NRC Crowd Watch

[Lee Grant]

I don't know why we are getting our knickers in a knot about the crowds.

Hopefully when the NRC organising body did their due diligence review of the bids they twigged to any over-estimating of revenue (the bane of most budgets) especially the gate takings portion of it. They would have had access to the 'gates' attained in 2007 as a reference.

So if NRC outfits aren't going to fall on a financial sword, small crowds in the first few years are not that critical to the main purposes of the NRC: the development and assessment of the players, referees and coaches.

I wrote somewhere (in a blog discussion I think - I hope it wasn't this thread) that when Aussie cricket was in its pomp in test matches, the gates attained at Sheffield Shield matches were poor but it was a priceless environment for developing and assessing players.

The cost of those games was underwritten by the national body, I know, but if the NRC teams can survive on the present crowd figures we shouldn't be too concerned.


But this is a NRC crowd watch thread and we want to talk about it?

Fair enough - carry on.
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[Train Without a Station]

The overall success and sustainability of the competition will be determined by the TV revenue.

Let's remember Lee, this isn't a Sheffield Shield equivalent only. It's developing domestic content also which in time may provide a good income to the ARU.

But back to my point, the TV viewers will determine the income to the ARU.

But the strength of the clubs will be largely determined by the attendances. The ARU will disperse funds as they become available to cover the fixed expenses such as player salaries, travel, accommodation, etc.

Attendance, membership and merchandising revenue is what will drive the individual teams further into professionalism, which is an important aspect of this competition.

 

[Crashy]

I have a feeling that for season 1, the ARU deliberately kept the crowd breakeven requirements at 1000 per game. Assume that means paying customers of course... We should see some bigger crowds this weekend..

 

[Omar Comin']

The overall success and sustainability of the competition will be determined by the TV revenue.

I think crowds have an effect on this too. It's much better to watch sport when there's a decent crowd in attendance - and specifically when the atmosphere comes through the screen. Even good quality games can feel a little flat sometimes when there's lots of empty seats.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ Let's revert to the old days of calling the cricket on the radio off the teletype feed. The sound effect for a boundary being hit was a producer smacking the desk with a pencil.

Get the Foxtel sound engineers to run some crowd white noise over the live feeds, or better still, do this and get @Pfitzy and a bunch of like minded souls in the studio to record some decent chants and interjections to add the necessary colour and flavour.

 

[Lee Grant]

……and get @Pfitzy and a bunch of like minded souls in the studio to record some decent chants and interjections to add the necessary colour and flavour.

Not good enough - get Pfitzy sitting next to the camera to get his insightful comments recorded. No doubt a mike could be plugged in - and expert comments from his mate (he has a friend) Lindommer, provided he is sober at the time.
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[Braveheart81]

Imagine the NRC being called by the unlikely commentary duo of Steve Walsh and Pfitzy.

Amazing!

 

[boyo]

Imagine the NRC being called by the unlikely commentary duo of Steve Walsh and Pfitzy.

Amazing!

Would the commentary be ruined by the beeps?

 

[Braveheart81]

Would the commentary be ruined by the beeps?

No beeps. Just an MA rating.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Pfitzy & Steve Walsh "After Dark - Adults Only Special"

 

[Braveheart81]

Pfitzy & Steve Walsh "After Dark - Adults Only Special"

No thanks. I'd prefer to just listen to them commentating the rugby.

 

[boyo]

No thanks. I'd prefer to just listen to them commentating the rugby.

Boom-tish

 

[Quick Hands]

There's nothing that wrong with the crowds these matches have been drawing - particuarly in year 1. Within 3 years, 5,000 per match should be the aim.

One of the issues with being a national competition in a country the size of Australia is that very few away fans are going to go to games (including finals). The exception being when the Sydney teams play each other and possibly the 2 Qld teams. There's nothing unique to rugby with this - last weekend an NRL semi between Easts and Nth Qld drew 18,000 and the next night an NRL semi between 2 Sydney teams at the same venue drew 28,000.

 

[Quick Hands]

What will be interesting is how big the crowd will be in the final. One assumes that it will be played in Melbourne. Will the sporting capital of the world draw a good crowd to watch their team triumph?

 

[Pfitzy]

There is some sheer genius flying around on this thread. Lee Grant with the lead out and the rest of you twigged to how bloody good an idea it was.

I'll take the view from the stands, and Walshie and I can have a little back and forth about decisions.

I'll even let him have most of the air time, and just correct him here and there about scrums and Queenslanders.

 

[Wood Rat]

The eastern hill at brookie looks well populated today, should be a significant improvement on the numbers from the wet Thursday night against country

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

FWIW It would appear there's fuck all at either the NSW or Queensland Cup GF's, those being leagues nearest equivalent to the NRC. Funnily enough one's live on Fox & the other on 9.

 

[RugbyReg]

They're suggesting 9000 at the qld one.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

They're suggesting 9000 at the qld one.

Seriously? I just watched a set that traversed a good 60m & there wasn't a spectator to be seen. You'd assume that such crowd as there is would be between the 22's but nada.

I watch a fair bit of QCup as that & the U20's are still more-or-less watchable compared to 1st grade & attendances for both appear to be in the hundreds rather than thousands.

Anyhoo, point being you shouldn't be beating yourselves up about NRC crowds in the 1,000 - 3,000 range, esp in year 1.

 

[qwerty51]

Anyhoo, point being you shouldn't be beating yourselves up about NRC crowds in the 1,000 - 3,000 range, esp in year 1.

More than most ITM games!