2018 Crowd Watch

[beave]

More awesome scheduling by our games brain trust.

Much like Shark v Drags on a Thursday.

 

[Hoofhearted]

More awesome scheduling by our games brain trust.

Much like Shark v Drags on a Thursday.

The AFL was always going to start on the 3rd week of the NRL and they start their season with a Thursday night blockbuster at the MCG every year now, which is straight across the road from AAMI Park. To have the Storm playing at the same time is just plain stupid, this game should of been round 2 before the AFL started, this was the week that the Storm needed to be playing away because they wont even get a mention in the media this week down there.

 

[Marlins]

This round should of went -

Thur- Tigers Vs Broncos
Fri6- Titans Vs Dragons
Fri8- Storm Vs Cowboys
Sat3- Roosters Vs Knights
Sat6/8 Double Header
Sun3- Bulldogs Vs Panthers
Sun6- Canberra Vs Warriors

 

[Mister M]

The AFL was always going to start on the 3rd week of the NRL and they start their season with a Thursday night blockbuster at the MCG every year now, which is straight across the road from AAMI Park. To have the Storm playing at the same time is just plain stupid, this game should of been round 2 before the AFL started, this was the week that the Storm needed to be playing away because they wont even get a mention in the media this week down there.

I agree with this 100% and even stated in another thread that this was a bad idea back in November last year. I know the NRL can't just avoid the AFL for fixtures in Melbourne because it would make it too difficult, but this is one blockbuster game that they should've really looked at closer.

I think anyone expecting 15k is being massively ambitious, it will be closer to 12k maximum in my opinion.

Additional factors that will negatively impact this crowd (not all of which could've been predicted back in October when the fixture was created) :

• -The Yarra Park/MCG Car Park is closed this Thursday night, which minimises parking options for supporters, before you even consider the 90,000+ people that will be across the road at the MCG.

• The Hurstbridge train line is closed between Clifton Hill & Greensborough. Anyone that takes Public Transport on that line will be less likely to come as that's an extra 30-45 minutes on their trip home (which no one wants to do at 10pm on a school/work night).

• The range of sporting events on this week in Melbourne that may deter families from going to a game on a Thursday night because they might decide to go to something over the weekend instead (remembering that Melbourne Storm fans are more likely to be all-rounder 'sport' fans than Sydney NRL supporters). This weekend there is 5 AFL games (Richmond V Carlton, Essendon V Adelaide, St Kilda Vs Brisbane, Hawthorn V Collingwood & Melbourne V Geelong) which being Round 1 is the first time those club supporters can see their teams in action in 2018. On top of that we have the Formula 1 Car Race , The AFL-W Grand Final, Game 3 of the NBL Finals, a Melbourne Rebels Home Game & a Melbourne City FC home game.

• The game being our second Home game in five days, which makes it difficult for fans/supporters who live further out/regionally to attend both Billy Slater's 300th and then this game. It is underestimated the distance a large percentage of Melbourne's support base comes from. Just because AAMI is a central stadium, doesn't mean most supporters live in the inner city. You only need to look at where the local 'Rugby league' clubs are in Melbourne to see most people that play it live 50kms out of the city.

I like the positivity some people have in regards to this game, but I will be massively surprised if the Storm can get more than 12k to the game on Thursday.

 

[Stallion]

It’s neither.
The fact is Manly is a Intrust nsw size team not an Nrl team. In all seriousness how Big can Manly actually be?

Manly has Australia wide support just like the other Sydney based clubs. It was very hot today.

Its too hot, Wahhhhh = small crowd
Its too Cold, Wahhhhh = small crowd
Its too wet, Wahhhhh = small crowd
Its too expensive, Wahhhhh = small crowd

Ever think that Brooky might just be a shit stadium?

Nope. Ive attended Nrl games there and its a great ground. Just needs a bigger amenities block. Good atmosphere and very enjoyable on the hill. Weather was good too.

 

[Valheru]

More than half the A-League season is played in far worse conditions.

No it isn't

Just because the competition runs in summer doesn't mean it is worse conditions than yesterday.

I suggest you read their heat policy, a fixture at 4PM in Sydney yesterday would have been postponed under FFA guidelines.

 

[azza29]

Not feeling great about our crowd prospects on Thursday with the defending AFL premiers opening the season just over the road. 15k will be the max IMO

15k will be a good result given the weeknight timeslot and competing event.

 

[t-ba]

I love Brookie but in all honesty it needs nuking from orbit. The only stand vaguely up to snuff is the Arko and that thing is about 25 years old now.

That crowd, considering the weather and the fact the Waratahs were playing (there's a fair amount of crossover, Northern Beaches people aren't quite as big on the divide as others, and the temptation to just head down to the pub and watch both rather than die of heat exhaustion is compelling) is still shit but not exactly unexpected and hardy a sign of our imminent demise.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I love Brookie but in all honesty it needs nuking from orbit. The only stand vaguely up to snuff is the Arko and that thing is about 25 years old now.

That crowd, considering the weather and the fact the Waratahs were playing (there's a fair amount of crossover, Northern Beaches people aren't quite as big on the divide as others, and the temptation to just head down to the pub and watch both rather than die of heat exhaustion is compelling) is still shit but not exactly unexpected and hardy a sign of our imminent demise.

What options do you see in the future if Brookie can’t be renovated?

 

[gunpk]

I know old Bears fans will be completely against it but couldn't Manly keep pushing out into the North Shore and target the new younger fans who've never seen the Bears play?
It doesn't look like the Bears will be reentering the NRL anytime soon and you can't leave the North shore area with a team.

 

[Billythekid]

I like how Thursday night is such a toxic timeslot that not NRL game can pull a decent crowd not even a derby like sharks v dragons. Yet here we are again with the AFL poised to get a 90K crowd and make that excuse look as embarrassing as it is.

Can't blame the kickoff time either. The AFL starts a little earlier but due to the length of the game it finishes just as late.

I know you can't really compare us to the AFL because they're situation is totally different (despite playing in the exact same markets on the same days, during the same time of year) but seriously it makes the NRL look pretty bad.

 

[beave]

What options do you see in the future if Brookie can’t be renovated?

You know it makes sense....

 

[Perth Red]

Yesterday's weather was dangerous.

It doesn't have to be a flood or a cyclone for it to be dangerous.

I guess after 20 years in perth 35 degree plus days are not abnormal anymore to me! No doubt it will be raining in Sydney next week and that will be the excuse of the week. Sht stadiums, oversaturated fanbase and NRL's inability to become more popular are probably bigger factors, but easier to blame something we cant change I suppose?

 

[Perth Red]

The AFL was always going to start on the 3rd week of the NRL and they start their season with a Thursday night blockbuster at the MCG every year now, which is straight across the road from AAMI Park. To have the Storm playing at the same time is just plain stupid, this game should of been round 2 before the AFL started, this was the week that the Storm needed to be playing away because they wont even get a mention in the media this week down there.

But the NRL now have control of fixtures. Yeh right!

 

[taipan]

I love Brookie but in all honesty it needs nuking from orbit. The only stand vaguely up to snuff is the Arko and that thing is about 25 years old now.

That crowd, considering the weather and the fact the Waratahs were playing (there's a fair amount of crossover, Northern Beaches people aren't quite as big on the divide as others, and the temptation to just head down to the pub and watch both rather than die of heat exhaustion is compelling) is still shit but not exactly unexpected and hardy a sign of our imminent demise.

Call on Kim Jon Un,he has a few spare ones now lying around.
Okinawa or Brookvale to him no difference.

 

[Valheru]

I guess after 20 years in perth 35 degree plus days are not abnormal anymore to me! No doubt it will be raining in Sydney next week and that will be the excuse of the week. Sht stadiums, oversaturated fanbase and NRL's inability to become more popular are probably bigger factors, but easier to blame something we cant change I suppose?

Ignoring the fact the perth and sydney experience a similar number of 40 degree plus days on an annual basis.... when was the least game of any professional football code played in perth where kick off temp was 40 or over?

 

[Perth Red]

Our SG ball kids regularly play home games in over 35 degrees and double header weekend was around 35 degrees for first game.

Sydney Snowflakes, now there's an apt club name lol

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Too hot, too wet, not the right day, not the right time. Good to see the thread excuses are on form early lol.

Reality is either A) the nrl Isnt as popular as we think or B) nrl fans arent very committed to supporting their clubs.

Either way why people’s expectations are so unrealistic despite years of crowd stagnation, in fact deteriation , I dont really understand.

That manly crowd is sht which ever way you want to spin it.

I agree. I've often thought about this (especially when it comes to Manly). So, they average between 12 and 15k each year. Brookevale is becoming more and more outdated as far as grounds go. Why not bite the bullet and send them to the new Allianz when it is ready? I know we always hear that Manly fans don't travel etc but surely they can't draw any lower than the weekend's crowd at a state of the art, new stadium.

They will still be based at Manly and train at Brooky but maybe it's time for the NRL to follow the lead of the AFL and introduce a stadium policy in Sydney (with the exceptions being the Sharks who own their own stadium and the Panthers that are 30km from Parramatta Stadium and 40km from Homebush). It is not an ideal situation for Manly but something has to be done - Brooky is not getting redeveloped and there is no suitable stadium on the northside for an NRL team.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Yes. Part of the Sydney club rivalry factor not considered or acknowledged by some on this site! Understand that such people perhaps don't live in Sydney however they need to understand that such rivalries are very real and matter.

So are the QLD Cup rivalries and so are the rivalries that the Newtown Jets used to have - but you don't care about those - just select clubs.

 

[Clifferd]

Mitchy taking shots at his old club