Traditional suburban grounds - What future for Remondis Stadium?

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We rarely get over 20k so I don't really so the need to expand capacity. They do need more covered areas though, it's a crap ground in the wet. I'd be happy to see some money spent on that, don't know how it could be achieved though.

IMO the Peter Burns stand should have been covered years ago. I assume money has been the problem but if we somehow get our hands on some money allocated to the ground, that's the first thing I'd look at.
 

ABshark

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Will we be able to host concerts etc with a few thousand people moving in next door? I'm all for anything that generates more revenue from our biggest asset but I can't see that people who forked out good money for n apartment want a music festival or Crusty Demons in their ears.

The challenge for us is that every other Club bar Manly is going to adjust to this change in plan well in time. There's nothing wrong with us playing out of a suburban stadium but there is if it becomes delapidated and so far behind the standard of other Clubs that we a) can't compete on revenue terms or b) the NRL coerce us in to moving.

I think we'll be fine to stay on the proviso that we can modernise Endeavour and agree to play big games - 30k+ - at the SFS. I know we're no chance of drawing that number now but five years ago our membership numbers were about 1000. Things change and there will be a big push on this.

So how to fund the modernisation? It looks like State funding is off the table for the moment (though we might benefit from some pork barrelling at some point). Thus we're left with the Feds, the NRL, private money and us. Obviously an A-League team would give us a real shot.

On design:
- Personally, I would like to see the ET and the PB extended north to tge corner and joined with the MP stand in one long U shape and all roofed.
- Keep the hill - it will be part of the Shark Park experience as the last 'real' RL ground in Sydney.
- The development plans have a deck extending to the back of the seats on the NW side - I'd use this as a 'party deck' like they do in US sport.
- Put in a catering/function space and deck on the Northern end of the ET stand to utilise the views outside of game day and mirror the opposite side of the field
- Use the construction space to house the Club offices and a 'high performance unit' - but actually some up market sports science facilities that we a) need to compete with the likes of Canterbury and Melbourne and b) could rent out to other groups. Things like an altitude chamber, testing facilities etc to go with the medical centre.

That's my vision anyway. A large an expensive one but we need to dream big. The option is playing out.of the SFS and building apartments on Remondis.

Is there a master plan for the Stadium?
 

ABshark

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And just on capacity - saying 'we never get more than 20,000' or whatever is missing the point. In 15 years all clubs will be getting 20000 plus. If they're not, we should.be aiming to. You can't run an entertainment business without even aiming for growth.

Its also pretty obvious that we would get more through if the facilities were better and in particular if there were more undercover seats. Few people want to fork out $30 to go stand in the rain on a freezing night. Many more would surely see it as worthwhile if they could get a seat and knew they would be dry.
 

HaroldBishop

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And just on capacity - saying 'we never get more than 20,000' or whatever is missing the point. In 15 years all clubs will be getting 20000 plus. If they're not, we should.be aiming to. You can't run an entertainment business without even aiming for growth.

Its also pretty obvious that we would get more through if the facilities were better and in particular if there were more undercover seats. Few people want to fork out $30 to go stand in the rain on a freezing night. Many more would surely see it as worthwhile if they could get a seat and knew they would be dry.

I said we rarely get over 20k, which is true. I don't see why we would be up around that mark regularly in 15 years time when our average is ~13k now. Yes, we should be aiming for growth but I don't see a 50% increase in crowds. Would be great to see though.

Absolutely agree on needing more cover.
 

slide rule

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Extending both sides of the et stand would be the cheapest and easiest way to gain more cover. It's really not that complex construction. Keep the same design as the existing, just extended, meaning extra seats that are covered plus more corporAte boxes.
 

HaroldBishop

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Extending both sides of the et stand would be the cheapest and easiest way to gain more cover. It's really not that complex construction. Keep the same design as the existing, just extended, meaning extra seats that are covered plus more corporAte boxes.

Snobs like Chad, Ev and Matty C would probably be against that, wouldn't want to give up that exclusive feeling.
 

CrankyShark

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And just on capacity - saying 'we never get more than 20,000' or whatever is missing the point. In 15 years all clubs will be getting 20000 plus. If they're not, we should.be aiming to. You can't run an entertainment business without even aiming for growth.

Its also pretty obvious that we would get more through if the facilities were better and in particular if there were more undercover seats. Few people want to fork out $30 to go stand in the rain on a freezing night. Many more would surely see it as worthwhile if they could get a seat and knew they would be dry.
I have heard this stuff trotted out year after year, long before super league even. We still see 6000 at penrith and how often are the suburban stadiums ever full? It is horse $hit. The game will grow, but I predict the game will be in the same place in 15 years regarding crowds. The best facilities are at home with a case sitting next to your lounge chair.

When you ask people to go to a game, you are asking them pay twice, once for foxtel and the comfort of your living room, and the other to go to the game as well. The only way to get people to pay twice, is if they are enthusiasts or it is a special occasion.
 

HaroldBishop

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Our average home crowds since 2000.

200013,597
200112,409
200213,409
200312,892
200412,489
200516,281
200612,488
200710,689
200812,965
200911,364
201010,551
201112,094
201213,234
201313,470
201412,879

Seems to be quite a spike in 2005 then drops off the year after, a bit odd? Maybe some creative accounting?

Anyway, you can see nothing has changed over the last 15 seasons.
 

HaroldBishop

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The other thing is, although the development will be great for the club overall, won't there be quite a decrease in parking that comes with it? Will this have a negative impact on crowds? Probably.
 
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Our average home crowds since 2000.

200013,597
200112,409
200213,409
200312,892
200412,489
200516,281
200612,488
200710,689
200812,965
200911,364
201010,551
201112,094
201213,234
201313,470
201412,879

Seems to be quite a spike in 2005 then drops off the year after, a bit odd? Maybe some creative accounting?

Anyway, you can see nothing has changed over the last 15 seasons.

not a big fan of years averages. there is too many variables.

1. The day. sunday arvos are a different time to a monday night.
2. Opponent. Generally a local opponent would draw more away supporters.
3. Form. When ya losing the fairweathers (myself who has to do alot of travelling to get there) arent going to make that effort
4. Personnel. When the drawcards are injured (ie. most the first half of the year) people are less likely to attend.

Our home games this year we've had I think 2 sunday arvos, 4 saturdays, 2 mondays. Those mondays bring ya average down.

Compare our average to Brisbane with all fridays and a massive city, its hard to see where any team would compete with them
 

HaroldBishop

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not a big fan of years averages. there is too many variables.

1. The day. sunday arvos are a different time to a monday night.
2. Opponent. Generally a local opponent would draw more away supporters.
3. Form. When ya losing the fairweathers (myself who has to do alot of travelling to get there) arent going to make that effort
4. Personnel. When the drawcards are injured (ie. most the first half of the year) people are less likely to attend.

Our home games this year we've had I think 2 sunday arvos, 4 saturdays, 2 mondays. Those mondays bring ya average down.

Compare our average to Brisbane with all fridays and a massive city, its hard to see where any team would compete with them

That's true when isolating any given year, but when you have a 15 year string I think averages become more relevant.
 

fitz

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I wonder how long it will be before we see NRL games played on artificial turf.

You could have the current ground turned into a carpark and then have a perched field on top of that.
 

CrankyShark

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I wonder how long it will be before we see NRL games played on artificial turf.

You could have the current ground turned into a carpark and then have a perched field on top of that.
If that does happen all games will be being played out of the SFS and ANZ. With each passing year I become less enthused about the game. If that happens (which I think is unlikely) then that will be enough for me.
 

snowman

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I wonder how long it will be before we see NRL games played on artificial turf.

You could have the current ground turned into a carpark and then have a perched field on top of that.

not a bad idea actually, providing we stayed where we are, but that would be an interesting concept
 

CrankyShark

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not a bad idea actually, providing we stayed where we are, but that would be an interesting concept
It would change the fabric of the game. The soccer and the AFL could get away with it, but not league or union. Soccer is doing it in England but I understood it has changed the way they are tackling.
 
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That's true when isolating any given year, but when you have a 15 year string I think averages become more relevant.

Not when you look at our yearly schedual. We have had alot of mondays.

That being said if you averaged 12-15k there is absolutely no argument that could support moving it 20 minutes to homebush. Except you have a crowd filling an 8th of the stadium
 

HaroldBishop

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Not when you look at our yearly schedual. We have had alot of mondays.

That being said if you averaged 12-15k there is absolutely no argument that could support moving it 20 minutes to homebush. Except you have a crowd filling an 8th of the stadium

Don't think we've had a lot more Monday night home games over the years than most clubs.

And I'm not saying we should move. I'm saying there is no need to expand capacity from 20,000 at Remondis.
 
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