Kangaroos should be playing Great Britain /English Lions in NSW in 2019!

[Springs09]

Have you been to major events of other sports? They don't come much more affordable than the RLWC.

We aren't other sports.

 

[Springs09]

Are there are parts of the new calendar that I would like to be better? Absolutely, a confed cup / 6 nations / 4 nations (one of these) - but I will take it, it is a huge step forward and the Oceania Championship is huge for the game. The Kangaroos play at the whim of the players union so I guess the game as a whole had to make the decision to move forward despite this for the sake of other nations.

Well I disagree completely. How is any of it a huge step forward? The previous 4-year calendars were better.

The Oceania Championship is okay but it's a watered down Four Nations/Pacific Cup which doesn't do too much for anyone but Tonga. I cannot say that the pacific nations playing one extra game per year is 'huge' - it's good, but if it was 3 or 4 more games it might be what we need. And despite now playing in a competition Tonga will only play one extra game next year - if their game against GB goes ahead.

There were two good things to come out of the international calendar announcement - the Oceania Championship and the Kangaroo Tour. But I'm not going to pretend it's anything massive when we are playing the same amount of games - and in the case of some countries, less - than in previous years. Like I've said previously Australia have gone from 13 games across 2016-17 to 4 games in 2018-19. There's some good and some bad but overall we are treading water, there's no use using the hyperbole of saying it's a huge step forward.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

We aren't other sports.

When it comes to world sports - we aren't that bad either, there are many sports that would love to be in our position; 2 professional leagues, professional clubs from six different countries a world cup that makes a profit, a long and rich history - it is not our job to sell ourselves short.

 

[Springs09]

When it comes to world sports - we aren't that bad either, there are many sports that would love to be in our position; 2 professional leagues, professional clubs from six different countries a world cup that makes a profit, a long and rich history - it is not our job to sell ourselves short.

It's also not our job to sell ourselves as more than we are - which we clearly are not as big as the RLWC organisers thought when we couldn't even sell out the final, something we did back in 2008. So we clearly aren't yet at the point to demand people pay those prices for the privilege of watching us. What do we do next time? Claim we are even bigger and drive up the prices another 50%?

 

[Perth Red]

Apparently the NRL cant afford it lol

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It's also not our job to sell ourselves as more than we are - which we clearly are not as big as the RLWC organisers thought when we couldn't even sell out the final, something we did back in 2008. So we clearly aren't yet at the point to demand people pay those prices for the privilege of watching us. What do we do next time? Claim we are even bigger and drive up the prices another 50%?

No, we ensure there is a better organising committee and marketing firm in charge. Look at the England 2013 WC and the makings of 2021 - so much more professionally run and very, very successful and profitable. If the Australian organisers can match those efforts, a world cup here would be just as good.

 

[Stallion]

Well I disagree with that, it absolutely has grown in popularity. The Kangaroos might not have though.

I think an England v Australia game could easily get a good crowd in NSW, especially if it was an Ashes series. For some reason England has been confined to Melbourne for the last ten years, apart from the final last year. I don't know why we are arguing against having a game here? Just because Stallion is an idiot and doesn't know when to shut up doesn't mean his original point isn't right. There should be an England v Australia game in Sydney (and Brisbane and Melbourne) next year.

Stallion, everyone understands your point. The problem is it has been made over and over again in several other threads for the last few months. Give it a rest, your tantrum-like posts don't help anything.

Lol. I'm no idiot. Your cheap shot is puzzling. THIS IS A VERY VALID DISCOURSE! It's a major mistake being made by the NRL for rugby league.

 

[Springs09]

No, we ensure there is a better organising committee and marketing firm in charge. Look at the England 2013 WC and the makings of 2021 - so much more professionally run and very, very successful and profitable. If the Australian organisers can match those efforts, a world cup here would be just as good.

Exactly, having been to 10 games in that World Cup and 3 from last year I can say that 2013 was much cheaper, more accessible and better promoted than 2017.

For example, there was a Big Games Pack which included tickets for the Opening Ceremony, the Semi-Finals and the Final which cost me $230 for category 2 tickets, which meant $46 per game. I paid $200 all up for much worse seats in Melbourne and Brisbane last year.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Exactly, having been to 10 games in that World Cup and 3 from last year I can say that 2013 was much cheaper, more accessible and better promoted than 2017.

For example, there was a Big Games Pack which included tickets for the Opening Ceremony, the Semi-Finals and the Final which cost me $230 for category 2 tickets, which meant $46 per game. I paid $200 all up for much worse seats in Melbourne and Brisbane last year.

Ok - I said if Australian organisers can match the organisation and marketing - all we needed is a bit of a push in those areas and we would have shifted the extra 12k seats at Suncorp for the final. Hell, if Tonga had have pulled off the win against England we may have filled it. The final is worth it - and that is the message we need to send.

 

[Stallion]

Ok - I said if Australian organisers can match the organisation and marketing - all we needed is a bit of a push in those areas and we would have shifted the extra 12k seats at Suncorp for the final. Hell, if Tonga had have pulled off the win against England we may have filled it. The final is worth it - and that is the message we need to send.

Dissagree. England and the Kangaroos were absolutely capable of filling Suncorp stadium. The marketing, promotions and ticket prices let the code down!

 

[Perth Red]

Ok - I said if Australian organisers can match the organisation and marketing - all we needed is a bit of a push in those areas and we would have shifted the extra 12k seats at Suncorp for the final. Hell, if Tonga had have pulled off the win against England we may have filled it. The final is worth it - and that is the message we need to send.

Ive never understood the apathy of RL fans. Whinge and moan because people dont show up, and then compound it by not showing up themselves. I spent around $2k going to the RLWC final, was brilliant and worth every $. Much cheaper than some international sports events Ive been to around the world. Shame on so called RL fans in Australia for missing it. Origin has shown that its not the ticket price that is the issue, it is the hype, marketing and media attention given to the event. People will pay $350 for an origin ticket but not $100 for a RLWC final ticket.

 

[Springs09]

Ok - I said if Australian organisers can match the organisation and marketing - all we needed is a bit of a push in those areas and we would have shifted the extra 12k seats at Suncorp for the final. Hell, if Tonga had have pulled off the win against England we may have filled it. The final is worth it - and that is the message we need to send.

I think it is highly likely that if crowds had encountered the same prices in England in 2013 that we did here last year the crowds would have been down. If you didn't know there was a RLWC Final in Brisbane on that weekend you had a rock for a head, it was everywhere. You can't use the line 'but if Tonga had made it' - they were the only reason the World Cup wasn't a complete failure. We can't base crowd predictions, prices and marketing on if a certain team had made it.

Ive never understood the apathy of RL fans. Whinge and moan because people dont show up, and then compound it by not showing up themselves. I spent around $2k going to the RLWC final, was brilliant and worth every $. Much cheaper than some international sports events Ive been to around the world. Shame on so called RL fans in Australia for missing it. Origin has shown that its not the ticket price that is the issue, it is the hype, marketing and media attention given to the event. People will pay $350 for an origin ticket but not $100 for a RLWC final ticket.

Origin ticket prices are becoming a problem as well. The NRL saw that it (and the GF) were guaranteed sellouts so pushed the prices through the roof. Now we hear every year how Suncorp hasn't sold out yet (it used to sell out straight away) a few days before Origin. It hasn't affected it too much yet but it will if they keep raising prices all the time.

 

[Stallion]

Ive never understood the apathy of RL fans. Whinge and moan because people dont show up, and then compound it by not showing up themselves. I spent around $2k going to the RLWC final, was brilliant and worth every $. Much cheaper than some international sports events Ive been to around the world. Shame on so called RL fans in Australia for missing it. Origin has shown that its not the ticket price that is the issue, it is the hype, marketing and media attention given to the event. People will pay $350 for an origin ticket but not $100 for a RLWC final ticket.

Lol . You just don't get it PR. The international rugby league has been a backwater for some time now. Affordable ticket prices were appropriate for where rugby league is at in these times. Having a stadium 2/3 full does not send a positive image to viewers or people attending a world cup final for any sport. Especially a football code in RL that has many obstacles and barriers in its way.

 

[Perth Red]

So is the real problem the ticket price or the failure of the games management and media to get fans interested enough to pay it? Its easy to say charge less but for a WORLD CUP FINAL we shouldn't be devaluing the game or the event. I paid $120 for a good seat, on the grand scheme of big event ticket prices that wasn't expensive to the point of being un-affordable. The big issue here isnt the price of the ticket but rather the failure to market and hype international RL. That is systemic in the game and needs to be addressed Asap, starting with the culture of the NRL and its devaluing attitude to the Kangaroos.

 

[Stallion]

So is the real problem the ticket price or the failure of the games management and media to get fans interested enough to pay it? Its easy to say charge less but for a WORLD CUP FINAL we shouldn't be devaluing the game or the event. I paid $120 for a good seat, on the grand scheme of big event ticket prices that wasn't expensive to the point of being un-affordable. The big issue here isnt the price of the ticket but rather the failure to market and hype international RL. That is systemic in the game and needs to be addressed Asap, starting with the culture of the NRL and its devaluing attitude to the Kangaroos.

Wrong! Rugby league is aiming to grow this mostly "working class " code.You don't charge the public high priced tickets when you are trying to establish an international scenario of interest. Looking at stadiums that are not full is unimpressive. And it was the placement and exhorbitant pricing that achieved this poor look!

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I think it is highly likely that if crowds had encountered the same prices in England in 2013 that we did here last year the crowds would have been down. If you didn't know there was a RLWC Final in Brisbane on that weekend you had a rock for a head, it was everywhere. You can't use the line 'but if Tonga had made it' - they were the only reason the World Cup wasn't a complete failure. We can't base crowd predictions, prices and marketing on if a certain team had made it.
.

It very much matters if certain well supported teams play well or not. The kiwis not making the semi-final drastically affected the crowd. It highlights the importance of selling-out the big events before the tournament so that we off-set poor performances from big-drawing teams. The marketing that I referred to will do this. There is a difference between knowing the game is on and being compelled to be there because it is a must-see event. Union (especially overseas) do this well - terrible game to watch but marketed very, very well.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Wrong! Rugby league is aiming to grow this mostly "working class " code.You don't charge the public high priced tickets when you are trying to establish an international scenario of interest. Looking at stadiums that are not full is unimpressive. And it was the placement and exhorbitant pricing that achieved this poor look!

How do you explain people willing to pay $350 for origin then? @Perth Red is right - it is marketed as an EVENT, not just a RL game. It is hyped up and the non-RL general public just have to be there or watch it on TV.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Dissagree. England and the Kangaroos were absolutely capable of filling Suncorp stadium. The marketing, promotions and ticket prices let the code down!

lol - I think you are finding that we agree, at least on one point. Yes, the Kangaroos and England can fill Suncorp, I said that - if the marketing was better. If those two were the case Suncorp would have been full before the tournament kicked off making it irrelevant if France played Wales in the final.

 

[Stallion]

How do you explain people willing to pay $350 for origin then? @Perth Red is right - it is marketed as an EVENT, not just a RL game. It is hyped up and the non-RL general public just have to be there or watch it on TV.

The issue is to do with lack of publicity and focus from the NRL. The cheaper ticket prices are necessary as the promotion and focus is not appropriate. At least cheaper prices will get the "half" enthused person through the gate. Otherwise they don't show up. Simple as that.

 

[Stallion]

lol - I think you are finding that we agree, at least on one point. Yes, the Kangaroos and England can fill Suncorp, I said that - if the marketing was better. If those two were the case Suncorp would have been full before the tournament kicked off making it irrelevant if France played Wales in the final.

Ticket prices are a vital part and aspect of marketing. In this instance the marketing people were way off the mark.