Fans face lock-out

[philstorm]

Fans face a lock out
Article from:
Font sizeecreaseIncrease
Email article:Email
Print articlerint
Submit comment:Submit comment
By Josh Massoud and James Phelps
August 22, 2007 12:00am
TELSTRA Stadium officials last night accused Wests Tigers of narrow-mindedness for refusing to transfer Sunday's much-anticipated blockbuster against South Sydney from suburban Leichhardt Oval.

A crowd of 40,000 would reasonably be expected to watch two of Sydney's oldest rivals engage in a winner-takes-all battle for a finals spot.

But Tigers boss Steve Noyce last night insisted the game must be kept at Leichhardt - effectively locking out up to 20,000 extra fans worth an estimated $250,000 in gatetakings for the joint venture.

His decision has caused a major wedge between both sets of supporters, with Souths rival Shane Richardson bemoaning the fact thousands of Rabbitohs supporters will be unable to watch their resurgent team vie for a finals spot for the first time in 18 years.

Telstra Stadium CEO Ken Edwards said it would be "a real shame'' if the game was not moved to a bigger venue.

"It's ultimately about making decisions in the best interests of the fans and the game - instead of what suits the narrow interests of one club,'' Edwards said. But Tigers greats hit back, with former hooker Benny Elias slamming the critics.

"We are not going to sell out on Leichhardt. There's no way in the world we will be changing the game,'' he said.

"I could never see our club giving up its home ground advantage to South Sydney.''

What's the big deal? What exactly have the Tigers done wrong?

Who cares if the likes of the Telstra Stadium and Richardson are upset - when in reality, it's a do or die clash and the Tigers would frankly be stupid to give up their home advantage ...

 

[Choppies]

oh FFS.
It was booked in at Leichhardt long ago and has been played at Leichhardt for years.
Deal with it Rabbitohs Spokesman and greedy Telstra stad CEO.

 

[The Tank]

I won't have a go at the Tigers because they are doing nothing wrong - but it's disappointing that they're being so shortsighted. I really thought they were a club with a vision.

 

[BuffaloRules]

What a joke...

How many fans did Souths get on Monday night again??

 

[Ron Jeremy]

I see the Tigersd point of view on this one, however getting 30,000-40,000 would be great.

 

[God-King Dean]

What the f*ck is this ? A chariot case ?

Tigers wanna win... f*ck what Souths want, or anyone else for that matter

 

[philstorm]

What the f*ck is this ? A chariot case ?

Tigers wanna win... f*ck what Souths want, or anyone else for that matter

Exactly right.

It's almost like asking Manly to switch from Brookvale Oval to play Parramatta at SFS, because they should think 'about the crowds'.

Without having a go at Souths - if they had a 20k stadium of their own with a pretty good record at the ground, do their fans honestly believe that they'd switch it to a bigger venue for a crunch match like this weekend 'for the good of the game'?

 

[>zuzu<]

Good move by the Tigpies.

Absolute rubbish coming from the CEO of the Cash*tohs. They have the home ground advantage at one of the older RL venues in Sydney. Leave it be. This game is about tradition - two teams fighting for a cemented top 8 spot on a sunday arvo

Should be a cracker.

 

[Bumble]

I can 100% see where the Tigers are coming from. Whilst Leichardt is a piece of sh*t, playing there gives them a much better chance of beating us.

Still, gotta get there bright and early on Sunday if I even want to be able to see the pitch from my spot on the hill..

 

[SSFC Hitman]

I don't care that it is at liecardt but if it is sold out then why can't the game kick-off at 4 be shown live on 9?

 

[gong_eagle]

I don't care that it is at liecardt but if it is sold out then why can't the game kick-off at 4 be shown live on 9?

you know that won't happen

 

[Ice777]

I can't believe they even reported this. It's the Tigers home game and they're entitled to it. End of story.

 

[Cheesie-the-Pirate]

Anybody that thinks that 40k is a reasonable expectation for this crowd is kidding themselves.

"We are not going to sell out on Leichhardt. There's no way in the world we will be changing the game,'' he said.

Sorry Benny, the club already has. What you should say is that you're not going to sell out any further on Leichhardt.

 

[Moffo]

for a team that always go on about tradition, its incredibly hypocritical for them to be trying to move a game away from leichhardt

 

[Southernsaint]

LOL, why would Wests give a continental what Souths think about the game's venue?!

Stick it to them, Tigers...

 

[JK]

I would love to see the game moved to Telstra. More fans = more dollars = stronger league. The NRL should enforce the move.

Leichhardt is great until you get to about 13-14K then it is a steaming pile of crap. Toilets, food, drinks, even getting in and out of the area - it fails abysmally.

The big games should be at Telstra, the boutique games at Leichhardt. The home ground advantage thing is crap - if you are good enough you will win. 'Sticking it to Souths' while sacrificing $$$ (though probably not the optimistic $250,000) is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

And yeah, I can see this isn't a popular theory amongst the flat earthers on the thread!

 

[goboggo]

And yeah, I can see this isn't a popular theory amongst the flat earthers on the thread!

:lol:

So because people don't think it should be moved they are too stupid to move with the times? Is that it?

Haha, if I were Tigpies, not only would I not move the game, but I'd be rubbing it in during the week too. They should continue to keep this in the media, and use it to have the Souths players wary of the 'Leichardt factor'. It'll also rev the crowd up, and if the Tigers get on a roll at any stage of the game it will feel like a juggernaut that Souths can't do anything about.

Souths are whinging because they know that there is a chacen that this will happen, and they are trying to pressure the NRL and Tigers to move it. Give up the media bullsh*t Souths, and just win on the park, if you are good enough.

 

[Tom Shines]

Even I want the game to remain at Leichhardt, despite the sh*t toilets, overcrowded hill, and longer trip.

 

[JK]

:lol:

So because people don't think it should be moved they are too stupid to move with the times? Is that it?

Haha, if I were Tigpies, not only would I not move the game, but I'd be rubbing it in during the week too. They should continue to keep this in the media, and use it to have the Souths players wary of the 'Leichardt factor'. It'll also rev the crowd up, and if the Tigers get on a roll at any stage of the game it will feel like a juggernaut that Souths can't do anything about.

Souths are whinging because they know that there is a chacen that this will happen, and they are trying to pressure the NRL and Tigers to move it. Give up the media bullsh*t Souths, and just win on the park, if you are good enough.

Not too stupid, no. The word I would use is selfish.

Even I like park football - I regularly go to Jets games at Henson. I just prefer my NRL to be profitable, accessible and a greater spectacle.

 

[goboggo]

Not too stupid, no. The word I would use is selfish.

Even I like park football - I regularly go to Jets games at Henson. I just prefer my NRL to be profitable, accessible and a greater spectacle.

Profitable - ask the Tigers what is more profitable, a game at Telstra or a Finals berth. They are putting their eggs in the Leichardt basket - good on em.

Accessible - yep, Telstra for sure.

Greater spectacle - you ever seen a game at a packed Leichardt? It will piss all over any 'spectacle' at Telstra.

Oh, and winning pro sports is about being selfish. The Tigers have two responsibilities here. One to themselves and their fans, the other to the league. They chose themsleves. As they should.