NRC Crowd Watch

[Wilson]

I would say no better than par for such a match. It's basically being marketed at the already existing large Reds supporter base and only a small % of Reds supporters are turning up.

In a few years time I'll agree but for the first year a crowd figure close to double (official number not yet realised, only listed as over 5000, with 6000-7000 possible for the final numbers) the next best crowd is excellent.

 

[emuarse]

In a few years time I'll agree but for the first year a crowd figure close to double (official number not yet realised, only listed as over 5000, with 6000-7000 possible for the final numbers) the next best crowd is excellent.

All it will take is for the competition to develop more of a tribal following. Because it is brand new the punters are still having trouble identifying with it.
Once it becomes established, then the people will come, with their NRC club colours, especially if the prices stay constant (which of course they won't).

 

[Sully]

Only par! In the middle of school holidays, on the same weekend as the AFL grand final and two NRL finals, at the same time as the Brisbane league finals and the night after Riverfire. Still double the biggest crowd so far.

You need to fill that glass up mate.

 

[Quick Hands]

The crowd at the NSWRL State Cup final between Penrith & Newcastle at the SFS yesterday was 3,200 - about 200 more than the Rays v Rams and 2,000 less than the Brisbane derby.

I think the NRC is going quite well actually.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Whilst I don't think that the NSW Cup is what we should be measuring ourselves against, the fact that our regular season games are outdoing their grand final is certainly positive.

 

[Braveheart81]

Whilst I don't think that the NSW Cup is what we should be measuring ourselves against, the fact that our regular season games are outdoing their grand final is certainly positive.

Whilst I think there is a reasonable comparison between the two, I agree that the NRC needs to surpass that.

It's a good comparison in that the NSW Cup is made up of a bunch of professionals who can't make the NRL side and weekend warriors. In that regard it has some similarities.

Where the NRC needs to surpass this is because the NRC includes most Super Rugby players not just the also rans and we eventually want the non Super Rugby players to be more than weekend warriors.

Hopefully it doesn't take a lot of improvement in the metrics before those players are starting to become more like full time professionals, at least for part of each year.

 

[papabear]

The NSW cup is on at the same time as the NRL as well.

If you like league why would you go to the NSWRL GF over the prelim?

The NRC isn't matched up against the Super Rugby.

That said I don't think crowds at that level are that important.

 

[Quick Hands]

The NSW cup is on at the same time as the NRL as well.

If you like league why would you go to the NSWRL GF over the prelim?

The NRC isn't matched up against the Super Rugby.

That said I don't think crowds at that level are that important.

Although the final was stand alone on Sunday afternoon and the two NRL finals were Friday and Saturday.

 

[Omar Comin']

If easily the biggest crowd of the NRC at the halfway point of the competition (including finals) in the first season is only par, maybe you need to adjust your benchmarks

Well overall I think the crowds have been slightly under par for the NRC so far, even considering it's a new competition and so on. It's going okay though, I'm not saying it's a disaster, I just don't think we should set the bar too low.

I don't think the Queensland derby suffered from a lack of awareness from rugby fans in Brisbane. And it was always going to draw a bigger crowd than other NRC matches so the target had to be higher. I just think 10k or so should have been possible given the size of the Reds regular supporter base. That would have been a really good crowd. And in future years 10k should be par for such a game.

 

[TOCC]

Ok, the crowd was under par, but the NRC has a 5'000 fan handicap for been in it's first season with next to no marketing..

So QLD Derby drew 10'000 on the weekend and Rays 8'300...

10'000 crowds were never going to happen in the first season, you were unrealistic if you thought that sort of crowd was going to turn up.

 

[Omar Comin']

Ok, the crowd was under par, but the NRC has a 5'000 fan handicap for been in it's first season with next to no marketing..

So QLD Derby drew 10'000 on the weekend and Rays 8'300.

10'000 crowds were never going to happen in the first season, you were unrealistic if you thought that sort of crowd was going to turn up.

I said around 10k would have been a good crowd.

What I also said was that I thought it should get 5k+. Before the game I said that, and was told that was unrealistic. For me, 5k was par for the Queensland derby in season 1. Achieving par, or slightly better than par (official figure still not released) is not bad! But I don't think 5k is a sensational figure. And I think we're not being very ambitious if we consider it as such.

 

[Pfitzy]

I reckon if I started a shit sandwich business in this thread I'd sell out in the first ten minutes. Some people are happy eating nothing else it would seem.

The big factor that is proving a two-edged sword in this whole business is fine weather. Sometimes, when presented with the option of the beach or the rugby on a beautiful day, the beach is going to win.

Particularly when there are family members (especially the wife) who has put up with a long winter of rugby and wants to have family time away from all that.

 

[Pfitzy]

And the attendances are meeting or exceeding expectations. You miserable bastards complaining about it: how many games have you been to?

 

[Omar Comin']

And the attendances are meeting or exceeding expectations.

Whose expectations?

The only quote I've seen from a team administrator is James Grant from the Eagles. He said they've been disappointed with the crowds they've got so far, particularly in Lismore and Coogee. Before the season Pulver was hoping for crowds of around 3k. It's been less than that on average. Though he did note that the crowds wouldn't need to be that high for it to be financial sustainable so that's a positive.

I doubt the Stars or Rams are satisfied with their crowds. The Rays are probably okay, but they're not getting the kind of crowds the Marlins often get on their own. The Rising, despite offering 2 for 1 tickets are getting around 2k. Queensland Country had free entry at their first home game on the Gold Coast and had just 2k turn up. Brisbane City has done alright, but still get a tiny percentage of the people that turn up every week for the Reds. Canberra and Perth - both averaging around 2k. Not terrible, but not good.

Pointing this out doesn't make me negative on the competition. I'm a very strong advocate for it. I just think the crowds have been a little lower than hoped.

And I live in London at the moment so haven't been to any games this year. But I've watched as many as I can. I'll be there next year.

 

[Pfitzy]

Whose expectations?

The only ones that count: mine.

 

[qwerty51]

Disappointed with the crowd at Coogee is he kidding? Pouring down and zero parking. What did he expect?

 

[Train Without a Station]

I've tried parking there just to go to the gym opposite. Deadset have to park in another postcode.

 

[I like to watch]

Disappointed with the crowd at Coogee is he kidding? Pouring down and zero parking. What did he expect?

I can cope the parking hassle.
But it pissed me off to have to pay full freight for the kids to stand in the rain.
We went to the Rams who have plenty of covered seating for 1/2 the cost,and to Brookie for 1/4 of the cost.

 

[TOCC]

I just think the crowds have been a little lower than hoped.

I'm sorry, but who exactly?

Vikings announced early on that if they got close to half the crowds which were attracted to the ARC then they would be happy, a lot of teams budgeted for crowds of 1'000. Fagan has also stated that crowds estimates were set at conservative levels to ensure financial stability across the teams.

Brumbies general manager Simon Chester said the Vikings would be created as a separate entity and current Brumbies assistant coach Dan McKellar named head coach.
Chester said the group submitted a conservative business plan with their bid, built around crowd estimates of 1000 people.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/gary-flowers-to-chair-north-harbour-rays-bid-to-join-the-national-rugby-championship-20140319-hvkde.html#ixzz3EicNwTG0

 

[Quick Hands]

I can cope the parking hassle.
But it pissed me off to have to pay full freight for the kids to stand in the rain.
We went to the Rams who have plenty of covered seating for 1/2 the cost,and to Brookie for 1/4 of the cost.

They made the kids pay full freight at Coogee? This obsession with Coogee Oval was one of the things which wrecked the Easts/Randwick Souths JV. I know some Randwick supporters equate it with Eden Park, but really.

The Rays have it right, $5 off for members of the 4 clubs and kids free. Plenty of kids at Brookie onSunday.