Talking Footy

Souths' dodgy crowd figures
By Josh Massoud and James Phelps
The Daily Telegraph
June 26, 2008

SOUTH Sydney have conceded they include stadium workers, media, referees - and possibly players - when counting home crowds.

The stunning admission came after a special investigation into the attendance at Monday night's game against Gold Coast Titans at ANZ Stadium.

After monitoring each turnstile, The Daily Telegraph's clickers tracked 7522 people into the ground from the time gates opened at 4.45pm until midway through the first half.

The Rabbitohs later announced an official crowd of 9827.

Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson then confirmed "club staff, stadium staff, media and officials" partly accounted for the discrepancy of 2305 people.

"People that come from (our) club staff, the other club and referees don't come through the check system (turnstiles)," Richardson said.

"There's a whole range of people that go in through other entrances."

The revelation provides an insight into how clubs count crowds at a time when attendances are being monitored closely as Sydney's nine teams struggle for growth in a congested market.

A Souths statement emailed on Wednesday afternoon in response to the survey added: "There were un-ticketed guests who entered via a staff gate that appear to have missed your scrutiny.

"Added to this are groups such as club staff, stadium staff, media, officials etc. who haven't been counted by The Daily Telegraph clickers."

The terms used in the statement are wide enough to include players, referees, coaches, and mascots. Staff employed by the stadium, including caterers, waiters and customer service personnel, might also be inferred.

ANZ Stadium declined to respond, on the basis that clubs are responsible for crowd counts.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl- ... 1116735208

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

get your own material smartarse

MarkZZZ wrote:

Hey Beau have you got anything else rather than a 4 year old article to back up your current claim.

ParraEelsNRL wrote:

A Pic from behind the posts

MarkZZZ wrote:

Hey Beau have you got anything else rather than a 4 year old article to back up your current claim.

MarkZZZ wrote:

The implication is that the crowd at this game is fudged when there is no evidence that this was the case. Marrying an article of 4 years ago and the pic does nothing to substantiate that the crowd at this game was fudged.

MarkZZZ wrote:

I suspect if you stole a lolly from the corner shop when you where young would also go to prove that you are now a thief. Wake up to yourself. Try and base your arguments around facts and then they would have some credibility instead of being dismissed as the utter nonsense that they are.

Why do I waste my time trying to talk to halfwits

MarkZZZ wrote:

The implication is that the crowd at this game is fudged when there is no evidence that this was the case. Marrying an article of 4 years ago and the pic does nothing to substantiate that the crowd at this game was fudged.