U20 World Cup - Why aren't YOU going

Hey folks,

We have a decent band of NZ football fans here and I suspect most are attending games wherever they are in the country but some aren't.  I'm really concerened about the crouds in Wellington so I'd like to know from people not going why they are not attending these games.  

Last nights late game at the stadium was an astonishingly good game of football and while it was up against the Junior AWs Ghana vs Argentina should have been enough to resonate with football and non-football people.

I just don't get the apathy here and would love some enlightenment if people could.

Reason 1: All Whites clash

Reason 2: Weather

Reason 3: (for the pubbies - Fairfax media's blanking of the tournament) - a Disgrace.

Reason 4. Stadium (not new)

Reason 5: Cost of consumables

Reason 6: Stadium lock in.

Not enough immigrants? There were LOADS of Asians at both Nth Harbour games. Most were waving NZ flags.

Went along last night and it was bloody good. A group of work mates and other mates did the typical Wellington sports fan thing and waited to see what the weather was like before buying tickets and then didn't end up going leaving me and my brother as the only 2 out of 10 that went.
For the next lot of games 4/10 of us have tickets already and the rest are waiting on the weather.

The novelty of verticl rain was worth the price of entry last night.  Particularly when it stopped as the 2nd game started.

Weather would be a major factor into why people aren't attending...well crouds have been ok, but yea Wellington has been low although the weather there has been shocking from all accounts...just need a nice fine day there for Friday and you might get up to 15,000, with Argentina and NZ playing games.  Low crouds in Dunedin which is disappointing since there is no excuse for weather there....if only Wellington had an indoor stadium as well...I guess that's another thread ?

Yeah. Wonder how many will turn up at Nth Harbour for Ukraine v USA. I've got a ticket. But I might not go if it's pissing down - after all there's another game on TV at the same time.

Pity Australia didnt quality.....

I'll be there for both Friday games. Can't pass up the chance to watch these games live. We may never get another chance.

and China, South Korea, Japan. Those 4 countries definitely would have helped crouds.

Winter tournament must be an issue for some, especially those with young kids. Chch temperature at 8pm on Thursday is forecast to be 5 degrees after a day of rain.

We won't if the attendance numbers remain this poor. No excuse is good enough for the pathetic turnout in Chch Monday.

It's been noticeable in Wgtn on both days the large numbers of Nix scarves, caps, hats, jackets in the croud.

But I do know a few people who are going because it is a one-off event and don't regularly/frequently go to Nix games.

However still very disappointing numbers.  

I think a lot of people went to the weekend games but the rainy cold Tuesday was a step too far. Tickets are cheap but when you add in food and drinks it starts to add up. Plus people have other commitments like families to work around, so at a guess I'd say a combo of all of these might contribute to the poor croud last night. I know a few guys who are into football and come to Nix games at least semi-regularly but when can only make it to a couple of the match days here because they have young families and financial considerations. If you have to prioritise then you pick games that involve NZ, games on the weekend, or knockout games.

Also, how well advertised have the individual games been here? A lot of people have been surprised at how cheap tickets are when I've told them, so maybe that could have been better advertised too. Finally, the lack of coverage on Stuff/in the Dom Post probably hasn't helped in keeping the games in people's minds here.

time to move the nix to North Harbour Stadium?

Warning: Troll Alert...

"Tickets are cheap but when you add in food and drinks it starts to add up."

Seriously disagree with this assertion.  Food and drink no more overpriced than usual and can still bring in non-commercially prepared food.

Planning on going to the Dunedin games this afternoon, but may not if I need to swim there. Covered stadium is all well and good for keeping the rain out of the ground but doesn't do much to stop the Leith flooding.

The A-league record of 597 says no.

Wet suit and flippers Osky.  Man up.

I'll add another reason.  Fairfax's petty and myopic fudgewittery.

So all the usual reasons excuses then

Yep.  I'll leave it a bit longer but the follow up will be, how do WE as fans get around them and get people in the gate on Friday and beyond.

...and yes I know we've been here with the Phoenix as well and what we do hasn't worked but we feel we need to do something.

Song sheets, bouncy castles and face painting.

Works every time.

Saturday was on the long weekend, a lot of people leave Wellington. Last night was a Tuesday. Both days were wet and cold and featured neutral teams playing group games. I don't think the crouds were really that bad considering. I fully expect Friday's game to get at least 13k - I bought tickets a couple of weeks ago and PAX was already 10k+. 

Compared to the last U20 WC in Turkey and given our relative population size and the fact our one is midwinter, our crouds are looking ok I reckon

Long weekend in the middle of summer, yes noticeable drop in Wellington population. Queens Birthday weekend pretty negligble I would guess. Last night was wet, but certainly not cold  given its winter.

Apathy is the real problem. People can sit and watch in front of a heater in a dry lounge eating cheap food and drink.

Television blackouts may be what is needed to help with a problem across pretty well every sport  

Agree but to an extent that's an LOC own goal with the NZME/NZ Herald sponsorship deal.

Thunder sticks.

When Taranaki outperforms "The Home of Football" in attendance on the same weekend I think we are burying our heads if we do not think Wellington crouds have been a disappointment for this tournament to date.

drink your own breast milk if that's what it takes

I wish...

Look, I'm not defending the people who don't show up but I'm just trying to put forward reasons why they don't. I think that what you have is a whole range of factors coming together. Each one individually might only affect a small percentage of the population but they add up. Ultimately, the number of fans who will turn up to any football game regardless of anything else just because they like football is relatively low. The rest of the population need reasons to go, and bad weather and weeknight games are reasons not to go. I did think Saturday's croud here was disappointing but I thought last night was about what you would expect sadly. As for comparing to New Plymouth, they have the magical 'novelty' factor. The idea of attending a football game isn't a novelty in Wellington. Plus I'd say Brazil are worth a few thousand people wherever they play because they are Brazil. Argentina is a great footballing nation but Brazil is, well, Brazil.

I think we should look at this breast milk thing a bit more.

This was something that crossed my mind last night.  The theory is that there is a ready made 12k croud here thanks to the Phoenix but if 2k of those are people who go to 1 or 2 football games a year they have have used up their game/games for the year.

Imagine if the DomPost had front page coverage though...

I also wonder if the no pass outs make a difference to peoples decisions.  There are also people who are only going to the knock out rounds cause they can't be bothered with round robin matches.  Jesus Wept.  WTF is wrong with people. 

Really? That is absolutely shameful. 

I've heard people cite the cost as a reason not to go. Surely people are not being priced out of this?

Aren't tickets under $20 at the lowest end?

The stadium is pish for watching football in, no atmosphere, too far away from the pitch and added to that 9 bucks for 2.5% beer and the fact you can't come in and out between games are all big negatives in my opinion

Of course you help to add to the atmosphere by not going. Not sure where the 2.5% beer story is coming from. And yes the pitch is too far away, but  it is a sharkload closer than going to Turkey to watch a game. 

We can be defensive about that but it's all valid points for people not going Jeff. 

We'd all like a better facility but unless one of us can afford it (and thanks to the Petone residents) that isn't going to happen.