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The NRL claims increased crowd figures prove rugby league is winning the war with AFL for the hearts and minds of western Sydney. NRL boss David Gallop on Wednesday held his annual state of the game address, releasing data which he claimed highlighted the enormity of the task facing the AFL as it seeks to make an impact in rugby league heartland.
Crowds in Sydney’s west rose 7.4 per cent in 2010 to help the NRL set an all-time attendance record of 3,151,019 – the increase allaying fears that the arrival of the Greater Western Sydney AFL franchise would adversely impact rugby league’s supporter base.
“To see us getting some growth in that area is excellent for the game and a warning to the other codes that we dominate out there and we plan to continue to dominate out there,” Gallop said.
“I think they’ve (AFL) got a big challenge on their hands, I think they’ve taken a big punt.
“The fact is rugby league lives and breathes in western Sydney, we’re part of the community, we have been for a century and I think the numbers show the generational support that we’ve got out there.”
The growth in Sydney’s west was offset by a 4.6 per cent drop in attendances in Queensland, with disappointing seasons for Brisbane and North Queensland contributing to the drop.
Figures produced by the NRL also showed the league was in a strong bargaining position ahead of negotiations for the new television rights deal.
Talks are set to begin early next year, the NRL to go into the meeting armed with huge rating figures with seven of the top 20 programs on free to air television rugby league broadcasts – all of them State of Origin telecasts.
The dominance is even more pronounced on pay television, with 39 of the top 50 programs on subscription television rugby league matches.
The NRL’s push for fans to become members certainly paid up with memberships up 28 per cent in 2010, Wests Tigers showing the greatest increase after more than doubling their base to 6583 financial members.
© AAP 2012Recommend this story.
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September 9th 2010 @ 2:28pm
Neutral Fan said | September 9th 2010 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
Redb
Fantastic quote, sums up how I and many believe of this ‘code war’ garbage. All sporting codes can co-exist in harmony sure there be competition, but it’s healthy competition. We have a great diverse sporting landscape and we all should embrace it.
September 9th 2010 @ 2:32pm
Mister Football said | September 9th 2010 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
Competition is good.
The AFL coming into West Sydney will give the NRL an almight rocket up the proverbial, and willl go from strength to strength, guaranteed.
We’ve already seen the big jump in memberships in the NRL – this is precisely what compeition does.
The AFL will need to do the same with the Heart and Rebels coming into Melbourne, and it too will flourish as a consequence.
September 9th 2010 @ 2:53pm
Art Sapphire said | September 9th 2010 @ 2:53pm | Report comment
NF – Many believe it is garbage, but, from governing bodies to media outlets to the humble little poster commenting on websites, it’s all part of the game and it’s not going to go away.
Competition is good, but only for the victors. That’s what business teaches you.
MF just wants to make sure the AFL is one of them.
September 9th 2010 @ 3:08pm
oikee said | September 9th 2010 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
Look, to be honest, you cant blame AFL for worrying about not only GWS, but also GC. These 2 teams will leak money like a seve. They already are leaking,. I think a 20 year plan is silly this day and age.
Rugby kleague had a 20 year plan, back in 1996-7 To grow the game in China i think it was, and for rugby league in every state.
I have no dought rugby league will be in every state, but it wont leak any money. They learnt that lesson, moved on and are in growth mode.
The AFL will be stagnated now for the next 10 to 20 years. I know this, not only having to prop up 2 new teams, but also now having to worry about the other teams doing well under the weight of a lopsidded comp.
Rugby league will burn 2 new teams, one in Gosford with instant support, plus 1 in Perth, with growing support, they wont rig the comp, but Perths growth will be a 5 year plan to win a tital. Which they could, easily. Cory Patterson will be captain.
To me, Perth is the jewel in the crown for rugby league, it has everything going for it, plus it will get prime time coverage. There is gold in Perth, pure gold.
September 9th 2010 @ 4:56pm
Neutral Fan said | September 9th 2010 @ 4:56pm | Report comment
oikee
I’m looking for to Perth and the Central coast entering the competition, Perth back in the 90′s were a victim of bad financial management, super league, politics, and economics. For NRL it’s looking up and I’m glad for it.
September 9th 2010 @ 6:01pm
Westcoast929406 said | September 9th 2010 @ 6:01pm | Report comment
The comments above that Perth will be dominated by R/L eventually are not correct. Rugby League has always had a presence here say as opposed to Adelaide. It will get a solid base but that will be it.
The Western Force has a healthy support base as well – Again R/U has always had a large presence here particularly in the business world.
However there is population movement to WA from NSW and overseas on the back of the upcoming mining/oil/gas growth. NSW is supplying most of the interstate migration to WA at the moment. How much of that movement will contribute to R/ L and R/U is unknown.
Aussie Rules participation in WA at grassroots level has doubled since 2005 and the drift back to the WAFL by the fans has continued this season. In the country areas it is all Aussie Rules with patches of the other codes.
Two new sponsors came on board for the WAFL this season and the Ground naming rights for Subi are about to happen
The Eagles and the Dockers have huge overall supporter bases (About 800,000 each now) and are very financial. The icing on the cake will be the new 60,000 seat stadium which will be filled most weeks when it opens. (Depends on ladder positions of course)
A lot of fans especially kids currently do not see a game live at the ground and there is pent up demand by neutral supporters to actually get in as well.
So settle down you league supporters – Restarting in Perth will give one benefit – The National in the National Rugby League title will now be legitimate.
September 10th 2010 @ 9:59am
beaver fever said | September 10th 2010 @ 9:59am | Report comment
The local junior club my son plays for probably has more Australian football players (800+) than the entire state of WA has RL juniors.
That may change if we get a NRL team, the local knowledge i have of RL is that it is a primarily expat kiwi run comp.
September 9th 2010 @ 6:14pm
Neutral Fan said | September 9th 2010 @ 6:14pm | Report comment
Westcoast929406
All due respect to you, I’m just glad that WA will get a team again I’m not expecting it to take over AFL at all, just like the Swans & Lions in NSW & QLD they be in niche like the Storm in Victoria. I’m just be glad they get a presence there once again and the NRL will be legitimate once again. Since in 98 there was QLD,NSW,VIC (Storm), and SA (Rams) when they become the NRL after the super league war. But the Rams got the boot and we’re become an eastern seaboard game with a new zealand team for ‘N’RL which was a joke.
September 9th 2010 @ 10:54pm
Fez's are cool said | September 9th 2010 @ 10:54pm | Report comment
Don’t be slow. The Rams, Crushers, Seagulls and Reds were dropped because the game had driven itself bankrupt due to super league.
They didn’t want to drop those teams… they had to.
September 9th 2010 @ 6:17pm
Neutral Fan said | September 9th 2010 @ 6:17pm | Report comment
If only the Reds & Rams survive after super league, so in 98 when it become the NRL it was truly national but it wasn’t meant to be. Oh well, slowly NRL will hopefully be a legit national game not a false attempt of one.
September 9th 2010 @ 7:53pm
Lester Freamon said | September 9th 2010 @ 7:53pm | Report comment
NRL has come back off a low base. When they are getting 50k average to clubs out there come back and talk to us.
Understand this Sydney/NRLers. You have the largest city in Australia, you have big population centres not far from Sydney and you only get average gates in the teens.
The bottom line is, and remember this people, the LARGEST football club in New South Wales is the Sydney Swans Football Club.
Anyone want to bet the West Sydney Hooligans Football Club won’t become the second largest football club in New South Wales within the next quarter century? There is no certainty RL will still be around with soccer and rugby union looming.
September 9th 2010 @ 11:31pm
Dean - Surry Hills said | September 9th 2010 @ 11:31pm | Report comment
Lester – there are two things that you overlook. AFL is a game that is better viewed live. On television you are not given the full picture of where play will progress, and until producers provide a fish-eye style camera view in a seperate box, the audiance will have to second guess where a player with ball in hand will kick to. This is a primary reason why AFL crowds are higher at matches. The other is that there is bugger all else to do in Victoria. NRL on the other hand is made for television. The view of the game is often better seen from the bar of a local hotel, or in the comfort of a home. The NRL will progress in leaps and bounds with its TV audiance alone. Check out the television ratings throughout the Nation for both codes and then get back to me.
September 10th 2010 @ 1:27am
beaver fever said | September 10th 2010 @ 1:27am | Report comment
Dean – Surry Hills said “AFL is a game that is better viewed live”.
You are damm right, with the above statement. !!, the rest of your post is ill imformed bluster.
September 10th 2010 @ 8:25am
Dean - Surry Hills said | September 10th 2010 @ 8:25am | Report comment
beaver sneezer – AFL is better viewed live than on the telly – not better viewed live than NRL. I’ve been to both where there are packed houses and the best experience I’ve had is at Suncorp Stadium for a State of Origin encounter. The AFL crowds are higher due to the large amount of female spectators in attendance. Lets face facts – if your living in Melbourne without a decent harbour or beach, then there are only a few other things you can do for a bit of fun. One of those things is to get down to the “footy” to check out how tightly a few of the players can squeeze into their shorts. Even Warrick Capper had a cult following here for a while – the old ducks and a few of the boys from Oxford Street in Darlinghurst simply loved him. The same deal goes down in Victoria for the Spring Carnival in horseracing. They simply blow the attendance figures away when compared to Randwick and Rosehill. Why you ask? The reason – simply, there is not much else doing in Melbourne. Here is a link for you with regards to who won the television ratings for lasts years GRAND FINALS. And we’re talking free to air tv here – not pay tv where 60 of the top 100 programs throughout the year are NRL – or the dodgy Oztam figures on free to air tv that only include capital cities.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/more-people-watched-nrl-grand-final-on-television-than-watched-afl-grand-final/story-e6frexnr-1225783107883
September 10th 2010 @ 10:03am
Dean - Surry Hills said | September 10th 2010 @ 10:03am | Report comment
The comments deemed poor regarding AFL and Melbourne should have been taken in jest. The rivalry between the two states and codes will proceed regardless of the censorship of free speech and the Australian right of passage to make light humour of anything that comes to mind.
September 10th 2010 @ 10:07am
beaver fever said | September 10th 2010 @ 10:07am | Report comment
I live in Perth, i would say we have a pretty similar lifestyle to Sydney.
September 10th 2010 @ 10:38am
Gob Bluth said | September 10th 2010 @ 10:38am | Report comment
PUH-Lease. I live in Perth and its about 60 years behind Sydney.
September 10th 2010 @ 10:41am
Redb said | September 10th 2010 @ 10:41am | Report comment
beaver is talking about sun, sand and surf.
If your talking about modern urban living then Melbourne streets it over Sydney.
September 10th 2010 @ 3:29pm
beaver fever said | September 10th 2010 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
Gob Bluth said | Today
PUH-Lease. I live in Perth and its about 60 years behind Sydney.
So in 60 years time Perth will catch up with Sydneys fickle/sickly sporting crowds, oh and we can go to the shops 24 /7, ……………… can’t wait !!.
September 11th 2010 @ 5:04pm
John Ryan said | September 11th 2010 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
Rubbish
September 10th 2010 @ 10:32am
The Link said | September 10th 2010 @ 10:32am | Report comment
Lester Freamon – you do a disservice to your name. Do some proper analysis.
The Swans get great crowds, good luck to them, but that’s only one metric to decide the size of a club.
But it really wouldn’t suit your argument to go beyond crowds would it?
September 10th 2010 @ 10:39am
Redb said | September 10th 2010 @ 10:39am | Report comment
There has been some rather interesting reprots on the size of various sporting clubs.
Collingwood is the biggest club in Australia, with $100 million more revenue than any other sporting club. Forget your most watched as that is the result of TV fixturing.
Crowd and membership are excellent metrics to determine the size of the club, but as you say it doesnt suit arguments on both sides depending on how good or bad that metric is.
September 10th 2010 @ 3:34pm
Nick the second said | September 10th 2010 @ 3:34pm | Report comment
Better viewed live? The grounds are much larger so if your in one pocket and they are in the opposite, goodluck trying to see whats going on. NRL smaller ground much better live.
September 10th 2010 @ 3:40pm
Redb said | September 10th 2010 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
AFL is played on the ground and in the air, it is far more spectacular. Hence double the crowds.
September 10th 2010 @ 3:46pm
beaver fever said | September 10th 2010 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
You do have a point if the ball is locked in, for any considerable amount of time, and the game has been trending towards more players “on the ball”, however i used to watch the Raiders whilst living in the ACT and IMO Australian football is still much better to watch live than RL, which involves much close in tackling.
The common theory is RL is a much better game to watch than Australian football on TV as a lot of action around Australian football is not/cannot be captured on the screen, thus its better to watch the game live.
If you have been to a lot of football games you can sort of pick up the jist of the game, however if you haven’t been to any Australian football games, it can be quite hard to follow on TV, but in the future we will see TV overcoming it’s shortfalls in this area.
September 11th 2010 @ 4:21pm
M1tch said | September 11th 2010 @ 4:21pm | Report comment
Tonight will be interesting
Tigers v Roosters – Panthers v Raiders
Wallabies v All Blacks
Swans v Bulldogs
For a guestamite for sydney ratings
tigers v roosters/panthers v raiders – avg 420k
wallabies v all blacks – avg 260k
swans v bulldogs – avg 150k
September 12th 2010 @ 9:08pm
Allan said | September 12th 2010 @ 9:08pm | Report comment
M1tch – Don’t forget to mention the crowds. Manly and Canberra 2 final game this weekend averaged 15,800 each. The Collingwood Geelong game next Friday will get 90,000 plus.
September 12th 2010 @ 2:33pm
Crosscoder said | September 12th 2010 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
RedB
The difference has been ,the Swans have made public their concerns about GWS,in contrast to the Storm who have not voiced such fears re the Rebels.That is the crux of my view.
Unless of course one knows the make up of the Storm supporter base in 2010 as opposed to circa 2000.More so when you state the Storm has a large crossover fan base(the latest inside info maybe!.
It amazes me ,whilst they were playing for nought,these crossovers held reasonably solid.Then again the expat Kiwis and East coasters argument has been thrusted on us, from day one.
On the argument re live v Tv.I suggest the crowds at SOO ,tend to put a dent into the live theory.
Hardly unique rugby league is also played on the ground and in the air,else the AFL would never have noticed Izzie Folau,same as many fullbacks and wingers.Nightingale,Slater,,Minichello et al.Unless they are in fact AFL players in rl drag.
:Lester Freeman
.Please dont try and compare a one team in a city played fortnightly ,and after 28 years has decent
crowds,also aided in no small way by a SL war, ,but retains very ordinary Tv ratings in Sydney,with 9 other NRL teams vying for crowds and played each weekend and dominating the Sydney Tv ratings.
TV plays a big role in moneys flowing to the various codes.I suggest should the NRL get the value for money based on their continued strong northern Tv ratings ,your last para will be discarded where it belongs.,into the nonsense bin.