2017 Crowd Watch

[T-Boon]

Um Todd how about you fix what you can control, like scheduling blockbusters on Thursday night or better yet get rid of thurdays and 6pm Friday

Thats not the easiest thing to fix since the game is drunk on the TV money they get which will have to be sacrificed somewhat if we change TV schedules.
The easiest thing to fix is the rest of the game day experience. Todd should encourage clubs to spend $20k a year sending a team of people from the game day department over to the US to see how their sports (especially MLB and college sports) entertain the crap out of fans for 3 hours.

 

[T-Boon]

The inner city Catholic schools are not playing rugby league either. I teach in both domains.

SFX Hamilton still play (are there any other inner city Newcastle Catholic Schools??).
They had a good team last year. But I have suspected for a few years they have started playing a lot of AFL probably because of a Victorian principal.

 

[El Diablo]

swans manage to pull 30k to home games regularly these days

only because the AFL lets them spend more so they're always in the finals

 

[morley101]

If the stadiums are "weather proofed" like the proposed ANZ revamp with a roof I can see the average
crowds improving.

 

[guyver78]

Any cheap $15 tickets to the Roosters v Cowboys game this wknd???

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

only because the AFL lets them spend more so they're always in the finals

Not any more. All above salary cap exemptions no longer in place in the AFL. Could explain some of the Lions downfall but no impact on Sydney at this point.

The long game was applied for the Swans who were getting horrible crowds in the 80s and early 90s. Not so now.

NRL needs a bit more long term vision on crowds rather than a quick fix. Good stadium facilities as mentioned here recently is an important step, along with the other points outlined (transport, game day experience etc). The parra stadium investment and upgrades to ANZ and Allianz would give 3 quality stadiums for the Sydney teams to work on building crowd numbers over time. Chopping and changing home grounds for teams also wouldn't help. Fans need to identify with a location over time and make it their own.

 

[Timmah]

If the stadiums are "weather proofed" like the proposed ANZ revamp with a roof I can see the average
crowds improving.

This is a myth IMO. Etihad is far more weather protected (particularly given 80% of games have the roof shut) and it doesn't always mean more fans attend.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

This is a myth IMO. Etihad is far more weather protected (particularly given 80% of games have the roof shut) and it doesn't always mean more fans attend.

I can guarantee those wanting to go to a game in the wet at in Melbourne would be much more likely to go if it were at Etihad than the MCG unless its a big rivalry game. Sydney gets a roofed stadium, it would be of great benefit to crowd numbers. A roof on a big stadium like ANZ would be quite the commitment to that stadium. Would a roof be better off at a centralised location like Allianz which could hold similar crowd sizes to Etihad?

 

[Stallion]

SFX Hamilton still play (are there any other inner city Newcastle Catholic Schools??).
They had a good team last year. But I have suspected for a few years they have started playing a lot of AFL probably because of a Victorian principal.

Should have qualified the information. Primary

 

[Bgoodorgoodatit]

I have to disagree, Purpose built high quality stadiums will definitely help improve crowds especially ones where the rain becomes a non factor. I. Honestly outside of a major semi or grand final who the f**k would pay good money to sit in the rain at ANZ 150 meters from the action. Compare that to Suncorp where ive attended multiple games in the rain and had it not affect my decision to attend at all. Shit i was even at the pub waiting to attend the test match in the pouring rain until it was called off.. if i had been in Sydney and that game was at ANZ i wouldn't have even considered getting off the couch..

Furthermore it was disappointing on 360 that no mention was made of the affect scheduling has on crowds. Greenburg sits there ans say's there's been no discernible difference in crowds over the last 20 years however its a pointless comparison as the schedules and stadia have all changed dramatically.

i think i combination of better stadium infrastructure in Sydney (its pretty ridiculous that the home of rugby league has some of the most outdated stadiums in the country) and taking control of the draw(Who the f**k is able to get to a game at 6pm on a Friday?) will see a pretty significant improvement in crowd numbers.

 

[Stallion]

SFX Hamilton still play (are there any other inner city Newcastle Catholic Schools??).
They had a good team last year. But I have suspected for a few years they have started playing a lot of AFL probably because of a Victorian principal.

Catholic primary schools in the inner city of Newcastle have no rugby league in recent times. SFX Hamilton allows rugby league to year 10 level then its only union from upwards of year 10.

 

[big hit!]

Furthermore it was disappointing on 360 that no mention was made of the affect scheduling has on crowds. Greenburg sits there ans say's there's been no discernible difference in crowds over the last 20 years however its a pointless comparison as the schedules and stadia have all changed dramatically.

you're not going to have panel members on 360 taking him to task about it, considering it's their employer who is one of the schedulers. it's the reason none of the rugby league media attack the scheduling.....it's exclusive content for their boss, and gives them a job.

once again, self interest reigns supreme in the game

 

[big hit!]

If the stadiums are "weather proofed" like the proposed ANZ revamp with a roof I can see the average
crowds improving.

sydney stadiums don't need to be weather-proofed for rugby league. the most it rains in sydney is february and march, and rugby league shouldn't even be played in march. only reason it is is so broadcasters can have more content to show and the NRL have bent over for it once again.

focus should be on making the rectangular stadiums f**king good so the crowd feels on top of the arena. this means primarily improving the rake so the seating goes up from the first row.

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

Not any more. All above salary cap exemptions no longer in place in the AFL. Could explain some of the Lions downfall but no impact on Sydney at this point.

The long game was applied for the Swans who were getting horrible crowds in the 80s and early 90s. Not so now.

NRL needs a bit more long term vision on crowds rather than a quick fix. Good stadium facilities as mentioned here recently is an important step, along with the other points outlined (transport, game day experience etc). The parra stadium investment and upgrades to ANZ and Allianz would give 3 quality stadiums for the Sydney teams to work on building crowd numbers over time. Chopping and changing home grounds for teams also wouldn't help. Fans need to identify with a location over time and make it their own.

Bullshit
The AFL just changed the name of COLA
It's now rent assistance or some shit

Plus the extra cola that SYD got (pre bullshit headline about COLA being stopped) is still payable to players like Bundy f**kloon because they were signed before cola was stopped .
So any player who was signed before 20016 or 17
Still gets COLA till their contract is finished .

There's the truth & there's the AFL media version of truth

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ut-rent-subsidy-on-way-in-20140520-zrj5l.html

Sydney's controversial cost-of-living allowance will be removed by the start of the 2017 season but the AFL will compensate the Swans with a new rent subsidy, which the league will pay directly to footballers earning less than the average players' wage.

However, Greater Western Sydney appears to have been successful in its push to retain an additional $1 million in its salary cap, which the AFL will continue to support in recognition of the unique challenges faced by the Giants as they battle to establish themselves. GWS players will also receive the rental subsidy from the start of 2017.

The cost-of-living allowance that affords the two Sydney-based clubs an extra 9.8 per cent worth of salary cap room will be phased out - in the Swans' case over 2015 and 2016 - with all existing contracts, including Lance Franklin's, to be honoured going forward.

Instead the AFL will directly allocate an estimated $15,000 to every player on the lower side of the wage spectrum. By 2017 the qualification ceiling for rent subsidy is expected to include all footballers earning below an annual $300,000.

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[Timmah]

I can guarantee those wanting to go to a game in the wet at in Melbourne would be much more likely to go if it were at Etihad than the MCG unless its a big rivalry game. Sydney gets a roofed stadium, it would be of great benefit to crowd numbers. A roof on a big stadium like ANZ would be quite the commitment to that stadium. Would a roof be better off at a centralised location like Allianz which could hold similar crowd sizes to Etihad?

On face value your point makes plenty of sense but in reality it's wrong.

In Melbourne, fans favour MCG much more than Etihad wherever possible. Personally, I'd rather sit in the rain at the G than dry in the stands at Etihad. It's a horrible, soulless ground, poorly laid out too.

 

[moffla]

On face value your point makes plenty of sense but in reality it's wrong.

In Melbourne, fans favour MCG much more than Etihad wherever possible. Personally, I'd rather sit in the rain at the G than dry in the stands at Etihad. It's a horrible, soulless ground, poorly laid out too.

The joint is a dump.

For rectangular sports not even the modular seating can improve the atmosphere, while for AFL half the seating feels restricted viewing.

Agree with you wet weather point. I still prefer to go to the G on a wet night...plenty of undercover seating anyway

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

On face value your point makes plenty of sense but in reality it's wrong.

In Melbourne, fans favour MCG much more than Etihad wherever possible. Personally, I'd rather sit in the rain at the G than dry in the stands at Etihad. It's a horrible, soulless ground, poorly laid out too.

It's not wrong, it's a matter of preference. While you have yours, I'd prefer a dry Etihad to watch my team than a wet MCG and I know others who are the same. I would think there's a number of Sydney people that would be tipped over to go to a game on a wet day/night if it were under a roof. There's plenty of people in here who believe that the poor Sydney weather played a massive role in declining crowd numbers early this year. A roof on at least one major Sydney stadium would have insulated this drop in some way.

 

[H.H]

Anyone have updated PAX numbers for this weekends games???

 

[adamkungl]

PAX 10444 for Roosters.
Yay double digits..

 

[Perth Red]

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/greater-w...ow-sees-them-as-an-asset-20170918-gyjpw4.html

typical NRL media here.....deflect. seems to be taking the line of 'yeah NRL crowds are shit, but this mob are just as bad so it's a Sydney thing.

ahhh no. the giants are 6 years old. rugby league has been in sydney for over a century. swans manage to pull 30k to home games regularly these days. difference is the AFL don't schedule them to play every thursday night or at friday 6pm

we laugh at GWS getting a shy under 15k when two 50 year plus old Sydney NRL teams barely cracked 15k?