Crowd Watch Thread 2009

[BWNB]

Don't adopt the siege mentality. We're not allowed to, neither should you be. I'm not even attacking your club - I'm stating, with facts, that there is a very worrying problem out Cronulla way. It doesn't lie with Saturday's crowd, but an ongoing pattern which resulted in you being the lowest drawing Sydney team in 2008... a year you came THIRD.

I want a solution as much as you and I'm worried for Cronulla's sake it's not Toyota Park.

TBH I think its the day the games are played, the NRL needs to step in and give us more Sunday afternoon games, We need to get over the idea that kids will be going to the footy hanging under the power lines on a freezing Saturday night.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

yeah trends are down. theres no denying that.

that's probably because we play pretty boring footy. have done since 2003. that's an indictment on poor coaching appointments, bad players and the drop off after the ET era. we didnt win when we had our best squad. that was bad. we really should have won one in the 90's.

people like to be entertained. hopefully as the season goes on things in that department will improve. not everyone likes a defensive struggle.

last year we did come 3rd. but we scored less tries than the bulldogs who came last. the hard core ..the 10k that turned up on saturday are tolerant of that. "fairweather" fans aren't.

as for moving,

if the sharks were to take the 8 million or what ever it is and move to the central coast..would the area embrace it?

i don't think it would. and then you have a situation where the team moves, alienating one set of fans (shire) and then getting no better support from the new supporter base.

then they die in 5 years and guys like me are left with no team to follow.

TBH I think its the day the games are played, the NRL needs to step in and give us more Sunday afternoon games, We need to get over the idea that kids will be going to the footy hanging under the power lines on a freezing Saturday night.

This is also a factor.

were stuck in the 90's. if you look at last years crowds, we had 17k against parra and wests and the dragons.

they were sunday arvo games and the 5.30 game.

it seems the 7.30 saturday night era has ended.

 

[Bluebags1908]

Don't adopt the siege mentality. We're not allowed to, neither should you be. I'm not even attacking your club - I'm stating, with facts, that there is a very worrying problem out Cronulla way. It doesn't lie with Saturday's crowd, but an ongoing pattern which resulted in you being the lowest drawing Sydney team in 2008... a year you came THIRD.

I want a solution as much as you and I'm worried for Cronulla's sake it's not Toyota Park.

To tell you the truth, I think compratively speaking, Penrith's crowds are by far the worst. How can such a vast League-mad area with the BIGGEST junior league base in the world have such consistently sh!t crowds?

Apart from their golden year of 2003, their crowds have ALWAYS been diabolical. Penrith should be another Newcastle and consistenty drawing 20,000-plus. Penrith had the worst crowds in the League last year at 10,000-odd. Absolutely shameful.

With such a large junior league, surely with the sheer weight of numbers of personnell involved in running the junior league they can fill their stadium with just junior league players, officials, coaches and administrators and their families alone - and that's even without attracting the average footy fans that have no direct involvement in the game other than to follow their team.

I mean, why is it that these many junior league players, officials, coaches and administrators and their families that live out west and obviously have a passion for the game somehow inexplicably can't be bothered to move their ar$e to CUA Stadium and support their own NRL team?

You could forgive them for Saturday games as that is when junior league matches are played, but that doesn't explain the diabolical crowds they get on Friday night and Sundays.

Isn't it funny how we're picking on Penrith and Cronulla? Super League teams! Aaah, the vision!

 

[SaveTheChildren]

To tell you the truth, I think compratively speaking, Penrith's crowds are by far the worst. How can such a vast League-mad area with the BIGGEST junior league base in the world have such consistently sh!t crowds?

Apart from their golden year of 2003, their crowds have ALWAYS been diabolical. Penrith should be another Newcastle and consistenty drawing 20,000-plus. Penrith had the worst crowds in the League last year at 10,000-odd. Absolutely shameful.

With such a large junior league, surely with the sheer weight of numbers of personnell involved in running the junior league they can fill their stadium with just junior league players, officials, coaches and administrators and their families alone - and that's even without attracting the average footy fans that have no direct involvement in the game other than to follow their team.

I mean, why is it that these many junior league players, officials, coaches and administrators and their families that live out west and obviously have a passion for the game somehow inexplicably can't be bothered to move their ar$e to CUA Stadium and support their own NRL team?

You could forgive them for Saturday games as that is when junior league matches are played, but that doesn't explain the diabolical crowds they get on Friday night and Sundays.

Isn't it funny how we're picking on Penrith and Cronulla? Super League teams! Aaah, the vision!

I think merging Canterbury, Penrith and Cronulla is possibly a solution. Their fans are super league visionaries who care only for the future of the game. They would happily support a merger, as the 3 weakest sydney clubs for the betterment of the game.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

your an idiot.

so you merge the team with the large ethnic supporter base...with the shire team.

throw in penrith for good measure.

wooo!

also. the dogs are thriving with f**k loads of new members and a leagues club that makes enough money to keep the grants coming in. they're on a good wicket.

 

[SaveTheChildren]

your an idiot.

so you merge the team with the large ethnic supporter base...with the shire team.

throw in penrith for good measure.

wooo!

also. the dogs are thriving with f**k loads of new members and a leagues club that makes enough money to keep the grants coming in. they're on a good wicket.

I think it would help dogs fans and cronulla fans embrace multiculturalism. Penrith and Cronulla are very poorly supported teams with little hope for the future. Canterbury is a problem club that needs to be merged or extinguished for the good of rugby league.
I think a super club or like minded fans would be a great way to go. It would leave room to bring back the bears and consider a further expansion team.

Rather than a team based on geographics, it would be based around demographics.

 

[fatshark]

First round, I was on my way to the game but turned around, there was basically cars floating down the road, it was flash flooding. No civil person would sit in that when you can watch it on Fox.
Lap up your first round win Timmah, cause its all downhill from now on buddy.

 

[fatshark]

I think it would help dogs fans and cronulla fans embrace multiculturalism. Penrith and Cronulla are very poorly supported teams with little hope for the future. Canterbury is a problem club that needs to be merged or extinguished for the good of rugby league.
I think a super club or like minded fans would be a great way to go. It would leave room to bring back the bears and consider a further expansion team.

Yeah the Bears would pull bumper crowds :roll:

 

[Tommy Anderson]

Penrith have a massive area but problem is hardly anyone in the area go for Penrith.
Last year I coached an under 6 team in Penrith District with 11 kids in the team the teams they supported were
Parra - 2
Broncos - 2
Dragons 2
Manly - 1
Souths - 1
Tigers - 1
Storm - 1
Panthers - 1

It is very typical. I would bet there are more Tigers or Eels fans in the district than Panthers.

 

[MsStorm]

Rain and storms certainly keep lots of fans at home, especially the elderly, families with small kids, and people who have foxtel.
Times are tough financially and might affect crowd nos. this year.

BTW just looking at some of the stadiums posted on this thread, it seems to me that a lot of the grounds need an urgent upgrade.

Hyothetically speaking for the moment if the current financial crisis was not upon us, would it help crowd nos. in Sydney if say the sfg was upgraded to a stadium like the Dome in Melbourne where it had an open/closed roof?

 

[herbert henry1908]

I think it would help dogs fans and cronulla fans embrace multiculturalism. Penrith and Cronulla are very poorly supported teams with little hope for the future. Canterbury is a problem club that needs to be merged or extinguished for the good of rugby league.
I think a super club or like minded fans would be a great way to go. It would leave room to bring back the bears and consider a further expansion team.

Rather than a team based on geographics, it would be based around demographics.

what rubbish.

only a few years ago penrith had the best crowds in sydney.

Incase you havent noticed pretty much every team relies on results on the field to get good crowds.


and why should we get rid of cantebury? do their ethnic supporters worry you?

 

[Ausguy]

So a venue that has no atmosphere (I guess it would help if fans turned up) and little cover for seats is an awesome ground?

You must have pretty low standards my friend.

If this doesn't look like a sh*thole than I don't know what it is

I don't support the "get rid of cronulla for the good of the game" argument, but to be honest it would not be much of a loss is they were forced to die.

You argument is poor, how do you know there is no atmosphere. You have never been there...

oh and post a picture from 2007 without southern stand thats a good ploy.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Penrith have a massive area but problem is hardly anyone in the area go for Penrith.
Last year I coached an under 6 team in Penrith District with 11 kids in the team the teams they supported were
Parra - 2
Broncos - 2
Dragons 2
Manly - 1
Souths - 1
Tigers - 1
Storm - 1
Panthers - 1

It is very typical. I would bet there are more Tigers or Eels fans in the district than Panthers.

Penrith is a typical gorwth area , many of the kids would go for the teams that their fathers support. That and the panthers have been rubbish for the last 4 years , kids will easily change their allegiance if a team is successful.

even if some of the kids dont support the panthers if you took away the team ( not saying you are suggesting that) those kids would be much more likely to choose another sport.

The ARL/NRL can clearly see this with the rugby league academy based there.

 

[Timmah]

You argument is poor, how do you know there is no atmosphere. You have never been there...

oh and post a picture from 2007 without southern stand thats a good ploy.

I think you're looking at this the wrong way... yeah there are some sh*tstirrers like SaveTheChildren who are saying kick Cronulla out... but most of us just see a systemic problem with crowds at Toyota. Again, it's not singling out the other night - I acknowledge how bad conditions were. But something's gotta be done - either relocate home grounds to somewhere with decent facilities, undertake a full scale upgrade of TS, or get a decent marketing team.

 

[Timmah]

what rubbish.

only a few years ago penrith had the best crowds in sydney.

Incase you havent noticed pretty much every team relies on results on the field to get good crowds.

Or in this Saturday's case, probably the opposition fans. I think we'll outnumber your mob tbh.

 

[Billythekid]

The biggest disappointment so far is the GC crowd.

Great stadium, nice weather, rugby league heartland, first game of the season and a very strong lineup which is going to be very competitive this year.

Not to mention it was a sunday arvo game. Perhaps that doesn't suit the GC but if that is the case give it to a club that will take advantage of it. The sharks probably would of got a bigger crowd than the titans if the game was on a sunday arvo.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Or in this Saturday's case, probably the opposition fans. I think we'll outnumber your mob tbh.

Well if the panthers fans can't turn up for the first home game of the season something is very wrong . I'm guessing 17k on sat night

 

[alexc]

Yeah fairly poor crowd. The titans and searle are blaming the NRL because they say the 1pm start is sh*t for the coast due to the beach goers are still at the beach. Excuses twigs.

Look for brisbane to dominate your pathetic crowds again in rounds 2 and 4. Play it at f**ken 6am on wednesday morning and we will still dominate.

 

[herbert henry1908]

In regards to the gold coast crowd , I actually think good warm weather may work against them up there . Especially at this time of the year when the water is still warm , i'm guessing the beaches would have been packed

 

[Bluebags1908]

Penrith is a typical gorwth area , many of the kids would go for the teams that their fathers support. That and the panthers have been rubbish for the last 4 years , kids will easily change their allegiance if a team is successful.

even if some of the kids dont support the panthers if you took away the team ( not saying you are suggesting that) those kids would be much more likely to choose another sport.

The ARL/NRL can clearly see this with the rugby league academy based there.

I've heard this excuse countless times before... the "oh Penrith is a growth area and there are heaps of St. George / Manly / Roosters / Souths supporters out this way" etc.

Whilst that line may have held true in teh 1970's and 1980's, the fact is that Penrith have now been in the comp for 43 years so they're hardly a new club anymore. Plenty of time for generations to grow up as Panthers fans.

And even if there are heaps of old St. George / Manly / Roosters / Souths supporters living out Penrith way, if they shun the Panthers and love their teams so much I wonder if those so called 'supporters' show this dedication by travelling to the games to watch St. George / Manly / Roosters / Souths?

Or are they couch potato fans - ones that live in Penrith and it's too far away from St. George / Manly / Roosters / Souths territory to bother to travel but at the same time couldn't be stuffed going 5 minutes down the road to follow the Panthers because they are not 'my team'? I hardly call them supporters.

The bottom line is that if this problem exists it's up to the Panthers club to identify this problem and find a way of getting Rugby League fans of other clubs that live in the area to support the Panthers ... either by turning them into Panthers fans (which may prove difficult) or at the very least adopt the Panthers as their 2nd team and go watch the local team play just for the enjoyment of game day and being enteratined by watching a good game of footy (even if it's not 'your team' it's still Rugby League. If you are a League fan then most that I know would watch any game if it is on locally)... or at least the ensure the kids of those supporters grow up as Panthers fans. It's the Penrith clubs job to do this. But it doesn't look like they have a plan.

The biggest disappointment so far is the GC crowd.

Great stadium, nice weather, rugby league heartland, first game of the season and a very strong lineup which is going to be very competitive this year.

Not to mention it was a sunday arvo game. Perhaps that doesn't suit the GC but if that is the case give it to a club that will take advantage of it. The sharks probably would of got a bigger crowd than the titans if the game was on a sunday arvo.

Agree totally. Gold Coast crowd was the disappointment of the round. At least Cronulla had an excuse with the shocking weather.