Where are the NRL crowds?

Could it just be that NRL is boring.....

In the early to mid 90's the afl started to close the suburban grounds. It started with bigger matches being shifted to the MCG where 80,000 could come watch rather than 22,000 at say windy hill in essendon. Over time clubs started seeing the benefits of playing in the bigger stadiums as their crowds and memberships went up. There were two reasons for this - the first was fan comfort... Not having to miss a quarter because you wanted a beer and a pie and had to queue for 30 minutes to get it, having a seat not having to stand all day, being able to go undercover when it rains (of the 100,000 seats at the MCG I think up to 60,000 are under cover) close to lots and lots of public transport. Suddenly families could come to the games because it was a little easier to find seats away from the drunks. The other reason was because it wasn't so hard for people to turn up and see two teams that weren't their own - just go because it was going to be a good game. I lived not far from the MCG in 1997 and went every week to watch Melbourne play - but went perhaps another 10 times over the course of the year just because it was going to be a great game... It's easier to do this when there are 50,000 spare seats rather than at a tiny suburban venue - thus crowd figures went up. The NRL seems to have been trying to work the same magic and is getting the same resistance the AFL initially did by sections of fans - the outcry when st kilda left Morabbin for Waverley and when Victoria Park were finally closed was as if the entire world Had ended. Ironically it was the same when Waverley park was closed for the modern docklands stadium. And Waverley was the most hated ground in the league! The big difference now as to then though is TV. Back then you could bitch and moan all you wanted about your team losing its roots but if you wanted to watch them you still had to go to the game. Now NRL fans only need to sit back and watch on telly where as the AFL fan has almost been trained to turn up to the game even though it's on live....

I agree. ANZ Stadium should not be the home ground for any club, but rather, should be saved for State of Origin matches and finals games. I strongly believe bringing back suburban stadiums like Belmore and Redfern is the answer. This will make accessibility easier for the home team's fans, thus increasing attendance. While the number of people may not be drastically different, it'd certainly look a lot better on television. Furthermore, having a much smaller, enclosed venue rather than the massive amount of free air space that ANZ provides, suburban grounds will allow broadcast microphones to pick up a lot more, making the game louder and more exciting for both viewers and players. Moreover, the more intimate nature of a suburban ground will amplify the crowd noise for the commentators covering the games, which will influence their perception of a game's intensity, and make for a much more impassioned and enjoyable viewing/listening experience for the fans on TV/radio.

The NRL sold out the sport to Channel 9 in a petty competition with the AFL because the NRL clubs demanded it. The League was left with no option but to get as much money out of the TV deal as possible, regardless of what that would mean for ordinary fans. It means that they might get more eyes on the screen (and advertisements) per weekend, but fewer eyes on actual games of League.

Mate, you are dead right, the amount of advertising on the NRL these days is crazy bad! I counted 4 levels of sideline ads, its ridiculous!

LOL, hehe, nice one!

You forgot the perennial crowd favourite Ray Hadley. His number one fan (his shadow) just can't wait for the donkeys on channel 9 next week.

Where are the NRL crowds? Well, while the NRL were trying to squeeze every cent out of Kim Gyngell to buy the TV rights, Mr Gyngell was declaring his list of demands to the NRL. The NRL handed all power to Ch 9 who decided the use the game of football as a marketing tool to try and make back their 1 billion dollar investment. The advertisors then tell Ch 9 when they wanted their products aired hence why the games are shown between 8:00pm-10:00pm. Ch 9 agree to cram in 1 minute or commercials for evey 2 minutes of football and ensure the betting agencies spuik their odds in timely intervals. So where are the crowds? Well, according to the NRL and CH9, as long as they are turning a profit, who cares?!

Is it weird that a sport prides itself on TV figures? Yeah that means money for the NRL but that doesn't make it interesting. "If you’re comparing Channel Nine’s entertainment with the half-time entertainment, it’s obvious who wins hands down." Nobody purchases tickets to watch half time entertainment, IMO all 'entertainment' should be banned from stadiums, fireworks, loudspeakers and horrible bands... eurgh. I don't think crowds stay away from the games because they can watch it on TV, Souths/Easts are city teams and they played in ground out west? Every team should have a home ground in principle, instead of shopping around the grounds. Like why does NRL have so few grounds? In the A League each team has a ground and they play there. Western Sydney play in Western Sydney and Wellington play in Wellington. The level of advertising is gross. Just look at NRL jersey, too much on it. Than there ads sprayed on to the ground and the side boards and the ball and the REF and the Video Referral. Clean it up.

40,000 rocked up to the SFS for Sydney FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers on a Saturday night. 20,000 rocked up to Olympic park for Souths vs Roosters on a Thursday night. I'm amazed that NRL didn't schedule their marquee match on a Saturday night. Just so stupid.

Channel Nine's coverage is sensational. Their standard definition broadcast lets the product speak for itself without all the showiness and razzle-dazzle of HD. Their tactical refusal to show games outside of NSW and Queensland creates an exclusivity around league, which ultimately increases it's value. They have commentators that just ooze personality like Freddy Fitler and Joey Johns, while the silky vocals of Mr Darren Lockyer were just made for the microphone. They understand that by only showing Souths and Brisbane games, they can give exposure to the two teams that really need it the most. And that "Foghorn Leghorn" Roosters mascot sketch on Thursday night had me rolling on the floor in fits of laughter. I hope they do Souths next week in a Bugs a Bunny voice, or maybe have Greg Norman come in to do the Sharks. Oh wait. Sharks only play on a Monday night... Last years soliloquy cam should have been given more of a run. But Sonny Bill Williams is of course the only player the fans care about. And, as he is the messiah, he is the only one who can project his voice directly from his head into our TV sets. Yes sir, if Channel Nine wasn't so unanimously loved by all fans our great game would be in trouble.

Agreed. The sooner the NRL rids itself of Channel Nine, the better. Ray Warren is a decent caller, but there are better. No-one else on Nine's coverage is worth mentioning. And the fact that, in 2014, every game is still not televised live, is embarrassing. Unfortunately for the NRL, Sydney sports fans are terrible. It's going to take something of a miracle to get NRL crows up to a respectable level. The league can start by as few games at ANZ Stadium as possible.

WHAT?! I almost choked on my cornflakes! The coverage by Channel 9 sucks! It is so bad. Ray Warren, who is curiously never shown during the telecast, is an old, tired, rambling caller. Phil Gould is okay, but once or twice a game he goes into aggro mode against the NRL or a rule that he doesnt like and its painful viewing. Also, why does the Channel 9 graphic resemble a Lord of The Rings theme with dark mountains and clouds?!?!?! WTF is that?! LOL Ads - Ch9 gives us heaps of gambling ads - no thanks - fark off please. They now play the VB music during man-of-the-match highlights?! Channel 9 has its favorites too, which is why the Raiders get only ONE game on FTA TV each year, that is unfair and a joke. Channel 9 also gives us the juvenile Footy Show with the head wobble and the big fat. And Slats who is actually a cricketer?!?!? Wow, I cannot believe anyone thinks Channel 9 is worth watching, they are code-killing garbage. They give us late kickoffs too. *sigh*