70 replies to this topic

[Derwent]

According to this report only 6,000 tickets sold so far and it seems they're relying on walk-up support for the warm up game (Tonga v Samoa) to get a decent crowd.....

http://www.dailytele...r-1225939591064

[thirteenthman]

I was reading about this last night. From what I can gather the promotion of the tournament in Sydney has been non-existant. I think the organisers are hoping for a big walk-up especially for the opening game between Tonga and Samoa.

The crowds for internationals in Sydney are never that good - only 15,000 for the WC semi-final in 08 - maybe the ARL should've took the game to somewhere like Perth. Or maybe they should just try selling the game a bit more.

I'll be interested to see what the crowds in NZ are like, as the Kiwis don't often get to see their national team in action on home soil. You'd certainly hope that the Eden Park double header would get a huge crowd.

[Lobbygobbler]

This should have been in PNG or up in Queensland

[dallymessenger]

6000 pre sales for a game like this is actually quite good for sydney.

its not as if its expected to be close

[dallymessenger]

This should have been in PNG or up in Queensland

with tonga / samoa as the curtain raiser its part of RLs fight against AFL in western sydney

afl have said by signing israel folau they want islanders in their game.

as many juniors in parramatta and penrith are of PI heritage its a good promotional thing having this game where there are so many islanders

[West Country Eagle]

The Samoa-Ireland 2008 WC game at Paramatta was a good event - besides the final, my fave memory of that tournament. Loads of mental locals supporting the Samoans, Ireland stealing a win. Good times!

Plus, Peter Wynne Sports down the road… RL fan stash heaven!


As for Sunday, Menzie Yere's gonna get ya!

[West Country Eagle]

Oh, and the Ireland-Samoa match got just over 8,000. So, with Tonga-Samoa playing beforehand, as well as the Roos, you'd think you'd get a better crowd than that. Maybe 9,000?

By the way, for those in the UK, the Aus-PNG game is live on BBC2 on Sunday morning. The programme starts at 5.55am.

[dallymessenger]

The Samoa-Ireland 2008 WC game at Paramatta was a good event - besides the final, my fave memory of that tournament. Loads of mental locals supporting the Samoans, Ireland stealing a win. Good times!

Plus, Peter Wynne Sports down the road… RL fan stash heaven!


As for Sunday, Menzie Yere's gonna get ya!

i was at some of those WC games at parra stadium and was surprised how good they were.

[T-Dub]

By the way, for those in the UK, the Aus-PNG game is live on BBC2 on Sunday morning. The programme starts at 5.55am.

So we cant get the Super League Show syndicated at a reasonable hour yet an international between two nations (one of which most people couldnt point to on a map) at the other side of the world gets shown live?

Just goes to show what weve said all along, the club game is just that, ie local, but the international game is seen as the epitome by the BBC

[T-Dub]

Sorry, that was miles off topic...

Back to the original subject... would a club side, ie Paramatta, against PNG draw a bigger crowd?

[Wendall]

probably.

Bad choice for a Test match, Sydney should not have got this game.

[Jeffles]

There are dozens of ads in the city (Sydney) for the Aus v Engoland game in Melbourne but none for the PNG game. The ARL want people to fly down but don't give a toss about selling the PNG game.

I also think Sydney people are a bit jack of getting poor Tests. The last Test in Sydney was the RLWC semi final against Fiji. We haven't hosted England since 2006 yet Melbourne will have hosted them twice (2008 and 2010). We hosted NZ in the RLWC while Brisbane has seen AU v NZ more recently.

It's almost like a self-fulfiling prophecy. Sydney get ###### games so they get ###### crowds so the ARL give them ###### games. Would have loved to see Sydney host England. We'd have drawn more than what Melbourne's 30,000 capacity stadium can fit. Then again, what's the NSW govt doing to get these events. I understand the Vic and Qld govts are really pushing for the Tests.

I've got my tickets for Sunday. Going in a group of 8. I think 15,000 is historically an excellent crowd fo the fixture.

[West Country Eagle]

There are dozens of ads in the city (Sydney) for the Aus v Engoland game in Melbourne but none for the PNG game. The ARL want people to fly down but don't give a toss about selling the PNG game.

I also think Sydney people are a bit jack of getting poor Tests. The last Test in Sydney was the RLWC semi final against Fiji. We haven't hosted England since 2006 yet Melbourne will have hosted them twice (2008 and 2010). We hosted NZ in the RLWC while Brisbane has seen AU v NZ more recently.

It's almost like a self-fulfiling prophecy. Sydney get ###### games so they get ###### crowds so the ARL give them ###### games. Would have loved to see Sydney host England. We'd have drawn more than what Melbourne's 30,000 capacity stadium can fit. Then again, what's the NSW govt doing to get these events. I understand the Vic and Qld govts are really pushing for the Tests.

I've got my tickets for Sunday. Going in a group of 8. I think 15,000 is historically an excellent crowd fo the fixture.

All fair points. The ARL seem desperate to keep sending games to Melbourne. Maybe this time round Aus-England at the SFS would have been a good choice.

I'll be happy if England do better than they did last time in Melbourne. That was a depressing game to attend, it has to be said. So much hope before the game, which evaporated within minutes of kick-off.

[AndyCapp]

There are dozens of ads in the city (Sydney) for the Aus v Engoland game in Melbourne but none for the PNG game. The ARL want people to fly down but don't give a toss about selling the PNG game.

I also think Sydney people are a bit jack of getting poor Tests. The last Test in Sydney was the RLWC semi final against Fiji. We haven't hosted England since 2006 yet Melbourne will have hosted them twice (2008 and 2010). We hosted NZ in the RLWC while Brisbane has seen AU v NZ more recently.

It's almost like a self-fulfiling prophecy. Sydney get ###### games so they get ###### crowds so the ARL give them ###### games. Would have loved to see Sydney host England. We'd have drawn more than what Melbourne's 30,000 capacity stadium can fit. Then again, what's the NSW govt doing to get these events. I understand the Vic and Qld govts are really pushing for the Tests.

I've got my tickets for Sunday. Going in a group of 8. I think 15,000 is historically an excellent crowd fo the fixture.

Good post and pretty spot on.

[Maximus Decimus]

There are dozens of ads in the city (Sydney) for the Aus v Engoland game in Melbourne but none for the PNG game. The ARL want people to fly down but don't give a toss about selling the PNG game.

I also think Sydney people are a bit jack of getting poor Tests. The last Test in Sydney was the RLWC semi final against Fiji. We haven't hosted England since 2006 yet Melbourne will have hosted them twice (2008 and 2010). We hosted NZ in the RLWC while Brisbane has seen AU v NZ more recently.

It's almost like a self-fulfiling prophecy. Sydney get ###### games so they get ###### crowds so the ARL give them ###### games. Would have loved to see Sydney host England. We'd have drawn more than what Melbourne's 30,000 capacity stadium can fit. Then again, what's the NSW govt doing to get these events. I understand the Vic and Qld govts are really pushing for the Tests.

I've got my tickets for Sunday. Going in a group of 8. I think 15,000 is historically an excellent crowd fo the fixture.

You'd have to doubt the bit in bold. I was at the last Britain Australia match at the SFS when there was only 26,000 there.

6,000 is a poor number sold but in reality what do people expect. This is likely to be a 60+ scoreline and most people wouldn't like to admit it but Rugby League is a poor spectacle when it is an expected blowout.

It is one of our biggest problems but also one our biggest strengths. RL is so hard to play that it has to played between two evenly matched sides to be appreciated. If a team is better it will show and if a team is comfortably better in this instance there is almost a zero chance of an upset.

So the fans that are going have to be pretty hardcore because barring a miracle the game won't be a contest and even if it's your own team, no contests aren't fun to watch.

[Derwent]

6000 pre sales for a game like this is actually quite good for sydney.

its not as if its expected to be close

I'm not disputing that Dally.

But just remember that the next time you and your compatriots start to criticise English fans for only getting 11k against France in similar circumstances.

[thirteenthman]

Plus, Peter Wynne Sports down the road… RL fan stash heaven!

Spot on - one of the must do's on a trip to Sydney. When we were there last year the BARLA under 18 (I think) GB team were in there doing some shopping. The only problem anywhere in Australia is the price of the shirts - what a rip off!

[Scubby]

Spot on - one of the must do's on a trip to Sydney. When we were there last year the BARLA under 18 (I think) GB team were in there doing some shopping. The only problem anywhere in Australia is the price of the shirts - what a rip off!

Don't think the exchange rate helps ATM. 1.65

[Odsal Outlaw]

The Samoa-Ireland 2008 WC game at Paramatta was a good event - besides the final, my fave memory of that tournament. Loads of mental locals supporting the Samoans, Ireland stealing a win. Good times!

Plus, Peter Wynne Sports down the road… RL fan stash heaven!


As for Sunday, Menzie Yere's gonna get ya!

I was at that game too, and also at Peter Wynne before the game, great day - the store even gave me free tickets for the game!

6k is at least some sort of pre-sales for the PNG game. Would be good to have a big crowd for all these games, even if they did sommet with clubs/schools giving away a few thousand freebies.

[thirteenthman]

Don't think the exchange rate helps ATM. 1.65

Last year when we went it was near 2 dollars to the pound. Trouble is you can pay up to $160 for a shirt. My wife's friend asked if we could get her a Bulldog shirt while we were over there - she couldn't believe it when we told her the price. We bought her a Bulldog bear instead!