Melbourne RL- Lost Cause?

[The Original Idiot]

Melbourne struggle to get 9000 people to a game. AFL is more popular then ever. The SOO game is coming back to Melbourne, but is it too late? Are Mebourne a lost cause, or will they grow into a model team in the future?

[Steelers]

Melbourne struggle to get 9000 people to a game. AFL is more popular then ever. The SOO game is coming back to Melbourne, but is it too late? Are Mebourne a lost cause, or will they grow into a model team in the future?

trying to get SOO popular in Melbourne is useless. Why would Victorians embrace a rival sporting event that doesn't even have them represented.
But getting the Melbourne Storm some fans isn't too hard, just look at the Sydney Swans. It will take time, just like the Swans.

[Dakink]

Melbourne struggle to get 9000 people to a game. AFL is more popular then ever. The SOO game is coming back to Melbourne, but is it too late? Are Mebourne a lost cause, or will they grow into a model team in the future?

Melbourne a lost cause???

Hell no - if we give up on Melbourne it is a death shot for the credibility of the game. The NRL have to amake Melbourne work. The stadium will help attract punters as the old Olympic park is garbage.

We may need to look at the AFL and give Melbourne concessions to help them out. Other clubs will whinge that they need the help for different reason, bbut the Storm are the only team in an non-RL state. They have to be made to work for the credibility of a NATIONAL comp. Look at Brisbane and Sydney in the AFL. Both were helped by the AFL with larger rosters and increased Salaray cap and look what that has done for the game in those two citites. Melbourne can and will work it just takes time, effort and money....

[League Freak]

One of the biggest crowds Rugby League has ever got in this country was for a State Of Origin game in Melbourne.


So the Storm get 9,000 with NO media coverage, NO promotion at all and playing out of the very worst stadium of any professional sporting team in Australia.



Once they get their good stadium, that will help alot.

There will be $20,000,00 spent to promote the game in Victoria over the next few years.

With the League showing commitment to the city, sports fans will show commitment to their club.



The Rabbitohs have done less with so much more. They've been in the competition for nearly 100 years.


Im willing to give the Storm a little longer then 8 years before I write them off.


Call me in 2098 and I might have a different opinion.

[Dakink]

Lf - you are spot on.

Melbourne has to be given time and every chance to succeed. Even if it means advantages over other clubs to continue to be competitive till there is a viable lower tier comp down there.

[Steelers]

One of the biggest crowds Rugby League has ever got in this country was for a State Of Origin game in Melbourne.

But the question I pose to you is... how many of those were Melbournians and how many flew down from QLD and NSW?

[Dakink]

trying to get SOO popular in Melbourne is useless. Why would Victorians embrace a rival sporting event that doesn't even have them represented.
But getting the Melbourne Storm some fans isn't too hard, just look at the Sydney Swans. It will take time, just like the Swans.

Didnt Melbourne sell out the SOO that went doen there?

From memory they did...

[Steelers]

Didnt Melbourne sell out the SOO that went doen there?

From memory they did...

Once again, I pose this question...

...how many of those were Melbournians and how many flew down from QLD and NSW?

[Dakink]

Where was it played???

You arent going to fill a 40k stadium with interstate visitors let alone a 100k stadium.

Melbourne has a large proportion of expat QLd and NSW people in it.

Big matches like this should be sent to Melbourne, not every year but with an aim to boosting development down there.

[Inferno]

Melbourne struggle to get 9000 people to a game. AFL is more popular then ever. The SOO game is coming back to Melbourne, but is it too late? Are Mebourne a lost cause, or will they grow into a model team in the future?

Actually I would have to disagree with you there. Really I would say now is the perfect time for the further development of rugby league down south.

From what I'm hearing from friends down in Victoria, support for AFL is starting to wane down there. After all it has been what 6 years since the last time a Victorian team won the flag in their number 1 sport?

I think promoting the game down there would be a great idea. If the game doesn't get any promotion down there I don't think you can blame the storm for that, they are one of the most entertaining teams in the league.

[ridgey]

i think the media and coverage of rugby league and the storm is the biggest problem.for example,on a sunday Qld and N.S.W both rugby league strongholds recieve live coverage of an AFL game before our league match of the day,in melbourne there's no way on this earth they would put the league on live before an AFL match they usually put it on at 1:00am or some ridiculous hour.now apart from the Lions and Swans why is it that we have to embrace the game of AFL and yet the media in melbourne won't even put a Storm game after an AFL game at a reasonable hour or even before an AFL game so the victorian public can embrace our game and see what a good product it is.

[Super Cronk]

It would help if the NRL and channel nine in melbourne helped out a friggin little bit. Only the last few years the NRL have given decent funding to juniors in Victoria...

Its pretty damn hard to compete with AFL down there...but they have to live with that.

The crowds is something esle tho...

in 1998 the storm got up to 21,000 and only 2 games dropped under 9,000.

in 99 the storm were getting 16,000 and even upto 17,000 with 1 game dropping under 9,000

in 2000 they got 23,000 with no game dropping under 9,000..

in 01 they were decent crowds of 14,000-15k but since then it has declined....and that coinceded with the storm missing out on the finals and playing pretty poor. Also it doesnt help when olympic park is a horrible ground to go to.

These facts above PROVE that storm do have the amount of fans....but things have happened with in the club that some people dont like and it has turned some supporters away. I hope that the storm can be succesful next year bringing some more fans to the game and also the new stadium in 2008 should bring alot more to the game. give them time to build a decent junior comp and time to get a stadium ect and they will come good.

[The Original Idiot]

One of the biggest crowds Rugby League has ever got in this country was for a State Of Origin game in Melbourne.

In the biggest capacity stadium.

At least the storm are getting a new field. What should they do apart from the cap concessions to improve the game in Melbourne?

[Super Cronk]

In the biggest capacity stadium.

At least the storm are getting a new field. What should they do apart from the cap concessions to improve the game in Melbourne?

better tv coverage.

[Inferno]

but won't that make more people stay at home and watch the game on T.V as opposed to going to the game?