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Remember the jingle from back in the old NSWRL days? It was the cracker event of the week.
Flagging crowds in the NRL’s Sydney market have been attributed to many reasons. Enhanced television coverage, poor match day experience, ticket prices, food and beverage prices, outdated facilities and poor scheduling to name just a few.
It was news to me that Souths were hosting a Thursday night home game at Allianz against the table topping Broncos until I turned on the telly. Three beers deep with my colleagues, we were astounded that none of us knew this game was being hosted on the doorstep of the club’s heartland.
Take a bow Rabbits and NRL, that is an example of a poorly marketed event.
Sydney has proven that when marketed well, NRL club fixtures can draw great crowds. The grand final replay, Anzac Day weekend and Belmore Oval spring to mind in 2015. All had specific marketing value.
This leads me to think that there is certainly a trick missing when the governing body can’t mass market a weekly fixture in a heartland city that hosts nine professional clubs.
The NRL have committed to matching the NSW government’s financial commitment to stadium investment with the promised increase of bums on seats. One venue that has many scratching their heads is situated within a couple of cut out passes from the front doors of head office, Allianz, or as those with any romance call it, the Sydney Football Stadium.
Proximity to the CBD means the Moore Park has a mass population right on its doorstep that migrates from the north, south, east and west of Sydney every Friday and finish work at 5pm.
The SFS should be hosting weekly Friday Night Football, featuring an all Sydney affair. This should be shared evenly with the home club being split between the Sea Eagles, Rooster, Rabbits, Dragons, Sharks and potentially Bulldogs. The Tigers, Eels and Panthers should also get their fair share of away fixtures along with the other Sydney clubs.
The NRL really needs to consider it’s events proposition and how to utilise Paddington, Surry Hills, the entertainment 1uarter and pop up venues to maximise the fanfare.
Done properly, Friday nights at the SFS would no doubt be pushing 30k every week.
Now, anyone know where I can watch a Sydney club play in October?
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