R20 v Sydney FC | Sat 23rd Feb | 7:35 | Campbelltown (chortle)

Going from crowds over the season to date, the Nix are averaging 6,600 per game. Over 13 home games this is 85,800. Sydney are averaging 19,900 (including a home derby), and only had 10,100 for the game against the Nix. 

If we take 12 games at the Nix average, and one game at the Sydney average, this totals 99,100, or 7,600 per game. If we use the 10,100 (a more realistic prediction for this crowd) that Sydney had against the Nix, this average drops to 6,870.

This is a conservative calculation. If the Nix continue to play the way they are and pick up results, I have no doubt the home crowds will increase.

If the Nix think that removing all aspects of home advantage (Home crowd, not having to travel 3 hours, conditions similar to what they're used to training in etc) is worth giving up for the sake of an extra 200 or so on the season average, good on them. 

This obviously only considers one of the two determinants that Dome mentioned in the press release, so I'm hoping from a business model perspective going to Sydney is going to be materially beneficial for the club.

Am I the only one making the connection here?

Earlier this year the Phoenix was heavily rumoured to be mulling offers of merging with SWS as a pathway for SWS to enter the league.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/10...

The club, based out of Campbelltown has now been confirmed for the A-League in 2 seasons time (20/21). 
https://www.a-league.com.au/news/winning-bid-profi...

It seems all too convenient that we chose Campbelltown as out venue for this game. I wouldn't be surprised if SWS acquired the contracts of the players at the point and time, and the two clubs merged.

that's a stretch! Dome and Welnix firmly denied any merger claims. There is clearly a relationship with the ownership of the two clubs which is probably why we've gone there now. Any suggestion of a merger is pure speculation.

Yeah perhaps. since SWS have their own license now I'm not sure what the benefit of a merger would be, and I'm not sure of the specifics around moving contracts between clubs. 

Just seems like a coincidence that we'd move the game to Campbelltown.

It could well be the SWS crew has a good relationship with the Nix, and hey've soaked up some of the cost for this as a way to get the local fans engaged before their own team starts.

So what happens next season, two ‘home’ games in Campbelltown...?

Potentially around W League and other efficiencies. At the end of the day both groups are running a business

Dubbo and Alice Springs

Macarthur South-West Sydney have a billionaire backer apparently in Lang Walker. They are quietly probably a little pissed off, that their entry has been delayed until the 2020/21 season, whist other new team Western Melbourne get to enter 12 months earlier.

SWS's entry is only being held back 12 months, to allow the Wanderers to bed in their new home at the rebuilt Parramatta Stadium. If SWS feel like they are all set up ready to go now, they won't be so happy they have to wait a further season. Successful very rich people, tend to be a little impatient.

So yes hosting a Nix game, at least allows them to start promoting their upcoming new team, come game day at Cambelltown. They are probably willing to write a nice cheque for Welnix, so they can do that.

And yeah not surprising if they bid to host Nix again for 1-2 games next season as well. You would just hope in the future Dome & co, negotiate these games much sooner, and so get the dates out much earlier.

Going forward Welnix may now have a good ally in SWS, when sitting down at the Independant A League table, and looking to retain their licence.

And they love his support from Sydney for the Nix on Insider forum 

Agree on that last bit. Supposedly the Nix are well regarded by the current club owners so making friends with new clubs and building a strong relationship before they even enter the league would make good sense. 

Prob wrong thread, but I can understand them being unhappy with only one team being admitted next year. My simple reason is: Why have a bye when you can easily avoid it? 

i have tried to get pre season games to wanganui in the past, got the right people in touch with the club but i guess they could just never come to an agreement over the cash involved

Don't the FFA lighting requirements effect to many normal Stadium venues in NZ

(Remembering all the cranes used at HuttWreck and then the extras having to come in to

up the standard on the afternoon before first game)

This post seems to forget tha they can't actually play 'at home' this round.

Goodbye 100% attendence record, Was nice knowing you.

One daysome fever members with get married and have kids and then they will realise just how much it can put you under strain to go to games. If I was single and flatting, piece of piss, but I am not.

In Campbell town isn't that an area of you having to wearing Blue & White like the bulldogs or else?

Campbelltown is Western Suburbs Magpies/ Wests Tigers territory.

Orange and Black then

You will find that "Orange is the new black" will be perfect there

Love it! Good call Sir.

How about the Lawson Tama?

Thinking we should get the Nix hierarchy and Lester/WCC to set up a 'fan zone' in Civic Square or similar with a big screen for all those weeks in Feb/March when team is 'away'. This is shaping up to be a season to remember and would presumably provide good PR for club on back of 'needing' to do Campbelltown game. 

The club will need to do something because that announcement certainly has not helped their image nor has it endared them to the locals thatdon't reside on here. Wandering around the stadium with my boy on Saturday and listening, there are quite a few annoyed fans out there. I still think Wanganui, Napier or even Masterton or Porirua would have been better alternatives.Something smells about this whole thing and one day it will surface.

Yeah, I picked up a lot of the same vibes. Personally, I'm not as negative about this call by club as some are - if there's one thing I reckon we have to give them, it's that they do try to make things work commercially and for the fans at the same time. But, they certainly don't get everything right though, and this is possibly another example of it. 

Rudan and Co have got the players humming now. I'd just love to see the club and fans, lifers and those on the bandwagon, to pull together too and be able to get properly in behind them while they 'need' to be away. 

So, petition? Or email Dome and/or Lester?

Also, I'm happy to put this suggestion to Club myself, though I expect there's many on here who'd have far greater influence. 

Thanks for your input. You are quite right. I am like I am as I am passionate about the club and have a more personal agenda ongoing - this attendence thing. That put aside and what you said is so very true!

But A WCC council fan Zone in civic square could be an answer.

why would cooks gardens in wanganui not meet ffa standards?  

the lighting is pretty good they use them for athletics and i am pretty sure they would need very good lighting for the field events. when the lights are on at night it is pretty much like daylight in the gardens.

Lighting will be a big part of it, got to be up to a certain standard for tv. Hutt Rec wasn't up to standard but believe Nix got a special pass due to the situation being outside of their control and games were mostly played afternoon. 

I thought they had to get 2 extra cranes in last minute - as 2 were being rigged as I arrived at Hutt Wreck

After FFA would not pass them

On an aside - I think the Basin Reserve has resource consent for international Day/nighter cricket std lighting and Towers - Had the funding but had to redirect it to cover the upgrade of a stand when council/historic places decide to EQ strengthen it rather than Knock Down. Going forward an advantage for Football maybe 

The Basin is traditionally a football ground.
It also has EXACTLY the same "far from the action" problem as the RoF.
Also, I doubt the cricket folks would be happy to have their sacred turf trampled while the domestic season is ongoing.

ITT there are lots of people who seem to be coming close to conspiracy theory, instead of accepting the simple fact that this is a financial decision from Welnix. Campbelltown/SWS offered a better deal than anyone else - for all you know they offered the ONLY deal, it could be that every feasible NZ venue were asked and a deal couldn't be made except at a ruinous loss. People need to grasp that the fact that the Nix have sucked in recent years and thus your average punter won't spend to watch them means that McLean Park or the Ring of Dirt or Waikato Stadium would have asked for $$$ upfront that Welnix didn't feel like spending.

I don't understand these bald assertions that McLean Park or Weka Park or some dude's back yard in Wanganui would have both (a) made financial sense; (b) been approved by the FFA, and only secret backroom deals can explain otherwise. You can argue that Welnix should have taken a financial bath rather than take the game to Campbelltown - that's at least an argument with some logic behind it, though a logic totally counterposed to that which Welnix have followed over 7 years. But stop with the conspiracy theory.

Actually, that's a good point. Welnix have kept our mostly-shark club afloat for 7 years. No bailouts, no dodgy deals with shady Khaleejis. They don't get enough credit (from the FFA or from us) IMHO. The occasional oddball who pops up to argue that all football clubs lose money and it is somehow selfish / unambitious for Welnix not to want to do so is pretty much asking for their entertainment to be paid for on someone else's dime.

Devil's advocate. 

Nix lose 3 games on the bounce in Oz, in 11 days. Some refereeing stinkers don't help.

Melbourne, Adelaide & Western Sydney. 35 degree heat at each venue. 

Stevie Taylor put on a drip post the 3rd game. The feel good balloon pops big time.

The A League's worst drawcard CCM then come to Westpac for a 7.35pm Sat night kickoff. 

Thousands of Wellington husbands, are forced to attend Saturday evening BBQs. Crowd 6,000.

Welnix are trying to keep the Nix afloat, both financially, and in improving the FFA metrics.

A nice cheque from SWS/Lang Walker, and a reasonable crowd in Sydney (both Sydney FC fans & locals being courted for SWS's new team) - improves both.

5,000 Wanganui folk paying $30 a head does nothing.