Crowds - The thread of Australian whining

4604 replies · 379,731 views

28 Sep 22:33 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Knights sized ? There were more than 597 there.

disco_mart wrote:

For those who used to support the Knights at North Harbour, having that big screen made the NZ refs look daft to everyone, esp themselves with some of their shocking calls that cost the Knights at least 2 or 3 genuine wins.

Shoulda said Kingz

Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites

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28 Sep 22:59 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

I hope people are joking about it being cold on Sunday? It really wasn't.

Pricing - compared to what I am used to in Scotland, it's a bargain. Sadly, compared to what you Kiwis are used to for rugby, it's far too high - $20 across the board would be better IMO instead of all these different sections and prices (well 2, but still!).

Style of play - I think some people are exaggerating this swashbuckling attacking football we are supposedly playing for starters. It might seem that way compared to last season, but in general terms, it's really not THAT great. Also, fairweather fans and others are just going to see the results - draws and a distinct lack of goals. They equate this with a lack of entertainment, and coupled with the prices already mentioned, there's no chance they are going to go.

On Sunday past I didn't go because of the Upper Hutt train not turning up, and my mate didn't go because I couldn't go, so there's -2 for a different reason!

I also agree about the stadiums -

Westpac - far too big for us, looks empty

Etihad - far too big for Melbourne, but at least they are moving soon

Suncorp - far far far too big for Brisbane. Pity too because it's a cracking football stadium

Sydney Footbal Ground - far too big

Gold Coast - not even that big, but far too big!

Adelaide - pretty good, always looks pretty full even with 10-15,000 there

Perth - can't even remember what their stadium looks like??

Fury - not too bad

Newcastle - too big

Central Coast - too big

In an ideal world all teams other than Melbourne would have stadiums of about 20,000 capacity. The current ones are just making attendances look even more pitiful than they are, but I suppose not a lot can be done about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone

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28 Sep 23:06 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Steve-O wrote:

I also agree about the stadiums -

Westpac - far too big for us, looks empty

Etihad - far too big for Melbourne, but at least they are moving soon

Suncorp - far far far too big for Brisbane. Pity too because it's a cracking football stadium

Sydney Footbal Ground - far too big

Gold Coast - not even that big, but far too big!

Adelaide - pretty good, always looks pretty full even with 10-15,000 there

Perth - can't even remember what their stadium looks like??

Fury - not too bad

Newcastle - too big

Central Coast - too big

I agree. In the American MLS, all of the clubs have been encouraged to build football dedicated stadiums so that all income is theirs and not played out in rent; the stadiums are not too big and unwieldy (ala A-League) and the clubs are able to host other events to generate further revenue streams from hosting concerts etc.

Supporter world's best and worst football teams: Waikato/WaiBop, Kingz, Knights, Phoenix, The Argyle, The Whites & the All Whites

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28 Sep 23:39 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

I reckon the worst thing about the league is the stadiums. Brisbane and Syd just rediculously big, almost laughably so. Wellington and Melbourne too big and to make matters worse ROUND. Looks so bad on TV. The others arent too bad, Some are really good. Ive seen it mentioned on some of the Aussie forums that when they play in more appropriate stadiums the atmosphere is better and thats what gets people hooked on live football.

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28 Sep 23:40 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

New England and DC United Stadiums from the MLS are worse than anything in the A league

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28 Sep 23:59 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Don't forget our yellow seats. Paint half of them black or in stripes! Royal2009-09-29 12:59:55

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29 Sep 00:40 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Colvinator wrote:

Ok, this may be a nuts idea but anyway. Could we at some point have some deal with one of the rugby teams. IE: If you have a season ticket to rugby, you get admission to 2 free Phoenix games as well. And it could work back the other way too (they aren't exactly going to 'poach' our fans!). Or with cricket? You might find people who go to stadium for other sports, might get into Phoenix if they actually experienced it... The seasons don't overlap that much so there could be an audience there if they had some more encouragement.

No colvinator I dont think your comment is nuts it has a lot of merit especially regarding getting people who go to the stadium for other sports to come to Nix games. As a regular at the stadium over the last 10 years [I have a Nix membership and access to stadium tickets] I have seen the cross section that goes to various events, it is certainly different for the various sports. Without any scientific study I there are people with stadium tickets who only attend rugby games and who would probably say they would not be seen dead at a Nix game, but possibly only because of the supposed reputation of soccer, these are the people or associates of these people we have to get to the nix games. If you dont use the stadium ticket you dont get the value from it. Also to the level 3 Delloitte lounge is no longer open when the Nix play, level 4 is open but the access to the bowl seating is ofcourse not as available, its probably a financial thing but I do believe if the level 3 lounge was open, even purhaps at the expence of the facilities on level 4, more stadium holders would attend, at rugby games this place is alive and I am sure this would be the case if it was open for the nix games, in the first season it was open and it was a good place to be.

Anyway thats my tuppence worth. Shot me down if you will.

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29 Sep 02:21 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

I think the westpac stadium is one of the best stadiums around, and I would hate to see the Phoenix move anywhere else!

Yes, it is to large. The position of it is perfect though! 5min walk from trains, 5min walk to the pubs, 10-15min walk to the centre of town... If the Phoenix started winning and got themselves into a playoff position I'm confident we would see at least 12,000 every week which is not to bad

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29 Sep 02:51 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

uhfan wrote:

Colvinator wrote:

I agree with what Colvinator says, trouble seems to me that the two codes treat each other as competitors. I understand the rationale behind that because they both are competing for the same discretionary spend but I think a certain cooperation would benefit both codes.

I know it was discussed last year that on a weekend when the Lions and Nix were at home you could get access to both games if you were a member of one but nothing happened about it. I also think Wellington Cricket could do something depending on their schedule, I may have way to much spare time on my hands as a dirty student but I would enjoy nothing more than a day on the bank at the Basin followed by a Nix game.

Lets all love each other sports!

www.kiwifromthecouch.blogspot.com

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29 Sep 02:51 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

It's the big round shadow along the ground . . .

Seriously, someone needs to do some fake computer images to fill in the seats. . . .

Anyway, the numbers will go up next season as the recession will be officially over and that the World Cup Finals will stimulate interest back again. Expect the Socceroos and hopefully the All Whites will perform with some credit on the big stage.

Also the AFL and the Rugby League is finishing up their season and so some a minor increase will happen. The Aussie Cricket isn't the same anymore as they are losing more. Premium conditions to grow.

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29 Sep 03:05 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Colvinator wrote:

Not without merit, would all three codes that use the stadium be interested in combining to give one some sort of package deal based on a 12 month subscription?? Say 01 Feb-31Jan??

Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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29 Sep 03:20 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

one uses tickemaster the othe use ticketec- would be a shambles if they all went to ticketec. I hope the Nix shift the other way.

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29 Sep 03:36 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Win games = More people.

I reckon if the nix won all of their away fixtures (or win more than they draw...), there would be at least 10k for the Judas home game.

Central Hawkes Bay Nix
and tragic follower of Charlton Athletic

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29 Sep 04:48 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Steve-O wrote:

Etihad - far too big for Melbourne, but at least they are moving soon

Yeah, but we're still playing our 'big' games there, i.e Sydney and Adelaide. :(

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29 Sep 04:48 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

bopman wrote:

uhfan wrote:

Colvinator wrote:

Lets all love each other sports!

Yea, I'm not sure how much they do actually compete in terms of discretionary spending. For instance, a lot of people will do their budgets over a period of a fortnightly, or maybe monthly pay period. IE: I've got $200 dollars to spend on whatever over this fortnight. So for a lot of the Phoenix season they won't actually be competing with rugby games, and also a lot of games not competing with cricket matches at the time. I think all codes have more to gain than they do to lose through working together.

Just thinking now about Friday night matches... I think the key there is to tap into the office workers. A lot of office people go out together after work on Fridays. My works social club all went to a 20/20 match a while back vs India. A whole bunch of people went who wouldn't have gone to a cricket game usually. Social clubs are often looking for good deals and stuck for things to do. A decent telemarketer (like myself!), would be able to get heaps of these types of groups along...

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29 Sep 05:01 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

man2biron wrote:

I think the westpac stadium is one of the best stadiums around, and I would hate to see the Phoenix move anywhere else!

I agree it's a good location, but it's pretty crap for football you must admit? Fans are too far away from the pitch. Not a fan of the round stadiums but we don't have any other option.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone

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29 Sep 05:02 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

kiwi pie wrote:

Steve-O wrote:

Etihad - far too big for Melbourne, but at least they are moving soon

Yeah, but we're still playing our 'big' games there, i.e Sydney and Adelaide. :(

Might find that will change if you sell less tickets than the capacity of the new stadium. Would be stupid to play in a half empty Etihad when you could play in a full to capacity rectangular stadium.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone

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29 Sep 05:19 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Royal wrote:

No one mentioning crowd size going down because of 5 draws (or 4 before last game)?Assuming the crowds may grow by 1000 with each win we may well be getting 12-13000 now as we'd be near the top. At the moment no team in the league with 1 win, 5 draws and sitting in bottom 3rd would get more than our 6794, Melbin excepted.Nothing to do with weather.WinLast Lions game was less than 6000 so I'm told. That was to do with the weather and they haven't got some piece of wood anymore

Extremely flawed logic. Just randomly putting numbers out of thin air? What makes you think we'd get a 1,000 extra per win? Our best crowd this season was for the first game, following a very poor performance away from home. And then we win our first home game, and the attendance promptly drops by 2,500...

The reality is that there's been a general drop in attendances over the past two seasons. For everyone. Win, lose or draw.

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29 Sep 05:40 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

UberGunner wrote:

one uses tickemaster the othe use ticketec- would be a shambles if they all went to ticketec. I hope the Nix shift the other way.

Ticketmaster isn't available in the turnstiles though. Ticketmaster have people with scanners.
At least Ticketek only have to worry about being sh*t at getting tickets organized.

Imagine having to stress about getting people their tickets and into the stadium.

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29 Sep 05:42 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

I propose a "Free entry into the ground if you wear a silly hat" day.

That'll get the punters in.

Central Hawkes Bay Nix
and tragic follower of Charlton Athletic

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29 Sep 06:19 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Steve-O wrote:

man2biron wrote:

I think the westpac stadium is one of the best stadiums around, and I would hate to see the Phoenix move anywhere else!

I agree it's a good location, but it's pretty crap for football you must admit? Fans are too far away from the pitch. Not a fan of the round stadiums but we don't have any other option.

Oi it's our Stadium and we likes it!

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29 Sep 06:28 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

ForteanTimes wrote:

Steve-O wrote:

man2biron wrote:

I think the westpac stadium is one of the best stadiums around, and I would hate to see the Phoenix move anywhere else!

I agree it's a good location, but it's pretty crap for football you must admit? Fans are too far away from the pitch. Not a fan of the round stadiums but we don't have any other option.

Oi it's our Stadium and we likes it!

Ours and the Lions, Hurricanes, All Blacks, Blackcaps...etc

Round stadiums are not great for football - you saying you wouldn't rather be closer to the action?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone

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29 Sep 06:32 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

bopman wrote:

I would enjoy nothing more than a day on the bank at the Basin followed by a Nix game.

Dec 4th, take the Friday off work, head to the Basin Reserve for day two of the second test between the Black Caps and Pakistan then stumble down to the ROF to see us take three points against the Victory.

Hopefully I will remember my own words of advice and not go too hard during the day so I can last the Nix game

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29 Sep 07:48 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

I really do wish they hadn't made the stadium round - I hate watching cricket there, and we hardly ever get more than the 14k that the basin could hold. Ring of Fire would have been awesome as a 35,000 seater Oblong of Fire!

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29 Sep 09:34 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

i love the idea mentioned earlier about MLS teams being encouraged to build their own stadiums. Would be amazing to see Phoenix Stadium in Wellington somewhere. Unfortunately i doubt it will ever be a possibility, but, as much as i love westpac stadium, a rectangle ground would be so much better for football!

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29 Sep 10:25 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Something like the 15k Bielsko Biala Stadium in Poland would be perfect.

I certainly wouldn't build it with out some stability and assurance of continuation.

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29 Sep 10:27 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

A 12,000 seat dedicated football stadium in Wellington would be awesome. Especially a rectangle with the front of the stands hard against the touch lines. The atmosphere would be great....and even more intimidating for the visiting teams.

The ROF is OK but 7000 to 10,000 in a 34,000 seat stadium is a bit soul less sometimes....all those acres of empty yellow seats.

YF would really go off in a small stadium.

Apart from the initial capital cost the finances would work out good for the team. Many European teams own their own grounds. They generate significant income from the hospitality side....bars and restaurants. Imagine turning up to the Phoenix's home stadium 3 hours before a game....have a meal and then off to the Phoenix bar for a few pints....and all that money goes into the clubs pocket.

We will never see it unfortunately, just too expensive.

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29 Sep 10:36 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Your other problem is where do you build it. The ideal spot has a large round object on it.

How's my driving? - Whine here

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29 Sep 10:41 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Easter road

Allegedly

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29 Sep 10:48 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

zinidane wrote:

The ROF is OK but 7000 to 10,000 in a 34,000 seat stadium is a bit soul less sometimes....all those acres of empty yellow seats.

YF would really go off in a small stadium.

We will never see it unfortunately, just too expensive.

Its good to dream !

Maybe one day we can get it !

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29 Sep 10:49 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Hard News wrote:

Your other problem is where do you build it. The ideal spot has a large round object on it.

And another problem - how long are we gonne be in the a-league?

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29 Sep 11:49 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

ForteanTimes wrote:

Steve-O wrote:

man2biron wrote:

I think the westpac stadium is one of the best stadiums around, and I would hate to see the Phoenix move anywhere else!

I agree it's a good location, but it's pretty crap for football you must admit? Fans are too far away from the pitch. Not a fan of the round stadiums but we don't have any other option.

Oi it's our Stadium and we likes it!

Those of you who have watched football in a proper (rectangular) football stadium will know that it is infinitely better. But we're never going to get one of those in Wellington so why is this even a topic of conversation?

I think the A-League (and the NPC) need to consider whether every game is televised, and scheduling matches for the benefit of TV audience rather than spectators. People can follow the NPC without ever attending a match, is that how it should really be? Steve-O, you didn't go on Sunday because of the trains, but I;m sure it wasn't that big a deal because you could watch it on TV. People can be fans without ever attending a match, that''s not right.

Normo's coming home

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29 Sep 19:53 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Yeah but the benefit of that far outweighs any negative. People being able to be fans without attending a match has to be a good thing. Worldwide support of english prem clubs being an example,or out of towners for the nix.

But i know what you're getting at. accesibility to the stadium is very important. and NPC etc scheduling games on a thursday night,because its friendly to the tv audience rather than spectators only further encourages people to watch from their own home rather than actively go out to the game.

Allegedly

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29 Sep 20:09 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

IIRC, Oz TV stations black out the live coverage of sports events (mainly cricket I think) in cities where the game's played unless the ground's sold out.

But not sure how viable that option is for pay TV stations. I'd suggest not very.

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29 Sep 21:23 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

el grapadura wrote:

NFL do that.

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29 Sep 21:25 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

Hard News wrote:

Your other problem is where do you build it. The ideal spot has a large round object on it.

Bring back Athletic Park.

You know we belong together...

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29 Sep 21:27 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

something like qe2 stadium here would work. just more packed

ive got a song that wont take long, Adelaide are rubbish.. the second verse is same as the first.. ADELAIDE ARE RUBBISH

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29 Sep 21:28 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

No... running track = fail.

Something like NHS just without Albany.

How's my driving? - Whine here

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29 Sep 21:29 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

el grapadura wrote:

If Sky can cut you off if you dont pay your bill then they can black out certain areas for spacific events. TVNZ deny they cannot do it, but they do it at every ad break, different ads targeted at different areas.

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29 Sep 21:32 · edited 09 Sep 05:40

uhfan wrote:

deny they cannot do it

wat

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