Day of Rockening
Juniors
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Looking to fill the great blue yonder
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/new...eat-blue-yonder/2008/08/08/1218139082485.html
Andrew Stevenson | August 9, 2008
RUGBY league in Sydney is caught between the devil and the wide blue sea of empty seats.
For decades, club administrators have never had to count beyond 20. If they filled the ground with 20,000 fans they'd done a great job. Now one of the game's major challenges is outgrow the suburban mindset that has gang-tackled the game's ambitions.
Somewhere between 20,000 in the suburbs and 80,000 at Homebush Bay is the mark the NRL should be trying to hit. But, at present, the code is lost in the middle ground.
"I guess when we had grounds that held 20,000 and we got 17 or 18,000 maybe there was a degree of comfort there. But the reality is we should be looking to get crowds in excess of 20,000 and getting up to 30,000 and hopefully 40,000," acknowledged outgoing Wests Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce. Six games a year drawing 30,000 would add nearly $1 million to the club's coffers.
The Sydney Football Stadium, still the best ground for a crowd between 20,000 and 40,000, fits the bill on every front bar geography. Two million people live west of Homebush Bay, most of them favour rugby league and the code can't afford to turn their back on any of them.
Nor can the NRL turn its back on paying customers. If a side draws 22,000 to a premium match played at ANZ Stadium, that's a stadium much more empty than full. But it also means at least 2000 more people watching the game than otherwise would have been possible.
"If we played at either of our traditional home grounds we would have had to turn away 10 per cent of the crowd, and I don't think there's any business today that can afford to turn customers away," Noyce said.
The Tigers play four home matches a year at ANZ, Parramatta two and St George Illawarra six this season while the ground is the permanent home of South Sydney and the Bulldogs. All clubs are attracted by the facilities, the size but also guaranteed minimum gates as the stadium's management pursue the objective of growing the game to fill the space.
But the Eels have gone to ANZ for two games this year, with poor returns. They're seeking to escape the same constraint of every Sydney club - Parramatta Stadium has a 20,500 capacity - and if the Stadium Trust succeeds in its ambitious plans to build a new stand at the ground, the Eels won't stay at ANZ.
But ground redevelopments don't come cheap. A southern grandstand, adding 2700 to capacity, will cost $25 million. A northern one doubles the price tag but that still only raises the ceiling to 26,000.
Parramatta boss Denis Fitzgerald admits the game needs to think even beyond that, although 40,000 sounds a bridge too far.
"I don't think 30,000 is pie in the sky if you're going well, if the team you're playing is going well and you have a long rivalry - and you need the weather to be fine," Fitzgerald said. "I'm sure if the Dragons or Bulldogs are going well 30,000 is quite achievable."
After Manly, occupying top spot on the ladder and playing at home to another Sydney side, managed to lure only 7862 to Brookvale last Friday night, 40,000 is obviously a huge mountain that must be climbed by inches. But, for as long as clubs feel their job is done if 20,000 turn up, the game is stuck at base camp.
Andrew Stevenson
Its of great pleasure to see issues we've been grasping at for a long time reach the wider community in such a highly regarded newspaper.
Just for the record, ANZ top 5 drawing matches this year in sydney....the detractors should hang their heads.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/new...eat-blue-yonder/2008/08/08/1218139082485.html
Andrew Stevenson | August 9, 2008
RUGBY league in Sydney is caught between the devil and the wide blue sea of empty seats.
For decades, club administrators have never had to count beyond 20. If they filled the ground with 20,000 fans they'd done a great job. Now one of the game's major challenges is outgrow the suburban mindset that has gang-tackled the game's ambitions.
Somewhere between 20,000 in the suburbs and 80,000 at Homebush Bay is the mark the NRL should be trying to hit. But, at present, the code is lost in the middle ground.
"I guess when we had grounds that held 20,000 and we got 17 or 18,000 maybe there was a degree of comfort there. But the reality is we should be looking to get crowds in excess of 20,000 and getting up to 30,000 and hopefully 40,000," acknowledged outgoing Wests Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce. Six games a year drawing 30,000 would add nearly $1 million to the club's coffers.
The Sydney Football Stadium, still the best ground for a crowd between 20,000 and 40,000, fits the bill on every front bar geography. Two million people live west of Homebush Bay, most of them favour rugby league and the code can't afford to turn their back on any of them.
Nor can the NRL turn its back on paying customers. If a side draws 22,000 to a premium match played at ANZ Stadium, that's a stadium much more empty than full. But it also means at least 2000 more people watching the game than otherwise would have been possible.
"If we played at either of our traditional home grounds we would have had to turn away 10 per cent of the crowd, and I don't think there's any business today that can afford to turn customers away," Noyce said.
The Tigers play four home matches a year at ANZ, Parramatta two and St George Illawarra six this season while the ground is the permanent home of South Sydney and the Bulldogs. All clubs are attracted by the facilities, the size but also guaranteed minimum gates as the stadium's management pursue the objective of growing the game to fill the space.
But the Eels have gone to ANZ for two games this year, with poor returns. They're seeking to escape the same constraint of every Sydney club - Parramatta Stadium has a 20,500 capacity - and if the Stadium Trust succeeds in its ambitious plans to build a new stand at the ground, the Eels won't stay at ANZ.
But ground redevelopments don't come cheap. A southern grandstand, adding 2700 to capacity, will cost $25 million. A northern one doubles the price tag but that still only raises the ceiling to 26,000.
Parramatta boss Denis Fitzgerald admits the game needs to think even beyond that, although 40,000 sounds a bridge too far.
"I don't think 30,000 is pie in the sky if you're going well, if the team you're playing is going well and you have a long rivalry - and you need the weather to be fine," Fitzgerald said. "I'm sure if the Dragons or Bulldogs are going well 30,000 is quite achievable."
After Manly, occupying top spot on the ladder and playing at home to another Sydney side, managed to lure only 7862 to Brookvale last Friday night, 40,000 is obviously a huge mountain that must be climbed by inches. But, for as long as clubs feel their job is done if 20,000 turn up, the game is stuck at base camp.
Andrew Stevenson
Its of great pleasure to see issues we've been grasping at for a long time reach the wider community in such a highly regarded newspaper.
Just for the record, ANZ top 5 drawing matches this year in sydney....the detractors should hang their heads.
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