Western Sydney Rams . NRC Official Team Thread

[Omar Comin']

I don't think Thursday night should be too bad for crowds so long as it's an earlier kick off. 6:30pm on a Thursday night would be decent I think. And it'd be a better hope for TV ratings than Saturday night (which I'm pretty sure has the lowest TV ratings of any night in the week). It's not like people don't go out on a Thursday night...a lot of people go to the movies etc on a Thursday evening. It's much better than Monday night anyway, and while the NRL crowds are lower on Monday nights they're not 50% down.

 

[Pfitzy]

I look at it from the point of someone who has kids: I have to get home after work, get everyone ready, and get to the ground before 6.15PM to ensure I can get in before kickoff. Through rush hour traffic into Parramatta, or via public transport which involves a short walk for me, but a route march for a 6 year old.

Once the game finishes around 8.30 - well after my kids' bedtime, I have to get out, drive or walk/bus/train home, and then get them asleep so they're not utter little bastards the next day.

Hardly going to draw a crowd with free kids' tickets if it just sucks to get the kids there and back.

And that's just a game at Parramatta - forget trying to get to Leichardt after work on a Thursday from out my way.

I'm willing to put in effort for my team, but you're going to miss three of my potential four tickets if you put it a Rams game on a Thursday anywhere in Sydney.

And the broadcast game needs a bloody good crowd there to build atmosphere and encourage more people to turn up.

All these things must be considered.

 

[Dave Beat]

I look at it from the point of someone who has kids: I have to get home after work, get everyone ready, and get to the ground before 6.15PM to ensure I can get in before kickoff. Through rush hour traffic into Parramatta, or via public transport which involves a short walk for me, but a route march for a 6 year old.

Once the game finishes around 8.30 - well after my kids' bedtime, I have to get out, drive or walk/bus/train home, and then get them asleep so they're not utter little bastards the next day.

Hardly going to draw a crowd with free kids' tickets if it just sucks to get the kids there and back.

And that's just a game at Parramatta - forget trying to get to Leichardt after work on a Thursday from out my way.

I'm willing to put in effort for my team, but you're going to miss three of my potential four tickets if you put it a Rams game on a Thursday anywhere in Sydney.

And the broadcast game needs a bloody good crowd there to build atmosphere and encourage more people to turn up.

All these things must be considered.

I look at it the same way.

Whether you use the Wales v WOBS test at the SFS two years ago, or the show Manly and the Rats put on yesterday I hope NRC Saturday afternoon wins for the NSW derby games.

Maybe the NSW playing other states is played in the evening / night.

With a bit of luck thought and planning goes into it, the points you've raised are on the money but I do believe can be worked around.

 

[TOCC]

You need to keep it in perspective though, it's only one game per round which will be on a Thursday night, if each team rotates through the Thursday night broadcast then that means they should feature twice on a Thursday night throughout the whole season, and only one of those been a home game..


Ratings are critical to the success of the competition, if the ratings are poor then there won't be an upgrade in the value of the rights or worse yet foxtel will pull funding... Yes crowds are important to the clubs, but a 30% drop in crowds for a Thursday night won't kill the competition, poor ratings will.

The rest of the games will be on weekends, but the televised game needs to be on a night with minimal competition and maximum ratings potential... That is a Thursday

 

[Omar Comin']

Good points Pfitzy, but on the other hand I think Thursday evening games would be attractive to teenagers and adults attending without kids. i.e. the people that pay for tickets anyway.

You'd get groups of people going straight from work as you do with Friday night games. If you worked in Parramatta and the game was on at Parra Stadium it'd be very convenient. There's 90k people that work in Parramatta city. Some sort of promotion could target them.

No team will have more than 1 televised home game anyway. The rest will surely be afternoon games.

 

[Pfitzy]

Yes, the after-work crowd would be good, especially as they're usually looking for a beer.

In terms of broadcast, I think our mate Bill Pulver is working behind the scenes to stir up some FTA interest, and will no doubt be looking at Twitter, Facebook, and internet stats for sites like this to point to the traffic generation and potential advertising audience involved.

Hang on - I'm going to go post this in the Broadcast Options thread. We can't have all the genius ideas just hang around in Western Sydney like they usually do. That's why the bastards keep ignoring us!

 

[RugbyFuture]

We should be releasing the coach tomorrow morning so stay tuned then for the news.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Where is he being held hostage?

 

[Dave Beat]

Where is he being held hostage?

NZ maybe?

 

[Pfitzy]

Somewhere with even less culture: Mt Druitt.

We should be releasing the coach tomorrow morning so stay tuned then for the news.

Just head coach or a few assistants as well?

 

[RugbyFuture]

we locked him up and gagged him in the rafters of concord oval a few weeks ago. Had to keep them quiet yaknow.

Just head coach. He's not part of any of our associate club systems who will be contributing. Slightly different situation to the rays.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

You're not bringing Glen Christini back out of "retirement" are you?

 

[Pfitzy]

we locked him up and gagged him in the rafters of concord oval a few weeks ago. Had to keep them quiet yaknow.

Just head coach. He's not part of any of our associate club systems who will be contributing. Slightly different situation to the rays.

For the best IMHO - sometimes it creates less tension where the chosen one is a bit distant from things.

 

[RugbyFuture]

Brian Melrose Returns to Rams

Brian “Billy” Melrose will return to the new Greater Sydney Rams as head coach for the National Rugby Championship.

Mr Melrose was head coach of the minor premiership winning Western Sydney Rams in the 2007 Australian Rugby Championship.

Melrose who has also held positions with Aviva Premiership side London Irish, Rabodirect Pro12 side Connacht and The Waratahs, brings knowledge and experience to the role, with a focus on not only winning rugby, but also team culture.

“My vision for the Rams is to create an attractive and progressive program that players want to be part of ” Melrose said.

“We need to connect and engage with the community and all current and potential stakeholders with the Rams brand”

“We look forward to working with and developing some of the great talent in the Rams region and building the Rams into a top class rugby Franchise”

Of the former Parramatta, West Harbour and Eastwood player turned coach, Greater Sydney Rams Tender Manager Geoff Harper said “Brian’s vision for our club and region is why he is the best coach for the job.”

”There’s not many coaches out there with the wide experience and relationship with our region that he does, we’re all happy and excited that he’s decided to return and help us build a powerhouse club”

 

[Pfitzy]

I just cracked wood. This is the best possible outcome for rugby in Western Sydney.

Cannot wait for August!

 

[Redsfan]

If anybody on here is responsible for the press releases, the blurb at the bottom should finish with 'flair', not 'flare'.

Sorry for being a fluffybunny, but there's no cure, as well all know.

 

[Pfitzy]

Actually Melrose is going to take the side back to the 70s - they're wearing bellbottoms...

 

[Redsfan]

As long as it comes with a time machine, and he can bring Ray Price into the team...

 

[Badger]

There are plans to take a potential home game vs NSW Country to a regional centre.

Western Sydney Rams may play home game against Country in Dubbo, Bathurst or Mudgee

Updated Wed 7 May 2014, 12:28pm AEST

The newly formed Western Sydney Rams rugby union franchise is considering playing a game in the Central West.

The Rams will be part of the new National Rugby Championship.

The Rams consortium is made up of four Sydney rugby clubs including West Harbour.

The president of the West Harbour club, Tony Horrocks, says the Rams consortium is considering playing its home game against the New South Wales Country team in centres such as Bathurst, Mudgee and Dubbo.

"We're currently in preliminary discussions with the ARU who are asking us about our desire or not to be involved in regional games," he said.

"I think all the consortiums have been asked the same question."

Mr Horrocks says Bathurst would be a good location for the Rams to host Country.

"I think Bathurst could certainly be a leading contender," he said.

"It's a substantial area - it covers a very strong region.

"They've got good facilities.

"We've looked at obviously Mudgee and Dubbo only because of what we've seen with the success of the NRL games there."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-07/rugby-regional/5436142

Bemused that the ABC got the team name and number of rugby clubs involved incorrect.

 

[RugbyFuture]

and the story is incorrect too.