NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has shot down calls to bring finals back to suburban ground to boost attendances.
Despite week one of the NRL finals producing brilliant on-field action, attendances were dismal and dwarfed by AFL crowds.
The NRL’s aggregate figure of 75,361 across four games was the lowest week-one figure since 2008, when three of the four matches were held at suburban grounds.
The Sydney Swans sold out the SCG with 46,323 fans turning out for the elimination final against Essendon while on the same night just 15,408 attended the all-Sydney Manly-Penrith clash next door at Allianz Stadium.
Manly chairman Scott Penn on the weekend described it as an “absolute disgrace” they were not allowed to play their home final at their spiritual home of Lottoland instead of Moore Park.
Under NRL rules, all Sydney teams must move their home finals in weeks one to three to either Allianz Stadium or ANZ Stadium to allow the greatest number of fans to attend.
Manly and Cronulla, who were both forced to play at Allianz Stadium, would have likely got bigger crowds had they been allowed to play at Lottoland and Southern Cross Group Stadium respectively.
Greenberg said the game should be looking at ways to get bigger crowds at the big stadiums.
“We’ve spoken about this for a number of years, my simple view is we should be talking the sport up, we should be finding a way to get people to the games rather than finding excuses for them not to come,” Greenberg said.
With Parramatta to play at their home ground at ANZ Stadium on Saturday against North Queensland and Brisbane expecting a bumper crowd at Suncorp Stadium on Friday against the Panthers, Greenberg was buoyant attendances would improve in week two.
“I was disappointed with some of the crowds but I’m enthusiastic about the crowds to come in week two and week three,” Greenberg said.
He said he expected crowds to improve with forthcoming upgrades to ANZ Stadium, Allianz Stadium and Parramatta Stadium.
“Sydney average crowds have not changed for the best part of two decades,” Greenberg said.
“They are usually one or two per cent up or down year on year. That won’t change until we make a different decision on stadiums.”
Tom G
Guest
The only thing you have left out of this argument is reality mate. Sydney isn't Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide.. It is a city with a unique set of infrastructure and transport issues which heavily impact live attendance. They aren't just 'pathetic' as you put it for no reason. Maybe a good start is to ask them what they need from their game experience including the price charged rather than tell them what they are going to get which is the NRL current policy.
Millsy
Guest
Sydney crowds are pathetic. Sure take games back to suburban park football at your peril because you'll end up with a park football game. AFL will churn league up as they have done to their own compatriots WAFL and SANFL competitions respectfully. Once WAFootball got huge numbers to games enter eagles and they are lucky to get 2K to each home and away game.Keep the bigger stadiums and how about just filling them and not whinging. At least you have teams to go and see we over here get a couple a year.
Rick
Guest
If anything proves the absolute stupidity and wastefulness of the plan of the current state government to spend $1.7 billion on stadiums this last weekend proves it. The empty seats were an embarrassment. How often do stadiums in Sydney ever reach capacity? Apart from Origin and Grand Final they don't. Spend the money on schools, hospitals, police, fire and ambulance services not on structures that are not required.
Tom G
Guest
neither is it redemption if finals starve Parramatta fans travel the 8km to ANZ
Tom G
Guest
“We’ve spoken about this for a number of years, my simple view is we should be talking the sport up, we should be finding a way to get people to the games rather than finding excuses for them not to come,”....Well Toddy over to you champ.. you've spoken about it for years like you say and still have no answers to the second part of that proposition.. How the hell are you attempting to get them to come. Is it just more of the field of dreams strategy that isn't working? Your 'simple view' is just that SIMPLE. It's all about you are right and the people who pay your wages are wrong... How long does this idiot get to keep saying morning things like this and get away with it? The NRL spin machine on Fox, Nine and News Ltd will no doubt push the line but people are voting with their feet.
clipper
Guest
QF last year 112,626. QF this year 75361 - down 66% - crowds are down, down so much they could do a coles jingle for them.
Your kidding
Guest
Well Hutch, On the weekend they threw everything but the kitchen sink at trying to get a decent audience. $15 tickets, free transport, saturation press publicity, fine weather, plenty of freebies given away etc. All good ideas at the time I'm sure. But now the game has a cheap feel about it. Still no one wants to go.
Your kidding
Guest
Hutch, I'm happy to repeat it. Greenberg and the NRL are liars and have been caught out many times infating crowd numbers. This is well documented in the press and other media. It's common knowledge now. Nothing new. Why the state government would even listen to these clowns, in regards to stadiums baffles me. If the games are better suited to the suburbs then the NRL should tip in some money to do up grounds such as Brookvale.
hutch
Roar Guru
There is no place for suburban grounds come semi final time. Instead of the sport retreating back to local parks, we should be looking at ways to increase crowds for semis in these stadiums. Also, if you replace manly, Penrith and Cronulla with tigers, bulldog and dragons there are probably record crowds for week 1 finals. Nowhere near the crisis people are making it out to be.
hutch
Roar Guru
Have any proof of that or are you just making things up because you dislike rugby league?
Matt
Guest
The Players Union should just bloody boycott next years finals if the NRL doesn't hand back the home ground key they stole like thieves in the night. Let's see who buckles first then.
Matt
Guest
You're comparing low Sydney numbers to a one team Capital City in Brisbane. Not exactly apples and apples is it?
Tom G
Guest
When did defending the indefensible become the official strategy for the NRL? More bloody stupidity from this insipid CEO.
Suechi
Guest
Give these games a 'local' feel. That crowd at Sharks vs Cowboys looked ridiculous. I can't believe that the NRL are just so dumb. I don't know how many posts I have read about 'listening to the fans' - they continually do the opposite.
Your kidding
Guest
Greenberg and the NRL are liars. The crowds this year are way down on last year. They've developed a habit of inflating crowd figures to help keep their jobs.
Big Daddy
Guest
Let's wait and see how the crowds turn up this week. You could nearly bet money the crowd in Brisbane will much bigger. Let the Sydney public prove all the knockers wrong and turn up in their thousands???. Week after will storm play at home against Brisbane and roosters against cowboys and then we can have another qld gf.
Al Bundy
Guest
Todd Greenberg should take the blinkers off and ask the fans why they don't attend games. It wouldn't be the extraordinarily high ticket prices or inconsistent Refereeing or downright bias towards certain players and teams because he says they are ALL Right! It wouldn't be the TV-run programming schedule that has games starting at 8pm. Stop telling the fans what to do and actually ask them, or doesn't he want to hear. Sounds just like a Government official doesn't he? EMBARRASSING.