So I see a massive 1967 went to watch Waikato beat Taranaki yesterday.
That would have been impacted by the All Blacks playing for sure but what are the crowds like for the other teams? Canterbury seems to get crowds and I think I've seen a few at BOP games as well.
I don't see this comp surviving in this form.
Or perhaps a couple of teams won't survive (like Waikato)
The crowd did seem lower than the previous Waikato home games.
And we were in lockdown briefly after the game due to an incident nearby.
At our last home game (Magpies v Taranaki) there was a 6,698 crowd. That was a Friday night game. Don't know about the other games.
despite our shit results, our attendance had been reasonable for most of this season, had over 6k turn up to watch us get wopped by Hawkes...although not sure there will be more than a couple of thousand there this weekend, I'll be heading along for one last chance to watch my team lose for 2019
It's all relative though isn't it - The All Blacks are about the only sporting team that is guaranteed to attract a big crowd - possibly due to supporters virtually guaranteed a win. Super Rugby doesn't get big crowds and that's the next tier down and the M10 Cup is next tier down again. Warriors get ok crowds but considering they're one team in that comp and some of the good promotions they do on tickets they should get more. Phoenix struggle unless it's a finals game. Hard to point out exactly why it is because ticket prices are normally cheap compared to overseas. Drink and food on the other hand is a different matter...
I think you will find that the best attendances in the M10 Cup are in the provinces that don't have regular SR games. Basically that is the top level of rugby for them. We have people in our group who go to Chiefs games but not Waikato games.
I'd guess Canterbury are averaging around 5,000 or so. Not wonderful but not financially disastrous you'd think. I don't think we've seen big crowds at provincial games here since the mid 2000's. Ever since then the All Blacks have been as rare as rockinghorse shit and people simply aren't very interested in below strength teams.
If there's a correlation between non SR bases and decent crowds I'd suggest it also has a bit to do with the teams in those cities being less affected by AB availability ie they're nearer full strength.
In Otago vs Canterbury on the weekend - which I expected to be a bigger occasion than it was, for various reasons - Otago were 'missing' Coltman and Ben Smith while Canterbury were 'missing' Taylor, Laualala, Moody, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Todd, Read, Mo'unga, Crotty and Bridge. That game is a much bigger deal if these teams are at full strength.
@shark said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
In Otago vs Canterbury on the weekend - which I expected to be a bigger occasion than it was, for various reasons - Otago were 'missing' Coltman and Ben Smith while Canterbury were 'missing' Taylor, Laualala, Moody, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Todd, Read, Mo'unga, Crotty and Bridge. That game is a much bigger deal if these teams are at full strength.
We will never see that though anymore.
We can only go by what we currently have and that is an essentially AB-less NPC.
I honestly think it would be better if they had two distinct pools with promotion/relegation in both pools (I think the '3rd' div top team would be able to compete with the lower leave '2nd' div teams)
@Hooroo said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
I honestly think it would be better if they had two distinct pools with promotion/relegation in both pools (I think the '3rd' div top team would be able to compete with the lower leave '2nd' div teams)
I disagree; IMO the difference between the Championship and Heartland is way too big. Heartland teams would be hammered, even by teams like Northland and Southland. They're amateur teams, with amateur facilities and an amateur organisation (and I say that with respect).
@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
@Hooroo said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
I honestly think it would be better if they had two distinct pools with promotion/relegation in both pools (I think the '3rd' div top team would be able to compete with the lower leave '2nd' div teams)
I disagree; IMO the difference between the Championship and Heartland is way too big. Heartland teams would be hammered, even by teams like Northland and Southland. They're amateur teams, with amateur facilities and an amateur organisation (and I say that with respect).
I think the delta between the two divs would get closer in time. In the first season, sure but in time with migration of players wanting to play in Div 1 and the release of players when teams fall into div two etc, it would eventually balance out.
@Hooroo said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
@Hooroo said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
I honestly think it would be better if they had two distinct pools with promotion/relegation in both pools (I think the '3rd' div top team would be able to compete with the lower leave '2nd' div teams)
I disagree; IMO the difference between the Championship and Heartland is way too big. Heartland teams would be hammered, even by teams like Northland and Southland. They're amateur teams, with amateur facilities and an amateur organisation (and I say that with respect).
I think the delta between the two divs would get closer in time. In the first season, sure but in time with migration of players wanting to play in Div 1 and the release of players when teams fall into div two etc, it would eventually balance out.
How many Taranaki playeres moved to a Premiership team after they were relegated to the Championship in 2018? And why would they? And why would that be a good development? Premiership teams creaming the top of the Championship (or Heartland teams if they'd join the professional ranks) would be detrimental to the lower ranked teams and prevent them from moving (back) up.
At the moment, the best players - regardless of province and division - will get a shot at Super Rugby. They don't need to play for Premiership teams to get SR contracts, so there's no need to move to Premiership teams. Why would that change?
@Hooroo said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
I honestly think it would be better if they had two distinct pools with promotion/relegation in both pools (I think the '3rd' div top team would be able to compete with the lower leave '2nd' div teams)
The proposed 2008 reforms would have resolved a lot this slow rot.
@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
@Hooroo said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
@Hooroo said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
I honestly think it would be better if they had two distinct pools with promotion/relegation in both pools (I think the '3rd' div top team would be able to compete with the lower leave '2nd' div teams)
I disagree; IMO the difference between the Championship and Heartland is way too big. Heartland teams would be hammered, even by teams like Northland and Southland. They're amateur teams, with amateur facilities and an amateur organisation (and I say that with respect).
I think the delta between the two divs would get closer in time. In the first season, sure but in time with migration of players wanting to play in Div 1 and the release of players when teams fall into div two etc, it would eventually balance out.
How many Taranaki playeres moved to a Premiership team after they were relegated to the Championship in 2018? And why would they? And why would that be a good development? Premiership teams creaming the top of the Championship (or Heartland teams if they'd join the professional ranks) would be detrimental to the lower ranked teams and prevent them from moving (back) up.
At the moment, the best players - regardless of province and division - will get a shot at Super Rugby. They don't need to play for Premiership teams to get SR contracts, so there's no need to move to Premiership teams. Why would that change?
I don't know? 7? or is it a rhetorical question?
It doesn't matter what div you're in at the moment as you play against teams in both divisions but you play for two separate trophies which is such a farce of a tourney.
I honestly don't care what div Waikato are in as we still get to play Auckland which is the team we have the most rivalry with.
There has been two attempts in the last four/five years to do away with the Premiership/Championship split and just have one competition with playoffs for the top eight.
They did not happen because the same three unions have been against it both times - Northland, Manawatu and Southland.
@Number-10 said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
There has been two attempts in the last four/five years to do away with the Premiership/Championship split and just have one competition with playoffs for the top eight.
They did not happen because the same three unions have been against it both times - Northland, Manawatu and Southland.
3 of the 4 most rubbish unions! Excellent!! Way to be hamstrung by the muppets of the comp
@Stargazer said in Mitre 10 Cup Attendance:
@Hooroo The difference between Premiership and Championship teams just isn't big enough for a complete separation. The Magpies drew with one Premiership team, and beat 2 others. We'll probably only lose only one cross-over game. The Steamers and Otago also won two out of four.
This would create a real difference and it would start to matter if your team was about to get relegated.
At the moment it is a grey splurge of a mickey mouse cross comp.
