Things have changed since I last went to the rugby. I learnt this at a Reds home game, where I couldn’t believe the ticket price – but I’ll save that for another article.
So there I was, enjoying the rugby and reminiscing. Then there was a try and something caught my attention.
It was the music: they were playing pop music, blasting it over the sound system.
And it happened again. After each penalty or try or conversion, and sometimes at a stoppage, they would play another song. It was like a discotheque.
Now at the age of 33, I’m not so old that I can’t still boogie-woogie, and they did play all our old favourites. But, personally, I like to save all that for after the game, especially if we win.
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Rugby is a separate affair, something a little bit more serious.
But I let it slide. I fully understand why they play the music – it fits with the commercialisation of the game. It’s the American influence. You have to market it. It’s an entertainment package that has to compete with other codes.
But I just couldn’t shake the feeling that it somehow cheapens the game, like the popping up and withering of franchises like the Force or the Kings. It makes rugby feel like a commodity, something to be bought and sold (that and the outrageous price of beer).
Then again, I was still willing to let it go, and freely willing to admit that on some occasions I might be a little bit more puritanical than others (except for the beer and the discotheques).
That was until the Bledisloe Cup, which I watched at home on the TV.
I caught it again – music at the breaks. I couldn’t believe it! I’d never noticed it before, I guess because of all the noise in the pubs.
Now, I know that I shouldn’t have been surprised. I’d been to the Reds game, of course. But this was different; this was a Test match, with the national anthem and blazers, and all that pomp. Surely they should have been more dignified!
Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
I should have seen it coming. After they started slapping Qantas on the jerseys, things were bound to degenerate.
But maybe there’s still hope. If others feel the same as me, maybe we can band together and make our voices heard – that’s how the internet works.
So thinking about it, we should have a referendum. We should ask all the fans: should we play music at the rugby? Hopefully The Roar can gee up one of those online polls. I don’t know how, but we’ve all seen it done before.
Then the fans can vote. We can pose the question twice – one for Super Rugby, and one for Test matches. Different strokes, and all that.
If the majority think ‘yes’, we should play music at the rugby. I’ll be happy to button my lip, and watch the run of play.
Except when we win, and then you know that I’ll be crowing.
But if we get a ‘no’, then we could maybe take it to the top. I don’t pretend that Rugby Australia, or SANZAAR, or whatever, will listen to the petition – after all, it’s not a democracy.
But there’s always a chance, especially since corporate rugby is increasingly embracing all that touchy-feely crap.
That’s how we got music in the first place.
jeff gatt
Guest
I agree that the music kills the atmosphere. I stopped watching the NRL because of the music. The people who do this are not fans of the game they are event organisers that think we fans want it. The people in charge of the game can stop it if they want to. If the problem was that the crowd was cheering, then the solution was to play music over the top to quieten them.
piru
Roar Rookie
Nice of you guys to take time out from yelling at clouds to complain about this new fangled 'rock and/or roll' music the kids are having. The important thing to remember, of course, is that you had an onion on your belt, which was the style at the time.
Markus
Guest
The kids will watch the game or they won't. If the purpose of it all is to solely keep the kids entertained, then once again I would argue that blaring 40 year old disco tracks is an abject failure in its objective.
Joe
Guest
The facts are the fans who are generally upset by this are not the next generation of rugby supporters. They are the generation who will not be around to support Rugby in its next phase of growth. At the end of the day sport is an entertainment product. Pure and Simple. Who would have thought kids and families lose interest in a deathly quiet stadium while the ref takes ten minute to pack a scrum. Maybe if the game was more exciting there would be less need for this "aberration" that is turning so many "traditional" supporters away. And regardless of your age, using the term "boogie-woogie" definitely makes your an older fuddy-duddy :)
Mzilikazi
Guest
James, Thank you for writing this article. I hate the music and all the other "rubbish" that goes with the modern "game experience". I would think that many, even most of us, go to the game to see rugby, chat to the the people around us, not to be bombarded with noise. Like many bad things, this has come from the USA. First time I encounter the music at an event was in Spokane, in Washington State about 20 years ago, at a college basketball game...indoors as well...just awful !
Tauranga boy
Guest
Yes I agree. And worse than music is the inane ground announcer trying to whip up chants and support for the home team like in most NRL games. I can't stand it!
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Great point Woodard. Live brass bands! Or even a symphony pit for big rest matches. Ha! I resent being forcibly ‘entertained’. And yelled at by an incompetent spruiker. After suffering all this on top of being robbed at the bar, and near poisoned by the food at the last Irish Test, I won’t be venturing out any time soon. Rugby administrators give yourself an uppercut. Put on good food, drinkable beer, competent logistics, oh and good rugby. And leave entertainment to the professionals. Give the dullard spruiker and the Moby Disc kid the night off and put the dough saved into a referees academy or something.
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Fair comment, but soccer is the pinnacle when it comes to atmosphere. And it is not just in Europe, the atmosphere in South America is many times beyond belief (I get goosebumps just thinking about the first time I visited La Bombonera to watch Boca Juniors). Even at some A-league games, the atmosphere can be great. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUxrlcfSMKA
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
I’m not sure it’s just soccer NVFS, I think it’s more a northern hemisphere thing. Look what happens when the Barmy Army are out here for the Ashes for example. I’ve been to Murrayfield and the old Cardiff Arms Park for internationals and the atmosphere and singing is incredible, they really turn it on, no matter what sport it is.
Zakaia Cvitanovich
Guest
So indigenous culture makes you feel “uncomfortable”? Well, the Haka isn’t going anywhere. It’s part of New Zealand’s indigenous culture and part of the All Blacks tradition.
Wise Old Elf
Guest
I stopped attending NBL games years ago due to music blaring over games, in breaks you name it. I just walked away. In AFL it is kept to breaks and is an atmosphere killer. They blare sounds right up to the sirens and straight after. It kills the scene. Think idiot stadium ops! And cricket, well what can you say. I just do not attend white ball cricket any longer. It is just annoying. Red ball cricket does not do it thankfully. No wonder test cricket attendances in Melbourne utterly slaughter gates to one dayers and 20/20.
woodart
Guest
thirty year old pop music,over amplified ,is the pits.... the french do it in style, with live music, and I have seen and heard brass bands at rugby, very cool . the cook island drummers, at the warriors games are cool.. so, if you want to do music, do it with style.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Same thing in league (at least in Canberra). Not so the music, but the screeching announcer. BUT, if you took a vox pop outside the ground and quizzed the leaving spectators: "So being defeaningly screamed at random moments by some clown with a mike, are you in favour of that or not?" I reckon 75% of them would reply "Wut.. didn't notice it"
At work
Roar Rookie
You make a lot of sense Ken Catchpole's Other Leg. I'm fine with music pre/post and even at halftime, but please for the life of us all get rid of music which plays during the play or when tries are scored. It's like the rugby bosses thought that would be the recipe for bringing back the crowds, when in fact it's more likely to do the exact opposite. Too many sports administrators looks at the Big Bash and think that's what people want, whereas people hate that sort of thing. It works for Big Bash because that's not really a serious sport, it's pure entertainment.
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
They've been playing music at Kings Park, Durban since the early 90's.... maybe even before but our family got season tickets in 1992 and I can't recall there ever not being music. For all of Currie Cup, Super Rugby and Test rugby. I think it's great and is just normal to me, adds to the atmosphere. Just as long as it's not so loud that you can't even talk to the person next to you. Music is not played during general rugby play, and I can promise you that a full stadium cheering after a try completely drowns out any music. The announcer only comes on to announce player changes (during a break in play) and also tells the stadium who actually scored the try. Also at half time there's a bunch of stuff like kicking challenges for spectators or lucky draw depending on what seat you in with prizes and giveaways. It's cool. And if you're there 5-10 mins before kickoff.... you'll see the Sharkie girls running around the field with coats on, then revealing all their bikini glory spelling out SHARKS (in old days NATAL) on their tummies.... Lol Also the "Banana Boys" or "Surf boys" are behind the opposition try line and do pushups for every single point that the Sharks (or Boks) score after a try or penalty kick and the whole crowd counts with them. When the scoreline starts getting to 40+ they're pretty finished... Just a bit of fun. And after the rugby is finished everyone hangs around on the fields beside their car and braai's (BBQ) and drinks beers into the evening hours of the usually warm Kwa-Natal Natal night. Kids play their own games of rugby on the grass. Flood lights light up the numerous fields .Games are usually played at 3pm or 5pm, so a braai afterwards (and even before as many do) is convenient. I've been to Reds games and actually thought it was pretty boring.... Not enough going on!! Ha ha
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
This has been going on for years in rugby and for decades in American pro sport. I guess most sport looks with envy at soccer and the amazing atmosphere soccer fans usually create. But knowing they can never achieve that they try to do something else to create some kind of atmosphere (but failing badly in my book). A funny side note for me is that the stadium DJ's in Hamilton and CHCH pretty much only plays music from the 80's.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Similarly, after every home game every social media account that the Rebels operate was filled with requests to drop the music, the cheerleaders, the fireworks, the stadium announcements during the game, the pre-match "entertainment", etc. but all to no avail. The Rebels did experiment with a DJ up in the stands at one point, but I think that was knocked on the head after only one game.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
One of the benefits of the Rebels not having a major sponsor this season & last was not hearing the announcer imploring the crowd to cheer for "your Rabodirect Rebels!!"
Misha
Guest
I'd be ok with endless repeats of Paint It Black & Back In Black...
Markus
Guest
The game is the entertainment. Nobody is paying to go and listen to snippets of 40 year old disco tracks and forced enthusiasm from stadium announcers.