Last Stand of Campbelltown Stadium

[ucantseeme]

http://www.nrl.com/failure-not-an-option-on-saturday-tigers/tabid/10874/newsid/78631/default.aspx

Failure not an option on Saturday: Tigers

Wests Tigers CEO Grant Mayer has declared that "failure isn't an option" on Saturday night – and he's not talking about his NRL team's match-up against the Baby Broncos in Campbelltown.
The club celebrates its 15th-year anniversary this weekend, a historic milestone that will be played against the same team on the same ground in front of almost their entire original squad from 2000.
While the club is committed to see out the final two years of its deal to play games in south-west Sydney, it's long-term relationship with the region will be untenable should a paltry 6,456 people continue to turn up to games - as was the case in a win against the Cowboys in mid-April.
The poor crowd prompted Mayer to announce $10 tickets to this Saturday's game.
"It is a last throw of the dice for Campbelltown to come and show they support their club. Then, we will have to reassess whether we continue to run games here at a loss," he said at the time.
This week, Mayer refused to speculate on what would happen if a repeat of the Round 6 crowd figure occurred. Instead, he implored the locals to come out and support a side sitting in the top six.
"That won't happen – failure is not an option. We've deliberately and intentionally targeted this game to have the crowd that we believe is appropriate. 12,500 is reasonable. It's realistic. We think we can get that crowd," Mayer told NRL.com.
"The fact is we're the only game in Sydney on Saturday night. Even the casual observer that wants to come along and watch a quality game of football, come and do it. Come and see some of our young star players against the Baby Broncos."
Mayer's call-to-arms will have echoed through the entire region in the lead-up, having organised functions with players almost every single day this week – a rarity in rugby league.
A special Women in League Movie Night was celebrated in Macarthur Square on Monday night; a free barbecue was set up at PCYC Minto on Tuesday; the club mascot and cheerleaders will be paraded through town centre on Wednesday; players will visit the Razorback Gala Day on Thursday; and finally, an open training session will be held on Friday before a visit to the hospital.
"We've literally letter-box dropped 50,000 homes in a lot of growth areas such as Camden and Narellan," Mayer continued.
"We've been on cinema this week with a TV commercial promoting the game around $10. Later this week we'll be using some of our venue partners, relationships with Wests Campbelltown, Liverpool Catholic Club, Wests Ashfield – we'll be promoting a very special family ticket price.
"We've been on 1000 telegraph poles advertising the game for over a week now. We're literally on buses and taxis driving in and around the south-west of Sydney. So we want everyone in the region to know this game is on. The call to arms has been well and truly taken up so far by our fans and our members and I've personally written to every one of our members this week for them to attend."
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Looks like they are throwing everything but the kitchen sink in order to get fans to show up. Weather forecast for Saturday is 24 degrees and sunny.

 

[madunit]

this is just sad

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

It's a f**king joke is what it is.

He mouthed off after the Cowboys game and that did the Tigers no favours at all. If anything it just made people think "Who the f**k do they think they are?".

He should seriously just STFU.

Either they think that 4 games with no Sydney opposition on Saturday nights is what the people of Macarthur want or they're deliberately trying to punt Campbelltown.

The moment I saw the draw for this year I knew exactly what was going on. Give Campbelltown 4 unappealing games (no Sydney teams, Sat night games) and when they don't pack the joint it gives the Tigers their reason to punt Campbelltown. They have to be seen to be doing the right thing though.

BTW, if Campbelltown goes, Leichhardt won't be far behind....

 

[FootynRacing]

I know crowds have been down for a while at Campbelltown but judging it's worth using crowd figures on a Saturday night game against an interstate team when both sides have their star players out on rep duties is unfair.
The $10 tickets won't matter, people are not going to go to this game.

 

[madunit]

It's a f**king joke is what it is.

He mouthed off after the Cowboys game and that did the Tigers no favours at all. If anything it just made people think "Who the f**k do they think they are?".

He should seriously just STFU.

Either they think that 4 games with no Sydney opposition on Saturday nights is what the people of Macarthur want or they're deliberately trying to punt Campbelltown.

The moment I saw the draw for this year I knew exactly what was going on. Give Campbelltown 4 unappealing games (no Sydney teams, Sat night games) and when they don't pack the joint it gives the Tigers their reason to punt Campbelltown. They have to be seen to be doing the right thing though.

BTW, if Campbelltown goes, Leichhardt won't be far behind....

Exactly right.

The fact he continues to push his "Campbelltowners don't support the team" angle is sad.

Maybe this week can show the club that they need to do more week long visits to the region and get themselves actively involved within the community.

No way will the board allow Campbelltown to be ignored unless it means Leichhardt is as well, and all home games are moved to the SFS or Homebush.

Then we'd not really be the Wests Tigers anymore....

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I know crowds have been down for a while at Campbelltown but judging it's worth using crowd figures on a Saturday night game against an interstate team when both sides have their star players out on rep duties is unfair.
The $10 tickets won't matter, people are not going to go to this game.

People are honestly f**king sad if they choose to go to a game based on who is playing (especially in the case of the opposition). What ever happened to going because they want to watch their team play?

Anyway, the excuses for Campbelltown are always the same. Fact is, even when playing Sydney teams nobody has turned up.

I'd be more than happy to see both CT and Leichhardt abandoned, & full time at ANZ. If the team is winning, people will turn up.

 

[super_coach]

Mayer is generating publicity and thats how you turn a average crowd into a good crowd or a good crowd into a great crowd.

Our club is hurting big time when it comes to money,sponsorship is down, crowds are down and their are all the Balmain dramas. We need big crowds at both Cambo and LO to break even.

Our deal with Homebush probably puts a lot of restrictions on what games we have left to play at both LO and Cambo, they obviously want the blockbusters.

Anyway all the talk in the world is not going to help our cause, people have to get out to what ever venue on game day and support their team

 

[macnaz]

People are honestly f**king sad if they choose to go to a game based on who is playing (especially in the case of the opposition). What ever happened to going because they want to watch their team play?

Anyway, the excuses for Campbelltown are always the same. Fact is, even when playing Sydney teams nobody has turned up.

I'd be more than happy to see both CT and Leichhardt abandoned, & full time at ANZ. If the team is winning, people will turn up.

Exactly , more effort in going and less effort in making excuses .

 

[gronkathon]

It is sad that in this day and age any club has to chase fans who place conditions on attendance

The pricing structure is worthwhile pursuing.

 

[Tiger05]

I don't like the approach however I think at some point the club needs to bite the bullet with regards to where we play.

 

[super_coach]

To be honest I think the crowd thing is not about venues and the standard of opposition your up against or even the time slot.

People are time poor and in a lot of cases under mortgage stress. So with a saturation of live football on pay tv,free to air and now digital passes, its so easy to sit in front of the 50 inch tv and drink you favorite full strength beer at about 2 bucks a throw and have a BBQ. No parking problems,no weather problems and no traffic problems.

Dont get me wrong nothing beats going to a live game and Iam in a situation where I have plenty of time and no mortgage so I will go nearly anywhere to see the Tigs, but most people are not in that situation and I think Mayer has a near impossible task on his hands

 

[ucantseeme]

Big stadium strategy has worked wonders for AFL even considering their recent slump in crowds. I don't think people are time poor so much as they want world class facilities to make it worthwhile going. There is no reason Souths and Bulldogs should outdraw WT other than standard of venue.

In saying that, anything below 10k on Saturday and Cambo is gone for good. If $10 tickets don't interest people then throw in the towel now.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

People are honestly f**king sad if they choose to go to a game based on who is playing (especially in the case of the opposition). What ever happened to going because they want to watch their team play?

Anyway, the excuses for Campbelltown are always the same. Fact is, even when playing Sydney teams nobody has turned up.

I'd be more than happy to see both CT and Leichhardt abandoned, & full time at ANZ. If the team is winning, people will turn up.

You'll get your wish.

 

[madunit]

Big stadium strategy has worked wonders for AFL even considering their recent slump in crowds. I don't think people are time poor so much as they want world class facilities to make it worthwhile going. There is no reason Souths and Bulldogs should outdraw WT other than standard of venue.

In saying that, anything below 10k on Saturday and Cambo is gone for good. If $10 tickets don't interest people then throw in the towel now.

Of course it has, the AFL has Collingwood, St Kilda, Hawthorn, Carlton, Melbourne, Richmond, North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs and Essendon all within 20kms of the SCG (thats half the competition)

The NRL isn't adored almost entirely by the 3 million odd people (at a guess) who live within a 20 km radius of the CBD, requiring them to have half their teams based within that area.

The NRL has Souths, Roosters, Dragons, Manly, Tigers (If you declare they are based at Concord) and the Bulldogs within 20kms of the SFS.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

People are honestly f**king sad if they choose to go to a game based on who is playing (especially in the case of the opposition). What ever happened to going because they want to watch their team play?

By the way, Leichhardt isn't immune to the phenomenon. A 5k and a 7k last season for the NQ and the Storm attest to that.

BTW, when they do put those games at ANZ we had better be running hot....6 or 7k will look at lot worse at ANZ than either Leichhardt or Campbelltown.

 

[innsaneink]

Too many f**king excuses, forget the ground, forget the opposition...just support YOUR team

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

That's a pretty narrow view Ink.

Fact is that that there is plenty of opposition and barriers in place for going to live games. Live TV, other sports, etc. Diehards will be there no matter what but the diehards don't turn a 6k or 8k crowd into a big crowd at either ground. The CLUB has to make it appealing and they've done a very poor job of it in the past. This time they seem to have at least put effort into it so it will be interesting to see the result.

For the Cowboys game they eventually offered $10 GA tickets on the Thursday before the match, but you had to be in before 4 and it was pretty much only promoted on twitter that I saw. After 4, it was $30 for GA. $40 for the Eastern stand and $50 for the top of the Western Stand. For standard prices, they're pretty much outrageous as far as I'm concerned. Again, diehards will pay it but the people that we need to get a big crowd will turn their noses up at those prices.

As for Mayer, I asked him a simple question about the Cowboys deal, I asked if someone could pay the $10 for GA before 4 and upgrade for $10 to the Eastern stand or $20 for the Western stand. I'm still waiting for the answer.

FTR, I will be at Campbo as per usual and I'll be taking a few extra people this time thanks to the $10 tickets.

 

[BrotherJim05]

It does smell a bit dodgy here.

When we played Gold Coast Titans at Leichardt I think there was only like 8,000 or something?

Before we pass any sort of judgement about playing at Campbelltown, I would like to see a meaningful game (relevant to this year's competition - not a historical game or anything) against a Sydney team and then see what the crowds are.
If we were getting close to the end of year and we needed the two points to assure ourselves of a top 4 position and we were playing the Bunnies....20,000 easily.

 

[macnaz]

Too many f**king excuses, forget the ground, forget the opposition...just support YOUR team

In a nutshell.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

I see the commonsense level hasn't risen in my absence.

If the management of Wests Tigers thinks the same way as some of the diehards in this forum, the club is f**ked. Sadly, I think they do...