Mick Watsons comments this week

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[Kipper]

Some have said this week that he should've at least thanked the 6,000 or so hardcorefans that turn upto every Warriors game first so they wouldn't take offence to this outburst, while others say he's got a damn cheek criticising anyone for not paying to watch what after all said and done is still a team losing more games than it's winning. As some of you will know I've been giving the poor crowds at Ericsson a rocket recently, so I'm actually glad to see the CEO come out during the week about this. I agree with most of whathas been said, in fact I'm starting to wonder whethersomeone's been reading recent conversations AuckMel and I were having on this very forum! Beloware three of the main points to arise from Watson's comments, one of which I strongly agree with, one I definitely don't, and one I'd prefer to sit on the fence on! Just for those that didn't catch up with Watson's appearance in the NZ media this week, go to this link - http://onesport.nzoom.com/sport_detail/0,1278,51584,00.html 1) As the Mad Butcher said a few days ago, people who think they have every right to turn their support for a sports side on and off and still regard themselves as "real fans" are kidding themselves. They're wanting a chicken before they've helped incubate the egg. Let'slook closely at the case of the Warriors. The fact that this team features so many exciting, young local players that are keen and fully committed to improvement easily justifies supporting them, let alone the fact that they were many experts' favourite to win the wooden spoon and instead are right in play-off contention. I'd say the team easily has the lowest wage bill in the NRL, yet many say they need to fight even further 'above their weight' before they achieve the lift in crowd numbers they desire. Yep- while other clubs earn millions in pokie profits and hence can throw money around like confetti, you've sensibly focused on developing a side from the ground up and not paying any superstar salaries whatsoever. Despite this, you somehow have to be up with the likes of the Broncos, the Eels and Bulldogs on the points table before you 'break even' through gate takings. So, who's meant to fill the club's coffers so they can fund their attempt to match these highly professional sporting entities, the bloody tooth fairy?! Mick Watson's absolutely right- these sort of expectations just defy logic, and he's right to blast anyone who thinks like this.Somehave said Mick Watson was arrogant to take the 6,000 or so fans that turn up every week for granted, but it's even more arrogant of the "fair weather brigade" to expect this hardcore support to keep the club alive until it becomes successful. It sounds so stupidly basic, but for some reason people overlook the fact that if everyone joined them in being a fair weather fan of the Warriors there wouldn't even be a club, let alone the prospect of a successful one in the future. 2) Unfortunately, Watson blotted his copybook in myopinion by seemingly using places like Wellington as a pawn in his battle to get more people through the gates at Ericsson. We all know the Warriors shouldn't fully relocate to Wellington. However, the crowds we got to the stadium this year (even taking into account the novelty value) are easily a good enough reason for their contract with the Auckland Council to be torn up and up to 5 or 6 home games held elsewhere in the country. As much as I'm a fan of the team itself, I'm sick of the Warriors' management blatantly paying lip service to the rest of the country, symbolised by the new black jersey and the name change. Despite a figure no less than David Moffett going in to bat for the rest of New Zealand's cause, Mick Watson continues to state it's his preference to not move any home games outside of Auckland unless his hand is forced by poor crowds. Instead he greedily wants the best of both worlds; other teams bringing their home games to Wellington and big local crowds snubbing them in favour of cheering for the Kiwi team, effectively giving the Warriors an extra home game. I may have done it once in April, but bugger doing it in the future. How can I say I want the NRL to come to my town more often in the future, when I'm cheering against those that have made the occasion possible? 3) The plans for the Carlaw Park upgrade have been put in the bin after being "turned inside out" by the Warriors management. They say there are just too many stadiums in the Auckland region to justify any major investment in another one. Mick Watson maintains that there's nothing wrong with Ericsson, claiming that it's superior to Wellington's stadium from a spectator's point of view due to the comparative distances from the action. I guess I really have to leave it up to the Aucklanders to have the strong opinions on this one. There are clearly strong sentimental and logical arguments for Carlaw Park to be brought back to life. Basing the Warriors closer to the centre of the city in a stadium with better facilities sounds great in theory, but at what risk? It would definitely cost megabucks and ultimately the success of the investmentlives and diesby the whims of Auckland sports fans. I'm sure you'll agree that's enough toscare the hell out of anyone.

 

[ozbash]

watson is right. the crowds are pathetic but i believe the warriors team management have a case to answer as well. the promotion of the team,let alone the game, is shocking.nzrl suck as far as promoting our game goes.

it should either be carlaw or bust. you could say the same number of fans turning up to the game at erricsen stay away cos its not at carlaw park (myself included)carlaw is the true home of nz league and if the warriors dont use it , they should take the game to the people.the people in auckland obviously are only luke warm to the game.

the mad butcher should be knighted.....

 

[imported_bronco]

Did anyone listen to radio sport on Friday night? The Doug Patraska show from 8-10pm, it was quite interesting to hear the thoughts from alot of Warriors fans on the subject of Ericsson Stadium. The clear consensus is that they should move back to Carlaw park.
I have to agree with them, Carlaw Parks location and viewing qualities and also its spiritial ties with NZ league make it the best ground. There is a problem though with the grounds condition and parking issues. I was under the understanding that the Auckland Rugby League board was going to rule on wether to upgrade Carlaw Park or scrape it all together. Whats the latest news on that situation?
Ericssons location is in an industrial area and quite out of the way for alot of Aucklanders. We only have to look at the fuss Kingz fans made over the move there. I'm also am led to believe that you are quite far away from the pitch whereas at Carlaw you can virtually reach out and touch the players.
I think Warriors fans have been given 6 years to prove themselves and the crowds at Ericsson have been pathetic the whole way through. Even in the Warriors best year yet they have been attracting pittiful crowds at this point of the season when things usually heat up. They are currently 7th in crowd averages in the NRL but in a country with just one team you'd expect to be drawing right up with the top sides.
Wellington has had 2 games and drawn 2 fantastic crowds. They were one offs but i think if we are given 3-4 games we can average about 20k for those. As far as I understand Eric Watson budgeted for a 15k average at Ericsson and hes obviously not getting it.
I still think that the Warriors need to keep a base in Auckland of at least 7 home games a season but that New Zealand tag does bring responsiblities with it. I would like to see 4 games a season come to the capital as well as a game going to Christchurch and maybe a game in palmy.
I totally support Mick Watson in his comments, I think Aucklanders have abused their sporting rights for too long, if Mick can bank on solid crowds somewhere else why should he not be within his right to go there? Why should he have to stay at Ericsson where if the Warriors lose the week before hes faced with the possibility of having a couple of people turn up to the game.
The mad butcher has promoted the game till hes blue in the face and the fans won't come, its time to move on, say hello to Wellington.

Cheers
bronco

 

[ozbash]

i dunno bronco, if the aucks are,nt going to support the game or the team,move it out. give auckland 1,maybe 2 games and spread the rest around the country.
greymouth would double the auckland crowd average,,,easily.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Personally I'd be gutted if Auckland lost the majority of Warriors games, but I have to admit Auckland will only havce itself to blame if it does. While I'd love to see the Warriors at a revamped Carlaw, Ericcson is NOT that bad, the view from the eastern stand is great and pretty close to the action and there is a good range of seating options. Anyone who stays away from games for that reason is doing nothing to bring League back to Carlaw, rather they are driving the sport out of Auckland and NZ. All that said I do think that Watson should have mentioned those of us who DO turn up every game, I've only missed two this season, which I don't think makes me a fair weather fan.
Wellington should get 2 or 3 HOME games a season but not more, I doubt the crowd averages would hold up with 4 or more. Christchurch, Palmerston North and Rotorua could take 1 each, leaving Auckland with seven or eight games.
An important factor to consider is that the Warriors player basearemostly from Auckland; if we move too many games from Auckland these guys don't get to play in front of thier mates and families as much and their loyalty to the club may wane as a result. These local boys are the future of our club, we need to make sure we keep a mortgage on their talents.

 

[ozbash]

what about Greymouth?
anyway, they are the N.Z. warriors. not the auckland warriors.

 

[Warrior]

The Warriors will not be moving to Carlaw Park unless a bulldozer is put through it. For a bulldozer to be put through it, The Warriors would have to contribute to the cost. For the Warriors to contribute to the cost, there will have to be a lot more fat-arsed Aucklanders' bums on seats @ Ericsson.

I say Auckland has had their chance and if 6-8,000 is the best you can do, then perhaps 20,000 Wellingtonians could do better. It's been a disgrace seeing the poor turn out at Warriors' games when it has been unjustified. If the Warriors were struggling on the bottom of the ladder, the rest of NZ would forgive you for not taking the time to get to the Match.

You've had the Warriors to yourselves for 6 years now. If the novelty value is wearing thin, then it's time for the Warriors to test other regions' waters.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Good point Ozbash, Greymouth deserves a Warriors game every year. But I doubt they'd have the facilities to host a crowd of more than 15,000 max.
So maybe something like this (assuming 26 rounds for 13 home games)
Auckland: 7
Wellington: 2
Rotorua: 1
Palmerston North: 1
Christchurch: 1
Greymouth: 1
Games alternate between Auckland and a provoncial venue. If the result of this setup is good crowds everywhere, keep it. If Auckland still struggles to pull crowds, then move more games to the venue that gets the best crowds. But do it gradually! If the Warriors suddenly shift all their games, there are going to be 6-10000 diehard fans who are being punished for their loyalty. League should have learned a good lesson from the past few years; and that is whatever you do, don't alienate your diehard fans. Like it or not the last place League in NZ can afford to snub is Auckland.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I actually think Warriors management needs to shoulder some of the blame for the lack of crowds themselves.
When the Warriors were formed, there was a big maketing drive, lots of hype and hoopla, and a lot of interest was created in the general community. Because of this, the crowds in the first season were big. However several dissappointing seasons drove the casual fans away, and last year our form was so bad that even the hardcore supporters were beginning to desert the team.
The new Warriors management seem to have taken a no-frills approach to running the side, with a minimum of hype. With the improvement of the teams on-field performances the hardcore fans are turning up more consistently than last year, but the casual fans are still to return. On the two occasions that we got what I would say were a fair number of non-core supporters through the gates (in the season opener against Canberra and against Melbourne) we blew it with bad performances. The Melbourne match was a real chance to build things but we played like last year's side and a lot of the people who turned up for it didn't come back.
The problem is there is no promotional effort being put into attracting crowds; little advertising and very little promotional activity going on at the games. We haven't even had cheergirls for most of the season, and when we did they were about 14 years old! Until management starts building the games up a bit, they will struggle to build up attendances. League in Auckland will turn into something like Speedway, where the same 7-10000 people turn up every weekend while the rest of the cityhardly even notices that it exists.
A point to remember about the Wellington crowds; the Bulldogs-Warriors game succeeded because the BULLDOGS promoted it well. The NZRL couldn't improve on tht crowd figure for a test match!! League administration in NZ needs to have a good hard look at itself.