FAIRFAX & NEWS: Doubts over Rabbitohs crowds

[The Redfern Ranger]

Glenn Jackson | June 26, 2008
WITH two wins on the trot and Craig Wing returning, everything has been pointing up for South Sydney in recent days - but have crowd attendances been pushed too far up?

The Rabbitohs posted a crowd of 9827 as they defeated the Gold Coast for their third win of the season on Monday night at ANZ Stadium, but doubts have been raised about the figure.

The Herald captured photographs of the crowd on the night, raising questions about the number posted.

ANZ Stadium spokesman Kyle Patterson said it was up to the tenant to comment on crowd figures.

The Rabbitohs would not comment, fanning the fire. The NRL also refused to buy into the debate.

No matter. The facts remain, after the club shifted its home games to ANZ Stadium from the SFS - with about $100,000 guaranteed to the club for each home fixture - the Rabbitohs' attendances have been relatively poor this year as the team has struggled on the field. Some supporters have criticised the club for ditching their territory for financial gain.

The attendances at the stadium this year have led to questions being asked about how healthy it is for the game to have four clubs - Wests Tigers, St George Illawarra and the Bulldogs joining Souths - regularly playing out of Homebush.

Now, with doubts being raised about the accuracy of the figures, they will become even louder.

Make up your own mind.

[Admin]

Mystery of the 2305 missing fans at ANZ Stadium
By James Phelps and Josh Massoud
Daily Telegraph 26 June, 2008

SOUTH Sydney have conceded they include stadium workers, media, referees - and possibly players - when counting home crowds.

The stunning admission came after a special investigation into Monday night's attendance against Gold Coast Titans at ANZ Stadium.

After monitoring each turnstile, The Daily Telegraph's clickers tracked 7522 people into the ground from the time gates opened at 4.45pm until midway through the first half.

The Rabbitohs later announced an official crowd of 9827.

Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson last night confirmed "club staff, stadium staff, media and officials" partly accounted for the discrepancy of 2305 people.

"People that come from (our) club staff, the other club and referees don't come through the check system (turnstiles)," Richardson said.
"There's a whole range of people that go in through other entrances."

The revelation provides an insight into how clubs count crowds at a time when attendances are being monitored closely as Sydney's nine teams struggle for growth in a congested market.

A Souths statement emailed yesterday afternoon in response to The Daily Telegraph's survey added: "There were un-ticketed guests who entered via a staff gate that appear to have missed your scrutiny.

"Added to this are groups such as club staff, stadium staff, media, officials etc. who haven't been counted by The Daily Telegraph clickers."

The terms used in the statement are wide enough to in- clude players, referees, coaches, and mascots. Staff employed by the stadium, including cater- ers, waiters and customer service personnel, might also be inferred.

But aside from referees, Richardson declined to elaborate exactly which "guests" were counted over and above paying customers, season ticket-holders and corporate guests. He also declined to respond when asked whether paid-up season ticket- holders who did not attend had also been counted.

To further reconcile the discrepancy, Souths pointed to a VIP ground carpark entry used by players, match officials and selected corporates. Located on Level 0, the entry is not marked by a turnstile. It can be accessed by about 300 car spaces and guests who are specifically dropped at the door.

But neither the statement nor Richardson revealed how many people used the carpark entrance - or the above-ground un-ticketed entrance - on Monday night.

"The observers . . . made no allowance for corporate and VIP guests who arrived by car into ANZ Stadium's level 0 parking, nor guests who gained admission prior to the opening of public gates and therefore prior to their calculations," the statement read.

"Closing your count 25 minutes into the first half produced further errors. The official attendance count is concluded 10 to 15 minutes into the second half, as patrons continue to arrive until this time at every event."

The Daily Telegraph arrived at the venue an hour before gates opened and witnessed only a handful of patrons in the precinct. There was a line of just 15 people at one public entrance on the stadium's eastern side at 4.45pm.

Even fewer patrons were observed when the count ceased 15 minutes from halftime.

Richardson said he was "comfortable" with the official crowd.

"There's been no fudging of figures here," he said.

"I've got nothing more to say, no more information to give.

"We are more than comfortable that was the crowd."

ANZ Stadium declined to respond, on the basis that clubs are responsible for crowd counts.

[Admin]

How we discovered Souths' ANZ Stadium discrepancy
Daily Telegraph
June 26, 2008

FOUR Daily Telegraph journalists - Josh Massoud, James Phelps, Justin Vallejo and Tyson Otto - were sent to ANZ Stadium on Monday afternoon.

A lap of the stadium was conducted, during which five separate entry points for fans (paying customers, Rabbitohs season ticket holders, members and corporate guests) were sighted. Two of these were located on the western side of the stadium and three on the east.

The journalists split into pairs, stationed on either side of the stadium - Massoud and Phelps on the east, Otto and Vallejo on the west.

All entry points were monitored from the time gates opened at 4.45pm until 25 minutes after kick-off.

Crowd counters - commonly called clickers - were used to track people as they passed through the turnstiles. Children and toddlers in prams who did not activate the turnstiles were included in our count.

Our final figure was 7522. South Sydney posted 9827 - a discrepancy of 2305 people.

Another two entry points were also in operation. There was a gate for staff and accredited pass-holders (including media) on the western side and the level 0 carpark entry for selected corporates, VIP guests, players, referees and match-day officials.

The Daily Telegraph elected not to monitor these points because the vast majority of people using them were working, not watching.

[Wolfy]

Souths has been lying about its crowds since 2003, when the lizard-like David Tapp took over as CEO. The practice has been wholeheartedly continued by the elephantine Shane Richardson. To anyone with the time to spare at games (usually when the opposition was running in tries) you only need to look around the grounds to realise the crowd figures are ridiculous. In some games the real figures have been doubled when the club's figure is released.

The LNPE is an embarrassment to Souths. This is just another example of how much credibility the enormous pie-stuffer has away from the community of nuff-nuffs at Souths. The media, the NRL, the players, the player-managers, the business community - all view the LNPE as an over-fed, lying swine.

Having a gluttonous goon as a CEO does Souths image no good. Souths need to lose the image of a club shrouded in lies and bullshit. To do that the LNPE needs to be rolled down Chalmers St so he can catch a train from Central all the way the fuck out of town.

[Sydney Rovers]

To anyone with the time to spare at games (usually when the opposition was running in tries) you only need to look around the grounds to realise the crowd figures are ridiculous. In some games the real figures have been doubled when the club's figure is released. And in the case of the Souths v Penrith game last season it was almost triple.

[Bunnyhop]

And in the case of the Souths v Penrith game last season it was almost triple.

What does it matter? It's the profit at the end of the day that counts. All 3 matches at ANZ were overstated. I'm certain all the crowds are posted higher than reality and I can assure you all that the Canberra stadium crowd is never what they say. The dogs had basically nobody on the eastern side on Sat night.

[The Botak]

What does it matter you ask?

I think it comes down to the expectation of many Souths fans that the Club conduct its affairs with some honour and some dignity. If you expect to be lied to then that is exactly what officials of this club will do.

[Sydney Rovers]

What does it matter you ask?

I think it comes down to the expectation of many Souths fans that the Club conduct its affairs with some honour and some dignity. If you expect to be lied to then that is exactly what officials of this club will do.Also the perception from other football code that we're a sport on the wane.

[Bunnyhop]

Also the perception from other football code that we're a sport on the wane.

Fudging the crowd at league matches is part of league culture.

[The Perp]

Telling lies is a PHaC and LNPE culture. It should be stamped out.

[the doctor]

And in the case of the Souths v Penrith game last season it was almost triple.

The Rorters Have Been Doing it For Years mate.:tongue0011:

[Happyfeet]

At least the other CEO's are not coming out telling the world that we count every bloody Club staff Member and ANZ staff Member, and everyone who parks their car in level 0 in our crowd figures.

Dumb