Crowd Watch, Part III

[Sydney Knight]

Yep. Praised the Swans and their membership numbers.

She said Rabittohs have 16k season ticket holders and Swans have 36k season ticket holders. Obviously using total members for swans and only ticketed members for souths. If swans have 36k season ticket holders why do they average 27k which includes SCG members.

 

[Chook Norris]

TV numbers are where it is at for the game. Crowds are largely irrelevant unfortunately. A lot of people need to come to terms with this.

Such a view is very short sighted IMO. As important as TV numbers are to revenue, crowds go a long way in shaping the perceptions of young kids and potential followers of the game. Psychology dictates that, by human nature, we are drawn to events or things that are deemed popular. I have no doubt in my mind that an empty stadium can influence how passionate a kid or potential follower is about a game. Of course there are multiple influences to this, i'm just saying it is also an important variable.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

I don't agree with it but its the fact. We have too many time slots designated for TV viewing and not match attendance. Channel 9 have far too much influence because they pump so much money in to the game. That's all for TV. The more money received for TV rights the more it goes towards a viewing game. Where do you think 9 will get their money Back?

44k crowd and nearly 2m viewing in Sydney, says it all.

 

[Brutus]

She said Rabittohs have 16k season ticket holders and Swans have 36k season ticket holders. Obviously using total members for swans and only ticketed members for souths. If swans have 36k season ticket holders why do they average 27k which includes SCG members.

Too true.

She is lying again to make her fave code look good and RL look bad.

She is a shocker.

 

[Perth Red]

True.

When it's all said & done, whilst crowds are important, it's TV viewers that drive the $ into our game.

But it's crowds that drive the $ direct to the clubs. Supporters can provide more income to the club directly than the grant from the NRL, if you can build a membership to afl/EPl size.

 

[Perth Red]

TV numbers are where it is at for the game. Crowds are largely irrelevant unfortunately. A lot of people need to come to terms with this.

Rubbish!
NRL TV grant to clubs = $5.85 mill base, $7million max
40,000 membership base = $11million membership fees plus merch sales plus better stadium deals

Just easier for clubs to take the handouts

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

40,000 memberships lol clubs are flat out reaching 10-15k members. The GAME is marketed as a television viewing experience not a match day one. Stick to AFL

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

It's a "why not have both" situation, really.

I think it's fair to say that the NRL need to adopt a more coordinated approach to marketing & ticketing in the finals series. That crowd last night was 10k short of what it should've been.

Hopefully we'll get 40k tonight to try and make amends.

 

[Perth Red]

Exactly the point, is there some mystic reason NRL clubs could never achieve 40,000 members? Fan base is more valuable than TV viewers to clubs. Fact!

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Chook Norris makes a very good point above.

People are naturally drawn to things that are seemed as important or "must attend/watch". People underestimate the effect the crowd at the actual game has on TV viewers experience & interest. The two go hand in hand to me.

We've got the TV part more or less right, save for improvements in Nine's somewhat gimmicky production which includes poor quality picture. But there's a high ceiling there. I think the game should be really be buoyed about the increase in interest in Melbourne and Perth especially - stick a team there for 10+ years and see what happens.

The crowds "situation" is a lot trickier and involves a lot more stakeholders, so the NRL really needs to start working with the clubs more closely in order to lift them.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

If only the Eels could make the finals 9 times in a row like Manly the NRL would be cheering

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Kick Manly out of the comp and get the sacked Manly players to play for the Eels,problem solved.

 

[RWB]

She said Rabittohs have 16k season ticket holders and Swans have 36k season ticket holders. Obviously using total members for swans and only ticketed members for souths. If swans have 36k season ticket holders why do they average 27k which includes SCG members.

This isn't surprising, earlier in the year she came out and said the Roosters membership base is 5,000, using out 2008 tally.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

The swans don't have 37,000 st holders

12,000 of them are Melbourne based members who get into a couple I games in Melbourne

That cost like $79

They would have about 20000 proper ticketed members. Still very good

What is with Becky and her current vitriol at the Nrl ?

She is still dirty she was sacked from Adelaide rams ?

 

[Perth Red]

How do the warriors not have 40k members? Every warriors game in Australia has thousands of NZ fans at it. There would have been 7000+ supporting them at the game in Perth alone. They really need to lift their game in engaging their world wide fan base.

Going to be very hard to see how the NRL can influence crowds whilst clubs control ticket/membership sales and TV controls scheduling.

 

[Dragons01]

2012 Rd26 Parra v Saints at ANZ crowd of 45,000 for two teams not in contention for the top eight. Both clubs had one team players retiring. 2010 Week 3 final Tigers v Saints 71,000 at ANZ. The crowd will turn up depending on the teams.

 

[Perth Red]

Cronulla had a good year avg 13470
Manly had a great year avg 13522
Penrith had a so so year 10337


It's not hard to see where the biggest issues are. At least Gus is trying some stuff to grow crowds though I am not sure very cheap tickets are that financially sustainable.
Manly should be paid by the NRL to encompass the whole northern area and play wests and Sth's in Gosford and warriors in Perth, good chance ofthree 20k crowds. No idea what cronulla can do to grow their fanbase tbh.

 

[Kurt Angle]

Since the Bulldogs have 2 prelim final games over 70k, we'll take credit for 2009

No, the lack of Parra meant 2009 wasn't beaten.

Parra is the most supported side in Sydney, they just have no soul, hence the bandwagon tendencies.

The other big pullers, St George, Tigers, Souths, Bulldogs have not much more than 30,000 fans max.

Souths pulled extra to make in 71k in last year because it was their first grand final qualifier since unlimited tackle.

Without Parra, no game will pull more than 60-65k.

Parra in a game where they are wooden spooners can get 46k.

Souths where they are favourites to win and make the grand final get the same amount.

 

[Brutus]

No, the lack of Parra meant 2009 wasn't beaten.

Parra is the most supported side in Sydney, they just have no soul, hence the bandwagon tendencies.

The other big pullers, St George, Tigers, Souths, Bulldogs have not much more than 30,000 fans max.

Souths pulled extra to make in 71k in last year because it was their first grand final qualifier since unlimited tackle.

Without Parra, no game will pull more than 60-65k.

Parra in a game where they are wooden spooners can get 46k.

Souths where they are favourites to win and make the grand final get the same amount.

How do explain Souths v Easts getting 60k for a club game?

 

[Kurt Angle]

Without Parra, no game will pull more than 60-65k.

A game that determines the minor premiers is a big deal.

Let see them draw 45k when they are wooden spooners in round 26.