Reds in the Media

[Alehana]

did u post it?

 

[Perth Red]

How do we find out the "true" figures? Are we doing a South Sydney and "fudging" our crowds?

I reckon they are counting the 700+ season members regardless of if they turn up. Probably fair enough seeing as they have paid their admission price even if they don't go.

 

[Perth Red]

Yep they do count the season ticket holders as being there regardless if they turn up. I would be surprised if there was more than 700 there tonight but the "official" figure will probably over 1000.

 

[Nuke]

Again, like last week, there's no way there was 1,000+ people there tonight for the WA Reds game. You could claim every person who walked through the gates from the Joondalup and Willagee clubs, and then you'd get your 1,000+ crowd, but like last week, I don't think most stayed for the Reds-Belrose game. There was still quite a few from Joondalup and Willagee there, but the majority headed off ... probably to post-game presentations. That's 2 weeks in a row now I've missed ours ...

 

[Perth Red]

I don't understand when MES has two large function rooms that could be used why post game presentations are not being held there?

 

[Nuke]

Probably costs more to use them - especially when you consider they'd have to open the bars in there, meaning more staff would have to be put on.

 

[b0rt]

is there really more people been going since the U20s got dropped?
i havent bothered going to a game since. id still like too, but i can find better things to do on a saturday night than drive to MES and pay to watch a game i otherwis ewould have wathced for free (and bought food/drinks) with my team mates

 

[Copa]

Again, like last week, there's no way there was 1,000+ people there tonight for the WA Reds game. You could claim every person who walked through the gates from the Joondalup and Willagee clubs, and then you'd get your 1,000+ crowd, but like last week, I don't think most stayed for the Reds-Belrose game. There was still quite a few from Joondalup and Willagee there, but the majority headed off ... probably to post-game presentations. That's 2 weeks in a row now I've missed ours ...

reading that it sounds like even rl people in WA couldn't give a stuff for the jim beam cup and the journey to getting an nrl club..

 

[gallagher]

reading that it sounds like even rl people in WA couldn't give a stuff for the jim beam cup and the journey to getting an nrl club..

Third grade league on a wet,freezing cold night wont pull a crowd anywhere. 3pm on a sunday arvo,like today, would get much better attendances. Sat night games is ridiculous

 

[Nuke]

That's pretty much the gist of it right there.

That being said, Sunday arvos would be the better time to play, but Sundays are juniors days, so the kids and their parents aren't likely to be there instead of their juniors games.

For some reason, Rugby League supporters are bone lazy for the most part. Look at Sydney: millions of people there, most of which like or love Rugby League, yet you get crowds of somewhere between 9,000 and maybe 16,000 for games. Unfortunately, the laziness flows through League to over here too. League people in WA want an NRL team. They want to see live Rugby League frequently. They would love to have their clubs play over here at least once a year. But they just can't be arsed to do the hard-yards now in order to get themselves that team. It's too easy to say 'We want a team' then blame the NRL or whoever when they don't get a team.

I've said in a previous post somewhere in the WARL forum here that the Reds don't excite me. I hope they do well, but I don't come away upset if they lose (I do get a little disappointed though!). But I know if we -as WA League supporters- do what we can now, we will have an NRL team in the (hopefully) near future in which to get excited about.

But yeah, it's a suburban Sydney competition filled with no-names (only the odd former NRL player plays or coaches in it) and is considered a 3rd-rate comp, so you can't really blame WA people for not getting excited about it.
The crowds will -I believe- grow as the years go on, and a big jump in crowds will happen when they get included into the Queensland Cup.

 

[Perth Red]

I don't think a Sunday afternoon is possible as the Sydney players need to get back to Sydney for work on Monday. Saturday afternoon and move the WARL games to a Sunday afternoon is the way to go.

Back on topic I can't belive that as we finally get in The West the Sunday Times abandon us! No match report this week which is very disappointing.

 

[Perth Red]

reading that it sounds like even rl people in WA couldn't give a stuff for the jim beam cup and the journey to getting an nrl club..

We are getting crowds 5 times+ better than the majority of Sydney clubs in The JB or NSW cup and that is supposed to be RL heartland so in comparison we aren't doing bad!

Having said that RL fans in WA need to realise that if this fails it will be their fault and their fault alone. If people like Bort ever want to see an NRL team (or even see RL continue at any level) in Perth they have to do the hard yards now. Unfortunatley RL fans seem to generally have a poor constitution for such a fight!

 

[joondalup_giant]

We are getting crowds 5 times+ better than the majority of Sydney clubs in The JB or NSW cup and that is supposed to be RL heartland so in comparison we aren't doing bad!=quote]

so we should be, its a differnt market though, if you had the choice what would you go watch? your team playing in the NRL or your local JBC side?

 

[b0rt]

We are getting crowds 5 times+ better than the majority of Sydney clubs in The JB or NSW cup and that is supposed to be RL heartland so in comparison we aren't doing bad!

Having said that RL fans in WA need to realise that if this fails it will be their fault and their fault alone. If people like Bort ever want to see an NRL team (or even see RL continue at any level) in Perth they have to do the hard yards now. Unfortunatley RL fans seem to generally have a poor constitution for such a fight!

hey im not that young lol i saw the original reds!

 

[Goldthorpe]

Having said that RL fans in WA need to realise that if this fails it will be their fault and their fault alone. If people like Bort ever want to see an NRL team (or even see RL continue at any level) in Perth they have to do the hard yards now. Unfortunatley RL fans seem to generally have a poor constitution for such a fight!

I’m not 100% convinced if it fails it would be the fans fault. I would say that the WARL could take some of the blame as well.

Don’t get me wrong I’d love for the WA Reds to be back in the NRL but I wouldn’t be convinced how successful the Reds would be with the WARL running it.

People on this forum have to see that the Perth sporting public are band wagoners they love a winner, West Coast Eagles [basically from 1992 onwards], Fremantle Dockers [2003 & 2006], Perth Glory [1998 – 2004] and the Perth Wildcats [1991 – 2000].

During their successful years their crowds and public exposure were at their peak. The Reds [whether in the Jim Beam Cup or Queensland Cup] have to get to their peak A.S.A.P to get new fans to jump aboard and continue with the success to create a rich short history.

 

[Perth Red]

Totally disagree Goldthorpe. I have been very impressed with how professionaly the WARL have set the Reds up.

Their advertising of games has been second to know with all major media outlets being used.
Their attraction of corporate sponsorship has been very impressive
The very risky decision to use MES was a brave but crucial one
They did their best to attract players from over East with more experience without alienating the WA players and teams
They appointed the best coaching and backroom staff we have in the West
They have been willing to change things around to try and get better crowds (IE changing the pre game to a WARL game)
The range of merchandise available to fans is very good for just our first year
The push to get members was good and resulted in a membership second only to NRL teams

I don't know what more they could have done in all honesty with the modest budget they have. What more would you have them do?

 

[Goldthorpe]

Totally disagree Goldthorpe. I have been very impressed with how professionaly the WARL have set the Reds up.

Their advertising of games has been second to know with all major media outlets being used.
Their attraction of corporate sponsorship has been very impressive
The very risky decision to use MES was a brave but crucial one
They did their best to attract players from over East with more experience without alienating the WA players and teams
They appointed the best coaching and backroom staff we have in the West
They have been willing to change things around to try and get better crowds (IE changing the pre game to a WARL game)
The range of merchandise available to fans is very good for just our first year
The push to get members was good and resulted in a membership second only to NRL teams

I don't know what more they could have done in all honesty with the modest budget they have. What more would you have them do?

All points taken and you are right with your WA Reds points. Their professionalism has been good considering the budget and time they have had.

They could make their website [WARL include] more professional and keep it up to date more regularly.

Being a player, coach and spectator for the past 6 years I have felt the WARL have looked after ‘their own’ and not been fair to ‘outsiders’. You look at clubs like North Beach, South Perth and Rockingham. Basically been the Top 3 for the past 280 years, they all have alliances to the WARL whether it be development officers, coaches or board members [I haven’t been involved for the past year or so, so this could have changed] of the WARL.

I just don’t think it’s fair on the other clubs especially the likes of Willagee and Centrals who have limited success. I don’t believe it’s a fair playing field. I’d like to know what WA Reds players are aligned with Willagee and Centrals. Any at all? How many rep games do these clubs get? I don’t like travelling all the way to North Beach to watch a rep or trial game.

I have seen incidents in games where the referees have given distinctive advantages to these clubs and players who are involved with the WARL.

Unfortunately I have only been to one WA Reds game this season [vs Southern Sharks] and I thought the game day entertainment and the night wasn’t too bad especially considering it was a 3rd grade game. They played I see Red by Split Enz far too often. The price of food and drinks was way over priced and the PA announcer sounded like he was half asleep [I remember he used to do the Junior Grand Finals at Belmont].

I don’t know how to summarise the situation to be honest? Am I burnt that my club folded a couple of years ago due to the development officers not doing their job correctly at the time?

I guess I could talk all day about the weakness of the WARL. But if there was a WA Reds game on a Saturday night and St George Illawarra Dragons were on at the same time I know I would stay home and watch the NRL.

 

[gallagher]

I don't think a Sunday afternoon is possible as the Sydney players need to get back to Sydney for work on Monday. Saturday afternoon and move the WARL games to a Sunday afternoon is the way to go.

Back on topic I can't belive that as we finally get in The West the Sunday Times abandon us! No match report this week which is very disappointing.

My edition of the times had a story on the game. One full page of NRL/ rugby league.

 

[b0rt]

Totally disagree Goldthorpe. I have been very impressed with how professionaly the WARL have set the Reds up.

Their advertising of games has been second to know with all major media outlets being used.
Their attraction of corporate sponsorship has been very impressive
The very risky decision to use MES was a brave but crucial one
They did their best to attract players from over East with more experience without alienating the WA players and teams
They appointed the best coaching and backroom staff we have in the West
They have been willing to change things around to try and get better crowds (IE changing the pre game to a WARL game)
The range of merchandise available to fans is very good for just our first year
The push to get members was good and resulted in a membership second only to NRL teams

I don't know what more they could have done in all honesty with the modest budget they have. What more would you have them do?

has this worked?

 

[Perth Red]

To some degree, it is only the second game though, from the first game there was alot of people from Sth Perth who stayed back to watch the Reds game and have a few beers on the bar, last week there was a few but not many and I was surprised not to see more Joondalup people as they are a reasonably well supported club.

Obviously the jnr's wasn't working as most of them headed home afterwards so at least they are trying something different. Given its our first year they will no doubt keep tweaking things to see what gets the best outcomes, trial and error and all that!