Souths' dodgy crowd figures
SOUTH Sydney have conceded they include stadium workers, media, referees - and possibly players - when counting home crowds.
The stunning admission came after a special investigation into the attendance at Monday night's game against Gold Coast Titans at ANZ Stadium.
After monitoring each turnstile, The Daily Telegraph's clickers tracked 7522 people into the ground from the time gates opened at 4.45pm until midway through the first half.
The Rabbitohs later announced an official crowd of 9827.
Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson then confirmed "club staff, stadium staff, media and officials" partly accounted for the discrepancy of 2305 people.
"People that come from (our) club staff, the other club and referees don't come through the check system (turnstiles)," Richardson said.
"There's a whole range of people that go in through other entrances."
The revelation provides an insight into how clubs count crowds at a time when attendances are being monitored closely as Sydney's nine teams struggle for growth in a congested market.
A Souths statement emailed on Wednesday afternoon in response to the survey added: "There were un-ticketed guests who entered via a staff gate that appear to have missed your scrutiny.
"Added to this are groups such as club staff, stadium staff, media, officials etc. who haven't been counted by The Daily Telegraph clickers."
The terms used in the statement are wide enough to include players, referees, coaches, and mascots. Staff employed by the stadium, including caterers, waiters and customer service personnel, might also be inferred.
But aside from referees, Richardson declined to elaborate exactly which "guests" were counted over and above paying customers, season ticket-holders and corporate guests.
The Rabbitohs, however, did confirm that they only counted season ticket holders who turned up on the night.
To further reconcile the discrepancy, Souths pointed to a VIP ground carpark entry used by players, match officials and selected corporates. Located on Level 0, the entry is not marked by a turnstile. It can be accessed by about 300 car spaces and guests who are specifically dropped at the door.
But neither the statement nor Richardson revealed how many people used the carpark entrance -- or the above-ground un-ticketed entrance - on Monday night.
"The observers ... made no allowance for corporate and VIP guests who arrived by car into ANZ Stadium's level 0 parking, nor guests who gained admission prior to the opening of public gates and therefore prior to their calculations," the statement read.
"Closing your count 25 minutes into the first half produced further errors. The official attendance count is concluded 10 to 15 minutes into the second half, as patrons continue to arrive until this time at every event."
The Daily Telegraph arrived at the venue an hour before gates opened and witnessed only a handful of patrons in the precinct. There was a line of just 15 people at one public entrance on the stadium's eastern side at 4.45pm.
Even fewer patrons were observed when the count ceased 15 minutes from halftime.
Richardson said he was "comfortable" with the official crowd.
"There's been no fudging of figures here," he said.
"I've got nothing more to say, no more information to give.
"We are more than comfortable that was the crowd."
ANZ Stadium declined to respond, on the basis that clubs are responsible for crowd counts.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/souths-dodgy-crowd-figures/story-e6frf3uu-1111116735208
