What can the RLWC learn from the 2015 Asian Cup?

[cumberlandsashes81]

I don't think unemployment and price were as to blame for the turnout in Coffs Harbour as is being suggested.

Last year, the NRL took the match to Dubbo where it was watched by double the crowd despite similar ticket prices (see below) and a higher unemployment rate in the Central West of NSW (see below).

In Coffs Harbour, people complained about the ticket prices but they also complained that the best players had excused themselves from the game. Could it be that a lot of people in Coffs Harbour therefore didn't view City v Country 2013 as an important and credible contest? Or, to turn it around, perhaps more people in the Central West see the City-Country origin contest (and the City-Country rivalry itself) as credible?

In my opinion, if we are to learn anything at all from the Asian Cup, it is that people will support a sporting contest they view as being credible and important. A major test of this was that people who are generally not interested in sport were talking about the Asian Cup games and were interested in the results. We need to build the credibility of the international game so that RLWC matches fall into the same category. (Easier said than done, of course.)

And... because I'm distracted on a Friday afternoon, some facts -

Coffs Harbour unemployment 5.6% v Central West NSW 7.1%: http://lmip.gov.au/default.aspx?LMIP/LFR_SAFOUR/NSW_LFR_LM_byLFR_UnemploymentRate

Ticket prices in Dubbo:

http://www.nrl.com/country-v-city-tickets-on-sale/tabid/10874/newsid/76397/default.aspx

Pre-purchase
GA - Adult $50, Concession $10, Junior $8, Family $40
Grand Stand - Adult $40, Concession $30, Junior $30

Walk-up
GA - Adult $20, Concession $12, Junior $10, Family $50
Grand Stand - Adult $45, Concession $35, Junior $35

 

[Pears]

waaaaaaaaaaaaay overpriced

 

[Misanthrope]

I would not pay $50 to see any NRL match aside from Origin and a Grand Final. That's a ridiculous price.

 

[deluded pom?]

I would not pay $50 to see any NRL match aside from Origin and a Grand Final. That's a ridiculous price.

Fifty dollars is less than twenty five quid. Thank the Lord you aren't a Premier League supporter. Fifty dollars is about Championship soccer level.

 

[milton]

They staged a lot of games where there are big ex pat communities. I think with this upcoming World Cup a team like Lebanon should play somewhere like belmore. Their is a lot of islander/ kiwis working in WA in the mines maybe Samoa can have a game in Perth as well as Western Sydney/ nz where there is also large population of islanders. Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney should all get a Australia game.

 

[Misanthrope]

Fifty dollars is less than twenty five quid. Thank the Lord you aren't a Premier League supporter. Fifty dollars is about Championship soccer level.

Let's be honest, Championship football has considerably more star power than the NRL.

I went and saw an MLB game in the US with a bunch of fun activities *and* cheaper food & drink for less than $50.

 

[flamin]

I don't think unemployment and price were as to blame for the turnout in Coffs Harbour as is being suggested.

Last year, the NRL took the match to Dubbo where it was watched by double the crowd despite similar ticket prices (see below) and a higher unemployment rate in the Central West of NSW (see below).

In Coffs Harbour, people complained about the ticket prices but they also complained that the best players had excused themselves from the game. Could it be that a lot of people in Coffs Harbour therefore didn't view City v Country 2013 as an important and credible contest? Or, to turn it around, perhaps more people in the Central West see the City-Country origin contest (and the City-Country rivalry itself) as credible?

In my opinion, if we are to learn anything at all from the Asian Cup, it is that people will support a sporting contest they view as being credible and important. A major test of this was that people who are generally not interested in sport were talking about the Asian Cup games and were interested in the results. We need to build the credibility of the international game so that RLWC matches fall into the same category. (Easier said than done, of course.)

And... because I'm distracted on a Friday afternoon, some facts -

Coffs Harbour unemployment 5.6% v Central West NSW 7.1%: http://lmip.gov.au/default.aspx?LMIP/LFR_SAFOUR/NSW_LFR_LM_byLFR_UnemploymentRate

Ticket prices in Dubbo:

http://www.nrl.com/country-v-city-tickets-on-sale/tabid/10874/newsid/76397/default.aspx

Those adult prepurchase tickets for GA must be a typo. $15 is the only way those other figures make sense.

Regardless, $45 for city v country is too much.

 

[deluded pom?]

Let's be honest, Championship football has considerably more star power than the NRL.

Do you think so? It's still second rate soccer.

 

[Misanthrope]

Do you think so? It's still second rate soccer.

Which, to about 99% of the world, is still more important than third rate rugby league (City v Country) :lol:

And unlike City v Country, Championship sides have fans and rivalries that matter. City v Country is a lame duck SoO trial that doesn't even factor into Origin selections most of the time.

 

[deluded pom?]

Which, to about 99% of the world, is still more important than third rate rugby league (City v Country) :lol:

And unlike City v Country, Championship sides have fans and rivalries that matter. City v Country is a lame duck SoO trial that doesn't even factor into Origin selections most of the time.

Originally you said you wouldn't pay fifty dollars for any NRL game other than a GF or SoO. I didn't realise you meant CvC.

 

[Misanthrope]

Originally you said you wouldn't pay fifty dollars for any NRL game other than a GF or SoO. I didn't realise you meant CvC.

Oh, I wouldn't pay $50 to see an NRL game either. No way that game day experience justifies more than a $20 cost.

Back when I lived in Newie and attended every home game, you'd get 3-4 games for that price + whatever extra you spend on food and booze.

Paying $50 to see any NRL game is ridiculous. It's just not worth that money when you could be watching every single game from your living room for $50 a month.

 

[Misanthrope]

Another thing that we'd benefit from but can't manufacture is competitiveness. There were more than 2.5 sides in the Asian Cup with a chance of winning.

 

[VictoryFC]

Actually, there werent. The scoring nature of soccer gives the impression of competitiveness, but Japan, South Korea and Australia are leagues ahead of the rest. No one outside those three teams was winning it. Gap in quality is smaller in intl soccer, but there definitely is a gap.

In RL you cant defend your way to a one try loss.

I dont know if theres much to learn from the asian cup. Oz national team is popular, and Australia has a large number of people from soccer loving nations, hence you get huge turnout from iranians for example. Really that simple.