Forceful Stadium Demands

[robyn <3]

My question from earlier still stands - how is turning people away from a full MES stadium worse than having them not even turn up at all to a half empty Subiaco oval? Where is the rugby growth in that?

if they can't be stuffed to come to rugby in a bad stadium then they aren't true supporters and I wouldn't really encourage those kind of people back to be honest... would be good for RugbyWA to have a full stadium, but I would rather have a packed MES full of real fans ahead of a half-packed subi with real fans.

[GIGS20]

The most often cited line of answer given by those who haven't renewed memberships in '07 and '08 is along the lines of "I'll be back when we get a decent ground".
Well, sorry, you won't, which is probably the only thing stopping far more people dropping their memberships for '09.

I'm sorry mate, you're just wrong there. Memberships have NEVER exceeded the 21 thousand and something of day one, even a 22,000 seat stadium will accommodate that. the people who will miss out are the walk ups. Yes I agree that's not great for the growth of the game, and little Johnny no-particular-sport-player will probably not get to the game live, but really with the astronomical ticket prices, crap seating positions, overpriced watered down beer and general malaise of the subiaco experience do you really think his dad would take him to Subi?

I want to get one thing straight here. I don't think MES is the best option for rugby in WA. I told the minister that. I will stand up on any soapbox you care to give me and shout loud to anybody who can be bothered listening that the best thing for rugby in this state is a 35,000 seat purpose built rectangular stadium in the mould of Suncorp Stadium. OK Now that we've got that out of the way, let's be pragmatic, in the forseeable future there are only two options on the table for medium term (and possibly any) future. We either find the money to make MES workable (better product to a smaller potential audience) or suck it up and try to get Subiaco working (shit product to a falling audience) Personally, I belive that unless the make a decent showing in the finals this year (semi or better) attendances will continue to drop and our annual average will fall below the 21,000 figure we have right now. I also think that our smallest crowd will, in this situation, shrink to a point where MES would accomodate the numbers without an upgrade. (don't talk corporates to me, I know that it'll never happen until the corporates are sorted I'm trying to make a different point).

Subiaco is now the victim of a self fulfilling prophecy. The said that if they weren't taken care of in the rectangular stadium stakes crowds would fall (I remember Mitch announcing it on the big screen) well, the crowds are falling, and I'm pretty sure RugbyWA are noticing it.....Has anybody noticed that all of a sudden there are media reports from RugbyWA talking about a rectangular stadium again? The only option I'm aware of in the current climate is the TOV plan to upgrade MES. If there is anything else being planned, please let me know, because I'd like to present an alternative to sombody before we are stuck with a 25,000 seat MES.

[NTT]

Sorry to join in late but the whole who's to blame for the withdrawal of the initial $25 million funding for MES is simple to explain.
It's basic negotiation: Goverment makes offer, RWA makes counter offer above what is needed in the hope of being knocked down to what it actually needs. Goverment makes slightly better offer, RWA makes counter offer but slightly less than original. And so on until agreement is reached.

Reality is RWA needs a 30 000 seat stadium. Why compromise? It only makes your future wants and needs easier to reject. If it were me negotiating for RWA i would argue that 25000 capacity puts RWA in the position the WAFC is now, your stadium limiting your potential and why not spend the extra money now to do it right, 'price escalation' would hurt the budget more in 10 yrs time then it would now.

[jargan83]

Why compromise?

Becasue due to the "Royalties for Regions" program that is place there will not be enough money for a 30,000 seat stadium. If Rugby is behind AFL and AFL is being told "no new stadium, not enough money" where does that leave Rugby?

Melbourne has a flash new Rectangular stadium about to open it's doors and if crowds continue to fall...................................I don't even want to contemplate what i was about to

[JediKnight]

Using participation figures in our first three years, if we had been at a 22k MES there would have been 84,772 "people" (seats, but that is how they tend to express it) who would not have seen a single match.
A 25k MES would have been a little better at 43,048.

Now, I am yet to hear anyone on this site put there hand up and say "It's ok, I'll take one for the team and stay at home to watch."
Everyone expects to go.

How many seats does the 'blue crew' take up each match/season....I reckon that we have an equilibrium if we kick those numpties into the Swan River & fill MES with true rugby fans!!!

[robyn <3]

Melbourne has a flash new Rectangular stadium about to open it's doors and if crowds continue to fall...................................I don't even want to contemplate what i was about to

i think we should take what we are given and be grateful for it. so long as it is a rectangle. in our stupid AFL obsessed state there is no way we will get a new stadium before them. if barnett is willing to give us the money to upgrade MES i would take it in a flash.

i'd rather watch the games on fox, unable to get a seat than let the force go to melbourne

[jargan83]

How many seats does the 'blue crew' take up each match/season....I reckon that we have an equilibrium if we kick those numpties into the Swan River & fill MES with true rugby fans!!!

Actually i'm glad you mentioned those twats. They are included in attendance figures according to a conversation I had a while ago

[GIGS20]

Sheeeee it that means we're averaging about 200 less than quoted

(a block holds about 200 right, just doing some quick guesstimation with that number, it might be closer to 300 you know, there are I reckon more than 20 seats across and at least 20 deep, shit a block holds a lot of people)

[jargan83]

20 by 20 sounds about right GIGS

[GIGS20]

That makes it 400 then.

[jargan83]

well when RugbyWA has to give away so many free tickets just to get a crowd to the ground............................

[travelling_gerry]

Down at the TAB?

Just home from Singapore and 10 days of doing nothing

Will catch up all the posts soon....

[JediKnight]

Just home from Singapore and 10 days of doing nothing

Will catch up all the posts soon....

Welcome back Gerry.

[Thequeerone]

Welcome Home TG,

Little Johnny gets to go to Subi once - his parents think it it to much hassle not to see the game and all the families I've spoken to say the kid saw nothing and they won't go again - that is the real problem.

[BDAVEY]

I have had a guts ful of all this stuffing around wll we build will we not. (Thanks Grill u have made it more difficult)

lets get on with it and reshape Members Equity. Western Force will say it hasnt enough coperative box's, well WF board its the members the diehards, that turn up every week that u should be pleasing, coperative guys are hear one day gone the next.

i am afraid for $425 i will be watching foxtel this year until the WF board get some guts and do something. Sorry to be so down but I reckon the WF will be no longer in two years. They cant survive on sliding membership.

And then to raed they have substandard practice facilities!! take the outfit to Victoria at least they wont go broke and get looked after