My fondest memories as a rugby league fan lie in the late 1980s, when I could take a 15-minute stroll on a Sunday afternoon down to Leichhardt Oval and watch my beloved Tigers in the Winfield Cup.
On the way to the ground I would be offered a dodgy hot dog by a large man with sauce stains on his apron. I could buy a pie, sausage roll or a bucket of chips at the canteen located on the end of the ‘Latchem’ Robinson stand after I entered the old gates.
Depending on how I was feeling after the night before, the choice of beverage was a Tooheys draught or an instant coffee courtesy of the Nescafé Blend 43 catering size tin. Only the Roosters offered lattes in those days.
A couple of times I won the first try-scorer double on the main game and got to collect my winnings behind the grandstand at full time.
These were great times that were repeated for 11 home games a season. In 1988, a season when Balmain made the grand final, the average attendance at Leichhardt was just over 9000.
Fast forward to 2019 and Balmain have disappeared at the NRL level along with oversized shoulder pads, tight shorts and electrical tape around the head.
The Wests Tigers have been performing a balancing act with home grounds since they entered the competition in 2000. The number of matches played at the ‘spiritual homes’ of Campbelltown and Leichhardt have reduced over time. Financial and logistical priorities have led club management to secure additional match venues.
One of those venues, the shiny new Western Sydney Stadium (Bankwest) – where the Tigers will play Parramatta next week, in addition to four home matches – was the subject of an article in the Fairfax press with quotes from acting Wests Tigers chief executive Simon Cook.
Cook appeared miffed by Parramatta promoting the Bankwest Stadium as theirs with the “we’re coming home” tagline.
“The last time I checked the stadium was built by the state government for the people of western Sydney, including their teams the Wests Tigers, Bulldogs, Western Sydney Wanderers … and Parra,” Cook was quoted as saying.
Photo by Matt King/Getty Images
To be fair it has been built on the same site that the Eels have held as their home ground since 1947 so to say that they are “coming home” as a marketing message makes sense.
It is hard to see what the fuss is about with home grounds in 2019. We are talking about a stadium that will eventually be used by multiple clubs and codes. The rival AFL moved away from home grounds for Melbourne clubs a number of years ago.
The Tigers will utilise five venues this season, if you include Magic Round at Suncorp. It is slightly more than the Dragons, Bulldogs and Roosters, with four home grounds each.
The Tigers will play three games each at Campbelltown and Leichhardt, four at Bankwest Stadium, one at Scully Park in Tamworth after a successful fixture last year, and Suncorp.
The club have often been criticised for being homeless and without a geographic base. Despite these apparent ‘disadvantages’ they are in a better off-field position than ever before.
Last year, in another season where five different venues were used for home matches, the club announced they had achieved record memberships, an average of home attendance of over 17,000 and a financial profit for the first time.
There are up to 16 membership options for 2019, which include single venues and various combinations. The club is providing home-match choices for a wide geographic supporter base and it is working.
It makes sense to play games at Bankwest Stadium, in what may just be best rugby league venue in Sydney. The appeal of a state-of-the-art ground for sponsors and fans will likely see revenue continue to rise.
In the same way, it made sense for the Wests Tigers to play home matches at Olympic Park in Homebush. While it has been acknowledged as not the best place to watch club rugby league, the financial numbers stacked up. At one time the stadium management actually paid the club to hold their most attractive matches at the venue.
The Tigers have a home base. They train at Concord Oval, where they are still optimistic of building a centre of excellence, so they stay up to date with modern training facilities.
Hopefully there will always a nod to the club’s joint partner history by playing some games at Leichhardt and Campbelltown. A chance for old fans to wallow in the nostalgia. Suburban grounds should always hold a place in the NRL.
If the club makes sound decisions around multiple venues then so be it. It provides options for Sydney and country fans to see their favourite team. The priority must be financial stability and a future. One home ground would be limiting.
Now if they achieve the same level of success on the field and make the finals for the first time since 2011, the home crowd will erupt wherever they may be seated.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
No. Teams live up to their means. Give them more money and they'll spend more money
jamesb
Roar Guru
That's very true with population growth. There's no guarantees that it translates to increase support for the club. However, Campbelltown stadium could be upgraded in the future due to another tenant coming on board. Campbelltown Stadium could have the potential to be another similar, smaller version of Bankwest stadium.
Stuart McLennan
Expert
Your points are good but population growth doesn’t always equate to large on ground support for the local team. There are a number of other factors. Otherwise the Gold Coast and Penrith would be at the top with average attendances.
jamesb
Roar Guru
I think Campbelltown should be viewed as a long term option for the Wests Tigers. There's projected population growth in the area. And there's a new A League side that will call Campbelltown Stadium home in 18 months. With 2 tenants, Campbelltown Stadium is most likely to get an upgrade over Leichhardt Oval. Where it leaves Leichhardt I am not sure. Maybe play a couple of games a year there which could include a "retro round". The Tigers shouldn't get rid of Leichhardt Oval, but it needs a home ground where it has great facilities such as dressing sheds, bars and corporate boxes. Campbelltown could be the venue.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
Yeah I understand. The point I was trying to make I suppose is that in my mind at least I always seem to remember going to full suburban grounds when in reality they were rarely full. You say over 12000 as if that's a good thing for a local derby.
jamesb
Roar Guru
I don't mind two teams from the same code sharing one venue. It's pretty common. Stadio Olimpico- Roma and Lazio San Siro- Milan and Inter Milan Staples Centre- LA Lakers and LA Clippers Metlife Stadium- New York Giants and New York Jets That's just to name a few. However, if you start having three or four teams from the same competition sharing the same venue, then it does become ridicoulous.
Bearfax
Roar Guru
One game got 9,000 in a local derby between Manly and North in 1988. The return match had 15,500. On average between 1987-89, Norths vs Manly matches averaged over 12,000.
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
"So based on your interpretation, Parramatta can’t lay claim to it being their home ground.." That's not my interpretation BA. I said that I believed that Cook was being provocative. I said that Parra can claim ownership of the ground, unlike ANZ. I think Cook was attempting to argue (unsuccessfully) that they shouldn't because other teams will play out of it.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
The one thing that flies in the face of "whats best for the game" is that the only time this or any other stadium will be close to full is when there are two Sydney teams playing. The popular line of thinking is that there are too many teams in Sydney but if you want bums on seats here you need more.
Stuart McLennan
Expert
As one off events suburban grounds work well but the horses for courses approach with more matches at larger modern stadiums such as Western Sydney is the future.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
I know it's not really what the article is about but it highlights the rose coloured glasses we remember the old days at suburban grounds through. I'm sure we remember the days where the hill was heaving as you tried to find a spot to sit or if you were there early enough to get a spot on the benches down the front. In reality crowds of over 7 or 8 thousand were rare and a 15,000 crowd was a big day that happened once or twice a season. Manly v Norths local derby on a Sunday arvo in 1988 got 9,000 and as pointed out the Grand Finalists of that year averaged 9,000. All of this without a single Thursday night game.
At work
Roar Rookie
It's more the Eels home ground then any other Western Sydney team. The Panthers represent Penrith and the outer west. The dogs represent Canterbury-Bankstown and south west Sydney. The Tigers represent the inner west and Cambelltown MaCurther region. I just think if all clubs start playing out of the same stadium then they lose a part of who they are.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
It's not the Eels' home ground. It may be based in Parramatta but they don't have exclusive rights. We need to move away from this thinking.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
Sydney has zero idea what it is like to have a real RL stadium. With Bankwest they will quickly realise how they've been abused. All fans will demand more. Hopefully the tigers will get a much better stadium at Campbelltown with an alliance with the new soccer franchise. Play 2 or 3 games at Leichhardt 1 at Tamworth and the rest at Campbelltown. Other Sydney clubs will soon see the light. Welcome to the 21dt century.
At work
Roar Rookie
Allianz for the Dragons makes some sense, but in reality I still think the Gong and Kogarah should get 5 each and the rest to Moore Park
At work
Roar Rookie
No way Penrith should use Bankwest stadium, they're based nowhere near Parramatta. The Tigers playing 4 games there seems about right, while the Dogs could play anywhere from 4-8 matches with the rest at ANZ. But really the new stadium is the Eels home ground and the others just float around.
At work
Roar Rookie
I can't see the Tigers moving away from Campbelltown; the new A League team starting in a couple of years will be based there so I could see improvements being made to the ground if there wer to be 2 tenants. Leichhardt is and always will be a dump, nostalgic yes and a great view from whereever you're sitting/standing. But it has not much else going for it, apart from being walking distrance from my house :)
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
I would argue that it works in AFL because fans have 2 great stadiums to go to. I do that think tribalism down there is any more than Sydney
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
I'm happy for suburban grounds to be used for a retro round event, but that's about it. As a Dragons fan I'd be happy to travel to a great stadium in Sydney like the new Allianz when it is finished.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
No, otherwise we would only have one Sydney team. The AFL allocates territories to the Victorian based AFL clubs - with little overlap of geographic areas. The Melbourne Demons territory is the South East of Melbourne. And as I said, transport and geography facilitate their system, though I am sure they would prefer to have more venues.