Richardson calls for suburban footy to be axed

[Ausguy]

Tonight's crowd at shark park is a great example of why we shouldn't lose suburban grounds.

 

[Loudstrat]

Its three games that if we played at a surban ground we would not have got those crowd figures.

You wouldn't have gotten 45000 empty seats either.

 

[DC_fan]

You wouldn't have gotten 45000 empty seats either.

I suppose with an attitude like that, if you were running the NRL we would be playing at grounds with a capacity of no more then 10,000. Then for sure we wouldn't have empty seats.

 

[bad boy bubby]

Anyone who was at Endeavour Field tonight will pizz this idea out the window.
The atmosphere was brilliant.

 

[Loudstrat]

I suppose with an attitude like that, if you were running the NRL we would be playing at grounds with a capacity of no more then 10,000. Then for sure we wouldn't have empty seats.

F*ck off idiot and wake up. You see 2 home sides playing each other and immediately you only want 3 grounds to exist - ANZ, Lang, and SFS.

You know nothing about Sydney. How much would Penrith and Manly get at ANZ do you think? More than Brooky or Penrith you friggin clown?

 

[The Square Up]

so 3 times out of around 108 games in 9 years
and still 3 times if it is over 10 years.

I am no BoughtDogs fan but it would appear that their presence is required for there to be a big crowd at a 5(c)uff$ game.

I can't speak for all Tigers or Dragons fans but the ones I know do not have any affection for Homeless Stadium.
As someone who travels a long way to watch my team play at their home ground I can safely say that I will not travel to Homeless Stadium at any time other than finals matches or rep games.

You want statistics?

Your clubs top 7 home game attendances have been played at Stadium Oz, SFS or the SCG.
In order of size, 62,255, 36,212, 31,122, 27,183, 21,596, 20,588, 20,123. The majority of these games are against the Roosters on ANZAC Day.
Then you get Kogarah at 20,047 coming in at 8th, which is the only crowd that cracks 20k.

So Souths having 35,221 on Friday night looks great in comparison.

 

[BunniesMan]

Sharks v Dragons tonight would have got 30k if we were smart enough to play rivalry games at big stadiums.

Do people understand being "sold out" is not a good thing when you have bigger stadiums available. Being sold out means fans not seeing the game and cash not seeing the coffers of clubs.

 

[DC_fan]

F*ck off idiot and wake up. You see 2 home sides playing each other and immediately you only want 3 grounds to exist - ANZ, Lang, and SFS.

You know nothing about Sydney. How much would Penrith and Manly get at ANZ do you think? More than Brooky or Penrith you friggin clown?

I know nothing about Sydney? I lived here all my life, over 50 years. I think I know something about the city and it's people.

To use your example of Manly and Penrith. The problem is when they play at Brookvale the Panther fans don't travel that far. When they play out at Penrith the Sea Eagle fans don't travel that far. But then again Manly fans never like to travel. I often wonder if they think they would be lowering their standards if seen outside the northern beaches area.

But you are right a Manly v Penrith game at ANZ would not draw many fans, but neither do the games played at Brookvale or Penrith. So what do we do about it? Or do we just live with the fact that some games will never draw much of a crowd regardless of where it is played.

But that's just looking at it from a crowd pulling perspective. The reason Souths play at ANZ is the money. They make more out of it then they would at the SFS. As a Souths fan i have no problem with that. It has helped my team survive. Penrith and Manly will only ever make a limited amount of money out of playing each other at their home grounds. Tell me if the ANZ Stadium come to either club and offered them a considerably higher amount to play there the club would not take it.

Tradition in rugby league is great and we should hang on to it the best we can. But clubs will not survive on tradition alone.

 

[jc155776]

Sharks v Dragons tonight would have got 30k if we were smart enough to play rivalry games at big stadiums.

Do people understand being "sold out" is not a good thing when you have bigger stadiums available. Being sold out means fans not seeing the game and cash not seeing the coffers of clubs.

Are you serious?? The reason it sold out was because it was in the heart of Sharks land and just down the road from Dragon territory!!

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Sharks v Dragons tonight would have got 30k if we were smart enough to play rivalry games at big stadiums.

Do people understand being "sold out" is not a good thing when you have bigger stadiums available. Being sold out means fans not seeing the game and cash not seeing the coffers of clubs.

Possibly. But if it was played at historic homebush there would be 50000 empty seats. That stadium, rabbletoh private locker room and all :lol:, is too big and cold for regular season games.

When the commission decides on a fixed draw big derbies and matches would be fine to move to the SFS and possibly the ANZ. That way clubs can advertise it well and fans can plan well in advance.

 

[cleary89]

Dont reply to the moron.

 

[DC_fan]

Are you serious?? The reason it sold out was because it was in the heart of Sharks land and just down the road from Dragon territory!!

The fact that the sharks are playing well also helps.

Last years local derby game at Shark park drew 12,000 fans.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

That game was also on a Monday in the rain.

 

[Perth Red]

Agreed a fix draw and match of the round concept would help to schedule the bigger games at decent stadiums. Playing the SharksvDragons at SFS when people know at season start that it will be there and can plan a days activities around coming into the city might have the game cracking 25K+?

If clubs can be sustainable and keep growing their attendnaces at suburban grounds that is great but we will eventually end up with clubs playing out of the big modern grounds earning a lot more money than those at suburban grounds.

Somehow I can't see an altrusitic approach of the AFL clubs where they put a ticket levy on the well supported clubs to give to the lower supported clubs so we will end up with an ever increasing financial gap, maybe.

ps great crowd Sharks, well done to both clubs fans

 

[Ausguy]

Sharks v Dragons tonight would have got 30k if we were smart enough to play rivalry games at big stadiums.

Do people understand being "sold out" is not a good thing when you have bigger stadiums available. Being sold out means fans not seeing the game and cash not seeing the coffers of clubs.

We will disagree again. I honestly dont believe there would have been many more at sfs or homebush for this clash

The reason it was so full as it was a SHARKS HOME GAME. The scene was set for what unfolded, the Sharks deserved to have home ground advantage not to take it back to sfs or homebush.

In my opinion if Souths were playing at redfern you would be on the otherside of the argument.

The Sharks as well as other clubs want their home games AT HOME, how much $ would cronulla leagues make last mnight if the match was at hombush. Anyone who was there knows the club was f**king chockers before and after.

And i havent even spoken about the sponsors at the ground and corporate $'s made.

And one final one... the crowd at the Parra home game next week will be bolstered by this weeks result.

The points above are a reason why an extra 5K at the other grounds does not outway the benefit of a team playing at HOME!!!

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Scabs like DC douche and BunniesDerp can hardly talk about derby crowds when their own fans didn't turn up to the better derby in round 1. We had our allocated seating almost filled, the scabs were absent. Watch the end game and see the cheer when Mini scored is louder than anything at the game :lol:

We got nearly 30,000 to the same round one fixture last year at the SFS. Even the commentators noted the crowd ratio was 5:1 in favour of Easts

Last night just shat on Richo's argument. Going to a sold out game gives you an extra buzz. I'm
Sure the players would rather play full house Shark Park than 3/4 empty ANZ

 

[Perth Red]

Again most people are not suggesting ANZ is the answer, it isn't due to its inappropriateness for club football. What the game needs is a vision to make the SFS and a new 40k Western suburbs ground the main home for RL in Sydney. Won't be easy or quick but that should be the long term goal for the game. It will be a lot easier finding a way to use these two stadiums than clubs trying to find $100mill+ each to get 6 or 7 grounds up to scratch.
Manly are geographically the hardest to accomodate which is challenging as they probably need a new ground the most and looking at the plans the council put out seem a long way from getting one.

 

[Loudstrat]

I know nothing about Sydney? I lived here all my life, over 50 years. I think I know something about the city and it's people.

To use your example of Manly and Penrith. The problem is when they play at Brookvale the Panther fans don't travel that far. When they play out at Penrith the Sea Eagle fans don't travel that far. But then again Manly fans never like to travel. I often wonder if they think they would be lowering their standards if seen outside the northern beaches area.

Do you remember what the Panthers crowd was like in their last home match at that wasnt a GF at ANZ or SFS? How far do they have to travel?

But you are right a Manly v Penrith game at ANZ would not draw many fans, but neither do the games played at Brookvale or Penrith. So what do we do about it? Or do we just live with the fact that some games will never draw much of a crowd regardless of where it is played.

You leave it alone. At least they will get a sh*t load of locals turning up - something you wont get at ANZ.

But that's just looking at it from a crowd pulling perspective. The reason Souths play at ANZ is the money. They make more out of it then they would at the SFS

You do realise that is an incentive to get clubs to use what would otherwise be a white elephant save for 1 Origin and a month of finals.

. As a Souths fan i have no problem with that. It has helped my team survive.

Funny looking Souffs fan with a f*cking Cowboys avatar :lol:

Penrith and Manly will only ever make a limited amount of money out of playing each other at their home grounds. Tell me if the ANZ Stadium come to either club and offered them a considerably higher amount to play there the club would not take it.

I reckon they wouldnt, because they would get no fans at all!!!!!!!!!! How f*cking hard is it for you to comprehend that ANZ/SFS is too far for half these clubs????????

Tradition in rugby league is great and we should hang on to it the best we can. But clubs will not survive on tradition alone.

No, that why we use brains. Thats the one element yopu have no idea of. If you think Parramatta play at Parramatta Stadium simply because of tradition you are f*cking bonkers.

ANZ works for Souffs and Dogs and maybe Wests only. SFS works for Easts only. Neither works for Saints or Manly or Cronulla or Penrith or Parra - whose two "home" games at ANZ are against the ANZ tennants!

The way you carry on is that people support stadiums, not teams.

 

[Brutus]

Games like the Dragons v Bulldogs, Bulldogs v Eels should never be played at suburban grounds. Fans should become accustomed to these high profile clashes being always played at the big stadiums.

I never want to see another Dogs v Dragons match played at Kogarah.

In saying that, a game like Sharks v Dragons should always remain suburban.

 

[Loudstrat]

Again most people are not suggesting ANZ is the answer, it isn't due to its inappropriateness for club football. What the game needs is a vision to make the SFS and a new 40k Western suburbs ground the main home for RL in Sydney. Won't be easy or quick but that should be the long term goal for the game. It will be a lot easier finding a way to use these two stadiums than clubs trying to find $100mill+ each to get 6 or 7 grounds up to scratch.
Manly are geographically the hardest to accomodate which is challenging as they probably need a new ground the most and looking at the plans the council put out seem a long way from getting one.

What f*cking planet are you on???????? Why does Parra Stadium need $100 million to come "up to scratch"? Why do CLUBS have to fund the money for stadiums owned by the government and councils? Why is it easier to build a new stadium than upgrade an existing one that is owned by the same people?