Opinion Home game in china

[coniglio_number1]

So the club is pushing to play a home game in china.

Not sure how I feel about this as I am a huge supporter of expansion and growing the game but we play 8 games in Sydney already, surely we are not doing our duty of growing the brand in Sydney by playing even less games here!

Only way this happens is if the Canberra games are reduced or eliminated but we would be burning bridges with a great supporter base and I like being able to claim the territory as our territory.


How does everyone feel? Does the possibility for Chinese sponsorship outweigh ACT? Could we gain millions of domestic and international supporters by embracing china?

 

[Jaffa Fan]

Why not compromise and play the game in Ashfield.

 

[Colonial]

We cant lose any more games from western sydney.
It would have to be a trial or a Canberra game moved

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

China is the wrong move.

I can think of a country with a billion people, that mostly speak English, have a huge expat population living in Western Sydney, and have a whole heap of grounds that are about the right size and shape and only get used in the summer....

I also don't mind a NAB cup game going anywhere but we already lose 3 to Canberra and a whole heap of weeks to the Easter Show.

 

[_GT_]

I am sure the sponsorship dollars would be good, but we have to grow the game in our own back yard first. Happy to look at premiership points game in 20-30 years, but night right now. More than happy to play an exhibition and/or preseason game there. I like the logic behind India, but they are not huge on football sports at all. At least the Chinese like their soccer and a bit of Rugby (HK mainly).

 

[coniglio_number1]

I'm not sure what the demographics is like but is there a large Chinese population in the west? I'd love the club to engage this but losing another home game isn't going to be great for increasing the awareness in footballs most difficult frontier

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

I'm not sure what the demographics is like but is there a large Chinese population in the west? I'd love the club to engage this but losing another home game isn't going to be great for increasing the awareness in footballs most difficult frontier

Not a complete expert, but there are large populations of both Indian and Chinese in the West. Chinese up around Calingford and into the Hills and down to Parramatta. Massive Indian population around Parramatta and Westmead (and a little into Blacktown)

Not sure about the southern half of the region - not where I've worked and had to know these sorts of things.

 

[Bogan Juniors]

One would hope the members will be asked............No for mine

 

[_GT_]

Not a complete expert, but there are large populations of both Indian and Chinese in the West. Chinese up around Calingford and into the Hills and down to Parramatta. Massive Indian population around Parramatta and Westmead (and a little into Blacktown)

Not sure about the southern half of the region - not where I've worked and had to know these sorts of things.

The Indian population is really taking off around Blacktown I hear. Either way the club needs to appeal to all families and cultures of Western Sydney by being accessible and inclusive.

 

[dlanod]

The Indian population is really taking off around Blacktown I hear. Either way the club needs to appeal to all families and cultures of Western Sydney by being accessible and inclusive.

Big Indian population around North Ryde/Marsfield with the tech companies as well. Chinese in a big arc from Chatswood over to Epping and Carlingford.

 

[OrangeDuck]

IMO: not while we have the agreement with Canberra. It's fine taking some games elsewhere, but don't start going to multiple places.

 

[Land of the Giants]

It's a distraction we don't need at this stage of our development.

 

[Determinant]

It's a distraction we don't need at this stage of our development.

I tend to agree, great idea, but for 3+ years time, not right now

 

[Danny88]

Agree with everyone else here but think of the recovery time needed after plane trips that long as well... Huge factor

 

[IanW]

Agree with everyone else here but think of the recovery time needed after plane trips that long as well... Huge factor

Shanghai is just 2 hours more than Perth, and no timezone change.

But yeah. India's a better market.

 

[dlanod]

Shanghai is just 2 hours more than Perth, and no timezone change.

But yeah. India's a better market.

Errr, double/5+ hours more each way. 5hrs 10 to Perth, 10hrs 40 to Shanghai.

 

[IanW]

Errr, double/5+ hours more each way. 5hrs 10 to Perth, 10hrs 40 to Shanghai.

You're right. Thought it was 7 hours for some reason ...

 

[van peebles]

No,cant go as it will interfere with work on the following monday.

 

[Gigantor]

agree with all who have already pointed out that 8 home games at Spotless is a low enough number as it is
however, if it were to be an away game....

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

however, if it were to be an away game....

Haven't Richmond been eyeing China for more than a couple of years? Longer than we've been around anyway.

If they want to keep selling a home game a year, they can keep losing to the Gold Coast in Cairns or they can lose to us in Beijing - works for me.

 

[Bryce_Jersey17]

Haven't Richmond been eyeing China for more than a couple of years? Longer than we've been around anyway.

If they want to keep selling a home game a year, they can keep losing to the Gold Coast in Cairns or they can lose to us in Beijing - works for me.

Why not have a home game out in Blacktown? That way they'd market themselves in their area, it's a match they can promote and they wouldn't cut out a large proportion of fans who cant afford to go to Beijing. Plus, the facilities are already available.

 

[Bogan Juniors]

Why not have a home game out in Blacktown? That way they'd market themselves in their area, it's a match they can promote and they wouldn't cut out a large proportion of fans who cant afford to go to Beijing. Plus, the facilities are already available.

Because Blacktowns facilities are NOT suitable for an AFL crowd. BISP is a crap venue barely suitable for NEAFL

 

[Bryce_Jersey17]

Because Blacktowns facilities are NOT suitable for an AFL crowd. BISP is a crap venue barely suitable for NEAFL

But for a one off match, surely its better than China or Darwin?

 

[Bogan Juniors]

I dont support China or Darwin either

 

[dlanod]

Haven't Richmond been eyeing China for more than a couple of years? Longer than we've been around anyway.

If they want to keep selling a home game a year, they can keep losing to the Gold Coast in Cairns or they can lose to us in Beijing - works for me.

Melbourne's made a bit of a push over the years. Had a couple of post-season games over there.