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World Rugby Sevens Caravan coming to Sydney

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kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Will this become an Event with a capital E?


It took Hong Kong 10 years to become one.

They won't get 10 years to find out, IMO.

Sydney is big-ish but it's not that big of a town – and rugby is not an insatiable attraction.

The sevens events, generally, are like the circus and need to be moved on periodically to stay fresh. This event will be no exception.
 

southsider

Arch Winning (36)
It’s midday now and the crowd is absolutely embarrassing, looking at it on the tv doesn’t seem there’s more than a few thousand. Really shows putting the Aussie day weekend was a stupid suggestion
 
T

TOCC

Guest
Yeah... weather is fairly shit and the train strikes and timetable reduction certainly hasn’t helped though...

But agree the Australian day decision was a questionable one.



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waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Crowd looks to have built nicely over the last coupla hours, not exactly hanging from the rafters but ok for what was/ is on offer today
 

southsider

Arch Winning (36)
Yeah. weather is fairly shit and the train strikes and timetable reduction certainly hasn’t helped though.

But agree the Australian day decision was a questionable one.



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To be fair I had totally forgotten about train strikes

But yea still not great hopefully picks up over the next two days!
 
T

TOCC

Guest
There’s also other factors...

They’ve moved to a 3 day tournament which was only made possible by swapping weekends with New Zealand. If they had the 3 day tournament next weekend I suspect the crowds on the Friday would be even lower.

The true test will be the overall crowds across the weekend.


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Hawko

Tony Shaw (54)
At the SFS, the cameras are usually in the western stand pointing east to the ground. I know they have multiple angles and multiple cameras - I'm generalising. But in the afternoon particularly, with the sun setting in the west, if you are sitting in the eastern stand you've got the sun in your eyes which makes watching unpleasant and if its hot there is no shade. So, in the afternoon everyone who can migrates to the western stand and the eastern stand usually looks empty unless the ground is packed. With daylight saving not only do the curtains fade but also the time you are looking into the sun is extended. So views on TV of a half-empty eastern stand, which I've seen plenty of while watching over the two days, don't necessarily mean tiny crowds - just crowds that don't like sitting without shade staring into the sun.
 

southsider

Arch Winning (36)
Ground announcer said the crowd over the 3 days was 56,000 (didn’t get the exact number). Initial reaction is that’s a pretty poor effort but don’t know how it stacks up against other legs?

Maybe it’s time we start rotating the 7’s to a different state capital every year to keep interest levels, would hate for Sydney to be the new Wellington
 

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
I think a few situational factors were against them this year.

The public holiday didn't work out as hoped. But it was unavoidable if they wanted to have a fully integrated three-day tournament.

It's also worth noting that tickets were a bit dearer than in previous years. I remember in 2016 the most expensive ticket was (from memory) $30, where this year that was the cheapest option.

A shift to Newcastle or Brisbane might be on the cards next year.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
A shift to Newcastle or Brisbane might be on the cards next year.

Not sure how long they're contracted with World Series for, but I'd say Sydney still has a bit more juice in the lemon before it's done.

Could be a year or even several more years in Sydney – depending on stadium refurbishments/rebuilding and so on.

It's just hard to see it as a permanent fixture, though, in the style of Hong Kong.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
It's something of a novelty event. It attracts a substantially different crowd and definitely needs to move around to stay exciting and fresh.

It would be in Destination NSW's interests to lock in a deal whereby they host it for two out of every three years with another city hosting in that third year.
 

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
Remember th Australian open and the one dayer against england were on the same weekend.
 

D-Box

Ron Walden (29)
Bring it to Perth. NIB would be the perfect size stand for it. Not to far into Mt Lawley/Northbridge and perhaps the anger around the 15s game will be abated at least for a weekend of fun
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Won’t this be the case every year moving forward if they keep it on this weekend

There isn't always an Australia Day long weekend so hopefully they don't keep it on this weekend. They'd certainly be better having a three day event on a regular Friday if the Friday isn't a public holiday if it also means the Saturday or Sunday is Australia Day (e.g. next year Australia Day is the Saturday).
 
T

TOCC

Guest
It's also worth noting that tickets were a bit dearer than in previous years. I remember in 2016 the most expensive ticket was (from memory) $30, where this year that was the cheapest option.
L.

Not sure about that, we picked up our tickets for $20
 

Strewthcobber

Mark Ella (57)
There isn't always an Australia Day long weekend so hopefully they don't keep it on this weekend. They'd certainly be better having a three day event on a regular Friday if the Friday isn't a public holiday if it also means the Saturday or Sunday is Australia Day (e.g. next year Australia Day is the Saturday).

The official NSW public holiday for next year is Monday, 28 January. Will be intersting to see if they stay Fri-Sun and have the first day on a work day or go Sat-Mon
 
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