This article comes from the perspective of a Brisbane-based fan who’s originally from Sydney. I will be watching the grand final game being played by two Queensland teams in Sydney on the TV in Brisbane.
Like many of you out there I am questioning the logistics and administration of the game. It has been no secret crowd figures are dropping. We had a 15,000 average for the opening four rounds and from there the numbers have only decreased, reflecting the public’s excitement about the tedious bulk of games before the finals.
15,000 indicates a strong attendance when we are talking about Balmain Oval during a period when the Tigers struggled to get to double digits on the field. However, when you look more closely at the bigger games, especially at ANZ and Allianz, these numbers just do not fit.
Without the resurgence of the Broncos and their religious following this season, crowd attendances would struggle to surpass 12,500.
So why this is this the case? Bear in mind these comments are from a 21-yr-old uni student who religiously follows the game.
Competing codes
It’s always more fun to go to a game with a group of mates. We don’t always get the opportunity to do this as everyone has their own schedules. When we do, we tend to prioritise entertainment over our loyalty to our club.
It’s more appealing to attend a Sydney versus Hawthorn match at the SCG or a Wanderers match at the heartland of the west where there is a greater atmosphere that can be felt when you’re in the stands of a Cronulla match after two hours’ drive to the Shire to see a 10-6 score line.
The pace and passion of the game
We’ve all experienced the heartbreak or elation from Origin and that’s because for every minute, every player out there is ready to give up a leg for their state.
When you’re at a suburban ground, the games are just not exciting. After 10 minutes all you’re seeing are dropped balls and repetition. The game is becoming routine, you rarely see the flashes of brilliance or the passion that was there in past seasons.
Expensive ticketing
People are more than happy to pay a $25 for general attendance but when you have a group of mates who need to travel, grab dinner and a snack, and catch a cab home, the cost adds up.
With great TV coverage, it’s becoming more and more convenient and economical to watch it at your mate’s lounge, especially for the uni students. Going to a game is just not really worth it and until prices for the smaller, suburban games get cheaper we won’t see a rise in that crowd demographic
Season ticket holders
When I first got to Brisbane, I thought “gee wouldn’t it be great if they had an option to attend any three or four Broncos games in one pass.” Not everyone can make every game on a Friday to hold a season pass.
Even though it is worth it cost wise, we can’t get the max value out of a season pass.
Everyone has their own reasons for the going to a game. The NRL just needs to remind us that their product is still the number one sporting entertainment week in week out and not just for Origin. Reduce alternatives and decrease the barriers so going to a game will just be as easy as going to the cinemas.
Finally, a short note on the grand final and the Broncos’ defence versus Cowboys’ attack.
This game has tight contest written all over it. The Cowboys have probably played their best footy in the last decade this year with their big names stepping up.
Johnathan Thurston has been by far the standout player in the NRL this season and his Dally M came as no surprise.
This is probably the closest and best chance to win that premiership for the Cowboys.
The Broncos have been the standout team this season, showing consistency and impenetrable defence. They have the ability to pile on points but also to stop them.
The real factor is not playing at Suncorp. The Broncos don’t have the ability to pile on points on the road. However as we saw against the Storm, the Cowboys can score anywhere. I would love JT to win that premiership and on that note will hope he can carry the Cowboys to glory.
Prediction
Cowboys by 4
Thurston Clive Churchill
Ben Hunt first try
Alex L
Roar Rookie
There's a difference between "board trouble" and any kind of real problem though, politics happens, but when it starts costing money and creating trouble at a lower level is when it's bad.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Fully agree with you, "The pace and passion of the game - The game is becoming routine" and boring and that is the danger to what rugby league will become. Now that we have the Broncos, Cowboys and the Roosters becoming the tops sides and the Broncos looking virtually unbeatable if they continue in their path to perfection like they did in 2015, the NRL will be at the most a 3 horse race.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Sea Eagles, sharks, eels, dragons and tigers have all had board trouble in recent years. Not to mention that the bunnies pre Russell Crow were dropped from the nrl for a couple years. So that leaves who? Bulldogs, panthers and roosters who you could say have a recent history of stability?
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Do you think the Raiders and Newcastle (both away from Sydney) are well managed? Besides Parramatta and the shonky joint venture that is Wests Tigers, the Sydney clubs are fairly well managed.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Wow Hehe, proud of this one too? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/10657608/Rugby-in-France-in-league-against-the-unionists.html Looks like the RWC may catch up to the NRL one day in terms of finance Lol
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
Crowd figures are only the second largest in NRL history because two games were played at Suncorp with >100 000 people attending.
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
Those clubs are poorly managed now. Clubs (except the Titans) are generally better managed away from the saturation that is Sydney.
cback
Guest
What other codes?
Vijendran Jayaveerasingam
Roar Rookie
Great read mate- yeah the NRL is falling behind the other codes, and fast. Cheaper tickets and maybe more afternoon suburban games? The dropped balls are magnified when average teams play in dewy conditions because of night games
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
I like your thinking
duecer
Guest
No need to be so defensive, I was just postulating that perhaps the price of tickets wasn't a great contributor to the overall scheme of things and didn't factor in the GF, but was reasoning that now the tickets for the finals have been lowered, will they be expected to be at that level going forward - does the NRL consider it a success, considering they will be losing money on ticket sales, they would expect that figure to be made up by increased sales - do the figures justify the strategy? I would think that a finals series with the 3 biggest crowd pullers in Broncos, Souths and Bulldogs should be quite successful - you can't jag all the top 8 crowd pullers in the final 8.
zoran
Guest
RL regular season crowds are down 5% on last year. They could easily reverse this by: * shortening the season, its too long * playing games when the fans like most, i.e NOT monday night football * putting Origin on dedicated weekends so that regular season games are never missing star players * lengthening the game a smidge, i.e provide more bang for buck...90min is too brief for the effort required to attend * using conferences to ensure natural rivalries always occur twice per year, eg Cowboys v Broncos or Eels v Bulldogs OR Souths v St.George. Gold Coast vs Penrith should never be twice per year.
Kal kid
Roar Rookie
Sydney likes to watch Rugby League on TV, without QLD propping up RL, crowds would be down further. Will the crowds come for the new upgraded stadiums ?, RL people don't live around the City or Eastern and Northern suburbs.
hehe
Guest
An article from 2011??? read these http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/72440041/rugby-world-cup-2015-japan-goes-mad-for-world-cup-as-tv-viewing-figures-boom http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/sep/28/england-v-wales-rugby-world-cup-tv-audience-ratings http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/09/27/uk-rugby-union-world-ireland-romania-att-idUKKCN0RR0SK20150927 http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/rugby-world-cup-proving-box-6549993 http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Trends/Rugby-World-Cup-becomes-money-spinner http://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1858657/how-rugby-world-cup-became-cash-making-machine-billion-dollar-business http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/98189/how-much-money-is-the-rugby-world-cup-worth/
offsider
Guest
Embarrassing, in your haste to say that the finals crowds are down you haven't factored in the grand final crowd,in fact this years crowd figures for the finals is the 2nd largest in the nrl history.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
We have the highest ever attended finals series. Your down 5.7% figure does not include the GF, but you are including last years GF in the comparison
no one in particular
Roar Guru
LOL, blindingly believing something because it's the Daily Mail
Kaichen Qiu
Roar Rookie
I don't believe the other codes are better products but i really feel the marketing for NRL just hasn't had the same effect. Personally i think they need to replicate the promotion efforts that they put into for the bigger matches e.g. Origin, Finals. First article, was simply trying to give a personal view. Thanks for the comments
Kaichen Qiu
Roar Rookie
Absolutely agree with the ladder positions of western teams being a major factor for attendance in those games. In regards to the AFL and A league, these are just personal opinions and probably coincided with a certain game week. Of course there are going to be 0-0 a league games and inaccurate kicking but generally i feel marketing has promoted the larger AFL and A-league clashes better than they could have for the larger League clashes.
jamesb
Guest
"And how did the Super rugby finals go? I heard TV & crowd attendances were down but then again like the NRL, depends on venues and teams " This year's crowd attendances are pretty similar to 2006. And the grand final in 2006 also featured a grand final with no Sydney teams. You look at the period of 2009-2012, crowds were good and that was due to big Sydney teams performing well like Parramatta (09), Dragons. Tigers, Bulldogs and Souths in 2012. Since 2012, teams like Dragons, Tigers and Eels have mainly struggled. And this year a noted crowd puller like Newcastle got the wooden spoon