2018 Crowd Watch

[Valheru]

Unless you could get a minimum 3-4 other rep games on the three weekends in question, the distinct lack of footy would arguably see a massive drop in interest in the comp.

I'd be interested to see how Super Rugby's international break plays with their attendance and viewership, because that's essentially what we'd be doing. Free kick to the AFL n all that

Yes you would need other fixtures across the weekend for it to work but we aren't short of options. Some options are

NZ/ENG 3 Test series
Pacific Cup involving PNG/Samoa/Fiji/Tonga
Under 20s SOO
Women's 9s Tournament??

 

[adamkungl]

Yeah it's really not too difficult to put on 4-6 rep games a week for 3 or 4 weeks.

 

[unforgiven]

Yes you would need other fixtures across the weekend for it to work but we aren't short of options. Some options are

NZ/ENG 3 Test series
Pacific Cup involving PNG/Samoa/Fiji/Tonga
Under 20s SOO
Women's 9s Tournament??

I actually think it is the perfect opportunity to play the 9s tournament as a travelling 3 week circus. Rep squads are selected then the NRL teams play in 3 9s tournaments in 3 out of the 4 the developing regions of NZ, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. The 4th region host the neutral venue for the 3rd SOO game each year and is rotated.

Friday Night 9s
Sat/Sat night 9s
Sunday Night State of Origin

If desired Pacific tests could be added to this period as well.

 

[unforgiven]

One thing I have found that is personally making it harder to get to a game is the loss of the under 20's NRL. Traveling an hour plus each way to have one game and nothing to do beforehand takes away some of the motivation to get off the couch. It makes grounds harder to get into as everyone is arriving at the same time and has congested transport options and parking as well.

It must be also be having an impact on food and beverage sale as there is no way i'm spending $20 on a feed when I'm not in the ground for less than 2hrs. I now spend more time traveling than actually inside the venue.

 

[hutch]

That's some awfully unhelpful hyperbole there.


Unless you could get a minimum 3-4 other rep games on the three weekends in question, the distinct lack of footy would arguably see a massive drop in interest in the comp.

I'd be interested to see how Super Rugby's international break plays with their attendance and viewership, because that's essentially what we'd be doing. Free kick to the AFL n all that

The free kick to afl is something the media made up. The main game in the media on each of the 3 weekends would be state of origin, the hype would be huge. Add the pacific test series or pacific cup, eng v nz, nz origin, women’s nrl or rep games, northern hemisphere tests, country comps, schoolboy comps, 9’s comps etc and there is more than enough content for 3 weekends which breaks up the nrl season nicely. It won’t take anything away from the comp, it will add to the RL calendar. We currently have about 6-8 weeks affected by origin, need to shake things up!

 

[hutch]

Yet my point stands. The less matches at ANZ the better. Put the matches on at venues people want to go to. It’s a simple concept. ANZ isn’t needed until a really big game- Origin/GF/prelim.

Anz averages bigger crowds than suburban grounds though. You will decrease crowds by moving them all away from there.
Right game, right stadium, simple! (And stadium upgrades along with a better nrl schedule will help massively)

 

[adamkungl]

9s knockout for non-rep players isn't the worst idea i've ever heard

Clubs would probably sook though. The reality is they want to kill off anything that isn't club footy.

 

[Raiderdave]

Yet my point stands. The less matches at ANZ the better. Put the matches on at venues people want to go to. It’s a simple concept. ANZ isn’t needed until a really big game- Origin/GF/prelim.

and look like a 2nd rate borderline amateur comp
yeah , that's a plan
LOL

 

[The Vaulting Violinist]

I just tried to get 2x $15 tickets and could only get restricted view

The alternative was $290 tickets

Wtf

 

[Timmah]

Yet my point stands. The less matches at ANZ the better. Put the matches on at venues people want to go to. It’s a simple concept. ANZ isn’t needed until a really big game- Origin/GF/prelim.

You were literally replying to a post about yesterday's game at Allianz and started a bitch and moan about ANZ which is irrelevant. Take the L and move on.

One thing I have found that is personally making it harder to get to a game is the loss of the under 20's NRL. Traveling an hour plus each way to have one game and nothing to do beforehand takes away some of the motivation to get off the couch. It makes grounds harder to get into as everyone is arriving at the same time and has congested transport options and parking as well.

It must be also be having an impact on food and beverage sale as there is no way i'm spending $20 on a feed when I'm not in the ground for less than 2hrs. I now spend more time traveling than actually inside the venue.

While personally I agree that less curtain raisers isn't as appealing to the hardcore fan, I'm not sure this stacks up overall. The majority of people have always turned up in the last 45-60 minutes prior to kick off, pretending the curtain raiser has any tangible impact on crowd numbers is wrong IMO, and the difference now vs then is neglible in terms of when people arrive.

The free kick to afl is something the media made up. The main game in the media on each of the 3 weekends would be state of origin, the hype would be huge. Add the pacific test series or pacific cup, eng v nz, nz origin, women’s nrl or rep games, northern hemisphere tests, country comps, schoolboy comps, 9’s comps etc and there is more than enough content for 3 weekends which breaks up the nrl season nicely. It won’t take anything away from the comp, it will add to the RL calendar. We currently have about 6-8 weeks affected by origin, need to shake things up!

I keep hearing the "need to shake things up" - isn't that precisely what's happening this year? They've blocked out a weekend first rather than going the whole hog with three. Why don't we see the response to this year's setup before jumping that far...?

 

[Timmah]

I just tried to get 2x $15 tickets and could only get restricted view

The alternative was $290 tickets

Wtf

The $15 tickets are restricted view. You won't get anything but restricted view for that price. And generally those tickets are fairly good value as the restriction isn't that bad, usually it's alongside some signage etc. or behind a see-through piece of fencing/handrail.

As for the alternative being $290 tickets, chances are bronze silver etc are sold out, hence the jump.

 

[greenBV4]

I just tried to get 2x $15 tickets and could only get restricted view

The alternative was $290 tickets

Wtf

For Origin?
When I got mine I was choosing out of the $15 restricted or $40 bronze right up the top, went with bronze as I didn't know how restricted the restricted view was

 

[unforgiven]

You were literally replying to a post about yesterday's game at Allianz and started a bitch and moan about ANZ which is irrelevant. Take the L and move on.

While personally I agree that less curtain raisers isn't as appealing to the hardcore fan, I'm not sure this stacks up overall. The majority of people have always turned up in the last 45-60 minutes prior to kick off, pretending the curtain raiser has any tangible impact on crowd numbers is wrong IMO, and the difference now vs then is neglible in terms of when people arrive.

I keep hearing the "need to shake things up" - isn't that precisely what's happening this year? They've blocked out a weekend first rather than going the whole hog with three. Why don't we see the response to this year's setup before jumping that far...?

I did say personally

 

[titoelcolombiano]

If you are suggesting holding the Origin series on three successive standalone weekends, meaning most players don't lace on a boot in anger for a month, in the middle of the season, I don't think it will work for reasons that must be exceedingly obvious.

I think it could work if we get creative as a game:

SOO x 3
England v New Zealand x 3
Pacific Cup (Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG)
Euro Cup (Wales, France, Ireland, Scotland)
Euro Shield (Italy, Serbia, Lebanon, Russia)
9's comp

there is plenty of content that we can produce in those three weeks for players to play in

 

[TheFrog]

I think it could work if we get creative as a game:

SOO x 3
England v New Zealand x 3
Pacific Cup (Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG)
Euro Cup (Wales, France, Ireland, Scotland)
Euro Shield (Italy, Serbia, Lebanon, Russia)
9's comp

there is plenty of content that we can produce in those three weeks for players to play in

A mid-season knockout might work.

 

[footy75]

Why is it that everytime that the AFL is mentioned in comparison (due to their significantly higher crowd figures) that you resort to a range of childish insults in an attempt to discredit their success rather than look at it from a rationale point of view.

If the AFL 'zealots' will do whatever it takes to ensure the AFL is successful in growth markets, what will it take by the NRL to gain that same type of support??

You got to take it with a grain of salt mate.

Makes a lot of sense though doesn't it.. sits behind a computer abusing people that live in Melbourne or mention a code he doesn't like. ...one of the best cities and sporting cities in the world, full of people that love and get behind all sports.

Probably lives in Canberra, I'd be an angry man too.

 

[Raiderdave]

You got to take it with a grain of salt mate.

Makes a lot of sense though doesn't it.. sits behind a computer abusing people that live in Melbourne or mention a code he doesn't like. ...one of the best cities and sporting cities in the world, full of people that love and get behind all sports.

Probably lives in Canberra, I'd be an angry man too.

Victorian alert

 

[carcharias]

Can you blokes please get back to posting about crowds numbers & predicted crowd numbers .
Thats where the excitement is.

 

[t-ba]

Three straight weeks would be madness but three weekends spread across May, June and July would be something worthwhile imo, a bit like a FIFA window.

I miss reading about Albert Torrens spending his weekends birdwatching in the NSW bush during bye week. We could follow all the players not getting a run on their educational week trips to Patong and Legian.

 

[Billythekid]

Free kick to the AFL n all that

This is the single dumbest argument against a standalone SOO period.

Firstly I have to wonder if anyone who brings it up has been in a coma through the weeks where SOO is played each year. If anything this is the time that rugby league dominates the media the most. Good luck to the AFL trying to get a free kick in NSW and QLD when SOO is dominating the media in all forms.

If there was a standalone period the sports news would be plastered with everything SOO. If anything it would be the worst time to try and push a new sport into those regions.

It's also not like there would only be SOO. International matches, 9s tournaments I mean be creative. There are plenty of ways to fill the void.

It would also be a great way to actually build hype for the NRL post origin. Treat the second half of the season like a relaunch and the build towards the finals. Those teams who have struggled can even use that time to start fresh and maybe give more hope to fans.

If you want to truly give a fre kick to other codes why now have an 8-9 week period every year where everybody loses interest in the NRL and it's basically treated as a second rate comp. The quality drops and the perceived importance of matches disappears. All anyone cares about is origin and on the weeks where it's not being played the NRL loses its relevance.

The whole argument is just bizarre. Like 3-4 weeks without NRL will suddenly make fans turn to another sport. League fans go 6 months every year without league content and their still fans. I'm sure a few weeks of SOO and international matches which are hype as f**k will suddenly make people want to support the AFL.

I'm not saying that the standalone period is a sure thing. I can see why the NRL is cautious even if I totally disagree with them. That argument though is just so bogus that anyone who has ever seriously put it forth as a legitimate argument has shown themselves to know absolutely nothing about the sporting landscape in this country or league in general.