Preliminary Final Venue?

[R-1]

So which rugby teams do I need to support so that ANZ Stadium is not available on Friday Sept 19?

Panthers winning to get into top 4 this week. Then in the two QFs next weekend probably the Rabbitohs and Panthers to lose so they host semis on our prelim weekend (rather than the Roosters and Manly who are more likely to play SFS). And the Bulldogs to win their elimination final to create at least 1 all-Sydney matchup in our prelim weekend.

If the Panthers don't win, Rabbitohs and Roosters to lose next week's QFs.

We might still get ANZ but that would create the biggest scheduling problem.

[mcs]

Finals games in sydney will never draw the big crowds of melbourne if they dont adequately adjust prices to take into account differences between sydney and melbourne.

You have to remember a big boost to crowds at the mcg is the presence of both mcc members and afl members. Afl is the be all and end all of sport in melbourne at this time of year - whereas in sydney it is competing with nrl for air time and the casual fans.

If the afl was serious about getting good crowds to early finals in sydney, they'd lower prices significantly. I paid $57 for cat 3 tickets yesterday - which is fine by me, but is unaffordable for many, especially when there is a bigger game to come. Prelim final tickets are very expensive at the bottom end - if the afl wants a huge crowd, bottom category tickets should be $25 or something like that. But they are $72 - far too much to pay to sit up in the heavans for those 'casual' fans that really help build the crowd size up.

We will hopefully get 50-55k for the prelim, but if the afl did some tinkering with pricing at the bottom, they would probably get closer to 70-75k.

[Zlatorog]

The crowd numbers dropped ever since AFL raised their finals ticket price. Evidence is there. I have no doubt that Swans members will attend games but not general public. There are not enough members in Sydney to fill up the stadium. That's the problem. I agree with you mcs that AFL needs to do something about the pricing.

[barry]

If you look at week 1 and two finals across the years, each team bring 35k to 40k fans. Two home teams means 70k plus. In context we arent bad and have punched above our weight with the 60k+ finals we have hosted.

But the AFL has to make that leap of attracting the casual fan to finals games. Something they have dropped the ball on. Even the 3 match ANZ pass has gone.

Why didnt they sell and promote a sydney finals series 2 game ticket this year?

[Go Swannies]

You know that tickets to the PF cost $72-170 with only some restricted view seats at $63? If it's North then get ready for the echoes.

[longmile]

Not sure if Tippett is a big game player. Hope he steps it up and proves me wrong

[annew]

If you look at week 1 and two finals across the years, each team bring 35k to 40k fans. Two home teams means 70k plus. In context we arent bad and have punched above our weight with the 60k+ finals we have hosted.

But the AFL has to make that leap of attracting the casual fan to finals games. Something they have dropped the ball on. Even the 3 match ANZ pass has gone.

Why didnt they sell and promote a sydney finals series 2 game ticket this year?

You make a valid point about crowd numbers and i must admit I hadn't thought about the fact 2 Melb teams attracts about 35000 each. But my point about ANZ Stadium is simply 35000 at the SCG has a better atmosphere than at ANZ, the same as I am sure 35000 at the MCG does not create as good an atmosphere as say 35000 at Geelong. I agree it is what it is and I will go regardless. I must add that the ground yesterday is about the best I have seen it considering all the rain that fell and no doubt no rugby being played on it since we played last. The ticket prices for a pre-lim are simply ridiculous and definitely a problem that needs addressing.

[DamY]

It's true that AFL finals tickets are too expensive for the NSW market which lacks the rusted-on supporters and 8 clubs, but imagine the furore if the other clubs saw NSW finals tickets being cheaper?? I don't think they'd let it happen

[stellation]

Not sure if Tippett is a big game player. Hope he steps it up and proves me wrong

He went okay in the last PF he played.

[dimelb]

Can some mod please fix the thread title? It's giving me the irrits.

And I agree strongly with the comments about the pricing. The AFL is being greedy, or is infected with the corporate bug as the measure of what's possible, or both. The plain fact is that even in crude economic terms, Sydney is probably the toughest market in the land; the AFL needs to grasp the nettle and cut prices and insist they have very convincing arguments for doing so.

[stellation]

I completely agree that the AFL needs to revise their ticket pricing- it needs an overhaul overall, but particularly for the Sydney market. The Swans playing a QF and PF this year means that for family tickets to attend both games the cost is $412 for top end, $234 for nose bleeds. I can perfectly understand if people baulk at that cost, particularly factoring in all the other "going to a match' costs.

GWS and Gold Coast may force the AFL to reconsider costs for different markets- I think it's reasonable to think that the Giants may host a final before they earn the level of commitment from fans to be willing to pay through the nose to attend it. I've taken a quick squiz- if you look at creating a wealth divide of footy fans in Sydney as far as which way the bucks of a casually interested footy family might go- they could get a membership for all GWS games in Homebush for the entire 2015 season for the price of toddling along to a couple of Swans finals.

[barry]

You make a valid point about crowd numbers and i must admit I hadn't thought about the fact 2 Melb teams attracts about 35000 each. But my point about ANZ Stadium is simply 35000 at the SCG has a better atmosphere than at ANZ, the same as I am sure 35000 at the MCG does not create as good an atmosphere as say 35000 at Geelong. I agree it is what it is and I will go regardless. I must add that the ground yesterday is about the best I have seen it considering all the rain that fell and no doubt no rugby being played on it since we played last. The ticket prices for a pre-lim are simply ridiculous and definitely a problem that needs addressing.

That's a fine post anew.

We could move it to the SCG, get 35k. Make some members happier.
Or we could play it at ANZ, and do everything we can to get over 60,000 to get the same atmosphere, and grow the swans brand.

A ship is safe in the harbour, but that's not what ships are built for.
Buddy is safe at the SCG, but that's not why we brought him.

[mcs]

That's a fine post anew.

We could move it to the SCG, get 35k. Make some members happier.
Or we could play it at ANZ, and do everything we can to get over 60,000 to get the same atmosphere, and grow the swans brand.

A ship is safe in the harbour, but that's not what ships are built for.
Buddy is safe at the SCG, but that's not why we brought him.

Of course we should be looking to grow the Swans brand, but why is it unreasonable to expect that the Swans could not play some of their finals at the SCG?

I still think the reasonable outcome is that Week 1 finals should be at the SCG, week 3 finals at ANZ, and then alternate any week 2 finals.

There seems, at this stage, no need to use ANZ for week 1 finals, as the crowds have been nowhere near the capacity of the SCG. If we were getting 55K to every final, then it would be ridiculous to consider using the SCG. But the fact is, we are not, and are unlikely to do so without a significant change in AFL ticket pricing. And I do think, at current ticket prices, we are highly likely to draw a bigger crowd at the SCG in week 1 of the finals than at the ANZ - for you can not deny barry that there is a clearly a significant amount of Swans Members (and one could probably assume the same holds in the 'casual' fan group) of people that exhibit a preference for the SCG over ANZ.

As for getting 60K+ at ANZ, it'll only happen if the AFL decides to reduce ticket prices for Finals. Even against the Pies in 2012, with a match with a huge media build up, good weather (if I remember rightly) and a lot to play for, we only got what 55K was it? We will do exceptionally well to match that on Friday week, no matter the opponent. As I said earlier, if the AFL was serious about getting a good crowd, cat 4 tickets would be something like $25 for an adult - that would entice the casual fans to come along. As it is, paying $72 to sit in the worst seats (excluding restricted view of course) is ridiculous pricing.

And one last thing - football to a point, apart from the obvious on field performance, should be about making the Members of the club happy. After all, they are the ones that stump up cash, year after year, to directly support their club financially, as well as supporting them in an emotional sense. While in the grand scheme of things, these dollars are only a fraction of the total budget of a footy club, they are after what makes the 'Club', as much as the players on the field. Trying to do their best to make as many of them happy should be a key ethos of any football club, playing any code of football. Life isn't solely about the almighty $.

[barry]

Of course we should be looking to grow the Swans brand, but why is it unreasonable to expect that the Swans could not play some of their finals at the SCG?

I still think the reasonable outcome is that Week 1 finals should be at the SCG, week 3 finals at ANZ, and then alternate any week 2 finals.

There seems, at this stage, no need to use ANZ for week 1 finals, as the crowds have been nowhere near the capacity of the SCG. If we were getting 55K to every final, then it would be ridiculous to consider using the SCG. But the fact is, we are not, and are unlikely to do so without a significant change in AFL ticket pricing. And I do think, at current ticket prices, we are highly likely to draw a bigger crowd at the SCG in week 1 of the finals than at the ANZ - for you can not deny barry that there is a clearly a significant amount of Swans Members (and one could probably assume the same holds in the 'casual' fan group) of people that exhibit a preference for the SCG over ANZ.

As for getting 60K+ at ANZ, it'll only happen if the AFL decides to reduce ticket prices for Finals. Even against the Pies in 2012, with a match with a huge media build up, good weather (if I remember rightly) and a lot to play for, we only got what 55K was it? We will do exceptionally well to match that on Friday week, no matter the opponent. As I said earlier, if the AFL was serious about getting a good crowd, cat 4 tickets would be something like $25 for an adult - that would entice the casual fans to come along. As it is, paying $72 to sit in the worst seats (excluding restricted view of course) is ridiculous pricing.

And one last thing - football to a point, apart from the obvious on field performance, should be about making the Members of the club happy. After all, they are the ones that stump up cash, year after year, to directly support their club financially, as well as supporting them in an emotional sense. While in the grand scheme of things, these dollars are only a fraction of the total budget of a footy club, they are after what makes the 'Club', as much as the players on the field. Trying to do their best to make as many of them happy should be a key ethos of any football club, playing any code of football. Life isn't solely about the almighty $.

Flip flopping ground during finals is not the answer. I think we will get 60000 to the prelim. Every other one we have. We should be working to get 60000 min to any final.

Anyway, if it was a fine weekend, we would have got closer to 45k against freo.

Retreating back to the SCG is a backwards step in the growth of this club. We should be aiming for 50000 members next year

[Doctor]

The crowd numbers dropped ever since AFL raised their finals ticket price. Evidence is there. I have no doubt that Swans members will attend games but not general public. There are not enough members in Sydney to fill up the stadium. That's the problem. I agree with you mcs that AFL needs to do something about the pricing.

This is it. You're not going to get casual fans or curious observers paying the PF ticket prices. They're horrendously expensive.