NFT - A Question For Cricket Fans In Newcastle

[IanG]

A Question For Cricket Fans In Newcastle. Seeing as how we have another Pura Cup game here this summer and that we've had quite a few of them in the past along with NSW v Touring teams up here. Do you think No 1 Sportsground would be packed out if they had an ING Cup game up here?

My guess would be yes it would.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

The waugh boys and slater in a one dayer. I'd say it would get packed out in Newy.

 

[antonius]

A one dayer in Newcastle would be sensational, people would be hanging off the rafters. I am amazed they haven't done it yet. Anyway I'm off now to umpire a game.

 

[IanG]

Yeah a one dayer up here would be sensational. They'd get a bigger crowd that they would playing in suburban grounds in Sydney. Too bad EAS hasn't got the confiuration to play cricket on, u could have day/nighters and internationals

Just too bad they can only take a few games per season away from the SCG

 

[Danish Moo Cow]

I'd rather they brought over the touring teams again. I used to love watching the West Indian teams play the poor old NSW chaps. I remember Richard Chee Quee hitting a ton against them up here one year.

 

[Leasha]

When is the Pura Cup match here this season? And who is playing in it?

I went to the NSW vs WA game last year in Newcastle, and I thought it was a great game. It was a fantastic opportunity for the people of Newcastle to see some of their cricketing heroes without having to travel to Sydney or pay high entry fees. I think it was particularly good because of the opportunity for some of the younger kids, who are enthusiastic about their cricket, to meet some of their idols. I think that any more cricket games in Newcastle would be received just as well, and with their increasing importance I think they would attract larger crowds.

 

[IanG]

Yeah I went to the Last Day of that game last season. It was a great game (A real cliffhanger and the Blues won by just 2 runs)

This season The Blues are Playing Victoria(Bushrangers) up here January9 -12. Yeah they should have more games here, they'd get bigger crowds if they took games into the bush.

 

[Leasha]

Yeah I went to the Last Day of that game last season. It was a great game (A real cliffhanger and the Blues won by just 2 runs)

This season The Blues are Playing Victoria(Bushrangers) up here January9 -12. Yeah they should have more games here, they'd get bigger crowds if they took games into the bush.

I agree - there have already been big problems with tiny crowds in Sydney, if they moved the venue to a regional location then they would attract a highly different audience, and furthermore promote the following of cricket in NSW.

 

[Doctor]

A one dayer in Newcastle would be sensational, people would be hanging off the rafters. I am amazed they haven't done it yet.

NSW Cricket have an existing arrangement with the Sydney Cricket Ground's owners (who also manage the Football Stadium) whereby matches are strongly encouraged to be in Sydney, specifically at the SCG.

While exceptions have been made in the past, it was only really last year that wholesale changes were made to fixtures. ING Cup games were staged at the Olympic Stadium, Drummoyne and Bankstown.

The SCG is reluctant to move state cricket from their turf, so you can imagine the issue involved in a One Day International fixture or Test Match.
There were recent comments that questioned why the SCG was given a second Test match when crowd figures proved to be so low. Some people (including myself) wondered why Newcastle's No.1 Sportsground couldn't be used for such a Test Match, especially when a similar number attended the Test match to the number which attended NSW vs WA in Newcastle in January this year.

But an existing arrangement between Cricket NSW and the SCG Trust specifies that Test Matches in NSW cannot be taken away from the SCG. Unfortunately this means that fans just don't attend such low-pressure matches.

I think you will find that No.1 Sportsground will host Pura Cup fixtures every year for the foreseeable future. More than 16,000 over 4 days, the ground looked wonderfully lush, both sides were happy with the facilities and a narrow win to the Blues was witnessed.

Given that the 16,000 total over 4 days eclipsed South Australia's Pura Cup home-ground seasonal total, it may say a lot about the profitability of staging matches outside capital cities. Given the local cricket association here were given full responsibility (and rights to all profits) for the match last season, it is a workable arrangement.

The Newcastle District Cricket Association also received an award for the best marketing of a sporting event at a recent Hunter Sports Awards ceremony. It may say something about how much the local association wants (and needs) state cricket in the region.

I'm off now to umpire a game

Junior matches still Tony? There is always room for more umpires - it has its rewards.

 

[antonius]

Junior matches still Tony? There is always room for more umpires - it has its rewards.

Yep Brett (my son) is still playing, he is trying out next year to play district cricket, so maybe then.

 

[IanG]

NSW Cricket have an existing arrangement with the Sydney Cricket Ground's owners (who also manage the Football Stadium) whereby matches are strongly encouraged to be in Sydney, specifically at the SCG.

While exceptions have been made in the past, it was only really last year that wholesale changes were made to fixtures. ING Cup games were staged at the Olympic Stadium, Drummoyne and Bankstown.

The SCG is reluctant to move state cricket from their turf, so you can imagine the issue involved in a One Day International fixture or Test Match.
There were recent comments that questioned why the SCG was given a second Test match when crowd figures proved to be so low. Some people (including myself) wondered why Newcastle's No.1 Sportsground couldn't be used for such a Test Match, especially when a similar number attended the Test match to the number which attended NSW vs WA in Newcastle in January this year.

Well if NSW Cricket has any brains when this contract ends they wont renew it. While they keep playing the games there. They're gonna get piss poor attendances.

I'm not just saying that Only Newcastle should be a center for State matches as they've played ING Cup games up at Coffs Harbour before so they could take Pura Cup games up there too.

 

[Doctor]

I'm confident that they will see that line of thinking Ian. With the continual push for greater regionally-based recruitment, I'm sure they will see the need to push some (but not all) state fixtures into regional areas.

The benefits are that you attract greater crowds (Sydney-siders have enough sport to attend at the best of times), promote the game itself in the regional area, which in turn inspires young country/rural/regional cricketers to continue playing.

The benefits of 'going back to the bush' have been manifest in rugby league recently, and have proven worthwhile in cricket. Think of all the great players, and you will find that many are from regional/rural areas: Bradman, McGrath, Taylor, etc etc.