Crowd numbers will improve, NRL tells clubs
The Australian
August 05, 2014 12:00AM
Stuart Honeysett
Sports Reporter
THE NRL is confident it is on track to improve on its crowd *figures from last season despite growing concerns from clubs that there are scheduling problems.
Those fears have been exacerbated by the four Thursday night games locked into the lead-up to the finals.
NRL head of football Todd Greenberg painted a rosy picture yesterday at the announcement of a $10 million NSW government initiative to improve the WiFi *facilities at Allianz Stadium.
Heading into last night’s match between Wests Tigers and Melbourne at Campbelltown Stadium, the NRL was averaging 15,996 fans this season. That’s a modest 1.5 per cent rise on last year’s average of 15,762.
“I wouldn’t say we’re worried; I think we’re on target to hit our *objectives,’’ Greenberg said. “There’s a distinct balance between ratings and crowds. Sometimes they’re difficult to do both.
“Thursday night football returns and we know the numbers on free-to-air television through Channel Nine will be significant as they were last year. We understand the balance of trying to get ratings and crowds right but *people have to understand we have commercial contracts in place to broadcasters.
“We’re hoping crowds will be up. I don’t think the game has ever worked harder with the 16 clubs and the game itself to drive fan *attendance for members and event fans.
“Our numbers have been strong all year. We started slowly, we got some criticism for that but we’ve made some good ground and we hope we can finish the season on a really positive note. All our metrics suggest we’re going to finish with good numbers.”
Sydney clubs are so concerned about crowds and scheduling this season that a number of them met before the last chief executives’ conference. When they voiced their concerns to the NRL, they were shown the broadcast deal for the first time in detail.
A club official told The Australian yesterday the contract was “unbelievably restrictive” and it gave the NRL very little room to manoeuvre with regards to scheduling. One positive, however, was Nine’s first and last rights option has been removed for the next deal.
The AFL, by comparison, has much more clout with its broadcast deal. It told the Seven Network it was scrapping Sunday night fixtures following a paltry turnout of 41,000 fans to a match between powerhouses Collingwood and Carlton in June. With only five rounds before the finals, the regular season will conclude with four matches in the Thursday night timeslot. Traditionally this is a difficult game to sell to fans with families because of the late finish.
Making things worse is that the matches are all blockbusters that would draw bigger crowds in a much friendlier timeslot — South Sydney-Brisbane, Canterbury-Wests Tigers, Canterbury-South Sydney and Sydney Roosters-Souths.
Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan said staging their match against their arch-rivals on a Thursday night would probably cost the club about 10,000 fans. That equates to about $200,000 in gate takings. “We know that it’s a great spectacle at night time and we know there’s an absolute buzz but it’s just the family issue that makes it difficult to generate a live crowd,’’ Canavan said.
“It’s a two-sided coin — bums on seats is shorter term because it’s cash in the bank. TV ratings mean that the broadcasting rights are increased.
“We’re forever hopeful (crowds will improve). The footy is starting to open up a little bit. We’re getting bigger scorelines and with the closeness of the results at the top end it makes it very interesting with five games to go.’’
Compounding the problem is that in the past five rounds there are only three games in Sydney on a Sunday.
There is nothing scheduled for the next two weeks followed by Cronulla-Canberra and St George Illawarra-Gold Coast in round 24.
The only other Sunday match in Sydney is Manly-Penrith in round 25.
“People need to also understand the NRL is not based in Sydney alone,’’ Greenberg said.
“There’s going to be lots of great game across the NRL network this weekend — not just in Sydney but outside of Sydney. That’s really important for people to understand because we’re looking to grow the game.’’
