Penrith Crowds

[Karlos]

As for the comments about the strong crowd at the MCG last night, anyone who was near the CBD would have been able to get to that game without issue. The trams and trains still ran and heck you can walk from Melbourne CBD to the MCG without much issue.

...

The comment re: crowd at the MCG was in response to a previous comment that the crowd was around 10 000 (which was complete rubbish). It is also in response to comments that Sydney draws poor crowds when its cold and raining (something that occurs often in winter).

You can get to any ground without much issue if your close to it!!!

Geelong supporters just happened to be close to the CBD last night???

You would walk to the MCG from the CBD in that rain last night?

Are you a Storm supporter? Because I'm always trying to tell people that we are intelligent, must be an off day for you I assume.

 

[murraymob]

Apparently over 50 000 at the MCG last night, freezing cold and pissing down with rain, roads were terrible etc. etc.

Dont get me wrong, why you would go and watch AFL in any conditions astounds me but dont make up bullsh*t.

I really think sydney fans of all clubs just need to face the fact they cant be assed going to see live games, theres no real excuse for it.

I have been dissapointed with Storm crowds the last few weeks but really when you put the numbers in to perspective they are good figures (10 - 11 thousand) compared with the Sydney games.

Friday nights i happily fly out the door from work drive 1.5hrs home, get ready and train it 45min back in to the game. Its a mission but I take every opportunity to watch the Storm live that I can. Maybe its different because our FTA coverage is diabolical.

(Saints V Tigers shown at 4am this morning on nine in MEL. 2nd game not shown at all. f**k YOU CHANNEL NINE)

50k on tv there where plenty of empty seats.The ground must hold 200k if thats the case

 

[Bluebags1908]

If Austraia get the Soccer World Cup and that rectangular stadium in Blacktown gets built, Penrith need to move some home games there (maybe 9 in Penrith, 3 in Blacktown). It will allow them to pick up more support in the community and diversify their support base.

 

[Karlos]

50k on tv there where plenty of empty seats.The ground must hold 200k if thats the case

So your premise is that it was at 25% capacity? Thats still more than doubles your ten thousand (I am aware you were exagerrating) as the MCG holds around 90 000.

Anyway, it is unfortunate that I have been drawn in to defending AFL crowds because I really dont like the game. My original point is that blaming the weather will only get you so far. Sydney fans just cant be bothered going to see live games, i dont know why, I wish it wasn't the case but it is.

 

[Eels Dude]

It'd be pretty much impossible for anyone who works in the city to get home and then get all the way to Penrith for a game so it's probably the worst Sydney away game to attend for most fans of other Sydney clubs apart from Parramatta. To commute from Manly to Penrith on a friday night is one hell of a trek.

 

[murraymob]

So your premise is that it was at 25% capacity? Thats still more than doubles your ten thousand (I am aware you were exagerrating) as the MCG holds around 90 000.

Anyway, it is unfortunate that I have been drawn in to defending AFL crowds because I really dont like the game. My original point is that blaming the weather will only get you so far. Sydney fans just cant be bothered going to see live games, i dont know why, I wish it wasn't the case but it is.

anyone who has been to penrith home ground on a cold wet night during winter would fully understand the crowd size.There is only one place that compares and that is Canberra.It is to cold and wet for most families

 

[East Coast Tiger]

All pettiness and club ties aside I think the original post was right. I thought the same thing myself. Penrith are going better than they have in years, since they won the comp in 2003 actually. They have a great young side and are playing attractive football. Up against another top side a game like this should have drawn pretty close to a full house. Yes it's winter and it's cold but when the Panthers were going well in 2003, admittedly even better on the table than now, they were nudging 20,000 or topping it regularly, and plenty of those were night games at this time of year. IN a growing area their support base should be bigger now than in 2003 if anything. I think it's a bit of a worry when the NRL is throwing so much at western Sydney and yet the club that typifies this young, growing western Sydney more than any other, Penrith, is struggling to attract fans, even when it has a good team that is winning. I hope it's an indication of how woeful the alien GWS club's crowds will be. But if not we could be in for a hammering in the PR stakes when they're getting better crowds than our flagship "young western family" demographic club.

 

[mxlegend99]

I was at the game last night and have no doubt that the time of the game and conflicting with work schedules etc. had an effect on the crowd. At 6.30ish the stadium looked practically empty. The crowd didn't really start to fill in until the last 20 minutes or so before kick off.

I think on a Saturday night or Sunday afternoon we could have gotten 18k comfortably. We managed to do so earlier in the season against the Tigers. The fact is for most people it's a lot easier to get home from work and watch the game on TV then it is to actually get to the stadium. Especially when using Public Transport.

 

[fourplay]

It wasn't raining yesterday.

Penrith should just never have games on a Friday night. They get the best crowds on Sunday afternoons followed by 7:30pm Sat night.

 

[skeepe]

anyone who has been to penrith home ground on a cold wet night during winter would fully understand the crowd size.There is only one place that compares and that is Canberra.It is to cold and wet for most families

If Canberra were going as well as the Panthers, we'd get 20,000 to a game like last nights. Piss poor excuse.

 

[murraymob]

If Canberra were going as well as the Panthers, we'd get 20,000 to a game like last nights. Piss poor excuse.

when did you last get 20k when ricky stuart was playing was playing

 

[thommo4pm]

Have you been to Penrith for a night game in the middle of winter?

Last night, was not a cold winters night in Penrith by any means. Poor excuse that one.
I've lived in penrith for 30+ years, last night was nowhere near as cold as it can get.

 

[thommo4pm]

Manly fans don't travel, and even if they did penriff on a friday night is near impossible for anyone with a job in the first world (i.e. east of strathfield). It would have been about 3 degrees out at penriff last night to boot. What about st george's pisspoor 16,500 when they're coming first, against another sydney team, coming 3rd, who brought a ton of fans to games

:lol: :lol:

No idea about Penrith to start with.
And then, where were these "ton of fans" from the Tigers last night....would have been no more than 300-500 at the game last night.

 

[thommo4pm]

A ton? def no more than 2k.

More saints supporters at shark park last weekend than sharks.

Oh, and how did benny creagh go last night?

You're being very generous to them there mate.

 

[murraymob]

Last night, was not a cold winters night in Penrith by any means. Poor excuse that one.
I've lived in penrith for 30+ years, last night was nowhere near as cold as it can get.

considering you live in penrith do you go to many games.A point raised earlier is the fact the penrith district fan base is made up of many clubs fans.Getting them to penrith games is the challange the club has to try to find answers to

 

[thommo4pm]

considering you live in penrith do you go to many games.A point raised earlier is the fact the penrith district fan base is made up of many clubs fans.Getting them to penrith games is the challange the club has to try to find answers to

No mate, I think you know I'm a Dragons season ticket holder and have been for quite some time.

Agree totally with you about the city of Penrith being made up of many different fan bases, but Penrith has expanded dramatically in the last 20-30 years. There are more than enough people out here now to get a 20K crowd to that game.

The excuse of work is not a good one.... being lazy is a better reply.
I work in the CBD, travel to and from Penrith every day, yet never miss a Dragons home game. And get to any away game I can.
I also have to arrange for my two sons to get to the games, and I meet them at the gate, they generally travel with my brother or mum who are also season ticket holders.

Try going from penrith in the morning at 6.30am, to the CBD, then get to Kogarah for a 7.30pm kick off, then get home after that back to Penrith. Wollongong is even more difficult.

Not having a go at you Murraymob, but just stating Penrith the team, has some fickle, and bandwagon supporters, and some lazy supporters also.

 

[ucantseeme]

The security guards had the breathalyzer at the front gate of Penrith Stadium so there'd be a few thousand turned away.

 

[mxlegend99]

Not having a go at you Murraymob, but just stating Penrith the team, has some fickle, and bandwagon supporters, and some lazy supporters also.

As opposed to other clubs? :roll:

All clubs have the supporters you just mentioned. Panthers just have less of all of them given they have a smaller fanbase then most clubs.

 

[anjado]

I think Penrith's problem is that the stadium is too small, When they redeveloped it back in 2004 when Penrith were regularly getting crowds of 18,000+. Instead of increasing the capacity from 22,000 to say 28,000 or so they really showed a lack of ambition. They reduced capacity which makes no sense what so ever.

Parramatta stadium is the same they reduced capacity significantly. It shows a lack of foresight and planning.

Basically if you don't get to the game early you are going to get a rubbish view of the game and on a friday night this is a problem if many work in the city or away from Penrith with crap transport and traffic congestion, it would make it near impossible to get a good seat especially if you think there will be a good crowd. So people will stay at home.

When there is a full house at Penrith it is very difficult to see the game as witnessed in 2003 when they had to reduce the capacity for the semi final against Brisbane.

Also another problem is with the exception of the tigers game this season every time Penrith have had a capacity crowd they have played poorly and lost.

But it could also be as with most Rugby League crowds it is due to laziness and apathy.

 

[Eels Dude]

If Canberra were going as well as the Panthers, we'd get 20,000 to a game like last nights. Piss poor excuse.

Rubbish. In 2003 the Raiders were in the top 4 all season but could still only average 13k at home games for the season.