Central Coast Bears

[Jimmy]

Did anyone else see the plans for league to have games of 15 minute quaters so they can play a full season without getting "tired"? They think were soft.
Will probably mean more ads etc.
I hope it ruins their game.

 

[Arabmariner]

Did anyone else see the plans for league to have games of 15 minute quaters so they can play a full season without getting "tired"? They think were soft.
Will probably mean more ads etc.
I hope it ruins their game.

I heard Steve Roach on the radio today talking about that.He more or less said it was a load of bollocks.He said it's not the games that f**k the players it's the training.

 

[curious]

The reason for the non attendance is the ingrained culture of football being a wog/poofter sport.

Untill this generation dies out there will be many a sports lover who grew up with this mentality drumed into them. The rest of them were sheep and just accepted what was spouted about it. TBF there was nothing really of substance to challenge league and aussie rules in Aus back then anyway unless you grew up knowing about or having experienced leagues from OS such as many of us here.

One or two generations time and football will be the #1 spectator sport in Aus as well as having the majority of sponsorship dollar.

It's not seen as a wog/poofter sport enough to prevent it being the largest participation sport by a large margin, so what stops the overwhelming majority of those participants from supporting the aleague? 

As i said before, the aleague attendance by football participants, is highly disproportionate to the very large amount of participants in football. We have around a million playing the game. Adding parents, supporters and helpers would likely double that figure of those interested and/or supporting the game at club level.

The aleague gets about 50k total nation wide attendance a week, so where are all the other football fans and why the distinct lack of interest in the aleague by the 1 - 2 million that support their clubs?

 

[Mr Cleansheets]

That has always been the mystery and the great challenge for the A-League. I suspect that there is still a bit of a hangover from the old NSL days when for many, the idea of going to a "soccer match" came as naturally as contemplating suicide.

I and a couple of mates really did try to become Sydney Olympic fans for a while, but we definitely felt excluded, but the main thing was that there just wasn't the "feel" of a major sporting event in the same way that an NRL match did. Northern Spirit did have the feel in the first season, but it was a bit desperate and tacked on.

That's why I have enormous faith in the future of the A-League. It may have something to do with the telly profile and the link with the popularity of the socceroos (who were nowehere near as popular back in the 80s and 90s) but for me the big thing is the "feel". A Mariners match feels like a major sporting event, even when there's only 5000 or so.

But best we do heaps better than that this year.

 

[scottmac]

The reason for the non attendance is the ingrained culture of football being a wog/poofter sport.

Untill this generation dies out there will be many a sports lover who grew up with this mentality drumed into them. The rest of them were sheep and just accepted what was spouted about it. TBF there was nothing really of substance to challenge league and aussie rules in Aus back then anyway unless you grew up knowing about or having experienced leagues from OS such as many of us here.

One or two generations time and football will be the #1 spectator sport in Aus as well as having the majority of sponsorship dollar.

It's not seen as a wog/poofter sport enough to prevent it being the largest participation sport by a large margin, so what stops the overwhelming majority of those participants from supporting the aleague?  

As i said before, the aleague attendance by football participants, is highly disproportionate to the very large amount of participants in football. We have around a million playing the game. Adding parents, supporters and helpers would likely double that figure of those interested and/or supporting the game at club level.

The aleague gets about 50k total nation wide attendance a week, so where are all the other football fans and why the distinct lack of interest in the aleague by the 1 - 2 million that support their clubs?

Its not what its viewed as now that is the problem. Its what it was viewed as before when we and our parents were growing up.

To give you an example, that i guarentee you is repeated the country over, in my football team there is only 1 ticket holder for an a-league club, me. There are 4 AFL ticket holders and 3 RL ticket holders. Why? Because they grew up without a football team to follow and public sentiment very much against football.

They don't go to the football now because even though they play it they don't recognise any of the teams as their own. That spot is reserved for the swans or the eels or the bears.

Once this generation of football participants die out we will be left with a new generation that associates itself with a football team first and foremost. This is why the junior tickets scheme is one of brilliant foresight.

It wont happen immediatley but it will be long lasting when it does. Much more so than any raise in numbers a whole lot of positive results will bring.

 

[Mr Cleansheets]

Completely agree with you re the kids, however, among my Avoca 035 team mates they are all Mariners fans and I doubt whether there are any that would go through a season without seeing at least one game and plenty would go to most games. Mind you, probably half the team are expat Brits who are very used to attending football matches. The point being that where some people set the example, others will follow.

Anyway, I'm sure we're all sick to death of discussing the crowds and the local tribes. As Scottmac said, the kids are the key. I still see a shitload of kids wearing Mariners gear and it does my heart good.

 

[jiggles]

I know a lot of local footballers that dont go and see the mariners because they see them as "shit". The only way I could imagine these people actually attending a match is if they were given a free ticket and even then I'm not sure if they'd go.

Would the local league community act the same way to "their local team"? I think not.

Over 1300 people turned up for a march that was organised to gain support for the Bears Membership numbers...they are now at over 1600 fully paid memberships... and they're not even in the NRL yet. I think that shows what kind of support they will get.

Whilst I don't really care for an NRL team on the coast (I just don't follow the sport), Jimmy has the right idea. The league community is SO passionate about the sport, it's ridiculous. Any of the NRL games at Bluetongue always get a decent turn out, and even at those games they've got their supporters bay full of red and black.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

The reason for the non attendance is the ingrained culture of football being a wog/poofter sport.

Untill this generation dies out there will be many a sports lover who grew up with this mentality drumed into them. The rest of them were sheep and just accepted what was spouted about it. TBF there was nothing really of substance to challenge league and aussie rules in Aus back then anyway unless you grew up knowing about or having experienced leagues from OS such as many of us here.

One or two generations time and football will be the #1 spectator sport in Aus as well as having the majority of sponsorship dollar.

It's not seen as a wog/poofter sport enough to prevent it being the largest participation sport by a large margin, so what stops the overwhelming majority of those participants from supporting the aleague? 

As i said before, the aleague attendance by football participants, is highly disproportionate to the very large amount of participants in football. We have around a million playing the game. Adding parents, supporters and helpers would likely double that figure of those interested and/or supporting the game at club level.

The aleague gets about 50k total nation wide attendance a week, so where are all the other football fans and why the distinct lack of interest in the aleague by the 1 - 2 million that support their clubs?

Its not what its viewed as now that is the problem. Its what it was viewed as before when we and our parents were growing up.

To give you an example, that i guarentee you is repeated the country over, in my football team there is only 1 ticket holder for an a-league club, me. There are 4 AFL ticket holders and 3 RL ticket holders. Why? Because they grew up without a football team to follow and public sentiment very much against football.

They don't go to the football now because even though they play it they don't recognise any of the teams as their own. That spot is reserved for the swans or the eels or the bears.

Once this generation of football participants die out we will be left with a new generation that associates itself with a football team first and foremost. This is why the junior tickets scheme is one of brilliant foresight.

It wont happen immediatley but it will be long lasting when it does. Much more so than any raise in numbers a whole lot of positive results will bring.

Spot On ScottMac.

It's the same in my football team.
Weirds me out after a game when the world cup talk last a couple of minutes and then everyone moves on to talking tomorrows league.

It's generationally ingrained. But undoubtedly is changing and it's almost as exciting as the higher technical level of skill being shown by our youngsters.

We really won't know ourselves as a football nation in another 10 years or so.

verhead:

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Completely agree with you re the kids, however, among my Avoca 035 team mates they are all Mariners fans and I doubt whether there are any that would go through a season without seeing at least one game and plenty would go to most games. Mind you, probably half the team are expat Brits who are very used to attending football matches.

You all talk and watch football?
I may need to change teams ;D

 

[Mr Cleansheets]

We also drink beer.

 

[midfielder]

Article on Fox site today pertaining to the RL expansion..

A Perth based bid is talked about and the articles then goes on to say ...

""
http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/western-australia-expected-to-win-licence-for-expansion-nrl-franchise-before-the-end-of-the-year/story-fn2mcuj6-1226406648329
Other bid teams include Papua New Guinea, Central Queensland, Brisbane Bombers, Western Corridor, Central Coast, and a New Zealand Rugby League-backed Wellington or Christchurch.''

Given RL currently has 16 teams and the expansion will be to 18 teams then my guess is the CC Bears are at the bottom of were the new NRL commission look if expanding the game and TV footprint is what is being looked at...

Singo recently said when Lend Lease said the other day they are seriously considering pulling out of the Gosford waterfront development [the landing] that he was thinking of handing back the licence for Bluetounge to the council... I think he is bluffing however to me it appears less likely that that we will have a RL team to compete with..