IT'S OFFICIAL................

[Lidcombe Ledgends]

This is a good move. From a financial perspective.
Lets face it the game has moved on and is no longer a touchy feely local thing anymore.
The Dogs play out of the crappy showground. But there are a powerhouse of a club.
Did they ever bleat about leaving Belmore(which was a great suburbian ground) or did they get on with becomming sucessful. Geez thats why we merged in the first place. To stop being easy beats, bugger the ground. Lets start winning some premierships

 

[Mighty Tiger]

If all the people that have been complaining were at the games when the club needed them this probably wouldnt have happened.

Um so why is it that the decision has only come this year during the season in which we have had record crowds ????

No matter if we where getting huge crowds or not this was always going to happen why do you think they agreed to a 3yr deal in NZ for ???

Why do we agree to the double headers for ????

Why was the Tiger Dome going to be as big as everyone was making it out to be

Becuase a move to Homebush was always on the cards we even trained out of there at one stage and news is that Homebush again will become our main training portal yet again and not concord

 

[watersiders]

They say the decision to sellout our home grounds is because we can't make money at those grounds, but their numbers do not add up. This whole thing stinks of a hidden agenda.

When we played Melbourne at night the crowd was 5,648 and they have been quoted as saying we lost $40,000 on the night. When we played the 1909 picket line crossing scabbitohs the crowd was 19,402 and they told the press we made a $45,000 profit.

Therefore, between these two games we apparantly had a $85,000 turnaround. Further, they have said in the press that it costs them $20,000 to hire lights for a night game on Fox, so, $20,000 of this turnaround was from not needing lights at the Scabbit game, so only $65,000 was from the higher crowd attendance.

They expect us to believe that an extra 13,754 people walking through the gates at Leichhardt only raised an extra $65,000. This implies that we sold them tickets for $4.73 each !!! What a load of bollocks.

Moreover, to suggest we only made $1,800 from a record crowd of close to 19,000 at Orana Park must be nonsense. The Panthers are making millions of dollars from their home games with the same crowds, a ground with similar "problems" and significantly more channel 9 night games.

Despite their own numbers not adding up, even if we accept they can't make a profit from 19,000 crowds the solution is putting people in there that can ! To suggest you can't make a profit from a crowd of 19,000, at between $5 (under 16yo) and $25 (grandstand) per head, when all you have to provide them is a patch of grass is ridiculous in the extreme.

There is clearly another agenda here, whether management want to have the games in one place, or the NRL is pushing us into this, or whatever. I only wish they had the bollocks to tell us fans. We have been in the dark for too long, whilst everything has been sold out from under us.

 

[Wilks]

What a shit decision this is for the fans. i dont give a f*** if the parking is shit at Leichardt, its all part of the day out. Park near the rowers and walk.

2 weeks ago against Souths was a tremendous experience. The atmosphere prior to kick off was as good as I've ever experienced and I've been to quite a few English premier league soccer games. The hill, the sun, plenty of opposition fans and the expectation we would win and win well (cant say that too often over the years)...and now they want to move most of the games to that shithole. We double our best crowd and its still half empty. Good one.

Imagine playing Melbourne there?

I wont be going to Telstra but I will be going to Leichardt and campbelltown.

They can shove their nice toilets and $10 hotdogs.

 

[Wrighty79]

Next year when we win the comp with only losing 4 matches all year, we will get 30000 odd people to each home match at Telstra.

Think of the 40000 odd people we'll get on average in '06!

Think of the benefits of having CO and LO nearly selling out in those 6 games per year!

But above all, think of having the "home ground advantage" come Grand Final time ;-)

 

[TIGERPies]

I agree, at first i hated it..

But now accept it..

More money, Huge catchment of people to draw from, Imagine if both parra and the tigers were travelling sweet next year. That would be massive, that could reach 30000. We also have to face the fact that Homebush is part of the district that the club represents, its not like the doggies who come from bankstown and play at homebush.

We represent the West, i like having our games spread through the western suburbs. Love liechardt but i think alot more than 2 million dollars is required to fix it up, it is a shame (especially as i walk there)

Hope to see the supporters there next year

All i want to do is for the tigers to kill it, smash the roosters and outdraw them on a regular basis.

the club has the potential to do it.

 

[Tigerpete]

Im approaching this as a case of a bit of short term pain will equal some long term gain. I dont want to see us move out there but the reasons behind it are fair enough. The way things were going with Leichhardt and Campbelltown, it was a smart move but only financially. I know i''ll be out there for the games next season, somebody will have to cause i feel we'll lose some fans to this.

 

[Sincas]

Let it out B_Tiger!

I've said more than enough on this topic. I don't like the decision. I have accepted it. I will not go to Telstra unless it suits me but will be at every Leichhardt and Campbelltown match. I consider it an away game and the club don't need my money. As we are guaranteed income they don't need my money and season tickets should be about $150.

 

[tigger]

I think Noyce is a bastard for suggesting fans are unhappy with leichhardt and campbo...""The feedback we've been getting from supporters, sponsors and corporate partners is that transport and public amenities have been less than adequate and seating capacity and covered seating is limited."

f**k "less then adequate", Leichhardt offers the best rugby league experience of any ground in the competition, and if he honestly believes fans can't put up with sh*t toilets at a footy match, then he has no idea who fans of the wests tigers are. Sitting in that shithole at homebush is what is less then adequate. He can claim money pushed him to homebush, but he has no right to say fans are unhappy with leichhardt. If a few fickle fans show up to leichhardt once in a while and don't show up enough to know the good places to park, then that's there own f***ing problem and our decisions certainly shouldn't be tailored to their needs. The corporate wankers who run our game need their luxury seats in a big fat arse stadium because they don't give a sh*t about the game, and it's a f***ing shame we have to suck their arses just to stay alive. I f***ing hate our administration.

Without the 'corporate wankers' you refer to, how do you hope to retain the services of players like Benji and Bronson ? Sure the atmosphere is great at the Den, it used to be fantastic at Lidcombe Oval too. Unless you can bottle this 'experience', and see if our stars coming of contract (or any potential signings) will accept it in lieu of Australian dollars, you'll have to go with Noyce's decision.

As for your deep hatred of the administration, does it stem from them making business decisions that will actually make us money ? Funny enough, you'll find successful clubs like the Dogs and the Broncos are prone to make these type of decisions all the time.

They have moved 4 extra games to a location 10 minutes from Leichhardt. If the team wins, don't worry buddy, the feeling will be great.

What you forget is that the administration you speak highly of about making positive financial decisions is the same administration that has wasted Millions of dollars due to their stupidity. If you cannot remember that, i think you should have been born a goldfish.

 

[Tigerpete]

Let it out B_Tiger!

I've said more than enough on this topic. I don't like the decision. I have accepted it. I will not go to Telstra unless it suits me but will be at every Leichhardt and Campbelltown match. I consider it an away game and the club don't need my money. As we are guaranteed income they don't need my money and season tickets should be about $150.

Gotta admit i've thought that way too sincas. If the club is gauranteed money before the gates even open, why go? Im only gonna go cuz the team will need our support in such a hollow enviroment as Telstra.

 

[brook]

I will not go to Telstra unless it suits me but will be at every Leichhardt and Campbelltown match. I consider it an away game and the club don't need my money. As we are guaranteed income they don't need my money and season tickets should be about $150.

This is very much the view I'm taking

I am not willing to say I wont go to ANY telstra matches but neither will I feel any obligation to - where I feel guilty missing a home game now even if I have a good reason.

 

[innsaneink]

What a sh*t decision this is for the fans. i dont give a f*** if the parking is sh*t at Leichardt, its all part of the day out. Park near the rowers and walk.

2 weeks ago against Souths was a tremendous experience. The atmosphere prior to kick off was as good as I've ever experienced and I've been to quite a few English premier league soccer games. The hill, the sun, plenty of opposition fans and the expectation we would win and win well (cant say that too often over the years)...and now they want to move most of the games to that shithole. We double our best crowd and its still half empty. Good one.

Imagine playing Melbourne there?

I wont be going to Telstra but I will be going to Leichardt and campbelltown.

They can shove their nice toilets and $10 hotdogs.

Do you go there when weve played the Dogs there....or the double headers?
Do you go to Parra stadium when we play parra there? Aussie when we play Souths and Roosters? Penrith?

I'll be going.....even if were by ourselves as it looks like it might be, at least I'll still be supporting my team and the players.....remember the players didnt make the decisions where to play.

Not going to the games wont hurt WestsTigers in the slightest.....but it wont do the team or players much good, fans staying away.

 

[Sincas]

I only go to away games when its convenient for me to do so or if i like the atmosphere at the ground, ie Brooky, Kogarah, Souths games. Home games are different. I don't consider TS a home game because its a slap in the face to the fans.

The only people aside from the fans I feel sorry for are the players. They will lose the home ground advantage, atmosphere and my support.

I have been to the double headers but don't rate them. The only benefit is they are usually on long weekends and you can hit the piss with a few mates.

In saying that I won't miss all of them but won't be at all of them like I normally am.

 

[brook]

Do you go there when weve played the Dogs there....or the double headers?

no to both

I can't stand the ground and stadium Australia prices are a bit beyond me atm anyway

 

[Tigerpete]

The only people aside from the fans I feel sorry for are the players. They will lose the home ground advantage, atmosphere and my support.

Thats my only reason for being at all our games other than double headers out there. I know the players are gonna need us fans there if home ground advantage is even gonna count for something.

 

[innsaneink]

I will put money on people changing their tunes next year........I am certain there are some people that are saying at this moment they wont go....but next year they'll go.....we'll be even better next year, I can understand (sort of) how the ground is peoples first and foremost priority....but for me its the team, and the palyers.

I dont like it either....

I also dont like the way our health systems gone down the crapper....I dont like the way John Howard AND Bob Carr both lie blatantly yet still collect their mega pay packets, I dont like parking meters and I dont like speeding fines but hell, there aint much i can do about it.

 

[HOT028]

i will be there as it was said we support the team and althought we love our grounds i would still support the tigers if they relocated and kept there name.

 

[watersiders]

Even if one accepts their financial arguments, which I don't, it could be a case of long-term pain for short-term gain. Here is our record playing at various grounds:

Leichhardt 27 games for 16 wins, 1 draw and 10 losses. Win record 61%
Orana Park 27 games for 8 wins, 1 draw and 18 losses. Win record 31%
All others 67 games for 20 wins, 1 draw and 46 losses. Win record 31%

Of the "all others", 7 games were played at Stadium Australia where we won 2 and lost 5, a win record of 29%.

Whatever it is about Leichhardt there is no denying we have a great track record there. Why anyone would move games from a ground where you have a 61% winning record, to a stainless steel and concrete dung heep where you have a record of just 29%, is beyond me.

Everyone here would surely agree that financial success will come with success on the paddock, as it has with Penrith etc. To sell such a strong home ground advantage for a few pieces of silver in the short-term is complete madness.

The way we will have long-term financial stability is to win games. If we become a consistant force in the 8 we will attract consistantly large crowds and television exposure. This will then make it easier for us to attract quality players to the club, which in turn helps us remain successful on the park, and so the circle continues.

These days, with the ladder as tight as it is, every single point counts, and I fear we have just thrown points away.

Short-term bandaid solutions will do nothing for this club, didn't we learn this lesson back in 2000 when we threw money at anyone with their hand out.

That said, why the hell do we bother, fans are there to be seen not heard apparantly !

 

[Once Dead]

My boycott of Telstra Stadium shall stand as long as this crap stands

 

[#4]

It sucks that we will only be playing 3 matches each at Leichhardt and Campbelltown but at least we still have half og our matches there. They could of moved to Telstra Stadium full-time. The club is trying to make money and I think we should still go to the matches and support the players. If we don't we will be under pressure from the NRL and other supporters due to low crowds.