If we want this to be treated like a serious and profitable event they can't be flogging every ticket at $10 a pop. NRLGF and SOO tickets go for $400+
Can't claim this is the pinnacle of the game then refuse to pay 1/3rd of the price of the big events
How is that comparison fair? This is a damn near meaningless group stage match. The final of the RLWC would be much more comparable.
Since when is the price of tickets what determines the prestige of an event? If FIFA made the soccer World Cup final $20 to get in do you think people would suddenly think it's a nothing event?
What makes international league not the pinnacle of the game is because we don't treat it like it is, not because of ticket prices. Practically zero marketing and promotion, constantly talked down by people involved with the game and the media itself (with no one attempting to correct the bullshit). We play bugger all international matches. The clubs and the NRL do little to thing to help and even go so far as actively harming the international game.
Charging $1000 a ticket won't make this a prestigious event. We need to market it and promote it like the games worth a damn. We need the personalities in the game to acknowledge and maybe even talk the game up. We need to make international matches a more regular occurance and not a one off event that feels like it has no history.
What we needed tonight was a sellout crowd. Price the tickets accordingly, sell the match out in adavance and hype the shit out of it. Use what was a great match to build up the tournament.
Instead we tried to squeeze out every penny we could despite how much it would hurt the tournament. With 8K empty seats I doubt they made more money than they would have lowering the prices and selling the place out anyway.
