I wonder if its as simple as "we need to get a home final to break even/make a profit? Especially now that I believe the clubs get the revenue from these games? The higher crowd toward the end of such a season would also be some decent coin for the club as well.
Crowds - The thread of Australian whining
I wonder if its as simple as "we need to get a home final to break even/make a profit? Especially now that I believe the clubs get the revenue from these games? The higher crowd toward the end of such a season would also be some decent coin for the club lso.
That's pretty much where I've ended up.
Ernie just on TV3 saying that the crowds will follow success (a la his time at the Tards).
Lots of shots of YF - Patrick in just about all of them (no pashing but).
Christ we definitely need to get our crowds up big time if Patrick can be indentured in most shots
Cheap season tickets are great but they're not what will attract casuals. Fever zone price at the gate is $35 iirc, and that is not cheap
I'm sure its $25/$26. I bought some tickets for a friends 30th against MV it was in the mid twenties for Fever Zone.
That is one thing to take away from reading comments from news articles reporting on crowds for Phoenix games, the number of people who state that ticket prices are too expensive thinking they are mid $thirties or mid $forties when actual fact they are a lot cheaper - (even more for certain match day promotions) I think that is where some promotion could be used to correct this misinformation.
Did you buy them online or something? Pretty sure they're $35 at the gate.
My mate bought a ticket at the gate for the 2nd Brisbane Roar home game. I handed over my season ticket so he could get the 20% discount and the ticket was only $19-40 including any booking fee.
Isn't the point of higher prices at the gate to encourage people to pre-purchase tickets?
That's the part they need to be hammering into people, but the problem is that they don't so its an ultimately pointless exercise.
this, the club need to be promotong "get your ticket before gameday" it's cheaper and it almost avoids the "I'm not going cos it's cold/wet" excuse.
It does avoid the "I'm not going cos it's cold" excuse as far as revenue is concerned. If a ticket is sold it doesn't actually matter whether that person turns up or not. The only change is that the appearance of having a half empty stadium isn't the best look for the tele.
Isn't the point of higher prices at the gate to encourage people to pre-purchase tickets?
That's the part they need to be hammering into people, but the problem is that they don't so its an ultimately pointless exercise.
this, the club need to be promotong "get your ticket before gameday" it's cheaper and it almost avoids the "I'm not going cos it's cold/wet" excuse.
That's the theory, yeah. Apparently we also evolved from monkeys as well. I actually think it's retarded though, and does little for walk up crowds. I'm always hearing from casuals who turn up on the day, split decision because the weathers nice, then when they find out tickets are $35 not $25 they're a bit shocked and think twice about turning up after that. Keen fans are always going to get tickets ahead of game day. I reckon prices should just be levelled out.
Yeah that's very true.
I was just considering whether it'd have the in intended consequence of simply just putting people off going altogether. I think that effect is bigger than the one that encourages people to purchase tix earlier. Of course I have no stats to back that up.
Sometimes I wonder if Welnix take a lot of this into consideration. Would love to read a report or something about what exactly they think they've identified as potential issues re: crowd numbers.
I wonder if its as simple as "we need to get a home final to break even/make a profit? Especially now that I believe the clubs get the revenue from these games? The higher crowd toward the end of such a season would also be some decent coin for the club as well.
This actually didn't change. FFA get gate money.
I wonder if its as simple as "we need to get a home final to break even/make a profit? Especially now that I believe the clubs get the revenue from these games? The higher crowd toward the end of such a season would also be some decent coin for the club as well.
This actually didn't change. FFA get gate money.
Strange. Did wonder if I had that wrong. There were negotiations around it though yeah? Thought clubs would've got something out of those.
I wonder if its as simple as "we need to get a home final to break even/make a profit? Especially now that I believe the clubs get the revenue from these games? The higher crowd toward the end of such a season would also be some decent coin for the club as well.
This actually didn't change. FFA get gate money.
I'm pretty sure they said it was going to change. Lol FFA...
Got told on Saturday that it never changed.
I thought that had changed too. What happened?
I'm not saying Auckland would support a team. All I'm saying is the argument that people will turn up when the team start playing well seems to have been borne out in Auckland with a big crowd there reflecting good recent form (much bigger than last year) but for some reason hasn't happened in Wellington.
On costs, the season tickets this year were fantastic value and cheaper than almost every year other than season 1 I think.
Patterns through out the year are decent crowds in the first round and last few round. With a decline in middle rounds. Given our results last year, it's not that surprisinging that our R1 games was done in the average.
Yep, just contrasting a crowd bump based on form seems to have been felt in Akld but not yet in Wgtn. As I said though, I expect a biggish home crowd next time out as Wgtn hates being shown up by Auckland (as some chippy comments on here show!).
Interesting point made by Dome in a few interviews that their "commercial partners" basically require them to have matches in Auckland to "spread that brand". There is clearly pressure from some at the FFA (de bohun has said much the same thing before) and within the sponsorship community for the Wellington Phoenix to be "New Zealand's club". I've said it before, I think that's the wrong way to go, but that does seem to be the way forward
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
And wonder whether we'll start to see two games in Auckland?
This season the 'away' games were scheduled in a way that removed any possibility of building the Wellington attendance at the start of the season. Five or six weeks between Wellington home games at the start of the season, is commercially naive.
If there must be games outside of Wellington, then an 'away' game before Christmas after three or four games, one in the holiday season and one towards season-end would seem a reasonable schedule. A game in Tauranga, Rotorua or Taupo over Christmas/New Year could pull a reasonable attendance. Napier was a great day for all fans so should be repeated next season. Hamilton must be worth a look, given it's a football stadium
These games are event games and will always draw a higher attendance as one-off occasions, which have an attendance that will not be maintained over a season schedule, as two Auckland franchises have shown.
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
I was wondering about that as well. Fly up and back on the same day ? AirNZ have $29 fares going back to Wellington last flight - wonder how much a charter would be
The Night Rider fares are not available at the moment, but I'm sure they'll come back in a month or two
The trip to Brisbane organised by Harvey World was expensive compared to booking the trip independently, of course that doesn't mean that group fares can match individual fares booked early
Every time Gareth opens his mouth, I blame those bloody cats.
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
And wonder whether we'll start to see two games in Auckland?
Put it this way - I haven't heard them say they won't cut back on home & away games so if they see them as money making ventures Welnix would only maintain or increase them.
Would be a point where I would start to lose interest in the club - not there yet this season but am not overly feeling all that close.
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
And wonder whether we'll start to see two games in Auckland?
Put it this way - I haven't heard them say they won't cut back on home & away games so if they see them as money making ventures Welnix would only maintain or increase them.
Would be a point where I would start to lose interest in the club - not there yet this season but am not overly feeling all that close.
You're not alone there.
We got a few games over the Holiday period, but aside from that period its generally been a month or more between home games.
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
And wonder whether we'll start to see two games in Auckland?
Put it this way - I haven't heard them say they won't cut back on home & away games so if they see them as money making ventures Welnix would only maintain or increase them.
Would be a point where I would start to lose interest in the club - not there yet this season but am not overly feeling all that close.
The weekends I'd use as the away home games would be one over Xmas, Wellington Anniversary and, if it has to be three, either the Napier weekend or the Christchurch show weekend - or a second game at Auckland if a sponsor insisted.
In fact, I'm bored so here are the days between home games.
49. 13. 8. 21. 6. 29. 21. 20. 14.
7 weeks. 2 weeks. 1 week. 3 weeks. 1 week. 4 weeks. 3 weeks. 2 weeks.
2 games in 7 weeks. 2 games in 9 weeks. 2 games in 3 weeks. 2 games in 4 weeks. 2 games in 4 weeks. 2 games in 5 weeks. 2 games in 7 weeks. 2 games in 5 weeks.
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
I was wondering about that as well. Fly up and back on the same day ? AirNZ have $29 fares going back to Wellington last flight - wonder how much a charter would be
We did that last year: Fly up the night before, crash at the (extended) whanau's whare, fly back straight after the game. $180 for three of us.
Previous year we got normal cheap tickets (four of us) and used flybuys for the motel.
I will budget for at least one game away but this year the timing for all three was not helpful - school hols is best if you're reading David Dome.
Enjoyed both trips to dorkland but would be neat to do a Nix/fever charter flight if the expense was reasonable.
I like the way the club acknowledgesall the fans that make the trips around the country and in some cases, regular trips to Aussie.
It does avoid the "I'm not going cos it's cold" excuse as far as revenue is concerned. If a ticket is sold it doesn't actually matter whether that person turns up or not. The only change is that the appearance of having a half empty stadium isn't the best look for the tele.
Due to the size of the WPX Stadium there is no way to show it almost full. We could have in Wellington a small purpose built rectangular ground like our allegedly temporary AMI one here in Addington (Christchurch). It's brilliant and has a smallish capacity (enough for a Phoenix game except maybe for the finals/playoffs etc).
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
And wonder whether we'll start to see two games in Auckland?
Put it this way - I haven't heard them say they won't cut back on home & away games so if they see them as money making ventures Welnix would only maintain or increase them.
Would be a point where I would start to lose interest in the club - not there yet this season but am not overly feeling all that close.
You're not alone there.
We got a few games over the Holiday period, but aside from that period its generally been a month or more between home games.
i am also in this boat have not been able to get into the swing of the season with so many gaps between games, so have only been to the first game of the season and then lost the guts,
the travel from wanganui has also put me off after all the years of travelling to watch the nix i have had enough and have just not bothered this season,
Here's another teaser: If the club is dead set on taking three or more home games away each season, what would be the possibility of it also organising charter flights at cost-price for Wellington-based season ticket holders?
Possibly not enough planes to add to the crowds but would help said fans to feel a bit more like the club wasn't taking them for granted.
And wonder whether we'll start to see two games in Auckland?
Put it this way - I haven't heard them say they won't cut back on home & away games so if they see them as money making ventures Welnix would only maintain or increase them.
Would be a point where I would start to lose interest in the club - not there yet this season but am not overly feeling all that close.
You're not alone there.
We got a few games over the Holiday period, but aside from that period its generally been a month or more between home games.
i am also in this boat have not been able to get into the swing of the season with so many gaps between games, so have only been to the first game of the season and then lost the guts,
the travel from wanganui has also put me off after all the years of travelling to watch the nix i have had enough and have just not bothered this season,
I realised he other day I've only been to 3 games this season, I live 20min drive away. Not that it matters as I'm a season ticket holder, so it's not like the clubs missing out on cash when people like me don't turn up. I'm just kind of over the stadium, red badge, the shit choice of beer, food. Everything. More than happy to financially support the club though.
The Night Rider fares are not available at the moment, but I'm sure they'll come back in a month or two
No I'm pretty certain they've been permanently discontinued, it made the news when the decision was announced.
It all comes down to the fact that the Phoenix need a purpose-built covered 15,000 seater football stadium in Wellington where spectators can be close to the action, protected from the elements, the prices are reasonable and the food and beer selection decent. That way there wouldn't be acres of empty yellow seats which doesn't look good.
For playoffs the Westpac arena is good, but not for regular season games.
purpose built stadium aint going to happen - we can all blame Wellington council for demanding a 35000 multi purpose stadium with no roof all those years ago. Instead of upgrading the Basn for cricket and having a rugby/league/football stadium. Either way this season re Wgtn crowds was killed by the massive off season been broiken up with one game at "home" the 7 weeks away. No flow no reall buy in, ad to that the usual walk up ticket price shock and nothing changes.
It is great to see the club leaning on the stadium operators to make it easier for us to stay there - but at the end of the day the stadium has bills to pay too right.
Personally and I think most of us are at this point - I don't mind the current 3 home games on tour. I understand that welnix need these to expose the sponsors and make some coin. If, however, they take yet more games to other areas before actually making a concerted effort in Wgtn to raise awareness and increase the local crowds firth then my loyalty is over - it pains me to consider this cos I've followed the team since before it took the field - I have a vetsed interest in the team and want them to be in Wellington for a long time to come. I don't get the same feeling of "loyalty" from the current owners.
Yeh it's a perfect world at my place. All my kids are billionaires and my four wives are models. But somehow, something is missing.
Reality?
A pony?
Those three Nix homes games. It just aint worth living without them.
Those three Nix homes games. It just aint worth living without them.
Sarcasm. So much angst on these threads about 3 home away games, an imperfect stadium and Auckland getting a decent crowd.
Can we not enjoy a winning football side?
Actually even enjoy a loosing one.... admittedly less so, but still even through the darkest parts of last season it was still a fortnightly highlight. Probably a reflection on my sad pitiful life as much as anything. Maybe I should get a pony.