How Can We Make Shark Park A Fortress Again?

[Bundy Shark]

Hey fellow Sharkies supporters, I am really excited about 2011, equally excited that we now have 6000 odd members who hopefully we be able to attend every home game this yr.

It got me thinking, as much as I would love us to get minimum of 16000 supporters to every home game recent history shows its probably not gunna happen or not gunna happen for the start of the season anyway.

There's a good chance it can happen if we are winning every week but in case we arent what can help us get over the line in the close games or those 50/50 ref decisions that seem to have gone against us more often than not in the last two seasons.

Besides the obvious like get more fans to attend games what else can we or the club do to make it a dredded road trip on & off the field once again?

I dont think in todays society we can water down & flood the opposition dressing sheds (alah Newcastle Knights) & make it freezing as much as I think thats fair game!.

I'll start off one suggestion although I dont know if it would be allowed or if its cost effective or "logistically" possible.

idea #1
until the BIG crowds come back could the club on game day strategically place microphones around the grounds where most of our "vocal" supporters sit/stand to let the ref know of a dodgy decision, show their dislike of the visiting team, let the ref or touchy know yes, thats right you just seen a forward pass, pull back play for a scrum, Sharks feed!

I know the microphones couldnt be positioned to close to people or in a way where some supporter starts yelling out cursing & swearing & it ends up coming through clear as on the PA system.

Same with our ground announcer, get a ground announcer w/ some football knowledge to press the pre recorded "booing crowd" button when we get a dud call.

what I have suggested is probably not allowed but I wish it could be, over to you fellow Sharkies, what can we do?

 

[snapper]

There are already directional microphones places around the ground to pick up crowd noise that is played over the sound system.

 

[Lumpy]

Play the Jaws theme more when we are on the attack, that sounds great.

Get Rodney O from the kings to do some ground announcing.

 

[Johnno'54]

It's all about winning. The more supporters, the better the chance. Goes without saying

Chuck an invite towards a few celebrities, eg. warnie and hurley. You'd get a squillion people there at our first home game.

Tongue in check, I know, but imagine a situation where the following celebs were scheduled one per home game in a random box at Shark Park. (Imagine the free publicity for that lucky box holder)

- warnie and hurls (already in Oz)
- Joe Cocker (later this year)
- 1 or more of Australia's living Victoria Cross recipients (on or near ANZAC Day of course)
- Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban
- Shark attack survivors, eg Rodney Fox, the recent navy diver, etc
- the wiggles (not a fan but would bring 5000 kids plus parents)
- Oprah (maybe she'd come back to see the real aussie battlers)

OK, you know what I mean. Would be extremely hard to pull off just one, but once the 1st one happened, the rest would follow

 

[sharkiesboomboomboom]

Play the Jaws theme more when we are on the attack, that sounds great.

Get Rodney O from the kings to do some ground announcing.

Only problem with the Jaws theme is they tend to stuff up and drop the ball or something when it's played.

 

[josh11223344]

yeah that always happens so probs better left unplayed

 

[djhabib]

We win a few games and watch how shark park becomes

 

[SF]

Neither of these are probably feasible or useful, but...

It'd be cool in the countdown to the game, if the lights could be dimmed. Sort of like at basketball games when they introduce the teams, or pre-match entertainment at the grand final.

Second would be an noise gauge that shows on the big screen before the game... try and make the gauge explode or something. Basically try and build up cues that the crowd will spontaneously respond to over time, without the need for "Give me an S"!

Other thing I would like to see is mini-pump-up videos during the game focusing on a player, or highlights of the season or even a historic win.

The problem with any changes at rugby league games is that people knock you no matter what you do!

 

[Bundy Shark]

Neither of these are probably feasible or useful, but...

It'd be cool in the countdown to the game, if the lights could be dimmed. Sort of like at basketball games when they introduce the teams, or pre-match entertainment at the grand final.

Second would be an noise gauge that shows on the big screen before the game... try and make the gauge explode or something. Basically try and build up cues that the crowd will spontaneously respond to over time, without the need for "Give me an S"!

Other thing I would like to see is mini-pump-up videos during the game focusing on a player, or highlights of the season or even a historic win.

The problem with any changes at rugby league games is that people knock you no matter what you do!

great ideas!!!
love the basketball idea, its something that gets the anticipation going.

 

[Parko]

If we follow any sort of influence, it should be more like NFL entrances, that stuffs intense

Also, wouldn't it be awesome if we played trololol over the pa when they opposition knocks on

 

[Special K]

If we could just get it to rain more often at shark park then teams wouldn't like going there.

 

[samshark]

A few good ideas here but in reality they wont make much difference. Just think how little success the ground announcer has when he tries to rev up the crowd with the 'sharkies sharkies'.

It all comes down to three things.

1. a winning football team
2. an attractive brand of football
3. players fans can get a bit excited about

In recent years we are 0 from 3 for those things. If we have a team that is winning games and likely to challenge for a finals spot people will come back. A lot of people wont go to games unless they think the team has a reasonable chance of winning and we havent had a team to instill that confidence in people. Also helps to play a good brand of footy and have a couple of exciting players to follow and give the kids something to aspire to. Gardner is one but we need a couple more. Its all up to the players now.

 

[Parko]

Disagree, atmosphere is paramount. I don't care much for epl, but if I was touring England, I'd make it my mission to see an epl game for the atmosphere.

 

[Bundy Shark]

A few good ideas here but in reality they wont make much difference. Just think how little success the ground announcer has when he tries to rev up the crowd with the 'sharkies sharkies'.

It all comes down to three things.

1. a winning football team
2. an attractive brand of football
3. players fans can get a bit excited about

In recent years we are 0 from 3 for those things. If we have a team that is winning games and likely to challenge for a finals spot people will come back. A lot of people wont go to games unless they think the team has a reasonable chance of winning and we havent had a team to instill that confidence in people. Also helps to play a good brand of footy and have a couple of exciting players to follow and give the kids something to aspire to. Gardner is one but we need a couple more. Its all up to the players now.

Your right SS, it does come down to winning more often than not but if your theory of playing attractive footy is correct the Sharks in 2008 back that up, we were equal first that yr so we had success but we were widely condemned about our lack of vision in attack (played ugly).

All bar about 15-20% of sharks fans are so damn quite, hence what you said about the troubles our ground announcer has in reving up our home crowds . Thats why I suggested microphones in certain parts of the crowd/ground but apparently we are doing that already.

 

[Parko]

Pyrotechnics!!! I want an explosion every time we score!

 

[Bundy Shark]

Pyrotechnics!!! I want an explosion every time we score!

good idea, wonder if people from the harks club read this forum much?

 

[snowman]

good idea, wonder if people from the harks club read this forum much?

is that a local fireworks club :lmao

 

[IronShark]

Pyrotechnics!!! I want an explosion every time we score!

You may get a pleasant surprise this season...

 

[snowman]

now we just have to score tries

 

[Bundy Shark]

is that a local fireworks club :lmao

my bad.