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Brumbies on cusp of record but seats still empty at GIO Stadium
Frustrated Brumbies chief executive Phil Thomson says the players are doing their part as the club desperately searches for ways to bring back Super Rugby crowds.
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The Brumbies have won 10 straight games at Canberra Stadium – including their first two matches this season – but thousands of seats remain empty each week as disillusioned fans stay away from the struggling code.
Despite the impressive winning streak and some entertaining rugby, Canberra crowds are down 17 per cent this season after the opening two rounds averaged just 7267 fans.
Brumbies home crowds are down almost 15 per cent on their previous worst which was set just two years ago at 8391 per game.
It follows a trend across the country and the southern hemisphere competition with crowds also decreasing in South Africa and New Zealand.
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Thomson has introduced game-day initiatives for children, set up a new bar area, and even given away free beers this season, but it hasn’t worked.
It was thought a state of emergency in the ACT impacted the season-opener against the Queensland Reds but the crowd figure dropped further the following week against Melbourne Rebels.
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The Brumbies host a third straight home game on Saturday against the Highlanders and Thomson hopes the double-header with Super W brings some back.
“It is quite frustrating because the team is doing everything they can, you can’t ask for more than winning all your home games,” Thomson told AAP.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8MPRROgn_A/
“We certainly would like more people and I think the team deserve to be playing in front of more people.”
The game was dragged through the mud in Australia last year when the Wallabies bombed at the World Cup as star Israel Folau went through a messy divorce with Rugby Australia.
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It’s a tough scenario for Rugby Australia as it attempts to negotiate a new broadcast deal vital to covering the game’s costs.
Thomson conceded the national problems were affecting the spiralling crowd numbers in Canberra.
“That’s certainly got something to do with it,” he said.
Mark Robinson, the chief executive of New Zealand Rugby, has had his say on reports that South Africa are planning to join the Six Nations.https://t.co/jt8njNZI2o
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 10, 2020
“At the moment we seem to be focusing more on what’s happening off the field, which nine times out of 10 brings negative publicity to the game.
“People see another headline about rugby and it’s not positive so they think rugby’s not in a good space – ‘Why should I go and watch that’.
“For varying reasons people just aren’t connecting with the game. We feel we’re doing everything we can but there is that disconnect somewhere along the line.
“The product of rugby is not resonating as well as it has in the past.
“But I think it can certainly come back, all sports go through highs and lows.”
– AAP
The Brumbies have won two games to open their season and the side is feeling confident:
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
24 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
1 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
24 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
24 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
14 Go to commentsDoes the AI take into account refs? hahaha Seriously why not have two on field refs to avoid bias?
24 Go to comments