There have been concerns of late that stadium attendance is on a downward curve and the numbers back this concern. The overloaded rugby calendar seems to only exacerbate this problem as people even grow tired of watching the games on the various networks. Stuffing as much rugby into the year as possible, has little positive effects especially when we expect players to perform every week, but that is another issue.
The stadium numbers need not be on a downward trend. Ticket prices are reasonable and the general standard of rugby games are high. Even though most games are played in the bite of winter, fans still make the trip. There is no clear reason for the drop in numbers but a few theories have been proposed from over-saturation of games to the complicated rules to the scrum and the amount of time eaten up by this set piece.
Neither of these theories fully explain the drop in numbers. The die hard rugby fans will still watch games and make it a weekly trip to the stadiums and fans generally understand the rules of the game and the amount of scrum resets has dropped with the implementation of the new engagement process. I believe the problem comes down to the stadium experience.
Let’s back track a little and look at the numbers over the past decade for Super Rugby. The South African crowds averaged 34 000 in 2006 and in the same period Australia and New Zealand had crowds of 24 000 and 22 000 respectively. After six years the numbers dropped to 28 000 in South Africa, 20 000 in Australia and 16 000 in New Zealand. In 2014, this number continued to fall to 25 800 in South Africa, 18 400 in Australia and 13 800 in New Zealand. Why such a decrease over the past decade? What has been the difference?
The social trend of expectation at any event has changed drastically and the access to information and various entertainment has challenged the experience of just sitting and watching a game. People have come to expect an immersed experience from any event and I believe that rugby stadiums are drifting behind this idea of expectation and don’t offer a full stadium experience.
Growing up in South Africa, I was fortunate enough to attend a number of rugby matches and watched most of my live rugby at the Durban Stadium, Kings Park. (Now known as Growthpoint Kings Park). In 2014, South Africa had some of the highest stadium attendance numbers compared to their rivals. South Africa does have a higher population and greater registered rugby players within the community but the stadiums offer more than just a turnstile and seat. They offer an experience.
When walking into Kings Park on match day, the first thing that I remembered was the amount of cars parked near the stadium and every second car adorned in team colours. Every fourth car had a braai (barbeque) sizzling nearby. The scent of bacon, boerewors and eggs cooking away heightened my pride and anticipation of what was to come. Hours before kick off, the air was filled with braai smoke and a delicious aroma. Beyond the cars and at the fringes of the stadium, the official entertainment began with a pavilion set up with a DJ, further around the corner a specialized beer tent, keep going to find different vendors. All of these things added to the stadium experience. It was a simpler time pre-2000, but society and expectation has changed.
Stadiums are expected to be the ‘Disneyland’ for fans and should offer a total rugby experience. With the access to smart phones and various applications, stadium directors and broadcasters need to begin to create a digital experience for the people within the stands so that they can have the same, if not better access than the digital broadcasts found at home. Some broadcasters offer the “red button” option while at home so viewers can view replays and different angles. Why isn’t such an option available for stadium goers who have a computer in their hands?
The use of mobile digital devices is just a small part of what can be a total stadium experience. The grounds that host these type of games can take a page out of the more successful HSBC Rugby Sevens tournaments and offer a ‘party’ atmosphere. I don’t expect fans to turn up in lycra one pieces or dress as pigs in a tutu, but the basic experience can be copied.
Sevens rugby also offers a more intimate player interaction once the games have finished. Fans have a chance to meet a greet the players and have their picture taken with them as the players do a lap of appreciation. I have seen and read many fan blogs, Facebook posts and tweets that would praise the players that stayed around after the game to meet the fans in the cold and wet conditions. I understand that the teams have schedules to stick with and that circumstances don’t always allow for player interaction but the kids and even adults that have a chance to shake a player’s hand and have a picture that will be treasured, goes a long way to help spectators to return.
Along with some great memories of South African stadium experiences, I have also had the misfortune of attending grounds that were boring and lacked anything that could be considered a fun experience. These stadiums lacked imagination and the will to offer anything beyond the game on the field. People had no reason to attend early or stay late, they arrived for kick off and left soon after. There was no incentive for kids to get involved, no reason for people to spend money besides food and drink and very little reason for the new crowds to attend or old fans to ever return.
Rugby is marketed as a family game, to get kids involved and to make it a family outing, so why aren’t some of the stadiums offering these things? A ‘Disneyland’ experience with rugby instead of Mickey. There are plenty of options to explore that can entice the family to come which may save the dwindling attendance numbers, but this would require extra research and investment from the stadiums. There are ways, but resting on one’s laurels isn’t the way to go.
Warren J. Adamson
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