Where should the Eels play our home games survey.

[Suitman]

It's plenty big for the crowds so far this year

You make a good point.
I think the Eels should be looking to play somewhere smaller to improve atmosphere. Even Mudgee was too big.
Ringrose would probably be about right.

Suity

 

[Eelogical]

I personally don't have an issue with the Eels playing the odd game in the country. All I ask is that they represent the Blue & Gold uniform in a far better manner than what I just witnessed on TV today. No point in going to the scrub if your going to get bush-whacked. Game credibility, and they will come to the games in the bush in droves.

 

[Tony Bongo]

So do most of those who argue that ANZ gets us bigger crowds ;-)

Maybe I'm just embarrassed that such a well supported team has the smallest home ground in the NRL.

So am I mate so I'm happy to at least have a go to get something done about it.

 

[oldmancraigy]

So am I mate so I'm happy to at least have a go to get something done about it.

I think we're both agreed Mudgee is out???

 

[Tony Bongo]

Nice to see Ken Edwards front and centre in this picture and alongside Lyall Gorman. It seems now that only a few like you Old Man still think that ANZ is a good idea.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...rramatta-stadium/story-fngr8huy-1226653194382

 

[Tony Bongo]

I think we're both agreed Mudgee is out???

Sorry to those who live in Mudgee but I never want the Eels to play there ever again.

 

[B-Tron 3000]

I don't have a problem with taking a game to the country each year or two. But I think it needs to be part of a bigger plan co-ordinated by the NRL, whereby everyone takes turns moving a game to a regional area.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Nah f**k the country. They can make the effort to come to the city if they're interested.

 

[B-Tron 3000]

As for Homebush, my views are well documented here.

I simply don't see the value in moving "big" home games away from Parra.

Putting aside the million reasons re: team culture, fan culture, atmosphere, creating a home, the fact Homebush is a shithole etc, I simply don't see the economic value that everyone talks about.

Sure, it gets more people through the gates and they pay people to play there, but that is short-term thinking.

Amongst other things, it discourages people from buying season tickets, because they know that they can see any game they want.

After one year, people are lining up for Wanderers seasons tickets. They know the games will all be at Parra and they know that when it comes the big games, finals etc, they will get first dibs.

Supply and demand folks, supply and demand.

 

[strider]

they know there's a good chance the wanderers will win more than a couple of games too

 

[Maroubra Eel]

they know there's a good chance the wanderers will win more than a couple of games too

Yeah but we're not always going to be this terrible. In about 2020 or 2030 we will be back at the top, or at least competitive. We will be laughing about it all then.
I'll bring back this thread then.

 

[B-Tron 3000]

Yeah but we're not always going to be this terrible. In about 2020 or 2030 we will be back at the top, or at least competitive. We will be laughing about it all then.
I'll bring back this thread then.

haha 20 year plan??

But seriously, our on-field results should only be part of the supply and demand.

I guarantee that the Wanderers fans don't drop off as much as ours do when they start losing. They are building something based off a strategic plan. We are lurching from one experience to another.

We need to identify what we want this club to be and stick to it.

 

[strider]

everyone has a "strategic plan" .... its just a matter of whether its shit or not

the wanderers are doing well .... but they only really took off when the results flowed .... i agree the drop off would be slower cos its still young and exciting - plus there are also only 2 sydney teams in a small competition .... i know parra has history but there are several things the wanderers have in their favour over parra too - less baggage, less competition within the code, better results (lol), did I mention better results?

 

[B-Tron 3000]

Agreed on most points, but we've also let our fans get complacent and just turn up to any game when they want, rather than driving desire to be part of the club.

It's not true that everyone's got a strategic plan. I work for an organisation that has "strategic directions", because there is too much politics for the senior leaders and board to agree on one clear direction. It's also a member organisation. Sound familiar?

If we had a strategic plan, why did no-one know if we were going to keep Hindy's last game at Parra? If we had a strategic plan, and everyone knew what it was, then we all would have known whether that game was going to be moved or not.

And what's the point of a strategic plan if the members don't know? If you are confident in what you are doing, you tell everyone so that they, say, vote you back in regardless of on-field results.

 

[strider]

a plan is a bunch of things written on paper .... if people stick to it or not is just a matter of life

 

[oldmancraigy]

Nice to see Ken Edwards front and centre in this picture and alongside Lyall Gorman. It seems now that only a few like you Old Man still think that ANZ is a good idea.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...rramatta-stadium/story-fngr8huy-1226653194382

You obviously didn't read my posts on the matter?

This line from that article was telling

The expansion of Parramatta Stadium

Obviously Edwards agrees with me. We need a bigger ground. I do believe I've always said "upgrade Parra stadium"? If they refuse, then take the party to ANZ until they come around.

 

[Tony Bongo]

You obviously didn't read my posts on the matter?

This line from that article was telling


Obviously Edwards agrees with me. We need a bigger ground. I do believe I've always said "upgrade Parra stadium"? If they refuse, then take the party to ANZ until they come around.

I know you would prefer to stay at Parra Stadium if it was upgraded, I was just stirring you. The only difference are our opinions on how we should approach it. The hard ball approach has done nothing to date. I prefer the latest approach of getting Ken Edwards to work with as many interested parties as possible to rally together and all call for the same thing. If we played all of our home games for the last few years at Parra Stadium we would be able to make the same claim as the Wanderers, that we sell out matches there several times a year and it's simply inadequate for our needs. Sending the message that we are happy to play at ANZ has done nothing IMO to promote the claim that we need Parramatta Stadium upgraded. It is obvious that since the new board have come in there is an increased focus on working with the Wanderers etc to see that we get the upgrade that has been long overdue and I like the direction we are now heading in. It's good to have leadership in our club that listens to our fans rather than dictate what they think is good for us.

 

[oldmancraigy]

I know you would prefer to stay at Parra Stadium if it was upgraded, I was just stirring you. The only difference are our opinions on how we should approach it. The hard ball approach has done nothing to date. I prefer the latest approach of getting Ken Edwards to work with as many interested parties as possible to rally together and all call for the same thing. If we played all of our home games for the last few years at Parra Stadium we would be able to make the same claim as the Wanderers, that we sell out matches there several times a year and it's simply inadequate for our needs. Sending the message that we are happy to play at ANZ has done nothing IMO to promote the claim that we need Parramatta Stadium upgraded. It is obvious that since the new board have come in there is an increased focus on working with the Wanderers etc to see that we get the upgrade that has been long overdue and I like the direction we are now heading in. It's good to have leadership in our club that listens to our fans rather than dictate what they think is good for us.

I reckon the hardball approach is exactly what is working here.

We've shown that we're too big to play all games there. Now the fear is the Wanderers moving games as well - the incentive to upgrade is bigger and bigger - especially since we've started talking about moving another game per year away (the Tigers game is always a sell out).

I doubt we can give credit to the new board - fairdinkum, they only sorted out who had which seat 2 days ago.
Give credit to Ken Edwards (CEO, not player) for working hard at this since he took over.
Also give some credit to the mob who were in power and doing something positive for the club. A lot of people like to bag out Ozzie, but he pushed membership past 10k, and started the ball rolling. It's now past 16k members, and all of that is ammunition in the fight for a bigger stadium!
I trust the current board will "seal the deal" on the upgrade, but let's not pretend they started the process? We have to admit it was the prior mob, surely?

As far as the leadership "listening to fans"? Again we have no idea what they're like, and won't be able to judge them on that front for a few months at least! I hope you're right, I guess we'll see.

 

[bartman]

Actually if you want to get real, skip all that and just credit the Wanderers and their crowd figures.

To pretend that any of our boards have had any influence over getting stadium upgrades in motion would be seeing things through rose coloured glasses (or blue and gold eyes). We're no longer the most relevant tenant.

All we've done is take more and more home games away from Parra Stadium - when the Wanderers appeared, the Stadium Trust wouldn't care about that "tactic". But now they'd be shit-scared if the Wanderers outgrow Parra Stadium....

 

[oldmancraigy]

All we've done is take more and more home games away from Parra Stadium - when the Wanderers appeared, the Stadium Trust wouldn't care about that "tactic". But now they'd be shit-scared if the Wanderers outgrow Parra Stadium....

... because we took games away.

Precedent has been set. They can't sit back smugly thinking they own the universe, they need to cater to the demands of the teamS using their premises.