Crowd Watch Thread, Part IIII

[Canard]

I think the problem is we spend our entire advertising budget on SOO.

.

Is that based on any facts? Ive never seen an ad for Origin pre-season and the launch at the start of the season is all about the NRL.

Also I don't know why we pretend that Origin ISN'T part of the NRL, its ratings and crowd should be included in any analysis of the NRL, to separate them is just crazy.

 

[LJC]

I am certainly no fan of either team (choosing between Manly and the Roosters is like choosing between a stubbed toe and a splinter in your finger). However, the crowd last night was awesome, and the game was easily one of the most entertaining that I have seen this year.

A great final.

The lesson a few could learn perhaps is to not count your chickens (or crowds) prematurely. What exactly did that week of handwringing achieve?

All said, the crowds dropped off, and I think most of the reasons suggested here were on the money. Poor scheduling (thanks Nine), poor form from high drawing teams (thanks Broncs) and Origin.

The first two are fixable, but I don't think we can kill the Golden Goose of Origin. We either need to suck it up and accept that there will be lower crowds for that part of the season (and really, other than for dick measuring competitions, does it really matter?) or fill that time with some "novelty scheduling" (and I'm thinking games in Suva, Nadi, Moresby, hell even London or Carcassone) that could aid development and publicise the game in different ways during Origin "fever".

Anyway. Another club season over. And not a bad one at that. The world isn't falling in.

Enjoy the World Cup and enjoy the cricket. 2014 will be here before you know it.

Edit: Oh, and to all of the southerners who didn't like being ribbed about Sydney crowds... get f**ked!

I think not staging a Monday night game prior to an Origin game is an easy fix! I also think staging no Monday nights games would be great as well. Have Monday night games replaced by Sunday night games!? (Too logical and fan friendly!)

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Agree, 2013 was more of a carnival outside the ground. There were international foods available, dodgem cars, rides, etc. Obviously the weather was better than 2010... Most blokes had shorts on yesterday....seemed like a summers night at the cricket. And yes I heard on the radio that is what the NRL is attempting to do...make it a great day to attend an event, not just a game of footy. Let's hope it builds bigger and bigger. A great day for all, including the neutrals.

This is why it was so annoying hearing people shit on David Smith for that comment about jumping castles at games.

The point was that he wanted to make the entire experience better. You dont just go to watch a game (you could just be sitting infront of a TV), he wants to give people a great experience that you cant have from home and he wants it to bring people back.

This is one of the reasons i would also like to see State Of Origin as a stand alone game on a Sunday. There could be an entire festival in Olympic park beginning on the Friday. Music, food, have football games with less well known teams (Pasific Islands, Country championships, ect.) in ANZ and Skoda that people can just wander into and watch. Then finish it with the big Sunday games you actually have to pay for and use the screen at Skoda for families that just want a picnic on the grass.

 

[Von]

Great idea Doc.

I love it!!

 

[Canard]

This is why it was so annoying hearing people shit on David Smith for that comment about jumping castles at games.

The point was that he wanted to make the entire experience better. You dont just go to watch a game (you could just be sitting infront of a TV), he wants to give people a great experience that you cant have from home and he wants it to bring people back.

This is one of the reasons i would also like to see State Of Origin as a stand alone game on a Sunday. There could be an entire festival in Olympic park beginning on the Friday. Music, food, have football games with less well known teams (Pasific Islands, Country championships, ect.) in ANZ and Skoda that people can just wander into and watch. Then finish it with the big Sunday games you actually have to pay for and use the screen at Skoda for families that just want a picnic on the grass.

Agree with Standalone weekends, unfortunately it seems we are locked into this current programme for at least 4 more years.

 

[t-ba]

SoO is so difficult. It's our golden egg and the biggest event in Australian sport, but it's clear that it is beginning to cannibalize the club game more and more with each passing year.

If a program can be built around the weekend I'm all for it, because all Wednesday night is doing is murdering the club game.

 

[Danish]

The most realistic way to my mind to get through the SOO period is 3 straight wednesday nights, with 2 x bye weekends in between.

SOO players are then only missing from 1 club game all year (the weekend before game 1), and we are then left with 2 weekends that we can fill with U20s SOO, some Pacific Nation tests, and some legends games.

Scheduling would be something like:

week 1:
Wed - SOO 1
Fri - NZ vs PNG
Sat - U20s SOO 1 , Aust vs NZ legends game
Sun - Tonga vs Samoa (needs to be a day game after 2013's debacle :lol

Week 2:
Wed - SOO 2
Fri - NZ vs winner of Tonga vs Samoa
Sat - U20s SOO 1 , SOO legends game
Sun - PNG vs loser Tonga vs Samoa

Week 3:
Wed - SOO 3
Fri, Sat & Sun - Normal footy returns!

Play the NZ tests in NZ, and other tests in western Sydney stadiums (penrith and Parramatta being my picks). Could even look at playing the PNG test in Port Moresby but that might prove costly.

The origin legends plus U20s state of origin could be played at the SFS and Skilled park, respectively. You'd also auction off 2 spots in each legends team to the fans. Watching that QLD fella get leveled by spud and that bald NSW bloke score the most awkward try of all time were classic and must be repeated :lol:

Don't see why that wouldn't work.

 

[Kurt Angle]

The first thing should be club games during SoO rounds should be moved.

Regional cities, and if the NRL is brave enough, big Asian cities.

The Premier League specifically builds its brand by playing pre-season games, such as Man Utd vs Thailand in Bangkok.

It's purpose is to build a brand for TV viewing, whilst building up scarcity of Rl in Sydney during SoO.

It would take a long term commitment, but we finally have an executive that is more inclined to focus on the long term.

 

[Von]

Next year they have reduced the gap between games from 3 weeks to 2. A good move.

The problem with having it over 3 consecutive weeks, is it is so tough, if we want it to stay that way, 1 week gap is not long enough. The intensity would drop in games 2 and 3.


Back on topic, 82,000 people at the GF for 2 clubs that have enjoyed recent success, at the exorbitant prices for tickets was a home run.

 

[Stagger Lee]

The most realistic way to my mind to get through the SOO period is 3 straight wednesday nights, with 2 x bye weekends in between.

SOO players are then only missing from 1 club game all year (the weekend before game 1), and we are then left with 2 weekends that we can fill with U20s SOO, some Pacific Nation tests, and some legends games.

Scheduling would be something like:

week 1:
Wed - SOO 1
Fri - NZ vs PNG
Sat - U20s SOO 1 , Aust vs NZ legends game
Sun - Tonga vs Samoa (needs to be a day game after 2013's debacle :lol

Week 2:
Wed - SOO 2
Fri - NZ vs winner of Tonga vs Samoa
Sat - U20s SOO 1 , SOO legends game
Sun - PNG vs loser Tonga vs Samoa

Week 3:
Wed - SOO 3
Fri, Sat & Sun - Normal footy returns!

Don't see why that wouldn't work.

My first and normal position would be don't mess with a winning formula however I do see some merit in what you propose Danish. I would also look seriously at a UK exiles team which works so well in reverse in England.
Not sure if there is enough poms to create a full squad yet but we would have to be getting close these days.

I would also look at bringing in - and televising - some carefully selected CRL games into sydney at the weekend or even at a CRL venue on a friday night. Giving CRL some much needed exposure. Of course in QLD maybe schedule some big drawing QLD cup games.

IF WE ARE GOING TO MESS WITH THE SOO / SCHEDULE LETS BE BRAVE AND TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

Suncorps OUTRAGEOUS prices have been confirmed for next year.

 

[Kirky]

Suncorps OUTRAGEOUS prices have been confirmed for next year.

If it sells out the prices aren't ridiculous. They wouldn't have pulled these prices out of a hat. The commission will have based this on extensive market research and come to the conclusion that these are the prices that will double revenue while still ensuring a sell-out.

 

[Diesel]

Exiles type team would work if it include anyone that is eligible to play for a European country, ie Mini, Campo etc vs a PI team, play the game in Penrith, Ipswich (when they get a stadium/regional QLD) or Auckland/Wellington to capalise on the PI population or even include the Indigenous All-Stars team as a 3 team event.

The All-Stars match is losing it's novelty affect IMO with players pulling out and the Auckland 9's with a huge purse a move and change for this team from pre-season could make it more appealing to more people ie European's, PI'ers and Indigenous

Just an idea IMO if there were changes mid-season to help with crowds if the NRL took a 2 week hiatus

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Origin should be held on 3 weekends. The weekends should be a rep weekend only.

NZ Tonga Samoa and Fiji should all feature on each weekend

Nsw cup vs qld cup origin

U20s origin

Legends origin for charity

All televised on fox or 9

The 3 weekends don't need to be jam packed with footy just enough over the weekend to get your fix. And because there are no regular season games, people who are priced out of attending origin may instead go to one of the other games.

There could also be room to throw in city vs country and use that as an emerging origin players game.

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

If it sells out the prices aren't ridiculous. They wouldn't have pulled these prices out of a hat. The commission will have based this on extensive market research and come to the conclusion that these are the prices that will double revenue while still ensuring a sell-out.

Yes obviously the demand for Suncorp origins will always be there. My problems are as followed.

- Maroon Membership: Its annoying, expensive, does secure your tickets but you need to pay the extra - yes you get a Canterbury voucher, but who cares.

Ticketek sells origins at Suncorp in waves, and its incredibly annoying. Firstly they go on Sale, sell out in minutes, then a few months later they have a second release (the tickets that were cancelled due to over-buying, rejected members and declined promotions). Then the third release which can even be the WEEK OF the game, without anyone knowing they put a few thousand on.

This year was very lucky that it did sell out, the allocation exhausted message coming up the morning of the game, but it was strange that the crowd was below the usual origin few seat off sell out. They played with fire this year and it was very close to not selling out.

Some of our average Joe supporters wont be able to attend anymore.