Reds 2013

[Jiggles]

The website says they are targeting 40K. maybe a little ambitious, but I like organizations that are ambitious. They are the ones that generally do the best.

 

[TOCC]

I also thought it was a little bit ambitious when they said they were going for 15'000 in 2011 and then again when they said 30'000 in 2012

 

[Jets]

Good point Linebacker, I had forgotten about the Lions tour.

 

[Jiggles]

If they did get to the 40K mark, you'd expect most games to be near sell outs. I remember Ballymore back in the 90s to early 2000s when Reds tickets were the hottest thing going. Hopefully we get back to that when membership is the only option if you want to go.

 

[TOCC]

The Reds used to give out thousands of free tickets to school students and junior rugby clubs back in the 90' and early 2000's.. It stopped when they moved to Suncorp

I would hate to see it a case of members only attending the Reds... I think thats the wrong path to go down... Seated membership should be capped at 40'000.. Leave 12'000 seats to the general public.. Have a waiting list if the Reds ever exceed that number

 

[Jiggles]

They did. I remember my cousins used to come home with free ticket booklets. I was a bit envious to be honest.

 

[No4918]

Too any Forever Red members to get that many to each game. I've been FR last two years - went to 8/10 in last season but only 3/9 games this year. prob won't be renewing due to other commitments getting in the way.

Lions Tour is a big tempter but if I miss the main show the Reds vs Lions won't be too bad a concilation.

 

[Scoey]

...plus the Reds v Lions game at Suncorp ...

I hadn't thought of that. Is the membership for S15, or is it for the Reds? ie, will it include admission to the Lions game? My guess is no. Probably first option on your member seats? I don't think the membership included trials etc. Anyone clear this up for me?

 

[Braveheart81]

The Rebels and Tahs memberships (Rebels is actually on sale, Tahs has just been written about to members) has a membership package which includes your Super Rugby seat for the Lions game.

I think the Tahs memberships will also include an option to secure your seat for the Lions test at ANZ stadium in the same seat you have for the two Super Rugby games out there.

You would assume that every team will have an option to buy a ticket to the Lions vs your Super Rugby franchise as part of your membership package.

 

[Linebacker_41]

I would hate to see it a case of members only attending the Reds. I think thats the wrong path to go down. Seated membership should be capped at 40'000.. Leave 12'000 seats to the general public.. Have a waiting list if the Reds ever exceed that number

The commercial reality is that every sporting organisation needs to maximise revenues. Yes that means that there is the potential, if a team becomes too popular, that games become a Members only affair.

I dont like it, however it certainly delivers certainty to the business and like it or not every sporting organisation (including those focusing on participation) are businesses.

Once a team achieves this, then you get organisations like Stubhub from the states becoming a viable entity for ticket sales when members dont want to use their seats.

 

[Ash]

Some blokes have all the luck.

After living in Sydney for nearly 11 years now, I'm more than ready to give the place the big flick.

Another clueless government, pathetic public transport, stupidly high house prices (which every second Sydney-sider you meet will bend over backwards to justify), refusal to build more inner-city dwellings thanks to NIMBY councils, and government "infrastructure" planning returning to favour yet more roads in leading into a congested CBD, all built off the failed public-private parternship model thanks to the idealogue Nick Greiner. Not to mention a recent increase in gang-related and violent crime. And we haven't even gotten to the insane wages paid in some unskilled jobs.

Before the retort Lindommer, no, I am not looking at a return to Brisbane as my next move (I realise most of my gripes carry for the entire country), although I would love to be back there to watch the Reds go round every season. Last season I bought a season ticket and flew up for every home match bar the finals (thanks to poorly timed operation, I missed the championship win ), and this season I made it up there to watch the Reds give the Tahs a good old fashioned hiding.

Next move may be to a rugby backwater, sadly.

 

[Ash]

You would assume that every team will have an option to buy a ticket to the Lions vs your Super Rugby franchise as part of your membership package.

One would assume that your seat would be reserved, and offered in a pre-sale (which is the same thing that happens to Reds season ticket holders for any finals played at the grounds).

Incidentally, anyone here a Suncorp Stadium member? Suncorp Stadium members, as I understand it, get tickets to every game at Suncorp EXCEPT the Bledisloe each year. Anyone know if that will or will not include the Lions game?

 

[Braveheart81]

One would assume that your seat would be reserved, and offered in a pre-sale (which is the same thing that happens to Reds season ticket holders for any finals played at the grounds).

The Rebels and the Tahs are giving you a chance to buy that ticket in your membership package. Potentially they will also give you a chance to secure it in a presale at a later point, but maybe not.

Members are also given a presale to buy additional tickets to the Lions game.

 

[Jiggles]

I'm a Suncorp Member Ash. I gave away my Reds season tickets, which I had had forever in the McClean Stand, when they made the move to Suncorp. I was also a QRU rugby club member, but thats gone down the tosh. I thought getting the loig, origin and test chucked in too would be pretty handy. I kept the seats when I moved to Sydney/overseas and just let my Brother use them when I am not around, But I always come back for the big games, tests, origin etc.

We got the past couple of Bledisloes chucked in, but you have to pay for the Bledisloe this year as its not in the Rugby Championship. I think the Lions tour is part of the package next year... don't quote me on it though.

 

[TOCC]

The commercial reality is that every sporting organisation needs to maximise revenues. Yes that means that there is the potential, if a team becomes too popular, that games become a Members only affair.

I dont like it, however it certainly delivers certainty to the business and like it or not every sporting organisation (including those focusing on participation) are businesses.

Once a team achieves this, then you get organisations like Stubhub from the states becoming a viable entity for ticket sales when members dont want to use their seats.

I would argue that making the Reds a members only event would not be maximising revenue.. There are other factors to consider..

-You would be segregating the market, not every family can afford memberships, some may only plan to attend 1 or 2 games in the year, you would be completely isolating this group.
-Rugby Union is already viewed as an elitist sport, by making it a membership only event to watch the Reds play, you risk further affirming this concept.
-People like to sample before they buy, by preventing any new potential consumers to visit a game, you are reducing the opportunity to sell the product to them.
-Away fans, this figure may be minuscule and who really cares, but you will also prevent away fans from visiting a game and thus reducing potential tourism dollars for the city.

Whilst i see it as an unlikely scenario, if it were ever to occur, i adamantly believe that Reds membership should be capped at around 42'500 members to allow 10'000 tickets to go on sale to the general public. By also reducing the membership cap you can increase the pressure on people to retain membership year to year. People will be more unlikely to drop membership if they are going to be placed on a waiting list when the wish to join up again.

 

[Linebacker_41]

-You would be segregating the market, not every family can afford memberships, some may only plan to attend 1 or 2 games in the year, you would be completely isolating this group.
-Rugby Union is already viewed as an elitist sport, by making it a membership only event to watch the Reds play, you risk further affirming this concept.
-People like to sample before they buy, by preventing any new potential consumers to visit a game, you are reducing the opportunity to sell the product to them.

I can certainly understand this point of view. I think the key to giving more people the chance to come see a game when membership demand is greater than supply of tickets is through a Stubhub type of facility.

Many of my friends who have gone to the US (usually New York) have got their tickets to basketball/ice hockey etc through this process.

In essence it guaranteed the members get access to the biggest games, but when they didnt want to or couldnt go they could recoup some of their membership costs by selling their ticket through an approved process. I have heard of a couple of cases where people got tickets for $5 and $10 US.

As for isolating families - if any team got to this level then the amount of fan engagement outside of the games needs to off-set the fact that kids cant get to games.


However this is all fairytail stuff. I cant imagine any Super team in Australia getting to this level. The Chiefs however with their smaller stadium might go close in 2013 if they market themselves well and engage with the community.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

I am of the mind now that i used to buy good seats 10 rows back at the reds for nothing back around 2007-2009 even 2010. Now the same seats cost me double. I know i sound like a a grouch and a sook but i hate the fact now that the money i would spend 6 years ago now put me up in the nose bleeds jsu tbecause seeign the reds is now the trendy thing to do. I think its good that the reds are now so popular but at the sametime to I get annoyed knowing that in 5 years time if it all goes down the loo again its going to be me and the other 12,0000 faithfuls that turned up week in week out during the dark days sitting alone again

 

[Jiggles]

Realities of the Australian sports market, unfortunately.

 

[No4918]

I think its good that the reds are now so popular but at the sametime to I get annoyed knowing that in 5 years time if it all goes down the loo again its going to be me and the other 12,0000 faithfuls that turned up week in week out during the dark days sitting alone again

I only started going regularly in 2008 after moving to Brisbane. About the smallest crowd I remember was prob 17-18,000. To think that only 12,000 used go show up is amazing. Used to be able to go to ticketek 2 days out and have the pick if the platinum seats. Now your lucky to purchase 2 months out and get platinum.

Good problems for the club to have so this isn't whinging. Just a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in a relatively fickle sports market. Talk of selling out with members only is very premature, even with continued success. Could be good to hear from PB or other Saffers as to member numbers for the Stormers or Bulls for comparison.

 

[Jiggles]

I went to a game day against the Lions a few years back where there wouldn't have been more than 11K. We lost that game too.