Sydney home semis scrapped

[Jeba]

There will be no more suburban semi-finals in Sydney from next season. All Sydney finals (including week 1) to be played from ANZ Stadium or the SFS.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/...he-sfs-from-2011/story-fn2mcuj6-1225963471210

Sydney-based NRL teams will have to host their opening finals games at either the Sydney Football Stadium or ANZ Stadium from next season.

In a decision which brings the opening week of the post-season into line with the semi-finals in week two, finals will no longer be played at Sydney's suburban grounds.

It was agreed on the final day of the NRL's annual conference at Byron Bay, with club bosses supporting the move for fixed venues for finals matches.

The issue came to a head in 2009 when minor premiers St George Illawarra opted to host their opening finals game against Parramatta at WIN Jubilee Stadium, with thousands of fans deprived the opportunity to purchase tickets to the game because of the smaller ground capacity.

"A big part of the growth in membership in the game has been the need for members to be assured of the chance to get the best seats at the big games at the end of each year," NRL chief executive David Gallop said in a statement.

"Importantly, the move will allow away team members greater opportunity and will be able to better accommodate those clubs that have memberships spread across multiple venues."

What do we all think? Being from Brisbane I don't have any real problem with it, but I do think that in week 1 the surburban home semi's is a good reward for your efforts throughout the season.

 

[Steve]

Should have happened last year. Locking thousands of fans out of a blockbuster final just because the home team is too short-sighted to play at Moore Park or Homebush is ridiculous. The game is at war with Aussie Rules and it makes sense to pack out the larger venues for the big games.

 

[Jeba]

Is it me or does Steve always use the old names of footy grounds?

 

[Foordy]

Financially, it's probably a good decision. But for the clubs it's going to suck. It'll also suck for the fans. Just another nail in the cofen for the good old tribalism. Someone tell me what the point is of finishing 4th or 5th then? If St George finish 4th and the Roosters finish 5th, then St George have to play the Chooks at the SFS. No home ground advantage.

This is also VERY good news for teams like Brisbane, Melbourne, Warriors and Newcastle. The SFS and ANZ are WAY less intimidating grounds compared to Oki Jubilee, Campbelltown, Penrith and Parramatta.

don't the Roosters play their home games out of the SFS... because if they do in that scenario 5th place would actually get the home ground advantage [icon_lol1.

 

[Jeba]

Financially, it's probably a good decision. But for the clubs it's going to suck. It'll also suck for the fans. Just another nail in the cofen for the good old tribalism. Someone tell me what the point is of finishing 4th or 5th then? If St George finish 4th and the Roosters finish 5th, then St George have to play the Chooks at the SFS. No home ground advantage.

This is also VERY good news for teams like Brisbane, Melbourne, Warriors and Newcastle. The SFS and ANZ are WAY less intimidating grounds compared to Oki Jubilee, Campbelltown, Penrith and Parramatta.

don't the Roosters play their home games out of the SFS... because if they do in that scenario 5th place would actually get the home ground advantage [icon_lol1.

Pretty sure that's what Rocky meant.

 

[Nashy]

Sort of takes some tradition out of the game. Finals or not, I think the small grounds should be used. Fans like them, teams like them.

 

[Coxy]

Sort of takes some tradition out of the game. Finals or not, I think the small grounds should be used. Fans like them, teams like them.

Meh. Tradition shmadition.

 

[Fozz]

Wrong move IMO, those suburban grounds have a lot of character and carry an actual home ground advantage.

 

[Coxy]

Wrong move IMO, those suburban grounds have a lot of character and carry an actual home ground advantage.

Exactly. It's unfair. Just like us playing at suncorp. No advantage because everyone loves playing there.

 

[Coxy]

Wrong move IMO, those suburban grounds have a lot of character and carry an actual home ground advantage.

Exactly. It's unfair. Just like us playing at suncorp. No advantage because everyone loves playing there.

BS. I think it does give us a home ground advantage, except when we play someone like the Titans and the Cowboys. Not as much advantage as suburban grounds have for some Sydney teams, but it's an advantage nonetheless.

Yeah, same kind of advantage Sydney teams get at the SFS when playing the Broncos etc.

It's the right decision

 

[Steve]

It'll be the wrong decision when St George have to play the Melbourne at the SFS in a "home game". It'll get no more than 25,000 people. Take it to Kogerah and you'll get 20,000. Oh those poor 5,000 people that miss out, such a tragedy.

Locking people out of sell outs like this is actually a GOOD thing. It increases interest in the game. You have people rushing for tickets and then when there are no tickets left you have people rushing to find the best bar/club to watch the game at with all their mates.

It's an odd decision.

Agree that it will be controversial when you get games similar to the one you mentioned. In that case the suburban ground would be a better option. However I think the majority of finals draw healthy crowds and the SFS or ANZ is appropriate.

I completely disagree with your second point. Staging finals that draw 40,000 at venues that hold only 25,000 makes no sense regardless of how you look at it. Do you honestly think the NRL can gloat when a venue that small sells out? It's madness. We should strive to get as many people through the gates at finals time as possible.

 

[Professor47]

I completely disagree with your second point. Staging finals that draw 40,000 at venues that hold only 25,000 makes no sense regardless of how you look at it. Do you honestly think the NRL can gloat when a venue that small sells out? It's madness. We should strive to get as many people through the gates at finals time as possible.

I'm a huge fan of the traditional grounds - but you're 100% right.
Good decision financially but it should ALSO be backed up with a change in the 1st week finals structure as well - to avoid situations like the dragons/roosters scenario.

 

[Flutterby]

Whatever approach they take some groups of people will complain for some reason/s

 

[Steve]

It does nothing for the clubs financially. Most of the revenue during the finals goes into the pockets of the NRL anyway.

Fans want to see their team win the comp during the finals, THATS what gets people through the gates. It does absolutely fark all in increasing fan basis.

Key point that. The cynics might suggest the shift to bigger stadiums is a way to make mroe money from finals. That might be true given the game needs every dollar it can eek out before the next TV rights deal.

For games tthat may not draw in excess of 30,000 (games with interstate teams) it would be good if there was some mechanism where these games could be played at smaller grounds. The trouble is I think it would all have to come down to the NRL's discretion and with that there'll always be one party that's unhappy.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Wrong move IMO, those suburban grounds have a lot of character and carry an actual home ground advantage.

Exactly. It's unfair. Just like us playing at suncorp. No advantage because everyone loves playing there.

BS. I think it does give us a home ground advantage, except when we play someone like the Titans and the Cowboys. Not as much advantage as suburban grounds have for some Sydney teams, but it's an advantage nonetheless.

Yeah try telling that to Newcastle on opening day at suncorp stadium for the Broncos, didn't motivate the Knights one bit [icon_lol1.

 

[Big Pete]

Smart decision for the long term, don't think it will work for the short term.

Imagine a Penrith/Cowboys finals game? Won't draw more than 20K I reckon.

 

[Browny]

Smart decision for the long term, don't think it will work for the short term.

Imagine a Penrith/Cowboys finals game? Won't draw more than 20K I reckon.

Depends on what the sydney nitelife is offering and if the tunnel is open

 

[Big Pete]

If the NRL are on their way to killing suburban grounds. Once you kill suburban grounds, you kill the tribalism. Once you kill the tribalism, you kill rugby league. You heard it here first.

And hopefully last. [icon_razz1

Unless League gets rocked by another Super League type war I believe the game is bound to grow incredibly over the next few decades which will mean clubs like Cronulla, Manly and possibly Penrith who play at their own relatively small home grounds will eventually be made redundant. Other clubs such as Parramatta and St. George have the fanbase and the rich history to survive the transition while the Tigers are well on their way to make it.

If the game does grow, I believe Sydney teams should definitely embrace the move to much larger and (IMO) better stadiums.