Are the Nix inclusive of all? And how can it be improved

We may be getting more people to our games in Welly than the Kings get to the basketball games in Auckland. However, the Kings get far more coverage say on the radio and TV news (that's just my subjective assessment) than the Nix.  It is more than just creating awareness (bus ads would be just as good then), it is also about shaping the story and presenting ("selling") the story to the public.  That should be the job of WelNix. They've done the right thing by employing Rudan, so there should be no reason why the improved performance of the team should not be promoted more aggressively.

Sure Rudan has made some very positive changes within the playing style and group. The club is making all the right noises about being around for a ling time (which they have been doing since buying into the nix) if Wellington wants to be the home of football for NZ then the general public (football community etc) surely need to step up and show that what is said around town is actually meant.

I think the Wellington football community actually do owe the club a lot. TV exposure towards football for a start, a target for any up coming players to get a professional career started for another. A common base for football people from every club to meet and socialise for a common cause is another.

For years too many egos within the Wellington football community have bitched about football being a distant second. Well, we are not. we are a credible alternative. If they dropped their egos, wound their heads in and activity made the effort, that stadium would be 3/4's full but you get the same excuses every game - results, well, the team are getting them. no star players, well we have them now. If Steven Taylor's enthusiasm cant get you off your seat or Singh, or Krishna then you are most likely to be the sort of sad sack that sits at home paying Sky to watch EPL and living in a dream where you scored for man united in the Champions League final - despite your age. 

We in Wellington, used to and still do to some extent, take the piss out of Auckland and their two failed attempts. How arrogant and lethargic we have become?! The very same people will moan and complain should the Nix fold, but where were they? Do we deserve a Professional team? I think so but if fans of club football don't start coming to the party, we may lose the one thing that means something. How many of us have only ever met because of the Nix? In my situation, most of you. I might not agree with some of that we all believe in, but in your own way, you people have influenced me - I missed sitting in a stand and screaming my head off. With the Nix, I got that chance again. I found others whom loved to do the same. It is a great social place as well as a sporting contest.

Those whom don't attend games in the Wellington football community really need to think about themselves. Why won't they attend? Or don't want to attend. I am sure you get BIG crowds at your various club games. A game here and there at the Nix would help. It helps with the atmosphere, it helps the club continue and it helps the individual fan to feel that they have been part of something special.

Even now, 154 games later, at Kickoff, I still have that same special buzz inside me, that I am so lucky to be able to go to a professional football match in Wellington and can't wait to see how that game unfolds. This season after a rocky start and glimpses of something good, we are currently reaping the rewards. If it lasts, great. If it doesn't, hell, we've had a decent run. See you on the 12th.. 

Inclusive of Irish now :-()

When's St Patricks day and are we playing?

Round 22, we've got WSW at home.

Keep our new striker away from the bars!!

If he blooters one in off the bar, I'll let him drink what he likes.

Do Yellowfever still govern who can and cant come to games?.

Yes, we do. And you're on the naughty list. Sorry.

I think it's a NZ thing. Take Super 14 Rugby/NPC for example, barely filling the stadiums most weeks. Then the All Blacks come along and the stadium fills out becuase it's 'the place to be.' Go to work on Monday and everyone's talking about The ABz game, did you watch it etc etc. 

NZ doesn't have the sporting culture of Europe etc, where you turn up to matches and support your team. That's the highlight of your weekend, because you get to spend time with your friends over a common interest. 

It's how we as fans and match attendees (those of you Wellington types) engage people and show them how fun it can be at the game. You've got a platform with The Fever already that brings a different match day experience and differs from going to an ABz game where people only chant 'All Blacks.... All Blacks..." and proceed to discuss anything but the actual game. 

The only way you're going to attract new fans of any race/culture/sexuality etc, is showing them to not only is the match day experience fun and interactive, but it's inclusive.

Personally, having been to rugby (both canes and ABs) at the cake tin, I find the atmosphere absolutely laughable. I've told my colleagues and family in laws as much. Took my fiancee to hearts - dons at Tyne castle a couple of Christmas'back and she understood what atmosphere was. I like rugby, but it's pathetic in comparison. I will continue to try to persuade others, the good results will help that argument. But I do think that the city needs to embrace it more. 

Wellingtonians (maybe kiwis but I can't judge on that yet) for the most part, appear to be glory hunters. I'm only saying this as a newbie, and can't level this against anyone on here, but it's something I've noticed. Maybe it's the difference between the majority of footballing world and here. Folk stick it out through thick and thin whereas here, the abs get a good crowd because by and large, they win. Other sports drop off big time. 

This thread has probably gone off on a tangent, but I still think the crowd is what it is. Friendly. 

Kiwis mate. Glory supporters and fair weather fans for the most part.

I think people are exaggerating how committed the sporting culture of Europe is in going to support their team regardless of results.

What you find in Europe is that when teams are struggling, especially over a period of years, attendances go down, sometimes plummet. There may be some exceptions, but that's generally the case. More successful clubs have vastly bigger attendances, and the more successful nations have far bigger crowds. 

Ok, the top nations with huge media coverage do very well with crowds, but look beyond that to struggling teams in leagues of similar quality to the A-League and we our crowds are reasonable. Throughout Europe, the same things happen as here, where a lot of people are more interested in watching the top teams than going to support their local team. They probably don't call it 'Euro snobbery' though I guess! 

Those that have traveled more recently than I or who are currently overseas and attending games - what generally are the food/drink/entertainment options at grounds?

When I was living in the UK [late 80s] I cant recall buying food or drink at a ground but did plenty of both before and after games at nearby establishments.

We hear the moans and groans of die hard fans here about prices, most probably those sorts of things contribute to poor attendance when result son the pitch are poor as well.

Ain't important in Colombia. 

The food inside the ground is shark, and it's an alcohol free zone - 'you don't add fuel to the fire'.

Admittedly queuing outside, there are plenty of street vendors selling beers & tasty street eats. 

If you were pissed I'd doubt you would make it past the armed cops, and the two full pat down body searches.

To be honest Wellington is about the best I've been to. It's just Wellingtonions are used to good things.

Most of Europe doesn't serve booze. Throughout Eastern Europe your eating pasties, sunflower seeds, and drinking kvass (non-alcoholic fermented rye bread).

Scotland has to be the worst, dry pies and bovril.

I was at the pre-season game the Nix played up in Ba, Fiji a few years back (Burns' last one in his previous stint as it turned out).

You could get a paper cup of kava, served with a big soup ladel that the rest of the town seemed to be slurping from. Or a bowl of some local curry - again served with questionable hygiene standards. 

Kava is a natural antiseptic.

Helps for the curry

I was lucky enough to be in Barcelona a year ago. There were some local colleagues with season's passes and I was invited along to see a game at Camp Nou (I think it was Copa del Rey). My main memory is how bloody huge the  place was - the Ring of Fire is puny in comparison. I did not buy food at the venue but I remember that it was surprisingly limited (sandwiches? hotdogs?) Everybody seemed to be chewing peanuts that they brought with them (including my colleague). There were vendors walking up and down the seat rows selling beer but my colleague told me this would be "zero alcohol" beer only, and it was very pricey.  We made it back downtown for a bite after the game. 

two recent experiences with other countries stadiums-

1, British T20 where a problem with punters making snakes out of the disposable cups pints came in had led to them issuing beer in double pint cups 

2, Japanese baseball where young lasses with beer barrels on their backs ran around and delivered tap beer of multiple brands to you when you needed it. Probably wrong, but I enjoyed it. Would improve t20 in NZ where you queue half a game for a beer.

Not really relevant to football, especially in Wellington. Think the ring of fire is great- and in fact Fritz, 433 and Hapi Daze works fairly well in most places in the country!

If we're talking non football then it's pretty hard to go past American sports. I've been to a few San Francisco Giants games and in the better seats you've got menus and you can order food delivered. In the cheaper seats they have people going up and down the aisles selling things and there's plenty of good food and even "craft" beer (if you call Anchor craft beer) options in the concourse. Giant pretzels being the thing you have to eat.

wtf has happened to this thread

way off topic, but better than arguing about politics and splitting the forums imo

I think some are comparing how other codes and grounds treat fans in comparrison to Westpac. Not too far off the topic.

All part of the experience I guess. 

I've found arsenal one of the best, followed by Fulham, but the westoac actually has a really good selection. Which surprised me how much criticism there was. I do miss Aberdeens macaroni pies, think I saw somewhere in welly offering them but yet to try. 

Been to Dutch games, Porto, la bombanera and they all pale in comparison. Been to yank football a couple of times and once to baseball. Its a different form of supply I guess but I was mightily impressed with some of peanut sellers throws. 

I genuinely believe that if the nix continue to do well and keep doing what they're doing in the community they will come. I'm genuinely intrigued to see what we get on the 12th. Regardless of what happens in the next two games 

someone mentioned food and drink 

The truly inclusive topic: having a pie and a pint.

Inclusivity also means catering to all different food preferences.

#identitypolitics