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2016 Crowd Watch

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Self-inflicted fail by the NRL again. A perfect storm of shithouse administration.

Step 1. Play a 2x Western Sydney game in the Eastern Suburbs - a nice 1-2 hour drive each way for the "home" team's fans. However this came about, it's the NRL's fault.

Step 2. Charge $40-120 for tickets to an event that has small chance of selling out. Pure greed based in delusion about what fans can afford/are willing to pay for a live TV event.
Priority 1 should be filling the stadium, well ahead of charging "premium" ticket prices.

Step 3. Spend the 7 days previous absolutely embarrassing the game via the esteemed Match Review Committee (Wighton) and referees (Titans shafting).
 

Hoofhearted

Juniors
Messages
752
Crowds in the NRL are a product of it being turned into a TV game. Everything that happens in regard to scheduling is to suit TV, not getting people to the ground. As David Gyngell said a few years ago when questioned about the Friday Double Header, he has spent a lot of money and needs to get it back.
If they wanted crowds you would get rid of Thursday and Monday night footy, no more 5:30 Saturday games. Have Friday Night game, Saturday arvo, Saturday Night and the rest at 3:30 Sunday.
Obviously this cant happen because it would cost the game millions in revenue, but the fact is that with all the focus on TV the NRL have built a generation of people who watch their footy at home.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
69,294
AFL get big crowds for 2 main reasons

1. Their game is better to watch at the ground, as opposed to the NRL where it is tv friendly
2. Neutrals actually turn up

We can't do much about 1, but a strategy for getting more neutrals to the game is whats needed by the NRL
1 BS, never heard such rubbish.
2. True, sadly afl fans love their game more than RL fans who only love their club, and then if only doing well.
 

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,821
Crowds in the NRL are a product of it being turned into a TV game. Everything that happens in regard to scheduling is to suit TV, not getting people to the ground. As David Gyngell said a few years ago when questioned about the Friday Double Header, he has spent a lot of money and needs to get it back.
If they wanted crowds you would get rid of Thursday and Monday night footy, no more 5:30 Saturday games. Have Friday Night game, Saturday arvo, Saturday Night and the rest at 3:30 Sunday.
Obviously this cant happen because it would cost the game millions in revenue, but the fact is that with all the focus on TV the NRL have built a generation of people who watch their footy at home.

I am convinced League needs to go the way of other codes and stop the clock when the ball is out of play, play the game in quarters (3 minute quarter time and three quarter time) and I would even consider a 90 second time out for each coach each half (but get rid of the trainers running on with instructions any time they like). This will extend the length of the game and add more opportunities for TV advertisement so more revenue.
In exchange the NRL should have complete control of the schedule and give teams fixed times of the week or weekend that their team plays so that fans can get into a routine.

There are also a whole heap of things that could happen at the ground to bring in bigger crowds. For example coach on side line, not in box somewhere. Coach gives brief interview at half time not to TV but to some ground interviewer. Allow fans on ground after full-time.
 
Messages
14,139
Not sure it will be as impressive when they're back to 9-11k crowds next year.

Although if they have those big fire machine thingies it would be worth clapping them to life as much as possible in the winter.
 
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