membership down again in 2008, subi to blame?

[slomo]

force membership 21,000 in 2006, 17,000 in 2007, and at current renewal rates the expectation is 15,000 for the upcoming season. demand for corporate boxes remains strong, but fans who previously occupied the cheaper areas behind the goals which are a mininimum 40m from the action are sacrificing the at the game atmosphere for a better view on live TV....

as in todays west....

[travelling_gerry]

as per todays West.....

O'Meara says that its not Quokkagate hurting us...its the stadium..

[LarryNJ]

Quokkagate is too recent to have a big effect on those ticket sale numbers. I'd guess that if they make it into the top 4 that the stadium will not be as big of a factor.

[frontrow]

The stadium as is sucks,ie Subi, and if we are gonna be charged more for rental at the new stadium (ie pipedream) we lose again...The only alternative is a total overhaul of facilities and redesign of ME stadium to cater for the general fans, up to 30,000 seats and new facilities for the corporte clients and broadcasters...

[jono]

also it would have to be designed for an easy and relativley cheap upgrade for when there is more demand for it

[James]

I'd like to see how attendance goes this year. As long as crowd numbers aren't too bad, memberships aren't such an issue. There was always going to be a honeymoon period of great member numbers for the first few years until it steadied out at what the other teams have got (around 10,000 members).

[Em-Forcer]

I guess. It would have been nice to ride the crest of the wave for a bit longer, though - till either results or a new stadium kicked in to offset the natural falloff.

[Burgs]

Still a fair way in front of their initial prediction of 4,000 though.

[Darren]

I wonder how the numbers work out playing at a corporately and capacity (say 24K) upgraded MES compared with Subi...

[shasta]

I wonder how the numbers work out playing at a corporately and capacity (say 24K) upgraded MES compared with Subi...

If that starts to look a possibility, we'll be renewing our memberships in a flash. At only 24K it'll be a must to have seats.

[Burgs]

Exactly, with on average 6000 turned away, any current MES plan is a waste of time.
People on this site will miss matches if the Force go to MES, upgraded or otherwise!

[frontrow]

The idea would be to commission a redevelpoment of MES now, to incorporate enough corporate facilities and general seating to cater to 30,000, whilst leaving options to expand into the future..ie, Knock it down, and start again, sure it would be a few years still it could be utilised but no more than a super stadium would be...And the plus is we have our own venue which caters to the rectangular codes, and one which caters to test matches etc in superstadium...I like it......

[slomo]

there was an article in todays sunday time stating that it could take up to seven years before the new stadium is open and to save a bit cash the're going to have less toilets....!!!!!!

[Burgs]

Date/Opposition/Crowd

10/02/2006 Brumbies 37,037
24/02/2006 Chiefs 29,239
17/03/2006 Waratahs 26,140
25/03/2006 Bulls 23,392
31/03/2006 Stormers 24,507
21/04/2006 Crusaders 30,230

2006 Average 28,424

2/02/2007 Highlanders 30,704
24/02/2007 Lions 25,523
9/03/2007 Hurricanes 27,648
16/03/2007 Reds 26,032
30/03/2007 Sharks 28,400
27/04/2007 Cheetahs 24,313
4/05/2007 Blues 30,083

2007 Average 27,529

Lifetime Average: 27,942

Opposition:
Aus 29,736
NZ 29,581
SA 25,227

A new rectangular stadium is supposedly going to bring crowds "back" to the game.
We are already averaging a tick under 30k against Australian and New Zealand teams in a reportedly crap stadium.
Who of you are going to give up YOUR seat in the newly refurbished/rebuilt/re-whatevered MES to allow these people "back" to the game?
30k does not cut it, it is a cop out and it is selling our code short.
Once something is built we are stuck with it for the majority of our watching days.
MES is not the option we should be encouraging as punters for a growing code in a growing community.

[frontrow]

Then build a 40,000+ stadium, just utilise the stadium grounds to build a new one, this is what i am trying to point out...Rather than waiting 7 yrs for a super stadium to be planned and developed we can begin work demolishing MES and rebuilding in half the time and still have a sensational facility, and then once the super stadium comes online we will have a venue for test matches, both soccer or rugby...Once Glory start performing at their best again, and the Rugby League lads start to blossom, plus The Force, well together their should be enough backers privately to get it(an expanded MES) up and running, with govt support...