Grand Final Replay moved to Telstra Stadium

[SP]

GF replay moved to Telstra Stadium
February 7, 2004
from Fox Sports


PENRITH have agreed to stage their round four NRL home match against 2003 grand final opponents Sydney Roosters at Telstra Stadium.

The Panthers, in England preparing for the World Cup Challenge against Bradford, will take on the Roosters in a grand final re-match at the Olympic stadium on April 2.

Penrith marketing manager Max Cowan today said the club stood to gain a financial windfall of at least $60,000 from shifting the game from Penrith to Telstra Stadium.

"Last year's grand final was one of the most talked about in years," said Cowan about his club's upset victory over the Roosters.

"We believe there are a lot of fans out there – not just Panthers and Roosters supporters – who would love to see a 'replay'.

"It is an opportunity to draw a bigger crowd than we could fit into Penrith Stadium.

"That has obvious economic benefits for the club but less obviously, it could prove to everyone what we could do with a bigger, better stadium at Penrith."

Panthers season ticketholders will be able to attend the game for no additional cost and will be entitled to free rail transport to and from the Stadium.

Tickets for the general public go on sale next week.

 

[choc_soldier]

Is this for real?

OH YEAH! \\/

 

[Tupac Shakur]

No they shouldn't take our home game away from Penrith Stadium they should have moved the game to Telstra when were sposed to play the Roosters at Aussie.

 

[mightypanther]

I am dead against this........as are most Panther fans by the look of it.

they are getting quite a big backlash at PI about this.

Very few fans are in favour of the extra inconvenience, extra costs in travel and
tickets for non-season ticket holders, and the loss of home ground advantage.

And I'm with them. It's a good move for the club.......bad move for the fans.

Especially on a Friday night after work. How hard is it going to be for the fans who
have to try to make it after work, with a family, on public transport?

And for season ticket holders like myself.......I might get a reserved seat, but if I
want to take my car (which is a 20 minute drive, instead of a train, bus and walk...........
which all takes god knows how long), then I'm up for about $14 or $15 in parking fees.

 

[Caged Panther]

This is a disgraceful decision for oh so many reasons. None of which I can be particularly be bothered going into right now because I am so pissed off about the decision. Way to go panthers managemen, where was the consultation with your fans on this? There obviously wasnt any as evidenced by this back lash.

 

[*Sandy*]

Having to come from the CC and mum living near Lidcombe sort of doesnt worry me in the slightest though about it being moved.

But it doesn't mean i am not disappointed though as i think it would have been more pleasant at Penrith as a few have suggested the hike in food and beverages, the extra cost on top of what you would normally pay for a ticket if you are not a STH, the inconvenience of having to rely on public transport to get to the game are all just some of things that have been aired so far.

They mention the sponsors it being good for them. I don't get that. We have sponsor names all over the Penrith Stadium and it gets good coverage on the TV, yet they don't have that sort of coverage for sponsors at Telstra. Am i looking at that differently to everyone else?

They have definately forgotten about the fans of Penrith in this and thought more the fans of NRL. Will that be enough to cover them in gate takings though? I seriously hope that Panther fans will travel, but i will not blame them if they can't. The extra gate takings will help Penrith (that's if they do get it) and it may show Penrith Council and whoever else it needs to show that Penrtih do need their stadium upgraded

 

[Fibroman]

The club should put on free buses to and from the stadium, and even consider free Krispy Kremes and a complimentary beer to make up for it.

 

[choc_soldier]

I initially liked the idea, now I'm not too sure. After reading some of the comments of PI, I have almost come 180 on this.

I don't think this is such a good idea now. I can see the reasoning behind this, but I think that it should be played at Penrith. This game will probably get more than 22,000, but I don't think it will get 40,000.

Telstra Stadium is not exactly close to Penrith. Free transport to season ticket holders is a good incentive, but this is the minority. A lot of fans will travel, but probably not as many as the NRL and the Panthers anticipate. Also being on a Friday night will create problems for families.

I'll still go to the game, but I think it would have been good to play the match on our patch, in front of our fans. The atmosphere would be awesome, at Telstra Stadium, probably not as much. They are basically suggesting that they think that they can re-create the atmosphere from the grand final. You can't do that. It will only be a premiership match.

 

[PREDATOR]

I think it sucks,and the majority of people who support the move on the pi site are mods(suprise :roll: )and those employed by the club(bigger suprise!! :roll: )
And yes those that disagree are being called selfish and self-centred by those charged with maintaining control..some things never change!! #-o
Its being called a grand final replay..what,are wests tigers gonna release satts from his contract to play with us for the night?what a joke!! :lol:
As for management wanting a larger venue to prove a point to government about a larger stadium why not move ALL home games to telstra??
Oh and there are no busses planned to take those fans who dont have the finances to buy a reserved seating ticket..free train travel,whoopee!!! :roll: The way the rail system is going at the moment you'll be lucky to get there at half time!!
But of course all panther fans who dont blindly follow the decisions handed down by those on high are called fair weather fans..even those who were there before SL :x

 

[PREDATOR]

Suprise!!!
A poll was posted on the pi site basically asking if fans trusted cityrail to get them to the game on time and it was closed after two votes(in the negative).looks like the backlash has caused a bit of a sore point with management...

 

[Fibroman]

Perhaps Michael Costa is coming to chauffeur Panthers Management to the game on his own personal train?

 

[Caged Panther]

PI has always been a mouthpiece for the rose coloured glasses brigade amongst panthers supporters. ie those that are so blinded by their support for the team that they believe no one within the management can do wrong.

 

[Fibroman]

PI has always been a mouthpiece for the rose coloured glasses brigade amongst panthers supporters. ie those that are so blinded by their support for the team that they believe no one within the management can do wrong.

I heard the club was employing a full time Proctologist to remove a lot of site members from respective rectums belonging to some of the management team. Ouch? Who'd want to be a six foot gerbal?

 

[kaza_79]

This whole thing is a joke. Non season ticket holders like myself, have to pay for train travel, and over priced entry prices.

They haven't thought about the fans at all about this.

 

[SP]

this is for Panther

i didnt write this bloody article, although you wont believe me

i took it from Foxsports, ask them about the Max Cowan bit

 

[*Sandy*]

um Lewis are you talking to the `phatom' panther?

Your post isn't making much sense!

 

[SP]

nah, Panther has Pmíng me about the $60,000 thing on this post

 

[*Sandy*]

Ahh ok.

I was just thinking that i had spoken to soon on another thread about them.

 

[*Sandy*]

So i take it that the dollars they believe to make from it is not on PI.

 

[SP]

yeah, i went to the PI site and read the article, and it said nothing about the $$'s, but this article that i got from Fox Sports does :-s

And i dont think many people are happy about the move, by reading the comments on the PI site :-k