Foolish disloyalty as Waratahs ignore supporter base
Roar Guru By LeftArmSpinner, 8 Jan 2010 LeftArmSpinner is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Rugby Union, Super Rugby, Waratahs
100 Have your say
Related coverage
The New Year has arrived, the Test match is finished, and so I have been putting the sporting events into the diary for 2010.
During the delays and breaks at the Test, talk turned to the Super 14 and the Waratahs.
The consensus was that the Brumbies would pose the greatest threat to the Waratahs. “And it’s a home game for us. You beauty!”
“Not so fast ” quipped another, adding “I think they are taking it to ANZ! Contractual obligations!”
After a quick iPhone powered examination of the Tahs website, we discovered that the game was going to ANZ.
In allowing this farce to continue, NSW Waratahs management have ignored the remaining supporters who currently make it happen for them as well as those supporters who they hope will make it happen for them in the future.
The core Waratahs fans that remain have had their loyalty severely tested over the past few years. I don’t wish to relive these painful memories.
Let’s summarise them in two words: “Dunning” and “field goal” or “Winning” and “ugly” when all that resulted was “losing” and “ugly”.
The Waratahs have six home games: Sharks, Lions, Blues, Cheetahs, Hurricanes will play at SFS.
The Waratahs Vs Brumbies is the big game, the local derby, the grudge match, the one we all want to see, the one that can bring the crowds back, the one that can entice a new audience, has been unilaterally removed from the deal for the faithful who turn up each week to the SFS.
Who built them a $10m training and office facility? The Members. Who provides at least 7,000 supporters, or 30 percent of their dwindling total home crowd, to every game, win lose or draw? The locals and the members.
Worse still, there has been no offer to these supporters who have effectively paid for tickets to a game, only to have it moved.
There are very few supporters of any sporting team who, having bought a ticket, will buy a replacement ticket to the same game to go to a stadium that lacks both atmosphere and viewing quality.
Further, the new supporters, those in the famous western Sydney cohort that is yet to materialise in terms of actually turning up to games, get only one game.
Despite it being the contest of the season, these new supporters are expected to attend the game in the soulless, atmosphere “free” ANZ stadium.
The new supporters that turn up will also have to put up with arguably the worst stadium for rugby in the world while the acclaimed SFS sits empty. This is hardly the way to win over and build this audience. I expect a crowd of 30,000, and at this level, another own goal by the Waratahs management.
Disloyalty to these core and new supporters is a dangerous attitude for such a financially marginal team as the Waratahs.
But there is more.
1.The Waratahs have three trial matches. These have also been moved to Lismore, Orange and Canberra respectively. One or more of these games would be ideally suited to Parramatta Stadium and the new supporter base in Western Sydney.
2.The Waratahs core supporters will not have one local derby in 2010 at their home ground. The Force, the Reds and the Brumbies are all away!
3.The home Crusaders trial match has been cancelled.
4.The first three games are away games: two of which are in South Africa and played at inhospitable hours. The three month tournament will be almost a third completed before the Waratahs even get in front of their supporters in a home game.
5.If the Waratahs make a slow start to the season, the season will be financially doomed before a home game has even been played.
In conclusion, the Waratahs management have made and continue to repeat several fundamental mistakes:
1. They have lost focus on their core audience. Not addressing this audience’s needs when unilaterally moving the best games will further damage the Waratahs core support and be very expensive to rebuild.
2. They are chasing a new audience (Western Sydney) but with an inferior product and venue.
3. They have treated this new audience as “dumb” when in fact they are a very discerning audience who are spoilt for choice and used to good stadia like Penrith and Parramatta.
4. They are attempting to win over this new audience without investing in their tribal representatives in the Sydney Grade competition, Penrith and Parramatta.
5. I believe, but am happy to stand corrected that this contract with ANZ is for 10 years. Letting this contract to run in its current form could destroy the Waratahs completely.
I strongly suggest that the management return the shot gun approach to the gun cabinet and exchange it for the targeted rifle shot approach.
Vote for your preferred option in the poll below.
[poll id="61"]
Recommend this story.
The Turkey 10
The Turkey 10 teams have now been selected, as Wild Turkey Bourbon's sport sponsorship kicks into the next exciting phase.
Choose which side you're going to support and get in the running to win $2,500!
Simply visit Wild Turkey Australia on Facebook for your chance to win.
Find out more.
- Explore:
- Rugby Union, Super Rugby, Waratahs
January 8th 2010 @ 11:04am
Timmypig said | January 8th 2010 @ 11:04am | Report comment
Quoting Ballboy: “The arrogance of NSWRU heirarchy seems to have finally bitten them on the arse”
I had full Waratah membership for a few years during the switch to open professionalism. After a couple of years of becoming increasingly frustrated I let my membership lapse (and I know I wasn’t the only one who did likewise). I wrote calm and measured letters to the NSWRU folks explaining what was bothering me and why my membership was not being renewed. Not surprisingly I received no acknowledgement. I even had an angry letter published in the SMH; again, no acknowledgement.
A couple of years later someone must have been trawling through lapsed memberships, and they tried to contact me. The contact details were old and they ended up speaking with my father (who had also stopped going to Waratah games). Good old Dad explained to the nice young lady who called why I had pulled the pin and according to him she simply did not understand the nature of my gripes.
Rugby to my core. Played for school, uni & regiment. Forked out for years for Waratah membership, went to games at Concord & the SFS, club games, played subbies, busted joints and bled and bruised, and drank heaps of beer and ate plenty of pies and steak sarnies. You’d think they’d listen, wouldn’t you? They don’t, and the ARU didn’t either – they even had the cheek to claim the moral high ground as protectors of the ethos when the war was raging in 1995-6, only to ditch it as soon as the ink was dry on the new contracts.
We ARE being treated with contempt, and I doubt it will change much.
Well, maybe y’all have caught me in a bad mood. I hope things get better.
January 8th 2010 @ 12:26pm
NickF said | January 8th 2010 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
Is the basis for this uncaring attitude an arrogance of being the only team in town? In league they have to compete for their supporter (and do), where the Waratahs know they have no competition, and thus don’t care.
And is it also administrator that care only about their own position and protecting their power, not only not caring about fans but also players and the general health of rugby in NSW.
January 9th 2010 @ 8:45am
LeftArmSpinner said | January 9th 2010 @ 8:45am | Report comment
timmypig, spot on also. they just dont get it. in commercial terms, it is much easier to sell to existing customers than get new ones.
January 11th 2010 @ 8:53pm
sheek said | January 11th 2010 @ 8:53pm | Report comment
Timmypig,
This is a wonderful post. You have actually described the experiences of many rugby fans, & said what they also feel. Great stuff.
In the late 90s, rugby was infiltrated by the cafe latte set, the networkers, the wowsers, the ‘being seen is the important thing’ wankers, etc, etc, etc.
These people didn’t care about rugby itself, it was merely a means to an end for them. Unfortunately, some of these people found their way into critical posts in the ARU, NSWRU, etc!!!
I’m not talking necessarily of the CEOs & like, but those acting as a conduit between the movers & shakers & general public. Info back & forth hit a roadblock with these people.
January 8th 2010 @ 11:35am
ballboy said | January 8th 2010 @ 11:35am | Report comment
Leave the Dark Side Tim – join the Brumbies – your practically there if your travelling to the Shire to watch the Dragons
January 9th 2010 @ 11:16am
jeznez said | January 9th 2010 @ 11:16am | Report comment
Oi, Dragons are not Shire folk. Our team is the Sharks. How is that for a trying combination a Waratah and Sharks supporter. I need a hug because it is all seeming too much.
January 10th 2010 @ 12:09am
NickF said | January 10th 2010 @ 12:09am | Report comment
Jeznez, I can sympathise with you as a Waratah fan, and yes you have had a bad year with the Sharks, but seriously, just fold and let the Dragons take back the Shire.
Ballboy, although I support the Waratahs, I also follow the Galloping Greens at Randwick, and as they kind of were the backbone of the Brumbies in the early year, I nearly went with them but the heart rules, so herer I stay. Also your analogy to the darkside was a good one, I always though that the NSWRU were like the Empire, and the Brumbies were the Rebel Alliance (Rebel Scum), which I guess made Rod Macqeen Obi Wan Kanobe, but I have no idea who the Darth Vader of NSW is. Maybe “Tah Man” should be replaced by Darth and some cheerleaders in Imperial Stromtrooper outfits.
January 10th 2010 @ 2:41am
rugbyfuture said | January 10th 2010 @ 2:41am | Report comment
HOT! get the fanboy nerd club if they did that
January 8th 2010 @ 11:39am
Who Needs Melon said | January 8th 2010 @ 11:39am | Report comment
More importantly: Who voted for Matt Giteau in the Roar’s 2009 Sportsperson of the year poll?!?
January 8th 2010 @ 11:46am
inthestands said | January 8th 2010 @ 11:46am | Report comment
Is it any surprise that seemingly every sporting team offered the chance of playing at Homebush has taken it up? Bulldogs, Tigers, Rabbitohs, Eels, Swans, NSW Cricket, Socceroos, etc… the joint hands out money left right and centre for teams to play there, and with most sporting organisations struggling for cash, they’d be foolish not to take it. We’re all keen to get on here and bash administrators, but it was less than ten years ago that NSW Rugby was being run by the ARU because it was so far in the red… at least they’re doing something about it in what is obviously a pretty hard market.
A couple of points: first, LAS said “Who built them a $10m training and office facility? The Members.” Well, in fact if you look back at when the deal was first announced with (then-)Telstra Stadium, then-Chairman Arvid Petersen said the deal had in fact secured the home of the Tahs at Moore Park. I think you’ll find the windfall from the Homebush deal enabled NSWRU to build the best headquarters in the competition, which is one of the reasons players like Barnes and Mitchell have moved. The Wallabies also use the facility when they’re in Sydney, as have the NSW State of Origin team.
LAS also said “Who provides at least 7,000 supporters, or 30 percent of their dwindling total home crowd, to every game, win lose or draw? The locals and the members.” OK. Fair enough. But if we are to believe that only about 70% of members went to Homebush for the game last year because they hate the joint, then approx 28,000 more went along as ticket-buying customers. (Even if they all went, then it would be 26K). This number alone is more than any other Australian Super 14 crowd in 2009, it was against a non-Australian team, and even though it was the Crusaders they didn’t have their two biggest drawcards in McCaw and Carter. So even though some of the traditional supporters may not like it, surely it has proven to be a success with far more “non-members” attending the Homebush game than the SFS match. We’re equally keen to say NSWRU doesn’t do enough for Rugby in Sydney’s west (and I agree), but taking one match a year to their backyard has to be a step in the right direction.
LAS also implied the Crusaders trial had been cancelled even though it hasn’t been on the Tahs pre-season schedule since 2008, and implied that NSWRU somehow had something to do with the draw making them play three away games (including two in SA) to start the year – the SANZAR draw regularly does this; the Brumbies in fact have the same conundrum playing in Perth, Pretoria and Cape Town in the first three weeks.
I’m not saying NSWRU hasn’t made mistakes – matches can definitely be marketed better, it’s up to people’s discretion as to what else should happen other than the Rugby to boost ‘entertainment’ and more can definitely be done in this area too; lots of things can be improved – but surely the decision to take one match a year to Homebush is a good one. As has been the decision to take trials around the state to places like Wollongong, Gosford, Newcastle, Orange and Lismore in the last few years… they are after all the NSW Waratahs, not the Eastern Suburbs Waratahs.
While it’s easy to bash the decision, if the Tahs and Brumbies are in the positions on the table in Round 11 that their rosters indicate they could be, I’d be pretty confident of a Record Australian Super 14 Crowd figure being set.
January 9th 2010 @ 8:48am
LeftArmSpinner said | January 9th 2010 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Nope. the facility is on SCG property and was paid for by trust. it is magnificent. put, your comment raises another issue, as was mentioned by the Tahs players last year after the crusader debacle, the team loses a home game and it is against such opposition when they need all the help they can get. remember, they jsut missed out on semi last year……………..
January 10th 2010 @ 12:34am
NickF said | January 10th 2010 @ 12:34am | Report comment
Inthestands, St. George Illawarra Dragons moved to Homebush for 2 years in 2007-2008, it was financially motivated, even though some will suggest that it was to accomodate the extensions of the stadiums at Kogarah. A movement from disgruntled supporters started, called R2K (Return to Kogarah). This was how the fans felt. The administration had ignored the fans, and the fans wern’t happy, crowd numbers were down, but it didn’t matter as Hombush were paying the Dragon to play there.
2009 the Dragon went home to Kogarah, Wayne Bennet came on board and was a crowd favorite, Wendell Sailor went out of his way to work the crowds, on field and off. The crowd number were very very good. The atmosphere has been fantastic.
I have been going for 4 decades to rugby and league games and the difference between the 2 is enormous. I can’t tell you what a fantastic year we have had out at Kogarah. I went to a Christmas BBQ in late 2008 to meet the players and Wayne Bennett, at Kogarah. Wayne stood in the hot midday sun for hours signing autographs, the players were being introduced on the stage and the preceeding had to stop and wait until Wayne had finished with the fans. And the day went on for hours after that as well.
My point is that, you can talk figures and crowd numbers all you like, but unless the fan base is being looked after the rest will not follow. Crowds don’t follow the sponsors dollar, it is the other way around. My heart does not discrimiate between the Waratahs, Wallabies, Dragons ans NSW Blues, but right now the admistrators of one of those 4 teams is taking care of their fans, and the fans are repaying them in support, and the players know it. It makes a difference.
January 8th 2010 @ 11:52am
Bill said | January 8th 2010 @ 11:52am | Report comment
Last time i checked the Waratahs had NSW not Sydney attached to the front of their name.
I think it is good that management is the spreading trial games in country areas where supporters very rarely see the Waratah players. Orange is only a 3 hour drive from Sydney so perhaps Lefty you could jump in the car for a road trip?
As to Homebush deal yep it sucks, this was a pure economic decision by management but dressed up as a vote for the Waratah Western Sydney based supporters.
January 8th 2010 @ 12:03pm
ballboy said | January 8th 2010 @ 12:03pm | Report comment
The same people who voted for Ricky Ponting. I would have given it to Webber. Hayne had a great NRL season but did little on tour.
January 8th 2010 @ 12:49pm
Bay35Pablo said | January 8th 2010 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Since Yikes hasn’t piped up as usual in defence of the NSWRU, I’ll have a go …
Inthestands and Bill have dealt with a number of issues well.
I am the first to give the NSWRU a good kicking, as much of the time they seem to be a bunch who couldn’t organise a BBQ at a subbies game. However, much of the criticism here is a little heavy.
I have been a season member since 2003, and went to every game in 2002. I was a season member in 1996&1997, but dropped it in 1998 when I went overseas and took a few years to get back in the fold as a regular attendee.
The decision to go to Homebush was made several years ago, when times were good and crowds seemed to be growing.
At the time, I disagreed, as Homebush swallows a crowd, and I’d rather have 45K at SFS than 50K at Homebush. Plus like most fans I hate Homebush for the size and location and lack of pubs.
But I could understand that the NSWRU wanted a bigger stadium for what were expected to be bigger crowds. Further, Homebush has been throwing money at teams to play there, because they are losing money hand over fist. Clearly they showed more love than the SCG Trust.
January 8th 2010 @ 12:50pm
Bay35Pablo said | January 8th 2010 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
There have been constant complaints about the Eastern Suburbs Tahs, so taking it west also helped that.
The Rotomohana Challange against the Crusaders was a deal which apparently ran out. it was great, but it takes two to tango. Further, taking the pre-season games to the country also deals with the complaint the regions don’t get games. Last year Campbelltown got one and Wollongong the other from memory. Personally I’d take one to Newcastle.
The real problem, apart from the NSWRU not having enough money or resources, is that they only have 6-7 games, and it is a major source of their revenue. Crowds are down so they are hurting anyway. They are trying to keep crowds high for pure survival. If the season lasted 12 home games we wouldn’t have as much of a problem, but that’s not comp.
I agree with Timmypig and NickF about the NSWRU not having the first idea about looking after loyal fans. I suspect many of their staff turn over a lot, and aren’t that experienced. However, I have persevered. I and 6-7 mates have had our passes since 2002 together, and intend to let them expire for reasons of death only. We all love the Tahs despite the NSWRU, not because of them.
So, have a crack at the NSWRU when they deserve it, and I’ll clap, but not all the criticism here is necessarily valid.
January 9th 2010 @ 8:54am
LeftArmSpinner said | January 9th 2010 @ 8:54am | Report comment
bay35, this is all about looking after the exisitng and dwindling crowds. you buy your passes and get a ticket to anz. i pay for my membership and dont get a ticket to anz.!!!!
this forces me to reassess my equation. option one is to drop the membership. option two, given that I only so much time to watch sport, i switch to the swans and drop the tahs altogether. opt 3: drop tahs and get behind a grade team.
January 9th 2010 @ 2:02pm
Bay35Pablo said | January 9th 2010 @ 2:02pm | Report comment
LAS, I see your problem now. It’s because you are an SCG/SFS member. I’m a season pass member.
I got on the SCG waiting list in about 1994, and got offered a ticket earlier than I expected in the early 2000s. However, I am no longer really interested as it isn’t worth it. I have lost interest in cricket and the Swans, and more big games are going to Homebush.
As such, I have dodged the problem you now have.
Here’s hoping we start playing running rugby, have a great season, and come May we’ll have forgotten these problems when we make the finals!!!
January 10th 2010 @ 1:19am
NickF said | January 10th 2010 @ 1:19am | Report comment
A category 1 season membership is $347, for a seat from the 22m line backwards, unless they are already taken by ongoing members. You get a Members Card, a Waratahs lanyard, Guide, Magnet and Bumper Sticker. You don’t get any extras, like a cap, polo shirt scart or even a Waratahs stress ball (essential for a Waratahs fan). I got a St George Dragon Season Membership for $240 for 6 games in category one, on the 30-40m line. I got the cars, lanyard, stickers, (no magnet though). I also got the backpack, the cap, the keyring and a few mor things as well.
I would be tempted to be a Waratah season member again, purely on the basis of good seats for a good price,but is just no possible, the SFS members, previous season members and sponsors seats and guests tickets, have got the best seats sewn up. In the NSWRU booklet, unless you want to pay $595 for a “Blue Ribon Member” package (which get you a cap) the only available seats are absolute crap! And you know how they advertise it – “Spoil yourself, show off to your mates, enjoy your rugby privileges. Welcome to Blue Ribbon”, but you also get a Blue Ribbon Cushion. GFC? What GFC? That really taking care of the fans alright.
The NSWRU members booklet has a banner on the cover and most pages saying “PROUD TO BE TAH’D”, or should it be “Proud to be Screw’d”.
But I’ll still be watching from home or the pub.
January 10th 2010 @ 1:37pm
Bay35Pablo said | January 10th 2010 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
NickF, I am a Blue Blood Member (Category 1 seats) last year we got a scarf, key ring (decent one IMO) and bumper sticker. The 3 years prior to that it was a cap or visor rather than a scarf. I have plenty of stress balls from the players throwing them to the crowd after a game. When its a bad game we throw them back. It isn’t much, but better than nothing. And you get what you pay for. If you got a polo it’d be slightly more. Having said that a members only shirt would be cool.
My 6 mates and I sit on the halfway line 3 rows back, in front of the Life members, which is why we are never giving them up. We have more reason to hate Homebush because the seats we get given are nowhere near as good. We signed up in late 2002 for 2003 to get access to the 2002 Brumbies semi tickets, and must have been about the first people who signed up that year to get the seats we did. 2004 was the first year you could renew and keep the same seats – oh happy day. We thought we were going to have to offer to send the ticketing manager 6 slabs of beer and a case of scotch to keep them ….
We have lost a lot of regular members over the past few years, and these now seem to be picked up from Ticketek by one offs. So I don’t know how you can’t grab these. I would seriously call the ticketing manager and ask if you can grab some int he front of Bay 35, because I can tell you there are a lot that aren’t members right now and haven’t eben for the last few years.
I know they have some set up where you can ask to be close to your mates if you can give the membership number. Perhaps you should say you want to sit near us …
January 11th 2010 @ 9:09am
NickF said | January 11th 2010 @ 9:09am | Report comment
Me and my Dad had season tickets for 2004-2005, we asked to be relocated to better seats in 2006, if possible and got closer to the halfway, to about the 22m line, but we were on an aisle, which we thought was good untill we discovered we were constantly interupted by passerbys going for a beer or break, and as we were on the tryline side of the aisle, we probably ended up seeing about 50-60% of the game, worst when we played Kiwi sides, buy do those kiwis fans drink.
Bay35Pablo, your seat sound pretty good, I must investigate.
January 8th 2010 @ 2:43pm
Crashy said | January 8th 2010 @ 2:43pm | Report comment
Bay – The Tahs played the Fiji Warriors in a trial at Newcastle last year didnt they? I think they had a crowd of 10,000 and watch the tahs score 40 points plus. Tahu played v well from memory.
January 8th 2010 @ 2:52pm
Brett McKay said | January 8th 2010 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
and Crashy, that’s who the Tahs are playing in Orange this year…
January 8th 2010 @ 4:48pm
Bay35Pablo said | January 8th 2010 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
With no disrepsect to Fiji, imagine what a pre-season game against an Aussie or good NZ side would get?
January 8th 2010 @ 4:24pm
Chris said | January 8th 2010 @ 4:24pm | Report comment
Have to say I’m already excited about the Brumbies v. Waratahs game at Erindale. Great ground for rugby – 6,000 fans literally standing on top of the action (every seat is within 15 metres of the ground). Fair to say it will be a bit different to the game at Homebush.