Question re SCG

[monopoly19]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Personally I'm just over the SCG as a sporting venue at the moment. Had we had the cricket test at Stadium Australia over 75000 could have seen Steve Waugh bat, and not had to put up with steroid-taking Nazis in pale blue shirts ejecting you for getting up on the seats chanting "Aussie Aussie Aussie" or turning beer cups into a 'snake'.

Except that only 27 000 saw him bat on Tuesday, so I very much doubt whether there would have been anywhere near 75 000 on any day. I don't mind Stadium Australia for footy, especially when 70 000+ people turn up, but it is NOT a ground for cricket (especially for a retiring captain who considers the SCG his home ground).

Back to the footy - the 1.10pm start doesn't bother me at all, but that's mainly because it takes me about 10-15 mins to walk to the SCG. I liked it when the night games were scarce enough to be exciting and different (as lame as that may sound), but now 2/3 of the home games are at night and it just isn't the same... The three games that I remember enjoying the most in 2003 were the games against Melbourne, Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs at the SCG. Granted, I do remember the Adelaide game early in the season being pretty painful to sit through

In the end though, I'll go wherever, whenever.

[Kallias]

Originally posted by monopoly19
Except that only 27 000 saw him bat on Tuesday, so I very much doubt whether there would have been anywhere near 75 000 on any day.

Does anyone know why the Bill O'Reilly stand was empty? That might explain the poor attendance. It was really bothering me all day, especially considering the rest of the stands were pretty packed.

[lescygnes]

the top deck of the O'Reilly (formerly the Pat Hills Stand) was closed off, so the concourse looked packed when a boundary was scored.

too bad the boffins didnt realise that we could see the upper deck aswell. brainiacs!

cheers
John

[Kallias]

I knew Channel 9 had to be responsible... not that it should have bothered me, I was screaming my lungs out and clapping my hands raw up in the Noble! But it did ruin the atmosphere a little, everyone kept complaining about it. What if they'd smashed a six into the second tier?

So to steer this back on topic - they'd better not pull any of those stunts at a Swans game!

[lescygnes]

well, vast swathes of reserved seating has killed the atmosphere at the SCG anyway. and the Swans are to blame for that.

[monopoly19]

Originally posted by Kallias

So to steer this back on topic - they'd better not pull any of those stunts at a Swans game!

The strangest thing was that even when Swans crowds hover in the low 20's, they never close off any of the stands.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by lescygnes
well, vast swathes of reserved seating has killed the atmosphere at the SCG anyway. and the Swans are to blame for that.

I think "killed" is too strong a word, yeah there's too many empty (but paid for) seats but it's still better than Telstra.

I suspect that it's the shape of the grandstands but when the low slow "SYDNEY" chant goes up at the SCG it makes my spine tingle.

I remember Dale Lewis remarking on it after the West Coast game in 1996.

The quicker "sydney clap-clap-clap" just doesn't do it for me.

[Kallias]

They probably think they can get away with it at the cricket, but the cameras at a footy game can't just focus on the pitch or the fielder, they have to show much wider (and higher) shots. So it would look ridiculous if some stands are packed and others totally empty.

It DID look ridiculous at the cricket, but they didn't show the empty stand on any of the footage we saw on the scoreboard so I assumed the cameramen were told to avoid it unless absolutely necessary. I guess they couldn't all the time because people obviously noticed it on TV. Meanwhile we were all packed like sardines in the Noble - not that I'm complaining, at least I was there! And got a free day off work to boot.

[AussieAnge]

FWIW I don't mind Saturday night games. I agree with JF, I would not like Saturday afternoon games as it would mean me forgoing another of my hobbies. I normally get to the ground about 2.5 hours before the start of the game so Sunday arvo games means that with travel the footy takes up about 8 hours of my day - I don't spend that long at work.
It just goes to show you can't please everyone.
I can't believe people are whingeing about the cold weather, have you ever watched the English Premier League (or for RobbieAndo - the Scottish Premier League)? Now that is cold, Harry Kewell wears gloves to keep his hands warm.
Only 36 days to go to NSO - yippee!

[lescygnes]

ruckman wrote:

I think "killed" is too strong a word, yeah there's too many empty (but paid for) seats but it's still better than Telstra.

***************

so "how" do you think the wonderful atmosphere of 1996/1997 disappeared?????

i'd be very interested to know your theory. i for one am sticking with the blame game on reserved seating.

it's like the members stand has stretched around the whole concourse at the SCG since.

cheers
John

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Well seeing as you asked . . .

Originally posted by lescygnes


so "how" do you think the wonderful atmosphere of 1996/1997 disappeared?????

i'd be very interested to know your theory. i for one am sticking with the blame game on reserved seating.

I dont THINK the loss of atmosphere is entirely due to the "fair weather members" that show up only half the time. They existed in 96.

I would ask you to cast your mind back to round 22 in 1996, the game against West Coast, the weather was utterly foul, the rain was almost hozizontal and their were plenty of empty seats. Those that were there, will remember, those that weren't must take my word for it, the atmosphere was amazingly intense.

However the atmosphere wasn't created by the size of the crowd that day, nor through the efforts of the cheesy ground announcer, nor even by the exquisite football the boys were playing.

The atmosphere was something that had been growing for years.

For long time Sydney swans fans . . .
They had been putting up with **** from leaguies for decades and were still recovering from the absolute humiliation of the Buckenara years (older supporters had suffered for half a century) it was very intense.

All the frustration and hurt emotion that had built up and suddenly we had a team of whom we could be proud and on whom we could express our emotions.

For others in the stands . . .
The Buckenara years made the Swans the ultimate underdog (even leaguies at work stopped bagging). And Australian's love the underdog.

Perhaps the years of relative success have lessoned some of the hurt, upon which the intense atmosphere was based?

Certainly the volume of chanting has decreased, the rapid "Sydney clap-clap-clap" chant lasts only a few seconds and the wondefull deep angst ridden slow "SYDNEY" seems to have disappeared almost entirely.

Of couse it's just a thought!

[lescygnes]

using the WCE game in round 22 1996 is not exactly a superb example.

i too was at the game BTW, and nearly got blown down College Street as Whitlam Square on the way to the game from work, such was the wind.

mini cyclone is the phrase that comes to mind.

and the ONLY reason why the SYYYYYYYDDDDNNNNEEEEEEEYYYYY chant even started was because it was far too cold to clap your hands, fearful of frostbite snapping them off. if its for any other reason, please enlighten me!

and BTW, i didnt get upset with the attendance on that night, because it simply was too foul for alot of people. me? i was too pissed to notice.

but as for "fair weather members showing up at half time" well i fail to see how this was a problem in 1996? virtually the ENTIRE concourse was non-reserved seating. this theory would only apply to the grandstands in 1996, and from my memory, they seem to have been filled. maybe sunday early starts they would have been late, but thats it.

reserve seating is an atmosphere killer. pure and simple.

and another reason why i loath going to the SCG. that an some of the reasons that Julian has previously stated.

but the thing that upsets me the most about the swans is that we have got "marketing guru's" making such decisions on behalf of the paying supporters in this respect, and they have absolutely NO IDEA!!!!!!!! none whatsoever.

replace these morons with people who actually care about the club, and them some correct decisions may actually be made in respect to reserve seating, etc.

so there, my reply!

he he

cheers
John

only 24 days until i face a very very very cold -21 degree Montr?al!!!

[Ruck'n'Roll]

You have no Poetry in your Soul!

Originally posted by lescygnes
i too was at the game BTW, and nearly got blown down College Street as Whitlam Square on the way to the game from work, such was the wind.

mini cyclone is the phrase that comes to mind.

Yeah it was a great day, I had seats on the top deck of the (No Roof) Dally Messenger stand and I loved it (I'd actually talked some leaguies from work into coming along) and only one of them wimped out before the end.

Originally posted by lescygnes
and the ONLY reason why the SSSYYYYYYYDDDDNNNNEEEEEEEYYYYY chant even started was because it was far too cold to clap your hands, fearful of frostbite snapping them off. if its for any other reason, please enlighten me!

Too cold to clap? "rubbish!"

You just have no poetry in your soul!

One articulate commentator described the SSSYYYYYYYDDDDNNNNEEEEEEEYYYYY chant as "the sound of a city finding it's football soul."

Which is a much better explanation.

Dale Lewis described it as "awesome" and "hair-raising"

He's not much of a poet but you get the point.

For me it was a wonderfull day, it felt that the whole crowd was venting the frustration and hurt emotion that had built up, willing the Swans on with that wonderfull deep angst ridden slow SSSYYYYYYYDDDDNNNNEEEEEEEYYYYY which filled the SCG far more than the rain.

Originally posted by lescygnes
but as for "fair weather members showing up half the time" well i fail to see how this was a problem in 1996? virtually the ENTIRE concourse was non-reserved seating. this theory would only apply to the grandstands in 1996, and from my memory, they seem to have been filled.

Not that day, lots of grandstand sooks failed to show up against West Coast.

Originally posted by lescygnes
reserve seating is an atmosphere killer. pure and simple.

and another reason why i loath going to the SCG. that an some of the reasons that Julian has previously stated.

Doesn't Telstra have reserved seating too?

Originally posted by lescygnes
but the thing that upsets me the most about the swans is that we have got "marketing guru's" making such decisions on behalf of the paying supporters in this respect, and they have absolutely NO IDEA!!!!!!!! none whatsoever.

replace these morons with people who actually care about the club, and them some correct decisions may actually be made in respect to reserve seating, etc.

At least we agree on some things . . . . even if you have no poetry in your soul! :-}

[lescygnes]

"no poetry in my soul"

@@@@ knows what thats supposed to mean. can i have some of what youre on???

i was behind the goals in the Noble that day. i was waiting for the rain to stop, nice and cosy in the bar before the game (and can someone please tell me why it was allowable to smoke inside that bar at the time and not "outside" in the seating area???). the game was about to start, the rain was falling a la Wellington NZ style (ie-horizontally). so stuff it, i went outside to soak up the rain and atmosphere. pre-reserve seating.

and it was too cold to clap. far too cold. my fingers nearly snapped off at the first attempt. like parc des princes against carlton in 97 (i think).

as for that utter ****e that the commentators and dale lewis that you quoted, well, ask them not me. talk about talking it up.

and read my previous reply. i am not disputing people not showing up at the WCE 96 game. it was the other 11 home games!

oh and yes, stadium australia is reserved seating. more proof for my argument.

and if you want to talk about a game where people let off their frustrations, then there is only one game that comes to mind. the win against Melbourne at the SCG in 1993. i hugged and kissed dozens of people i had never met before that day after the game. (shut up Julian, i know what you are thinking).

cheers
JM

[lescygnes]

i just re-read my post, and that should be "the other 10 home games"

you can tell its friday arvo.....

cheers
John