Unity

[The Colonel]

Why do you need the club to help run a supporters group ?????

Reading about the Brisbane trip - you guys have enough brains and passion to form your own group without having to bow down to the club.

Having to do what the club says on away trips is a sure way to piss off a lot of supporters, and you are not going to please everyone.

Because it is a sure way to make sure a LARGE number of fans sit togther.
In Brisbane, the were 25000 there. At least 8 or 10,000 of them were Parra fans, who were scattered all around the Stadium.

From this board, we managed to scrape together about 50 of those, whose noise was negligible.
Surely, if nothing else, the club could at least help out in assisting much larger numbers to sit together.

But I agree, with PB. There will always be a larger number of people with alternative agendas (friends etc) who would rather have the choice where to sit.
It also has a lot to do with what PB said in the Daniel Irvine thread. Until this country's fans grow some deep seated passion, supporters groups will continue to flounder.

Suity

The club can be a great help in the organisation however the fans have to want to get involved as well. Its starts out with the greatest of intentions however some people feel they are too involved or its too much work for them and they don't bother to turn up.

Parramaniacs - case in point. Myself and the club had 78 replies regarding being involved. However as is most often the case only 5 people turned up. Partly this is due to a lack of forward thinking by the club but it also comes down to a lot of people thinking great idea and then just turning up and sitting with their mates.

Macca and myself posted information regarding the seating in bay 332 on the official site. From all accounts a lot were keen however few got themselves organised enough to get there. A central area with such information is needed and with the help of the club we can get that out there. I am working on a couple of things in regards to centralising information as well.

I'm all for doing something along the same lines that Mark suggests for the Canberra game which is the next "big" away game. It really is the only way a huge B&G Army will get up and running.

As such, I won't throw my lot in with any official group anymore. I just don't fit and they don't want the likes of me there.

Well as the apparent go-between I want your ugly head in there making noise (its just those bloody rules they want people to adhere to that creates problems at home) and making my face look even prettier than it already isn't. But I do understand your reasons for not wanting to go there. As for an away game - those "rules" don't exist.

15,000 people at Parramatta Stadium is one thing. Getting together and making noise at away games is another. BTW I thought in Brisbane that we made as much noise as those clowns in the black t-shirts and we didn't need placards to do it.

 

[The Godfather]

Hop over to the Dogs forum and have a look at how they organise their Qld trips.

They actually DO something rather than sit behind a PC and write lenghty drivel.

 

[nöyd]

From this board, we managed to scrape together about 50 of those, whose noise was negligible.

The on-field performance put paid to that. ;-)
----------------------------

Confirmation from Ms. 'noyd was forthcoming last night of our intentions to make the journey down south for Round 20 vs. the Knights. In the near future I will be asking you good folk about seating as well as pre-match and post-match entertainment, ie. :alcho: :B:

Sorry to go off topic there, back to the subject at hand 8)

 

[JessEel]

It also has a lot to do with what PB said in the Daniel Irvine thread. Until this country's fans grow some deep seated passion, supporters groups will continue to flounder.

sorry to get up you, my old friend, but no way! WINNING has a lot to do with supporter groups. in '01 we couldn't remember everyone's names there were so many in the army at that point. a Band Wagon to jump on is alot better actually making the effort to support a struggling team

ohhh noooooo did I hear the term BAND WAGON :shock: Suuuuiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttty where are you

no no no suity knows i would never call HIM a bandwagoner, i was just making the statement that alot of the larger crowds are there because that teams is winning

 

[Suitman]

Some interesting discussion here and plenty of food for thought.

As I said before, 50 out of 8000 people in Brisbane decided to sit together.
I'm sure many of that 8000 do not read this board. This year, we managed to encourage another 10-15 people to join the group, thanks in the most part to Belly's fine work. Hopefully, those people will do the same again next year.
I'm more curious to know why the other 7950 decided to sit elsewhere.
I know Redback reads this board, and I am just using you as a point in case.
You sat elsewhere.
Maybe you didn't have access to internet banking to transfer funds, I don't know.
But surely not everyone wants to sit with friends who support the other team. I saw many groups of fans on tele who seemed to be all blue and gold.

And HJ, everybody is different (thank god), so why won't everyone be accepted?
I like an ale or eight, I am boisturous, I still want to sit with the army.
As long as all behaviour remains acceptable, there is no reason why people of your ilk ;-) shouldn't join forces as one.

I for one hope that we can encourage far more of those 7950 to be as one next year in Brisbane.

And yes, maybe we need the clubs help to make that possible.

Suity

 

[Suitman]

It also has a lot to do with what PB said in the Daniel Irvine thread. Until this country's fans grow some deep seated passion, supporters groups will continue to flounder.

sorry to get up you, my old friend, but no way! WINNING has a lot to do with supporter groups. in '01 we couldn't remember everyone's names there were so many in the army at that point. a Band Wagon to jump on is alot better actually making the effort to support a struggling team

ohhh noooooo did I hear the term BAND WAGON :shock: Suuuuiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttty where are you

no no no suity knows i would never call HIM a bandwagoner, i was just making the statement that alot of the larger crowds are there because that teams is winning

Thanks Jess. ;-)

Suity

 

[fish eel]

I'm more curious to know why the other 7950 decided to sit elsewhere.

you guys sat behind the posts, right? That could be one reason, some people prefer to sit close to half way, or up in the stand etc. I know I dont join you mugs at the home games, becase I like my seat on halfway up in the thornett stand.

Also, how many of that 7950 knew?

And then, assuming they all knew, how many would have changed their seating plans? Even if it was one in 10, you got yourself a pretty friggin sizable group.

I guess the key is getting the word out?

 

[MarkInTheStands]

I'm more curious to know why the other 7950 decided to sit elsewhere.

you guys sat behind the posts, right? That could be one reason, some people prefer to sit close to half way, or up in the stand etc. I know I dont join you mugs at the home games, becase I like my seat on halfway up in the thornett stand.

Also, how many of that 7950 knew?

And then, assuming they all knew, how many would have changed their seating plans? Even if it was one in 10, you got yourself a pretty friggin sizable group.

I guess the key is getting the word out?

Hence getting the club to help us in that reguard would be good, unless you know anyone that has enough monies to run Ads in the courier mail two or 3 times in the week leading up to the game.

 

[Stagger eel]

I'm more curious to know why the other 7950 decided to sit elsewhere.

you guys sat behind the posts, right? That could be one reason, some people prefer to sit close to half way, or up in the stand etc. I know I dont join you mugs at the home games, becase I like my seat on halfway up in the thornett stand.

Also, how many of that 7950 knew?

And then, assuming they all knew, how many would have changed their seating plans? Even if it was one in 10, you got yourself a pretty friggin sizable group.

I guess the key is getting the word out?

Hence getting the club to help us in that reguard would be good, unless you know anyone that has enough monies to run Ads in the courier mail two or 3 times in the week leading up to the game.

don't talk to Fishy about running adds!!!...unless it involves wrapping the police force. ;-)

 

[Suitman]

I'm more curious to know why the other 7950 decided to sit elsewhere.

you guys sat behind the posts, right? That could be one reason, some people prefer to sit close to half way, or up in the stand etc. I know I dont join you mugs at the home games, becase I like my seat on halfway up in the thornett stand.

Also, how many of that 7950 knew?

And then, assuming they all knew, how many would have changed their seating plans? Even if it was one in 10, you got yourself a pretty friggin sizable group.

I guess the key is getting the word out?

I'm glad you quoted that line and that line only, as that was my pre-eminent question.
And I think you have hit the nail on the head.
Frankly, I don't enjoy the view from behind the goal posts either.
But, getting the word out is a far more difficult task.
MITS says place an add in the paper. I doubt that this idea would convince many to change their intentions.

I remember reading a year or so ago that Clubs were going to work together to help set aside supporters Bays for away games, and encourage those fans to use those areas.
If they are doing such a thing, it has been very poorly promoted.

Suity

 

[fish eel]

Frankly, I don't enjoy the view from behind the goal posts either.

But then the cost escalates, doesnt it? So you may pick some up and lose some?

don't talk to Fishy about running adds!!!...unless it involves wrapping the police force.

It's a good ad though :roll:

 

[fish eel]

I doubt that this idea would convince many to change their intentions

I would also say, this is where you would need the club involved, with co-operation from whomever we are playing.

The best incentive you can provide people would be by giving them something more than sitting with a whole bunch of likeminded fans....ie, discounts on tickets for the designated bays, for example.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

I remember reading a year or so ago that Clubs were going to work together to help set aside supporters Bays for away games, and encourage those fans to use those areas.
If they are doing such a thing, it has been very poorly promoted.

The Problem is Suity that, such areas are in the cheap seats, in Brisbane it is the South East corner, which as Belly said was in the sun all day and not the best place to see the game from.

Hence why I selected the area's I did, in my Post it gives the entire range of ticket prices and in an entire cohesive section of the stadium.

I think you are right and the away supporters sections are poorly promoted, but can you imagine a team like the Broncos paying money for advertisement (print, media, at ground) to tell the away supporters were to sit at their ground, no, they will try to bring more Broncos fans through the gates with their money.

I know we are not like the UK soccer where the stadium is divided into 2 separate areas one for home fans and one for away fans, but surely we can do a little something about this.

 

[Suitman]

I remember reading a year or so ago that Clubs were going to work together to help set aside supporters Bays for away games, and encourage those fans to use those areas.
If they are doing such a thing, it has been very poorly promoted.

I know we are not like the UK soccer where the stadium is divided into 2 separate areas one for home fans and one for away fans, but surely we can do a little something about this.

And that is what I thought the clubs had in mind when they made this announcement.
As I said, little seems to have been done to make this come to fruition.
The UK soccer model, and most soccer in particular, is the only way we can get this to work to its potential.
And Fishy's idea of cheaper seats could be an incentive.

Suity

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Further to all this is the work we did in the first few years of going up to Brisbane.

I remember having 2 guys, myself as one of them and another that stood in the walkway that lead to the stands behind the posts at ANZ, it was general admission, back then the Brisbane based supporters club had leaflets and the works and we handed them out to anyone wearing an eels jumper and said, hey, if you are here to support the eels, why don't you join in with the Brisbane Based supporters club and sit in this section here (pointing to the eels section).

We got tones of people in 1999 and 2000 doing that. Surely with some help we could all do our part to have that happen again.

Maybe the away supporters sections need to be GA (when will stadiums learn to have an area that is not assigned seating).

When we travel, as STH's you get a ticket at away games for $8 , these are normally GA, so that way you can see why the away supporters bays are the go.

Maybe we just have to work on the Broncos and Suncorp to assign, cheap GA seats in a shaded area for away supporters, maybe on the corners of the ground.

 

[Suitman]

These are all good ideas, but I think it is going to take some convincing to get the clubs on side.
Frankly, I think they don't care where people sit, as long as they come throught the gate.
That is commendable, but enliven the atmosphere, make the ground noisier, and the spectacle increases, which increases peoples desire to want to attend.
That is why the Fanatics, and the atmosphere at Davis Cup ties, has made tennis a better sport to watch live. Noise will do it.
The Broncos fans two weeks ago were pathetic, and they had more than enough reasons to make plenty of noise.

Suity

 

[fish eel]

When we travel, as STH's you get a ticket at away games for $8 , these are normally GA, so that way you can see why the away supporters bays are the go.

Other than reading that on here, I didnt know that.

But not everyone is a season ticket holder, espcially when travelling to away games.

So say we're playing home this week and away next week and season tix holders get into the GA section for 8 bucks.

When I walk through the turnstyle at the ken thornett, I'm given a flyer that basically has a map, showing were the GA seating and parra fans will be. The flyer also includes info for non season ticket holders, something like 'buy your ticket for the next away game at parramatta leagues for a discounted 8 bucks for the GA eels fan section', with ideally, the club making up the difference....

 

[Suitman]

Terrific Fishy.

Maybe we should all go into marketing. ;-)

I read this morning that average crowds this year are up by a whopping 2000 over last yearto more than 17 000.
Maybe the clubs are just happy to sit on these figures.

Suity

 

[fish eel]

Unless the clubs get involved heavily in this though, you'll always be swimming against the tide.

 

[JessEel]

When I walk through the turnstyle at the ken thornett, I'm given a flyer that basically has a map, showing were the GA seating and parra fans will be. The flyer also includes info for non season ticket holders, something like 'buy your ticket for the next away game at parramatta leagues for a discounted 8 bucks for the GA eels fan section', with ideally, the club making up the difference....

wow i didn't know they did that

you know what would work? if on that flyer they advertised a website, say www.blueandgoldeelsarmy.com and they had a forum on there tha we could post in and let every eels fan know where and when we will be at the games :idea: