General Warriors Set to be Sold?

[Miket12]

Haha, yep, sorry

That's all right bud - bit of an early start today and decided to have a bit of fun at your expense

 

[Tim burgess]

The aim of having large crowds is admirable but if we look around this part of the world. Most NRL sides don't average crowds that high, locally where union is big the Super Rugby crowds are pretty poor.

Winning definitely helps.

A better stadium, location, ease of travel, cost (tickets, food) all play a big part. Another poster listed about changing demographics which also adds a variable. I was listening to RadioSport or maybe an article about union not managing to keep players as kids or adults when older would rather go mountain biking etc.

Some of the ideas during this process have been interesting. Some we have discussed on a dedicated thread if you hypothetically had money to own the club and do what you want. Bottom line to win the owners need to invest. Our new owners are our old way back owners so lets see how things go.

The cost of going to the league is expensive. Last Sunday my 6 daughter wanted to go to Parramatta vs Tigers. I bought the second cheapest tickets. The cost of admission for her was $10 and $30 for me plus $7 ticket handling charge.

On top of the tickets the car parking at ANZ is $25, which fortunately I know trick of how to get free parking.

For families it’s a lot of money, especially when the game can be watched at home.

Kids aged 6 should free or a couple of dollars and parking should be capped at $10 or less.

 

[Danpatmac]

if less than 25,000 people on average are showing up in a city of a million, more than 975,000 people think your product isn't worth their time or energy. Orthodoxy is on its way with the ARL.

It is this kind of garbage that lost you the fans on the forum RF.

The complete lack of understanding of NZ sporting culture and the idiosyncrasies of professional sport in this country was/is clear for all to see... not to mention the fact that as a low-wage economy, many, many people simply cannot afford to attend games. History tells us that Aucklanders are reluctant to attend. It is not because there is no wifi... it is because it is the culture of the place.

The All Blacks probably might get 50k at every one of their games if they played 13 Auckland tests a year... but i wouldn't bet my life on it, and they are the pinnacle of sport in this country.

What you refer to as orthodoxy, I term realism.

 

[gREVUS]

It is this kind of garbage that lost you the fans on the forum RF.

The complete lack of understanding of NZ sporting culture and the idiosyncrasies of professional sport in this country was/is clear for all to see... not to mention the fact that as a low-wage economy, many, many people simply cannot afford to attend games. History tells us that Aucklanders are reluctant to attend. It is not because there is no wifi... it is because it is the culture of the place.

The All Blacks probably might get 50k at every one of their games if they played 13 Auckland tests a year... but i wouldn't bet my life on it, and they are the pinnacle of sport in this country.

What you refer to as orthodoxy, I term realism.

Actually out of everything Fale has written, that comment i like the most. There is massive scope to grow the fan base in Auckland, as well as NZ as a whole. I think that for too long the thinking has been all about keeping the few, not expanding the team. I get that Kiwis are not americans and bought up on the rah rah, but we love an underdog and whats more underdog than a fringe sport in your own country taking on the biggest and best in a much larger country?

As someone else posted it would take investing, but lets be honest it doesnt matter now does it, as were very unlikely to see any further investment into the warriors until the next change of ownership.

 

[Akkerz]

The die is cast. The way I see it is Richard Fale had no interest in the Warriors other than access to a large Polynesian population for whatever purpose.
The ARL/CPHT don't have much of an interest in the NRL either other than the cash bounty ( it's my experience many of the local clubs have been anti Warrior since day one) .
Their plans to strengthen the game throughout sound good but only if our youngsters in every grade at every club have the same level of coaching & opportunity equal to those in Australia. Is that likely?

 

[Danpatmac]

There is massive scope to grow the fan base in Auckland, as well as NZ as a whole.

With all due respect, on what basis?

The game has been around for over a century, it is a 2nd class sport still (that may even be optimistic).

I just don't buy that a huge/significant increase in fans is out there... an increase? Sure.
But not what Fale has been intimating.

And history tells us this.

 

[Sledge]

Yep I’ve got three kids all boys who like the league, but to go, parking, drinks and food it’s just too much. Improve the food and drink aspect and stop ripping off the punters, if Mt Smart didn’t charge the vendors so much or capped the prices it would be a better experience. A bit like going to the movies, tickets are 15 bucks but the popcorn and drinks are another 20, it bullshit.

 

[Tim burgess]

Yep I’ve got three kids all boys who like the league, but to go, parking, drinks and food it’s just too much. Improve the food and drink aspect and stop ripping off the punters, if Mt Smart didn’t charge the vendors so much or capped the prices it would be a better experience. A bit like going to the movies, tickets are 15 bucks but the popcorn and drinks are another 20, it bullshit.

Sledge, I couldn’t agree more. As I say, the cheap tickets at ANZ is $10 for kids, but buy a better seat is $20, which is way too much.

Depending on the seats kids should be free up to the ages for 12. They can make money on food, merchandise.

That coupled with a rubbish stadium stops the fan base from growing

 

[Lets Gone]

Fale all i gotta say is Unluggy uce

 

[mt.wellington]

Yep I’ve got three kids all boys who like the league, but to go, parking, drinks and food it’s just too much. Improve the food and drink aspect and stop ripping off the punters, if Mt Smart didn’t charge the vendors so much or capped the prices it would be a better experience. A bit like going to the movies, tickets are 15 bucks but the popcorn and drinks are another 20, it bullshit.

Vendors are all contracted to the catering company that has the licence at Mt Smart. That licence is issued by the council who own the park. Warriors get a portion of the takings buy most go to the vendors themselves, the catering subcontractor and the council.

Sounds like too many hands in the pot to me...

 

[gREVUS]

With all due respect, on what basis?

The game has been around for over a century, it is a 2nd class sport still (that may even be optimistic).

I just don't buy that a huge/significant increase in fans is out there... an increase? Sure.
But not what Fale has been intimating.

And history tells us this.

based on the fact that there is a million and one ideas out there that havent been tried yet. I respect the fact that people have been doing this for years but there must be more ways to do this. Otherwise the warriors might as well admit defeat now because for years numbers have been in decline.

I get that winning makes a difference and yay thats whats happening now, but the odds are against the warriors.

IMO the grudge match should be pushed, seats, unlike what mr Fale said should be cheaper. There should be a push to increase buy-in in places like CHCH and Dunedin. I mean shit im stupid and i can think of things they havent done. Heres another one, one of the most popular events at the commonwealth games was womens volleyball, how bout an event where people play against the womens volley ball side at half time and maybe even before the game as well. I had lots of ideas as did others in this thread, and i guarantee most wont work. However some will but not if people keep doing the same shit over and over.

the reality is his statement is right, if there are a million people in AKLD and only 25k at the game there is a huge potential to increase the fan base.

 

[gREVUS]

Vendors are all contracted to the catering company that has the licence at Mt Smart. That licence is issued by the council who own the park. Warriors get a portion of the takings buy most go to the vendors themselves, the catering subcontractor and the council.

Sounds like too many hands in the pot to me...

its interesting that so many people comment on food as an issue, and that the warriors have no control over such a major part of the fan experience.

 

[Danpatmac]

based on the fact that there is a million and one ideas out there that havent been tried yet. I respect the fact that people have been doing this for years but there must be more ways to do this. Otherwise the warriors might as well admit defeat now because for years numbers have been in decline.

I get that winning makes a difference and yay thats whats happening now, but the odds are against the warriors.

IMO the grudge match should be pushed, seats, unlike what mr Fale said should be cheaper. There should be a push to increase buy-in in places like CHCH and Dunedin. I mean shit im stupid and i can think of things they havent done. Heres another one, one of the most popular events at the commonwealth games was womens volleyball, how bout an event where people play against the womens volley ball side at half time and maybe even before the game as well. I had lots of ideas as did others in this thread, and i guarantee most wont work. However some will but not if people keep doing the same shit over and over.

the reality is his statement is right, if there are a million people in AKLD and only 25k at the game there is a huge potential to increase the fan base.

My issue with all this is it isn't the game/team that will bring people to the game it is womens volleyball and wifi and better food... but if I want to see volleyball I will go watch volleyball. If I want wifi I will stay home and there are a million places to eat better than mt smart.
So what you end up with is tourists, not fans. The problem with tourists is they are temporary visitors and that to me is the issue... it is unsustainable.

I believe there is a finite number of people in AKL for example who are or are interested in being an actual Warriors fan. We haven't reached that number yet for a variety of reasons... but I'm willing to bet that those who aren't fans are most likely to be because it is a perennial losing team.
Fix that and you will bring in more punters... but bringing in even 40k to every home game in this town, to this team and against the rival codes/entertainments/options/issues, I simply don't see it ever happening even if we had midget tossing and Elvis performing at halftime ... and better wifi

they were basically giving away tickets at the rugby world cup just to fill the stadiums.

 

[Hardyman's Yugo]

They need to fire their PR guy - I guess that’s Fale for not understanding the market they were selling to.

Not only does Fale appear to be the PR, but I suspect he does everything else as well from CEO to finances etc. No-one else is really involved, it's all just talk

 

[gREVUS]

My issue with all this is it isn't the game/team that will bring people to the game it is womens volleyball and wifi and better food... but if I want to see volleyball I will go watch volleyball. If I want wifi I will stay home and there are a million places to eat better than mt smart.
So what you end up with is tourists, not fans. The problem with tourists is they are temporary visitors and that to me is the issue... it is unsustainable.

I believe there is a finite number of people in AKL for example who are or are interested in being an actual Warriors fan. We haven't reached that number yet for a variety of reasons... but I'm willing to bet that those who aren't fans are most likely to be because it is a perennial losing team.
Fix that and you will bring in more punters... but bringing in even 40k to every home game in this town, to this team and against the rival codes/entertainments/options/issues, I simply don't see it ever happening even if we had midget tossing and Elvis performing at halftime ... and better wifi

they were basically giving away tickets at the rugby world cup just to fill the stadiums.

i dont disagree with you, but there is an old adage that getting people through the door is the most important thing. Once their there they will get caught in the excitement and energy of the game and all of a sudden you are up a fan that never thought of being one.

Companies put major effort into poaching customers of rival businesses, and getting kids involved as young as they can as they understand that most people are incredibly loyal and need an actual reason to change away from supporting their business. IMO this is no different in the sporting world. Get the kids coming when they are young and sell em mini memberships. a percentage will still be there in years to come even when the team is doing badly, even years after. Also the Warriors need a rival, a grudge match that has bite. A second team in the comp from NZ would give this, you know how they talk the local darby games up in sydney. Not that i am actually in favor of a second NZ team. Maybe a pacific team instead. Maybe a way of ranking themselves against the fan turn out at the best placed Rugby games is all thats required to make people want to show up just to give it to em. Hell maybe something showing fan turn out to all sorts of other sporting events like soccer or netball, basketball or tennis would do it, anything that makes a supporter proud of their involvement in this and not that.

I'm not saying that i really believe i have the answers. I just happen to believe that Fale was right when he made the comment that there is potential and that there are many other ways of trying to achieve this.

 

[Tim burgess]

i dont disagree with you, but there is an old adage that getting people through the door is the most important thing. Once their there they will get caught in the excitement and energy of the game and all of a sudden you are up a fan that never thought of being one.

Companies put major effort into poaching customers of rival businesses, and getting kids involved as young as they can as they understand that most people are incredibly loyal and need an actual reason to change away from supporting their business. IMO this is no different in the sporting world. Get the kids coming when they are young and sell em mini memberships. a percentage will still be there in years to come even when the team is doing badly, even years after. Also the Warriors need a rival, a grudge match that has bite. A second team in the comp from NZ would give this, you know how they talk the local darby games up in sydney. Not that i am actually in favor of a second NZ team. Maybe a pacific team instead. Maybe a way of ranking themselves against the fan turn out at the best placed Rugby games is all thats required to make people want to show up just to give it to em. Hell maybe something showing fan turn out to all sorts of other sporting events like soccer or netball, basketball or tennis would do it, anything that makes a supporter proud of their involvement in this and not that.

I'm not saying that i really believe i have the answers. I just happen to believe that Fale was right when he made the comment that there is potential and that there are many other ways of trying to achieve this.

Look at Newcastle, for the last few seasons they’ve had the wooden spoon. Yet they’ve still averaged 15k or more to games. This season with a few wins they’ve now sold 22,000 tickets for the game, which kicks off at 6pm.

What is more amazing is the fact Newcastle is a lot smaller then Auckland.

 

[Ozwarrior]

Hopeful Warriors buyer Richard Fale reveals his future plans and slams the ARL's ' boring culture'
Richard Fale may have lost the sale of the Warriors, but it won't be the last New Zealand can expect to see of the Hawaiian businessman.

The Warriors confirmed on Wednesday that the club was sold to Carlaw Heritage Trust and Autex Industries Limited for $18 million, which saw the Auckland-based NRL club formally become integrated into New Zealand's rugby league landscape.

Read more: League: Confirmed - Warriors announce ownership change

The unravelling of the sale came to the disappointment of Fale and his US-Tongan consortium, who had been engaged in talks to buy the club for months.

But Fale said New Zealand was "not even close" to seeing the last of him, revealing that he had already been approached by a number of prospects.

"We developed some great relationships there [New Zealand]. People have already asked to partner with us moving forward in a number of different directions," Fale told Radio Sport Breakfast.
Read more: Autex Industries to become joint owners of Warriors

"We have absolutely fallen in love in the national rugby league and the opportunities that it presents, it's a very exciting sport."

"The Super Rugby competition was the original reason why the group came together, seeking an opportunity for a Pacific Islander franchise that would most likely be based in Hawaii, and so the whole rugby union thing is definitely on the radar for sure."

The Hawaiian politician said the ARL's "boring" culture was the most unfortunate part of the fallen deal, slamming the organisation for not making the enhancement of game-day experience a priority.

Fale, who said he had been expecting a successful purchase agreement from the Warriors for months, didn't believe Watson's reduced price was a true reflection of the club's value and said the former Warriors owner was "desperate for a dollar".

Read more: League: Former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe rubbishes rumours he's primed for top role at Warriors

"Eighteen million, it's an ok price, I think it's not reflective of the true value of the Warriors, but Eric Watson was hurting for money ... he was so desperate that he was going to take a dollar from wherever he could get it."

"The most unfortunate thing from this is that the fact that the ARL are such a boring organisation ... You can just see that there's no vision there, there's no sense or understanding of what sport and entertainment is."

"It isn't about a bunch of guys passing a ball around on the field, even though that's important, it's the values that you're sharing and it's the enjoyment of the competition there."

Fale confirmed that a lack of finance was not an issue that held up a successful deal between his consortium and Watson.

Instead, Fale revealed that it was the clubs hesitancy to provide clarification on particular matters that prevented the deal to move forward.

"They'd been sitting on the purchase agreement that we sent them for over a month ... but there were a couple of things that they said they were going to do and we were expecting."

"At the top of that list was just proof and demonstration that the team wasn't caught up in any of the legal issues … Then the second thing was that they said they were going to put the deal on some sort of insurance to make sure it was going to go through the way it was going to go through."

"We had more than triple of what they were asking, but not being able to demonstrate those things that we were looking for certainty on, we knew that we wouldn't be able to push the deal forward."

 

[gREVUS]

reading this in australia, im always having to remind myself that hes talking about Auckland Rugby league, not Australian Rugby league. I imagine most aussies without a kiwi background would think that hes having a go at their ARL, which im not sure he even knows exists.

 

[JaggedJ]

Fale: "You haven't heard the last of me."

If this guy goes anymore Bond villain I'll expect that the next time we see him he'll be sitting in a swivelling chair petting a cat.

 

[mt.wellington]

Hopeful Warriors buyer Richard Fale reveals his future plans and slams the ARL's ' boring culture'
Richard Fale may have lost the sale of the Warriors, but it won't be the last New Zealand can expect to see of the Hawaiian businessman.

The Warriors confirmed on Wednesday that the club was sold to Carlaw Heritage Trust and Autex Industries Limited for $18 million, which saw the Auckland-based NRL club formally become integrated into New Zealand's rugby league landscape.

Read more: League: Confirmed - Warriors announce ownership change

The unravelling of the sale came to the disappointment of Fale and his US-Tongan consortium, who had been engaged in talks to buy the club for months.

But Fale said New Zealand was "not even close" to seeing the last of him, revealing that he had already been approached by a number of prospects.

"We developed some great relationships there [New Zealand]. People have already asked to partner with us moving forward in a number of different directions," Fale told Radio Sport Breakfast.
Read more: Autex Industries to become joint owners of Warriors

"We have absolutely fallen in love in the national rugby league and the opportunities that it presents, it's a very exciting sport."

"The Super Rugby competition was the original reason why the group came together, seeking an opportunity for a Pacific Islander franchise that would most likely be based in Hawaii, and so the whole rugby union thing is definitely on the radar for sure."

The Hawaiian politician said the ARL's "boring" culture was the most unfortunate part of the fallen deal, slamming the organisation for not making the enhancement of game-day experience a priority.

Fale, who said he had been expecting a successful purchase agreement from the Warriors for months, didn't believe Watson's reduced price was a true reflection of the club's value and said the former Warriors owner was "desperate for a dollar".

Read more: League: Former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe rubbishes rumours he's primed for top role at Warriors

"Eighteen million, it's an ok price, I think it's not reflective of the true value of the Warriors, but Eric Watson was hurting for money ... he was so desperate that he was going to take a dollar from wherever he could get it."

"The most unfortunate thing from this is that the fact that the ARL are such a boring organisation ... You can just see that there's no vision there, there's no sense or understanding of what sport and entertainment is."

"It isn't about a bunch of guys passing a ball around on the field, even though that's important, it's the values that you're sharing and it's the enjoyment of the competition there."

Fale confirmed that a lack of finance was not an issue that held up a successful deal between his consortium and Watson.

Instead, Fale revealed that it was the clubs hesitancy to provide clarification on particular matters that prevented the deal to move forward.

"They'd been sitting on the purchase agreement that we sent them for over a month ... but there were a couple of things that they said they were going to do and we were expecting."

"At the top of that list was just proof and demonstration that the team wasn't caught up in any of the legal issues … Then the second thing was that they said they were going to put the deal on some sort of insurance to make sure it was going to go through the way it was going to go through."

"We had more than triple of what they were asking, but not being able to demonstrate those things that we were looking for certainty on, we knew that we wouldn't be able to push the deal forward."

Richard Fail has no idea what he is talking about. He thinks he can ride into town and tell people from another culture how they are misguided. Sad thing is its Fail who is the poor misguided fool.

Said it before and I'll say it again. Kiwis do not support losers. Especially Aucklanders. It wouldn't matter if you put on a free carnival, R18 strip bar and buffalo wing buffets at every game. The game is the centre stage. You could all that for the Auckland Blues and I would still never go to a game.

We may not have seen the last of him but he won't be buying jack shit in this country after failing to buy the Warriors. NZR certainly wont put up with his bullshit and will the simpleton in his place quick smart. Sooner or later he will fade back into oblivion and go back to selling toothpaste to get a 2nd hand car...