NRL's flawed stadium strategy

[The Future is League]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/opinion/phil-rothfield/blog-with-buzz-nrl-stadium-strategys-flaws-on-show-again/news-story/4b05dd5fac1e22dea32c43e3e49aa6aa

[ghost crayfish]

I haven't read this, because "Buzz" Rothfield is an embarrassment. I doubt the hacks at the telegraph have ever had anything good to say about the NRL. Certainly not since the NRL played hard ball with news ltd in the last TV rights negotiations. Dottery old meathead shock jocks like him and Paul Kent are so bad for the game here. Just thought I'd mention it, so some of our English readers know to take whatever it is this guy has to say fairly lightly... he's one of those "enemy from within" type of journos.

[The Future is League]

4 minutes ago, ghost crayfish said:

I haven't read this, because "Buzz" Rothfield is an embarrassment. I doubt the hacks at the telegraph have ever had anything good to say about the NRL. Certainly not since the NRL played hard ball with news ltd in the last TV rights negotiations. Dottery old meathead shock jocks like him and Paul Kent are so bad for the game here. Just thought I'd mention it, so some of our English readers know to take whatever it is this guy has to say fairly lightly... he's one of those "enemy from within" type of journos.

As regards this article he would have a lot of Australian Rugby League fans onside

[bbfaz]

It keeps telling me to click the blog below and I end up in another site where it tells me to read the blog below where there's no blog below.  I assume this is due to a browser issue and where I can't read the thing.  Is this about the rebuild of the Sydney Football Stadium?

I agree that it seems supremely wasteful to replace two stadiums when the Olympic Stadium could probably just be renovated.  I've heard it suggested that the issues with the distance from the pitch could be fixed by sinking the pitch.  Realistically, nobody should be playing at the Olympic Park anyway.

However, what's his real issue? Is it that NSW Cup grounds are starved of cash or is it that he wants the Bulldogs back in Belmont full-time?

[langpark]

Hard to disagree with him, it's just common sense really.

[JohnM]

He'd do well over here with that attitude. ??

[Tommygilf]

Same issues as above with the full article not showing but I completely agree with the first bit. Playing in stadiums that are more than 50% empty is not good, both for TV and everyone else (including the players) at the stadium. One of the main draws to come and watch a game is that it feels big and important. Gameday atmosphere is a massive part of that, but its near impossible to create in a half empty ground.

7000 at Castleford is a better atmosphere than 7000 at Headingley would be for example. 

I am inclined to agree with one of the comments on the article that this is more about politics and non-sporting events sadly (as well as keeping AFL out of ANZ). If it were up to me I'd be selecting a number of suburban grounds and investing in new stands/facilities there - and NRL Sydney teams should be playing in those not an 80k stadium they'd struggle to get 20% full.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

At least the NRL has a stadium strategy!

[Southerner80]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Same issues as above with the full article not showing but I completely agree with the first bit. Playing in stadiums that are more than 50% empty is not good, both for TV and everyone else (including the players) at the stadium. One of the main draws to come and watch a game is that it feels big and important. Gameday atmosphere is a massive part of that, but its near impossible to create in a half empty ground.

7000 at Castleford is a better atmosphere than 7000 at Headingley would be for example. 

I am inclined to agree with one of the comments on the article that this is more about politics and non-sporting events sadly (as well as keeping AFL out of ANZ). If it were up to me I'd be selecting a number of suburban grounds and investing in new stands/facilities there - and NRL Sydney teams should be playing in those not an 80k stadium they'd struggle to get 20% full.

Agree. Also it makes the teams look homeless if they play at ANZ or similar all the time instead of the local ground which has great atmosphere and is part of a actual area that the team associate with... Ie Cronulla please stay in Cronulla for home games, Parramatta in Parramatta etc... 

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, Southerner80 said:

Agree. Also it makes the teams look homeless if they play at ANZ or similar all the time instead of the local ground which has great atmosphere and is part of a actual area that the team associate with... Ie Cronulla please stay in Cronulla for home games, Parramatta in Parramatta etc... 

Exactly, how can a stadium truly feel like home turf if 6 of your rivals play their games their too

[lucky 7]

4 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Same issues as above with the full article not showing but I completely agree with the first bit. Playing in stadiums that are more than 50% empty is not good, both for TV and everyone else (including the players) at the stadium. One of the main draws to come and watch a game is that it feels big and important. Gameday atmosphere is a massive part of that, but its near impossible to create in a half empty ground.

7000 at Castleford is a better atmosphere than 7000 at Headingley would be for example. 

I am inclined to agree with one of the comments on the article that this is more about politics and non-sporting events sadly (as well as keeping AFL out of ANZ). If it were up to me I'd be selecting a number of suburban grounds and investing in new stands/facilities there - and NRL Sydney teams should be playing in those not an 80k stadium they'd struggle to get 20% full.

Also I'm given to believe that some clubs make more money playing out of ANZ than they do their own grounds

[bbfaz]

4 hours ago, lucky 7 said:

Also I'm given to believe that some clubs make more money playing out of ANZ than they do their own grounds

So they have such sweetheart, subsidised deals with ANZ that there's no incentive to play at home?  Fantastic.