nice evasion of the question.
again, from a geographic perspective does it make sense?
Of course geographically merging Souths and Easts makes total sense.
We share a border and the class differences that used to exist between South Sydney areas and Easts areas are diminishing greatly.
Many of Easts fans are the working class of the Eastern Suburbs of old and as that demographic has shrunk, we're going to struggle to attract fans into the future.
But what has hit us will hit Souths as well due to the increase in wealth in the Inner City and the fact that large sections of what was Souths territory is now the neaveaux riche / gay / young upwardly mobile section of Sydney. The working class that Souths got their massive fanbase from has shrunken dramatically and the West has claimed that demographic.
Unless Souths can appeal to a new class of supporter, their massive supporter base will shrink as Easts shrank with the gentrification of the Ocean coast regions of the Eastern Suburbs. We had to go after different fans.
That's not to say they can't do it, after all, with Russell and Peter there, Souths are modelling themselves upon Easts and getting with the times. Something that I personally applaud them for. But they won't ever admit to this.
The real challenge in a merger between our two clubs is that the vast majority of our supporters cant stand each other or what each others club stands for.
Souths still put themselves forward as the "peoples club" and the club that stands by the battlers etc and their work amongst the Aboriginal community is a testiment to that desire to keep part of themselves close to their roots. They hate the Eastern Suburbs wealthy club, and the Mark Bouris's of this World, and they would never agree to a merger.
Easts to a degree are what they are because of Souths. We're a club that traditionally has bought because Souths stole our Juniors. We were forced into buying them back and they hated us for having the money to do it. So we don't love them for this either.
A merger between our clubs wont happen in a million years and I get the impression both clubs would rather shut their doors than get together to save themselves.
