2013: NSW City v Country

[DIEHARD]

City v Country

[DIEHARD]

City Origin Squad
Jarryd Hayne, Nathan Merritt, Michael Jennings, Chris Lawrence, Jorge Taufua, Josh Reynolds, Adam Reynolds, Aaron Woods, Robbie Farah, Tim Mannah, Tony Williams, Ryan Hoffman, Feleti Mateo.

Interchange: Wade Graham, Andrew Fifita, Tom Symonds, Tim Grant.

Country Origin Squad
Michael Gordon, Akuila Uate, Jamal Idris, Jack Wighton, James McManus, James Maloney, Josh McCrone, Trent Merrin, Boyd Cordner, Josh Jackson, Aiden Tolman, Michael Ennis, Willie Mason.

Interchange: Sam Williams, Tariq Sims, Ryan James, Alex McKinnon.

[Steve]

Go City!

Country looks the better side I reckon.

[TITAN PETE]

Both teams have awesome an bench

[DIEHARD]

I dont care what people say. I like this game.

I usually cheer for City but have a soft spot for Country.

As for the crowd, how long ago was the venue secured? How well was it promoted? And the ticket prices were equivalent to pissing in the face of RL fans, and had no concession rates. I think it was $60 in the stands, $30 on the hill.

Meanwhile at the Pacific Test entry was GA, $15 Adult, $10 concession.

[Smakked]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au./sp...-1226625436437

He is right .
I really dont like this new CEO he has done nothing and seems interested in doing nothing, grabbing his money and running **** him off before it is to late

[DIEHARD]

Yea... Smith should go back to banking. And Hadley should go back to driving cabs.

I cant stand this guy and his radio show is a disgrace.

It's pretty weak to attack Smith on this one thing, which in isolation is an absolute blight on Rugby League that they insulted supporters by demanding such a figure for tickets.

But meanwhile we had a successful Test Match in Canberra. The Anzac Test will continue to be scheluded, after the original contract concluded with Friday's test.

We have a dedicated Rep Round and the Pacific Test was a smash hit which very very affordable tickets of $15 and $10. With talk of adding another Test next year.

I like David Smith. And Im willing to listen to criticism of his job, but not from a parasite like Ray Hadley.

[Chaos]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au./sp...-1226625436437

He is right .
I really dont like this new CEO he has done nothing and seems interested in doing nothing, grabbing his money and running **** him off before it is to late

Ray Hadley grandstanding again...the quicker we get him out of our game the better.

[Julius Sezer]

The NRL CEO has done jack.

[DIEHARD]

The NRL CEO has done jack.

You can't turn a battleship on a dime. Give him time.

[Toads]

Ray Hadley grandstanding again...the quicker we get him out of our game the better.

It's sad that many are of this opinion, 'n yet Channel Nine (Gyngell) don't give a flying **** to what the population thinks. Dame Edna Everage could provide a more Entertaining and Informative Commentary than this Goose Hadley could ever conjure up. All Hadley offers is his ****ty opinion that no one cares for..

EDIT: Apart from that, It was an enjoyable game. Especially to see the Country Lads come away with the win.

[DIEHARD]

Country folk wouldn't be used to having to stump up that amount of money for a night out.

[DIEHARD]

Mark Gasnier urges ARL Commission to follow example of French Top 14 rugby for City-Country

If the ARL Commission decides to stick with City-Country, it could do worse than look to France for inspiration according to Mark Gasnier.

Gasnier was proud to represent City Origin twice in the early 2000s and he believes the game still has value, particularly to up and coming players like Boyd Cordner and Curtis Sironen.

But with the lowest crowd in the concept's history turning up to support the game in Coffs Harbour on Sunday, Gasnier says the way the game is promoted and ticketed needs a radical revamp.

Others have pointed to the AFL - a rival code that consistently attracts big crowds - as the example to follow, particularly as affordable family tickets are at the core of the game's ticketing policy.

But having spent time playing Top 14 rugby in France, Gasnier believes the 15-man game on the Continent has got the formula perfect.

"Ever since I returned from Paris I've believed we don't throw the fishing line out enough for families to come to football," Gasnier told foxsports.com.au.

"And by that I mean, the mindset for big games is wrong. Over in France, when they take the big games to the big venues, they lower the ticket prices and budget for a big crowd.

"It's pretty cheap in Europe as it is but to give you an idea, we moved six home games to Stade de France, which is the equivalent of ANZ Stadium. For 42 Euros, that could get two adults and three kids in.

"So anything under 60,000 in the crowd was a loss, but anything over 60,000 was a profit. The lowest crowd we had was 74,000."

In other words, make a full house your priority and work back from there. The revenue will look after itself.

Like many critics of the City-Country concept, Gasnier believes the powers that be have lost sight of the reason the game is still being played.

It's for country people. Not for lining the pockets.

"Let's go back to the whole purpose of City-Country," Gasnier says.

"It's to take the game out to the bush, it's to let the players go to schools and promote rugby league so that rugby league's still at the forefront of young kids' minds out in the country.

"On top of that, the game should just be a bonus.

"I know City and Country Rugby League are trying to generate some income but now they don't have to.

"We've got a system in place where the Commission governs everything. I think we should really work on a break-even business model for City-Country.

"Ticket prices should be valued at whatever they need to break even. I'm sure $50 or $30 is too much.

"I think they should also have a cordoned off area for all those little kids and they should have a free pass. The mum and dad might have to pay $15 a head but they're not going to care.

"It's like if you host an event, rather than thinking profit, profit, profit, you've got to think well hold on, to a certain extent I want these people to come back.

"You want them to walk out and think that was a good event, you know what I'm going to come back next time. That's what it's all about.

"Right now there's a mindset that you take as much as you can and generate as much profit as you can because it looks good on the balance sheet but it leaves a bitter taste in a lot of people's mouths."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/

[Toads]

Seems Gasnier knows what he's on about, and it does make sense. As the Stadium Costs are most likely going be the same whether it's to capacity or not. It's a win win all round (Club, Merchandising, Food & Alcohol Outlets 'n so on) if you can pack 'em in to the Rafters each time.