Sydney Clubs On Death Row.

[Steve]

Agree Steve. The culture has to change. I have friends who are AFL club supporters. They live and work in Sydney but support Melbourne teams. They still pay upwards of $500 a year for club memberships even though they get to maybe one or two games a year! Even less if they get posted overseas.

But being a member of your club is so important to them.

Yeah I have an interstate membership with the Essendon Footy Club. It costs me $90 a year and it's nice to receive all the goodies the club sends me but the best part is knowing I'm helping to contribute in securing the club's future. Sydney fans need to understand this and if they're in a good financial position actually invest in their club's future. That's the most important investment any fan could make IMO. AFL club presidents are always encouraging fans to sign on and become members but the concept doesn't seem to catch on here.

Maybe Sydneysiders can enlighten me. Do clubs proactively advertise memberships and invite fans to become members of their club?

 

[Playboy Bunny]

I think this year there has been a big push in membership in the Sydney teams. I know with Souths we have gone from 3000 members last year (thats season tickets) to just over 6500 this year. All together we have over 10,000 members. I know Souths and a few other clubs have had membership drives and sign up days with player appearances and stuff.

The problem is seriously getting your moneys worth. We pay $100 I think for our membership and I don't think we get the stuff we should in return. Or at least it won't attract people to join up in the future or maybe even renew their membership. Which is really sad when you think about it because without the fans and the members, players don't have a job, management don't have a job and the NRL would cease to exist.

I think someone needs to take some point from the AFL.

 

[Kaz]

Holmes a Court raises doubt over Souths

http://news.smh.com.au/sport/holmes-a-court-raises-doubt-over-souths-20080523-2hda.html

South Sydney co-owner Peter Holmes a Court says the club's future in the National Rugby League could be in doubt.

"I can't guarantee Souths will survive," Holmes a Court said in The Daily Telegraph newspaper on Friday.

What a suprise about the last sentence. NOT

Multi-millionaire businessman Holmes a Court admits he has "frequent disagreements" with Crowe over club issues.

 

[Playboy Bunny]

I would advise people to not really take was Holmes A Court says seriously. He can be a bit of a gibberer sometimes.

 

[Kaz]

Did you read the thread. I posted this like 3 posts up.

Obviously not.

There was too much writing to read. [icon_evillaugh

 

[Coxy]

Well sponsorship dollars are only going to become more scarce when the gAyFL team plonks itself down in western sydney.

 

[forward_pass]

Funny how NSWRL, NRL and CH9 really do need us as much as they don't want to admit it.... LOL

Anyways, team on the Sunny coast gets my vote, still won't support them but will rate them above the cows or tits so long as they don't have anyone I don't like :P , drive to either coast watch a few games aswell as the BNE home games, sounds like a plan...

 

[The Brizz]

Well sponsorship dollars are only going to become more scarce when the gAyFL team plonks itself down in western sydney.

All the developments in NRL and AFL this year just show how proactive the AFL are and how reactive the NRL are, the NRL is so weak in management that they have a crap TV deal and are seriously so weak they won't bite a bullet and force moves or mergers on teams, the AFL has the same problem with its Vic teams as Sydney does with its teams but they are actively almost forcefully trying to get struggling clubs out of Melbourne and into markets where a new audience can be gained. If west Sydney gets an AFL team it will be nothing but detrimental to the NRL with kids in one of RL's best nurseries being lured to Auskick as an alternative to league. If the state of the game and its clubs in NSW doesn't improve immediately the National Rugby League will not be around to have a 200th anniversary. If we had half the brains or business ruthlessness of the AFL Commission Manly and Norths would be merged, Souths would be gone, Cronulla would have merged or moved and they would have a better deal for TV and could therefore help the clubs fight the squeeze of the NSW Govt's taxing on the leagues clubs.

 

[Bannermania]

Are we on the dawn of a new Super League?

Think about it. Sydney clubs can't cope. The governing body is screaming for the game to go National once more. Adelaide and Perth claim to be ready.

Think about it.

 

[mick]

Hope not, Lachy. I hope instead the game can move forward in whatever directions necessary as one whole body, and not split in two again. TBH, I'm not sure the game would survive it again.

 

[Steve]

Agree Lachy. I wouldn't put it past clubs revolting against the Sydney teams who refuse to consider merging or relocating. They're serving their own interests but definitely not the game's interest. It's time for tough love.

 

[Coxy]

Agree with Mick. Worst thing that could happen would be for some clubs to go off and do their own thing. We need unity, but we need self-sacrifice. And that's something no NRL club has been good at in 100 years.

It's not about to start now.

 

[Kimlo]

I think cutting 4 teams would not only be good financially for the game but It would make it a much stronger game a 12 team comp means a salary cap of perhaps 6 million or higher is easily possible considering clubs will make there own money so having a higher salary cap would not be a problem.

Also we see a very boring competition these days with alot of teams having 1 or 2 very good players and the rest average but with 12 teams and a higher salary cap it would mean ALOT more stars in every team which is good in both
a) More stars in every team less poaching = more enternaing games of the best athletes around.
b) Teams won't rely on 1 man( thus the 1 man team saying) as they would have 2-3 stars possibly more in every team.

Not only would this mean less poaching of our stars, infact we could possibly get some of our stars back here, It would also mean the NRL could direct money towards more important areas rather than wasting so much money on uselsss clubs who are going no where but taking the game backwards.

It either that or merge or perhaps for 4 teams to move else where just like brisbane sunshine coast could be one and a few others were teams would autually make money! One city team not much competition = more dollars for you.

The NRL needs to be strong and force these moves for the sake of the game.

 

[Kimlo]

A 12 team comp would be great for the game. (As far as quality goes)

Well techinically it would be a 5.46 million dollar cap but because there wont be these struggling clubs who are hardly able to survive it wold mean the clubs could acutally pay stars from there own money rather than on grants meaning realistically a cap of 7 million for 12 teams wouldn't be that far out.

 

[Coxy]

And I think having a higher salary cap and fewer teams means fewer of our genuine stars would leave for the UK. Lets face it, most clubs have 6 or 7 players in their 25 who you don't really care about whether they stay or go, but they take money away from the bigger stars. Having a higher cap, you wouldn't pay those alsorans more money, but you'd put it to your marquee players.

Love the idea.

 

[Kimlo]

And I think having a higher salary cap and fewer teams means fewer of our genuine stars would leave for the UK. Lets face it, most clubs have 6 or 7 players in their 25 who you don't really care about whether they stay or go, but they take money away from the bigger stars. Having a higher cap, you wouldn't pay those alsorans more money, but you'd put it to your marquee players.

Love the idea.

Yep, but also besides RETAINING, with a 7 million cap (if that's what it turned out to be) We would actually get players BACK from ESL and yawnion. We'd have a competition with GENUINE stars this would mean higher crowds, higher ratings and so on, just look at wendell he came back for a reserve grade game and they got higher rating instantly these big names attract crowds imagine being a able to afford a star lineup with hardly any teams having duds.

 

[Dexter]

Here's a good idea, lets reduce the number of Sydney teams and build sides in areas that can sustain them, with less sides the standard of play would be better, sponorship dollars less diluted and we could call it Superleague. eusa_think
Nah forget it that probably wouldn't catch on.

 

[Kimlo]

Yep. And once things are more stable, the NRL can concentrate on building other teams around the Nation. Don't know where else though.

Anyway, 12 teams prob won't happen. 4 teams will be in doubt, I think they'll all merge so that will make it a 14 team comp.

Well at the very least kill 2 teams south first (most useless team ever) and move 2 teams sydney can't have 9 teams move 2 kill 2 that's my solution.