NRC Crowd Watch

[Train Without a Station]

In all seriousness the VFL grand final today got 26k to it. That's what the NRC should be striving to beat for the big games once it has a couple of seasons worth of traction.

This was between two Melbourne teams so obviously that helps.

 

[RugbyReg]

How long has the VFL been going for?

 

[TOCC]

Brisbane City vs QLD Country and Rays vs Rams on Sunday afternoon should both do well. No reason both can't top 5k.
.

Neither of those crowds will top 5k... People need to be realistic in their expectations and quite frankly, thinking that a crowd is going to increase 60% on the previous figure is unrealistic.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

How long has the VFL been going for?

Yeah, hard to compare the VFL with around 100 years of history to the start up NRC.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

There was 10700 at the WAFL GF today in the rain if we could get that at the NRC GF that would be a great result.

 

[Train Without a Station]

How long has the VFL been going for?

As I said, once the NRC gains traction. Need to be mindful that the VFL is a genuine reserve grade competition as it runs in parallel with the AFL.

 

[Crashy]

I've yet to go to a game. ( young family blah blah) but this Sunday a pretty large group of us will be heading to Brookvale for the Rays game. If its sunny, I'd like to think 5k is a realistic target.

 

[Slim 293]

In all seriousness the VFL grand final today got 26k to it. That's what the NRC should be striving to beat for the big games once it has a couple of seasons worth of traction.

This was between two Melbourne teams so obviously that helps.

It's only 2,000 less than what turned out for the Manly v Canterbury NRL final last night.............

 

[Quick Hands]

It's only 2,000 less than what turned out for the Manly v Canterbury NRL final last night.....

And 8,000 more than the crowd for Roosters v Cowboys semi-final on Friday night.

I think you're right and people need to be realistic. Rugby won't have the same profile anywhere in Australia that Aussie Rules has in Melbourne, ever.

If we're going to compare ourselves to league, we should be comparing ourselves to the NSW Cup or the Qld Cup. I don't think they draw more than 5,000 to their matches.

I'd suggest that in the 1st year 2,000-3,000 crowds are acceptable, with the occasional 5,000. Medium term, 5,000 for most games. After that who knows?

 

[Train Without a Station]

And 8,000 more than the crowd for Roosters v Cowboys semi-final on Friday night.

I think you're right and people need to be realistic. Rugby won't have the same profile anywhere in Australia that Aussie Rules has in Melbourne, ever.

If we're going to compare ourselves to league, we should be comparing ourselves to the NSW Cup or the Qld Cup. I don't think they draw more than 5,000 to their matches.

I'd suggest that in the 1st year 2,000-3,000 crowds are acceptable, with the occasional 5,000. Medium term, 5,000 for most games. After that who knows?

I'm not making any judgement's based on right now, because the competition is in it's infancy.

But if down the track with a bit of traction (maybe 5 years), if the NRC which is in some ways similar (one TV game per week) to the VFL and in some ways a superior level (national level - VFL is a one state based league where half the teams are actual AFL reserve grade teams) then the competition really isn't going anywhere. I've just checked and this is actually an anomaly since 2011 and 11,000-15,000 has been the norm.

I haven't been able to find figures but I don't think the VFL slays the NRC for regular match attendance. It would likely be better right now but it's nothing spectacular.

Keep in mind the VFL in 2014 with the Box Hill Hawks, Coburg Tigers and the Footscray Bulldogs is a different thing to the VFL in 1985 with the Richmond Tigers, Hawthorn Hawks and the Footscray Bulldogs.

The VFL is essentially a renamed VSFL which ran from 1991 to 1999 as a reserve grade competition. There is a little bit of history still, but still it is a reserve grade competition. Players only play in it when they are not considered for AFL.

The NRC contain all but the best 30 players of Super Rugby. It's more similar to the regular NRL on origin weeks.

 

[liquor box]

And 8,000 more than the crowd for Roosters v Cowboys semi-final on Friday night.

I think you're right and people need to be realistic. Rugby won't have the same profile anywhere in Australia that Aussie Rules has in Melbourne, ever.

If we're going to compare ourselves to league, we should be comparing ourselves to the NSW Cup or the Qld Cup. I don't think they draw more than 5,000 to their matches.

I'd suggest that in the 1st year 2,000-3,000 crowds are acceptable, with the occasional 5,000. Medium term, 5,000 for most games. After that who knows?

I would love for crowds to increase, but I am more hopeful of getting all games on TV.

If it is all on TV then the crowds will come a few years later down the track.

I am most disappointing that there is no Saturday night game on a non test week.

Having a third tier means we should have live Rugby every weekend between S15 season and Spring Tour. Even my wife noticed there was no Rugby and found this ridiculous.

 

[Quick Hands]

I'm not making any judgement's based on right now, because the competition is in it's infancy.

But if down the track with a bit of traction (maybe 5 years), if the NRC which is in some ways similar (one TV game per week) to the VFL and in some ways a superior level (national level - VFL is a one state based league where half the teams are actual AFL reserve grade teams) then the competition really isn't going anywhere. I've just checked and this is actually an anomaly since 2011 and 11,000-15,000 has been the norm.

I haven't been able to find figures but I don't think the VFL slays the NRC for regular match attendance. It would likely be better right now but it's nothing spectacular.

Keep in mind the VFL in 2014 with the Box Hill Hawks, Coburg Tigers and the Footscray Bulldogs is a different thing to the VFL in 1985 with the Richmond Tigers, Hawthorn Hawks and the Footscray Bulldogs.

The VFL is essentially a renamed VSFL which ran from 1991 to 1999 as a reserve grade competition. There is a little bit of history still, but still it is a reserve grade competition. Players only play in it when they are not considered for AFL.

The NRC contain all but the best 30 players of Super Rugby. It's more similar to the regular NRL on origin weeks.

Even though the VFL is a state level competition, it is still the number one sport (summer or winter) in Victoria by a mile, with daylight second.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Yes, but it is in direct competition with the AFL.

The NRC is not in competition with Club Rugby or Super Rugby.

 

[Crazy Grey]

Having a third tier means we should have live Rugby every weekend between S15 season and Spring Tour. Even my wife noticed there was no Rugby and found this ridiculous.

That would be awesome. Even a replay of the thursday night game on a saturday would be a start. Too often when it comes to competition between the codes Rugby doesn't make an appearance. If it is on, you will get people flicking during quarter time in the afl or half time in the league and with the way the nrc is going they will probably see a try and they'll keep watching for a bit at least.

 

[masai]

I don't think VFL is a fair comparison for the NRC, either today or 20 years from now. The reason I say this is because Melbourne is populated by possibly the most committed sports fans in the western world.

Melbourne gets more fans through AFL turnstiles every week than London gets to see the soccer, in all professional and amateur leagues combined. Let that sink in. We're talking about a city 3 times the size of Melbourne and whose people are notoriously fervent in their support of soccer, and they can't draw as many fans as the Victorians. It actually defies logic that the level of support for AFL is even possible.

So before anyone goes comparing the NRC with anything based in Melbourne, you're going to have to put forward a proposal for a complete upheaval of sports culture in New South Wales and Queensland, because with our current apathy for sports in general, any hope of the NRC rivaling VFL is nothing more than a pipe dream.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I think you can compare a competition with 3 teams in Sydney, and no direct competition, to one which runs in parallel with the AFL and does not contain the best 9 teams in Victoria, which all play at the same time.

If the NRC cannot one day rival the VFL, it will be a failure.

 

[masai]

a competition with 3 teams in Sydney, and no direct competition

Sure, but what I'm saying is that all sports in Sydney, but particularly rugby and the NRC, are competing with "doing practically anything else that doesn't carry risk of imminent bodily harm". That's the level of apathy we're dealing with.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I agree and think Sydney will struggle for the attendances the most having the most teams. But I think ultimately if in 5 years the NRC cannot get 10,000+ for the big games (Finals, and marquee games - GF rematch, top of the table clash, games with finals spots on the line), then it is not ultimately going anywhere.

The VFL has numerous local competitions and the AFL to compete with and dilute support. The NRC doesn't compete with Shute Shield or equivalent, Super Rugby and Wallaby matches are played in different time slots. In addition after the weekend the NRC no longer has subbies to compete with.

 

[wamberal]

I think you can compare a competition with 3 teams in Sydney, and no direct competition, to one which runs in parallel with the AFL and does not contain the best 9 teams in Victoria, which all play at the same time.

If the NRC cannot one day rival the VFL, it will be a failure.

The VFL (formerly the VFA) is the progenitor of the AFL. It has the weight of history and tradition for 137 years. It has enormous momentum and deep grassroots support.

The sport it plays is by far the dominant football code in its home state.


Your assertion is ludicrous.

 

[Train Without a Station]

The VFL (formerly the VFA) is the progenitor of the AFL. It has the weight of history and tradition for 137 years. It has enormous momentum and deep grassroots support.

The sport it plays is by far the dominant football code in its home state.


Your assertion is ludicrous.

Your comment is ludicrous.

Firstly, the VFA next to the VFL was like the Kentwell Cup next to Shute Shield.

Secondly the VFL doesn't just have 100 years of history. The VFL today is an evolution of the VSFL which was formed in 1991 and in the year 2000 became the VFL. The VFSL was comprised primarily of reserve grade teams to VFL/AFL teams. Which the VFL remains today.

If the NRC, a national competition which does not compete with any other professional rugby union cannot compete for crowds with a one state, reserve grade competition made up only of players who cannot make AFL, once it is well established then it is struggling.

But thanks for coming in halfway through, ignoring my previous posts explaining things and posting some half-truths.