Expansion Why don't Sydney NRL fans go to games?

[Professor Knowall]

NRL crowds from their 5 games on the weekend - 68,537 (of which 39,719 attended 3 games in Sydney). Compare to ...

Collingwood v Hawthorn 76,048.

And that's not a once off - only our third highest crowd after just 7 rounds so far and ...

Since Round 1 2007, the Pies have attracted 1,474,418 at an average attendance of 64,105 per game at the MCG (23 games). That includes 2 games against Freo, another against Port, at least 3 in pouring rain.

That's right - AVERAGE 64,105 attendance per game since Round 1 2007 at our home ground! Very few football clubs of any code in the world can boast that!

Just thought I'd point that out here!

 

[littleduck]

NRL crowds from their 5 games on the weekend - 68,537 (of which 39,719 attended 3 games in Sydney). Compare to ...

Collingwood v Hawthorn 76,048.

And that's not a once off - only our third highest crowd after just 7 rounds so far and ...

Since Round 1 2007, the Pies have attracted 1,474,418 at an average attendance of 64,105 per game at the MCG (23 games). That includes 2 games against Freo, another against Port, at least 3 in pouring rain.

That's right - AVERAGE 64,105 attendance per game since Round 1 2007 at our home ground! Very few football clubs of any code in the world can boast that!

Just thought I'd point that out here!

All true!

 

[RUNVS]

NRL crowds from their 5 games on the weekend - 68,537 (of which 39,719 attended 3 games in Sydney). Compare to ...

Collingwood v Hawthorn 76,048.

And that's not a once off - only our third highest crowd after just 7 rounds so far and ...

Since Round 1 2007, the Pies have attracted 1,474,418 at an average attendance of 64,105 per game at the MCG (23 games). That includes 2 games against Freo, another against Port, at least 3 in pouring rain.

That's right - AVERAGE 64,105 attendance per game since Round 1 2007 at our home ground! Very few football clubs of any code in the world can boast that!

Just thought I'd point that out here!

I hate Collingwood

 

[littleduck]

I hate Collingwood

The vast majority do! Its pretty clear that Collingood are a minority interest when it comes to AFL!

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

Bar the first two comments. The rest of the post was about Sydney.

I was responding to this

"Is non attendence of sport a cultural thing in Sydney?
But how would this explain the Swans crowds?"

As an expat Sydneysider who follows my sport in a most "unSydney-like" way, I can tell you a lot about the culture that you see in the city of my birth.

Sydney people are big city people in a constant state of looking for the latest thing. They are extremely time-poor, have highly limited leisure time as well as increasingly restricted incomes due to the massive cost of living. Often their weekends involving having to juggle several activities. Or even more so having to decide between several things that they are going to do of a Sunday/Saturday night. Hence you get this culture of people chopping & changing not only in relation to watching sport, but being extremely 'discerning' in what they choose to do.

People in Melbourne seriously have no idea how easy it is to follow live sport here. Yesterday I finished my work at 3:30pm. I was inside the Telstra Dome without a hassle by 3:45pm. There were no traffic snarls, there was no stress in being packed into a peak hour train. You can have a bite to eat or a drink in many of the Spencer St end of town pubs then head onto the game in comfort & safety.

In Sydney I'd often be battling sardine-packed trains (and I'm not talking "Melbourne sardine-packed" but Tokyo sardine-packed) lugging giant poles. People who don't follow sport would glare at me in my scarf as if I was some kind of space creature. So few people are diehards here that even wearing a scarf to a game gets you very strange looks from a lot of people. The beautiful set look at you like you are somebody who should be pittied. Because your love for your team is more important than the fact you aren't wearing the latest designer jeans.

The thing I HATE about Sydney culture is that people suddenly come out of nowhere to go to the latest event. The 1st Sydney Kings basketball Grand final had 3200. Then after Game 4 & how epic it was,you suddenly saw 10000 at Game 5. I mean, where were they all season? And are they so surface level & shallow that they need hype to start turning up to sport.

What the Swans have done in generating the supporter base they have is actually nigh on fantastic. They have 22000 paid up members even before a ball is kicked in anger. So even if crowds start dropping (ie if we start losing) the club still gets their money up front.

The Swans are proud to have a very accepting tolerant attitude at games. New people hence feel less intimidating in getting involved with following them than they do at other codes. AFL & the Swans are seriously the ONLY code that makes a serious attempt at catering to half the population-women? The latest member survey showed that 47% of members were female. Many of these have NEVER FOLLOWED SPORT BEFORE, yet now are Swans fanatics. Many have been converted to footy-barracking by other like-minded white collar females. I know gay men follow AFL far far more (even in Sydney) because they are not slagged out at games & all that matters is the colour of your scarf.

The Swans do a brilliant job at tapping into the Sydney "big event mindset" The Homebush matches are billed as big events. They are marketed with an event theme, something that obviously gels with even non-regular footy attendees. Many of these casual attendees end up becoming regular fans & members. The Swans have NEVER dipped under 30000 for games at Homebush. Which shows that if you promote it properly & give a game a theme it will trigger the interest of not only diehard fans but people wanting a night out with friends.

Rugby league really only has this 'event' culture at State of Origin time & during finals. Following one's team week-in week-out is actually quite foreign to most Sydneysiders. For example the Sydney Roosters have about 2000 club members!

Here in Melbourne I have the time to follow sport properly. People understand my passion & even if they aren't fans themselves respect & are used to it. I don't get kids going "Man, you lot should get a life" because we go to Swans Sydney FC or Kings game every week.

In many respects I feel more at more here than I ever did living & following sport in Sydney. Even if I see Melbourne Victory as the anti-christ & Kevin Muscat as the Devil Incarnate. (Yet I have warmed to the Storm & see myself as a Storm fan, even if I don't get to games much)

JF

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

He stated what his involvement was, he should know then shouldn't he?

It was a blatant troll and that's all it was.

Aren't you being a tad precious in this thread mate?

Or do you have something that has struck a nerve with you?

JF
PS:- Are you a Parramatta club member ParraEelsNRL? If not, why not? Don't you love your club?

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

Really disappointing crowds this week in Sydney for the NRL. This is their heritage round backing up off the "team of the century" announcement.

The fact is, the NRL doesnt have a "go to the game" culture. Whatever way everyones bias tries to spin it, thats the bottom line.

I never understood that attitude. I'd be telling the diehard leaguies I used to work with at a former job about the fact I went to Melbourne or Adelaide for a game. They'd look at me like a freak (except one guy who was a member of the Roosters Chook Pen who I actually got on really well with, as we lived and died for our teams every week & were kind of kindred spirits of sorts)

I once started giving them shit saying "So you lot, when was the last time you actually went to a game?" They instantly got defensive coming out with stuff like "I have a life/a family/a house to build..........you know?" I got out of one of them that the last game he went to was a State of Origin 10 years ago when the tickets were $5. I laughed at him & made him feel so crap he NEVER talked sport with me ever again.

I used to do an NRL tipping comp at my former job. I got involved to be a part of things. Nobody would be talking about games on the Friday before. And nobody would on the Monday after. Most would talk about themselves, their new jeans, they new hair, the $500 dress they are going to wear at the work Xmas party, me, my image, and how good I am really.

Are you getting a pattern here? Do you think I'm missing Sydney & people like this much?

JF

 

[walhawk]

Interesting stuff JF.

So the Swans are actually changing the culture in Sydney (to a small extent anyway)?

Good.

Also, I see the Souths RL match yesterday has under 10K. Surely that is not good for the game or the club. Why would you play @ ANZ? How could the stadium or Souths make any money with that kind of crowd?

P.s. Yes, these 'RL rules' types are precious. Nothing troll like in my posts, just trying to understand if it is the game or the city.

And the responses tell me it's a mix of both.

 

[Azzballz Deluxe]

As an expat Sydneysider who follows my sport in a most "unSydney-like" way, I can tell you a lot about the culture that you see in the city of my birth.

Sydney people are big city people in a constant state of looking for the latest thing. They are extremely time-poor, have highly limited leisure time as well as increasingly restricted incomes due to the massive cost of living. Often their weekends involving having to juggle several activities. Or even more so having to decide between several things that they are going to do of a Sunday/Saturday night. Hence you get this culture of people chopping & changing not only in relation to watching sport, but being extremely 'discerning' in what they choose to do.

People in Melbourne seriously have no idea how easy it is to follow live sport here. Yesterday I finished my work at 3:30pm. I was inside the Telstra Dome without a hassle by 3:45pm. There were no traffic snarls, there was no stress in being packed into a peak hour train. You can have a bite to eat or a drink in many of the Spencer St end of town pubs then head onto the game in comfort & safety.

In Sydney I'd often be battling sardine-packed trains (and I'm not talking "Melbourne sardine-packed" but Tokyo sardine-packed) lugging giant poles. People who don't follow sport would glare at me in my scarf as if I was some kind of space creature. So few people are diehards here that even wearing a scarf to a game gets you very strange looks from a lot of people. The beautiful set look at you like you are somebody who should be pittied. Because your love for your team is more important than the fact you aren't wearing the latest designer jeans.

The thing I HATE about Sydney culture is that people suddenly come out of nowhere to go to the latest event. The 1st Sydney Kings basketball Grand final had 3200. Then after Game 4 & how epic it was,you suddenly saw 10000 at Game 5. I mean, where were they all season? And are they so surface level & shallow that they need hype to start turning up to sport.

What the Swans have done in generating the supporter base they have is actually nigh on fantastic. They have 22000 paid up members even before a ball is kicked in anger. So even if crowds start dropping (ie if we start losing) the club still gets their money up front.

The Swans are proud to have a very accepting tolerant attitude at games. New people hence feel less intimidating in getting involved with following them than they do at other codes. AFL & the Swans are seriously the ONLY code that makes a serious attempt at catering to half the population-women? The latest member survey showed that 47% of members were female. Many of these have NEVER FOLLOWED SPORT BEFORE, yet now are Swans fanatics. Many have been converted to footy-barracking by other like-minded white collar females. I know gay men follow AFL far far more (even in Sydney) because they are not slagged out at games & all that matters is the colour of your scarf.

The Swans do a brilliant job at tapping into the Sydney "big event mindset" The Homebush matches are billed as big events. They are marketed with an event theme, something that obviously gels with even non-regular footy attendees. Many of these casual attendees end up becoming regular fans & members. The Swans have NEVER dipped under 30000 for games at Homebush. Which shows that if you promote it properly & give a game a theme it will trigger the interest of not only diehard fans but people wanting a night out with friends.

Rugby league really only has this 'event' culture at State of Origin time & during finals. Following one's team week-in week-out is actually quite foreign to most Sydneysiders. For example the Sydney Roosters have about 2000 club members!

Here in Melbourne I have the time to follow sport properly. People understand my passion & even if they aren't fans themselves respect & are used to it. I don't get kids going "Man, you lot should get a life" because we go to Swans Sydney FC or Kings game every week.

In many respects I feel more at more here than I ever did living & following sport in Sydney. Even if I see Melbourne Victory as the anti-christ & Kevin Muscat as the Devil Incarnate. (Yet I have warmed to the Storm & see myself as a Storm fan, even if I don't get to games much)

JF

Right on

 

[AHRD]

Really great post!! Thanks for the insight from a former-Sydneysider, JF.

 

[SouthSwans]

If that was the case, then the Storm would be getting 30,000+ people to a game instead of 13-14.5k

Well if you draw the two simplest conclusions from that:

AFL >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NRL

 

[Aucklander]

Well if you draw the two simplest conclusions from that:

AFL >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NRL

Well, I guess that's what a simple person might do, but Sydney doesn't proclaim to be the sporting capital of Australia. Melbourne OTOH does.

 

[littleduck]

As an expat Sydneysider who follows my sport in a most "unSydney-like" way, I can tell you a lot about the culture that you see in the city of my birth.

Sydney people are big city people in a constant state of looking for the latest thing. They are extremely time-poor, have highly limited leisure time as well as increasingly restricted incomes due to the massive cost of living. Often their weekends involving having to juggle several activities. Or even more so having to decide between several things that they are going to do of a Sunday/Saturday night. Hence you get this culture of people chopping & changing not only in relation to watching sport, but being extremely 'discerning' in what they choose to do.

People in Melbourne seriously have no idea how easy it is to follow live sport here. Yesterday I finished my work at 3:30pm. I was inside the Telstra Dome without a hassle by 3:45pm. There were no traffic snarls, there was no stress in being packed into a peak hour train. You can have a bite to eat or a drink in many of the Spencer St end of town pubs then head onto the game in comfort & safety.

In Sydney I'd often be battling sardine-packed trains (and I'm not talking "Melbourne sardine-packed" but Tokyo sardine-packed) lugging giant poles. People who don't follow sport would glare at me in my scarf as if I was some kind of space creature. So few people are diehards here that even wearing a scarf to a game gets you very strange looks from a lot of people. The beautiful set look at you like you are somebody who should be pittied. Because your love for your team is more important than the fact you aren't wearing the latest designer jeans.

The thing I HATE about Sydney culture is that people suddenly come out of nowhere to go to the latest event. The 1st Sydney Kings basketball Grand final had 3200. Then after Game 4 & how epic it was,you suddenly saw 10000 at Game 5. I mean, where were they all season? And are they so surface level & shallow that they need hype to start turning up to sport.

What the Swans have done in generating the supporter base they have is actually nigh on fantastic. They have 22000 paid up members even before a ball is kicked in anger. So even if crowds start dropping (ie if we start losing) the club still gets their money up front.

The Swans are proud to have a very accepting tolerant attitude at games. New people hence feel less intimidating in getting involved with following them than they do at other codes. AFL & the Swans are seriously the ONLY code that makes a serious attempt at catering to half the population-women? The latest member survey showed that 47% of members were female. Many of these have NEVER FOLLOWED SPORT BEFORE, yet now are Swans fanatics. Many have been converted to footy-barracking by other like-minded white collar females. I know gay men follow AFL far far more (even in Sydney) because they are not slagged out at games & all that matters is the colour of your scarf.

The Swans do a brilliant job at tapping into the Sydney "big event mindset" The Homebush matches are billed as big events. They are marketed with an event theme, something that obviously gels with even non-regular footy attendees. Many of these casual attendees end up becoming regular fans & members. The Swans have NEVER dipped under 30000 for games at Homebush. Which shows that if you promote it properly & give a game a theme it will trigger the interest of not only diehard fans but people wanting a night out with friends.

Rugby league really only has this 'event' culture at State of Origin time & during finals. Following one's team week-in week-out is actually quite foreign to most Sydneysiders. For example the Sydney Roosters have about 2000 club members!

Here in Melbourne I have the time to follow sport properly. People understand my passion & even if they aren't fans themselves respect & are used to it. I don't get kids going "Man, you lot should get a life" because we go to Swans Sydney FC or Kings game every week.

In many respects I feel more at more here than I ever did living & following sport in Sydney. Even if I see Melbourne Victory as the anti-christ & Kevin Muscat as the Devil Incarnate. (Yet I have warmed to the Storm & see myself as a Storm fan, even if I don't get to games much)

JF

You're always fair and balanced despite your newfound bias.

A few questions for you:

1. Do you think that the Melbourne culture of mass attendance on a weekly basis can ever be replicated by the Swans and West Sydney in Sydney? I don't as I believe the Sydney culture of discerning attendance is unique to Sydney rather than RL itself as some on here try to argue. It follows the culture of discerning attendance will also apply to AFL teams well into the future, as it does now with the Swans.

2. You say "Following one's team week-in week-out is actually quite foreign to most Sydneysiders", but isn't week-in week-out support exactly what Sydneysiders do by subscribing to FoxSports in big numbers and tuning into Channel 9 every week and buying the local newspaper with pages and pages of NRL news?

3. You talk about this culture of mass attendance in Melbourne, but aren't the live attendees the overwhelming minority support for teams on a weekly basis? The bigger clubs have 100s of 1000s of supporters and therefore the majority of supportes for a Melbourne AFL club support their club by watching the box in the corner of their lounge rooms.

 

[cos789]

1. Do you think that the Melbourne culture of mass attendance on a weekly basis can ever be replicated by the Swans and West Sydney in Sydney?

Yes .

2. You say "Following one's team week-in week-out is actually quite foreign to most Sydneysiders", but isn't week-in week-out support exactly what Sydneysiders do by subscribing to FoxSports

That only typifies the huge difference in commitments .

You talk about this culture of mass attendance in Melbourne, but aren't the live attendees the overwhelming minority support for teams on a weekly basis?

Even in purely money terms .
One attendee is many times >>>> ratings value for one viewer .

.

 

[littleduck]

One attendee is many times >>>> ratings value for one viewer .

How can that be so when broadcast revenue far exceeds gate receipts?

 

[cos789]

How can that be so when broadcast revenue far exceeds gate receipts?

Oh ld , tell me it isn't so .
Tell me that you aren't that incredably dumb .
Go away and think about it . Don't rush it now .
And tell me why "One attendee is many times >>>> ratings value for one viewer . "

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

In my experiance alot of the people who like to criticise Aussie Rules just havent had enough exposure to it. They no nothing about the game and yet they insult it at every opportunity. Getting people in NSW and QLD to see more AFL games is a important step in removing some of their prejudices towards the sport.

Weirdly the Sydney FC fans put even the NRL trolls on here to shame in terms of their hatred bitterness & fear of AFL. Rugby league doesn't threaten them much; the A-League is already nearly outdrawing them after 3 seasons. The AFL on the other hand.

http://sfcu.com.au/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=28&topic=8191.0;topicseen

JF

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

Exactly. Thats the real reason for the attendance discrepancy, an extra 20k are present on the Harbor Bridge at the same time as every NRL game.

You may laugh, but the outdoors culture & myriad of free time activities means that a sporting fixture is competing against a day at the movies, a day at the beach, a day outside doing something.

Still, they can can go to the beach or solarium & the SCG for a Swans game at night. Just wear your bestest fake tan sweetie!

JF

 

[JF_Bay_22_SCG]

You're always fair and balanced despite your newfound bias.

Except when it comes to Melbourne Victory & the Football Australia board on this forum, which I'm now banned from.

A few questions for you:

1. Do you think that the Melbourne culture of mass attendance on a weekly basis can ever be replicated by the Swans and West Sydney in Sydney? I don't as I believe the Sydney culture of discerning attendance is unique to Sydney rather than RL itself as some on here try to argue. It follows the culture of discerning attendance will also apply to AFL teams well into the future, as it does now with the Swans.

As shown by the first season of the North Melbourne escapade into Sydney,10-15000 regular attendees are definitely possible for a new Sydney AFL team each week. That is pretty decent on an NRL scale already....but does look terrible in a stadium like Homebush.

2. You say "Following one's team week-in week-out is actually quite foreign to most Sydneysiders", but isn't week-in week-out support exactly what Sydneysiders do by subscribing to FoxSports in big numbers and tuning into Channel 9 every week and buying the local newspaper with pages and pages of NRL news?

But sitting on your couch listening to Rabbits Warren every Sunday does not make you are fair dinkum supporter in my books. You turn up & support your team. Too few NRl fans are week-in week-out diehards. Those who do are kind of looked at as weird or that they "haven't got a life". I hate that attitude about Sydneysiders.

3. You talk about this culture of mass attendance in Melbourne, but aren't the live attendees the overwhelming minority support for teams on a weekly basis? The bigger clubs have 100s of 1000s of supporters and therefore the majority of supporters for a Melbourne AFL club support their club by watching the box in the corner of their lounge rooms.

Ratings for footy are great. But when your team is playing there is an ingrained culture of "I've got to do my bit & go down to the ground & support them".The attitude is "my support CAN make a difference".

In Sydney this attitude is very thin on the ground. When teams lose YOU suddenly are a loser & get laughed at by people. Meanwhile people down here were going up to shake Melbourne fans' hands after their win on Sunday because "they stuck it out for their team". I admit I was thrilled for them as well.

JF

 

[AstroboyUK]

Has anyone noticed this strange non-sequitor that crops up when Sydney people use to explain low NRL attendances?

Good crowds in Melbourne = "its only because theres nothing else to do down there (or in Adelaide or Perth) - Sydney is a vibrant, big city culture, too many alternatives to going to footbal blah blah blah"

but in the next breath they might say. ... RL is so popular ! Look at our Viewing Figures!

So if all those Sydney people ,who dont go to games are actually using the time watching RL on TV instead.... is it because theres nothing else to do up there? Strange, because one second ago there were all these other 'alternatives' absent in boring old Melbourne (perth, Adeliade .. even Brisbane for that matter).

You should really make up your minds : Either Sydnesiders are too busy for footy (cant go) or they arent (can watch).
Think about it - You cant have it both ways!

Maybe the only difference is that Sydney people are just generally lazier.

 

[cos789]

Has anyone noticed this strange non-sequitor that crops up when Sydney people use to explain low NRL attendances?

I'll have to post my official list of nrl excuses .

 

[gostk86]

Has anyone noticed this strange non-sequitor that crops up when Sydney people use to explain low NRL attendances?

Good crowds in Melbourne = "its only because theres nothing else to do down there (or in Adelaide or Perth) - Sydney is a vibrant, big city culture, too many alternatives to going to footbal blah blah blah"

but in the next breath they might say. ... RL is so popular ! Look at our Viewing Figures!

So if all those Sydney people ,who dont go to games are actually using the time watching RL on TV instead.... is it because theres nothing else to do up there? Strange, because one second ago there were all these other 'alternatives' absent in boring old Melbourne (perth, Adeliade .. even Brisbane for that matter).

You should really make up your minds : Either Sydnesiders are too busy for footy (cant go) or they arent (can watch).
Think about it - You cant have it both ways!

Maybe the only difference is that Sydney people are just generally lazier.

The funny thing is in sydney is that people might only goto 3 or 4 games a year. Origin and finals, 81300 were at GF last year, so until the GF gets under 75000 thats when league will be dead in sydney.

AFL has a better oppurtunity in sydney than GC IMO, Titans beat afl and they are doing everything right.

West sydney will average 20 000 to 25 000, the sydney derby will get 70 000, but the thing is it wont 'take' over as afl likes to think it will.

League crowds have actually gone up even though YES, they dont look good that is fact.

AFL will do ok in nsw,qld but it wont be number 1 sport, just like nrl wont be number1 outside of nsw and qld.

 

[genghiskhan]

The funny thing is in sydney is that people might only goto 3 or 4 games a year. Origin and finals, 81300 were at GF last year, so until the GF gets under 75000 thats when league will be dead in sydney.

AFL has a better oppurtunity in sydney than GC IMO, Titans beat afl and they are doing everything right.

West sydney will average 20 000 to 25 000, the sydney derby will get 70 000, but the thing is it wont 'take' over as afl likes to think it will.

League crowds have actually gone up even though YES, they dont look good that is fact.

AFL will do ok in nsw,qld but it wont be number 1 sport, just like nrl wont be number1 outside of nsw and qld.

If the second Sydney team is a success, AFL will take over. Personally, I like many codes of sport, but the natural tendency is for one code to monopolise the market because the administration of every code is trying to do that. In some respects, it is like a game of monopoly. Every starts equal, but then as the game progresses, one emerges, gains wealth, and uses that wealth to gain more wealth.

At present though, Aussie rules is a long way behind in Sydney if you think about what it can offer relative to the NRL

The NRL offers in Sydney
1) chance to join in conversations in bars and schoolyards
2) Chance to play with most of your school mates or colleagues
3) Chance for a business to strengthen support with its customers by flying the flag of the local team
4) A conversation starter with strangers
5) Something to talk about at work on a Monday morning
6) An entertaining product to watch on the weekends


The AFL in Sydney offers
1) An entertaining product to watch on weekends

Admittedly, as Aussie rules has grown, it has started to supply some of the things that the NRL offers. For most of the last three decades; however, if you watched Aussie rules you watched it alone, or with an assortment of individuals that weren't part of your immediate social sphere.

With more grassroots development and a second team, this could change and the AFL could offer what the NRL can offer. If it can achieve some kind of critical mass in the social sphere, anything is possible.

 

[cos789]

West sydney will average 20 000 to 25 000, the sydney derby will get 70 000, but the thing is it wont 'take' over as afl likes to think it will.

The only people that mention taking over or other codes are rl trolls .
The AFL are trying to establish a team in a high growth area
and a team in a high population area . Whatever other codes do may have
some impact but the WS area has such huge potential .
.

 

[Father Jack]

If the second Sydney team is a success, AFL will take over. Personally, I like many codes of sport, but the natural tendency is for one code to monopolise the market because the administration of every code is trying to do that. In some respects, it is like a game of monopoly. Every starts equal, but then as the game progresses, one emerges, gains wealth, and uses that wealth to gain more wealth.

At present though, Aussie rules is a long way behind in Sydney if you think about what it can offer relative to the NRL

The NRL offers in Sydney
1) chance to join in conversations in bars and schoolyards
2) Chance to play with most of your school mates or colleagues
3) Chance for a business to strengthen support with its customers by flying the flag of the local team
4) A conversation starter with strangers
5) Something to talk about at work on a Monday morning
6) An entertaining product to watch on the weekends

On that point, I found that you could talk footy with pretty much anyone in Tassie, but in Qld even trying to talk about their RL didn't get you anywhere very often. It was quite a culture shock, and left me rather high and dry as my tried and tested conversation starter was rendered ineffective.