The myth of the 'big 5' Sydney clubs

[WaznTheGreat]

Dean Pay > SBW

 

[Delboy]

Biggest non GF game has to be the 2009 major semi between the Dogs and Eels, and if I remember the blue and gold numbers were slightly better

They are the 2 best supported sides in Sydney, followed by Saints and Souths.

Not that it matters, all fans are good for the game, just wish Parra would do better as that would really increase the interest across the board

 

[The Mad Hatter]

My wife is a Para fan.

Every once in a while when she bitches about the Bulldogs, I pop on the 1998 Prelim Final and open a six pack of stubbies.

FLMAO!

:lol:

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Biggest non GF game has to be the 2009 major semi between the Dogs and Eels, and if I remember the blue and gold numbers were slightly better

They are the 2 best supported sides in Sydney, followed by Saints and Souths.

Not that it matters, all fans are good for the game, just wish Parra would do better as that would really increase the interest across the board

This dude knows whats up

 

[The Mad Hatter]

If Para ever got themselves in order, they would be massive. The BS about WSW fandom would be truly put in the shade.

So many people I know in the 35-45 age bracket who were kids in the 80's that go for Para... just phenomenal.

 

[Eelementary]

My wife is a Para fan.

Every once in a while when she bitches about the Bulldogs, I pop on the 1998 Prelim Final and open a six pack of stubbies.

FLMAO!

:lol:

:lol:

That was painful! I mean, full credit to the Dogs - they came home strong. But we should have won that!

 

[The Mad Hatter]

:lol:

That was painful! I mean, full credit to the Dogs - they came home strong. But we should have won that!

My mate was on the phone "I'm buying GF tickets...I'm buying GF tickets" and I agreed.

Then that happened. f**k.

Then I did it again in 2001 with the missus at the GF.

There's plenty of LOL@souffs to be had but you want to quieten, depress or destroy a Para supporter...1998.

 

[Parra]

Unbelievable that so many people here still think that crowd figures have anything to do with it.

 

[Parra]

My wife is a Para fan.

Every once in a while when she bitches about the Bulldogs, I pop on the 1998 Prelim Final and open a six pack of stubbies.

FLMAO!

:lol:

Six Pack? Do you get them from the tuck shop?

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Six Pack? Do you get them from the tuck shop?

Nah mate. The only thing I pick up from the tuck shop are the yummy mummies.

 

[Eelementary]

My mate was on the phone "I'm buying GF tickets...I'm buying GF tickets" and I agreed.

Then that happened. f**k.

Then I did it again in 2001 with the missus at the GF.

There's plenty of LOL@souffs to be had but you want to quieten, depress or destroy a Para supporter...1998.

Yup. We sure know how to choke. We did it just as badly in 2005, too - everyone predicted a Dragons-Eels Grand Final, and we both choked. Who would've thunk it?

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Yup. We sure know how to choke. We did it just as badly in 2005, too - everyone predicted a Dragons-Eels Grand Final, and we both choked. Who would've thunk it?

f**k!!! Yes! How could I forget 2005. Bought top tix for that game. For about three years I'd email Para for a refund. They politely asked to stop. So now I only do it every six months or so.

Funny thing was, watched Tigers beat Saints with the other half of the family, all mad Dragons people and told the wife "oh well, f*** em. At least Para will be in the Grand Final".

Then of course there's 2009. But I put that down to the cheating Mexicans raining on the parade. Still didn't help sitting there with the missus and our Para mates watching them go down. But hey, at least they've seen their team in a GF, in the colour TV era.

 

[Jason Maher]

I believe that is the OP's point.

Fans of certain clubs and the media just loved trumpeting good attendance figures a couple years back as proof of how HUGE their respective clubs were.... but clearly the crowd figures show that all clubs' attendances are linked to on field performance.

When the roosters were consistently good back in the early 2000s our crowds were only rivaled by the dogs in NSW - another early 2000s powerhouse. When we sucked, the dropped back down. Same story for every club, yet for some reason people like to lay the boot into Easts' attendances all the time.

Dragons fans in particular seem to love nothing more than to take credit for everybody else's crwods (see Jason Maher's post in this thread)... despite rarely averaging more than 15-16k, even in the years when they were the clear benchmark side of the competition

It's a simple fact. People talk about teams that bring decent away support, and teams that don't, and we are certainly one of the former. I'm making guesses about why this is so when our home crowds suck, but I don't think I'm too far wrong.

 

[adamkungl]

This thread is the kind of mind warping clusterf8ck that only the NRL forum on LU can provide. The founders of this site must be so proud!

Still, there are some interesting points that come out of the figures in the OP.

- The Roosters certainly have fans. And they even go to games! This for some confounding reason steams Souffs supporters up. I have to admit that I was surprised as I spent the last 3 years living in Bondi and felt anectodally that the stereotype about the chooks was true; but there you go.
- Manly and Cronulla also have fans and this flies in the face of the dribbling imbeciles on here who claim that Suburban Grounds are dead, and that there are too many teams in Sydney and until the NRL looks like the A League we are and will remain a bunch of furrow browed neandernthals.
- Parra fans are a bloody resilient mob.
- Penrith and Canberra are not "a worry". Their figures just cement our position as a middle tier sport in a middle tier country fighting in a bloody crowded landscape. I dont know why this threatens and panics so many people on here. If you enjoy Rugby League for what it is, I guarantee you will enjoy it more.
- Souths fans are like precocious, annoying kids who constantly need to be re-assured and encouraged. Pull your heads out of your arses, you look like idiots. The Roosters are out drawing you at the moment. Until you improve that, let it go.
- Both merger clubs probably could argue that they are no better off from teaming up with a rival, in terms of support levels. The dust settled a long time ago and the equilibrium they have found is not that different to where they would have been had they stood alone. That also surprises me. The fact that Manly and Cronullas crowds are not far from the two merger teams tells me that plenty of Steelers and Magpies supporters will be kicking stones, and if they arent, they should be.

Now, continue defecating in your hands and flinging at each other. You look like geniuses.

I feel this thread has brought up a lot of interesting points in between the dribbling QLDers and Souffs fans.

This entire thread's a f**king myth... wait til the season's over b4 shooting your mouths off ffs.

I assure you this thread is not a myth, it definitely exists.

Who, exactly, are the "big 5" the op refers to?

I would have thought they were Parra, Canterbury, Saints, Easts and Manly traditionally, with Wests last decade seeing them overtake to potentially become the most supported side in Sydney.

Dogs
Souffs
Stains
Parra
Wests

according to the media of the last few years.

Personally I don't believe there is a huge disparity between overall fan numbers of Sydney clubs. Form and crowd-pulling rivalries and players have far more effect. Dogs remain the only team to sit consistently high with crowds. Hence the point of this thread. If Cronulla or Penrith manage to string a few decent seasons together they'll probably pull 17-18k averages too.

 

[Peter_phelps]

lol Roosters fans are only going now because they are doing well. + the inclusion of OMG. Where are all these roosters fans last year? Not in sight!

Dogs, Souths and Parra fans I can give credit to...they are in numbers even when their team isn't performing.

To me though Dogs fans seem very gullible . I am saying that because Greenberg has manipulated them like there is no tomorrow. Barba deal with Broncos was a done deal from months ago, only reason Greenberg would bring him back is to sell memberships + tickets...he got what he wanted. Also with plenty other teams like South Sydney for example, there is plenty of interaction between fans and players. Which shows that they are actually appreciated by the club.

 

[Lambretta]

Easts benefiting off a 'home' gate against Souths that was 65-70% Rabbitohs fans :lol:

We're halfway through the year and Souths have had TWO home games against Sydney teams all year.

Bumble, are you referring to 2012 season or 2013 season?

In 2012 game, a massive number of fans at the Roosters v Souths game were Souths fans. I would say your 65% figure was pretty bloody accurate.

However in 2013 it was probably closer to 30% at most. Easts fans massively outnumbered Souths fans for this seasons opener.

I have to say, I was flabbergasted, but I was at both games and this season Roosters fans were in a massive majority.

Same with the Anzac game that has traditionally seen us outnumbered at home. In previous years Roosters fans were well under 50% of the total crowd, but this year the crowd was 60% - 40% in our favour at the WORST. At best it was 70% v 30% in favour of Easts fans

 

[Lambretta]

Further, when have I said that we have a 'massive' fan base or that you 'have no fans' etc?

Souths massive fanbase is undoubtedly real. They rate better on TV than almost any other team when they're going well and reports suggest that there are 200,000 Souths bumper stickers on cars in Australia.

Anyone who doubts Souths fan base are just mental

PS That doesnt mean that Souths have the most fans at every game or that other fan bases are insignificant. It is merely a fact that many people like Souths

 

[BunniesMan]

Credit where credit is due, Easts are getting bigger crowds than Manly or St George did with similar success.

I had them placed below those teams in terms of following. I reckon they're bigger than Manly and even as big as the Dragons (in Sydney).

Sure the Dragons have a big national footprint but in Sydney Easts are as big.

The major question in my mind is where they are compared to the Tigers.

 

[adamkungl]

The major question in my mind is where they are compared to the Tigers.

Tigers have usually had quite high crowd numbers, around the 18-19k mark in their best periods.
Their membership numbers have been quite poor though, worse than ours. So a mixed bag with them. No doubt they're one of the more popular clubs in Sydney imo.

 

[Teddyboy]

What is the population of Sydney?

All those crowds are rubbish.

2003-2010 were good for crowds for the NRL (yet SOO is a different kettle of fish) but the past 2 years have seem a drag on crowd's.It was nothing better watching on Sky Sports 17000-20000 at Penrith in 2003 at the time the RWC was getting pushed but find it sad that so many fans can drop them like a ton of hot bricks yet at the same time the WSW and A-league get's all the hype.
BTW hasn't Soccer got enough of the pie around the world.