$50 Million reason Wests Tigers are prepared to quit Campbelltown.

innsaneink said:
Lol...have you ever been to Lidcombe? Such a silly comment as that ground would need half a billion to.get it up to standard.

I dont know why you think im supportive of an 8/3 CSS/LO split...i dont recall saying that...but Richos stated the SW is the future numerous times, i guess they feel the area in the past has been neglected and are now trying to rectify this...the office in Cambo...the junior development academy, and now an upgrade to get more corporate support....we have facilities already at Concord for our Balmain junior elite players and soon will have somewhere for those elite juniors from the Magpies side.
They gotta start somewhere and it wony happen overnight but weve farted around out in the SW for 25 years hopefully this is the beginning of good things.
We couldve easily had 2 or 3 wins at cambo...Lloyd drops it over the line...CNK runs into Seyfarths shoulder and sucks in the ref...shouldve done the Knights just like we shouldve beaten the Cowboys two days ago.
This teams on the up and im confident we will win more games at home next year...crowds can only grow so much when there is a cap on this.
Winning gets bums on seats and we saw that in. 05, 10 & 11.
My preference has always been one ground buy we will never see that and i know its not good business to piss off half your clientele and corporate support...the latter being the main focus here imo
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4 things.

1. I made the Lidcombe comment by stating it's never going to happen and it was only in the context of funding and location because my view is our supporter base is larger out of the South West and closer to the inner west. I've said for years I'd love to see the stats on where our supporters live to make these decisions properly, but that's a mystery...the club surely has more data, but doesn't share. It would make for a more facts driven discussion.

2. Juniors can have a COE there and play games there. It makes sense. Young people living in SW will need a base close to home. Not sure how that connects to where the NRL team plays. We've had 5 home grounds for years and ground location wasn't a theme for the players. Although I never hear the players saying how special it is to play at Campbelltown. They do about Leichhardt. Seems to be a clear preference.

3. I never said you supported an 8/3 split. Simply discussing the decision. It's not directed at you.

4. Winning gets bums on seats. Maybe that's true for Campbelltown. It doesn't seem to be that way at Leichhardt. Why is it so hard to get Campbelltown fans through the door? We did so much better this year and the Campbo crowds are -30% on Leichhardt crowds. This is no small difference.

I'm not sure how you manufacture support out of thin air, and whybyou want to givebupnone of the most iconic grounds in rugby league, if not the most iconic, and relegate it to 3 games as a token gesture.

People can state some reasons for that move, but there are a lot of reasons to be against it.
 
Bus 2 Terrigal said:
Your 1000% wrong!
The South-West has always been the answer.
Sadly it’s taken a quarter of a century to loosen the grip of those sentimental Balmain dinosaurs (who we quite rightly, continue to acknowledge by playing a few heritage games at Leichhardt).
👇
Forecast
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If you can put your insults away for just a moment. I hear this all the time. South West is our future. Then the conversation just stops as if this is an undeniable fact.

Could you articulate why exactly? Based on crowd numbers and results. That future looks grim.
 
Tom Shines said:
I wouldnt be surprised if they hadn’t …looking at the long list of muppets making the decisions prior to Richo…
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I've said this for years. I suspect the majority of our supporter base doesn't actually live in the South West.

My prediction...and I hope I am wrong, is that more games will simply create more supply of games and crowds will be lower or the same at. Campbelltown and Leichardt will sell out every time.
 
weststigers said:
If you can put your insults away for just a moment. I hear this all the time. South West is our future. Then the conversation just stops as if this is an undeniable fact.

Could you articulate why exactly? Based on crowd numbers and results. That future looks grim.
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The past and present has been grim for the Club …

Perhaps the South West future stuff is a pipe dream ..but it’s the only one the club seems to have …

weststigers said:
I've said this for years. I suspect the majority of our supporter base doesn't actually live in the South West.

My prediction...and I hope I am wrong, is that more games will simply create more supply of games and crowds will be lower or the same at. Campbelltown and Leichardt will sell out every time.
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I don’t know the demographics of the supporter base … people travel far and wide to go to games at LO… perhaps the scarcity drives this and if you have more games than this will diminish …im speculating there…if they win more games and are Top 8 contenders more years than not like most clubs are, than I think they can fill a 20k stadium in Campbelltown … like most problems , win more games and they should go away…

Also might add that the time the game is played and most importantly the weather are massive factors at either ground in getting a decent crowd
 
Tom Shines said:
The past and present has been grim for the Club …

Perhaps the South West future stuff is a pipe dream ..but it’s the only one the club seems to have …



I don’t know the demographics of the supporter base … people travel far and wide to go to games at LO… perhaps the scarcity drives this and if you have more games than this will diminish …im speculating there…if they win more games and are Top 8 contenders more years than not like most clubs are, than I think they can fill a 20k stadium in Campbelltown … like most problems , win more games and they should go away…

Also might add that the time the game is played and most importantly the weather are massive factors at either ground in getting a decent crowd
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I get all these arguments...they are just ifs and maybes though. The majority of fans don't want this, but are prepared to go along with it because we are sold this idea that it's"our future". People are just too scared to offend all the old Wests offendatrons, but in my view they are killing off the most marketable ground in the NRL. 3 games at the best atmosphere local ground in the NRL is insulting.
 
weststigers said:
I get all these arguments...they are just ifs and maybes though. The majority of fans don't want this, but are prepared to go along with it because we are sold this idea that it's"our future". People are just too scared to offend all the old Wests offendatrons, but in my view they are killing off the most marketable ground in the NRL. 3 games at the best atmosphere local ground in the NRL is insulting.
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No one is suggesting killing off Leichhardt… Im a big fan personally of going to the games there …and I’m certainly not afraid of insulting the old Maggie’s here …

There will still be 3-4 games there …Same as it’s been the past 25 years …the only thing changing is where the other games are played …
 
Tom Shines said:
No one is suggesting killing off Leichhardt… Im a big fan personally of going to the games there …and I’m certainly not afraid of insulting the old Maggie’s here …

There will still be 3-4 games there …Same as it’s been the past 25 years …the only thing changing is where the other games are played …
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Haha the excuses are certainly getting more hilarious. Same as it's always been...just the spares will go to Campbo...come on...give me a break.
 
weststigers said:
Haha the excuses are certainly getting more hilarious. Same as it's always been...just the spares will go to Campbo...come on...give me a break.
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excuses for what ? Providing an opinion?

I think this issue has been decided by the club ..looks like …it’s just a matter of whether LO gets 3 or 4 games a year apparently
 
Campbelltown should be our priority. I love Leichhardt and am a fan of rugby league and the tigers because of it, but we need future generations of footy fans at the games to really solidify their allegiance, and that is absolutely at Campbelltown. People talking about our record at Campbelltown are thinking very short term. At all of our losses at Campbelltown there was a great spirit and atmosphere despite poor weather and losses. It was such a shame because a dramatic win on any of those occasions would have been good reward for the many families who came out. Dud performances are on our team, not the fans, as the Leichhardt loss on Sunday proves.

I think it's a shame slightly more money hasn't been put into both grounds. Presumably if you're upgrading to 20k capacity you could get better value spending a bit more and upgrading to 25-30k capacity, which would be the ideal capacity for both grounds and really add to the atmosphere in each place.

In both upgrades I hope there is at least flexibility to add further upgrades by replacing the latchem robinson stand at Leichhardt and the Western Grandstand at Campbelltown. Those are really the most outdated and unappealing parts of both grounds and they could significantly bolster capacity by having wider, higher and better designed grandstands and corporate facilities at both grounds.

The new grandstand at Brookvale looks really well done and enhances the enclosed atmosphere at Brookvale, hopefully something like that is planned for both grounds.

Unfortunately I think Pascoe badly erred in funding concord centre of excellence rather than a site at Campbelltown. Given there was money for a centre of excellence at Campbelltown already, Pascoe probably could have pushed for a stadium upgrade and a centre of excellence in the high growth region where our best junior talent is. It could have been a pivotal moment in our club and government would be more willing to look at a more comprehensive stadium upgrade at Campbelltown if they hadn't already put so much into Concord. We sort of used up our claim for government cash with that development and now we remain torn between Inner west and our high growth region out west. It also would have given the team a much stronger connection to the community and their familiarity with the ground, which also would presumably help when we base home games there. I fear the decision to fund Concord rather than a Centre of excellence at Campbelltown was based more on where Pascoe and Lee enjoyed drinking coffee rather than what was strategically right for our club. Oh well.
 
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Tom Shines said:
excuses for what ? Providing an opinion?

I think this issue has been decided by the club ..looks like …it’s just a matter of whether LO gets 3 or 4 games a year apparently
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Not having a go at you Tom. Actually, I quite like you. I am just highlighting that a lot of excuses are made for Campbelltown. People trying hard to justify and 8/3 split when the numbers don't justify it.
 
innsaneink said:
The 2 games i went to there it was raining...wahs and souths...in the western stand for wahs and eastern stand for souths and we still got wet
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Let's hope for perfect weather and lots of wins next year to coax the westies out of their homes. Seems like they need the planets to align to get to games.
 
weststigers said:
Let's hope for perfect weather and lots of wins next year to coax the westies out of their homes. Seems like they need the planets to align to get to games.
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Nah, just a decent team and some local engagement. Anyway, Campbelltown gets good crowds considering our long period of mediocrity. It's a great stadium to watch rugby league in.
 
weststigers said:
Let's hope for perfect weather and lots of wins next year to coax the westies out of their homes. Seems like they need the planets to align to get to games.
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The weather is a reasonable excuse for poor crowds at both grounds which are both as exposed as it gets …I’ve been to some very low crowds at LO as well in poor weather…
 
weststigers said:
I get all these arguments...they are just ifs and maybes though. The majority of fans don't want this, but are prepared to go along with it because we are sold this idea that it's"our future". People are just too scared to offend all the old Wests offendatrons, but in my view they are killing off the most marketable ground in the NRL. 3 games at the best atmosphere local ground in the NRL is insulting.
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How do you know this?
 
weststigers said:
Let's hope for perfect weather and lots of wins next year to coax the westies out of their homes. Seems like they need the planets to align to get to games.
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big issue is plenty out campbletown way have moved out there today purchase homes etc, however they have existing teams they follow through family etc, e.g. dragons, souths, dogs etc.
would like the club to publish the demographics of the membership base i would suspect the bulk of our membership base doesnt live out campbletown way

As for the leichardt the basket weavers have long since infiltrated the area, however it is an "event" venue and always will be, perfect for those out of Sydney games like titans, cowboys, dolphins etc
 
watersider said:
Campbelltown should be our priority. I love Leichhardt and am a fan of rugby league and the tigers because of it, but we need future generations of footy fans at the games to really solidify their allegiance, and that is absolutely at Campbelltown. People talking about our record at Campbelltown are thinking very short term. At all of our losses at Campbelltown there was a great spirit and atmosphere despite poor weather and losses. It was such a shame because a dramatic win on any of those occasions would have been good reward for the many families who came out. Dud performances are on our team, not the fans, as the Leichhardt loss on Sunday proves.

I think it's a shame slightly more money hasn't been put into both grounds. Presumably if you're upgrading to 20k capacity you could get better value spending a bit more and upgrading to 25-30k capacity, which would be the ideal capacity for both grounds and really add to the atmosphere in each place.

In both upgrades I hope there is at least flexibility to add further upgrades by replacing the latchem robinson stand at Leichhardt and the Western Grandstand at Campbelltown. Those are really the most outdated and unappealing parts of both grounds and they could significantly bolster capacity by having wider, higher and better designed grandstands and corporate facilities at both grounds.

The new grandstand at Brookvale looks really well done and enhances the enclosed atmosphere at Brookvale, hopefully something like that is planned for both grounds.

Unfortunately I think Pascoe badly erred in funding concord centre of excellence rather than a site at Campbelltown. Given there was money for a centre of excellence at Campbelltown already, Pascoe probably could have pushed for a stadium upgrade and a centre of excellence in the high growth region where our best junior talent is. It could have been a pivotal moment in our club and government would be more willing to look at a more comprehensive stadium upgrade at Campbelltown if they hadn't already put so much into Concord. We sort of used up our claim for government cash with that development and now we remain torn between Inner west and our high growth region out west. It also would have given the team a much stronger connection to the community and their familiarity with the ground, which also would presumably help when we base home games there. I fear the decision to fund Concord rather than a Centre of excellence at Campbelltown was based more on where Pascoe and Lee enjoyed drinking coffee rather than what was strategically right for our club. Oh well.
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The club doesn't have a fan issue. Alienating one set of rusted on fans in hope to generate some new ones would be madness.
Campbelltown council has now joined the Inner West Council in committing to the club by pledging money to upgrade their facilities. Having a presence in both areas can only be a good thing.
Get it right on the field and quit the back of house infighting - both stadiums will be packed to the rafters and good juniors will want to play for the club instead of being picked off by other clubs.
 
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