Anonymous
Years ago

Perth aim for crowds of 14,000

If every other NBL club could be even half as successful off court, as the Perth Wildcats, the NBL would be in great shape.

Great article here:

Perth Wildcats managing director Nick Marvin has a long-term vision - to sell out Perth Arena in its entirety at every game.

That includes the upper deck, which up until now has been opened only for blockbusters and takes the venue's capacity close to 14,000.

Even last year, with the Wildcats charging towards a record sixth NBL championship, the thought of selling out the venue every week would have seemed crazy to outsiders. But it would take a brave person to rule out the possibility now.

The Wildcats have enjoyed rapid growth since their move from the 4500-capacity Challenge Stadium to the Arena in 2012.

The Wildcats set the benchmark in Australian basketball and are moving back up the food chain in WA sport.

They have destroyed NBL attendance and membership records, and broke new ground by reaching 9000 members for the first time this week.

Marvin is confident the club will crack 10,000 members by the end of the season, but his ambition doesn't stop there.

"I could see us opening level four at the Arena permanently and having, say, 12,000 members and selling 2000 tickets on game day," Marvin said.

The Wildcats' remarkable off-court success is no fluke.

They spend more than 10 per cent of revenue on advertising and marketing.

Wildcats staff conduct annual fact-finding missions to the US, where they glean knowledge from their NBA counterparts in a bid to produce the best possible game-night experience for fans.

Marvin is wary the bubble could burst and won't let the club rest on its laurels.

"In terms of losing customers, the big test is this year and next year because the attraction of the new venue is going to fade eventually, especially for people who come 14 times a year," he said.

"We need to be able to give them a reason to come, put on a good enough product in terms of game-night entertainment to keep them engaged and continue what we're doing in the community.

"One thing that keeps us engaged with the community is the work we do in it.

"As sporting stars, it's a great opportunity to do it and we can't ignore that responsibility."

Wildcats players are feeling the flow-on effects of the vast support the club enjoys.

Vice-captain Greg Hire is convinced it gives the team a competitive edge.

"The club invests a lot in the playing group in terms of what they provide us, including coaches, support staff and off-the-court stuff like lunches and massages," Hire said.

"That is made possible by such a strong supporter base and corporate support."


Topic #35998 | Report this topic


Anonymous  
Years ago

The novelty of a new stadium will wear off just like it did in Adelaide
Once that happens only a super successful team will keep people coming through the door

Reply #504570 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I don't buy that it's the new stadium that keeps people coming back.

Perth Arena hosts tonnes of events.

Sure, a new stadium helps but if people didn't enjoy the product, they wouldn't keep coming back.

This is the third season at the Arena, crowds are up 1118 people per game.

An average of 12,119 per game (the most in the 3 seasons, playing there. Clearly it's a growing brand)

Reply #504573 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

The location, along with the improved vibrancy of the CBD definitely helps. But the club is focused on keeping fans and members happy and that is the reason why it's going from strength to strength.

Reply #504574 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Doubt the novelty of the stadium will wear off and be a significant factor.

Reply #504576 | Report this post


Marcus Camby  
Years ago

The rest of the league should leverage off Marvin's business acumen.

His background is not even basketball.

But he knows how to get a brand out there and back it up with a game day experience.

Reply #504581 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It's encouraging though unsurprising that Marvin is committed to ensuring sustained success and looking for ways to build on that success.

I hope another improvement they make to the stadium and the game night experience is having red decals surrounding the base lines and side lines of the court, with the Wildcats logo on the baselines.

That would definitely improve the aesthetics and the home court feel, plus the visual contrast between the court and its border might also reduce the rate of players accidentally stepping out of bounds.

Reply #504583 | Report this post


Train  
Years ago

The baselines are left blank as they are reserved for sponsorship advertisements which have not yet been purchased. But I agree, it really should be filled in with Red or Wildcats logos as it looks quite bland.
Last time I checked they were asking for about $100K for the baseline advertising so I doubt it will be bought any time soon.

Reply #504591 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

How much of Perth's success is due to roster and winning consistency?

ie. the basketball side of the operation.

Reply #504593 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Some but not all.

The Kings won 3 Championships in a row and averaged small crowds.

Winning is only part of off court success

Reply #504606 | Report this post


Matthew  
Years ago

I think this year perhaps more than last year, their offensive work hasnt been as strong. Ennis despite his detractors bought more offense to the team, whereas DeAndre is a more rounded player. Hes starting to pick up a little more tempo so it will be interesting to see how that pans out.

Im not sure the Arena getting 'old' will factor into it too much.

Someone mentioned Adelaide's Arena. Its not even comparable. Even when it was new, it was way outta the way for people to get to in terms of public transport. Sure you can drive there, but then you get the 'everyone leaving at once' traffic snarl on the way home. Perth Arena is really there for public transport. You can park a car in the area but its the CBD. Youd be crazy to even try.

Reply #504611 | Report this post


sixers45  
Years ago

You wait, once the wildcats go down the ladder, all the bandwagon supporters will drop off and you will see half empty stadiums. I am just waiting for the day Perth get a crowd of less than 10K, and then make some lame excuse why they got less than 10K

Reply #504616 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"The Kings won 3 Championships in a row and averaged small crowds."

Source?

Reply #504618 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

when have the wildcats ever gone down the bottom of the ladder last time I checked 28 straight playoff appearances

Reply #504620 | Report this post


HoldenV8  
Years ago

In a perfect world all NBL teams would have a home venue similar to the Allphones Arena in Sydney and we'd get NBA size crowds at every game.

This world is far from Perfect though.

Love or hate them, you can't deny that the Perth Wildcats are doing it right (and have been for a LONG time) and if they can get 14k to their homes games then good luck to them.

During their 3-peat under Goorjian, the Kings never once sold out the Sydney Entertainment Centre.....not even for a Grand Final. Their best was (IIRC) around 9,500 for a GF game against either Wollongong or the Titans. They had some good crowds when they played at the Superdome when it first opened including the NBL record 17,800 for a game against the old Razorbacks. But unlike Perth who's team is at the top, the pre-Goorjian kings (even with Brett Brown coaching and Kevin Brooks on board for a season) were mid-table at best then.

Reply #504626 | Report this post


HoldenV8  
Years ago

Correction to my above post.

The Kings have broken 10k twice at the SEC. They got 10,439 for a 2003 GF game against Perth and in 2008 they got 10,244 for a GF game against the Tigers.

Reply #504627 | Report this post


koberulz  
Years ago

"During their 3-peat under Goorjian, the Kings never once sold out the Sydney Entertainment Centre.....not even for a Grand Final. Their best was (IIRC) around 9,500 for a GF game against either Wollongong or the Titans."
How could Goorjian's Kings ever have played the Titans?

Reply #504629 | Report this post


Darryl  
Years ago

@sixers 45 you will be waiting a very long time for Perth to get less than 10000 or slide to bottom of the ladder.

Reply #504630 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It won't be Arena fatigue that will affect the Wildcats, it will be winning fatigue.

I didn't renew my membership this season because I've seen 2 titles in 4 years and couldn't justify the cost considering we've been to the summit so often lately.

Reply #504670 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It won't be Arena fatigue that will affect the Wildcats, it will be winning fatigue.

I didn't renew my membership this season because I've seen 2 titles in 4 years and couldn't justify the cost considering we've been to the summit so often lately.

Reply #504671 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I will, however, buy tickets to the playoffs should we make it *snigger*

Reply #504673 | Report this post


Wildcat Fan  
Years ago

"The Kings won 3 Championships in a row and averaged small crowds."

Source?

It was pretty well covered at the time and was somewhat of a focal point of the NBL. There were plenty of games that I can recall where the attendance would be around 3,500 during the dominate Kings era. They did get a lot of Wednesday night games live on Fox, which was obviously a factor.

Reply #504713 | Report this post


Matthew  
Years ago

wow, never seen someone not renew their membership because their team is too successful.

Guess now I have

Reply #504797 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Kings jacked prices up and alienated fans from memory. By late in their first stint they were having crowds of under 3000 at times.

Reply #504799 | Report this post


Nathan of Perth  
Years ago

Winning fatigue, that's a new one.

Reply #504805 | Report this post


Wildcat Fan  
Years ago

^ I can sort of understand the 'winning fatigue' mentality. For me, winning is great. I'd rather win than lose and be happy with it, but there have been plenty of games where the score is a bit one sided. There hasn't been a great selection of really close games, or even classics at the arena just yet.

Would like to see a few more close games, and that should definitely keep those that are tiring of blow outs to keep coming back.

Reply #504833 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I don't think arena fatigue plays a part. If you wanted to check out the new arena then a one off game ticket purchase is enough. Or a concert.

What will fatigue members is the CBD NOVELTY. At the moment it is still new and fresh and this has driven the Wildcats crowds, not Marvin or any special marketing. Also CBD novelty will last a while yet since they are now finalising the link between Northbridge and the CBD with the underground railway line.

But once CBD novelty wears off watch the membership plummet. History repeats itself. Remember when the 'Cats first announced the move to the CBD from the suburbs after the 1989 season? They were a hot ticket, selling out from 1990 to around 1996 and then attendance started going downwards. Another four years or so and I believe the same thing will happen again with the crowds no longer able to service the rent (like in circa 1999 with the Entertainment Centre when it became uneconomical).

Perth has been deprived of inner city (CBD) sports which is the key to the Wildcats popularity right now. No other stadiums are located there. Marvin etc. are riding the wave, right place right time.

In regards to winning fatigue it does make sense to those supporters who are switched on basketball lovers who grow tired of the same old same old when there is so much variety of different ball on Foxtel with NBA, college and Euro ball plus NBALP and NBL.TV (to watch other teams) subs. Contrast this variety to the style of Wildcats play - it isn't pretty offensively and bores me even though they are my team. My membership also lapsed.

The supporters who don't get winning fatigue are the ones who are just there for a night out, cheer the team rabidly no matter what but don't really know too much about the sport. They are Wildcats supporters not basketball supporters, ask them if they would watch any other team play another team in the NBL and the answer is "no!". It is like a night out for them to the movies 14 times a year, except in a stadium with a live product.

So I do understand what is being said - just because your team keeps winning doesn't mean it is entertaining, that's what some on there seem to be arguing against which is a really dumb. For the switched on basketball lovers even their own team can get boring, we aren't swayed by the half time entertainment or any of the other side acts to get you through the door.

Although these casuals mentioned above IMO don't suffer from arena fatigue, wait until the club starts losing or if they don't then the CBD novelty will wear off so either way we are in a "mining boom" cycle of NBL in Perth right now, which will drop in the near future.

tl;dr cliffs:

Arena fatigue = doubt it, after one visit you've seen it, therefore membership not required

CBD novelty = wait until it wears off like in the 90s, history does repeat itself, then the decline will begin

Winning fatigue = the casuals don't experience this because basically WIN = GOOD, they are simpletons, true knowledgeable basketball fans do grow bored and tired of it

That's my take.

Reply #504843 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Wildcat Fan great point, the blowouts further exacerbate the problem for pure basketball supporters, especially when there are so many thrilling down to the wire games played elsewhere around the world viewable on TV or online

Reply #504845 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Hmm yeah the NBL boomed in the 90s then it crashed with a thud so this current boom in Perth may come down even harder.

Reply #505001 | Report this post


Harry Hackrein  
Years ago

The NBL was hot property in the 90's like you said, however the NBA was on TV then. The NBL was live too back then. Then the NBA disappeared and it wasn't hot. Hence the bust. I think Jordan played then too ;)
Perth is a unique setup, and who knows what will happen in a few years time, let alone next season.

Reply #505005 | Report this post




You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.



Close ads
Little Streaks - The fun and interactive good-habits app designed especially for kids.
Serio: Tourism photography and videography

Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.

Recent Posts



.


An Australian basketball forum covering NBL, WNBL, ABL, Juniors plus NBA, WNBA, NZ, Europe, etc | Forum time is: 10:25 pm, Tue 19 Mar 2024 | Posts: 968,026 | Last 7 days: 754