Talking Footy

Official List of Excuses for Low RL Crowds (updated)

01 .SL stuffed us up completely and we haven't recovered .
. The mergers put people off , merged teams don't represent their region , merged teams are too powerful .
. Dropping South Sydney put people off and put more off by coming back and will lose the rest by relocating or dying.
. Dropping the expansion teams kill any chance of becoming national .
. Dropping the other teams didn't matter because they weren't that popular anyway .

02 .We play to our "heartlands" .............. our heartlands are in the bush,
. These people don't get the chance to go to many games as ch9 chop and change times and generally play god.
. Ch 9 and Foxtel shedule NRL games on short notice unlike the AFL that lock the shedule all games in October
. Our heartlands seem to be getting smaller all the time .
. We're stuck in suburban times .

03 . It's a television game -
. And the game was on Fox or FTA so the fans were at home .
. Ratings are much more important than viewers .
. You have to count the regional and city figures even though they overlap .
. You have to count New Zealand figures even though it's not officially a state of Australia yet .
. The ratings were down so I guess a lot of people went out to clubs and pubs to watch it .
. There was a lot of sport on TV. ........golf , tennis , lawn bowls , motorsports , bowling , darts , WWWWE
. There were good shows on TV ... Bloke's World, Iron Chef, Bert's big brother idol lost on celebrity dancing MKR survivor.
. Couch potatoes count as real interested viewers .
. The report is not valid because it only shows interest not real support like ratings where the person gets off his butt and
. ............ sorry where the person changes the channel on the remote .

04.The game is popular but the team isn't
. Either that popular crowd drawing team is down OR that unpopular drawing team is dominating .
. It was an away game for that popular crowd drawing team so they couldn't use their memberships .

05 .It's the Sydney transport system
. Public transport is unpopular or it's too crowded because it's popular .
. You cannot expect people to go to the SFS just because people go to see the Swans at the SCG nextdoor .

06. It's the weather
. Too hot, too cold, too wet or perfect for doing something else .
. You cannot expect people to go in weather like that even though there's room in the stadia because nobody goes .

07 It's the Time or Day of the Week .
. It was unsuitable to have a game on at the afternoon, twilight or night time or anytime really .
. It was unsuitable to have a game on Monday ,Friday , Saturday, Sunday or mid week .

08. It's the media
. Too little media , the unfair media ,the negative RL media , too much AFL media
. Our supporters can't read the media (nice pictures though)
. It's war ,according to the Telegraph ,an invasion ,even though football was here before RL .

09. It''s the economics.
. Sydney people are doing it tough and just can't afford to go -
. Higher mortage prices , fuel prices , public transport prices , battery prices for their remote control .
. $30 general entry, I was drinking UDL's at $9 per can


10. It's the people.
. We don't feel validated by going to the football.
.. .The SFS is a 20 minute walk from central and not really verty central at all,

11. It's the lack of development by the NRL ,ARL , NSWRL and BRL.... and
. we're facing development from AFL , FFA and Netball .
. NZRL is sponging off Australia and Australia is raping the NZRL
. S14 RU is stealing all our players
. AFL is stealing our players
. FFA will be stealing our players as soon as they expand .

12. It's the lack of blockbusters .
. Sheduled against us was an another big game of .....RU , AFL, AL , NBL , ANL , WNBL.......
. We sheduled a game against another big game of .....RU , AFL, AL , NBL , ANL , WNBL......
. The upcoming Olympics (summer or winter) is grabbing everybody's attention
. The recent WC (FIFA, RU, Hockey, Basketball, Baseball, Cricket, Gridiron) is grabbing everybody's attention
. The recent RL WC is not grabbing everybody's attention - blame the AFL for one Australia Vs Ireland IR test
. Even the AFL International Cup is grabbing attention.


13. The government won't finance new stadiums , but when they do the crowds will be enormous.
. As long as all people are able sit close to the sidelines
. As long as the ends aren't too far from the action
. Now that our stadiums are built they are too big and look empty deterring more people

. Homebush & SFS - small crowds are a visual embarrassment
. Lang Park - now built , no excuses..
. Docklands - state of the art boutique stadium not used as too costly (low crowds)
. Melbourne Rectangular Stadium - Now RL is behind RU as well as AL and AFL.
. Perth NIB - now upgraded , nrl's wannabe team crowd about 1710 and going down .
. Gosford - new stadium , new savior for Sydney clubs except Manly who made a premiership year loss.
. Canberra ,Cronulla, Brookvale, Kogarah, Paramatta, Campbelltown, Penrith, Wollongong upgrades for no effect.
. Newcastle upgrade on the way when the club is looking at downsizing .

14. When they gonna have double headers , triple headers ...we can then claim the one crowd for each game !

15 . We don't have -
. A centrally located "home of football" like the AFL because we chose to waste money at the SFS next to the Swans..
. A centre of sporting excellence like the GWS willl have at Blacktown.
. The AFL's draft , management , development , clout , and aggressive approach to expansion ..
. $1.2 billion in TV rights.
. A decent game , (but that's the least of our worries)
, People wanting to play our game with more wanting to play AFL than RL in NSW in the last 5 years .

16. We do have
. Financially stricken rl clubs (all bar one) awaiting handouts.
. Financially stricken rl clubs unable to pay their CEO.
. Financially stricken rl clubs unable to attract sponsors or hold the one's they had due to misbehaviour.
. Financially stricken leagues clubs unable to support NRL clubs ,
. A new pokie tax that is gonna kill off the leagues clubs .
. A geographically centred stadium at Homebush suited to AFL blockbusters and the GWS .
. A new stadium built at Blacktown for AFL , because the NRL wasn't interested .
. A new stadium built at Homebush for AFL , because the NRL wasn't interested .
. Players wanting to leave their NRL contracts to play AFL .


17. When looking at NRL crowd averages
. You cannot look at Sydney in isolation - because they are pathetically low .
. You cannot look at Melbourne because they have no history there and because they are pathetically low .
. You cannot look at this point in time because historically crowds dip this time of year .
. You cannot look at crowds at the ground because the crowd looked and felt a lot bigger than the official low figure .
. You cannot look at the crowd on TV because the crowd looked and felt a lot smaller than the official low figure .
. You can look at past pathetically low crowd figures because that shows the present in a good light .
. You overlook that 25% of all rounds affected by SOO with the best 34 players either unavailable or backing up after SOO.
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because the focus is on SOO .
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they are inflated because "they all do it" (just ask the Storm)
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because clubs are paid $100k to play to empty stadiums .
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they contain freebies from passport holding Pacific Islanders.
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they contain freebies from Moms , nans , nurses and carers .
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they contain freebies for Warriors gear, doing a haka or singing an anthem.
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they include players, officials, coaching, medical, fitness, trainers, boot studders, waterboys, catering, security, sales staff, turnstile staff, magazine sellers, cheergirls and people wandering into the ground lost .(you know most of the crowd )..
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because more people turned up to see Russel Crowe than South Sydney .

18. You cannot look at SOO crowds
. Because they contain a lot of freebies .
. Tickets still are expensive...spending $100 in Sydney to watch footie is way too much
. Spending $50 for the nose bleed section is way too much
. It is a big week in sport for Sydney so going to the game isn't part of it.
. The game is just too good to watch on TV
, Because the same same two teams play each other, then each other, then each other, every year after year after year.

19. Canberra is under performing
. Because now it supports two clubs .
. Both those clubs cannot find a sponsor.
. The sponsors have all gone to the new AFL club GWS.
. It's all a bluff because Canberra are renegotiating their stadium deal.

20. It's a bluff because "the AFL want some publicity".

21. We cannot look at specific crowd attendances because "8588 is a really inmpressive figure".

22. It's basically because rl is dying - but that is another list !!!

Another reason for the pathetic nrl crowds is that it is just a crap game!

I went to a rugby league game once & it was so boring, nothing happens.

Most people talk while the game is on as it is that boring.

In AFL this never happens as the game is so quick & exciting & u never no what to expect next.

In league u know some guy is going to get the ball & run into someone then it just repeats until they kick it to a guy uncontested. SO BORING!!

Pete_09 wrote:

I went to a rugby league game once & it was so boring, nothing happens.

Most people talk while the game is on as it is that boring.

In AFL this never happens as the game is so quick & exciting & u never no what to expect next.

In league u know some guy is going to get the ball & run into someone then it just repeats until they kick it to a guy uncontested. SO BORING!!

Here here. The only reason I glance at the NrL on foxtel is to chuckle about the lack of crowds or atmosphere. The crowds is usually so low you can hear individuals talking in the crowd!

I watched an rl for 2 minutes once and after picked myself up from the floor laughing I noticed there was harldy anyone in the crowd and you could hear the birds chirping as they flew overhead. nrl is not only a culture to despise but is also a culture to laugh at.

Pete_09 wrote:

I went to a rugby league game once & it was so boring, nothing happens.

Most people talk while the game is on as it is that boring.

In AFL this never happens as the game is so quick & exciting & u never no what to expect next.

In league u know some guy is going to get the ball & run into someone then it just repeats until they kick it to a guy uncontested. SO BORING!!

Yawn. I saw a teenager taking a pic of his dad asleep next to me at the swans 2 months ago.

You're pretty boring pete.

But cos, I like your work here. They are a funny bunch of excuses and most of them pretty true

King-Eliagh wrote:

But cos, I like your work here. They are a funny bunch of excuses and most of them pretty true

True ? or valid ?

Most are quotes taken from BF, a few from TF.
Some seem a little obscure now so I might have to edit.
It's not as punchy as it used to be because of the sheer volume of excuses.

.

Yes cos, on second viewing i think you're right. It was better a few months back and is in need of some editing atm.

A point I think you've missed on the "its the weather" point. Earlier on in the season I heard ray warren commentate on a low crowd that it was "such a beautiful day in sydney and because of this most sydneysiders would be down at the beach" I quite liked this one, coming from the voice of RL and all. See if you can slot it in.

Regards,
King

Cos, heres another couple of excuses from LU after a combined 20k turned out to watch 2 games in sydney/Wollongong.

"cold night, Friday night, and the Olympics start tomorrow and people probably want to get to bed"

06. It's the weather
. Too hot, too cold, too wet or perfect for doing something else .
. You cannot expect people to go in weather like that even though there's room in the stadia because nobody goes .

07 It's the Time or Day of the Week .
. It was unsuitable to have a game on at the afternoon, twilight or night time or anytime really .
. It was unsuitable to have a game on Monday ,Friday , Saturday, Sunday or mid week .

The upcoming Olympics (summer or winter) is grabbing everybody's attention

Yes , I had the Olympics covered as wll.

Official List of Excuses for Low RL Crowds (updated and reworked)

01 .SL stuffed us up completely and we haven't recovered .
. The mergers put people off , merged teams don't represent their region , merged teams are too powerful .
. Dropping South Sydney put people off and put more off by coming back and will lose the rest by relocating or dying.
. Dropping the expansion teams kill any chance of becoming national .
. Dropping the other teams didn't matter because they weren't that popular anyway .

02 .We play to our "heartlands" .............. our heartlands are in the bush,
. These people don't get the chance to go to many games as Ch9 chop and change times and generally play god.
. Ch 9 and Foxtel shedule NRL games on short notice unlike the AFL that lock their shedule of games in October.
. Our heartlands seem to be getting smaller all the time .
. We're stuck in suburban times .

03 . It's a television game -
. And the game was on Fox or FTA so the fans were at home .
. Ratings are much more important than viewers .
. You have to count the regional and city figures even though they overlap .
. You have to count New Zealand figures even though it's not officially a state of Australia yet .
. The ratings were down so I guess a lot of people went out to clubs and pubs to watch it .
. There was a lot of sport on TV. ........golf , tennis , lawn bowls , motorsports , bowling , darts , WWWWE
. There were good shows on TV ... Bloke's World, Iron Chef, Bert's big brother idol lost on celebrity dancing MKR survivor.
. Couch potatoes count as real interested viewers .
. The report is not valid because it only shows interest not real support like ratings where the person gets off his butt and
. ............ sorry where the person changes the channel on the remote .

04.The game is popular but the team isn't
. Either that popular crowd drawing team is down OR that unpopular drawing team is dominating .
. It was an away game for that popular crowd drawing team so they couldn't use their memberships .

05 .It's the Sydney transport system
. Public transport is unpopular or it's too crowded because it's popular .
. You cannot expect people to go to the SFS just because people go to see the Swans at the SCG nextdoor .

06. It's the weather
. Too hot, too cold, too wet or perfect for doing something else .
. You cannot expect people to go in weather like that even though there's room in the stadia because nobody goes .

07 It's the Time or Day of the Week .
. It was unsuitable to have a game on at the afternoon, twilight or night time or anytime really .
. It was unsuitable to have a game on Monday ,Friday , Saturday, Sunday or mid week .

08. It's the media
. Too little media, the unfair media, the negative RL media, too much AFL media
. Our supporters can't read the media (nice pictures though)
. according to the Telegraph,it's war, even though football was here before RL .
. according to the SMH, AFL is taking over RL icon Birchdale Oval, even though football was there before RL.

09. It''s the economics.
. Sydney people are doing it tough and just can't afford to go -
. Higher mortage prices , fuel prices , public transport prices , battery prices for their remote control .
. $30 general entry, I was drinking UDL's at $9 per can


10. It's the people.
. We don't feel validated by going to the football.
.. .The SFS is a 20 minute walk from central and not really verty central at all

11. It's the players
. NRL players wanting to play AFL.
. NRL players acting badly. .
, More people wanting to play AFL in NSW than RL in the last 5 years .

12. It's the lack of development by the NRL ,ARL , NSWRL and BRL.... and
. we're facing development from AFL , FFA and Netball .
. NZRL is sponging off Australia and Australia is raping the NZRL
. S14 RU is stealing all our players
. AFL is stealing our players
. FFA will be stealing our players as soon as they expand .

13. It's the lack of blockbusters .
. Sheduled against us was an another big game of .....RU , AFL, AL , NBL , ANL , WNBL.......
. We sheduled a game against another big game of .....RU , AFL, AL , NBL , ANL , WNBL......

14. It's the competition from world sporting events.
. The upcoming Olympics (summer or winter) is grabbing everybody's attention
.... and we had to go to bed early not to miss the openning ceremony.
. The recent WC (FIFA, RU, Hockey, Basketball, Baseball, Cricket, Gridiron) is grabbing everybody's attention
. The recent RL WC is not grabbing everybody's attention - blame the AFL for one Australia Vs Ireland IR test
. Even the AFL International Cup is grabbing attention.


15. The government won't finance new stadiums , but when they do the crowds will be enormous.
. As long as all people are able sit close to the sidelines
. As long as the ends aren't too far from the action


.16 Now that our stadiums are built they are too big and look empty deterring more people
. Docklands - state of the art boutique stadium not used as too costly (low crowds)
. Melbourne Rectangular Stadium - Now RL crowds are behind RU as well as AL and AFL.
. Gosford - new stadium , new savior for Sydney clubs except Manly who made a premiership year loss.
. Perth, Canberra , Lang park, Cronulla, Brookvale, Kogarah, Paramatta, Campbelltown, Penrith, Wollongong upgrades for no effect.
. Newcastle upgrade on the way when the club is looking at downsizing .
. Homebush & SFS - small crowds are a visual embarrassment
Unfortunately most RL crowds are a visual embarrassment


17. When they gonna have double headers , triple headers ...we can then claim the one crowd for each game !

18 . We don't have -
. A centrally located "home of football" like the AFL because we chose to waste money at the SFS next to the Swans..
. A centre of sporting excellence like the GWS willl have at Blacktown.
. The AFL's draft , management , development , clout , and aggressive approach to expansion ..
. The AFL's $1.2 billion in TV rights.
. A decent game , (but that's the least of our worries)

19. We do have
. Financially stricken rl clubs (all bar one) awaiting handouts.
. Financially stricken rl clubs unable to pay their CEO.
. Financially stricken rl clubs unable to attract sponsors .
. Financially stricken rl clubs losing sponsors due to misbehaviour.
. Financially stricken leagues clubs unable to support NRL clubs ,
. A new pokie tax that is gonna kill off the financially stricken leagues clubs .
. A geographically centred stadium at Homebush suited to AFL blockbusters and the GWS .
. A new stadium built at Blacktown for AFL , because the NRL wasn't interested .
. A new stadium built at Homebush for AFL , because the NRL wasn't interested .


20. When looking at NRL crowd averages
. You cannot look at Sydney in isolation - because they are pathetically low .
. You cannot look at Melbourne because they have no history there and because they are pathetically low .
. You cannot look at this point in time because historically crowds dip this time of year .
. You cannot look at crowds at the ground because the crowd looked and felt a lot bigger than the official low figure .
. You cannot look at the crowd on TV because the crowd looked and felt a lot smaller than the official low figure .
. You can look at past pathetically low crowd figures because that shows the present in a good light .
. You overlook that 25% of all rounds affected by SOO with the best 34 players either unavailable or backing up after SOO.
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because the focus is on SOO .
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they are inflated because "they all do it" (just ask the Storm)
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because clubs are paid $100k to play to empty stadiums .
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they contain freebies from passport holding Pacific Islanders.
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they contain freebies from Moms , nans , nurses and carers .
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they contain freebies for Warriors gear, doing a haka or singing an anthem.
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because they include players, officials, coaching, medical, fitness, trainers, boot studders, waterboys, catering, security, sales staff, turnstile staff, magazine sellers, cheergirls and people wandering into the ground lost .(you know most of the crowd )..
. You cannot look at NRL crowds because more people turned up to see Russel Crowe than South Sydney .

21. You cannot look at SOO crowds
. Because they contain a lot of freebies .
. Tickets still are expensive...spending $100 in Sydney to watch footie is way too much
. Spending $50 for the nose bleed section is way too much
. It is a big week in sport for Sydney so going to the game isn't part of it.
. The game is just too good to watch on TV
, Because the same same two teams play each other, then each other, then each other, every year after year after year.

22 . You cannot look at specific crowd attendances because "8588 is a really inmpressive figure".

23. You cannot look at Canberra crowds because Canberra is under performing
. Because now it supports two clubs .
. Because both those clubs cannot find a sponsor.
. Because the sponsors have all gone to the new AFL club GWS.
. Because nearby Wagga Council s doing stuff for AFL and not RL (because we didn't ask)
. It's all a bluff because Canberra are renegotiating their stadium deal.

24 . It's a bluff because "the AFL want some publicity".
. (Yes, Canberra, GWS and GC have been just been been one big bluff)
. (Yes, the WAR, the invasion, the code hoppers, Wagga Council, Birchdale Oval and more hve all been good publicity)
25. It's basically because rl is dying - but that is another list !!!

Sorry NRL fans but here are a few given on a certain website after last nights crowd totals:

Cold night, Friday night AND the Olympics start tomorrow and people are probably wanting to get to bed!

The commentators on the radio raised a good point, getting to Woolongong unless you live there on a Friday night would be a nightmare, you would cop peak hour from Sydney and Woolongong. I will say this, it is just dumb scheduling.

There are far too many sides in Sydney....

People going to bed early for the Olympics? Lol, better than it was raining I guess!

Their supporters (from the older generation) have all left Bondi and are all living on the Central Coast/ Gosford area

They are but it's not the kind of clash that would rate well Even if th teams were in form (translation they are out of form)

We seem to be always making excuses for small crowds.

It's raining. It's too cold. It's too hot. Its too windy. The game is on the wrong day or kickoff is too late or too early. I wasn't going to put up with all the traffic. The parking is terrible or too expensive. I have to change trains twice to get to the stadium or the trains are not running because of track work. I have a bit of a sniffle so I better stay home I don't want it to become pneumonia. My club is playing a team that doesn't interest me. I have Foxtel I will watch it on there. The kids are sick. The dog is sick. The car is sick. I need to paint the house. I am having sex with my partner.

Instead of making excuses for poor crowds why don't we just attend more games.

Mate, you left out "the recession"

Roosters fans might show up when Sonny Bill Black Caviar arrives

More fodder!

Another excuse these nrl types use is "my dog ate my homework"