2017 Crowd Watch

[Perth Red]

You do realise there's only one competition in the Southern Hemisphere with only a few teams that average 40k crowd average.

And theres only one sport in Europe that avg 30k plus, you set the bar at the best. I see nothing intrinsically different between afl and nrl, other than nrl is more enjoyable to watch, and no reason that if an afl club can get 40k why and nrl club couldn't get 40k, all things being equal.

 

[Perth Red]

What we have trouble with is getting the floating sports fan, the one who goes because it's an event, these fans are the one's we lost because of the super league war and the media campaign to create the perception that rugby league culture is negative.
These supporters are the one's we gained during the Tina Turner years and now seem to have gone to AFL.

Tbf the crowds in 92-95, the so called glory years, were lower than now so not sure we can blame the catastrophic events of 2 decades ago on today's malaise.

 

[Marlins]

And theres only one sport in Europe that avg 30k plus, you set the bar at the best. I see nothing intrinsically different between afl and nrl, other than nrl is more enjoyable to watch, and no reason that if an afl club can get 40k why and nrl club couldn't get 40k, all things being equal.

Because all things aren't equal. The big two differences are nsw media having such a negative impact on the game as the Victorian media only giving positive stories and the Stadium setup. If Sydney had 1 assessablestadium like the MCG in the right location that majority of Sydney teams played at it would be a lot closer.

 

[Perth Red]

Never said it was in Sydney, we were talking about Brisbane where all things are equal with a comparable club like WC Eagles. In fact broncos have much better facilities and a bigger population and no second Brisbane club to compete with so Why can't broncos avg 40k when eagles have sold all 42k seats to members pre season and have another 10k waiting for a full membership? It's because the game and clubs are terrible at selling itself.

 

[Stormwarrior82]

For me there are 4 things that make Nrl different to Afl with regards to crowds.

1. Melbourne's transport is better.
2. Melbourne's history is to support footy clubs
3. Afl media
4. Most Vic clubs playing out of centralized stadium.

Now transport won't change in a hurry but Nrl needs at least to get free travel for spectators to games. It's expected this day and age.

Nrl are late to the party on this but are making inroads with membership numbers.

The Nrl need to fix the relationship between them and the media. Hopefully the old reporters get overtaken by Nrls new media/digital department and we start seeing them on tv instead of news limited.

This is where I think the Nrl can do a lot better. Why couldn't the Nrl have there own membership? Have a 5 game/10 game/20 game pass that allows them access to that many games regardless of the stadium? Sydneysiders would love it. That would have to help crowds in Sydney.

 

[taipan]

Exactly. And why is that? Your f**king incompetent mates whose job it is to grow the game.

Incompetence by both the NRL and Broncos and NRL clubs to be near the mark.
Promotion is the responsibility of all ,including players,cause the idiots that f*ck up off the field, don't help promote the game,turn people off.
Looks as if all the admins in the NSWRL,ARL,and NRL f....ing failed along the way.Be it stadiums, be it crowds.We had some crap crowds in the 60s,70s and onwards.

 

[taipan]

Never said it was in Sydney, we were talking about Brisbane where all things are equal with a comparable club like WC Eagles. In fact broncos have much better facilities and a bigger population and no second Brisbane club to compete with so Why can't broncos avg 40k when eagles have sold all 42k seats to members pre season and have another 10k waiting for a full membership? It's because the game and clubs are terrible at selling itself.

That's exactly my point PR,spot on.The Broncos have all the dots crossed with facilities and city domination.If the Broncos averaged 40,000 plus ,perhaps a 2nd side may be on the horizon by now.Melbourne have more than half the members of the Broncos ,in a city where there is crap media coverage and promotion.

 

[taipan]

Not as simple as just pop size, Auckland has 1.4million people one team and 14k crowds. The fact broncos aren't avg 40kmagain is just a reflection of how bad our game is at growing itself.

Auckland is ru dominated .rl is strong in the South of the city.The opposite applies to teh Broncos,it is supposedly a rl city(the heartland).
I agree with your last line and blame both the NRL and Broncos.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Incompetence by both the NRL and Broncos and NRL clubs to be near the mark.
Promotion is the responsibility of all ,including players,cause the idiots that f*ck up off the field, don't help promote the game,turn people off.
Looks as if all the admins in the NSWRL,ARL,and NRL f....ing failed along the way.Be it stadiums, be it crowds.We had some crap crowds in the 60s,70s and onwards.

And what's the billion dollar NRL doing about any or all of this?

f**k all. In fact they're doing the opposite of what is needed. They're doing everything to rob every other entity in the sport of money so they can have complete control. They're ensuring clubs have next to no independent revenue. They're doing the same to the CRL, NZRL and RLIF. It's a big power game to the detriment of the sport and there's no sign of it ending. They've grabbed as much power as they can and they still can't use it to grow or improve the sport in any tangible way.

 

[taipan]

Ask NRL clubs who are getting 130% of the salary cap and you might get part of the answer.The fact they got this increase, meant grassroots had a reduced expectation.You go f...ing figure.
$100m to a digital media department sucks up money, for long term benefit with new media changing.

NRL clubs have to reduce the amount of money spent within football management.The extra money is to be spent supposedly on promotion and improvements to infrastructure.
Funny you say that, more clubs are relying less on poker machine revenue than the past, when lazy clubs just relied on he licenced clubs.The bloody laziness went back years.Ask St George and their Taj Mahal.

' Independent revenue ",try pushing memberships,sponsorships,merchandise.Most clubs now know they just can't rely on grants and poker machine revenue is not going to be there forever.RL clubs didn't know what a friggin membership was not that long ago.
I've been following this code for ages, and seen huge waste year after year.And as always there's never been enough money to go around.

 

[Lethal3]

For me there are 4 things that make Nrl different to Afl with regards to crowds.

1. Melbourne's transport is better.
2. Melbourne's history is to support footy clubs
3. Afl media
4. Most Vic clubs playing out of centralized stadium.

How do explain WA, SA and NSW?

 

[Perth Red]

Storm offering free kids tickets for the two home games during school holidays. Good to see.

 

[Perth Red]

How do explain WA, SA and NSW?

You can explain away Sydney nrl crowds against Melbourne afl crowds in this way but not perth afl v Brisbane nrl or Adelaide afl v Auckland nrl or Melbourne nrl v sydney afl.

 

[Perth Red]

Ask NRL clubs who are getting 130% of the salary cap and you might get part of the answer.The fact they got this increase, meant grassroots had a reduced expectation.You go f...ing figure.
$100m to a digital media department sucks up money, for long term benefit with new media changing.

NRL clubs have to reduce the amount of money spent within football management.The extra money is to be spent supposedly on promotion and improvements to infrastructure.
Funny you say that, more clubs are relying less on poker machine revenue than the past, when lazy clubs just relied on he licenced clubs.The bloody laziness went back years.Ask St George and their Taj Mahal.

' Independent revenue ",try pushing memberships,sponsorships,merchandise.Most clubs now know they just can't rely on grants and poker machine revenue is not going to be there forever.RL clubs didn't know what a friggin membership was not that long ago.
I've been following this code for ages, and seen huge waste year after year.And as always there's never been enough money to go around.

I'd love to see the business case for that $100mill digital spend!

 

[Lethal3]

You can explain away Sydney nrl crowds against Melbourne afl crowds in this way but not perth afl v Brisbane nrl or Adelaide afl v Auckland nrl or Melbourne nrl v sydney afl.

Perth have 2 teams that will fill a 60k stadium every weekend from 2018 onwards, would 2 Bris teams do the same numbers?

 

[Perth Red]

Perth have 2 teams that will fill a 60k stadium every weekend from 2018 onwards, would 2 Bris teams do the same numbers?

No and thats the point, we are a long way behind afl in all comparison cities, its a big failing of the nrl and clubs to build an attendance culture. We can only hope the nrl wakes up and comes up with a better strategy in the next strategic plan in 2018!

 

[Teddyboy]

Tbf the crowds in 92-95, the so called glory years, were lower than now so not sure we can blame the catastrophic events of 2 decades ago on today's malaise.

The glory Tina Turner years was 1989-1995 good crowds was for finals, SOO, alongside a GB full test tour and the WCC game between Bronco's v Wigan, week in week out crowds the the ARL club was a mixed between okay, nothing special and good but the game was moving in the right direction and Union, Aussie Rules and Soccer were no where near RL back then.

 

[taipan]

I'd love to see the business case for that $100mill digital spend!

The AFL think its a good idea(they employ huge numbers on their digital media),I mean what would they know.

Ditto the business case for the Perth Pirates and their long term profitability case.

 

[Raiderdave]

crowd predictions for this weekend

Bulldogs V Broncos 10,000
Roosters V Manly 10,000
Cowboys V Souths 10,000
Sharks V Knights 12,000
Raiders V Parramatta 15,000
Melbourne V Penrith 15,000
Warriors V Titans 10,000
Tigers V Dragons 15,000

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

That's exactly my point PR,spot on.The Broncos have all the dots crossed with facilities and city domination.If the Broncos averaged 40,000 plus ,perhaps a 2nd side may be on the horizon by now.Melbourne have more than half the members of the Broncos ,in a city where there is crap media coverage and promotion.

The broncos get shit crowds because they are lazy....

They are a big fish in the small NRL pond, so it isnt hard to float to the top. At least the Sydney teams have an excuse of being in a massively oversaturated market, the Bronx have a city of 2mil to themselves and struggle to average 25k.

I want a second Brissy team just to put a rocket up the Broncos ass! They wouldnt want their "little brother" team coming in and getting more members/bigger crowds. We would get an arms race for supporters...