Waratahs cry out for fan force

[travelling_gerry]

Waratahs cry out for fan force

• By Iain Payten
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• April 15, 2010 12:00AM

Rallying cry...Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh. Source: Getty Images




WARATAHS officials are confident their blockbuster clash with the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium next week can break the record for Australia's biggest ever Super 14 crowd.

Just six weeks after NSW's record worst crowd, they'll need it.
Not only will the game be crucial for the Tahs' finals hopes, but with crowds having plummeted this season, a bumper attendance now appears required to save NSW Rugby's bottom line as well.
Poor crowds - including a Super rugby-low of 15,522 against the Lions - has seen the Waratahs draw an average of 18,366 fans in four games.
The figure is over 6000 short of a break-even mark for NSW Rugby, and siginficantly less than the Waratahs' average crowd of 33,739 just five years ago.
With crowd revenue a major source of income, the Waratahs are hoping their final two home games against the Brumbies and the Hurricanes can dig them out of trouble and prevent a loss for a third straight financial year.


Chief executive Jim L'Estrange confirmed yesterday that NSW Rugby will report a $400,000 operating loss for 2009 at its AGM in two weeks, following a $205,249 loss in 2008.
Though "behind a little bit" in 2010, L'Estrange is confident a massive crowd on Saturday, April 24 at ANZ Stadium can help get the books back in the black.
"We were hoping at the start of the year for an average of about 25,000," L'Estrange said. "We budget low for certain games, the Lions at Easter for example.
"But for a local derby against the Brumbies, we are budgeting higher. We want a crowd over 35,000 but with the initiatives we have in place, with the high quality and importance of the game, we actually think we can get a crowd challenging the record for the biggest ever in Australia. It should be a cracker."
The highest ever crowd for Super 14 in Australia is 42,237, for Queensland v NSW at Suncorp Stadium in 2004.
L'Estrange said signs were already looking positive to get near the record, with a crowd of over 30,000 already secure, NSW and the Brumbies both pressing for the playoffs and - crucially - doing it in an entertaining fashion.
The Waratahs, and rugby in general, are slowly winning back fans after new law interpretations have helped remove the drudgery of recent years.
"We are now up there with the leading try-scoring teams ... people will see they're running the ball and having a crack. I don't think you'd see a better local derby than taking on a Brumbies team with Giteau, Elsom and co," he added.
L'Estrange said he wasn't concerned about the small crowds this year, with low-drawing South African teams, weather and Friday night slots playing a role. "Some games are simply better games, and some times are better times," he said.
NSW Rugby believes it can repeat the success of last year's Crusaders' clash, which drew a season-best 32,469. The Waratahs-Brumbies clash will be preceded by a junior rugby march-past, featuring 2500 kids from Canberra and Sydney, and a special offer to Subbies players is expected to boost numbers.
A big push to get Canberra supporters to the game with the Brumbies' assistance and discount accommodation offers has also kicked off.
NSW will play two games at ANZ Stadium from 2011 onwards.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225853840443

[blueandblack]

Maybe they should play exciting rugby on a regular basis. Although I won't be watching.

[zimeric]

maybe they should get more loyal fans...

[Sheikh]

"But for a local derby against the Brumbies, we are budgeting higher. We want a crowd over 35,000 but with the initiatives we have in place, with the high quality and importance of the game, we actually think we can get a crowd challenging the record for the biggest ever in Australia. It should be a cracker."

If they are offering initiatives to increase crowd numbers (presumably cut-price tickets) how will that help the NSWRA budget?

Do they expect the punters to spend that much on Tahs merchandise and beer and burgers at the ground?

[GIGS20]

maybe they should get more loyal fans...

maybe they should move to Perth.


Scratch that, those fans are taken!

[AndyS]

The next few weeks could be interesting. They are winning and even playing entertaining rugby in the process. If that still doesn't pull the fans, then perhaps they will need to reassess a few preconceptions about why they have lost touch with their support base.

Maybe they should relocate west of Sydney?

[Lonzy]

another random post as bought to you by Lonzy ... bored out of her mind!

[Burgs]

That is absoluely piss weak which ever way you cut it, city of some 4 million can only scrape together 15,522 or an average of 18,366, pathetic.
They should sell out the SFS every week.

[jargan83]

Yeah but most of the 4 million prefer mungo ball over Rugby
Posted via Mobile Device

[Burgs]

There are enough to fill a stadium though.

[jargan83]

You're right, but to tar a whole city with the same brush for not turning up is a touch off the mark as well
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[travelling_gerry]

Its Sydney. The whole state should be tarred and feathered.

[Lonzy]

LOL i can see the sydney opera house right now ...covered in tar and feathers ... hehehe ... small things

[shasta]

Cane toads don't actually live in any particular area - they just keep moving through, spending their whole life as nomads heading towards the far horizon. So even if you removed all the toads from your yard one night, by the next night you're likely to have a new bunch of toads there to replace the ones you got rid of yesterday.

Rumour has it that some of them have migrated as far as WA. They are almost as persistant as cockroaches, which are rumoured to be able to survive a nuclear blast, and are usually twice as ugly. So what's a bit of tar 'n' feathers going to achieve either way?

[Burgs]

You're right, but to tar a whole city with the same brush for not turning up is a touch off the mark as well
Posted via Mobile Device

With the understanding that I am saying there are far more supporters in a city of 4m and I am having a shot at those people not the entire 4m then, I don't really see why, they have the same distances to travel as the catchment area for Force supporters in greater Perth, with a far better transport network for most, better facilities, allegedly a proud tradition as the "home of Australian Rugby" and a team still in with a shot of the Finals and playing reasonably attractive Rugby, at least compared to last year.
Piss weak.