Waratahs 2014

[Badger]

Exactly.
I can't remember the numbers but it's something like Tahs get $12K for 10K people at ANZ and less per 10K at SFS.

From the Tahs last annual report:

Looks like an amount of money has been received from the Olympic Stadium and $150,000 is being recognised as revenue annually as an identical reduction in Income received in advance occurred in the previous annual report.

Parramatta stadium would be a road trip for some Sydney supporters. Love to have the game there post 2015 if the Tahs finances permitted

Barring a contractual agreement, the Tahs could test the potential of a Super Rugby match at Parra Stadium by playing the pre-season match usually played at the SFS out there. Maybe have members of the team (esp Izzy) make an appearance the Thursday night before the match at Westfield Parramatta and promote it in the local media/papers. This should not cost too much money and generate some awareness of the team and rugby in general.

To make it a big event, they could have a coaching clinic before the game or run a community sevens carnival during the day leading up to the game at 7:30pm. It would require a lot of work to organise and may not be feasible, but has someone at Tahs HQ considered this?

 

[Gagger]

The ANZ situation for the Tahs has been supporter base suicide.

You want fans to be saying "this is our home ground, our fortress and we love it", not "oh FFS we have to traipse out to another ground with no amenities and zero atmosphere where our memberships don't even count".

The Lions match at the SFS shows just what a great ground it can be (although how you can't fix the booze and parking debacles is beyond me)

From a fan experience PoV it totally fragments the season - it will be month between the first match at the SFS and the second. I should be rolling up from work every other Friday, not scratching around my calendar to see when the next match is on.

Actually, second to what Foley and Hickey served up in terms of playing style, this would be the next best thing you could dream up to kill a supporter base stone dead.

 

[boyo]

Much more choice of drinking establishments at Parramatta than at Olympic Park.

 

[Rob42]

Parramatta Stadium isn't going to be particularly interested in a Tahs match - it's full of Wanderers matches all summer and Eels all winter. Aside from the SFS, it must be the best used stadium in Sydney.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Parramatta Stadium isn't going to be particularly interested in a Tahs match - it's full of Wanderers matches all summer and Eels all winter. Aside from the SFS, it must be the best used stadium in Sydney.

Then the answer is simple. Campbelltown Stadium.

 

[barbarian]

I disagree @gagger.

The Tahs need to service the whole state of NSW, or at very least the whole city of Sydney. Taking a couple of games out closer to the Western suburbs is a good thing, and gives the wider fan base a chance to actually attend a game.

Not to mention the fact that for a large part of Waratah heartland (the upper North Shore) Homebush is actually easier to attend, especially for those with families.

The stadium has it's problems, but so does the SFS. And the issues with 'atmosphere' have more to do with the crowd inside than the stadium itself.
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[Gagger]

I disagree @gagger.

The Tahs need to service the whole state of NSW, or at very least the whole city of Sydney. Taking a couple of games out closer to the Western suburbs is a good thing, and gives the wider fan base a chance to actually attend a game.

Not to mention the fact that for a large part of Waratah heartland (the upper North Shore) Homebush is actually easier to attend, especially for those with families.

The stadium has it's problems, but so does the SFS. And the issues with 'atmosphere' have more to do with the crowd inside than the stadium itself.
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Just wrong my good man!

Do you see any other super team worth their salt "rotating venues"?

You don't build a Fortress Suncorp, or fortress anywhere else by farming out matches.

ANZ could have 40k in it and obviously be half empty. The SFS would be humming.

Get the right vibe going and people won't mind where they have to come from. You don't get a vibe going this way.

 

[#1 Tah]

Alright guys, there's a Gen Blue game against Pampas XV on 3pm this Friday at UNSW's David Phillips Field at Kingsford. One of the players (or may have been Nathan Grey) mentioned that there is going to be a whole day rugby gala event on.

Unfortunately, this hasn't been promoted at all. Does anyone know any further details about this?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[Lindommer]

If Parramatta Stadium's a no-go due to overuse, why not go further west and play a pre-season match at Penriff? Drinks at my place if you don't like the look of the local pubs.

Seriously, I watched Sydney towel the ABs at Penrith Stadium in 1991, rugby's not unknown in the outer reaches of western Sydney.

 

[barbarian]

Just wrong my good man!

Do you see any other super team worth their salt "rotating venues"?

You don't build a Fortress Suncorp, or fortress anywhere else by farming out matches.

ANZ could have 40k in it and obviously be half empty. The SFS would be humming.

Get the right vibe going and people won't mind where they have to come from. You don't get a vibe going this way.

Every New Zealand team does it, for starters. Canes play at Palmerston North, Chiefs play in New Plymouth and occasionally Taranaki, Clan play at Queenstown etc. All to spread the game to regions who rarely get Super Rugby.

I think your comments about 'vibe' are a bit simplistic, especially for families out west and up north. 'Vibe' is all well and good, but won't make up for an hour+ travel time, shitty parking etc. etc.

Obviously the vast majority of games should be played at the SFS, but I don't think Homebush is a bad move, also when you add in the financial element.
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[RugbyFuture]

You want fans to be saying "this is our home ground, our fortress and we love it", not "oh FFS we have to traipse out to another ground with no amenities and zero atmosphere where our memberships don't even count".

Thats only the SCG members isn't it? I was sitting in front of some of them complaining about how they much prefer seeing the swans play all through the trial game (if you want to see the swans thats fine, but don't expect to see them at a fucking rugby match).....conclusion: they don't deserve to see the matches.

 

[Gagger]

The "vibe" = fan experience = fan engagement = $

It's the single biggest problem the Tahs have. Note - we now have a team who are starting to win playing great rugby. It'll be interesting to see whether that alone will be enough to compete in Sydney - I suspect not

 

[Gagger]

Thats only the SCG members isn't it? I was sitting in front of some of them complaining about how they much prefer seeing the swans play all through the trial game (if you want to see the swans thats fine, but don't expect to see them at a fucking rugby match)...conclusion: they don't deserve to see the matches.

Interesting market research technique you've got there!

 

[Gagger]

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Obviously the vast majority of games should be played at the SFS, but I don't think Homebush is a bad move, also when you add in the financial element.
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I could live with 1 or 2 somewhere else (Homebush isn't exactly regional) but defo not the big clashes - Reds and Brumbies - where you should expect decent crowds. The aim should be to pack the SFS and get some buzz going. Create an experience that fans will want to replicate.

Two/three good Tah matches and the French test at the SFS really could have got something rolling this year

Hair shirting ourselves while the buzz dies (or may have died by now) is not what's needed

 

[barbarian]

The "vibe" = fan experience = fan engagement = $

It's the single biggest problem the Tahs have. Note - we now have a team who are starting to win playing great rugby. It'll be interesting to see whether that alone will be enough to compete in Sydney - I suspect not

Again though that 'formula' is a super simplistic way of looking at it.

You make out like there is a huge gulf in fan experience between the SFS and Stadium Oz. There may be some drop off, but it is marginal at best. I was out there last night, and it was fine, a usual Tah match- bit quiet but the crowd got into it at the right times.

I honestly don't think taking games to Homebush tarnishes the experience or the product. It engages another fanbase (usually missed by SFS) and gets them a considerable financial windfall.
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[barbarian]

I could live with 1 or 2 somewhere else (Homebush isn't exactly regional) but defo not the big clashes - Reds and Brumbies - where you should expect decent crowds. The aim should be to pack the SFS and get some buzz going. Create an experience that fans will want to replicate.

Two/three good Tah matches and the French test at the SFS really could have got something rolling this year

Hair shirting ourselves while the buzz dies (or may have died by now) is not what's needed

That's fair enough.
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[Gagger]

Again though that 'formula' is a super simplistic way of looking at it.

You make out like there is a huge gulf in fan experience between the SFS and Stadium Oz. There may be some drop off, but it is marginal at best. I was out there last night, and it was fine, a usual Tah match- bit quiet but the crowd got into it at the right times.

I honestly don't think taking games to Homebush tarnishes the experience or the product. It engages another fanbase (usually missed by SFS) and gets them a considerable financial windfall.
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Having been to both top Tah and Wallabies matches at ANZ in the last 12 months I think there is a big drop off.

The bigger unknown is what would've last night's 16k vs the Reds have turned out to be at the SFS? Could/would it have been more and created more vibe?

 

[barbarian]

Well it's all hypothetical. I can't see the crowd number being much different to be honest. Assuming Mardi Gras wasn't on, it was still pissing down for most of the day which would deter some of the walk-in crowd.
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[I like to watch]

Actually, second to what Foley and Hickey served up in terms of playing style, this would be the next best thing you could dream up to kill a supporter base stone dead.

It's a long distant second though!

 

[I like to watch]

I could live with 1 or 2 somewhere else (Homebush isn't exactly regional) but defo not the big clashes - Reds and Brumbies - where you should expect decent crowds. The aim should be to pack the SFS and get some buzz going. Create an experience that fans will want to replicate.

Two/three good Tah matches and the French test at the SFS really could have got something rolling this year

Hair shirting ourselves while the buzz dies (or may have died by now) is not what's needed

The other problem with the SFS has,is members/corporates allocations.
In a crowd of 40,000 there are only 18,000 paying customers.