I'm sorry if this offends but the atmosphere (except first quarter) was rubbish. Look how many seats were empty last night. I bought a ticket in the top row but got the chance to move right to the front. I know it was a wednesday night but the prices are just too high. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO LEARN. When the atmosphere is high (lots of people) the game is certainly much more exciting.

Theres my two cents worth

Crowds are usually smaller in number for the first few home games then build through out the year....hopefuly that happens this year too.

Never been that small thought. The smallest crowd last year was 4,400, what was it last night?

4398 funnily enough!

We need an attendance graph showing the popularity of NBL basketball in Adelaide over the years...

Instead of spreading out a 4500 crowd they should be packing them into the lower section of the stadium. That would improve the atmosphere and might make it more attractive to those fans that are currently placed up in the nosebleed section. Any casual fans would be uninspired sitting right up the back. Those seats should be used only when the stadium is packed.

Would you rather be above the concourse on the side, or behind the basket below it?

I think they should just sort out the marketing of it all. There are a few elements involved (I guess, on a basic level) -- price, performance, publicity (with performance breaking down into the team and the rest of the operations).

After the first few games, I think we can say that the team is on track. I don't think the prices are right and the lack of publicity isn't helping that. You could either drop the prices and it'll sell itself, or keep the prices and market it to death.

On top of that, sort out the entertainment at the game. If I wanted to see a single child roaming blind-folded, I'd go to a kid's birthday party.

The season ticket prices were different this season. I used to have season ticket up the back, about $230 each. This season they are worth over $300 for the same seat. That's why I am not going this season.

If you did that often enough Isaac, you would probably end up in jail.

At the dome, you only have to pay $314 and you get to see 16 different kids, with no risk of being arrested. Not bad value, I'd say. You even get to see some hoops either side of it!

Get it right 6er Management!!!!

would u rather 4400 peopl turn up paying $27 bucks a head, with shite atmosphere, or at least 6000 peopl showing up paying $20 backs a head??

is it not economics 101???

if i was paying that much (which i wont) id be sitting there worried i wasnt getting my moneys worth as well (probably like last nights dismal crowd). however if i was only paying $15 dollars to get in, id happily eat a drink myself to gluttony, and make lots of positive noise.

when attendance gets down to about 40 (including players refs, administration, and Bernie??) maybe they will realise. May i suggest to BASA calling your local friendly Chartered Accountant to guide you through some marketing and financial issues. Did anyone outside of the basketball world even know the season started last week?

I went to the game last night in the hope of getting in for 1/2 price with some kind of card, only to find out it is no longer valid. At $22.50 there is no way i will be able to afford go that often as well being a uni student. As much as I enjoyed going to the game it is just to expensive to go to frequently.

With at least 3000 untaken seats in the stadium last night ticket prices need to be discounted in some way if the crowd is going to get any bigger. I know many people like me would love to go to all the home games but its mostly priced out of our range. When I looked around at the crowd last night I thought that was pretty evident as I expected so many younger people to be there and there were not.

If there is going to be so many free seats to home games I think a system could be introduced where you buy tickets at the door, for example a deal where you can buy 2 concession tickets for $30, 4/$55 etc. This would see larger, younger groups attend games and most likely come back. It wouldnt matter where the seats are, but at the moment we can be paying more than it costs to see a NBA game ($10 US for Celtics tickets right at the back, no joke). I can't see what there is to lose with discounted tickets, more people will attend the games which previously would not and the crowds won't be so low... cheaper tickets = better crowds = better atmosphere = increased interest in 36ers games.

Whilst everyone probably agrees the ticket pricing isnt right, do the management now need to protect those that have paid $300 for season tickets though?

I for one will be pretty jacked off if, having done that, they now sell off half price tickets at the door.

Avanti you raise a good point, but I wouldnt really worry, the chances of anything suggested above happening is pretty low. If something by some miraculous chance does see the ticket prices drop then season ticket holders should definetly be rebated in some way, whether monetary/merchandise/free carparking(?!) or whatever!

Free carparking -- good idea.

the crowds will come - if the games are marketed the right way - we have a high scoring outfit this season - so the game will be on the floor.
once the word and results are out there a few more will come.

splash a few freebies around to get them in the door - fill the place get an atmosphere - get them pumped and people will look towards it all.

Run some competitions on radio stations - really splash some tickets around - have MVPs at junior games on a friday - decided by the refs - free tickets to lightning games

1/2 mt stadiums will not create too much of an atmosphere.

the entertainment needs to be quality - not quanity

Although the stadium seemed only half full last night, a lot of seats were empty because not every season ticket holder attends every game. It does not mean that the seat is not sold. As far as half time entertainment goes, I don't see the big deal about this. The way I look at it is that the highlight is the game itself and half time is a break time for getting up and stretching your legs, buying something to eat and drink and going to the toilet. There is a strategy in having lousy half time entertainment and that is if it was good, people would stay in their seats and not get up to buy some thing.

If you were to take $10 (or thereabouts)off the price of tickets then you would get plenty more people through the doors. What you lose in door takings you would surely make in food and drinks, merchandising anyway.
Result = happier customers, game with atmosphere, happier sponsors and so forth.
To me it's not rocket surgery, or was that brain science?
Mind you, BASA wouldn't want to be seen supporting the supporters that support them would they???????
Ditto with Isaac on the car park fee.

Well for $20 I can sit through 3 movies in a marathon as a student.

Or you can do like me at Greater Union the other night and just walk into another cinema and watch Bourne Supremacy after AVP makes you want to churn.

In any case it shows what the sixers are pricing themselves against.

LADIES... GENTLEMEN... GIVE UP - THE PRICES OF TICKETS ARE NOT GOING TO DECREASE!!!

My recommendation for giveaways is quantity rather than quality (to an extent). If you give away a CD player to one kid, then you have one excited fan and the rest are pretty bored. Many people will remember when the dancers threw out stress balls last season -- cheap giveaway, but people were going nuts trying to catch them.

Of course, if you're giving away a car for the full court shot, then people will pay attention to that.

Next home game half-time entertainment: blindfold the Sixers marketing team and see if they can pin a ticket on a fan...

I agree with Isaac, quantity not quality:

- Something like the Thunders from SAFM out the front on a hot summer night handing out cokes, or milk if you want to please the sponsor.
- some jugglers or something as entertainment to reflect a carnival atmosphere.
- some competitions that promote the team or club history, people vote for best players or somnething, or a quiz, where the winner scores free tickets for an upcoming game.
- a 'shootout' comp or something between older players or even up-and-coming players at half time.
- a 3on3 comp of some description, maybe between the Crow's and Power.
- more Sixer merchandise to be free flowing to the crowd as prizes, this equals free advertising when the merch is worn.
- lucky numbered seat gets to have Lauren Jackson over for dinner!

Hi, new to this site( although regularly appear on www.ozhoops.com.au just look out for OZBBallDream )
...I have afew ideas on increasing attendances myself...( at home and throughout the league )

I emailed Marc Howard (NBL) with this suggestion which may help the cause in future..

To Marc Howard,
I was thinking that perhaps a way to increase attendances at matches would be a points or rewards system for ticket buyers.
If you buy 10 tickets in a season for example you get the eleventh one free, or when you buy tickets you earn reward points to go towards merchandise, game tickets, etc.
I think this a win / win situaton as it would encourage regular attendance at games so people would spend or attend more ( to benefit the NBL), but they would feel they are getting a good deal with the free ticket etc.
If the rewards system included a " rewards card " perhaps you could do a deal with certain sporting retail outlets ( NBL sponsors ) . Perhaps you need to become an NBL member to get a card , all you do is have application forms available at ticket booths at games, and the card is sent to you in the mail.
If the card is sent in the mail then the mail can be used as an opportunity to promote the membership and the NBL in general.
You might get philips involved in this (also to help cover costs of setting it
up) , and the card holder could get discounts on philips products etc. ( philips would love this as it would encourage people to buy their products despite the discount )
I currently work within a rewards program for members of a large company. I see first hand the spin off benefits of a program as this, the promotion via mail , the cross promotion, and customer loyalty continued and expanded.
In addition, in your case, you might be thinking it's all about cost setting it
up, however it's definately an investment as I feel it would contribute to
promotion and inceased attendances at games , which = more money for the NBL.
was also thinking of having a competiton or two to promote match attendance, perhaps when you become an NBL member you receive a card and card number. Any member will have the chance to win a philips entertainment package at the end of the season. To enter the fan has to attend any NBL match and say swipe his/her card to enter or register his/her entry at a ticket booth.
The more times you attend the more time you can enter, so that's an incentive to go to more matches to increase your chances of winning.
The other competition could go to the most outrageous and passionate fan or the best supporters club of the season ( spotted by the foxtel cameras), and a prize given at the end of the season, (maybe a Virgin Flight perhaps.)

In regards to ticketing I hear reports on hoopsSA and Ozhoops that some clubs such as the Syd kings prices are to expensive , now is it the clubs or the NBL that sets the prices ? if it's the clubs then the NBL should step in and have a ticketing cap (abit like a salary cap) to make it fair and affordable to the average person.

Anyway, I know your busy as the season is in full swing, so get back to me when
you can, thanks.

and his reply was....

Hi ,

Good to hear from you again.

I agree that a loyalty program would be a great idea and we are currently
looking at developing one. Hopefully we can get one up and running in the near
future.

Regards, Marc

Now in having said all of that, there is no reason why the Adelaide 36rs can't introduce a rewards system itself that rewards regular attendance at games.

I forgot to ask, can anyone give me some information on the 36rs supporters club ?

I want to get involved in the future when I move back home to Adelaide.

Obviously Free To Air promotion of the club's up and coming games wouldn't go astray, I have emailed the 36rs suggesting this.

Has anyone here emailed any of these suggestions to the 36rs ??..and if you did , did they reply ?

With the ticket price cap, I have previously suggested that the NBL request/require that each club make available a specific number of tickets (e.g., 500 or something) available at a maximum price (e.g., $12-15).

I think this might be difficult for the Sixers to handle, however, as currently there is nothing stopping someone getting in on a cheap ticket, and moving down to better seats. Some have suggested (and I don't necessarily disagree) that this isn't such a big deal -- it just increases the atmosphere overall, and packs people in closer to the court. As long as those who bought more expensive tickets earlier (season ticket, try 5 deal) don't get upset.

Another idea I've put up for discussion is allowing the BASA clubs around Adelaide to sell tickets to Sixers games and get a cut (10% or so). This would allow people to support their local club while going to Sixers games, and also allow the Sixers to spread their marketing without adding too much to the cost.

I'll just add that apparently at the Kings games, the players walk up into the crowd a bit and thank fans for coming, high fives, hand-shakes, etc.

Nice idea. Bit of an expansion of how Garrison used to do a lap of the court slapping fans' hands.

Could be worth considering.

People are not interested in giveaways. Adelaide people are very knowledgeable re basketball and all they want to do is watch the game. If they keep puttiung up the prices they will kill the sport. Just like they are in juniors. #3.50 to watch juniors!! it is just stupid. Get rid of the Powerhouse and make the sixers independant and it will make basketball a better product to sell both in juniors and seniors.

And what exactly do you mean by get rid of the powerhouse ?? isn't it the Distinctive Homes Dome now ?
Or do you mean get a new management and administration to run things,well yeah if that's what you mean then I agree.

I was just curious ?...because I'm an Adelaidian living in Melbourne I am unaware if the 36rs offer a group discount with tickets ??

I Know the melb tigers can hardly compare to our crowds, but one good thing they have done in trying to change this is offer group discounts, here check this out..

http://www.sportal.com.au/tigers.asp?i=news&id=54539

If the 36rs aren't doing this already they should be !

Nothing on the Sixers site about it. In fact, besides the Try 5 promo, there's nowhere that tells people where they can buy tickets and how much they cost.

(Mod: This post is not available.)

Just reading through the thread again, and in relation to tickets to clubs....each BASA club is given free tickets for games.....I was told of 2 clubs who dont use a single one of their 50 allocated (this was last season mind you).....so maybe the clubs already have everyone going...or no one is interested.

Yogee,

And I can honestly saw I also have seen the other side of their behaviouer. Maybe they were open to you because they are only now starting to realise that they have messed up and are looking for somebody to bail them out.

IMO when you no longer are useful to them or oppose something they think or want to do. Then you will get the same sort of treatment that everybody else gets, which is, as far as I'm concerned, disgraceful for people in their position.

Lets hope those ideas make it to the game nights before it is to late.

I would still think that perceived value is an issue re the ticket prices. If people think they are getting there moneys worth then they would not complain.

That goes for movies,concerts and all forms of entertainment.

Commendant, Isaac and I speak on a very regular basis.

Yes, some things that management have done are far from ideal, and I am not going to start protecting them from criticisms of that, nor stand up for them in areas I feel they have done wrong.

However, after listening to them, I do feel their are a lot of mis-truths out in the public arena, which people have since come to beleive as fact.

CEO Phil Sannders quite frequently said that if people have issues with management, he is more than willing to sit down and discuss it with people.

One of the reasons I have been absent from forums in about the last 3 weeks (apart from my holiday where I wasnt even near a computer) is that I am quite tired of the negativity around basketball at the moment.

The product itself is great, the league has improved 10-fold (midway through last season I thought the NBL would only last another 2 seasons before collapsing), and there are a lot of positives coming out of the NBL in general.

I think maybe people need to get over their bitterness (speaking in general, not about anyone in particular)..and embrace the sport again.

We complain about crowd figures...but what do we do on this forum to entice newcomers?? Most people seem to moan and complain, rather than highlight the good things about the team. We have a pretty good team this season, and are well on the way to a strong finals showing (if current form continues). It comes down to the old business adage I guess.....if you do something wrong, 1 person will tell 10 people....do something right and it will take 10 people to tell 1 person.

I personally think things are moving in the right direction now, and definitely want to be on board when the NBL hits the dizzying heights it enjoyed back in the 80's!!

here here!!!!

lets stop this feudin and a fussin and get down to some lovin

Just heard that some Sixers tickets are being given away to callers on KG and Cornesy's radio program. That's a start.

How about putting some information about ticket prices on the Sixers site? If you were worried about crowd levels, why wouldn't you put ticket information on your own site? Marketing cost given that the CMS is already built? $0. Time taken to do it? 5 minutes.

It should be above everything else on the site: When the next game is, the opponent, how much tickets cost, where you can get them, and how you can get to the Dome.

Yogee, did Phil say if the 2 clubs being allocated 50 unused tickets, continue to get these tickets this season. They could be put to better use. One example would be to raffle them at each game to try and win tickets for the next game. Atleast this way, they are making some money on them. People buying tickets at the door would probably welcome the opportunity to win tickets for the next game. That way you also avoid 100 empty seats that they are not selling anyway.

These tickets were from last season.....I also had a figure quoted of 20,000 free tickets given away last season, and not even 10,000 were used..so give aways may not be the answer!!