Paul Kelly, OUR Paul Kelly, considering GW job

[Bloody Hell]

There were no assumptions.

LOL, so you base your stats on one pre-season game at MSG. Did you take the stats on where the people came from?

That wasn't a stat - rather raw data, much in the way liz drew parallels with RWO as an example. I'm now unsure if you meant that less than 1% of Swans members live outside Sydney (which is how I interpreted your statement) or something else.

No, GWS isn't into AFL because it has never had real exposure to AFL in any meaningful sense. Just like Westfield builds shopping centres in Bondi Junction and Parramatta, the AFL needs to have a product convenient to and relevant to people in Blacktown/ Parra/ etc.

No real exposure?!?

Do the Swans have to play footy in peoples living rooms? They have easy access on free to air, the Swans have made numerous attempts to attract the market by playing at Stadium Australia for (relatively) easy access from the west games specifically marketed for the West, held numerous coaching and promotional events out there....

Again - if anyone had shown interest in AFL they would be following the Swans. People may change alligences, that's their problem! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure SOME people will follow GWS - I just can't see where enough supporters to fill a stadium are going to come from...and I'd be interested to see their (AFL) strategy. I'm sure it will involve giving away thousands of free tickets, gimmicks, lots of free beer, free cars, maybe houses...whatever it is, I can't see it being sustainable.

In 50 years time I could see GWS prospering...maybe - but it's a long time and ALOT of money away.

Ok, so you're talking about TV now. You're hard to keep up with!

Just part of the one large ball of truths.

As I said previously - I think the AFL will sink cash-cash-cash into it till it floats, so it will be established. I just think it will always be a year to year bust or break even exercise, joining the likes of North, Saints, Bulldogs etc where if they're winning they will break even but if they're losing they will constantly going to the AFL, hat in hand, looking for a handout.

If Port are having difficulty considering their culture, history, continuing success, having aussies rules an established sport in SA, only having one other team to compete against marketwise, etc - then how could GWS ever be a success?

[Bear]

That wasn't a stat - rather raw data, much in the way liz drew parallels with RWO as an example. I'm now unsure if you meant that less than 1% of Swans members live outside Sydney (which is how I interpreted your statement) or something else.


No real exposure?!?

Do the Swans have to play footy in peoples living rooms? They have easy access on free to air, the Swans have made numerous attempts to attract the market by playing at Stadium Australia for (relatively) easy access from the west games specifically marketed for the West, held numerous coaching and promotional events out there....

Again - if anyone had shown interest in AFL they would be following the Swans. People may change alligences, that's their problem! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure SOME people will follow GWS - I just can't see where enough supporters to fill a stadium are going to come from...and I'd be interested to see their (AFL) strategy. I'm sure it will involve giving away thousands of free tickets, gimmicks, lots of free beer, free cars, maybe houses...whatever it is, I can't see it being sustainable.

In 50 years time I could see GWS prospering...maybe - but it's a long time and ALOT of money away.



Just part of the one large ball of truths.

As I said previously - I think the AFL will sink cash-cash-cash into it till it floats, so it will be established. I just think it will always be a year to year bust or break even exercise, joining the likes of North, Saints, Bulldogs etc where if they're winning they will break even but if they're losing they will constantly going to the AFL, hat in hand, looking for a handout.

If Port are having difficulty considering their culture, history, continuing success, having aussies rules an established sport in SA, only having one other team to compete against marketwise, etc - then how could GWS ever be a success?

Newbies watching AFL on TV is of limited value. The game is not ideal for TV, and when you don't have a team playing you take little interest. That's the reality and also why TV ratings are so low.

You need to engage local communities year-round in the culture of Australian Football. That has NEVER happened in GWS, therefore the shallow TV "exposure" you speak of has never been meaningful to the vast majority.

Just wait 2 years, you'll see why this is going to be a big success.

[Margo]

Honestly, some of the comments on this subject are very offensive.
If there was a reason for me to leave the Swans to follow GWS, it would be some RWO posters. The people I sit near at the games I have attended constantly since 1994 and several games in the 80's love their footy. Who cares, (except petty minded insecure snobs) where they live.
It takes me 40minutes to drive from my gate to the SCG. Does that make me a bogan ? Is there a postcode that one must have to be a genuine Swans lover ? or are you allowed to love the Swans, be a member, support the club, but just don't tell anyone where you live because if you aren't from Hunters Hill you must have BO or something.
If you really think that you are "classy" because you live close to the SCG, perhaps a few thoughts about what makes a "classy" person wouldn't go astray. May I point out that around the inner city/eastern suburbs, there happens to be quite a number of "poor" looking people, foul-mouthed louts, beggars, muggers and drug addicts. Some of Sydney's wealthiest and most gracious and elegant people live very close to my "bogan" address. Just pointing out that all sorts live in all sorts of places.
I think trying to turn this into an "us and them" rivalry based purely on geographic eliteism is counter-productive.
I will embrace the new team because they are still "us", just not as tightly as my much loved old team.

[Bear]

Honestly, some of the comments on this subject are very offensive.

Good point.

To those who dismiss people in Blacktown etc as "bogans"... well, it says more about your lack of class than anything else.

[Captain]

Just because you're in the <1% of people from or who have lived in Newcastle who are a Swans member doen't make it a Newcaste/ NSW/ Port Macquarie/ Eden/ Mudgee/ Parramatta/ Blacktown team.

Not sure what you are getting at with the whole 1% thing? Your posts seem unclear to me.

Are you suggesting 99% of swans members are east/north shore/city/inner west?

Are you suggesting < 1% of members come from Newcastle only?

[liz]

Honestly, some of the comments on this subject are very offensive.

Such as?

Good point.

To those who dismiss people in Blacktown etc as "bogans"... well, it says more about your lack of class than anything else.

I can only see one reference to "bogans", at least in the last few pages of this thread (haven't gone back earlier), and it comes in the quote below.

The only area that will be really fought over is the Hills district. GWS will likely win that fight though due to geographic proximity... and typical bogans they are not.

[AnnieH]

Such as?



I can only see one reference to "bogans", at least in the last few pages of this thread (haven't gone back earlier), and it comes in the quote below.

C'mon Liz.
How many times to I have to call them the Blacktown Bogans to get noticed around here?!?!?!!

I think the Blacktown Bogans is a far superior name to GWS. The AFL should listen to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

[Bear]

Not sure what you are getting at with the whole 1% thing? Your posts seem unclear to me.

Are you suggesting 99% of swans members are east/north shore/city/inner west?

Are you suggesting < 1% of members come from Newcastle only?

If you read the thread from the start I'm sure you'll get it.

[Bear]

Such as?

I can only see one reference to "bogans", at least in the last few pages of this thread (haven't gone back earlier), and it comes in the quote below.

Where did Margo limit her point to this "thread" on GWS?

She is clearly referring to this "subject" of GWS.

You'll therefore need to do a search on all threads and I'm sure you'll be entertained for hours.

Just so you don't mis-interpret something else, my point in its context was also supportive of the fact that you should not be dismissing people in the West who might support GWS as bogans, as some do.

[Rafters]

Honestly, some of the comments on this subject are very offensive.

Yes they are ... and I am upset that the mods can let these comments go without question. Some of ye have been on this site for years but that does not give you the right to label people from GWS in a certain manner.

In relation to other comments, there are 2 million plus people in GWS ... yes AFL is not a part of the culture .. rugby league used to be ... as did cricket ... but the population has changed alot in the past 20 years. Sign up a good young Indian kid or someone from Lebanon or Sri Lanka or Sudan, etc & watch the interest in the game change out west (just like the Irish following Mr Kennelly & the Italians with Libba & Dimma & co at WB).

If the Swans had signed up Kels then there would be no talk of this opportunity.

I would have thought that Swans fans would embrace GWS as their 2nd team - not ridicule them as badly as this.

[liz]

Yes they are ... and I am upset that the mods can let these comments go without question. Some of ye have been on this site for years but that does not give you the right to label people from GWS in a certain manner.

.

General gripes like this generally don't help. We have a number of mods reviewing threads regularly but different people have different ideas about what is offensive. If you find a particular comment offensive, use the "report post" function, explaining what you find offensive and it will get discussed amongst the mod group to determine whether it is in breach of forum rules. Be aware that just because one person finds something offensive it will not necessarily be deemed to be in breach. However, a report certainly makes us reconsider whether a commment is acceptable.

I have read every post in this thread and there are none that I personally consider cross the line. However, that is just a personal viewpoint and we will often action things once evidence appears (ie a report) that others find them offensive.

[Primmy]

Lighten up guys. There are about 25,000 Swans members, and about 50 active R&Wers......ummmm......its a bit lopsided to lump everyone into one pot!

I don't see any KKK activity. GWS is going to give us stick, and we will give them stick.

Probably not as weird as when North Melbourne, who bless their misguided hearts, tried to recruit Sydney Swans members to their club inside the SCG! But stick will be applied liberally. Both ways. Like Collingwood and Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon, Freo and WC, Collingwood and St Kilda. etc etc etc.

And by the way, this is R&Wers site, not the SMH, Herald Sun or AFL website! Gentle pressure will be applied and rhetoric indulged in. Good, bad and most probably indifferent.

[Bloody Hell]

Lighten up guys. There are about 25,000 Swans members, and about 50 active R&Wers......ummmm......its a bit lopsided to lump everyone into one pot!

I don't see any KKK activity. GWS is going to give us stick, and we will give them stick.

Probably not as weird as when North Melbourne, who bless their misguided hearts, tried to recruit Sydney Swans members to their club inside the SCG! But stick will be applied liberally. Both ways. Like Collingwood and Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon, Freo and WC, Collingwood and St Kilda. etc etc etc.

And by the way, this is R&Wers site, not the SMH, Herald Sun or AFL website! Gentle pressure will be applied and rhetoric indulged in. Good, bad and most probably indifferent.

The other thing is when people say GWS they are not necessarily refering to the location, rather GWS is the only currently AFL sanctioned name for the new team. I get the feeling from some of the latter posts peole are misinterpreting the comments.

Much like in League SOO - you have the canetoads and the coachroaches...neither side chose their monkier.

I haven't been saying it, but if the "Bogans" upsets GWS supports - then I'm afraid I will know the team by no other name.





P.s It works on many levels.

Westy = Sydney
Bogan = Melbourne

[Wardy]

I still reckon Roy & HG's name for team GWS is the most amusing - the Western Sydney Laughing Clowns.

But seriously, for this venture to get a good kick start, the AFL must have good people there from the get go and to have Sheedy and Kelly on board at this early stage is a damned good move on their part. There will be more to come, and the timing of the announcements will be perfect.

Initially I was not for the GWS thing, it but now that there is this media driven so called "war" allegedly between codes, then I'm rather hoping that team GWS is a success. Looking at the bigger picture,surely seeing the expansion of our indigenous game into NSW is something worth celebrating?

Whilst the Swans are my team, I wouldnt discount having a say 5 match pass to the GWS (for example) just to get my footy fix, and there is no crime in doing that.

Also the NRL has to clean up its act - one more year of on & off field dramas like they have had in the last 2 years and people will walk away in droves. the AFL will pounce on that like bush flies to a cow pat.

I think it wil be also a given that to attract members in the first year membership packages will be at heavily discounted prices, which is a smart business move. If the people like what they see, they will come again, and again - and then get on board.

[Cheer Squad]

Also the NRL has to clean up its act - one more year of on & off field dramas like they have had in the last 2 years and people will walk away in droves.

Don't bet on it.