I'm in Melbourne, and so you may call me niave and not in touch with the emotional ties to LO
But for those saying what about the 16,000 people packed into LO last week (which is its capacity)
one point of view, in response, is 16,000 should be a low low ballpoint for a big Sydney NRL club, and instead we should be aiming for an average of 25-30k which is completely possible.
We average 22.5k at Accor over 46 home games.
We average 18k at SFS over 20 games.
We average 12k at LO and 11k at CSS over 94 and 91 games respectively**.
10k average difference at the bigger stadiums - it's pretty simple business.
If you can average 25k in a 30k capacity stadium- you have a big crowd and the atmosphere.
The outlier is Commbank where we average only 10.5k over 16 games. But not sure if this is representative. If er played full time at Commbank, and are competitive the average should more like SFS or Accor.
**note - CSS is only 1000 less people average than LO, is interesting- given the sacredness LO is spoken about compared to CSS, and the better games LO usually gets (Sunday afternoon) compared to CSS which usually gets 6pm Fridays evening games against Gold Coast
Fact is we are limiting ourselves playing out of grounds with such low capacity grounds.
Top 8 2023
I don't get the issue with using Accor as a replacement for LO. I'd prefer it to other options.
I keep reading about the lack of "atmosphere" there. I don't buy that argument. Have a winning team and the fans will create the atmosphere. By all means play some games at CSS with a hope to make that the home ground in the years ahead but, by comparison to what Accor offers right now in terms of standard of facilities, ease of transport etc, CSS is light years behind.
I'm in Melbourne, and so you may call me niave and not in touch with the emotional ties to LO
But for those saying what about the 16,000 people packed into LO last week (which is its capacity)
one point of view, in response, is 16,000 should be a low low ballpoint for a big Sydney NRL club, and instead we should be aiming for an average of 25-30k which is completely possible.
We average 22.5k at Accor over 46 home games.
We average 18k at SFS over 20 games.
We average 12k at LO and 11k at CSS over 94 and 91 games respectively**.
10k average difference at the bigger stadiums - it's pretty simple business.
If you can average 25k in a 30k capacity stadium- you have a big crowd and the atmosphere.
The outlier is Commbank where we average only 10.5k over 16 games. But not sure if this is representative. If er played full time at Commbank, and are competitive the average should more like SFS or Accor.
**note - CSS is only 1000 less people average than LO, is interesting- given the sacredness LO is spoken about compared to CSS, and the better games LO usually gets (Sunday afternoon) compared to CSS which usually gets 6pm Fridays evening games against Gold Coast
Fact is we are limiting ourselves playing out of grounds with such low capacity grounds.
big difference between LO and the major stadiums IMHO with regard to numbers is family access. LO is an absolute pain with kids.
I'm in Melbourne, and so you may call me niave and not in touch with the emotional ties to LO
But for those saying what about the 16,000 people packed into LO last week (which is its capacity)
one point of view, in response, is 16,000 should be a low low ballpoint for a big Sydney NRL club, and instead we should be aiming for an average of 25-30k which is completely possible.
We average 22.5k at Accor over 46 home games.
We average 18k at SFS over 20 games.
We average 12k at LO and 11k at CSS over 94 and 91 games respectively**.
10k average difference at the bigger stadiums - it's pretty simple business.
If you can average 25k in a 30k capacity stadium- you have a big crowd and the atmosphere.
The outlier is Commbank where we average only 10.5k over 16 games. But not sure if this is representative. If er played full time at Commbank, and are competitive the average should more like SFS or Accor.
**note - CSS is only 1000 less people average than LO, is interesting- given the sacredness LO is spoken about compared to CSS, and the better games LO usually gets (Sunday afternoon) compared to CSS which usually gets 6pm Fridays evening games against Gold Coast
Fact is we are limiting ourselves playing out of grounds with such low capacity grounds.
With respect, the averages you quote at Accor and SFS are at best meaningless and IMO actually go against your argument.
The Accor averages include the "glory years" of 2005 - 2010 and more importantly include 7 "easter Monday" games against Parra with >30K crowds as a result of the Easter Show Crowds so not exactly representative.
Worse is the SFS crowds which were not only during our "glory years" but also included semi finals. For SFS crowds to only be 6K more than LO average and only slightly more than LO max is telling. If we played at SFS now, the numbers would be the same as Commbank. This is NOT an outlier. This is the state of the club.
I don't get the issue with using Accor as a replacement for LO. I'd prefer it to other options.
I keep reading about the lack of "atmosphere" there. I don't buy that argument. Have a winning team and the fans will create the atmosphere. By all means play some games at CSS with a hope to make that the home ground in the years ahead but, by comparison to what Accor offers right now in terms of standard of facilities, ease of transport etc, CSS is light years behind.
The place is dead unless you are pushing close to 40k
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
With respect, the averages you quote at Accor and SFS are at best meaningless and IMO actually go against your argument.
The Accor averages include the "glory years" of 2005 - 2010 and more importantly include 7 "easter Monday" games against Parra with >30K crowds as a result of the Easter Show Crowds so not exactly representative.
Worse is the SFS crowds
which were not only during our "glory years" but also included semi finals. For SFS crowds to only be 6K more than LO average and only slightly more than LO max is telling. If we played at SFS now, the numbers would be the same as Commbank. This is NOT an outlier. This is the state of the club.
The averages quoted are for regular home games.
They are separate to the 4 finals games at SFS where we averaged 34.5k and the 4 finals games at Accor where we average 56.5k
In respect to Easter monday - exactly you can't play big derby games at LO and CSS and get any more than their sub 20k capacities.
A good admin would be should be aiming for at least 4 or 5 big event derby games (Penrith, parra, Bulldogs, Dragons, souths) a year which pull 30k plus - irrespective of form.
In respect of 'glory days'- if we are going to plan our club around not making finals - then I'm done.
We have made the finals 3 times in 25 years. We should be aiming to reverse that for our next 25.
We should be aiming to become a big club that expects to make the finals every year.
Top 8 2023
Rubbish. I’ve been there when just a dozen blokes behind the goal posts has the place rocking. It’s up to the crowd, not the stadium.I don't get the issue with using Accor as a replacement for LO. I'd prefer it to other options.
I keep reading about the lack of "atmosphere" there. I don't buy that argument. Have a winning team and the fans will create the atmosphere. By all means play some games at CSS with a hope to make that the home ground in the years ahead but, by comparison to what Accor offers right now in terms of standard of facilities, ease of transport etc, CSS is light years behind.
The place is dead unless you are pushing close to 40k
“Club with lowest membership in league moves to largest stadium in country”
What's the arguments against Western Sydney Stadium (aka Commbank) - other than Parra have their leagues club next door?
Top 8 2023
“Club with lowest membership in league moves to largest stadium in country”
Playing devils advocate
Richo would argue that described souths when he moved to homebush and now they are in the top 2 or 3 memberships in NRL - with Brisbane and Melbourne
Top 8 2023
Rubbish. I’ve been there when just a dozen blokes behind the goal posts has the place rocking. It’s up to the crowd, not the stadium.I don't get the issue with using Accor as a replacement for LO. I'd prefer it to other options.
I keep reading about the lack of "atmosphere" there. I don't buy that argument. Have a winning team and the fans will create the atmosphere. By all means play some games at CSS with a hope to make that the home ground in the years ahead but, by comparison to what Accor offers right now in terms of standard of facilities, ease of transport etc, CSS is light years behind.
The place is dead unless you are pushing close to 40k
It's not rubbish mate, the place is good for big event games, should not be used at all for events under 30000. A 20000 crowd in a 70 000+ stadium is quite simply laughable and makes the game look second rate.
If you cannot half fill a stadium then you have no right playing there.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
“Club with lowest membership in league moves to largest stadium in country”
Playing devils advocate
Richo would argue that described souths when he moved to homebush and now they are in the top 2 or 3 memberships in NRL - with Brisbane and Melbourne
and yet if every member turns up their stadium is less than half full.
WSS wasn’t built when he moved south’s to Accor. If it was he probably would have moved there.
What's the arguments against Western Sydney Stadium (aka Commbank) - other than Parra have their leagues club next door?
It's Parramatta's ground. Always has been, always will be.
It's not only the leagues club - the whole Parra CBD is united behind the Eels, down to the pubs having blue and gold memorabilia everywhere.
Balmain tried moving there 30 years ago and it was a dismal failure.
Circumstances are obviously different now, but I'd still hate us to end up out there.
There are pros and cons to all the solutions, but I'd prefer most of them over moving to Parramatta full time.
Hypothetic question after listening to how Richo talks about choosing the most lucrative stadium. Is there a scenario where the club plays 10+ games at Commbank? Reasonable train and car access from the southwest (equal to Accor at least), future metro from inner west direct to stadium, massive corporate facilities. Obvious criticisms will be that it didn’t work in the 90s for the Sydney Tigers or really for the WT the last few years (one of the 6 stadiums we would play at each year) but what if we played ALL our games there and there was no other option to be a member at LO or CSS? Would the state government offer a sweet heart deal to get another permanent resident at the ground? Could that work?
commbank ground I think is fine aper from the parramatta leagues club right next door, it kind of never feels like home.
two Tennants in there however I think the state government would be keen on a game there every week so I'm sure a deal would be just as good as Accor
From a bias perspective I live 10 minutes from commbank but if could choose one it would be Accor
I think that is an easy fix, develop a partnership with club Parramatta. Promote that as the place to go for home games, put on events that encourage people to attend that club instead.
attending parramatta leagues club Mate is that what you mean? no from me I can't see the supporters going for that at all.
it was good at parramatta when you guys could do the ambush events in that bar however before games.
Accor has that more neutral feel about it though, that you.could take it over type of thing
Hypothetic question after listening to how Richo talks about choosing the most lucrative stadium. Is there a scenario where the club plays 10+ games at Commbank? Reasonable train and car access from the southwest (equal to Accor at least), future metro from inner west direct to stadium, massive corporate facilities. Obvious criticisms will be that it didn’t work in the 90s for the Sydney Tigers or really for the WT the last few years (one of the 6 stadiums we would play at each year) but what if we played ALL our games there and there was no other option to be a member at LO or CSS? Would the state government offer a sweet heart deal to get another permanent resident at the ground? Could that work?
commbank ground I think is fine aper from the parramatta leagues club right next door, it kind of never feels like home.
two Tennants in there however I think the state government would be keen on a game there every week so I'm sure a deal would be just as good as Accor
From a bias perspective I live 10 minutes from commbank but if could choose one it would be Accor
I think that is an easy fix, develop a partnership with club Parramatta. Promote that as the place to go for home games, put on events that encourage people to attend that club instead.
attending parramatta leagues club Mate is that what you mean? no from me I can't see the supporters going for that at all.
it was good at parramatta when you guys could do the ambush events in that bar however before games.
Accor has that more neutral feel about it though, that you.could take it over type of thing
No club Parramatta is the old RSL, down the road from the stadium.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
