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New South Wales Waratahs officials plan to entice fans to home matches
March 02, 2009 New South Wales Rugby Union is ready to deploy a free bus to ferry missing fans from the Sydney CBD to the Sydney Football Stadium this week in a bid to arrest an alarming drop in crowd numbers at New South Wales Waratahs' matches.
Despite claiming their third win of the year and a record ninth in a row at home against the Highlanders last Friday, the unbeaten Tahs drew just 19,492.
It was only the fourth time the crowd at a Waratahs Super 14 rugby match has fallen below 20,000, and contrasted starkly with the 26,000 on hand for the Charity Shield trial between St George Illawarra and South Sydney at ANZ Stadium a night later.
NSW Rugby believe the economic downturn and a string of Friday night games - which traditionally draw poorly - are behind the slump.
But in a drastic move to get more punters through the gates this Friday, Tahs bosses are finalising plans for a free bus service from the city to the ground to grab would-be fans out of pubs and offices.
"Hopefully some people see that as a good opportunity to jump on the bus and come out to the game," NSW Rugby boss Jim L'Estrange said. "There's no doubt we would dearly love a big crowd at the Reds game."
After averaging more than 26,000 a game in 2008, pre-season fears of lean home attendances in the opening rounds have come true for the Waratahs, who drew 21,581 in round two. Only in the dismal 2007 season, in which the Waratahs finished 13th, have the crowd figures been lower. The bottom three crowd figues came that season, against the Chiefs (16,288), Highlanders (17,672) and Stormers (18,409).
Friday night matches are not family friendly and often struggle to lure people off their couches. 100,00 viewers watched the Highlanders match on Fox Sports last Friday.
L'Estrange conceded the crowds were lower than budgeted for, but pre-emptive cost-cutting should help secure them financially. NSW Rugby last week announced a loss of $295,304 for 2008, a year in which they hosted a lucrative home semi-final and made the final.
"There is an economic scenario out there that's affecting everyone. And while we put out a new category family ticket for $50, I think to an extent it's still biting," L'Estrange said.
The Waratahs' dour 11-7 win over the Chiefs a week earlier no doubt kept some fans away, but L'Estrange says that the "ugly" argument doesn't wash.
"They have scored two bonus points and they are winning," he said. "There's no issue there. It is more the economic environment than their style of play."
Despite the low crowds, NSW Rugby's bottom line should ultimately benefit from having an extra home game this season.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html