RLWC2017 Crowd Watch

[Stallion]

As the nrl discovered it is better financially to sell 80% at a Premium price than 100% at a knock down price.

It is a bizarre fascination some rl fans have with crowds, I haven’t heard any other sports fan talk About crowds like we do in RL! Probably our insecurity and class chip on our shoulder.

There’s 44k tickets for Final, if we sell 80% of them at a decent price it’s a good outcome for the rlif and development of the game for next 4 years.
The biggest sporting. Event in the world only sold 88% of tickets when hosted in Australia.

By the way I would not quote the NRL for basis of an argument! They are manifestly involved in the backward steps the code is experiencing in recent times.

 

[Perth Red]

Like I have stated $40 to $50 should have been the standard price. A 'thank you' to fans rather than a cash grab would have been my tact. We would not be discussing this potentially embarassing turn out for a final thats for sure!

So you can afford to pay for flights, pay for accomodation but can’t afford to pay $70instead of $50 for a ticket? Give it up.

Like many other rl fans you just don’t stand up for the game when it matters, no committment. It’s rife in nrl fans. Keep whinging about ticket prices but when it comes down to its attitudes like yours that has led to lower crowds than hoped for.

 

[Stallion]

So you can afford to pay for flights, pay for accomodation but can’t afford to pay $70instead of $50 for a ticket? Give it up.

Like many other rl fans you just don’t stand up for the game when it matters, no committment. It’s rife in nrl fans. Keep whinging about ticket prices but when it comes down to its attitudes like yours that has led to lower crowds than hoped for.

Some people do things on principle! I have never agreed with the high prices of tickets for any games in this tournament. I'm also father to an 8 year old daughter and its my week caring for her as of this Friday. Hope that answers your concerns!

 

[yakstorm]

Yak,

I volunteered at the Sydney games. It was my experience that many of the paid RLWC staff were on secondment from the NRL, NSWRL or other sporting organisations. I would wager that every paid RLWC staff member was involved in some level of sporting administration.

To assist with the management of the volunteers the RLWC did get Game Development Officers to assist, however I wouldn't call these employees of RLWC Pty. Ltd.

Of the 32 full time staff members who were employed in Sydney, the only individual who was secondment from the NRL was the IT manager.

Even Andrew Hill had to forfeit his role at the NRL when going across, hence why he then chased the Bulldogs CEO role. Below him the only other FTE who were formed NRL employees were the Digital Marketing Manager, one of the HR staff members and one in the media team... I could run through names, but it isn't really appropriate on a public forum.

As for the crowd on Saturday, agree that it won't sell out and to be honest, the RLWC team just should be focusing on making sure it looks good on TV now... So whatever strategies they adopt to achieve that so be it... At least if it looks good on TV if England turns up then all the talk will be about the game and the replays / highlights will look good.

Anyway, such a shame that we are in this position from a crowd attendance perspective, so many other parts of this tournament were so good... at least it will be the most profitable RLWC yet and second best attended...

 

[The Vaulting Violinist]

To assist with the management of the volunteers the RLWC did get Game Development Officers to assist, however I wouldn't call these employees of RLWC Pty. Ltd.

Of the 32 full time staff members who were employed in Sydney, the only individual who was secondment from the NRL was the IT manager.

Even Andrew Hill had to forfeit his role at the NRL when going across, hence why he then chased the Bulldogs CEO role. Below him the only other FTE who were formed NRL employees were the Digital Marketing Manager, one of the HR staff members and one in the media team... I could run through names, but it isn't really appropriate on a public forum.

As for the crowd on Saturday, agree that it won't sell out and to be honest, the RLWC team just should be focusing on making sure it looks good on TV now... So whatever strategies they adopt to achieve that so be it... At least if it looks good on TV if England turns up then all the talk will be about the game and the replays / highlights will look good.

Anyway, such a shame that we are in this position from a crowd attendance perspective, so many other parts of this tournament were so good... at least it will be the most profitable RLWC yet and second best attended...

Yak always been a fan of your tireless work in RL. If everyone had the same commitment as you we’d be the biggest game in the world

That said - as an outsider looking in, I can’t help but shake my head at so many things that have happened in the lead up to and during the World Cup. Can’t put my finger on what it is, but one thing I absolutely know is that there is a severe lack of competence in these circles. This WC had the potential to take RL to the next level and the organisers did so many things to f**k it. To the point where I almost wonder how much of it was sabotage.

I feel that RL needs a Lyall or someone from outside the league bubble that has the nouse to do it properly. Open the chequebook and go for quality. It’s such a shame that RL is plagued by so much incompetence when it comes to management

What’s going to change? Anything in the pipeline to give us hope? We’ll struggle to make headway until we get the right people in there. I dislike AFL management as much as the next person but the reality is that they run rings around us when it comes to anything head office related

 

[Disinterested third party]

To assist with the management of the volunteers the RLWC did get Game Development Officers to assist, however I wouldn't call these employees of RLWC Pty. Ltd.

Of the 32 full time staff members who were employed in Sydney, the only individual who was secondment from the NRL was the IT manager.

Even Andrew Hill had to forfeit his role at the NRL when going across, hence why he then chased the Bulldogs CEO role. Below him the only other FTE who were formed NRL employees were the Digital Marketing Manager, one of the HR staff members and one in the media team... I could run through names, but it isn't really appropriate on a public forum.

As for the crowd on Saturday, agree that it won't sell out and to be honest, the RLWC team just should be focusing on making sure it looks good on TV now... So whatever strategies they adopt to achieve that so be it... At least if it looks good on TV if England turns up then all the talk will be about the game and the replays / highlights will look good.

Anyway, such a shame that we are in this position from a crowd attendance perspective, so many other parts of this tournament were so good... at least it will be the most profitable RLWC yet and second best attended...

That's not right. Saskia Taylor has dual roles at the RLWC and NRL as but one example. Michael Brown the same til he got the chop.

 

[Stallion]

Yak always been a fan of your tireless work in RL. If everyone had the same commitment as you we’d be the biggest game in the world

That said - as an outsider looking in, I can’t help but shake my head at so many things that have happened in the lead up to and during the World Cup. Can’t put my finger on what it is, but one thing I absolutely know is that there is a severe lack of competence in these circles. This WC had the potential to take RL to the next level and the organisers did so many things to f**k it. To the point where I almost wonder how much of it was sabotage.

I feel that RL needs a Lyall or someone from outside the league bubble that has the nouse to do it properly. Open the chequebook and go for quality. It’s such a shame that RL is plagued by so much incompetence when it comes to management

What’s going to change? Anything in the pipeline to give us hope? We’ll struggle to make headway until we get the right people in there. I dislike AFL management as much as the next person but the reality is that they run rings around us when it comes to anything head office related

Apparently some guy from AFL land did most of the organising leading up the tournament and then resigned a month b4 it started! So its the dudes running rugby league that are incompetent. They obviously can't get things right.

 

[deal.with.it]

Just bought my tix.
Pax 38,000

 

[Disinterested third party]

Brown's claim to fame was organising the AFC Asian soccer tournament in Australia. He didn't have a clue about the RL landscape. This showed from the get go. He did have an AFL background as well.

 

[Perth Red]

Just bought my tix.
Pax 38,000

So 86% of tickets sold so far,
can stallion stop slashing his wrists yet?

 

[deluded pom?]

So 86% of tickets sold so far,
can stallion stop slashing his wrists yet?

The 2008 final was a sell out. Keep an eye on stallion just in case.

 

[Pommy]

So 86% of tickets sold so far,
can stallion stop slashing his wrists yet?

Should have been at ANZ with $5 tickets instead.

 

[Stallion]

Should have been at ANZ with $5 tickets instead.

Brutus mentioned every single seat should be sold in the final. I agree with Brutus. We have a situation whereby 450000 was deemed a pass figure for the tournament total attendances leading into this world cup. One or two games were wet weather affected. (Notably England v Lebanon in Sydney-reasonable priced tickets from memory) The 450000 target has not been reached. Their have been plenty of examples of high priced tickets and poor venue allocation throughout this tournament. Just calling a spade a spade. Sorry if some of you cannot cope with genuine constructive comment but that's the way I do things.

 

[Stallion]

Should have been at ANZ with $5 tickets instead.

Might be an idea for the NRL!

 

[deal.with.it]

I think everyone agrees that capacity crowds spread across the country would be ideal.

But more so, we all agree the RLIF needs to make as much money as possible to build the game. Without genuine Serbia, Ukraine, Canada, Jamaica, USA teams etc at the world cup, the Australian public won't attend to watch 10 Australian sides against 4 English sides. We need to continue to build.

 

[ozenzud]

Personally, I do not blame the ticket prices for the failure of the crowds to turn up. I blame apathy of the RLIF in properly prompting the games and the fact it was not in the interest of Channel 9 to promote during the season. I also believe the ridiculous miss placed hype about SOO kills the international game (and serves channel 9).

I also blame the apathy of the Australian RL fan. But its because its a fore gone conclusion i guess.

I'm going to the final and I'm spending Thousands on flights and accommodation. I'm taking leave from work. A few hundred dollar entry ticket is no big deal on top of that.

The Lions tour recently in NZ, had 25K travelling fans from the UK. They don't care about a few hundred for a finals ticket.

I know RL is working class game, but is it so bad, we can't find 55k of well off fans from the UK and Oz? I'm sure there are heaps able to afford it. A world cup final ticket should be a minimum of $250.

38,0000 sold. Weather is not likely to be kind. 40K max is my predicition

The "fans" are just apathetic.

 

[Stallion]

Personally, I do not blame the ticket prices for the failure of the crowds to turn up. I blame apathy of the RLIF in properly prompting the games and the fact it was not in the interest of Channel 9 to promote during the season. I also believe the ridiculous miss placed hype about SOO kills the international game (and serves channel 9).

I also blame the apathy of the Australian RL fan. But its because its a fore gone conclusion i guess.

I'm going to the final and I'm spending Thousands on flights and accommodation. I'm taking leave from work. A few hundred dollar entry ticket is no big deal on top of that.

The Lions tour recently in NZ, had 25K travelling fans from the UK. They don't care about a few hundred for a finals ticket.

I know RL is working class game, but is it so bad, we can't find 55k of well off fans from the UK and Oz? I'm sure there are heaps able to afford it. A world cup final ticket should be a minimum of $250.

38,0000 sold. Weather is not likely to be kind. 40K max is my predicition

The "fans" are just apathetic.

A world cup final ticket minimum $250!? We dissagree. This code has many barriers confronting it. To do that would waste having a world cup final. It would embarass the code as few would show up. Simple as that. I agree with poor treatment the RLWC has been given by some media, especially channel 9 on grandfinal night. ( no mention of RLWC that evening)hurt this world cup significantly.

 

[insert.pause]

A stadium with empty bays for a world cup final costs the game more than what it makes from some exorbitant tickets. This is the games advertisement to the world, to future sponsors, bidding nations, players, governments, and fans. What impression does it give them if the final has thousands of empty seats? Certainly not one of a "world class sporting event".

 

[insert.pause]

Personally, I do not blame the ticket prices for the failure of the crowds to turn up. I blame apathy of the RLIF in properly prompting the games and the fact it was not in the interest of Channel 9 to promote during the season. I also believe the ridiculous miss placed hype about SOO kills the international game (and serves channel 9).

I also blame the apathy of the Australian RL fan. But its because its a fore gone conclusion i guess.

I'm going to the final and I'm spending Thousands on flights and accommodation. I'm taking leave from work. A few hundred dollar entry ticket is no big deal on top of that.

The Lions tour recently in NZ, had 25K travelling fans from the UK. They don't care about a few hundred for a finals ticket.

I know RL is working class game, but is it so bad, we can't find 55k of well off fans from the UK and Oz? I'm sure there are heaps able to afford it. A world cup final ticket should be a minimum of $250.

38,0000 sold. Weather is not likely to be kind. 40K max is my predicition

The "fans" are just apathetic.

knowing they're apathetic probably suggests tickets should be as affordable as possible. No one apathetic about an event is going to pay hundreds to see it.

 

[Ari Gold]

A stadium with empty bays for a world cup final costs the game more than what it makes from some exorbitant tickets. This is the games advertisement to the world, to future sponsors, bidding nations, players, governments, and fans. What impression does it give them if the final has thousands of empty seats? Certainly not one of a "world class sporting event".

But it wouldn't be solved by cheaper ticket prices!