Ever Wondered How the NRL Gets Crowds?

Post by **Beaussie** » Tue Mar 08, 2005 4:47 pm

Well, simple really, free tickets galore. Yep that's right, knowing no one in their right mind would fork out money for a ticket to an NRL game, the NRL administration has resorted to a mass free tickets offer when one votes via the below link. How pathetic and what's the bet Telstra Stadium is still only 1/4 full. Too funny.

http://www.nrl.com/Vote1

Post by **Beaussie** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 10:36 pm

A bit over 33,000 for the first match of the NRL season between two traditional Sydney rivals and more importantly a home game involving last year's premiers. Oh and let's not forget all the freebies handed out via the Daily Telegraph and the NRL's poll. Absolutely pathetic NRL.

I suppose they thought no one would notice the empty, closed off top decks of Telstra Stadium too. How about Phil Gould famous words during the telecast on TV when the crowd was announced, "footy's back". Yes Gould, same old shitty rugby league crowds. Telstra Stadium wasn't even half full, despite thousands upon thousands of freebies being handed out. A record Bulldogs home crowd. :_<>

crocodileman · Post by **crocodileman** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 12:10 am

And as they say in the classics, Beaussie, "that's as good as it gets!"

Crowds will drop off soon and the giveaway tickets will be impossible to give away!!!

King-Eliagh · Post by **King-Eliagh** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 5:11 am

Crowds....Shmowds.

I myself and happy to see the lovely city of sydney back in full swing with the premier winter sport of the biggest city in australia "BACK". 9 sydney based teams!!! And ah hows that AFL west sydney pigeons team coming along beaussie? They starting this year or next century sometime?

I missed the Rugby League game tonight and instead chose to spend the evening watching movies with a particularly attractive female. None the less I am so proud, so proud, that sydney is once again about to be flummoxed and saturated with league league league until that magical day in september.

Gus Gould's words ring true. I'm glad to see you too were watching on beaussie! BTW who won mate?

Dizzys_on_fire · Post by **Dizzys_on_fire** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:10 am

I'd hate to spoil the party

, but I was made aware whilst attending NRL matches at Express Advocate Stadium (Gosford) and Marathon Stadium (Newcastle) that "freebie" type tickets which include group club donations, junior club individual passes, promotion winners and giveaway tickets (such as the competition you made reference to in your first post Beaussie) are actually not counted towards official figures.

I wanted to make sure I didn't open my mouth too early, so I checked what the crowd was last night on fox (how hard is it to find these figures?

) and the official crowd, from what I make of it, was 33,105. You've stated "a bit over 33,000" so I take it we've looked at the same figure.

If the promotion you've mentioned gave away plenty of free tickets, plus the various other types of passes that i've stated above, I would expect a true figure slighty larger than 33,105.

I'd invite anyone to please check up on how the NRL counts these figures and what they include, apart from automatic equipment. Not that I really care though to be honest with you

In conclusion though, I'm not really the type for external sporting statistics (i.e. crowds, ratings, blah blah, etc) but at times it's nice to see how sports are going. Beaussie said it was a club record, well good on the Dogs. That can only be a good thing, despite how it might stack up against other sports. Infact, as long these statisitcs are moving northward then that's all that matters.

Post by **Beaussie** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:20 am

King-Eliagh wrote:
Crowds....Shmowds.

I myself and happy to see the lovely city of sydney back in full swing with the premier winter sport of the biggest city in australia "BACK". 9 sydney based teams!!! And ah hows that AFL west sydney pigeons team coming along beaussie? They starting this year or next century sometime?

Yeah the so-called premier winter sport that had a record average H&A crowd last year of a mere 14,000 odd.

The Western Sydney Bulldogs in the AFL are not far off mate. Rest assured, you'll see what Telstra Stadium looks like with massive crowds during a H&A season then.

King-Eliagh wrote:
I missed the Rugby League game tonight and instead chose to spend the evening watching movies with a particularly attractive female. None the less I am so proud, so proud, that sydney is once again about to be flummoxed and saturated with league league league until that magical day in september.

So you missed the only live NRL game on TV in the NT this year? Oh and that "magical day" you talk of would be in October.

King-Eliagh wrote:
Gus Gould's words ring true. I'm glad to see you too were watching on beaussie! BTW who won mate?

I merely caught a few minutes of the telecast towards the end of the game whilst channel surfing. From what I saw on the net, the Bulldogs won easily.

Post by **Beaussie** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:31 am

Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
I'd hate to spoil the party , but I was made aware whilst attending NRL matches at Express Advocate Stadium (Gosford) and Marathon Stadium (Newcastle) that "freebie" type tickets which include group club donations, junior club individual passes, promotion winners and giveaway tickets (such as the competition you made reference to in your first post Beaussie) are actually not counted towards official figures.

I've never heard anything like that Dizzy. Who told you that?

Dizzys_on_fire wrote:
I wanted to make sure I didn't open my mouth too early, so I checked what the crowd was last night on fox (how hard is it to find these figures? ) and the official crowd, from what I make of it, was 33,105. You've stated "a bit over 33,000" so I take it we've looked at the same figure.

If the promotion you've mentioned gave away plenty of free tickets, plus the various other types of passes that i've stated above, I would expect a true figure slighty larger than 33,105.

I'd invite anyone to please check up on how the NRL counts these figures and what they include, apart from automatic equipment. Not that I really care though to be honest with you

I simply don't believe the NRL didn't count all the freebies last night as part of the official crowd. From what I saw on TV, there is no way there was more than the 33,105 quoted as the official crowd. I mean, the top decks of Telstra Stadium on both sides of the ground were closed off to artificially make the crowd in the lower decks seen on TV look bigger. Happy to be proven wrong on that point though if someone can find out how the NRL counts it's crowds. I assume everyone just enters through the same turnstyles and the freebies are counted toward the official figure.

Dizzys_on_fire · Post by **Dizzys_on_fire** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:42 am

A former work-mate of mine travelled south and did some work as part of the stadium staff at Gosford. On chatting with him about his work, he noted that depending on which organisation was putting on the event (anything from grade matches to the top grade in all sports, as well as non-sporting events), there were differening ways on counting crowds, on top of the obvious automatic methods (should they be available). Lower profile Rugby Union games there actually counted stadium staff, according to him. And he noted that for one NRL match he did, there were gates used for people with slips for promotional giveaway tickets/country club juniors/competition winners who simply had their ID's checked, and were directed to their section/seats. Apparently it's not counted towards the official figure (which is the automatc system), but an un-offical figure which is used purely for statistical purposes such as trend research i'd imagine (what else would they do with them?).

I have no first hand proof of course, so that's why I asked if anyone was able to check that up.

As for last nights crowd, having never been to Telstra stadium I could not accurately give an opinion on how big the crowd was.

King-Eliagh · Post by **King-Eliagh** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 9:40 pm

Beaussie you seem to have seen and heard a bit more than what one would whilst "channel surfing"

My guess is you had it on in the background whilst working on this site.

Anyway as i said its great to see sydney town soaked in league league league for the next 6 months! The papers, the tele, and radio coverage is gunna be non stop from here on in buddy, hope you catch your fair share while 'surfing' the media.

Post by **Beaussie** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:10 pm

5 games of AFL telecast each and every weekend on FTA TV in Sydney during the AFL season, not to mention every other game telecast on Fox Footy. Gotta love that. :P

BTW how many games of NRL are broadcast on Sydney FTA TV each weekend? Are any games live?

King-Eliagh · Post by **King-Eliagh** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:26 pm

I think this phase of 5 AFL games will end within two years when the bigwigs realise the city loves league more. This is only a very new thing, sydneysider AFL supporters barely know the names of teams other than sydney. The coverage of league compared to AFL during the weak is very lopsided, be it on the news, in the papers, on the radio, and in street conversations.

You dont have fox footy beaussie

Gotta love the back page of your favourite paper too, AFL gets it what twice in the season?

Post by **Beaussie** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:37 pm

The AFL is certain to get even more FTA TV coverage in Sydney and Brisbane. That's the line coming from AFL HQ anyway and if they were able to get 5 games a week on FTA TV this time round, I've no doubt they'll be successful in getting more prime time coverage in the next broadcasting agreement. Triple M Sydney and Brisbane also begin broadcasting all Sydney and Brisbane games this season.

How many games of NRL do you think will be on FTA TV in Sydney as a result of the next broadcasting agreement? More than the 2 delayed telecasts at present you'd hope.

Oh and as for newspapers, who buys them these days when you have the internet?

King-Eliagh · Post by **King-Eliagh** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:45 pm

By saying who buys them these days are you claiming that you dont buy them? Must say I've seen about 50 odd at your place in the last three years

. And you had the net the whole time!

I definitely would hope for more than the current two. I think a saturdasy afternoon game is in everybodies interests. More than three is a bit silly IMO there's more things to do than watch sport all weekend. You would agree with this as I know you dont watch all five games.

AFL headquarters are spurting alot of jargon of late, like Hitler they aren't stupid, but their motives are similar. This 'war' bullshit is just pipe dreams they're never going to takeover league. NRL will always be the sydney sport beaussie, I think its time you admit this fact.

:D

Post by **Beaussie** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:56 pm

I buy the odd newspaper for the TV guide.

It's war and there will be only one winner. That winner will be the one with all the money to spend on marketing, promotions etc and we all know which code is cashed up and ready to spend.

Don't worry, I'm sure there always be a place for rugby league down at the local park.

King-Eliagh · Post by **King-Eliagh** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 11:18 pm

Get back to me in on that one in five years, might be nine teams to two then

Talking Footy

Talking Footy

Ever Wondered How the NRL Gets Crowds?

Ever Wondered How the NRL Gets Crowds?