Force's Black Friday

[AndyS]

Surely we couldn't possibly lose 10,000 people in two years. Subi isn't that bad.

I don't think so either, but I would hardly be surprised if the attendance was rubbish. Anyone reading the press and internet would be forgiven for thinking that every seat at Subiaco was restricted viewing. Sure, it isn't great, but the decline we have seen has far more to do with negative reinforcement than fact. The second year we had a decline in memberships but not much change in attendance. If it was just the viewing, that was the year we would have seen attendances plummet. Instead, it coincided with the "Subi is crap" campaign - say it often enough, people will believe it and focus on the ground rather than the rugby. Not that it hasn't worked in it's way...we will shortly fit into a minimal upgrade so we do have a shot at a rectangle.

Still, can't help but wonder what might have been if we had instead focused on the rugby. The Government has always thrown "business case" at us - had we not discouraged attendance and then expanded the S14...

[chiselhead]

. Surely we couldn't possibly lose 10,000 people in two years. Subi isn't that bad.

Subi is that bad. It is worse than bad.
The public feels ripped off when they go. It is hardly the promotion rugby needed in this state. They said they would upgrade MES for season 2. They didn't.
People will come back when they get a seat with a view. The Force customer service is below poor. The Force are putting on an entertainment and if the punters can't see it, there will be no bums on seats.........they'll watch it on Foxtel for less than a seasons membership. Hard cold facts. Business 101. Look after your market or lose it. First impressions are everything and the view at Subi is abominable. If someone who didn't know a lot about the game went to Subi, they'd never go back..........and they aren't.

The Force can rant and bloody rave about the State government. It's their industry. It's their business. They neede to bloody sort something out sooner. They'd be better off playing at MES to a full house with everybody getting a great view with a fantastic atmosphere than a half full ground with a crap view.

The Force have dumped on their supporters. Hard cold fact.

That's just how it is

[jargan83]

Subi is shocking

If that move to MES next year wasn't announced I probably would not have renewed my membership and would have been content to watch at
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[joondalup dave]

did the state government promise an upgrade of MES if they went ahead with the bid and then backed out?

the force could never afford to build there own stadium.

[jargan83]

as apart of the initial bid the WA State Government promised to upgrade MES to the tune of $25 million to get the ground to 22,000.

That was back when RugbyWA were forecasting a membership of 4,000.
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[joondalup dave]

they were probably thinking that membership would go along the same lines as the tahs , brumbies, membership is a much more popular thing in afl states.

[blueandblack]

did the state government promise an upgrade of MES if they went ahead with the bid and then backed out?
...

as apart of the initial bid the WA State Government promised to upgrade MES to the tune of $25 million to get the ground to 22,000.
....[/size]

Then the $25 million was integrated into the costs for the Albino Pachyderm....

[jargan83]

Then the $25 million was integrated into the costs for the Albino Pachyderm....

well aware B&B

you have about 15 Jugs of beer at the Cricket and see how well you can type 11:30 at night

But yes, that $25 million was then absorbed into the cost for the Multi Purpose Stadium that the former Labour Government had planned

[Swee_82]

After the rush for memberships in the first year, RWA abandoned the 22,000 seater as inadequate, which based on the subscriptions that first year it was, but they either didn't expect the 4,000 member drop off year-on-year that we've seen since then or failed to acknowledge it when it did happen, and continued demanding a new, 35-40,000 seat rectangular stadium. I personally question the wisdom of pushing that line when your membership base it dropping 20% a year, and apparently the new administration there (Harris et al) does too, given the change of approach since then. The funding was put on hold while the stadium taskforce was in operation, and once it reccomended the MPS be built and MES retained at current capacity, the $$ were absorbed into the MPS budget. By the time it was obvious there wasn't going to be a reccomendation for a new rectangular stadium, now or in the future, RWA were left with nothing, and were fighting to get 'the best deal they could' out of the new stadium.

Andy, you could be right about all the negative press re: Subi- I'm not sure that it's the full story though. If the drop off in numbers is predominantly made up of ex-members or at least ex-walk ups- these people would have already been to Subi and been able to decide for themselves if they want to part with their hard earned to sit up in the stratosphere, or miss half the game from the fence. The first few seasons I think everyone was viewing being at Subi as 'temporary' and were going to wear it for a while, but the longer it went on the less enthused they got- it's alot of money to sit there are tell yourself "it's only another year"....

I also can't remember seeing too much promotion for this yet- perhaps so far they were focussing on getting crowds to the pre-season to make a statement and haven't flicked the promo switch to S14 proper yet- but sounds like they need to.

[jargan83]

obviously with any new team in any competition they should of expected a "honeymoon" period, whether of not RugbyWA factored this in at the start is painfully obvious by the continued demand for a 35,000 - 40,000 seat stadium (continued up untill Greg Harris took over apparently)

[Thequeerone]

probably the most important game of the season - need a BP win at this one

[shasta]

I wish our media would start trying to be positive about everything........ its all negative crap.......

A few weeks ago, as part of my personal effort at promoting our issues on radio, I made a talk-back comment to Simon Beaumont and some Perth-based pommy sports commentator to that effect. They really gave it to me. They reckon the WA media has been tremendously supportive of the Force. I continued making the point that I was sure they had not. They wouldn't have a bar of it. I'd like to hear more of us putting our point up. Maybe they might clean their rose coloured glasses.

[BDAVEY]

Jargan, I am with you exactlly what i thought. We waited until Januray to renew once the WF got their ship into order with Gits and Mitchell......... I was getting sick of all the indecision and tit for tat
Roll on Friday week........

[slomo]

the advert for this game "the force behind the force' was played all day today on 882 6pr....

[jargan83]

Gits and Mitchell......... I was getting sick of all the indecision and tit for tat
Roll on Friday week........

Wasn't the Gits and Mitchell thing really. No one man is bigger then the team so the Giteau thing wasn't an Issue.

Been a while since I have heard anything about Mitchell though, when is that "report" being handed down?

The main thing is I like many others am growing very fed up with Subiaco Oval