ANZ Stadium claims Westie snub

[Brownie.Kougari]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24361809-23214,00.html

Finals at SFS snub for west: ANZ boss

By Dean Ritchie
September 18, 2008 THE NRL has betrayed league's "westie" heartland by moving both grand final qualifiers to the city's east, ANZ Stadium boss Ken Edwards has declared.
The Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park will host both preliminary finals in week three in a bitter blow to the struggling ANZ franchise.
But Edwards said the biggest losers would be the "vast majority" of league supporters who live in Sydney's west.
SCG Trust chief executive Jamie Barkley hit back at ANZ Stadium, saying: "It is where atmosphere goes to die. ANZ is killing the enjoyment of rugby league for the fans."
But Edwards said fans would not travel from west to east to watch the big games. "In our view, a couple of million people who support rugby league live in the demographic centre of Sydney, which is around Sydney Olympic Park," he told The Daily Telegraph.
"The vast majority live in western Sydney, no question.
"To play the preliminary semi-finals in eastern Sydney ... it will be difficult for them to get there. There is no rail access and parking is difficult.
"It will be disappointing that as many fans as possible won't get the opportunity to get to the game.
"It will be too hard. The NRL is being conservative in its choice. The SFS isn't the most accessible or fan friendly place in Sydney, in our view."
Edwards said the NRL was concerned that television coverage may show up thousands of empty seats at Homebush. "The NRL know they won't be as criticised by getting 20,000 to a 40,000 seat stadium as opposed to an 80,000 seat stadium," he said.
"I have no doubt that perception was part of their decision.
"We're disappointed because our business is conducting events.
"We have held preliminary finals in the past and they've been successful."
Barkley was adamant the NRL had made the right choice.
"It's good the NRL is listening to the fans about where they want to watch their footy," Barkley said.
"The fans and players continue to vote the SFS their favourite venue.
"The NRL is making decisions in the best interests of the game."
NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said his organisation picked the SFS because coastal teams Manly and Cronulla would be involved.
"If different Sydney teams had been involved, the outcome may well have been the opposite," Annesley said.
"Since we introduced the new finals format at the start of last year, we made it clear to both of Sydney's major venues that the finals would be based on the best fit for each match.
"Given the possible match-ups in weeks three, NRL management was of the clear view that the SFS was the most appropriate selection."

Well maybe if any of the western Sydney teams made the finals there'd be a case for a final in western Sydney. However, this didn't happen, so ytf would they put a game there? merkins..

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Since when is the west the heartland anyway? Traditionally the eastern half of the city has been where all of the clubs, especially the strong clubs, have been located. And clearly when the only Sydney clubs that can make the prelims are Cronulla, Manly and the Roosters playing the game in the west just doesn't make sense.

 

[jono]

Since when is the west the heartland anyway? Traditionally the eastern half of the city has been where all of the clubs, especially the strong clubs, have been located. And clearly when the only Sydney clubs that can make the prelims are Cronulla, Manly and the Roosters playing the game in the west just doesn't make sense.

You need a geography lesson .
Sure they didn't make the finals this year , but Parramatta , Penrith , Bulldogs and West Tigers territory stretches from Marrickville/Newtown through ,Leichhardt , Ryde ,Hornsby , Parramatta , Hills ,Richmond Campbelltown , Liverpool , and up to Springwood if you want to include some of the Panthers lower blue mountains juniors. This constitutes some 70% of the greater Sydney Population . and the centre of it is Homebush.
The basis of your strong club hypothesis is based wholly and soley on 2008 results.
Country bumpkin merkin .

 

[Brutus]

Well the Westies have been snubbing ANZ all year, so the league thought it would get one back.

 

[sass]

maybe it's not cause it's in the west so much as it's godawful and has no atmosphere.

 

[innsaneink]

Well the Westies have been snubbing ANZ all year, so the league thought it would get one back.

LOL....funny=true

 

[bartman]

*sigh* Ken Edwards beating his own drum. Never gets tired...

As a born-and-bred Westie I've always enjoyed the atmosphere at SFS more than Homebush, even when the old Olympic Stadium is full. Good decision by the league.

 

[stormtragic]

BooHoo..farkin ANZ you got souths there until 2016

 

[LordLeague]

By the time you have swapped trains to get on the Olympic Park service and actually made it to ANZ, most fans could either be in the KB Hotel on their 2nd Reschs or be half way up the Hill to the game.

SFS anyday!

LordLeague

 

[Loudstrat]

You need a geography lesson .
Sure they didn't make the finals this year , but Parramatta , Penrith , Bulldogs and West Tigers territory stretches from Marrickville/Newtown through ,Leichhardt , Ryde ,Hornsby , Parramatta , Hills ,Richmond Campbelltown , Liverpool , and up to Springwood if you want to include some of the Panthers lower blue mountains juniors. This constitutes some 70% of the greater Sydney Population . and the centre of it is Homebush.
The basis of your strong club hypothesis is based wholly and soley on 2008 results.
Country bumpkin merkin .

Sadly it's true. The bulk of Sydney's premierships go to seaside or harbourside clubs. Canterbury's got 8, Wests 4 1/2, Parra 4, Penrith 2. Even carrying the burden of Cronulla, the others blitz the west on premierships.

Adds weight to the Fittler theory on League whingers. Since when does a stadium owner whinge about missing out on a game? Didn't do much when they pushed Canterbury out of a home semi a few years back for the Swans. Didn't say much when the best RLWC games went to Suncorp. Nor did the say much when virtually all the soccer WC qualifiers in the last decade went to Melbourne.

Besides, what self respecting Westie would support Easts, Manly or Cronulla anyway? As far as I can work out, there is more reason to support NZ than anyone else, because we have more Kiwis living in the golden west than latte sippers or waxheads.

 

[Once Dead]

Ken Edwards is only worried about the bottom dollar. He is grasping at straws.....he knows that people and clubs are waking up to the fact that the stadium is a white elephant. No matter what short term financial benefit ANZ Stadium may provide each club it has no long term benefit whatsoever.

ANZ Stadium is doomed. Their only option is to sell it to the AFL because that is the only solution to their problems.

 

[In-goal]

The problem lies in the demographic of western sydney, not the satdium or choice of stadium.

WS might have a large population, but that same population has proven to not be a sporting public that responds to proffesional sport.

The populouse of WS seem to get behind an event but not regular sporting fixture, whinge all you want but that's just the way it is.

There could be many reasons for this, race, income, transport you name it the issues are deeper than a poor stadium built at homebush.

 

[yakstorm]

The SFS is perfect for the two finals next week. Both will draw around 30K, so having a stadium much bigger is just wasted.

Considering how hit League has been this year with on and off field issues, having strong finals crowds in Week 2 and 3 will go a long way to restoring some confidence in the game and ensure those people who do attend enjoy the experience, whilst hopefully making those watching at home on TV want to get out to games next season.

Claims the SFS isn't near public transport is a stupid call as well, it is a short walk from Central up the hill to the ground and seriously if you can't be bothered walking, there are buses running every 5-10 minutes when there is an event on, especially during finals football. With one match to be on the Friday, and considering so many people work in the CBD as well, it only adds to the value.

Getting from the CBD out to Homebush on time on a Friday night for football is sometimes mission impossible.

 

[bartman]

People might have short memories too - it wasn't long ago that the SFS was the ground of choice for Grand Finals, and no-one complained then.

The only problem the SFS has was when it first opened, and the rain and wind tearing through the place, but that has been largely rectified over the years that followed.

 

[Loudstrat]

The problem lies in the demographic of western sydney, not the satdium or choice of stadium.

WS might have a large population, but that same population has proven to not be a sporting public that responds to proffesional sport.

The populouse of WS seem to get behind an event but not regular sporting fixture, whinge all you want but that's just the way it is.

There could be many reasons for this, race, income, transport you name it the issues are deeper than a poor stadium built at homebush.

Rubbish. If I'm not mistaken, all 4 western clubs have cracked over 20k average home crowd per season at some stage, and are the only Sydney sides to do it.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

The SFS is perfect for the two finals next week. Both will draw around 30K, so having a stadium much bigger is just wasted.

Considering how hit League has been this year with on and off field issues, having strong finals crowds in Week 2 and 3 will go a long way to restoring some confidence in the game and ensure those people who do attend enjoy the experience, whilst hopefully making those watching at home on TV want to get out to games next season.

Claims the SFS isn't near public transport is a stupid call as well, it is a short walk from Central up the hill to the ground and seriously if you can't be bothered walking, there are buses running every 5-10 minutes when there is an event on, especially during finals football. With one match to be on the Friday, and considering so many people work in the CBD as well, it only adds to the value.

Getting from the CBD out to Homebush on time on a Friday night for football is sometimes mission impossible.

eg Cronulla v Melbourne, 30k ??? Will 30000 Shire tossers cross the bridge??

 

[In-goal]

Rubbish. If I'm not mistaken, all 4 western clubs have cracked over 20k average home crowd per season at some stage, and are the only Sydney sides to do it.

That being the problem, normally these averages a spiked by one or 2 matches played before well above average crowds.

Clubs in WS should bring 20K through the gate at every match, but the way it pans out it's for one of matches against a local rival.

Would you really class Canterbury as WS?

 

[Stagger eel]

Ken Edwards is only worried about the bottom dollar. He is grasping at straws.....he knows that people and clubs are waking up to the fact that the stadium is a white elephant. No matter what short term financial benefit ANZ Stadium may provide each club it has no long term benefit whatsoever.

ANZ Stadium is doomed. Their only option is to sell it to the AFL because that is the only solution to their problems.

oh how little you know..

The stadium is one massive operations unit that not only holds staff directly employed by the stadium but also holds about 6 tenants in their office blocks including the NRL and Men Of League it also carries over 100 coporate rooms and 11 function rooms which is constantly hired out for Conferences, luncheons, exhibitions, Weddings, formals and general parties they also hold several cooking classes a year which are very popular, the stadium can survive without any games played and it wouldn't be any skin of Ken's nose if clubs who are well looked after by the stadium, decide to play hard ball which I doubt they will.

the AFL rumour is an urbam myth of the highest proportion and it's a pity that suckers like you have fallen for it.

 

[Eels Dude]

Sadly it's true. The bulk of Sydney's premierships go to seaside or harbourside clubs. Canterbury's got 8, Wests 4 1/2, Parra 4, Penrith 2. Even carrying the burden of Cronulla, the others blitz the west on premierships.

Well what do you expect? Canterbury joined the comp 27 years after it started. Parramatta joined the comp 40 years after it started. Penrith joined the comp 60 years after it started. If city and seaside clubs dominate spots in the competition of course they're going to win a stack more premierships. Western Sydney will always be playing catchup when you consider the lack of representation in the area for a number of decades.

On the topic at hand, they should be played at the SFS, it suits both Manly and Cronulla fans as opposed to heading out to Homebush. Us westies will watch, but the majority wouldn't go to the game just for the hell of it.

 

[Pass the Ball]

As long as they continue with the several cooking classes per year, surely they don't need the rugby league there also....