the game should have been shifted to Saturday, then as soon as Australia made it the extra game shifts to Saturday.

Warriors V Broncos is live on 9 at 11:30am AEDT leading into the cricket.

 

[lockyno1]

Warriors V Broncos is live on 9 at 11:30am EDST leading into the cricket.

That should have been the ONLY Sunday game. Roosters/Raiders should have been Saturday afternoon or night (either one). 3:30pm in the middle of the CWC Final is moronic.

 

[Captain Apollo]

That should have been the ONLY Sunday game. Roosters/Raiders should have been Saturday afternoon or night (either one). 3:30pm in the middle of the CWC Final is moronic.

As I said a few posts back, it is more than likely Fox Sports who are to blame as they are the ones televising the game. They probably insisted the NRL put a game on for them to televise as (I believe) the NRL are contractually obliged to do.

 

[cleary89]

Kinda like when heaps of dragons fans booked flights and accom to melb and then they moved it to nz 2 months later?

 

[lockyno1]

As I said a few posts back, it is more than likely Fox Sports who are to blame as they are the ones televising the game. They probably insisted the NRL put a game on for them to televise as (I believe) the NRL are contractually obliged to do.

They could have had an extra game Saturday to broadcast and it would rate its chops off. Now they have a dud game that no one will watch as everyone is watching the cricket. Absolutely brain dead that decision. Whoever made the decision has made a howler and there is no two ways about it. Unfortunately we are stuck with it now. It is annoying as I would have liked to watch that match.

 

[applesauce]

They could have had an extra game Saturday to broadcast and it would rate its chops off. Now they have a dud game that no one will watch as everyone is watching the cricket. Absolutely brain dead that decision. Whoever made the decision has made a howler and there is no two ways about it. Unfortunately we are stuck with it now. It is annoying as I would have liked to watch that match.

Same could be said for Friday night if you have no QLD team in 2 FNF match why televidse. I don't know why they bother with 2 games when NSW and QLD get the same live game.

Just shift the 2nd FNF game to Saturday/Sunday/Monday if a QLD team isn't playing in either FNF game.

The next TV deal needs some more flexibility or forethought.

 

[undertaker]

Kinda like when heaps of dragons fans booked flights and accom to melb and then they moved it to nz 2 months later?

OT, strange decision from the Storm given the Dragons is one of their higher drawing home matches in Melbourne, and also the Warriors will be playing at home against the Sea Eagles only a couple of hours earlier.

 

[undertaker]

The reason was 1999 was the year the Bears had planned to move to Gosford.

Problem was after they had terminated their lease at North Sydney Oval due to its very high cost, they found in the 1998-99 off season that Gosford (now Bluetoungue Stadium) would not be ready as, due to a lot of inclement weather, construction had fallen well behind schedule.

That year Norths played "home" matches all over the place like Lang Park, Parramatta Stadium and Stadium Australia (now Telstra Stadium). It was not until Round 13 that they had negotiated a new lease for North Sydney Oval and returned their home games there.

Yes, the lease was high. However, the NRL deemed North Sydney Oval was not up to standard as a part of the stadium criteria/requirements that they set post-SL war, which was used to also determine which teams would still be in the competition by 2000 when the comp had to be reduced from 20 teams in 1998 to 14 teams by 2000 (as a part of the peace agreement signed by the ARL and SL)

OT, funny how with the stadium criteria that was set post-SL, the NRL deemed North Sydney Oval was not up to standard, yet they allowed Souths to play a couple of home matches there in 2004/05, as well as allowing a run-down Brookvale Oval to continue hosting matches. Talk about rubbing insult to injury.

 

[undertaker]

Actually I would not let the TV Broadcasters off the hook on this one. As far as us mere members of the public know about the contents of the TV contract, the NRL are obligated to provide so many games on certain days of the year to their broadcasters. If the broadcaster insisted the NRL meet its contractual obligation then there is nothing they can do.

Also the Rooster v Canberra game is not being covered by Channel 9 (they are broadcasting the Warriors v Broncos game). It is Fox Sports who are televising it and the game starts at 2.00 pm.

I see what you are saying.

However, the NRL ultimately has the power to determine the dates that matches in the round can be played on, as well as setting other additional specific requirements at their discretion (e.g. Roosters/Dragons ANZAC match must be shown on Ch9, 5 matches on ANZAC day, only one game on Easter Sunday, Monday afternoon game on Queens Birthday Holiday, no MNF before the Test/City-Country weekend, no MNF in Rd 26 etc.)

 

[Captain Apollo]

They could have had an extra game Saturday to broadcast and it would rate its chops off. Now they have a dud game that no one will watch as everyone is watching the cricket. Absolutely brain dead that decision. Whoever made the decision has made a howler and there is no two ways about it. Unfortunately we are stuck with it now. It is annoying as I would have liked to watch that match.

A 4th game on Saturday? Firstly when would you schedule it?

There are 3 games on Saturday kicking off at:

3 pm;
5.30 pm; and
7.30 pm.

Further you could not schedule a game at the SFS for today as the ICC World Cup contracts (iirc) prohibit any venue being used 24 hours before or after a WCC game.

Additionally, on Saturday, the SFS is unavailable as the Waratahs are playing there on Saturday night.

I agree it is not ideal, but those are the problems unfortunately.

 

[undertaker]

The next TV deal needs some more flexibility or forethought.

This

 

[ek999]

A 4th game on Saturday? Firstly when would you schedule it?

There are 3 games on Saturday kicking off at:

3 pm;
5.30 pm; and
7.30 pm.

Further you could not schedule a game at the SFS for today as the ICC World Cup contracts (iirc) prohibit any venue being used 24 hours before or after a WCC game.

Additionally, on Saturday, the SFS is unavailable as the Waratahs are playing there on Saturday night.

I agree it is not ideal, but those are the problems unfortunately.

If the draw had been scheduled a bit better it would have been possible to shift all those matches half an hour earlier and have the Cowboys v Storm start at 8pm their time which would be a 9.00 pm kickoff in NSW. Roosters match can then be the Monday night match. Not ideal for the Roosters playing 2 Monday nights in a row but sometimes compromises have to be made. Otherwise shift the Roosters match to Friday and the Bulldogs v Tigers match to Monday

 

[Captain Apollo]

If the draw had been scheduled a bit better it would have been possible to shift all those matches half an hour earlier and have the Cowboys v Storm start at 8pm their time which would be a 9.00 pm kickoff in NSW. Roosters match can then be the Monday night match. Not ideal for the Roosters playing 2 Monday nights in a row but sometimes compromises have to be made. Otherwise shift the Roosters match to Friday and the Bulldogs v Tigers match to Monday

Go back and read my earlier post. IIRC, the contracts for the ICC World Cup prohibit the SCG or SFS being used 24 hours either side of a World Cup game. Thus the SFS would not be available tonight for use.

 

[ek999]

Go back and read my earlier post. IIRC, the contracts for the ICC World Cup prohibit the SCG or SFS being used 24 hours either side of a World Cup game. Thus the SFS would not be available tonight for use.

Play it on the Monday night then. Not ideal for Roosters to have back to back Monday night matches but teams can play up to 2 at home in the first 20 rounds so that could have been their allotment

 

[lockyno1]

Go back and read my earlier post. IIRC, the contracts for the ICC World Cup prohibit the SCG or SFS being used 24 hours either side of a World Cup game. Thus the SFS would not be available tonight for use.

The SFS isn't the SCG where last nights cricket match was played.

 

[johnny plath]

Yeah I know what you are saying, but they could have seen this a month out that the 29th could be an issue. Fans would be understanding if they are having 1 round where there is a small lead into a game. Ideally at least 2 weeks. As soon as NZ/Aus were on opposite sides of the pool standings the NRL should have known (i.e. 3 weeks ago!).

I don't blame Channel 9 one bit, and in fact ask them what they would want a match at 3:30pm when everyone is watching the cricket or a match at 1pm leading into the cricket....This round is going to be horrific![/QUOT

What a load of alarmist shit to say this whole round is going to be horrific because one game in Sydney clashes with the cricket world cup. Apart from cricket tragic I'd be surprised if casual viewers are glued to their TV for the eight tedious hours it takes to get a result. Cricket is one game that you can just keep a weather eye on while you do other things to fill in time... Like maybe go to the footy listen to the progress then catch the exciting finish if it goes that way. Easy to Have a go at nrl but I seriously doubt if the crowd is disappointing it's because of the cricket. And before everyone goes into melt down it might be worth looking at how roosters raiders crowd has stacked up in the past and do a comparison. And most importantly f**k cricket it's four rounds into the footy season. It's not like Olympics or something special.

 

[DC_fan]

Good looking crowd at Parramatta. Not so at ANZ.