Round 1 will be big but it could’ve been bigger
Roar Guru
By M1tch, 12 Mar 2010 M1tch is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Brisbane Broncos, homebush, NRL, Parramatta Eels, Rugby League
The first round of the NRL season will be big, with the blockbuster matches of Parramatta versus St George Illawarra and the Broncos versus Cowboys. But, sadly, the NRL and clubs have missed the opportunity to really kick-off the season with a bang by hosting a massive double header at Homebush.
We had Parramatta try and move their game to ANZ, which could have attracted upwards of 40,000. But sadly this was denied.
We saw in the preliminary final last year that Sydney folk will turn out for a big match, and there is no doubt in my mind if we have Sunday footy at ANZ involving Souths versus Roosters followed by Parramatta versus the Saints, we could have seen another 75,000 to 80,000 fans out west. What a way to start the year that could have been!
As I say, the first round of the premiership will be big, but it’s a shame it wasnt given the opportunity to be bigger.
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- Explore:
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Tifosi said | March 12th 2010 @ 5:14am | Report comment
Well at least it Seems the independent commission that league fans want will happen though
“New commission to run rugby league after agreement made between owners”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26835996-23214,00.html
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/lowys-ffa-success-spurs-vote-for-commission-20100311-q1np.html
Stormin Red said | March 12th 2010 @ 9:32am | Report comment
Sydney clubs have drawn a crowd over 50,000 once for a non-GF in as long as I can remember, Dogs v Eels, and they have been harping on ever since about how regularly this happens. They don’t mention that they only averaged 25,000 in two reguar season games at the same venue. Would the Eels really have drawn 40,000 at the SFS and do you really think 80,000 would turn out for a double header? Why should Sydney need a double header to draw a big crowd to a regular season game. It is supposed to be the heart of rugby league and yet Brisbane is the only place that will consistently produce crowds that Sydney clubs can only dream of.
It is better to play these games in a stadium that you know you will be at least 75% full than play a double header at Homebush in front of a half empty stadium like they did a couple of years ago.
M1tch said | March 12th 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
depends who the eels play at SFS..they played the titans there last year and got 28k through the gates (27.99 parra fans)
play souths,dragons,tigers and it gets 35k plus at very least
I do think 2 blockbuster games at ANZ on a sunday arvo would attract a huge turn out..and yes sydney is heartland but its known fact fans are lazy at attendanding
Stormin Red said | March 12th 2010 @ 10:45am | Report comment
The worst thing they could do is move the game and then have a half empty stadium for an extra 5-10k at the gate. The local fans get annoyed because they have to travel (some just won’t go because of this) and it is not a good look to move and only play in a half full stadium. Especially now with the new aeiral ping pong team who I shall not mention, the NRL would much rather pictures of people hanging off the rafters than the much more familiar site of those Blue seats at Homebush. The administrators of the game cop a lot of flak (mostly justified), but they are not all stupid.
M1tch said | March 12th 2010 @ 11:28am | Report comment
i dont think the game should stop people from attending, the height of the code wars last year had the saints with 18k at kogarah (yes a great advertisment) but the NRL knew 40k would have been at SFS..2 weeks in a row!!
the good thing is its a win/win, but as I say..the potential for bigger crowds shouldnt have been ignored
Springs said | March 12th 2010 @ 10:51am | Report comment
Look a previous double headers. 1999 had 104,000, down to 54,000 in 2001 when they cut it. I’m positive the games would have had over 70,000 this time around, with the anticipation.
Redback said | March 12th 2010 @ 9:59am | Report comment
How would it be any bigger you can still buy tickets to the eels and dragons game.
M1tch said | March 12th 2010 @ 10:06am | Report comment
When you restrict the number of tickets the rush isnt in demand if they had taken to homebush 30-40k would be there, we had the situations last year 2 weeks in a row with the dragons v eels at kogarah and 18k turning up when it would have gotton double easily.
Rod said | March 12th 2010 @ 11:08am | Report comment
The game at Parra will be sold out, don’t you worry about that.
Mushi said | March 12th 2010 @ 11:24am | Report comment
Souths/Roosters so move the game from walking distance of the fan base to pain in the ARZ stadium?
M1tch said | March 12th 2010 @ 11:54am | Report comment
the game on the weekend is already at homebush
Mushi said | March 12th 2010 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
Your 100% right I keep forgeting that south sydney play in west sydney depsite having a ground within walking distance of redfern.
I just did a quick look through last years attendance – the onyl times they got over 20k to game was whent ehy played teams that were clsoer to their “home” ground than them.
The “peoples” club of rugby league, so long as you don’t live in south sydney
keeper11 said | March 12th 2010 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
wasn’t the so-called blockbuster SG v parrra meant to be at homebush.. ???
40 to 5000 and break all sorts of records…
or so trumpeted the NRL’s PR mates at the Tele a few weeks ago ( was even worthy of front page news …)
it may well be a ‘sellout’ of 19thousand in little parra oval tonight …
which would not surprise as the Tele has had the match ..umm front page ..news..for 2 weeks..
so hardly a great acheivement…com[pared to the 40thousand plus they were predicting..
..but didn’t the NRL have a truely massive opening double header at homebush when capacity was 110000..
guess proves the NRL spin these days and obsession to talk itself up…
Norm said | March 12th 2010 @ 5:08pm | Report comment
Just enjoy the footy M1tch & don’t worry about crowds.
Corey said | March 13th 2010 @ 12:08am | Report comment
Crowds are integral, especially to the clubs and their treasury. We need crowds turning up, and when you watch it on TV when there is a full crowd it adds more to the experience, even on the TV. Come on guys get out there and prove you’re a supporter of your team. RL fans are probably the laziest in the professional sporting world, so hopefully we wake up and start going to matches. The opening round for each match should be sold out weeks in advance, especially the Broncos v Cowboys game. Think about it, a city of 1.3 million should be able to fill a stadium of 54k every game.