Super Rugby - The Future
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@sparky said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@Billy-Tell said in Super Rugby - The Future:
As someone living in the NH, it becomes harder and harder to remain enthusiastic about Super Rugby. I think I’ve watched 2 or 3 games this season. Why they couldn’t be happy with Super 12 when it was 5 NZ sides, 4 from SA and 3 from Aussie…it’s been through so many iterations and now we are, at least for the moment, down to 11 sides. I imagine TV rights for Super in the NH are vanishingly small compared to the heydays of the late 90s. Cue more players leaving Aussie shores and even weaker teams. Not to mention the NZ rugby infighting that is currently playing out.
When you see the tiny crowds for Super Rugby, you realise most folks in the SH find it harder to retain enthusiasm for Supersnore too.
In the decades I've been following Super Rugby, I've attended maybe three or four games in person. I'd say that's the case for the majority of fans.
That doesn't mean the fans aren't enthusiastic, they just don't enjoy the stadium experience enough to justify all the additional costs (financial and otherwise) that come with attending a game.
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@canefan said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@sparky said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@Billy-Tell said in Super Rugby - The Future:
As someone living in the NH, it becomes harder and harder to remain enthusiastic about Super Rugby. I think I’ve watched 2 or 3 games this season. Why they couldn’t be happy with Super 12 when it was 5 NZ sides, 4 from SA and 3 from Aussie…it’s been through so many iterations and now we are, at least for the moment, down to 11 sides. I imagine TV rights for Super in the NH are vanishingly small compared to the heydays of the late 90s. Cue more players leaving Aussie shores and even weaker teams. Not to mention the NZ rugby infighting that is currently playing out.
When you see the tiny crowds for Super Rugby, you realise most folks in the SH find it harder to retain enthusiasm for Supersnore too.
Who gets the biggest crowds in NZ sport right now?
The Wahs, the Nix, maybe the Breakers? Whether its the games themselves, or the way its packaged, apart from the odd game SR does not draw big crowds right now. Hasn't for some time
I know this is a beat down on Super Rugby. But, Super Rugby still draws much better crowds than every sporting option, except the Warriors (who sell out every week). Data on the Phoenix has them averaging 10k (https://www.austadiums.com/sport/comp/a-league/crowds), which includes a 33k sell out. The Breakers are in a basketball arena, so what about 1500 to 2k? Super Rugby data I've seen sits at about 10 to 15k for most of the teams. The Highlanders were at about 12k. Fantastic for a city of Dunedin's size. Otago NPC last year was about 2k. While TV audience data was up about 10% on last year. Super Rugby is well attended and watched compared to other options in NZ.
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@SouthernMann said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@canefan said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@sparky said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@Billy-Tell said in Super Rugby - The Future:
As someone living in the NH, it becomes harder and harder to remain enthusiastic about Super Rugby. I think I’ve watched 2 or 3 games this season. Why they couldn’t be happy with Super 12 when it was 5 NZ sides, 4 from SA and 3 from Aussie…it’s been through so many iterations and now we are, at least for the moment, down to 11 sides. I imagine TV rights for Super in the NH are vanishingly small compared to the heydays of the late 90s. Cue more players leaving Aussie shores and even weaker teams. Not to mention the NZ rugby infighting that is currently playing out.
When you see the tiny crowds for Super Rugby, you realise most folks in the SH find it harder to retain enthusiasm for Supersnore too.
Who gets the biggest crowds in NZ sport right now?
The Wahs, the Nix, maybe the Breakers? Whether its the games themselves, or the way its packaged, apart from the odd game SR does not draw big crowds right now. Hasn't for some time
I know this is a beat down on Super Rugby. But, Super Rugby still draws much better crowds than every sporting option, except the Warriors (who sell out every week). Data on the Phoenix has them averaging 10k (https://www.austadiums.com/sport/comp/a-league/crowds), which includes a 33k sell out. The Breakers are in a basketball arena, so what about 1500 to 2k? Super Rugby data I've seen sits at about 10 to 15k for most of the teams. The Highlanders were at about 12k. Fantastic for a city of Dunedin's size. Otago NPC last year was about 2k. While TV audience data was up about 10% on last year. Super Rugby is well attended and watched compared to other options in NZ.
Breakers averaged about 6K last season
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I underestimated the size of a basektball arena. Still much smaller than every team except for the homeless Moana Pasifika. It doesn't change the argument that Super Rugby is generally still more popular than all options except for the warriors
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@SouthernMann said in Super Rugby - The Future:
I underestimated the size of a basektball arena. Still much smaller than every team except for the homeless Moana Pasifika. It doesn't change the argument that Super Rugby is generally still more popular than all options except for the warriors
Fair call. It's still a lot less than it was say 10 years ago. The olds used to attend all Hurricanes home games, there was a waitlist for season tickets, and they used to get crowds of 25K+. Maybe Mr Fish is right, most fans can't be bothered heading to the ground to watch games live
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I do agree things look a lot rosier when stadiums are full (and it creates a better atmosphere, encourages other people to attend games etc), but broadcast deals/TV viewership is exponentially more important and, at least from what's been reported, that's all looking fairly encouraging right now.
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@canefan said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@SouthernMann said in Super Rugby - The Future:
I underestimated the size of a basektball arena. Still much smaller than every team except for the homeless Moana Pasifika. It doesn't change the argument that Super Rugby is generally still more popular than all options except for the warriors
Fair call. It's still a lot less than it was say 10 years ago. The olds used to attend all Hurricanes home games, there was a waitlist for season tickets, and they used to get crowds of 25K+. Maybe Mr Fish is right, most fans can't be bothered heading to the ground to watch games live
10 or so years ago we'd also get big crowds to horse racing events and suburban pubs would be full on a thursday night. Demographics and people's tastes change. Sky Stadium is a shitty place to go. For a good few years it would have been new, and way better than athletic park. From my perspective, without trains running a 20 minute trip takes potentially an hour. The beer is $13 a pop, and the food is shit. It isn't the fault of the rugby. It is all the steps and issues around it. Wellington city for example, probably isn't the rugby city it used to be. The rugby fans are out in the Hutt, northern suburbs and Porirua. It is very niggly to get to and from the stadium from those locations.
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Fans of NH teams go to games in larger numbers, they pay more for their tickets, they spend more on food and merchandise, they generate more noise and atmosphere. It's no surprise that the TV companies want to focus on their competitions and eventually all the top players will be playing in their leagues.
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Without a doubt the stadium experience is an issue, compounded by travelling time and effort.
There's a reason why I'm prepared to travel 30mins to Suncorp and not to Bruce Stadium.
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From Reddit:
Reds: 15,525. 4 games, High 17,782. Low 13,000.
Chiefs: 13,118. 4 games. High 16,119. Low 10,375.
Waratahs: 12,777. 4 games. High 13,533. Low 11,445.
Highlanders 12,358. 3 games. High 13,024. Low 11,556.
I'd expect the Blues, Hurricanes, and Crusaders to get more.
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@sparky said in Super Rugby - The Future:
Fans of NH teams go to games in larger numbers, they pay more for their tickets, they spend more on food and merchandise, they generate more noise and atmosphere. It's no surprise that the TV companies want to focus on their competitions and eventually all the top players will be playing in their leagues.
The soccer clubs there are starting to lose local fans chasing the bigger money and taking back season tickets for locals. I saw a segment last week where it was 200 quid for a season seat for youngsters (maybe under 25) last year, now up to over 500 and the youngsters aren't going anymore. I dunno that it's roses over there.
I think it's different in NZ anyway, because how many people can get to the games by foot or via trustworthy public transport?
I very very rarely go to games in NZ for the simple reason that its a shitty experience. It's cold, the food is shit, the drinks are shit and exponentially more expensive than what they are worth, and half the time you end up getting wet or abused by some fuckwit (or both). It doesn't compare with watching it at home and there is no atmosphere at the games now that drinks are so incredibly expensive.
In Japan, its not quite as much fun as it used to be, but you can go by public transport, everything is clean, the food is OK, the beer is proper beer and often served by hot young girls in short skirts, and they don't care if you have too many as long as you keep yourself under control.
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@Tim said in Super Rugby - The Future:
From Reddit:
Reds: 15,525. 4 games, High 17,782. Low 13,000.
Chiefs: 13,118. 4 games. High 16,119. Low 10,375.
Obviously not current. The last game against the Hurricanes was said to be a sellout but there were some empty seats. The crowd would have been 20K+.
As to the game experience, I don't buy food or drink at the FMG Stadium. Only the rugby for me.
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby - The Future:
said to be a sellout but there were some empty seats
that often seems the case, have to assume the empty seats are usually sponsor or free ones not taken up?
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@Bovidae said in Super Rugby - The Future:
said to be a sellout but there were some empty seats
that often seems the case, have to assume the empty seats are usually sponsor or free ones not taken up?
or season ticket holders not showing up
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@nzzp said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@Bovidae said in Super Rugby - The Future:
said to be a sellout but there were some empty seats
that often seems the case, have to assume the empty seats are usually sponsor or free ones not taken up?
or season ticket holders not showing up
this but also dont forget there is often a stack of people going to the loo, getting a drink or food etc
@canefan said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@SouthernMann said in Super Rugby - The Future:
I underestimated the size of a basektball arena. Still much smaller than every team except for the homeless Moana Pasifika. It doesn't change the argument that Super Rugby is generally still more popular than all options except for the warriors
Fair call. It's still a lot less than it was say 10 years ago. The olds used to attend all Hurricanes home games, there was a waitlist for season tickets, and they used to get crowds of 25K+. Maybe Mr Fish is right, most fans can't be bothered heading to the ground to watch games live
in 2014 the canes were regularly getting +25k? the whole stadium over 75% full? sure we're not thinking 2004?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@nzzp said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@Bovidae said in Super Rugby - The Future:
said to be a sellout but there were some empty seats
that often seems the case, have to assume the empty seats are usually sponsor or free ones not taken up?
or season ticket holders not showing up
this but also dont forget there is often a stack of people going to the loo, getting a drink or food etc
@canefan said in Super Rugby - The Future:
@SouthernMann said in Super Rugby - The Future:
I underestimated the size of a basektball arena. Still much smaller than every team except for the homeless Moana Pasifika. It doesn't change the argument that Super Rugby is generally still more popular than all options except for the warriors
Fair call. It's still a lot less than it was say 10 years ago. The olds used to attend all Hurricanes home games, there was a waitlist for season tickets, and they used to get crowds of 25K+. Maybe Mr Fish is right, most fans can't be bothered heading to the ground to watch games live
in 2014 the canes were regularly getting +25k? the whole stadium over 75% full? sure we're not thinking 2004?
lol i thought the same thing, at least a decade out
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Could someone smarter than me explain why food and drink is so outrageously expensive inside a stadium? When shops right outside sell the same stuff for half the price? As that's a big put off for a lot of people, especially families, the cost of tickets is already really high.
