I think the Henson Park fan base is pretty strong. I think that weather would keep more fans away than TV coverage. People like the match day experience at Henson Park.
Absolutely. Watching a game the 'way it once was' seems to be becoming a successful supporting niche for the Newtown club to occupy. Alongside the 'retro' merchandise, Newtown Jets have developed a really recognisable 'brand' with a great 'product' (sorry for the Super League terminology!). For all fans of clubs who have PL teams, watching them take on the Jets at Henson is a must; a 'rite of passage' for all serious League fans. You can't replicate the atmosphere by watching it on Television - you have to be there for the experience. So crowds would most likely rise due to the extra attention on the club and the advertisement it provides for the experience of being there.
Rejection after rejection that I encounter when putting the feelers out for the Jets tells me that companies would be more willing to come on board if we were broadcast to 250,000 viewers and 800 spectators, than 1000 spectators and no viewers.
It may seem obvious but... Why do companies sponsor sporting teams? Exposure. What gets the most exposure? Television.
Sports sponsorships are almost entirely about getting your brand noticed by the audience who are watching any given sport or team. The wider the audience, the more likely you're going to pay to sponsor a team. With the advent of television coverage the audience for the Jets and the other PL teams would grow by around 100x (possibly more), making the pool of potential sponsors (and the amount they would be willing to pay for sponsorship), much larger.
The Queensland Cup is a good example of TV coverage making the difference. For a start there is Wizard Home Loans who get pretty good value out of the sponsorship dollar of the entire competition. Also, sponsors of all the individual Clubs get their chance to have their logo on television several times a year; this not only helps sell jersey sponsorships but also hoarding advertising at the club's ground.
Simply put, television coverage would be the best thing to happen to the Premier League and the Jets. For anyone who wants to see the stand-alone PL clubs, and the competition as a whole, grow then television coverage is a number 1 priority.
