Current State of the NRL

[bottle]

o I love that administrators listen to fans and experiment with rules to improve the product, some really good changes have come about.. #goldentrythx

o I dont like the family-friendly changes, I love watching some Biff and the Shoulder Charges, as Non-PC as it is... but I dont see how the NRL can backtrack on those decisions now (even if they wanted to), its one thing to turn a blind-eye and its another to actively reintroduce those parts of the game.

o I think they need to include TV numbers in the discussion, because as mentioned above, watching league on TV (esp with lower grades if they are on) is 1000x easier than going to grounds, league is a great TV sport.. and and you cant ignore the Foxtel/9 TV deals in terms of income to the NRL, I suspect its infinitely more than money raised by bums on seats? Esp if you factor in money to maintain/run the grounds

Undoubtedly.
The TV deal money is now what directly funds each clubs salary cap in grants from the NRL, not to mention other grants for other expenditures.
Any money the club makes is directed towards other support functions and ancillary staff.
All the clubs totalled wouldn't get near the billion the TV deal brings. It is the lifeblood, hence the level of control granted to the broadcasters over the scheduling.

 

[giboz71]

Undoubtedly.
The TV deal money is now what directly funds each clubs salary cap in grants from the NRL, not to mention other grants for other expenditures.
Any money the club makes is directed towards other support functions and ancillary staff.
All the clubs totalled wouldn't get near the billion the TV deal brings. It is the lifeblood, hence the level of control granted to the broadcasters over the scheduling.

Completely agree... But as Tru said previously, we can't ignore the bums on seats as well. Hopefully last week was an anomaly but I can't imagine the TV bosses were overjoyed with the empty seats.

Showing games live on TV with little or no atmosphere dilutes the product as a whole and may not guarantee further lucrative TV deals in the future.

 

[bottle]

Completely agree... But as Tru said previously, we can't ignore the bums on seats as well. Hopefully last week was an anomaly but I can't imagine the TV bosses were overjoyed with the empty seats.

Showing games live on TV with little or no atmosphere dilutes the product as a whole and may not guarantee further lucrative TV deals in the future.

I agree with the first part of your last sentence, but not the latter.
Screws the atmosphere for sure, but I don't think the broadcasters care too much.
They, and their advertisers, care about ratings first, second and third.
That's what drives the gravy train.

 

[Dragonboyd]

Why not look at the struggle between a-league crowds and NRL crowds from a cultural perspective. Have a look at the Sydney Derby and the crowd. Such a diverse yet heavily European and Middle-Eastern dominated scene, I think it's safe to say that soccer fans are simply willing to attend and follow the game regardless of the play quality because it's in their nature and blood. They have a real love for their sport and it's a reason the more 'European and Middle-Eastern dominated' Western Sydney has had stellar crowd figures since their inception. There's no doubt that League followers love their game, but in my opinion, they wont go to the lengths that Soccer fans will and this includes being bothered to leave the house to enjoy the atmosphere of a live game. :?

 

[Godz Illa]

But it seems to me that soccer fans go to the games for more than just atmosphere.
The ones I know, love the game, and lets face it, its global.
.

People love the game of rugby league too.

 

[GT0007]

Tv coverage is very good and going to a game is expensive for the average family. I really think for the game to grow giving up home games to go to a bigger stadium to make a better percentage on the tickets and get less people is rediculous. If your going to do that have a double header which has been a huge success in the past. Otherwise I would like to see each club play 2 games in a selective regional area. If the Dragons played a game on the Central Coast they would sell out. It's a 20 000 seat stadium and a 1 game membership could be offered and more ppl would get involved in the game. I know ppl that live in Kogarah or the Gong think every game shld be played there but we have supporters all over the country as does every club.

The game itself IMO as a spectacle has never been better and is not the problem. Penrith have researched NFL & NBL to create a better game day experience which is a good step. I also think we need to get NSW cup as well as Holden Cup on game day to make supporters feel they are getting better bang for their buck. I'd also have the players kick signed balls into the crowd before each game and even have a tennis ball type machine to shoot a few signed rolled up tshirts into the crowd at halftime as part of the entertainment. Kids areas with jumping castles etc or a slide down the hill. For a few thousand you can create an experience. Have a competition where 20 members get to meet the team before the game. More needs to be offered but u get my drift

 

[jenninga]

6733]I find the game day experience at NRL games to be, in a word, awful.[/B] Apart from the game itself there is precious little drawing people away from the couch and into a ground. They have a better view at home, better seats, no need to put up with traffic or transport, it's cheaper, they have expert commentary and umpteen HD replays, constant awareness of what is happening etc etc. The equation isn't even close. The clubs, and the NRL, need to do something to at least make the equation a bit closer. The game itself is just not enough these days. People need more than just a winning team, or the idea of faithfully supporting their club. It needs to be an attractive place to be.
At one of the final WIN Gong games last year Saints had a little swing jazz band doing laps of the ground and it was brilliant. Just that little addition brought an element of fun to the night. Not even sure if we won the game.

This was one of David Smith's bright ideas in his initial spiel to us.He wanted every game to be a Grand Final day experience,and we still have SFA..
Simple things like starting the 20's first followed by NSW cup and 20 min later 1st grade.Let the teams warm up in other areas like before so they can make the grand entrance for kickoff.
A 2nd siren to let people on the field at full time is also essential to finish the day and people can go home feeling they have had a great footy day.
Have someone with a guitar or a small band at half time or something.
You get the feeling some of the billion $$$ deal is not being spent in this area.

 

[jenninga]

Understand that great TV coverage makes it less attractive to watch games in person... It's certainly why I only attend a few games a year.

But how do you explain the AFL? They probably have superior TV coverage with a dedicated channel on Fox. Yet they still manage to draw crowds.

It's all about the occasion IMHO. Collingwood vs Carlton in the AFL, the Sydney Derby in the A-League. These are just big events that people want to say they have attended. Just look through social media... Had a heap of mates tag themselves at the Sydney Derby and most aren't even mad soccer fans.

The NRL just doesn't have that appeal for club games... Not really sure what the solution is?

The NRL are trying to push the big stadium idea like a bully,and we aren't going to be bullied.Instead of listening to fans they think this is the way it is so get used to it.

 

[pinkmoon]

The big stadium push is a joke. They need to accept that the game is not ready for the big stadiums in the round games yet! When Kogarah/Win, Parramatta, Brookvale, Leichhardt, and co. are sold out regularly can an argument be made for moving the games to a bigger venue. They are fixated on this idea that we need to follow the AFL and move all the games into big stadiums, but guess what?! We don't have the fans to fill them!

 

[Willow]

Channel Nine commentator Phil Gould commented on the poor crowd at the game and how “fans should follow their club wherever they play.”

Gus, you don’t get it, the Red V army do not get free tickets like you do.

Gould makes the mistake of thinking it is the fans fault. The fans, of course, can choose their venues. And there are fans that think we have been shafted by the NRL into giving up our home venues, these fans are entitled to vote with their feet. FMD, they treat us like consumers, not fans. So tough shit - NRL Inc can't have it both ways.

And of course Homebush is away from of our traditional areas - it not a home ground! Get that through your skull Gus.

But here's what I think is Gould's real gripe: It is in his employer's best interests that venues look full and this further allows the business end of the game to rub out the great suburban venues.

But they get some bad press after round 1 and who do they blame? Yep, the fans. Not the boardroom, the executive or their agencies... the fans.

Of course the real culprits here are the dumb wankers and money grabbers who are trying to sell an 80,000 seat venue to 10-20,000 fans.

 

[TruSaint]

Gould makes the mistake of thinking it is the fans fault. The fans, of course, can choose their venues. And there are fans that think we have been shafted by the NRL into giving up our home venues, these fans are entitled to vote with their feet. FMD, they treat us like consumers, not fans. So tough shit - NRL Inc can't have it both ways.

And of course Homebush is away from of our traditional areas - it not a home ground! Get that through your skull Gus.

But here's what I think is Gould's real gripe: It is in his employer's best interests that venues look full and this further allows the business end of the game to rub out the great suburban venues.

But they get some bad press after round 1 and who do they blame? Yep, the fans. Not the boardroom, the executive or their agencies... the fans.

Of course the real culprits here are the dumb wankers and money grabbers who are trying to sell an 80,000 seat venue to 10-20,000 fans.

He has changed his tune from 12 months or so ago, with the occasional " ahh is there anything better than Sunday afternoon football at these traditional grounds ( bi it Kogarah, Leuchatdrt / etc" ). "...

"Look at the hill Rabs... what a sight"

 

[TheRev]

imo the way Gould said "I think the numbers here today might be a protest from saints fans", I mean it was a 1-liner but it sounded like it was something he knew was a current topic and was always going to mention it... afaik gould still likes traditional homegrounds.

The key is the word "Protest"... the Dragon Army didnt sit around and decide not to show up to a game of football in protest.. its individuals (x10,000) individually deciding that they didnt want to travel to the game.

They probably would have gotten the same turn-out at Kogarah though.. so if they expect more crowds to come because its a bigger stadium thats further away... that I cant understand.

 

[Willow]

Fair enough, he probably tried to have an each way bet. But he has agenda driven for so long now that I doubt even he can keep up with it.

I've said this before but I choose not to hear the commentators during a TV game, I put them on mute or press for ground noise only. It's extraordinary how it provides an untainted perspective on the game.

 

[pinkmoon]

Fair enough, he probably tried to have an each way bet. But he has agenda driven for so long now that I doubt even he can keep up with it.

I've said this before but I choose not to hear the commentators during a TV game, I put them on mute or press for ground noise only. It's extraordinary how it provides an untainted perspective on the game.

Being the rugby league tragic that I am, I often watch games from yesteryear. The most startling difference between matches from years gone by to today is the commentary. Once upon a time, the commentators CALLED THE MATCH; not anymore! They just chat amongst themselves, give their opinions, drive their agendas, and try and crack jokes.

 

[Dezziedc]

you can see why they are wanting to move the games to bigger stadiums...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Australian_football_code_crowds

I just don't think RL can support that in the Sydney area. The idea of having double headers is maybe a solution but the crowd numbers just can't compete with AFL. Even soccer and union are making some ground on attendance. If you look at average attendance we as a team are falling behind teams from all codes - and we aren't the only ones.

Our largest crowd at WIN last year was 14226 and our largest at Jubilee was 11857. Largest attendance for a Dragons game was 40752 for Anzac day.

 

[TruSaint]

Being the rugby league tragic that I am, I often watch games from yesteryear. The most startling difference between matches from years gone by to today is the commentary. Once upon a time, the commentators CALLED THE MATCH; not anymore! They just chat amongst themselves, give their opinions, drive their agendas, and try and crack jokes.

How true that is PM.

I must go further back buddy, because I used to love Frank Hyde and another announcer ( I think Colin ? ) on the radio, for games I couldn't watch.

Yep the game was not at the level of today in terms of professionalism, as most guys had full time jobs. Tradies mostly.

The radio commentary was awesome.

In those games, a call was a call. No idle chit chat, but it was amazing that without vision, i felt like I was at the game.

PS Nice avatar

 

[GT0007]

How true that is PM.

I must go further back buddy, because I used to love Frank Hyde and another announcer ( I think Colin ? ) on the radio, for games I couldn't watch.

Yep the game was not at the level of today in terms of professionalism, as most guys had full time jobs. Tradies mostly.

The radio commentary was awesome.

In those games, a call was a call. No idle chit chat, but it was amazing that without vision, i felt like I was at the game.

PS Nice avatar

I remember Frank Hyde calling matches when I was a kid. He created an atmosphere all on his own. It was funny to watch Ray Hadlee call the games on tv last season as he'd over call as if you couldn't see things for your own eyes forgetting he wasn't on radio lol.

 

[TruSaint]

I remember Frank Hyde calling matches when I was a kid. He created an atmosphere all on his own. It was funny to watch Ray Hadlee call the games on tv last season as he'd over call as if you couldn't see things for your own eyes forgetting he wasn't on radio lol.

" Its high enough, its long enough ..... ".
GT, how good was he.
God rest his soul.

 

[kit66]

imo the way Gould said "I think the numbers here today might be a protest from saints fans", I mean it was a 1-liner but it sounded like it was something he knew was a current topic and was always going to mention it... afaik gould still likes traditional homegrounds.

The key is the word "Protest"... the Dragon Army didnt sit around and decide not to show up to a game of football in protest.. its individuals (x10,000) individually deciding that they didnt want to travel to the game.

They probably would have gotten the same turn-out at Kogarah though.. so if they expect more crowds to come because its a bigger stadium thats further away... that I cant understand.

Protest or just two Wooden spoon candidates going at it with a natural lack of interest from the fans- plus it was on telly.
It's a simple equation - win games and the fans will come.
If Dragons win against the Worriers on Sat you can expect a great crowd at Shark Park ( Remondis Stadium - catchy name ) the following week.

 

[bottle]

Being the rugby league tragic that I am, I often watch games from yesteryear. The most startling difference between matches from years gone by to today is the commentary. Once upon a time, the commentators CALLED THE MATCH; not anymore! They just chat amongst themselves, give their opinions, drive their agendas, and try and crack jokes.

Was having this conversation with a bloke just today. He was a former cameraman for channel 10 when Hughes was calling. I told him I wish we had Hughes calling today.
I just want the game called.
No bickering like a married couple.
No failed humour.
No throws or commentary about upcoming programming (f**k Fat Tony!)
No live betting updates.
Call the game FFS!

Sterlo is the only one worth a pinch of piss.