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I recount this story to illuminate why so many people believe the Waratahs home ground of the Sydney Football Stadium is both a blessing and a curse.
Last Friday my barista, Baz – with whom I discuss sports, especially the round ball code about his sons’ stints with academies and clubs in the UK – pulled me aside as I picked up my insulated goblet holding the nectar of the gods.
He leans over the counter and says in his strong Mediterranean accent, “I’ve got tickets to the Waratahs tonight. Corporate. Rugby has always looked interesting. How does it work?”
I put it to him as plainly and quickly as I could.
“Tonight is a good game to watch. We’re playing the Chiefs who are great and we’ve been going alright too. Both teams like to move the ball and play up tempo. Chiefs = Barcelona and Waratahs = Swansea.”
“Is that all I need to know?”
“When everyone piles in and the ref blows the whistle but you don’t know why, just yell like your side has been aggrieved. 90% of rugby fans will be doing the same thing.”
I walked away thinking I’d given him enough of the gospel. Conversion was a mere Waratahs game away (Little did I realise my error in describing the Chiefs as Barcelona and the Waratahs at their Swansea imitators! And after the Champions League it was more Bayern Munich anyway).
On Tuesday morning, when I was picking up my Tuesday morning coffee, I excitedly asked for his opinion of the game. Having watched it myself I expected a smile and a recount of his experience.
Here is what happened.
Baz drove to the game from his in the South-West suburbs of Sydney. At 6.25pm he was in the M5 tunnel (Google tells me that’s 20 kilometres from the ground – approximately 24 minutes’ drive. Let’s say 30 to be sure.).
Traffic on a Friday evening was so poor he finally reached the car park he was supposed to use for his corporate ticket at 7.15pm. But still plenty of time left to get to the box with a drink in hand for kick-off. Only the car park for his reserved ticket was full.
Someone instructed him to go around the other side of the ground where another special car park awaited.
Such was the traffic during this time of night, also amplified by the Swans game next door; it took him until 7.45pm to get there and now was thinking about the run to his vantage point for the match.
He was greeted by another attendant informing him this car park was also full and his only option was to ‘zip’ round to the Fox Studios car park.
This was now his last chance but the ticket was free so he thought he’d be fast and still see at least 60 minutes to make to make it worthwhile.
By the time he was there it was around 8.15pm. The Waratahs had just held the Chiefs scoreless at the half time break. Baz went home. He was still in his car at half time.
I know the Swans game amplifies the issues at play here. Scheduling should have been adjusted so that double up next door didn’t happen.
That aside, this is still an example of why the Waratahs struggle to pull crowds and engage with a fan-base far from the eastern suburbs and those north of the bridge that don’t need to fight through the sprawl of the West to see their team.
On a Friday night the logistics of supporting the Waratahs at a stadium hidden away behind the CBD and at least 15 minutes’ walk from the Central Station is a nightmare.
Saturday nights often aren’t much better.
This is why so many fans are willing to put aside the atmosphere-sucking qualities of ANZ Stadium for a chance to see their side play and not endure a bum-fight for the privilege.
For those who cringe at the ANZ Stadium rounds on the schedule because it’s hard to get to: remember the flip side.
Look at how the Western Sydney Wanderers fans sprang up in such a short time. Were all of those fans oblivious to football and Sydney FC before their beloved side was born?
I think not. It’s all about connecting with the fan.
Can a single rugby team ever feel like it has its roots in the community when it is so hard to ever get a glimpse of them in the flesh?
I realise this column isn’t full of answers but the facts are the Waratahs have their work cut out for them if they have designs on reaching anyone outside their traditional base of support in this city.
Can the Waratahs effectively reach the entire city of Sydney, let alone the state of NSW, while playing most games at the SFS?
Baz has still never seen a live rugby game.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.