General The decline of Ericsson crowds

[LeagueNut_old]

Okay, I know the team isn't doing so great at the moment, but we've still got some SERIOUS problems in terms of getting people to the ground.

5 LOWEST ERICSSON CROWDS, 1995-2006:

Rd 17 2004 vs Parramatta - 6,391
Rd 15 2004 vs Cowboys - 6,793
Rd 13 2004 vs Raiders - 6,967
Rd 9 1999 vs Rabbitohs - 7,714
Rd 13 2006 vs Broncos - 7,746

Our fifth-lowest crowd at Ericsson, and it was a match against the Broncos!! The traditional yearly blockbuster, a game that brings out the best in both teams (as witnessed today) - and it draws this measly total??

Sure, people will gripe about the dodgy weather - but with several thousand seats undercover at Ericsson these days, WHO CARES??!!??

Have people finally stopped caring? Has the rot passed the point of no return?

WHY AREN'T PEOPLE GOING TO ERICSSON ANYMORE?????

 

[warriors4life_old]

According to the Herald and TVNZ the game was played at Mt Smart Stadium...

 

[Sinbad_old]

Cause it is in Auckland mate. Look at thr rugby crowds when you had the Ranfurly Shield. Worse thasn the Warriors.

Need to relocate to a true sports mad area like Wellington, Christchurch or even Hamilton.

In those places people will go to watch paint dry it it involved a sports person !

 

[Northern_Union]

Every professional team has a core of supports it can relie on. This what we saw today.

Rugby league people are for the most part working class (like myself). The working class of NZ are not rich (unlike most of the players at the warriors). When they/us percieve that a team of players that are earning a lot more than the average NZer is not trying and the bills and are coming in and the cost of fuel is getting more and more, and one of the kids needs new shoes, what do you think is going to happen. The $100 for a family to attend a game will go towards getting the kid new shoes. And can you blame them for that???

 

[LeagueNut_old]

Okay, so if apathetic Aucklanders are the problem, is there a solution? Is it a matter of finding the right mix of entertainment and "drawcards" to get the crowds in, or will any new initiatives fail miserably?

Another thought - which other cities would embrace the Warriors if they decided to move? (Speak up Wellingtonians & Cantabrians!)

 

[LeagueNut_old]

The $100 for a family to attend a game will go towards getting the kid new shoes. And can you blame them for that???

No way, that's a no-brainer. The market I would be trying to target are the people that could get to the games but simply don't want to for some reason.

 

[warriors4life_old]

People will come along when the Warriors are winning. You get the diehard Warriors fans who turn out every match, rain or shine, and then the on-the-fence supporters who will turn up, when the team is winning, and there are a lot of them. Looking at LeagueNut's stats website, the average crowds for the Warriors were the highest when they first started (1995-1996) and then the next highest crowd averages are in 2002-2003, when the Warriors played their best football. People want to be able to go to the games and know that they have a good chance of coming hope happy.

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

There is no one factor to it I believe.
And to keep blaming the Auckland public...well that's not surprising that people whinge about that too. We've all known that league os not a big thing in NZ.
2- A vast majority of NZ/Auckland fans have this perception about a winning culture. Yes, that is important no doubt about it. However, they get so wrapped up in winning so often they forget the real meaning of what watching sports is about.

If I recall correctly, the games that haveeb played in Wellington, Christcurch and Hamilton don't exactly give way to packed crowds do they? And yes they may cry over the fact only 1 game ever gets thre; but even if it's just one, why not make it a good one? So it's not jsut Auckland to blame.

 

[Northern_Union]

I think the people of Canterbury have proved that we would support the Warriors. You only have to look at the crowd figures for the Tigers matches.

 

[LeagueNut_old]

Obviously a winning team helps. Some of my best Warriors memories involve the atmosphere experienced at a packed home game.

Here's another way of looking at it - approximately 7,000 - 8,000 Aucklanders (and various other diehards) will turn up every week - rain, hail or shine and win, loss or draw. IF the Warriors relocate, could they expect a bigger pool of "diehards"?

 

[Sinbad_old]

I agrre with all of you. But money speaks volumes. Money for value is the answer. If then gam,es ins't going to be that exciting then lets make the before, at halfftime and even after more appealing. Auckland realistically is most probably the only large market able to sustain the support. It it wasn't foer the diehards The warriors would be in even more trouble. Thats why Vodafone started the Tribe to try and lift the game. Now we need League Nut as the mascot and half naked cheerleaders (with a couple of spunky lads for the girls).

Maybe some free giveaways to the crowd. here at Jade Stadium they use a canon to shout a few shirts into the crowd and have lucky seat numbers and a few other things to spice it up. They ven do this at the Canterbury Rams basketball games . it works !

 

[Northern_Union]

There is no one factor to it I believe.
And to keep blaming the Auckland public...well that's not surprising that people whinge about that too. We've all known that league os not a big thing in NZ.
2- A vast majority of NZ/Auckland fans have this perception about a winning culture. Yes, that is important no doubt about it. However, they get so wrapped up in winning so often they forget the real meaning of what watching sports is about.

If I recall correctly, the games that haveeb played in Wellington, Christcurch and Hamilton don't exactly give way to packed crowds do they? And yes they may cry over the fact only 1 game ever gets thre; but even if it's just one, why not make it a good one? So it's not jsut Auckland to blame.

Actually if i'm not mistaken then i can say with some certainty that the NRL games played outside of Auckland have not dropped below 14500 in any center. If you take out the recently played match in Christchurch in which there was 14500 then i think the average would be around 16000. Either way you cut it is more than is turning up at Ericson.

 

[Northern_Union]

As an aside, when did those god aweful drummers come back. Geez they drive me mad.

 

[warriors4life_old]

There is no one factor to it I believe.
And to keep blaming the Auckland public...well that's not surprising that people whinge about that too. We've all known that league os not a big thing in NZ.
2- A vast majority of NZ/Auckland fans have this perception about a winning culture. Yes, that is important no doubt about it. However, they get so wrapped up in winning so often they forget the real meaning of what watching sports is about.

If I recall correctly, the games that haveeb played in Wellington, Christcurch and Hamilton don't exactly give way to packed crowds do they? And yes they may cry over the fact only 1 game ever gets thre; but even if it's just one, why not make it a good one? So it's not jsut Auckland to blame.

Actually if i'm not mistaken then i can say with some certainty that the NRL games played outside of Auckland have not dropped below 14500 in any center. If you take out the recently played match in Christchurch in which there was 14500 then i think the average would be around 16000. Either way you cut it is more than is turning up at Ericson.

That's because they are one-off games, and could be the only chance some people get to attend a Warriors match that year. If every game was played at Christchurch it would probably be the same, people would know they had 12 games in the season to attend a Warriors match so wouldn't turn up for all of them, unless they are diehard supporters. That would amount to smaller attendances then what is currently at Ericsson.

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

As an aside, when did those god aweful drummers come back. Geez they drive me mad.

Mmm...I don't know. They can be good at times

 

[Northern_Union]

There is no one factor to it I believe.
And to keep blaming the Auckland public...well that's not surprising that people whinge about that too. We've all known that league os not a big thing in NZ.
2- A vast majority of NZ/Auckland fans have this perception about a winning culture. Yes, that is important no doubt about it. However, they get so wrapped up in winning so often they forget the real meaning of what watching sports is about.

If I recall correctly, the games that haveeb played in Wellington, Christcurch and Hamilton don't exactly give way to packed crowds do they? And yes they may cry over the fact only 1 game ever gets thre; but even if it's just one, why not make it a good one? So it's not jsut Auckland to blame.

That's because they are one-off games, and could be the only chance some people get to attend a Warriors match that year. If every game was played at Christchurch it would probably be the same, people would know they had 12 games in the season to attend a Warriors match so wouldn't turn up for all of them, unless they are diehard supporters. That would amount to smaller attendances then what is currently at Ericsson.

Actually if i'm not mistaken then i can say with some certainty that the NRL games played outside of Auckland have not dropped below 14500 in any center. If you take out the recently played match in Christchurch in which there was 14500 then i think the average would be around 16000. Either way you cut it is more than is turning up at Ericson.

Bacially what it comes down to is we need a winning team.

 

[Sinbad_old]

Hey Dragon man we were there mate so that was at least 4 of us aye !!

 

[Northern_Union]

Well, i drove 2 and half hours to get to the game along with the fiance, her dad and a mate from work so that was 7 Sinbad

 

[Sinbad_old]

yep and I had me youngest son and hios missus so that makes it 9 ! Plus the Mad Maori came from North with a group of 20 so that made it 29 !

God it just keeps getting better !

 

[teariki_old]

Rugby league people are for the most part working class (like myself).

The $100 for a family to attend a game will go towards getting the kid new shoes. And can you blame them for that???

I don't think you can simplify it like that. Sports fans come from all levels of society, poor, middle-class, and rich. I think people now are being more discrimatory about where they spend their money and question if they will be getting value for it. If the Warriors perform poorly, people will spend their $100 elsewhere.