OT: Parra Stadium sharing

[hineyrulz]

I believe that was Ken Edwards' goal. :?

Suity

Which was not what the board was after, why and try and build a super club with 40k members and be one of the strongest and most respected clubs in the NRL when instead we can play out of an outdated 30 year old stadium playing in front of crowds which should not be good enough in this day and age.

But hey at least it will feel like a footy club again......

 

[Suitman]

Hopefully the membership manger he employed (from Richmond or the Western Bulldogs) is still on the case and will execute on next years memberships.

Here is hoping it will be easier and improved from this years debacle (apart from numbers)

Hopefully you are right. We need to build on this year's record numbers.
Also, we must somehow look at increasing season ticket holder numbers.

Suity

 

[MarkInTheStands]

I was going to start a thread a few weeks back about walk up prices, but may as well ask here, how come and when did walk up tickets start costing more than pre-bought tickets? At the Roosters game a few weeks back walk up prices for the Northern Terrace were 27 dollars which is 7 dollars more than what they cost through if you pre-buy them. Entry to the Southern Terrace was a whopping 35 dollars which is 15 dollars more than pre-bought tickets. In a time when we should be encouraging casual fans to attend games and boost our dwindling crowds these prices seemed outrageous and is a huge turn off for walk up ticket buyers.

Wow, I didn't know that had happened. Also didn't know the costs of almost every seat has gone up last year to this year, that affects the Season Ticket Value.

If you were to go to every game and pay Retail and still be a member, for the Cronin stand it would cost you $515 instead of $300, a saving of over $215 or 72% and that is the worst % saving over the STH's most are between 78% to 150% and you would have to miss more than 5 of our 11 games to make that a better option.

 

[oldmancraigy]

Well I doubt there's too many people who go to all the effort of getting to a game, see the ticket price, actually know that it's more expensive than pre-buying, and turn around and go home.

It should be cheaper if you buy in advance. The reason we're not getting bums on seats is because we can't win games of football.

re: sellouts. Tigers game has been sold out the last few years AND on FTA TV. The game where Ben Smith ran down Benji Marshall was Friday night footy, and sold out.

Crowds aren't small because of FTA coverage. The Eels are consistently a high rating team on TV (see the fact we're useless, yet have mostly FTA TV games for the rest of this season...) - but all this tells us is that there are more fans out there than are being tapped into.

Prior to 2009 there was no real urgency about crowds, the club lived off pokies, and seemed intent to carry on that way. Say what you like about Ozzy, but he got the membership drive going, and it has continued since his dismissal. We're only just now taking seriously the idea of having crowds at the game, and we haven't made the finals once since that mindset has been put in place. Give us a successful season and we'll see how many STHs we get - I'd like to think it would exceed 10k following a winning year.
If we were to emulate the success of the Wanderers, I'd hope we'd get close to their mark.

 

[Suitman]

Well I doubt there's too many people who go to all the effort of getting to a game, see the ticket price, actually know that it's more expensive than pre-buying, and turn around and go home.

It should be cheaper if you buy in advance. The reason we're not getting bums on seats is because we can't win games of football.

re: sellouts. Tigers game has been sold out the last few years AND on FTA TV. The game where Ben Smith ran down Benji Marshall was Friday night footy, and sold out.

Crowds aren't small because of FTA coverage. The Eels are consistently a high rating team on TV (see the fact we're useless, yet have mostly FTA TV games for the rest of this season...) - but all this tells us is that there are more fans out there than are being tapped into.

Prior to 2009 there was no real urgency about crowds, the club lived off pokies, and seemed intent to carry on that way. Say what you like about Ozzy, but he got the membership drive going, and it has continued since his dismissal. We're only just now taking seriously the idea of having crowds at the game, and we haven't made the finals once since that mindset has been put in place. Give us a successful season and we'll see how many STHs we get - I'd like to think it would exceed 10k following a winning year.
If we were to emulate the success of the Wanderers, I'd hope we'd get close to their mark.

Pretty much correct everything you said.
Seem to have changed your tune on the Wanderers though. You were one of the doomsdayers who said they'd be a flash in the pan and another soccer failure. That won't happen this time, I can assure you.

Suity

 

[Tyler Durden]

Pretty much correct everything you said.
Seem to have changed your tune on the Wanderers though. You were one of the doomsdayers who said they'd be a flash in the pan and another soccer failure. That won't happen this time, I can assure you.

Suity

hmmm....let's see what happens when they hit a rough patch (and they will sometime ) suspect that a lot of people have joined up because it's now the cool and trendy thing to do or they want to say "look at me, i'm a western sydney wanderers member"

but it's all upside for football now. everyone looking forward to the new season, games are on free to air, then we go into a world cup, then australia will host the asia cup. good times.

 

[Suitman]

hmmm....let's see what happens when they hit a rough patch (and they will sometime ) suspect that a lot of people have joined up because it's now the cool and trendy thing to do or they want to say "look at me, i'm a western sydney wanderers member"

but it's all upside for football now. everyone looking forward to the new season, games are on free to air, then we go into a world cup, then australia will host the asia cup. good times.

No doubt they'll go through a rough patch. Support will drop. But to what extent? I don't think people are joining 'cause it's cool and trendy (although some might be), I believe they're joining because the game day experience is something rarely seen before in Australian sport. The RBB have raised the bar for active support in this country. This brings a new dimension to "just going to watch a game of football".

OMC keeps ignoring my posts, but he was one of the loudest doomsdayers when it came to the Wanderers survival and success.
This time however, it's for real.

As you said, it's great for football in this country.

Suity

 

[Kornstar]

No doubt they'll go through a rough patch. Support will drop. But to what extent? I don't think people are joining 'cause it's cool and trendy (although some might be), I believe they're joining because the game day experience is something rarely seen before in Australian sport. The RBB have raised the bar for active support in this country. This brings a new dimension to "just going to watch a game of football".

OMC keeps ignoring my posts, but he was one of the loudest doomsdayers when it came to the Wanderers survival and success.
This time however, it's for real.

As you said, it's great for football in this country.

Suity

I grew up in Fairfield West and played soccer and went to school with lots of kids with European backgrounds. The explosion of support for the Wanderers truly is not surprising and I don't think it's the game day experience, rather just them getting something they have cried out for a long time for.

The season ticket sales are not surprising, I used to see the, I guess you'd call it passion (I'd call it aggressive, sometimes violent) when discussing or playing the game and the support is exactly what I thought it could be.

My friends dads and uncles etc. liked league, followed it etc. but you knew their first passion/love was football.

It's about time they got something to cheer for and I hope for their sake it bonds them and they can stay successful.

 

[Suitman]

I grew up in Fairfield West and played soccer and went to school with lots of kids with European backgrounds. The explosion of support for the Wanderers truly is not surprising and I don't think it's the game day experience, rather just them getting something they have cried out for a long time for.

The season ticket sales are not surprising, I used to see the, I guess you'd call it passion (I'd call it aggressive, sometimes violent) when discussing or playing the game and the support is exactly what I thought it could be.

My friends dads and uncles etc. liked league, followed it etc. but you knew their first passion/love was football.

It's about time they got something to cheer for and I hope for their sake it bonds them and they can stay successful.

Nice story mate. Good to hear.

Just to correct one thing though, I don't confuse passion with violence. You'll find that there is a zero tolerance to violence with the Wanderers.
You just need to take into account that yes, there will be isolated incidents (as there was last season) but not to let the tabloid crappy media influence the perception of what in reality just that - an isolated incident.
For example, the second Wanderers/FC derby last year. Just 3 people were arrested from the Wanderers (and subsequently banned) for lighting flares. News reports had it as violence and hooliganism and the lead story on the news, yet there have been 3 NRL games this season where flares have been ignited. Not a word from the media. Go figure.

I understand though about what you saw growing up and playing the game as a child. It still happens. But it happens in junior league and Union as well. It's not unique to football.

As for bonding the masses - it already has. It's a good thing, and something this country should be proud of.

Suity

 

[oldmancraigy]

Pretty much correct everything you said.
Seem to have changed your tune on the Wanderers though. You were one of the doomsdayers who said they'd be a flash in the pan and another soccer failure. That won't happen this time, I can assure you.

Suity

Hey!

I'm not ignoring your posts - I just don't check this thread enough!

Wanderers great signs early - I Was convinced they'd die (like other similar attempts). Happy to be wrong - especially if it gets us a bigger stadium!!! hehe

 

[Suitman]

Hey!

I'm not ignoring your posts - I just don't check this thread enough!

Wanderers great signs early - I Was convinced they'd die (like other similar attempts). Happy to be wrong - especially if it gets us a bigger stadium!!! hehe

That's the spirit!!!!!

Now, if I could just remember who the clown was that said the Wanderers wouldn't even go close to selling out the stadium last season??
Looks like in season 2 they'll go close to selling the stadium out for every game. LOL.

Suity

 

[oldmancraigy]

No doubt they'll go through a rough patch. Support will drop. But to what extent? I don't think people are joining 'cause it's cool and trendy (although some might be), I believe they're joining because the game day experience is something rarely seen before in Australian sport. The RBB have raised the bar for active support in this country. This brings a new dimension to "just going to watch a game of football".

OMC keeps ignoring my posts, but he was one of the loudest doomsdayers when it came to the Wanderers survival and success.
This time however, it's for real.

As you said, it's great for football in this country.

Suity

Yeah - 14k members might drop back to 7k (season ticket holders that is) due to a bad season. But those are still pretty darn good numbers right?

Wanderers would have to screw up mightily to lose all the ground they've gained. Well marketed

 

[Suitman]

Yeah - 14k members might drop back to 7k (season ticket holders that is) due to a bad season. But those are still pretty darn good numbers right?

Wanderers would have to screw up mightily to lose all the ground they've gained. Well marketed

Not just 14000 members, but 14000 season ticket holders. The Eels have 17000 members, but only about 7000 - 7500 season ticket holders.
So, even if the Wanderers dropped back to the Eels ST numbers, they'd still be doing well, as you say.

Suity

 

[Suitman]

Well marketed

Not just well marketed, but well resourced. They have rung me twice in the last 4 weeks about renewing. When I finally did, I had a question so rang them and got a recorded message. They rang back that same afternoon. sorted the problem no worries, and then placed a follow up call the following day to check if everything was ok.
The Eels membership department should go and spend a week with theirs.
They sure could learn a lot.

Suity

 

[oldmancraigy]

Not just well marketed, but well resourced. They have rung me twice in the last 4 weeks about renewing. When I finally did, I had a question so rang them and got a recorded message. They rang back that same afternoon. sorted the problem no worries, and then placed a follow up call the following day to check if everything was ok.
The Eels membership department should go and spend a week with theirs.
They sure could learn a lot.

Suity

The Wanderers kept ringing me about renewing too. I told them I hate watching soccer - they said it doesn't matter, I could just dance, set of flares and trash my seat each week.

I'm in.

 

[Kornstar]

Nice story mate. Good to hear.

Just to correct one thing though, I don't confuse passion with violence. You'll find that there is a zero tolerance to violence with the Wanderers.
You just need to take into account that yes, there will be isolated incidents (as there was last season) but not to let the tabloid crappy media influence the perception of what in reality just that - an isolated incident.
For example, the second Wanderers/FC derby last year. Just 3 people were arrested from the Wanderers (and subsequently banned) for lighting flares. News reports had it as violence and hooliganism and the lead story on the news, yet there have been 3 NRL games this season where flares have been ignited. Not a word from the media. Go figure.

I understand though about what you saw growing up and playing the game as a child. It still happens. But it happens in junior league and Union as well. It's not unique to football.

As for bonding the masses - it already has. It's a good thing, and something this country should be proud of.

Suity

Apologies, Suity. You confuse me, I'm talking about my experiences growing up in relation to passion/violence. I know is not specific to football in general but where I grew up it was. If you even joked about a Serbian liking Croatian clubs or vice versa, it was a gang style bashing.

That was 20 odd years ago though, I've left that area long ago, no idea what it is like now.

In relation to current times, I know people who have had unpleasant experiences with the RBB but never violent. On those occasions severe intimidation towards father and son (plural occasions different people) were experienced but no violence.

As you said though, none of this is limited just to football.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Too many Mediterranean Descendants involved in soccer for my liking.

 

[Suitman]

Too many Mediterranean Descendants involved in soccer for my liking.

Clearly, you haven't been to an NRL game lately. It's full of Mediterranean Descendants. Just ask Mario and Avenger.

Suity

 

[Suitman]

Apologies, Suity. You confuse me, I'm talking about my experiences growing up in relation to passion/violence. I know is not specific to football in general but where I grew up it was. If you even joked about a Serbian liking Croatian clubs or vice versa, it was a gang style bashing.

That was 20 odd years ago though, I've left that area long ago, no idea what it is like now.

In relation to current times, I know people who have had unpleasant experiences with the RBB but never violent. On those occasions severe intimidation towards father and son (plural occasions different people) were experienced but no violence.

As you said though, none of this is limited just to football.

No need to apologise mate.
TBH, I think we're on the same wavelength. Football certainly has supporters that are more inclined to over reaction. No question.
For what it's worth, the FFA are considering bringing in the "dob in an idiot" system that Cricket Australia deploys, by sending a text message to the relevant number while at the game. This could have helped your friends. Hope it works.

Suity

 

[Kornstar]

No need to apologise mate.
TBH, I think we're on the same wavelength. Football certainly has supporters that are more inclined to over reaction. No question.
For what it's worth, the FFA are considering bringing in the "dob in an idiot" system that Cricket Australia deploys, by sending a text message to the relevant number while at the game. This could have helped your friends. Hope it works.

Suity

That would be a good idea, I think every code should have that!