Imagine an NRL where every day was Anzac Day, at least in terms of the size of the crowd. How good would that be?
I hate to call it a pipe-dream, but as far as ambitions go it’s a huge one. Still, no-one ever got to the top by aiming for the middle.
As a big NFL fan myself, the thing that always hits me straight away with that competition – either watching on television or at the game – is the packed stadium.
I’ve been to Gillette Stadium at Foxborough to see Tom Brady and Peyton Manning go head-to-head for the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. I was lucky enough to go to a Super Bowl as well. NFL games are bona fide events.
Generally, the closest we get to that sort of level here is with the AFL, and they, of course, have their own Anzac Day extravaganza with the Essendon-Collingwood match. A crowd of 87,685 attended that game at the MCG.
But the NRL has something very special itself with the Anzac Day game between Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra at Allianz Stadium.
Every year, the tradition grows stronger. This year, a crowd of 40,864 attended and it was another mighty occasion. Watching on TV or at the ground, this clash draws you in and grips you for the 80 minutes – or even longer, as it turned out on this occasion.
The way it ended, with Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce slotting an extra-time field goal, was stunning in itself because of Pearce’s well-documented previous run of outs in the field goal-kicking department.
But it was also the last play of a game that had been great as a whole.
Big crowds and electric atmospheres can make average games seem like good ones, and good ones appear great.
But the Anzac Day clash has developed to a stage where it doesn’t need help to be a great match. The atmosphere just adds to it. The players are clearly honoured and feel lucky to be an active part of such a big day on the Australian calendar.
It really is like a finals game in April.
Unlike the AFL, the NRL prefers to go with more than one Anzac Day game every year. I’d be OK with the Roosters-Dragons match being the only one, but at least the other one has an Australia-New Zealand flavour with Melbourne playing the Warriors.
That was a pretty good game as well, but it still didn’t quite have what the Roosters-Dragons game has got. It has the massive event feel.
The trick is to transform more NRL games into bigger occasions, so there are more genuine events.
I don’t profess to have the brilliant answer as to how this can be done, although shortening the competition by a few rounds from the existing 26 would help. The less games there are, the more meaningful each game becomes.
I’m not talking about reducing it to something like the 17 rounds of the NFL, but that competition is a great example because every game is crucial.
The point is, you can always do things better. You’ve just got to find the right way.
The Anzac Day game is up there on a pedestal, where it should be. It’s a big occasion, an event. But in the space of 26 rounds there has to be scope for more big occasions, more events.
We’ve just got to find the key to establishing them.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I agree at work.But when you have nigh on 30,000 members and about half that number show up in crowds tallies ,to the uninitiated from other sports it looks ordinary.Souths indeed have fans throughout Oz. I also stated earlier a new Parramatta stadium and a rectangular specific ANZ( with cover )will increase crowds dramatically.Even when taking into account the poor traffic infrastructure Sydneysiders have to put up with daily. The sooner the NRL gets a handle on scheduling in 2018,can't come quick enough for me.
At work
Roar Rookie
Crosscoder the issue with Souths membership numbers (and some others) is that they have lots of supporters from do not live in Sydney, so people purchase the out of town memberships which aren't season tickets so they don't really contribute to crowds. It's not just Souths and it's not just the NRL, Australian sport (following the AFL) has been on a mission to increase it's members. But my issue is that memberships count all sorts of things, whereas I think they should count members and season ticket holders as separate counts. Bring on the new ANZ stadium and we'll see an automatic 20% increase in crowds, that's my prediction.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
The closeness of the big all seat good facility stadiums in Melbourne with public transport nearby is a great incentive for AFL fans. Membership does equate to bums on seats for Raiders,Sharks,Roosters,Knights,Manly for starters.Numbers may well be small by comparison to the AFL,but the member/attendances seem reasonably close for those clubs. Souths is a hell of a disappointment with close on 30,000 members,but terrible crowd averages. Still a hell of a way to go. More people will attend NRL games with better scheduling and better stadiums or infrastructure. The NRL H/O already is assisting clubs with membership growth.The NRL does have an advantage at least with one aspect.merchandise sales.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Britexit wrong . If you have any sort of a clue .I am mentioning exposure of the code for the season not the one off ,that happens with Bellamy. Anyone with even poor vision can cite the lack of exposure for the NRL in the daily press and electronic media in Melbourne. I doubt you have bothered to open a Sydney paper and seen the coverage for the Swans and Giants,and the constant mentioning of Keiran Jack and his brother ,and them being the sons of Garry Jack.And the blonde headed young guy Heenan from Newcastle who is constantly mentioned in the press. And Franklin with his partner, and him collecting zillions of goals last weekend. Hell we even get AGL types such as Underwood constantly mentioning Cam Smith attends Hawthorn games ,as he is an AFL Hawthorn fan. LOL Don't bother mentioning Whately and Caro Wilson.They had been mercilessly criticised for the Offsiders' constant shots at the NRL and at time completely igporing G/F results such as 2016.In the last couple of weeks the message is finally getting through. And you have the audacity to slam me for apparently seeing what I want to see with the NRL. The bubble mentality is alive and well down South,evidnetly.
Big Daddy
Guest
One of the big advantages AFL has is both MCG and etihad are both close to city centre and transport systems and people can go out to football and have a night out. Also their matches for daysxbegin at 2-3 pm so families can see and then go home at a reasonable hour. If you look at AFL memberships which are very high to tend to support their teams whereas NRL members ships may be on record levels but don't equate to bums on seats (bar Brisbane) The NRL match commitee and marketing people are responsible to get more people to the game. Melbourne are at a disadvantage as they have to compete against afl who normally have matches at both grounds on Friday, sat and Sunday.
Britexit
Guest
Yes lets manufacture Super Rugby results. The A-B demographic would see right thru it.
Britexit
Guest
Crosscoder wouldn't have noticed Craig Bellamy on AFL 360 for 10 minutes promoting the Anzac Day NRL game nor the regular appearances of Cameron Smith. perhaps a price for sale by news Ltd of the Storm was3 or 4 marketing spots on AFL show.I have seen Swans Jack once on NRL show. ..Whately also has been pushing the NRL mid season transfer for AFL based upon Cronks "retirement" but it blew up in his face with the Tigers defections. But of course CC only sees what he wants to see...
Paul
Guest
Maybe the NRL needs to move clubs out of ANZ Stadium on a full-time basis and use it as a premier event stadium - i.e. Opening weekend double headers, Good Friday, Anzac Day, Women in League etc. Turn it into a place where people will go for an event, rather than Bulldogs vs Souths on a Thursday night... And the other thing that some have mentioned - the culture of NRL fans sitting at home watching games on Foxtel (which, for the price you pay every month, makes sense), as opposed to AFL fans who actually support their clubs by paying money to go through the gates.
Milsy
Guest
Unless you make the NFL playoffs, you only have 8 home games a year and unless your in New York, you will need to travel a long distance to see an away fixture. We have too many matches a year in the NRL and on some weekends you can catch 4 games in Sydney without travelling far. For bigger crowds the teams need to be spread out across Australia and the amount of games reduced.
Jeff Dustby
Guest
32 teams in a country of 320 million Not a great comparison
Jeff Dustby
Guest
How do you someone is from Melbourne ? They will tell you
Jeff Dustby
Guest
It's the competition between the rugby codes
Steve
Guest
Went to the game yesterday as a neutral and it was an amazing atmosphere. Full credit to both sets of fans, Roosters and Dragons fans both turned up in huge numbers and created a passionate atmosphere without any bad behaviour. The NRL and clubs need to make games events. You can't just put a 80min game on anymore with high food/drink prices and expect fans to go instead of watching at home.
Your Kidding
Guest
Then there's Adelaide and Perth who have a similar culture thing to Melbourne. Brisbane loves league, no problems there.
Ray
Guest
Your completely right about it being a cultural thing. Difficult to explain but it is there. Big NRL games attract big crowds, other games you could give tickets away and not get more than a few thousand. It's not a new thing, the old Match of the Day at the SCG usually drew a bg crowd, but most the other games only average. That was before TV coverage when games were played mostly on Saturday's during the day. Yet most people followed league. I could walk from the East end of Balmain to a mates place at Birchgrove and follow the game from the wireless's in peoples front rooms. You compare that to Melbourne where insane crowds rolled out to a new manufactured feel good women's league. The Swans draw good crowds due to most of their fans living reasonably close to the SCG and many being of a Melbourne culture. GWS on the other hand is destined to learn all about the Sydney crowd culture.
Baz
Guest
AFL is much better live than league
Alicesprings
Guest
Agree! Unfortunately the NRL brain-trust sacrificed scheduling while chasing the TV dollar - for how much extra we will never know. Surely any reduction in media rights would overtime be offset by increased memberships and crowds. The long game.
Jock Cornet
Guest
That was a fantastic game , I wish Pulver watches it and applied it to rugby.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Good old Caxton street. If anything it hinders crowds. Whatever the crowd is at a broncos game there's at least 10x that in Caxton street pubs. Even more on an origin night. By comparison ANZ has the novotel.
Your Kidding
Guest
I don't buy that argument. A good close rugby league game live is great. Just like the AFL games. A one sided live game can be ordinary for both sports. It's a cultural thing. League fans just seem to love watching the game on TV. Now even more so with the improved Fox coverage. The AFL have always pushed the game day experience and TV ratings follow on from there. Can't really put my finger on it but culturally there's a difference.