by Sojourner » Tue Oct 21, 2008 9:14 am
It is suggested that to break even the SANFL need a crowd of 27 000 at a match at Football Park, currently the average non blockbuster match at Football Park as a Port Adelaide home game is running around 23 000.
All clubs have their "bandwagoners" and no doubt the minute Port hit form once again a number of the termites will crawl back to watch the club play raising the crowd figures by natural attrition to the required number. Still whilst that isnt happening its important to realise that the club is actually running at a loss and action does need to be taken to improve that situation both for the Port Adelaide club and the owner of its license the SANFL. If Port make a loss and dont bring in the $$$ ultimatley it is the SANFL and its 9 clubs that suffer as a result of it.
The ultimate suggestion would be for Port Adelaide to purchase one of the various hotels in the city and set it up as a city based club / players bar etc and at the same time organise for matches such as ones against sides that traditionally draw the lower crowds to be played at Adelaide Oval. I feel that is the only real way for Port to connect with the South Australian Public of whom a high % specifically dont like the club because of their heritage as the Port Adelaide Magpies and the fact that the Power are often the subject of the nastiest derogatory jokes etc and as a result "neutral" supporters tend to be encouraged away from the club as a result.
Its time the SANFL got past their previous problems with the SACA and worked some things out and consdiering the number of SANFL finals played there, maybe they already are some way towards that anyway!
The alternative is that Port begin to look into selling home games to the Gold Coast or Tasmania so that the club gets a garanteed return for matches. Sadly because of the current attitude of the SANFL towards the SACA, this is probably the most likely outcome which is a two edged sword because to do so will activley work against promoting the club in S.A with long term success as the Adelade Oval plan would.
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