Crowd Watch 2014 part 3

[Perth Red]

Problem is we have a big vacuum in leadership from the NRL on taking games around the country to boost crowds and grow interest in the game. At the moment clubs are left to their own devices to chose if and where they take games, usually soley based on bringing in a few more $'s. This has the effect we have a piecemeal approach with no opportunity to build ongoing interest, grow memberships of both teams and take the most appropriate games to the best places.

NRL needs to get its arse in gear and dictate what games clubs will be made to play in which cities when. The extra $1million NRL grant payment should be the carrot.

There is an over supply of games in Sydney, those lower drawing out of town games should be first to be moved.

Cairns - manly v cowboys, sharks v cowboys
Perth - souths v warriors, manly v warriors
Adelaide - bulldogs v broncos, St George v raiders
Hobart - st George v melbourne
Darwin - eels v cowboys, panthers v broncos
Gosford - manly v Newcastle, wests v Newcastle

Etc etc

Both clubs allowed to have membership booths, merch sales etc and have to spend two days before the game in the city promoting the game etc.

 

[pHyR3]

Problem is we have a big vacuum in leadership from the NRL on taking games around the country to boost crowds and grow interest in the game. At the moment clubs are left to their own devices to chose if and where they take games, usually soley based on bringing in a few more $'s. This has the effect we have a piecemeal approach with no opportunity to build ongoing interest, grow memberships of both teams and take the most appropriate games to the best places.

NRL needs to get its arse in gear and dictate what games clubs will be made to play in which cities when. The extra $1million NRL grant payment should be the carrot.

There is an over supply of games in Sydney, those lower drawing out of town games should be first to be moved.

Cairns - manly v cowboys, sharks v cowboys
Perth - souths v warriors, manly v warriors
Adelaide - bulldogs v broncos, St George v raiders
Hobart - st George v melbourne
Darwin - eels v cowboys, panthers v broncos
Gosford - manly v Newcastle, wests v Newcastle

Etc etc

Both clubs allowed to have membership booths, merch sales etc and have to spend two days before the game in the city promoting the game etc.

yup, good post. but like i said before, i'd love to see some kind of a round dedicated to it.

Or maybe, work it into the origin schedule. 3 standalone weeks of SOO, remove rep round, and in between origins have 2 weeks of 4 game rounds in regional areas. SOO Avgs would probably increase given these areas dont see much live footy and sydney crowds are usually abysmal in this time period.

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

No way it's 20k.

The biggest crowd there previously was a Cowboys pre season v Storm that drew 17k.

But that was when it was mostly hills with no temp grandstands.

For the record:

I was sitting just under the W in "crowd".

 

[Canard]

For the record:

I was sitting just under the W in "crowd".

Yep I was there also.

Shit that was 10 years ago. Time flies.

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

Yeah, that was a great night. Support around me was equally divided between the Cowboys and Billy Slater. Good times.

 

[oldmancraigy]

The 9 teams in Sydney probably aren't helping with the average, but it's not like the majority of the remaining teams do much better.

It's a very broad brush to paint 9 teams the same way!

All of Souths, Parramatta, and the Dragons (well, they're half a Sydney team?) are averaging higher than the all time NRL crowd average.
Dogs and Tigers are averaging in the 15,000s.

The Dogs have that 'one big game' left, which (IMO) will push them over the 'all time NRL crowd average high'.

So it's not like all 9 teams are struggle central.

We're really talking about the Sea Eagles, Panthers, Sharks, and Roosters. Hard to understand why the Sea Eagles are so poor this season, but even in a very good year they will struggle to break 15k average (Brookie needs to be bigger).
Panthers have only had 3 seasons averaging more than 15k (all time, their average is 9.8k)
Sharks have only once broken 14k.
Chooks have also always been on the lower end of things.

They could all stand to take a leaf out of the Rabbitohs book, who were getting just 10k/ game back in 2006. They've stuck with the move, and are on the verge of back to back 20k seasons (good effort). Sure, it has taken some marketing and some moving of games to different venues - but isn't that the whole idea?

 

[WaznTheGreat]

NRL average would be below 16k if not for the 50k the Parramatta Spooners got,bow to the might of Jarryd Hayne my minions

 

[Canard]

I would say the person who heads up that sales division at say Dallas cowboys or green bay packers would generally be considered a crowd expert

Why doesn't the NRL hire one or two of these guys move them out here and offer them to clubs to help them set up silimlar team as in the usa?

Because based on our population and the competition we have in the market place, they would actually think our crowds are excellent.

 

[Brutus]

Will we see a big marketing campaign to ensure a big crowd at SCG on Friday night for the Souths v Manly blockbuster????

Methinks not.

 

[CowboyFuriousFury]

Who is at blame for this round embarrassing crowds? The admin for the fail to market games between the top 8 properly eg dogs vs penrith. Or, the supporters who team in the top 8 yet did not show up due to excuse x, y or z.

 

[Captain Apollo]

We're really talking about the Sea Eagles, Panthers, Sharks, and Roosters. Hard to understand why the Sea Eagles are so poor this season, but even in a very good year they will struggle to break 15k average (Brookie needs to be bigger).
Panthers have only had 3 seasons averaging more than 15k (all time, their average is 9.8k)
Sharks have only once broken 14k.
Chooks have also always been on the lower end of things.

They could all stand to take a leaf out of the Rabbitohs book, who were getting just 10k/ game back in 2006. They've stuck with the move, and are on the verge of back to back 20k seasons (good effort). Sure, it has taken some marketing and some moving of games to different venues - but isn't that the whole idea?

Some of it comes down to match scheduling. All clubs know which time slots work best for getting crowds in for them.This year the Roosters have had Thursday nights, Friday nights, Saturday afternoon, a lot of Saturday nights and a couple of Monday night for their home games. Roosters management has known for years that their fans prefer Sunday afternoons and Friday nights. Put the games on at those time slots they will more often than not go. Make it Saturday or Monday and they won't regardless of which teams are involved.

 

[Perth Red]

Will we see a big marketing campaign to ensure a big crowd at SCG on Friday night for the Souths v Manly blockbuster????

Methinks not.

and at $49.50 a ticket to sit nearly behind the posts it would take some decent marketing!

If we are going to keep nine Sydney teams then the NRL does need a radical rethink on schedules and needs to start to be far more dictitorial to the clubs. it will be hard for clubs as they are used to controlling themselves and deciding where they play. Taking a number of games v out of town clubs around the country (and NZ) and having a Friday night all sydney game at SFS and a Sunday afternoon all sydney game at ANZ every week with lots going on and propper marketing would make a difference imo. Nine cvlubs in one city might not be so big an issue if there are fewer games than currently and if the scheduling maximises the advantage of having so many rival clubs on each others doorsteps. Reciprocal memberships to these two games would be a must and I would suggest a special away team members sesction at 50% reduced ticket price should also be tried.
We will be a long time waiting for a decent stadium for Western Sydney so not much going to change in that dept.

 

[Perth Red]

Who is at blame for this round embarrassing crowds? The admin for the fail to market games between the top 8 properly eg dogs vs penrith. Or, the supporters who team in the top 8 yet did not show up due to excuse x, y or z.

If you was a restaurant and customers didn't come in would you blame the customers or take a hard look at your operations?

 

[Swarzey]

Why the f**k is a game at the SCG being wasted in a night slot, let alone a Friday night? Throwing away a potential 20k crowd for probably 12-15k.

 

[Perth Red]

because the NRL has no plan or control at the moment. it is the clubs and TV dictating when and where. The NRL for all its money and big office is simply not in control of scheduling at this time. Until it is we can expect a 16k crowd avg to remain for ever more.

 

[firechild]

Hard to understand why the Sea Eagles are so poor this season, but even in a very good year they will struggle to break 15k average (Brookie needs to be bigger).

Has been a tough year for Manly crowd-wise. It's absolutely bucketed down for a few games (remember the mudpit against Canterbury? Cronulla and Canberra has similar weather for our rare Sunday afternoon games), all of which probably would have got good crowds. I remember having my son all decked out in his Manly gear, about to walk out the door for the Cronulla game when the skies opened up. I wasn't about to make my 4 year old sit in heavy rain for 2 hours. Add poor weather for the game against Souffs at Bluetongue, Newcastle was a Monday night and it doesn't leave many games to bolster the average.

Would be nice if Brookie was bigger, then we could get good crowds for a few games a year to make up for the wet games against opponents that always draw poorly (Canberra, Cronulla, NQ, GC).

 

[papabear]

That hasn't helped manly but lets be honest, they have to either have fans who are willing to travel the 11 kms to the SFS or they have to have fans who will show up at brookie rain hail or shine.

To me it appears that they have neither.

And they killed the bears. Thank you manly for all you provide rugby league.

 

[oldmancraigy]

If they increase Brookie by 5k undercover seats, it makes the rain and hail a bit more manageable...

 

[CC_Roosters]

Who is at blame for this round embarrassing crowds? The admin for the fail to market games between the top 8 properly eg dogs vs penrith. Or, the supporters who team in the top 8 yet did not show up due to excuse x, y or z.

Both. Every clubs fans are apathetic in the extreme and hq has no idea on how to smart club games

http://mobile.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-hopeful-that-a-10-million-upgrade-to-allianz-stadium-will-help-increase-crowd-sizes/story-fndujljl-1227012895472

If they think some free wifi is going to bring fans to Allianz in droves they are having a laugh

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Because based on our population and the competition we have in the market place, they would actually think our crowds are excellent.

That is absolutely not true....

I grant the fact that the US has a much bigger population, but that doesnt mean the NRL is on par.

NFL tickets are $250 on the low end, because they only have 80k to sell per game (basic supply/demand, similar to what we are seeing with Origin and GF tickets. Quantity cant change so price does). If the capacity of NFL stadiums was not limited and price was lowered to the $30 (about the cost to watch an NRL game), the demand would jump dramatically (to millions/tens of millions per week).

The NRL just doesnt inspire the same interest and it is a false equivalency to say we are on par with the NFL based only on population.

The NRL could learn a lot from the NFL in regards to the game day experience, and maybe the answer is to bring over a marketer from the NFL.