2025 Crowd Watch

[yakstorm]

Stadium consolidation will happen one way or another in Sydney. The reality is the NSW Government doesn't have the funds to ensure 8 (9 if you include Belmore) venues in Sydney are at/remain at the level the NRL expects for the vast majority of games.

IMO it's better for the clubs & NRL to take some control of what they want/need here from a comsolidation perspective rather than having the decision taken away from them.

 

[Wb1234]

You continue to say dumb reductive shit without actually properly engaging in the discussion.

I didn't at any point say we should adopt the AFL model - they fully abandoned suburban grounds. We shouldn't. But we can't be having teams playing full seasons at grounds with 10, 15k, 18k capacities. Not good enough for a constantly growing sport.

You’re just reading what you want to read as usual

The nrl has been taking event games for ages nobody is saying they shouldn’t happen

And the crowd tonight is what’s to be expected for Penrith playing at parramatta home ground which was my point

Panthers crowds at commbank have been surprisingly good

 

[drcmuch]

It's not a good crowd, correct.

But anyone who suggests Penrith has zero growth prospects is an absolute light weight that has no understanding of the long term growth profile of Sydney.

Is it true that the Panthers Stadium rebuild will have a capacity of 25,000 ? Because that allows for sweet fa in the way of significant growth.

 

[drcmuch]

Just TEN difference between tonight's crowds... and Cronulla's was higher:

If the 2nd crowd was announced as 10 HIGHER than the 1st, I'd accuse them of making it up*. Hell, if I'd been in charge, I'd have announced it as ONE higher, just for a laugh.

Edit: * I mean fudging the last couple of digits of course, not taking a wild stab in the dark.

 

[Sky_Is_The_Limit]

Is it true that the Panthers Stadium rebuild will have a capacity of 25,000 ? Because that allows for sweet fa in the way of significant growth.

Yes, the new capacity of Panthers Stadium 2.0 will be 25,000.

For those that don't know Sydney well, the Panthers are located within a ~half hour drive of the new Western Sydney Aerotropolis, Western Sydney International Airport and the North West Growth Area. In other words, Penrith is well positioned to benefit from multiple, multi-billion dollar government investments that will drive population and employment growth at levels beyond the majority of other Sydney (and indeed interstate) clubs. This is an obvious location for Penrith and the NRL to double down on.

And for what it's worth, growth is defined by all metrics - increased crowd attendances, TV ratings, membership numbers and $$$.

 

[Sky_Is_The_Limit]

Dogs dragons

Pax 31449

Also, this is excellent.

As it's the end of school holidays in NSW, I suspect the pax may need to push well into the 33k+ range for the crowd attendance to clock 30,000, as I suspect a lot of members are out of town this weekend and may not turn up for the game.

On the plus side, the weather looks mint. Should be a great evening for footy.

 

[Dark Corner]

We should all sign a petition to send the sharks back where they belong, and that's to the sea

The Central Coast sea.

 

[Jonty]

Average crowd Not looking good this round when the sharks crowd isn’t the lowest.

 

[drcmuch]

And for what it's worth, growth is defined by all metrics - increased crowd attendances, TV ratings, membership numbers and $$$.

For sure, but this is the crowd watch thread. On that metric in isolation it will take 4 or 5 years in the new stadium to catch up the deficit incurred by these 2 years at Parra.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Looks like another poor crowd for the Pathers in Parramatta.
Is the average Penrith man's ankle braclet holding back thier crowd?

No ..they are happy to watch the game at home on a very chilly winters evening in Sydney

 

[Vlad59]

For sure, but this is the crowd watch thread. On that metric in isolation it will take 4 or 5 years in the new stadium to catch up the deficit incurred by these 2 years at Parra.

With the increased capacity it would probably take two seasons at the most. Their average last year was just under 19000. Their average this year is 15000 (excluding Vegas and Magic round).

 

[TheEroticGamer]

Penrith to Parra is an hour away in evening traffic.

Comparing them to fanbases that don’t have to move another inch is absurd.

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Expecting at least 17k in Canberra today

 

[Lakemba Dragon]

Off to Accor later. Hopefully the mighty Dragon army turn out in numbers to witness an upset.
Hopefully over 30k- will make for good atmosphere.

 

[yakstorm]

Entire lower bowl is sold out at GIO Stadium, with the northern GA now sold out. Not a huge amount left in either grandstand either.

With the weather nice & sunny in Canberra, I wouldn't rule out this getting closer to 18-19K.

 

[eels4lifee]

The Central Coast sea.

Any sea would do, lets just get them there for gewd

 

[Timmah]

Why is it dumb and reductive?
I don't get your argument.
Sharks, Manly, Penrith, Illawarra, Campbelltown aren't positioned to use shared facilities and don't have populations to warrant large stadiums. The most that can be done is push for better facilities.
He's right, the geography of Sydney will never suit large central stadiums for half the Sydney clubs.

"Why is it dumb and reductive"

*posts more reductive nonsense*

It's not one or the other. It's a mix. But you cannot possibly have Cronulla, Manly, Saints continuing to play at limited-capacity grounds with poor facilities full time. Those venues have their place and should definitely host games, but more in an arrangement like the Tigers currently have where most games are at Commbank and just a selection are at the smaller, older grounds.

It'll come down to clubs deciding which venues best meet their needs, but @yakstorm nailed it with this:

Stadium consolidation will happen one way or another in Sydney. The reality is the NSW Government doesn't have the funds to ensure 8 (9 if you include Belmore) venues in Sydney are at/remain at the level the NRL expects for the vast majority of games.

IMO it's better for the clubs & NRL to take some control of what they want/need here from a comsolidation perspective rather than having the decision taken away from them.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Cracking (but cool) day in Canberra, and ticket sales look good. Maybe 19k+ is on the cards.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Off to Accor later. Hopefully the mighty Dragon army turn out in numbers to witness an upset.
Hopefully over 30k- will make for good atmosphere.

"Why is it dumb and reductive"

*posts more reductive nonsense*

It's not one or the other. It's a mix. But you cannot possibly have Cronulla, Manly, Saints continuing to play at limited-capacity grounds with poor facilities full time. Those venues have their place and should definitely host games, but more in an arrangement like the Tigers currently have where most games are at Commbank and just a selection are at the smaller, older grounds.

It'll come down to clubs deciding which venues best meet their needs, but @yakstorm nailed it with this:

There's nothing in there less " reductive " than any point you've argued.
Nobody said we should play solely at suburban grounds, you reduced our argument to that in your own.

Nobody even disagreed with you, yet you disagree we us.. strange.

 

[Wb1234]

"Why is it dumb and reductive"

*posts more reductive nonsense*

It's not one or the other. It's a mix. But you cannot possibly have Cronulla, Manly, Saints continuing to play at limited-capacity grounds with poor facilities full time. Those venues have their place and should definitely host games, but more in an arrangement like the Tigers currently have where most games are at Commbank and just a selection are at the smaller, older grounds.

It'll come down to clubs deciding which venues best meet their needs, but @yakstorm nailed it with this:

Which other grounds can Cronulla or manly use

Traffic in Sydney is horrendous

It’s not Ike Melbourne

Sure play event games at Allianz once or twice a year but the reality is some Sydney clubs will average 15 to 20k at best

Broncos averaging 40k hasn’t helped them win a comp in ages

Crowd growth has been amazing but utimately nrl is set up to maximise tv ratings not crowds by having so many games in poor crowd time slots