Crowd

[The Who]

I'm surprised this hasn't been raised as I've read/heard it from the media that 12,100 was a disappointing crowd. Yes, it was, but didn't we made some noise in the final 10 minutes?
I'm a tragic who is prepared to get to each Brookie game early, get a good spot on the hill, risk life and limb navigating the steep rear embankment going to the gents, and brave the cold/rain because I love the atmosphere.
But I completely understand why people prefer to watch it on TV. It's expensive, uncomfortable and inconvenient getting to the match. The NRL has sold out to TV, so we 'tragics' don't rate consideration.
It's not just Manly fans who are not attending matches. Illawarra-George had 3,000 less fans than us last night, and they have (I believe) the largest fan base in NSW.
Apart from the scheduling of virtually all matches at night I think the abysmal standard of refereeing is turning people off, plus the number of tries that are scored through ' lucky dip' bombs.

 

[Darren]

mate, it's the high cost to get in, petrol, poor conditions to view the match, hour wait for a game, rip off food merchants, unfortunate langauge and freezing cold conditions that would keep families away. If we could play Souffs every week we would make a fortune. Unfortunately the diehards have shuffled off and the kids aren't that fussed. The Tele said tv figures was up but crowds are down. Long live the TV revenue!!

 

[MWSE]

$$$$$$

 

[MANLY4LIFE]

We get bagged out for not travelling especially by the flea dogs,funnily enough they were lucky to have 200 supporters there last night !!

 

[bazeagle]

I'm surprised this hasn't been raised as I've read/heard it from the media that 12,100 was a disappointing crowd. Yes, it was, but didn't we made some noise in the final 10 minutes?
I'm a tragic who is prepared to get to each Brookie game early, get a good spot on the hill, risk life and limb navigating the steep rear embankment going to the gents, and brave the cold/rain because I love the atmosphere.
But I completely understand why people prefer to watch it on TV. It's expensive, uncomfortable and inconvenient getting to the match. The NRL has sold out to TV, so we 'tragics' don't rate consideration.
It's not just Manly fans who are not attending matches. Illawarra-George had 3,000 less fans than us last night, and they have (I believe) the largest fan base in NSW.
Apart from the scheduling of virtually all matches at night I think the abysmal standard of refereeing is turning people off, plus the number of tries that are scored through ' lucky dip' bombs.

Excellent points you make The Who. Spot on. Essentially going to the game is WAY too expensive as well. And when the refs are rank amateurs it's often boring as a legit sporting contest.

 

[Real Deal]

As someone who travelled down nearly 4 hours from the mid-north coast and travelled home afterwards I really enjoyed the night as a spectacle - in spite of the loss. I don't do it very often (twice last year and hopefully three times this year). The ground is a great place to watch the game. I have to say though that I would not take my younger kids, there were guys behind me using the foulest of language that just seems to seen as normal these days. Not exactly a family friendly environment.

I still can't understand why we can't have more afternoon matches. In winter when the sun is shining, the hill is a great place to sit. You would think if that match were a Sunday match it would have had around 16000 people.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Good post Real Deal. The NRL really does need to heed viewpoints like yours more.

 

[ManlyArmy]

The NRL need to fix the scheduling for next season, otherwise the NRL will fall behind the A-League. Number one is the time slots:

- During Rounds 1-4, games should be no earlier than 4 or 5pm due to the excessive heat that can occur.
- During Round 8-20, there should be at least 4-5 day games a week (starting between 2pm and 4pm)
- For the rest of the rounds, keep it how it is but SCRAP MONDAY NIGHT FOOTY from next year and forever.

Number two is transport to games:

- Surely with all the money the NRL makes, they could at least put on free buses to and from games (local area) at most grounds such as Brookvale, Penrith, Leichhardt, Kogarah, Wollongong, Parra etc.


Now on our behalf:

When/if we get our upgrade to Brookie, their should be a supporters influence on how the upgrade is done.

Also with the upgrade, we need to somehow find space nearby Brookie for a carpark, especially for those people who find it hard to travel on public transport with their kids.


With this, the people will come... Hopefully.

 

[Darren]

Well said Real Deal, I mention the language on here and most reply that my kids would hear that at school (or worse) Kinder and 1st grade or I need to get over it. The Tele has spoken about our night of shame as fans. Spitting, fighting, abuse at the Dogs stand. Let's hope we don't bag anyone else's fans about behaviour. We bag out Souffs about Centrelink but we would be no better hearing about us.
Let our excuses for why this happen begin!

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I still can't understand why we can't have more afternoon matches.

Haven't you heard? TV tells the NRL when to play the matches.
And of course TV wants bums on couches, not bums on seats.

 

[Darren]

Very true SER!!

 

[The Who]

The poor crowds continue: just 9,176 in Canberra and 11,055 at Cronulla.

 

[CAMBO]

Why would people pay good money to watch a contest that is decided by the officials incompetence rather that the skills and ability of the players.

 

[The Who]

The poor crowds continue: just 9,176 in Canberra and 11,055 at Cronulla.

But on a Sunday afternoon when people want to watch football there were big crowds at Cairns and in Melbourne.
NRL - any clues yet?
Thanks for selling out the fans to TV!

 

[Darren]

Very true, we had better be getting a good slice of the new revenue as our gates are falling due to these match placements. Glad Perry is doing a great job as well.

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The AFL must see our game as no threat due to our dismal crowds. People just don't seem to be going much anymore yet the prices would be the same with AFL, so do they have "better" fans and ours are fairweather as a whole?

 

[voicefromthehill]

We get bagged out for not travelling especially by the flea dogs,funnily enough they were lucky to have 200 supporters there last night !!

So just one family!

 

[Jono]

Very true, we had better be getting a good slice of the new revenue as our gates are falling due to these match placements. Glad Perry is doing a great job as well.

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The AFL must see our game as no threat due to our dismal crowds. People just don't seem to be going much anymore yet the prices would be the same with AFL, so do they have "better" fans and ours are fairweather as a whole?

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It's a couple of things:

1) transport to and from the games is easier in Melbourne due to the placement of the grounds.

2) the way the games are played. Rugby League is better to watch on TV. AFL is better at the ground as you can see what is happening in the back play.

3) Mentality: They are 20 years ahead of us when it comes to membership.

In the end Darren, making it cheaper won't make a difference because AFL tickets are twice the price and they get more to games. However, we are not the only ones struggling so I can also tell you it has nothing to do with the facilities either.

More fairweather supporters than AFL? Possibly. Than any other club? probably not. It doesn't help when most of our supporters have jobs and need to get back from the City on a Friday or Monday night either.

 

[The Who]

What I'd like to see scheduled is:
Thursday night: 1 match
Friday night: 1 match
Saturday: 1pm, 3pm and 5pm (3 matches)
Sunday: 11am, 1pm, 3pm (3 matches)
No Monday night games
Channel Nine could have the Thursday, Friday and 3pm Sunday games, and Foxtel all the others. That means both networks coverage remains at the current status quo.
We'll get better quality matches because most are played in daylight, and the timings are far better for fans to get to matches.
Is this lunacy, or genius?

 

[TWO DOGS]

Why would people pay good money to watch a contest that is decided by the officials incompetence rather that the skills and ability of the players.

After speaking to quite a few people recently I believe this is the elephant in the room. Agree completely Cambo.

The standard of refereeing has to be addressed.

 

[The Who]

Here's another example of the power of TV over the good of the game.
The soccer international between Australi and NZ women finished in a draw without a period of extra time to fit in with ABC TV scheduling. The sides were locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation time, but had to go into a penalty shootout rather than the normal 10 minutes each way extra time . . . because it would run into the ABC's next program!
So, it is not just the NRL that has caved in to the power of television.