Rugby codes drop the ball in Melbourne

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By Redb, 23 Jun 2009 Redb is a Roar Guru

Tagged:: AFL, ARU, Bledisloe Cup, football, Melbourne, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Socceroos, wallabies, West Tigers

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Last weekend, the AFL, through its split round, gave both rugby codes an opportunity to shine in Melbourne with no AFL games on either Saturday or Sunday.

Rugby union scheduled a Test Match against Italy on an AFL-free Saturday night, and the NRL cleverly fixtured in a Storm home game on Sunday afternoon against West Tigers.

For the all the hype surrounding the first rugby league Origin in Melbourne and Storm’s odd 15,000 crowd, they have must have been disappointed to see just 10,417 turn up on a footy free mild Melbourne winter Sunday.

It certainly wasn’t for a lack of promotion, with double advertisements (One TV Advert for Origin followed by another for the Storm game) on Channel 9 pumping up both Origin 2 and the Storm and West Tigers game.

Yet just 10,000 turn up.

The CH 9 advertisements were quick to show Melbourne stars, with Slater and Inglis featured heavily, even on the West Tigers promotion, when due to Origin duty the duo would not be playing.

Now Melbournians may have some appreciation for rugby league, but many would not have realised Slater and Inglis would be missing, especially considering they were used in the TV promotions.

Even if some were aware, with no footy on, why not turn out for a look at the Storm?

What does this say about Storm or rugby league’s following if they drop to mid table in a couple of years or even lose Slater and Inglis? There are other players at Melbourne Storm. The brilliant Benji Marshall was playing.

In contrast to the Storm game but still as disappointing was rugby union’s crowd on Saturday night.

The contrast comes in terms of a lack of promotion for the game. There were not wall-to-wall TV advertisements for the Italy test.

There was some newspaper coverage but very little hype.

Rugby union managed to double the rugby league crowd, with 20,280 showing up at Etihad stadium. But this number must also disappoint the ARU.

If the ARU were using the Italy game as a litmus test for the Super 15 licence for Melbourne, it clearly shows they still don’t understand what makes Melbourne tick.

The perception that Melbournians will watch two flies crawling up a wall is a myth exposed by those north of the border who arrogantly perceive this as the reason behind the AFL’s huge crowds.

Melbourne is a sporting city, but we know second rate when we see it.

The Wallabies brand is not what used to be. An All Blacks Test would have done the trick.

However, the ARU took the Bledisloe to Hong Kong and gave Melbourne a second string Test in international rugby terms.

The Socceroos have the hype factor at the moment with their recent World Cup qualification. Many fans penciled in the Australia Vs Japan game long before it became dead rubber and bought tickets.

Even the 70,000 crowd was good but not spectacular for a true sporting contest at the MCG.

If that game had been a live World Cup qualifier, the MCG would have been filled to the brim. And deservingly so.

If Australia failed to qualify, the Socceroos would get similar treatment to the Wallabies in future years for playing a ‘dud’ nation and expecting the fans to just flock.

A Bledisloe Test, with real rivalry, would have generated fantastic interest in Melbourne. It’s not like rugby union has never been played in Melbourne before. The novelty factor died long ago.

I remember going to an Italy Test at Melbourne’s Olympic Park in the early 1990s on a freezing cold day when Campese scored a controversial try along the sideline.

For all the recent news of the Sydney Swans, and therefore by extension, Aussie Rules’ decline in Sydney (if decline can be a crowd of 41,000), it just goes to show the battle for the hearts and minds is a long and extremely winding road.

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The Crowd Says (270) | Page 1 of Comments

Kurt said | June 23rd 2009 @ 1:44am | Report comment

Some interesting points Red. I do feel the Storm are significantly hampered by playing out of Olympic Park and will see a jump in their crowds when they move to the new stadium – although by how much remains to be seen.

As for Rugby you do feel they’ve missed the boat a little in Melbourne. People who feel strongly about supporting a national team have mostly jumped on the socceroos I think.

I too read with interest the reports about how the 41,000 crowd in Sydney represented a terrible result for the code and thought that we maybe need to do a bit better with expectation management! Some of the crowds from 03-06 in Sydney were absolutely sensational and clearly gave rise to some unrealistic long term expectations, particularly with the Swans now clearly in decline as a team.

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MVDave said | June 23rd 2009 @ 7:19am | Report comment

AHHHH thank goodness HAL is off season and we can now just keep bagging the Rugby code crowds in Melbourne and the Swans crowds in Sydenee. Life is good at the moment

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Redb said | June 23rd 2009 @ 7:55am | Report comment

Kurt,

The stadium is not an issue in this case, 10,000 is below the ave crowd for the Storm and well below the 15,000 they get for the odd game. OP holds about 18k. Etihad Stadium was available, why didn’t the Storm book the 50,000 under roof seater? They promoted the crap out fo the game if the stadium was an issue Etihad beckoned. No AFL at all, the opportunity was enormous.

The bubble stadium ill help all the rectangualr codes in the firs tyear, as Melbournains will love to try it for novelty, but as you say how difference it maks remains to be seen. It’s not as if Melbournians are shy of the weather when attedning football games.

MVDave,

yeah we can all we wait for Melbourne Heart’s home crowds against Central Coast, Newcastle et al – they should be belters. Keep to the topic though, this is not about soccah.

Redb

Redb

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Redb said | June 23rd 2009 @ 7:56am | Report comment

sorry about typos.

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Crosscoder said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:18am | Report comment

RedB
Anyone who has the slightest interest in the Storm,would have been well aware of the absence of Slater,Inglis,Smith for starters. Experience in rugby league for club matches suggests losing a star or star players affects crowds.
BTW there was in fact no oppostion from other codes in Sydney for the Swans’ game .This game had the backside promoted out of it,by the papers, and FTA TV .This blockbuster(love that term) with the well known and well backed Collingwood,resulted in another declining crowd.Does that mean the AFL has dropped the ball,or is novelty night over for the Swans after 27 years.
The crowd for the Storm game may well have been disappointing,but rest assured the continuing declining crowds for the Swans at the game(including blockbusters) and Tv ratings ,are very disappoitning for the Swans(Colless has stated so).
Dropped the ball ! More likely working the play slowly upfield.
Suggest one reserve their judgemet when the Storm actually play out of a decent rectangular stadium,and not the stadiums like the Etihad One or the OP 3rd world effort.

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Fuchal said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:30am | Report comment

I don’t think you can rightly say that the ARU “took the Bledisloe to Hong Kong and gave Melbourne a second string Test.” The Hong Kong Bledisloe, as with this year’s Tokyo Bledisloe, is a fourth Bledisloe for each year created by both NZRU and the ARU in order to promote the game in non-rugby parts of the world and also to boost their coffers. Melbourne had a good run with the Bledisloe for a few years, but a good bulk of those attending in Melbourne were (like me) from out of town, so it made sense to allow the premier rugby event to return to the heartlands of Sydney and Brisbane.

Moreover, last year’s Australia v Ireland test in Melbourne was also a “second string” test, as Ireland brought out what many considered a B or even C team. Melbourne seemed to turn out a bit more for that test, so maybe it comes down to advertising and marketing? Or maybe it is the fact that Melbourne isn’t the ‘sporting capital’ it seems to tout itself as?

D

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Redb said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:45am | Report comment

Crosscoder,

A somewhat typical ‘rosy’ response.

“Experience in rugby league for club matches suggests losing a star or star players affects crowds.”

Experience in Melbourne suggest that if an event is worth attending, you go. The Storm were playing for NRL premiership points does that mean so little? They promoted it heavily, with no AFL it was a huge freekick.

However, you have to admit that if Melbournians were fully aware of Slater and Inglis unavailability (and i doubt it) and still didnt bother turning up, it doesn’t say much about Storms future should they fall down the ladder in a couple of years new stadium or not. The Swans who are currently 11th are not in the same current position as the Storm in the NRL.

You have so few ‘blockbusters’ in the NRL I’m not surprised your sarcastic about the term.

“The crowd for the Storm game may well have been disappointing”

yes it was, I think it demonstrates how difficult it is in a non tradtional market and people should remember that when their quick to put the knife into the Swans.

“Dropped the ball ! More likely working the play slowly upfield.”

More like pushed back quite a few metres when a try was expected from Storm’s perspective with no defense from the opposing team.

“Suggest one reserve their judgemet when the Storm actually play out of a decent rectangular stadium,and not the stadiums like the Etihad One or the OP 3rd world effort.”

Just an excuse. Etihad was good enough for RL’ pinnacle game State of Origin, not good enough for the Storm? Crowds are not the NRL’s forte what makes you think a new stadium will make a long term difference. As Magnay said on the Offsiders, RL is better on TV.

Redb

Redb

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sheek said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:46am | Report comment

Redb,

Good stuff. Rugby union reached its high water mark in 2003, hosting the RWC, the Wallabies over-achieving by reaching the final, & the ARU posting a then record AU$47 million odd profit.

Then some power brokers decided they knew best, offloaded John O’Neill, & the rot set in. That ubiquitous word – hiatus – descended, leading to inertia. RU has since lost its way. Since returning O’Neill has scratched his head at how it could all go so pear shaped. And how to remedy the many ills.

There is a wonderful post on the Roar by LeftArmSpinner, where he argues rugby folk love talking about their sport, but are notoriously moribund when it comes to actually doing anything proactive. I know, I’ve spent nearly two decades experiencing the same thing from my friends.

I don’t know if RU has the collective will to go forward, or whether the majority are just happy being mediocre. RU’s a good vehicle for social & business networking. Perhaps that’s its true calling in life? A bit like horse/field polo!!

How the Storm haven’t conquered Melbourne is a bit of a mystery, especially as they have some of the most exciting & pre-eminent players in the NRL – Inglis, Smith, Cronk – any general sports fan must love watching those guys.

Many years ago, former captain Glen Lazarus said RU had helped the Storm get off the ground in Melbourne, & believed the two codes tended to piggy-back each other where one code already existed.

There is historical truth in this. The fact that Sydney & Brisbane were rugby towns before the split of 1908 allowed league to flourish in those cities, but not in Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth for example, where Australian football ruled.

Anyway, I’m jumping on the Socceroos bandwagon, & I’ll play any instrument they want! There’s no doubt in my view, soccer has claimed the vacant ground that was there for taking by either/both RU & RL.

I also wonder about the ‘conditioning’ of people, & what they have grown up & known, & passed down from parents & grandparents. It’s a bit like the historical enmity of the Jews & Palestinians. Does anyone know why anymore, except that the hatred is passed on from generation to generation.

The southern & western states are Australian football towns. The rugby codes might get a foothold, but not much more. The reverse applies in the eastern & northern states, although Aussie rules has a better opportunity for inroad here. It’s sometimes forgotten Brisbane very nearly went over to Aussie rules in the 1890s.

Soccer is the big mover. It is of course, the most popular football code in the world. Even though it has laid dormant for a long time, what is important to note, is that kids have played the game in every state for decades. And more kids are registered in soccer than the other footy codes.

And I believe this has been the case for decades also. Now soccer is making a move on the national & international stage.

Toot, toot….. move over, you other slow coach footy codes….. toot, toot…..

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Redb said | June 23rd 2009 @ 8:56am | Report comment

Fuchal,

Giving Melbourne a few Bledisloe’s a few years ago and then expecting it to turn up for a second rate test against Italy is not the best way to go forward.

At least rugby league are throwing their best at Melbourne in attempting to get some interest for their game. Rugby union has to do likewise.

As the AFL experience will show you in Sydney, the game didnt really get traction until tony Lockett and Paul Kelly got the Swan into the 1996 AFL Grand Final, then the locals took notice and even then had to back it up with a win in 2005. By 2009, they out of the 8 and the crowds, TV ratings are slipping but from any perspective the Swan have been a success over the journey.

Rugby union has to offer the best to maintain interest in Melbourne, then build a competitive Super 15 team to gain a foothold. It will never take over just as the Swans or Storm won’t either but without a foothold it makes it difficult to take advantage of a national market for TV rights, crowds, sponsorship when that city has it’s turn in the spotlight.

The ARU can’t be all things to all people, if it wants Japan more it can’t expect Melbourne would be my message.

Redb

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Redb said | June 23rd 2009 @ 9:00am | Report comment

Sheek or is that Thomas the Tank engine.

your a crazy man, soccer will dazzle with its international stage, but when you watch the game become so defensive you’ll shake your head and remrmber why you loved the combat codes.

Don’t give up on us baby…

Redb

p.s. your right about Brisbane and QLD.

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