The Eels Centre Of Excellence - Parramatta Jail

[strider]

Why does it cast a shadow of Lego Batman?

:lol: :lol: :lol: ... its TRUE!

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

I get KFC on the way to the game and usually have a late night feed at the club after the game.

#I'mAFatF***

 

[Ratchy]

The club has been looking at setting up a high performance facility for some time and as I said I think the gaol looks like a good option.

The clubs needs to so it can compete with the top clubs. Surely they can't f**k it up like the Titans did :lol:

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Do people really compare stale hamburgers and watered down beer options when they consider where to watch the footy.

In what way is Parra Stadium unsuitable?

Fans to close to the action?

No the sight lines are a winner

Atmosphere is too exciting at home games?

The joints nick named the Hall of statues, so please don't start on atmosphere, we have had a good atmosphere there twice, once for a come from behind win in 2004, and the 2010 Storm game.

Too close to the leagues club and several pubs?

Who goes to the leagues clubs before hand?

Too easy to get in and out of?

Parking not expensive enough?

It is actually more difficult to get away from Parramatta than ANZ, what with the no traffic for X minutes rule. As for Parking, it is on a par with ANZ for cost if you are a Season Ticket Holder.

But it's bad points.

1) in the stands the low section walkway and people walking up. Unless you are in the middle of the bay, someone is going to get in your way. Our fans normally arrive between 5 minutes before kick off to 10 minutes after.

2) To many stairs - Not my problem but a majority of the long term fans I sit near are quite elderly (65 +) and some are mobility challenged.

3) To far to get food. If you are sitting at the back row, you have to go down 3 stories to get food or a beer.

4) Poor layout of Food / Bar facilities. The Reason the gates are opened between the Stands and the terrace is so Terrace people have a larger option for food and drink because of long lines in the terrace. However this now means some lines in the stands can take up to 10 minutes to get a drink at the bar. Just like the terraces.

5) Because the fence between the Stands and the Terrace is open, the Ushers now stand at the Bottom of the stairs checking your tickets are valid for the stands, instead of standing on the walk ways to direct people to their seats, this leaves people walking around the middle of the grand stand, up both middle aisles looking for their seats because we all know if you walk up and by tickets at Parramatta stadium your seats are always going to be in the Centre bay :crazy: Some are in bay 30 at the other end of the grand stand, but with no ushers, the regular Season ticket holders have to get their ticket, decipher were they are sitting and direct them there. Sometimes we have to answer the question like (well no one is sitting here why can't I sit here?

6) Security should be checking tickets instead they walk the walk ways and get in the way of punters trying to watch the game (more than once).

All in all, I would love to see a massive rebuild of Parramatta stadium. Knock down the Eastern Grandstand and build again with full ground facilities self serve like at ANZ for the Terraces and Mezzanine level for the Grand Stands Like Newcastle, along with walkways to the Mezzanine at every aisle meaning all seats could be moved 4 feet closer to the action when the front walkway is removed.

 

[forward pass]

No the sight lines are a winner




But it's bad points.

1) in the stands the low section walkway and people walking up. Unless you are in the middle of the bay, someone is going to get in your way. Our fans normally arrive between 5 minutes before kick off to 10 minutes after.

.

Don't those two statements contradict each other? I personally think the sight lines at the stadium are absolutely terrible. What you are describing is not just in the stands but even worse in the terraces.

Straight stands and straight terraces are a terrible way of buiding a stadium. They should always be curved, and the terraces steep to avoid the walkway traffic obscuring the entire bays view.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Don't those two statements contradict each other? I personally think the sight lines at the stadium are absolutely terrible. What you are describing is not just in the stands but even worse in the terraces.

Straight stands and straight terraces are a terrible way of buiding a stadium. They should always be curved, and the terraces steep to avoid the walkway traffic obscuring the entire bays view.

Kinda, the sight lines are great when people aren't in the way.

 

[Fifty Metre Line]

The joints nick named the Hall of statues, so please don't start on atmosphere, we have had a good atmosphere there twice, once for a come from behind win in 2004, and the 2010 Storm game.

Only two? Well that's not quite right.
There have been heaps of games there with tremendous atmosphere. Obviously you have a different definition than I do.

Who goes to the leagues clubs before hand?

I do if it's a weekend game.

It is actually more difficult to get away from Parramatta than ANZ, what with the no traffic for X minutes rule. As for Parking, it is on a par with ANZ for cost if you are a Season Ticket Holder.

I have no problems getting out of Parra or ANZ. Homebush is just a longer trip home for me personally.
Don't know where you're parking but I only pay $5 (was only $3 before this year - bloody inflation) per home game at Parra for parking whereas at ANZ it costs no less than $15.


I agree with a lot of what you say, but I just wanted to bring up these points.
Sure Parra Stadium needs an upgrade, but I'm still happy to go there. I don't usually buy food or beers there so that stuff doesn't affect me I guess.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Only two? Well that's not quite right.
There have been heaps of games there with tremendous atmosphere. Obviously you have a different definition than I do.

Most probably because I am comparing to games at other venues with atmosphere.

Don't know where you're parking but I only pay $5 (was only $3 before this year - bloody inflation) per home game at Parra for parking whereas at ANZ it costs no less than $15.

Which is about what you pay for parking at Parramatta if you don't arrive before 1972.

I agree with a lot of what you say, but I just wanted to bring up these points.
Sure Parra Stadium needs an upgrade, but I'm still happy to go there. I don't usually buy food or beers there so that stuff doesn't affect me I guess.

It might not directly affect you, but it affects the usability of the stadium as a venue and that does have an effect on the general walk up punter.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

The other thing the club can't argue with at ANZ Stadium is the guaranteed income.

Look at the Bunnies, and the Dogs, two of the biggest membership teams in Sydney, they play our of ANZ Stadium and make a million a year to do so, and yet they still push their membership, why? I think it is because they have a budget each year they can count on. Having money allows you to make money and having room to fill makes you hungry for members.

The Dogs also benefit from a sweet deal with the Qld government to play one game at Suncorp, whispers have reached me that for one week in SE Queensland running events and training session and the like, and to be part of a Queensland double header after Origin, they get $1 million a year.

So while Parramatta Stadium is our home, do you stay there if it is costing you an arm and a leg, vs. moving 10 kms up the road and getting a guaranteed income to do it.

 

[Fifty Metre Line]

I think everyone knows it is financially a good decision to move...but is the right move it is going to ruin the experience.
Parra is our home and it feels right being there. Move all our games to ANZ and we lose a part of our identity.
You mentioned the atmosphere at Parramatta before and said you only consider two games that had a great atmosphere.....imagine how many you would get at ANZ. None.
I reckon most Eels fans would rather wait a bit for their beer and stay at Parra than move and get food whenever they want.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

You mentioned the atmosphere at Parramatta before and said you only consider two games that had a great atmosphere.....imagine how many you would get at ANZ. None.

I have been to several games at ANZ that have had small crowds but fantastic atmospheres, some league games some not. Parramatta fans don't provide atmosphere. I personally don't think Parramatta fans know what atmosphere is. The only time we make any noise is when we are winning or when it is tight at the death.

I reckon most Eels fans would rather wait a bit for their beer and stay at Parra than move and get food whenever they want.

Seriously it isn't about the food, it is about the entire experience at ANZ, they do it much better and if "atmosphere" and History are your only reasons for not going, then it is up the us Eels fans to create the Atmosphere, and to our club to write our history.

 

[parra-matters]

it is better for the clubs bottom line to move to ANZ, it's a business now not just a sport. But the right way to do it would be keep some games at parra against teams like Cowboys and raiders that draw lower crowds and less away supporters for a few years anyway. But i think long term both us and the Tigers will end up at ANZ stadium as well as Souths and the Dogs. It just makes commercial sence.

 

[The EELiminator]

it is better for the clubs bottom line to move to ANZ, it's a business now not just a sport. But the right way to do it would be keep some games at parra against teams like Cowboys and raiders that draw lower crowds and less away supporters for a few years anyway. But i think long term both us and the Tigers will end up at ANZ stadium as well as Souths and the Dogs. It just makes commercial sence.

first we need to become competitive and start winning a few games
if we keep dishing up the crap we did this year we won't draw a crowd no matter where we play

 

[Fifty Metre Line]

Seriously it isn't about the food, it is about the entire experience at ANZ, they do it much better and if "atmosphere" and History are your only reasons for not going, then it is up the us Eels fans to create the Atmosphere, and to our club to write our history.

I'll go wherever we play (within reason of course).
I'm not one of the people who hate ANZ Stadium - I think it's a good ground.
But I just don't think it's for us. At least not until we can start selling out Parra Stadium regularly.
In my view they don't do the whole experience better. They don't have Parramatta Leagues club. Instead a generic pub. The parking costs more. The views at Parra are better and you are closer to the action. Also the history is part of the experience. To come to the stadium I've been coming to for years. Sure we can write a new history...but why do it when we already have one.

 

[Fifty Metre Line]

first we need to become competitive and start winning a few games
if we keep dishing up the crap we did this year we won't draw a crowd no matter where we play

Good point.
Although we had a reasonably respectable average this year despite being abysmal.

 

[Fifty Metre Line]

it is better for the clubs bottom line to move to ANZ, it's a business now not just a sport. But the right way to do it would be keep some games at parra against teams like Cowboys and raiders that draw lower crowds and less away supporters for a few years anyway. But i think long term both us and the Tigers will end up at ANZ stadium as well as Souths and the Dogs. It just makes commercial sence.

If it comes to the point where we need to move because we are desperate for the money (like Souths) then I will be all for it. But currently it doesn't seem like that's the situation.

 

[parra-matters]

first we need to become competitive and start winning a few games
if we keep dishing up the crap we did this year we won't draw a crowd no matter where we play

at least if we have a small crowd at ANZ we still make money.

 

[Fifty Metre Line]

at least if we have a small crowd at ANZ we still make money.

Also a good point.

 

[bartman]

I'll go wherever we play (within reason of course).
I'm not one of the people who hate ANZ Stadium - I think it's a good ground.
But I just don't think it's for us. At least not until we can start selling out Parra Stadium regularly.
In my view they don't do the whole experience better. They don't have Parramatta Leagues club. Instead a generic pub. The parking costs more. The views at Parra are better and you are closer to the action. Also the history is part of the experience. To come to the stadium I've been coming to for years. Sure we can write a new history...but why do it when we already have one.

Fantastic points imo.

 

[bartman]

So while Parramatta Stadium is our home, do you stay there if it is costing you an arm and a leg, vs. moving 10 kms up the road and getting a guaranteed income to do it.

So does it all boil down to whether the club sells out iuts location for money (and does it need to, with increased club grants from the ARLC on their way), or does it hold true a key element of the identity that (for many/some) makes the club in the first place?

Sure, different fans will have different views on the pros and cons of that, all views equally valid and none right or wrong. I live closer to Homebush these days, and we can argue about drinks queues and parking etc but that's not what it's about imo.

To me it's about the bigger picture of what would be behind a decision like this, and the issue of what elements of the entity make a club a club (and result in continued support). Is it the name? The colours? The nickname? The mascot? The location games are played? The individual players? The coach? Whether the club is caught cheating or not? The answer for everyone will be a slightly different mix of these, but for some/many supporters the location is (rightly or wrongly, but validly) a factor in their support.

At the end of the day supporters are (considered) transient, and so long as the club can replace the particiular supporters it might lose (through age, changing practicalities, or differences in philosophy) with new ones, then overall the club as a rugby league entity will continue to be healthy. Whatever the club decides and does and whatever each of us think about it, imo supporters past and present (and future) can all look at (or look back at) their years of experiences and of supporting the club (on the terms most important to them as fans) with pride, regardless of any issue that means they take different decisions on their future involvement.