Cheer Squad
25th February 2012, 04:00 PM
Here's an excerpt from Chairman Richard's address to the AGM on Thursday about match day attendance last year:
Match day attendances in Sydney were disappointing when compared to our forecasts. However, match days and the weeks and days immediately prior to most matches were significantly impacted by one of Sydney?s wettest ever winters. Given games can generally be watched live on television, the presence or threat of rain is a deciding factor in many Sydney people?s decision to purchase or attend.
I realise the weather was a problem last year, and seemed to depress attendances, especially for the Carlton and Geelong games in Sydney.
But this year, what concerns me is the draw itself. We don't play either Carlton or Essendon in Sydney. And our first four games at the SCG are against teams that don't exactly have a reputation for drawing big crowds - Fremantle, North Melbourne, Adelaide, and Melbourne.
Throw in the Giants at Homebush - I mean, I'm not expecting a big crowd in Round 14 - and it appears the only real blockbuster matches we have are Geelong and Hawthorn at the SCG, and Collingwood at Homebush. And they're all at the back end of the season.
With a draw like that, I just hope the weather in Sydney is kinder to us this year.
Match day attendances in Sydney were disappointing when compared to our forecasts. However, match days and the weeks and days immediately prior to most matches were significantly impacted by one of Sydney?s wettest ever winters. Given games can generally be watched live on television, the presence or threat of rain is a deciding factor in many Sydney people?s decision to purchase or attend.
I realise the weather was a problem last year, and seemed to depress attendances, especially for the Carlton and Geelong games in Sydney.
But this year, what concerns me is the draw itself. We don't play either Carlton or Essendon in Sydney. And our first four games at the SCG are against teams that don't exactly have a reputation for drawing big crowds - Fremantle, North Melbourne, Adelaide, and Melbourne.
Throw in the Giants at Homebush - I mean, I'm not expecting a big crowd in Round 14 - and it appears the only real blockbuster matches we have are Geelong and Hawthorn at the SCG, and Collingwood at Homebush. And they're all at the back end of the season.
With a draw like that, I just hope the weather in Sydney is kinder to us this year.