The Perth Thread - Part 4

[blueboy25]

The Wildcats are pretty phenomenal.

Finals every year for 35 years, and have remained relevant in a sport that has had massive ups and downs. It wasn't always the early 90s or now in terms of packed houses in the Entertainment Centre/Perth Arena, but it's been a good ride. Helps being owned by an old rich guy.

Every kid in Perth knew the Wildcats in the 80s and 90s. JC 'the Alabama Slammer', Ricky 'the amazing' Grace, Scott 'the fish' Fisher, Vlahov, Cal Bruton, Mike Ellis, Tiny Pi...no let's leave that one. By the same token I'm sure kids in other states knew Leroy Loggins, D-Mac, Andrew (and Lindsay) Gaze, Shane 'Hammer' Heal, Lanard Copeland, Brett Maher, whoever. Always seemed to strike me that the Wildcats resonated more with basketball fans than the other NBL teams did in their respective cities. Maybe it's a Perth thing. The Glory were in a similar boat in the late 90s but their star faded when the NSL went under and the A-League kicked off.

And to think that Sydney Kings and Brisbane Bullets didn't have teams in the comp 15 years ago

 

[JackOutback]

It's funny looking back that the Wildcats used to be on during prime time TV Friday night in the early 90s, even in the country with only one commercial channel.

Feel like it would still rate on a Friday night.

 

[Andronicus]

It's funny looking back that the Wildcats used to be on during prime time TV Friday night in the early 90s, even in the country with only one commercial channel.

I remember watching them against the GC Rollers and the Geelong Supercats.

 

[Smeg Head]

Burnt Snagger also left with 0 titles. Perth were getting crowds of 17-18k in 1997/98 then had the WACA finals in 98/99 and Subi finals in 99/00 when the state went soccer mad. Didn't win a title until 02/03 by which time home crowds were a lot lower. The bubble has never been full inflated again since.

Didnt the ticket prices start to rocket up come the A League too

 

[Forward Press]

I remember watching them against the GC Rollers and the Geelong Supercats.

And the North Melbourne Giants, and the Hobart Tassie Devils etc...

I remember also being well into basketball in the Ellis, Crawford, Grace, Fisher, Vlahov, Bruton etc era. They were the hottest ticket in town, Entertainment Centre sold out regularly. I wonder why that phase happened (this was back when the Eagles were still a dominant team) and why it faded so quickly when the 2000s came around.

 

[kane249]

And the North Melbourne Giants, and the Hobart Tassie Devils etc...

I remember also being well into basketball in the Ellis, Crawford, Grace, Fisher, Vlahov, Bruton etc era. They were the hottest ticket in town, Entertainment Centre sold out regularly. I wonder why that phase happened (this was back when the Eagles were still a dominant team) and why it faded so quickly when the 2000s came around.

Wildcats first two title were 90 and 91
Eagles were 92 and 94
So not an overlap per se

Interest died locally when 7 lost the rights and it reverted to channel 10. Ten cared more about the national broadcasting figures rather than how individual markets went, and because the Sydney Kings didn't rate well at the time they pulled it from prime time slots. The game never hit the same peaks since.

 

[Forward Press]

Wildcats first two title were 90 and 91
Eagles were 92 and 94
So not and overlap per se

Interest died locally when 7 lost the rights and it reverted to channel 10. Ten cared more about the national broadcasting figures rather than how individual markets went, and because the Sydney Kings didn't rate well at the time they pulled it from prime time slots. The game never hit the same peaks since.

Fair enough, but I was referring more to about 1990 onwards when the Eagles began attracting massive sporting attention from the media which did overlap with the Wildcats drawing massive crowds.

The change in TV rights makes sense. And nowadays with easy and cheap high definition access to the NBA, which are exponentially a better quality of product than the NBL, I don't think the NBL will ever return to their peak.

 

[Kram]

I remember someone posting how much Wildcat tickets were maybe 10 years ago, was shocked how expensive they were.

 

[ioppolo]

Fair enough, but I was referring more to about 1990 onwards when the Eagles began attracting massive sporting attention from the media which did overlap with the Wildcats drawing massive crowds.

The change in TV rights makes sense. And nowadays with easy and cheap high definition access to the NBA, which are exponentially a better quality of product than the NBL, I don't think the NBL will ever return to their peak.

Same goes for the A League. With access to all of Europe's infinity higher quality competitions, people who aren't hugely vested in the sport won't give the A league a second look.

 

[Billy ray]

And the North Melbourne Giants, and the Hobart Tassie Devils etc...

i remember scott fisher being a north melbourne giant

 

[Andronicus]

I'm still annoyed we only got 1 year out of Vince Hinchen.

 

[ashley12]

Same goes for the A League. With access to all of Europe's infinity higher quality competitions, people who aren't hugely vested in the sport won't give the A league a second look.

It why you have to sell the live experience, both at the game and what is shown on TV. The Wildcats live experience is pretty good (from the handful of games I have seen the last few years at Perth Arena) and the Glory experience not so much.

Which is why I found it so surprising/stupid that when the A-League reached what you would consider its peak (around 2010-2013, with Del Piero/Heskey/Kewell/Emerton etc...) they were still committed to playing in stupidly large stadiums that were 1/4 full at best. Examples Brisbane with a 50k stadium, Wellington with the 35k seat stadium, Sydney playing some games out of Stadium Australia etc. Had they kept the smaller 20k type stadiums, they can build the atmosphere and exclusivity of the game, the colour, the passion etc...

They then pissed off all the active supporters and that has been a big part to the failure of the league (lack of exposure/advertising/less stars not helping either). I know I am a lapsed fan of the Glory and I am not the only one despite results having improved since me giving up/focusing more on footy and American Football.

-------------------------

As an aside, I expect the next 10 years that the active supporters become part of the product as opposed to general consumers. Watching the NBA playoffs now compared to last year, the fans make the product (this also goes for BBL and footy to an extent) and I wouldn't be too shocked to see leagues over time use those front row fans to help sell TV contracts.

Perth Wildcats actually used to do this back in the day with the uni kids getting free tickets in exchange for basically being loud cheerleaders.

 

[Billy ray]

I'm still annoyed we only got 1 year out of Vince Hinchen.

plus these ones



good times

 

[gaskin]

The problem with the Glory is the ridiculous increase in the price of tickets over the last 10 years. When I started going regularly around 2009/2010, you could get a GA ticket for about $20-$25. Now it is double that. There is no incentive for parents to pay ~$100-$200 (when you include drinks and food) to take their kids to a game on a regular basis. Those kids (especially around the 10-15 age mark) are really who the club (and league as a whole) should be targeting. Hell, even my Shed membership is $350 which is bullshit. Of course, there are other issues to go with the cost but IMO it is the major factor by a large margin.

It isn't just the Glory, though, since ticket prices in this state tend to be a complete joke. The supply usually outweighs the demand and yet these places seem to think they can charge a fortune for tickets and then wonder why they don't get the crowds.

 

[Beerfish]

i remember scott fisher being a north melbourne giant

#lolNorf

 

[Power Raid]

disappointing to hear the covid app is being abused by the government

 

[Plugger35]

i remember scott fisher being a north melbourne giant

He used to live a few houses down from my mate's place in Wembley back in the early 90s We used to shoot hoops in the driveway and one day when he walked past we asked him if he wanted to join in, he politely declined, would have been awesome if he just grabbed the ball and slam dunked it.

 

[ioppolo]

disappointing to hear the covid app is being abused by the government

Shocked

 

[Scotland]

Spitty_the_alpaca in the Gulag as we speak.

 

[Power Raid]

Shocked

To be honest, I am

I don't trust governments but to abuse a health app which requires co-operation and trust with the community is a disgrace. Then for the police commissioner to stand up, unapologetic, hiding behind the governments failure is arrogant.

The premier should sack him for this abuse and arrogance.

 

[squashface]

To be honest, I am

I don't trust governments but to abuse a health app which requires co-operation and trust with the community is a disgrace. Then for the police commissioner to stand up, unapologetic, hiding behind the governments failure is arrogant.

The premier should sack him for this abuse and arrogance.

Use of the app had already dropped off significantly too even before this. I imagine it will plummet even further now as people become apprehensive on using it if their data is going to be used for reasons they didn’t agree too.

I remember when the app first came in and the government guaranteed that it would only be used for Covid purposes to try and ease the stresses surrounding it.

McGowan would be fuming.

 

[gaskin]

As I understood it, it was the police that abused the app and that is why the Government were rushing through legislation to stop it from happening again. Whether McGowan knew about it is another matter but he did seem a bit pissed off about it.

 

[Power Raid]

As I understood it, it was the police that abused the app and that is why the Government were rushing through legislation to stop it from happening again. Whether McGowan knew about it is another matter but he did seem a bit pissed off about it.

McGowan was aware of the issue since April

What McGowan should have advised the commissioner was laws would be back dated (as done with tax law). With penalties including severe fines and jail sentences, regardless of warrants.


We live in a great country because we have a strong balance of civil liberties and protections from government. For a government to make the app mandatory and reassure confidentiality and proper purpose, then undermine this is a slippery slope and a major breach.

Heads must roll

 

[Power Raid]

As I understood it, it was the police that abused the app and that is why the Government were rushing through legislation to stop it from happening again. Whether McGowan knew about it is another matter but he did seem a bit pissed off about it.

I should add McGowan asked the police commissioner not to do it in April.

That’s why I suggest McGowan should of threatened the commissioner with back dated law changes.

Further McGowan should have advised the public in April and either shut down the app or at the very least made it an option rather than mandatory.

 

[Billy ray]

The Wildcats are pretty phenomenal.

Finals every year for 35 years, and have remained relevant in a sport that has had massive ups and downs. It wasn't always the early 90s or now in terms of packed houses in the Entertainment Centre/Perth Arena, but it's been a good ride. Helps being owned by an old rich guy.

Every kid in Perth knew the Wildcats in the 80s and 90s. JC 'the Alabama Slammer', Ricky 'the amazing' Grace, Scott 'the fish' Fisher, Vlahov, Cal Bruton, Mike Ellis, Tiny Pi...no let's leave that one. By the same token I'm sure kids in other states knew Leroy Loggins, D-Mac, Andrew (and Lindsay) Gaze, Shane 'Hammer' Heal, Lanard Copeland, Brett Maher, whoever. Always seemed to strike me that the Wildcats resonated more with basketball fans than the other NBL teams did in their respective cities. Maybe it's a Perth thing. The Glory were in a similar boat in the late 90s but their star faded when the NSL went under and the A-League kicked off.

you forgot Trevor Torrance. He tried to pick me and my mate up once before a game, true story.
My mate and i had access to court side tickets back when they moved to the Entertainment Centre. So one particular game we went quite early, may have been first people in as we, dunno, prob had nothing to do. so anyway, we sitting there when the players came out to do their warm ups and shoot arounds and he kept taking glances at us. noone else was. then my mate said did you see that, he winked. so i looked back at him and he did it again. he wandered over and made some small talk and basically said to hang around after the game and he would grab us to take us to the locker and post match whatever they did. anyway, as it turns out my mate and him are now married they lost the game and we left before the final buzzer, and didnt look back.