slaytera
Juniors
- Messages
- 35
mark123 said:Posted somewhere else about crowds.
WHY wont people listen to me?
When I write to newspapers when they dis respect rugby league (times short, talking like a homie, haha) but i do, and almost immediately 9 TIMES out of 10 we get a counter story of some kind.... because THEY KNOW i am not talking crud and what i say is worth its weight in gold.
I call people on their crap.
I dont like a less than optimal route and it pains me to see things easily addressed (even if complex) go unaltered when they could be so much better. I am not happy to accept medioricory.
Look people. For every action you make, you must be patient and allow the chain of events set into motion by that action take place....and at the right moment make your next action felt.
So it begins like this, if RL is to ever sky-rocket and reach its full potential.....sydney must have less teams. Manly are a good team to watch and they are doing well this year....but only about 6,000 people gave a big enough hoot to care by attending? 1st off who would want to go to shark park anyway?
Second the sharks arent much chop.
Third, if you cut the sharks or they moved, few people would care. Then the majority of those 6,000 people would attend another league game, boosting that games crowd figure. Some may take longer than others to attend again.....but they will if they were ever worthwhile fans. That result (a smaller percentage of 6,000 fans retained to the game and attending elsewhere) is worth more money than the 6,000 attendees at shark park to the game when you consider things like perceived value (which crowds give on many tangible levels) and sponsorships, etc. It doesnt have to mean one less game for tv IF another team is put in another city. It makes economic sense. It makes even COMMON SENSE.
So why arent we doing something more with the teams in sydney? Does sydney REALLY NEED SO MANY TEAMS IN A NATIONAL COMPETITION? Ok....in a competition that WANTS TO BE NATIONAL?
Hardly anyone seems to give a rats about most teams. Dont say its not so! Everywhere over the world people attend sporting events when they are interested - dont think this is not the case for Australia! Never get caught thinking there is no sense in this. If 50,000 more people attended rugby league each week, and therefore 50,000 less watched on tv, it wouldnt make a difference to the tv contracts negatively. Put it that way.
The broncos get 35,000 average (crowds between 27,000 and 50,000) with 1-2 million people in "attending" distance. It puts the spot light on RL in the town when you get that many people constantly to a game....it gets on average 35,000 people each week actively talking about ONE particular game....and everything else - all focussed on ONE game.....26 players....it condenses attention and multiplies the profits to be had. If people are ALL performing actions that are directly related to rugby league ALL at once like getting to a game, where do you think the extra interest from those actions go in the real world? Thing of generated interest as a comodity and work it off the principal the more you have the greater its value and effect is. What do you think happens most weekends in brisbane? 35,000 people on average are all organising a rugby league day, and everyone who comes into contact with those people has the chance to be influenced by that - and that means more exposure for the 13 players on the feild....more people talk about lockyer....more people whitness a sea of broncos jerseys across the city....the sport is advertised in a meaningful and benificial way that generates interest and money.
I didnt expect you to think about those things above- but guess what. They are happening all the time whether you think about them or not and they MAKE a big difference. It gets busses involved, trains involved, people involved, kids involved, schools involved, town and city planning needs to change...and all of a sudden RL's position is solidified even more.
Compare those 35,000 having influence on the minds of those around them out in the world, to the paltry 6,000 who went to the sharks game (and probably wont talk about it, let alone anyone really knowing about it). Its these kinds of intangibles that league should not be missing out on.....its truly sad.
You see, there are just TOO many teams in sydney for this kind of focus to take place, and less interest is generated....there are too many players, the support is too thin, the sponsors too few, the interest being generated IS NOT THERE!! Sydney needs less teams. How do you do it? Well a plan should be begun immediately to rationalise sydney within 15 years. It doesnt mean every team has to go, just make the number smaller every so often until you reach a point where its enough. Its not about overkill or a witch hunt, its about making league great.
Dont kid yourself, the situation in sydney is dragging RL's butt in this country.....a transitional period must come into existance during which the number of teams is reduced.
I tell you now so you all get used to the idea. In fact. If the game had any sense, it would mention something to the media about this and make people aware of the intent "over a long period of time" to reduce teams.... therefore getting everyone used to it. When it happens it wont be unexpected.
Thats how it should begin. The second stage running parrallel to what was just mentioned (stage one) is the development of better stadia that are easier to get to from more spots across sydney.
If i had a lot of money riding on the success of league, I would be implementing strategies to achieve the above goals....and I would begin implementing them immediately! First you must get people used to the idea.
Oh and by the way, let me talk about the losers attitude.
The losers attitude goes something like this: "Oh, poor sharks, thats terrible."
The winner says "They arent good enough." And then he dates hot chicks and gets rich (if thats his want) from good focussed effort.
Over to you.
QFT.