The Western Sydney Football Club

[the crow]

Rooty hill RSL would be all for Fev moving in down the road.

[Rob]

It will be interesting to see how many actual memberships they can sell. They're not doing themselves any favours with prices though, they are bloody expensive. The cheapest reserved seat membership is $240 - for 8 games. Even a GA 8 game package is $195. You can get an 11 game package in Melbourne for every Victorian club for less than that. Per game, it's pretty similar to what we pay in Perth. And we're all millionaires over here.

[nobleoz]

It is no surprise that 40% of GWS membership comes from Canberra. Even tho there are national teams in both rugbies, Australian Football has always been part of the sporting scene in that city.

[Simmo79]

It will be interesting to see how many actual memberships they can sell. They're not doing themselves any favours with prices though, they are bloody expensive. The cheapest reserved seat membership is $240 - for 8 games. Even a GA 8 game package is $195. You can get an 11 game package in Melbourne for every Victorian club for less than that. Per game, it's pretty similar to what we pay in Perth. And we're all millionaires over here.

The precedent is GCS. They had about 12k foundation members, like GWS and ended up with 14k real members. I'd guess 14k - 15k total membership for 2012. But like Rob days, not all memberships are equal.

[Simmo79]

It is no surprise that 40% of GWS membership comes from Canberra. Even tho there are national teams in both rugbies, Australian Football has always been part of the sporting scene in that city.

Not sure what the relevance of having a NT or not is, but I think AF was the original dominant football code down here.

[nobleoz]

Yes, Simmo, Aussie Rules was the dominant sport from Canberra's early days - tho it wasn't assisted by the teachers all being from the NSW system, & favoring rugby in the schools.
My point is that since the advent of the Canberra Raiders & ACT Brumbies, the 2 rugby codes have taken #1 position. Now GWS will give a more local team for footy fans than the previous visits by Nth Melb & Melb. At one stage I thought that Nth Melb should move to Canberra & become the Canberra Kangaroos. Maybe one day both Canberra & Tassie will have their own teams?

[Simmo79]

It's a bit too conspiratorial blaming the teachers - but you've picked the more important issue, which is migration (of all people, not just teachers) from NSW shifting the football demographics over the last 40 years

[yob]

At one stage I thought that Nth Melb should move to Canberra & become the Canberra Kangaroos.

If there's only one thing you ever understand about Canberra, let it be this.

Canberra = kangaroo roadkill. It's everywhere. Bindubi st looks like Normandy some days.

[nobleoz]

Was impressed with Patton's comments last night. How long before he will be called The General?

[Jeffles]

Wasn't the Canberra membership thing part of their campaign to get 5000 to lock in games at Manuka? It's a good result but I don't know how many will travel up the Hume to Blacktown.

I think they'll get 10,000 plus. Even though 3000 is low, Sydney crowds have always been more casuals than season ticket holders. If the weather's bad, that's when they should worry. Blacktown hasn't got much cover.