innsaneink
Well-known member
THE state government has stamped a death notice on one of Sydney’s favourite Sunday afternoon activities — watching NRL games at traditional old suburban grounds.
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The days of getting rugged up on weekend afternoons to enjoy a pie and beer on the hill at the famous footy ovals are soon to be gone under plans to raise our sporting facilities to an international level.
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Sports Minister Stuart Ayres said the government would no longer invest in the district venues where rugby league has been played for more than a century. Instead, money would be poured into major upgrades at Allianz and ANZ stadiums, including a retractable roof over the Homebush Olympic venue.
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ROTHFIELD COMMENT: KILLING OFF SUBURBAN FOOTY A MISTAKE
http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/killing-off-suburban-rugby-league-tradition-will-be-a-mistake/story-fndujljl-1226987010146
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Old favourites such as Leichhardt Oval, Shark Park, Brookvale and Kogarah will either be left to rot or become training facilities and multi-purpose venues for wider use, similar to Redfern Oval and Belmore Sports Ground.
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Mr Ayres insisted all future government spending would be restricted to the bigger facilities, ANZ and Allianz, plus a third, as yet undetermined, venue in Sydney’s west.
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He said nine Sydney NRL clubs can only survive in such a cramped market by generating more revenue from higher memberships and use of the bigger venues.
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Thank you for voting!
Agree - it's the way of the future 20.32% (292 votes)
**Disagree** - suburban grounds are the soul of rugby league **79.68%** (1,145 votes)
Total Votes: 1,437
Return To Poll
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“My long-term view … is that we have to make the transition from suburban grounds to major stadium facilities,” Mr Ayres said.
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“Sport in NSW will not compete nationally or internationally if we restrict ourselves to suburban facilities.
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“If you’re an NRL club driving towards 20,000 to 25,000 members, the suburban ground will not service your membership and won’t have enough seats to sell to other customers as well.”
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Pressed about losing old favourites such as Leichhardt Oval, the minister stood firm.
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“Absolutely it’s special and important to that community,” he said. “But its role as a facility to play national sport in is limited to maybe one or two events a year.
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“I don’t see it as part of our core strategy in NSW. It offers some nostalgia but not as a financially viable sports base.
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“The biggest impact on Sydney crowds is the poor state of facilities and the accessibility of these facilities.
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“People have been turning away from small suburban grounds ... because they don’t offer the experience you get at home watching Channel Nine or Foxtel.
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“So they don’t go as frequently as they would if they were offered a better product. If we offer good quality facilities they will turn up.”
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Mr Ayres is a fanatical Panthers fan, whose own home ground could be in the firing line under the new policy.
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“I love watching the Panthers at home,” he said, “But if it’s the 14th of July and you’re sitting up on the northern hill on a Monday night, it’s pretty cold and the experience isn’t all that hospitable.”
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The future of the Penrith facility will be the centre of interesting manoeuvring in coming months, with the minister caught in a tough situation. He is the local member for Penrith and has formed a tight relationship with influential Panthers boss Phil Gould, who is furiously lobbying for the third stadium to be built on the site of their current home ground.
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This is despite pressure on the government to do the more obvious redevelopment of Parramatta Stadium, home to the Eels and the Western Sydney Wanderers, who boast massive supporter bases.
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Already, $29 million of federal and state money has been committed to Parramatta, which will only increase the venue by 4000 seats and improve training facilities.
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“Sport has to pay its own way in the NSW budget,” Mr Ayres said, adding that he was confident Sydney would eventually overtake Melbourne as the nation’s sporting capital.
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Originally published as Fulltime for suburban footy
Some of his comments are weak, very weak:
Yes, its pretty obvious I dont get the same experience watching on TV at home compared to at a suburban ground...but thats exactly the same if the games at the big stadiums too :crazy
Cold on the hill at penrith during a night game huh?
So moving it to 20km down the road to Homebush on the same night makes sooo much difference :crazy
I dont mind the big stadiums for the big games, but 15k at ANZ is depressing and sad...where at Cambo or LO its totally different (when we are playing well)
The ridiculously low priced deals we saw this year will dry up eventually if this is the only option.
Ive long been a proponent for one home ground for us, the advantage we lose moving around constantly has cost us imo....but sharing with three four or five other clubs is pointless and the advantage a real home ground holds is gone.
For many many fans, tribalism is what attracted us to the game, you supported your local team, you were proud of you area and district and your home ground was your castle and when away teams were sent packing after a loss to your team there was no better feeling for the following week.
The games losing me slowly, referees ineptness...constant rules changes, the amateur way the game is run ie Origin, the draw fiasco etc ...the BS that is membership in trying to make the mug fan like you & me feel like were important when in reality the corporates is all they give a stuff about
>
The days of getting rugged up on weekend afternoons to enjoy a pie and beer on the hill at the famous footy ovals are soon to be gone under plans to raise our sporting facilities to an international level.
>
Sports Minister Stuart Ayres said the government would no longer invest in the district venues where rugby league has been played for more than a century. Instead, money would be poured into major upgrades at Allianz and ANZ stadiums, including a retractable roof over the Homebush Olympic venue.
>
ROTHFIELD COMMENT: KILLING OFF SUBURBAN FOOTY A MISTAKE
http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/killing-off-suburban-rugby-league-tradition-will-be-a-mistake/story-fndujljl-1226987010146
>
Old favourites such as Leichhardt Oval, Shark Park, Brookvale and Kogarah will either be left to rot or become training facilities and multi-purpose venues for wider use, similar to Redfern Oval and Belmore Sports Ground.
\
\
Mr Ayres insisted all future government spending would be restricted to the bigger facilities, ANZ and Allianz, plus a third, as yet undetermined, venue in Sydney’s west.
>
He said nine Sydney NRL clubs can only survive in such a cramped market by generating more revenue from higher memberships and use of the bigger venues.
>
Thank you for voting!
Agree - it's the way of the future 20.32% (292 votes)
**Disagree** - suburban grounds are the soul of rugby league **79.68%** (1,145 votes)
Total Votes: 1,437
Return To Poll
>
“My long-term view … is that we have to make the transition from suburban grounds to major stadium facilities,” Mr Ayres said.
>
“Sport in NSW will not compete nationally or internationally if we restrict ourselves to suburban facilities.
\
\
“If you’re an NRL club driving towards 20,000 to 25,000 members, the suburban ground will not service your membership and won’t have enough seats to sell to other customers as well.”
>
Pressed about losing old favourites such as Leichhardt Oval, the minister stood firm.
>
“Absolutely it’s special and important to that community,” he said. “But its role as a facility to play national sport in is limited to maybe one or two events a year.
>
“I don’t see it as part of our core strategy in NSW. It offers some nostalgia but not as a financially viable sports base.
\
\
“The biggest impact on Sydney crowds is the poor state of facilities and the accessibility of these facilities.
>
“People have been turning away from small suburban grounds ... because they don’t offer the experience you get at home watching Channel Nine or Foxtel.
>
“So they don’t go as frequently as they would if they were offered a better product. If we offer good quality facilities they will turn up.”
>
Mr Ayres is a fanatical Panthers fan, whose own home ground could be in the firing line under the new policy.
\
\
“I love watching the Panthers at home,” he said, “But if it’s the 14th of July and you’re sitting up on the northern hill on a Monday night, it’s pretty cold and the experience isn’t all that hospitable.”
>
The future of the Penrith facility will be the centre of interesting manoeuvring in coming months, with the minister caught in a tough situation. He is the local member for Penrith and has formed a tight relationship with influential Panthers boss Phil Gould, who is furiously lobbying for the third stadium to be built on the site of their current home ground.
>
This is despite pressure on the government to do the more obvious redevelopment of Parramatta Stadium, home to the Eels and the Western Sydney Wanderers, who boast massive supporter bases.
>
Already, $29 million of federal and state money has been committed to Parramatta, which will only increase the venue by 4000 seats and improve training facilities.
>
“Sport has to pay its own way in the NSW budget,” Mr Ayres said, adding that he was confident Sydney would eventually overtake Melbourne as the nation’s sporting capital.
>
Originally published as Fulltime for suburban footy
Some of his comments are weak, very weak:
Yes, its pretty obvious I dont get the same experience watching on TV at home compared to at a suburban ground...but thats exactly the same if the games at the big stadiums too :crazy
Cold on the hill at penrith during a night game huh?
So moving it to 20km down the road to Homebush on the same night makes sooo much difference :crazy
I dont mind the big stadiums for the big games, but 15k at ANZ is depressing and sad...where at Cambo or LO its totally different (when we are playing well)
The ridiculously low priced deals we saw this year will dry up eventually if this is the only option.
Ive long been a proponent for one home ground for us, the advantage we lose moving around constantly has cost us imo....but sharing with three four or five other clubs is pointless and the advantage a real home ground holds is gone.
For many many fans, tribalism is what attracted us to the game, you supported your local team, you were proud of you area and district and your home ground was your castle and when away teams were sent packing after a loss to your team there was no better feeling for the following week.
The games losing me slowly, referees ineptness...constant rules changes, the amateur way the game is run ie Origin, the draw fiasco etc ...the BS that is membership in trying to make the mug fan like you & me feel like were important when in reality the corporates is all they give a stuff about
