What mark will confirm that Melbourne have 'made it for keeps' in the NRL?

[cronker]

Thank you to all who have made this thread a decent discussion.

The whole issue of televising the games at an hour that is acceptable to any normal person is (IMO) one of the most pressing of all.

AFL have got it right in the southern states, for sure. One of the most glaringly obvious advantages to televising games, even if it hampers the gate for a few years, is the fact that it enables families to watch in the comfort of their home, where the kids need to be fed, bathed and in their jammies ready to go to bed at the final whistle. Even a deadset nuffy can appreciate that these youngsters watching at home are the future supporters and match attendees (maybe even players) of the game.

Having some homegrown players, as mentioned above, is also an important element to the credibility and growth of a team like Storm. if the Melbourne press had a homegrown hero to report about, guaranteed the supporters would get on board.

 

[Collingwood Storm]

I don't know why they don't have a deal with Foxtel to put the NRLs FNF on Main Event into the southern states whilst AFL FNF is on in the northern states...Main Event is even doing the Brownlow Medal into the northern states on Monday night

 

[would rather brian]

when its the storms turn for a rough trot eg parra late 80s early 90s or rabbits last 10 years or dogs next 10 years the storm are gooooone like the seagulls, the bandwagon supporters wont still turn up week in week out to get lapped every week. makes me wonder if the nrl bigwigs would ever let the storm go through such a time as they do breach year in year out dont they ????//

 

[LESStar58]

I reckon 40k at Td is minimum, plus an average of 13k at home.


This weekend has to have some bandwagon appeal, and the move to Telstra Dome is the NRL's admission of that. I think 40k will be a strong crowd. An average of 13k at home would put them up with the better Sydney crowd pullers, given that their gate wouldn't swell with away fans.

This weekend, any more than 50k will signal that the event theory holds true, and that Storm's appeal in Melbourne only comes with the big finals games. Thus, a large percentage of 'couldn't give a rats arse about attending Storm home games' people will attend.

conversely, the code has struggled to fill the big stadiums, bar of course 1994 (was it) with the 87k MCG Origin gate.

Ther is still a huge anty League sentiment in melboring. Given that crowds feel free to attend Bledisloe/soccer etc games in bigger nimbers, the NRL still has some prejudice to overcome.

In building support, the average home crowd figure is the one to build. The Sqwans/Lions experience shows their local event appeal, while not transferring into stats at home games or on TV. Melbourne have to grow ground roots support, and this is best served by generating interest, holding home finals, and encouraging the League to host some regular big League events. The GB world cup game next year is well scheduled.

There is no doubt that on field, the club has done it's very best. They should reap rewards by wearing down AFL paranioa.

I'm in agreement with most of what you have had to say there Misty and and in total agreement with your anti-RL sentiment in Melbourne. Not very helpful when your code is meant to be full of criminals. Had quite a heated discussion with a work colleague who pointed out "how good RL players are with the ladies".

It is not an easy place to try and get bountiful and positive press on rugby league or any other sport for that matter.... unless of course its soccer which everyone ppears to be on these days.

Try living down here and put up with the pages and pages of AFL in the papers and the airtime it commands on tele. It's sickening. Storm have 3 of the most marketable athletes in the country (Slater, Ingliss, Folau) in their team and they just don't seem to be geting put to good use. Why they aren't plastered up on bulletin boards around the city is beyond me. There is stuff all advertsing on tele either and it doesn't help when fans can;t even watch their team on the box at a reasonable hour.

If we are going to get interest generated we need to up the marketing/advertising budget and Channel 9 really need to get on side and promote the product. Not just club games bt Origin and Tests as well. That old "rugby league doesn't rate in Melbourne" argument has been debunked plenty of times over the years yet Nein do f**k all.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

I think the real aim is always going to be recruting juniors from Victoria. It is at that point that the cycle is complete and the club can begin to cut its ties with the north and become a self entity (not that players a loyal to there home clubs). It is the same story with Les Catalans in France. I don't think it matters too much what they pull in through the gate, as long as they manage to stay afloat.

Melbourne must have the 'purist' set of fans at their games in the NRL, that is very, very few supporters of the other team at home games. NQld and NZ may be up there, but league has been around long enough in those locations for a few foreigners to appear each week and blow against the wind. This only makes Melbourne's crowds all that more impressive compared to Sydney teams' crowds that are 80/20, 70/30 or even 60/40.

In this case, I think one could even link the variance of Melbourne's crowds (ups and downs) each week with general public awareness of the NRL in Melbourne. If the public have enough knowledge to know which games are going to be entertaining, tough or important and show up accordingly to watch, they must have an awareness of the state of the competition etc. Of course you have to disregard form, advertising, weather etc, but in Melbourne's case their form is pretty constant at the moment, there is rarely any advertising (from what I gather) and the weather is always shyte in Melbourne, so this theory would hold up OK in my opinion. I have been furnished with the rleague crowd stats and results for the last 100 years of league and one day when I have truly nothing else to do in the off season I will do a little statisitcal study of crowd figures and results to try and determine which clubs really are the biggest bandwagons, which supporters are most loyal through hard times, which clubs show the most growth in unbiased support etc... I may also have a stab at a statisical/dynamic crowd predictor! Then again this may also never happen

 

[Dummy Spit Johns]

They will be in the comp as long as News limited want them to be
and when News don't want you anymore, goodbye!

 

[Fightin' Irish]

They will be in the comp as long as News limited want them to be
and when News don't want you anymore, goodbye!

A national comp deviod of a team from victoria? Thats a lot of money and potential fans to be turning away.

 

[LESStar58]

A national comp deviod of a team from victoria? Thats a lot of money and potential fans to be turning away.

Less sponsorship potential as well perhaps? Might also affect the rights for the next TV deal?

 

[djst]

With one team in a City of 4 million people.If they cant get consistant crowds of near 20,000 and be fianancially viable by themselfs,especially being on top of the ladder,you have to think this would be the minimum requirement in those circumstances.

 

[Dummy Spit Johns]

With one team in a City of 4 million people.If they cant get consistant crowds of near 20,000 and be fianancially viable by themselfs,especially being on top of the ladder,you have to think this would be the minimum requirement in those circumstances.

Whats their average crowd figures for 07?

 

[Shorty]

I'm in agreement with most of what you have had to say there Misty and and in total agreement with your anti-RL sentiment in Melbourne. Not very helpful when your code is meant to be full of criminals. Had quite a heated discussion with a work colleague who pointed out "how good RL players are with the ladies".

It is not an easy place to try and get bountiful and positive press on rugby league or any other sport for that matter.... unless of course its soccer which everyone ppears to be on these days.

Try living down here and put up with the pages and pages of AFL in the papers and the airtime it commands on tele. It's sickening. Storm have 3 of the most marketable athletes in the country (Slater, Ingliss, Folau) in their team and they just don't seem to be geting put to good use. Why they aren't plastered up on bulletin boards around the city is beyond me. There is stuff all advertsing on tele either and it doesn't help when fans can;t even watch their team on the box at a reasonable hour.

If we are going to get interest generated we need to up the marketing/advertising budget and Channel 9 really need to get on side and promote the product. Not just club games bt Origin and Tests as well. That old "rugby league doesn't rate in Melbourne" argument has been debunked plenty of times over the years yet Nein do f**k all.

Yep agree with everything.

I speak on a forum with quite a lot of people from West Aus and Victoria and they just refuse to listen to anything about NRL...or any other sport for that matter.

Mind you,we're pretty lucky that any NRL team is successful these days with the marketing it gets.
As much as I hate AFL,Ten has done wonders for it in Queensland.
They advertise it constantly,at any time of the day and it irks me and then I get to thinking 'How much does Nine do?'

I mean Nine don't even advertise their football except on the actual day of the game.
It's pathetic.

I would say Melbourne are doing quite well considering and I think it'll definitely improve when they get the new stadium.

 

[sherrinator]

Melbournians don't attend much rugby league, not because they have NRL paranoia, it's just many don't know what the NRL is. They would go if they knew or cared, Melbourne is after all Australia's sporting capital.

 

[Misty Bee]

Don't know what NRL is? Your'e kiddin!!!!!!

How could it be Asustralia's sporting capital if it doesn't know about rugby League by now LOL!

That's like saying Bermagui is the fishing capital of Australia, but it has never heard of water.

 

[Shorty]

Melbournians don't attend much rugby league, not because they have NRL paranoia, it's just many don't know what the NRL is. They would go if they knew or cared, Melbourne is after all Australia's sporting capital.

:lol:
What the hell ever!

They know exactly what NRL is and describe in great detail what's wrong with it and why AFL is better.

 

[c_eagle]

Let's keep in mind that 40k would almost double their previous best crowd in Melbourne.

 

[phonetic]

News limited teams don't sit well with me, now matter how many they pull through the gate.

I'd love to see a strong Victorian side, just get rid of News and fight the good fight. That's my 2 cents.

Until that happens, the Storm will only be an NRL plaything to me.

 

[Captian_Klutz]

No point assessing whether they're 'for keeps' when they havn't got the necessarily channels backing them up.

For all you non-Melbourne fans, imagine this scenario.

Could you imagine your 'home ground' being a sh*thole of a stadium and you get limited to no news coverage?

Whats more - imagine the only chance of seeing your team playing live (on the box), is waiting up till 1am to watch the sport on the replay.

How would you feel?

Anything over 30k with the kind of crap that Storm fans from the NRL and the Melbourne media is an awesome achievement.

True.

Might get enough buying tickets on the day to get past 30,000k.

How many Parra supporters making the trip?

 

[Captian_Klutz]

Don't know what NRL is? Your'e kiddin!!!!!!

How could it be Asustralia's sporting capital if it doesn't know about rugby League by now LOL!

That's like saying Bermagui is the fishing capital of Australia, but it has never heard of water.

Those that don't stay up to 1am to see it would hardly rate it as a significant sport at all.

Never rates more that an occasional bare passing mention in sports news.... Even on the ABC.

 

[BuffaloRules]

I agree that the Storm supporters do seem very loyal and vocal, even though there may not be enough of them at the moment.

Most of them seem to say that they will get better crowds when the new stadium opens - I hope this is the case.

The problem seems to be that there are not enough "casual" fans who might only turn up to 2 or 3 games a year... it seems that its all or nothing in regards to supporting the Storm in Melb...

I would say they have made it when they can average 20K crowds in a year when they dont make the 8...

 

[Surandy]

Could you imagine your 'home ground' being a sh*thole of a stadium and you get limited to no news coverage?

For Bulldogs supporters, just imagine the Showgrounds.

I don't know why they don't have a deal with Foxtel to put the NRLs FNF on Main Event into the southern states whilst AFL FNF is on in the northern states...Main Event is even doing the Brownlow Medal into the northern states on Monday night

Because Channel Nein won't let them.