TruBlueBrad wrote:
We can't lose out by doing it, it may draw an extra few thousand in each year, but its not going to make a huge difference.
How the teams are performing at the time will determine whether the game is a blockbuster....not whether the game has a theme.
A couple of years ago, in about Round 20, we played Essendon* at the G in front of about 34,000 people. Would an extra 4,000 people have this game a blockbuster or do you believe that if we'd been playing for the 'Multicultural Cup' it would have drawn 70,000?
The value of the game is not in the gate takings or in immediate extra attendances. I think your missing the point.
There was always going to be a multicultural recognition theme within the playing calender in the same way as other social themes are included. Sport is a great way of reinforcing common social views and multiculturalism is a genuine aspect of the Australian persona.
The real value in the theme is a chance to further communicate and reinforce to the Australian public that these 2 teams are tangible symbols of the meaning of multiculturalism.
Possibly more than any other in the competition ( excluding The Bulldogs) the rich multicultural histories of both teams from player and supporter representation create a natural link to the theme.
In the long run reinforcing such a theme and attaching our identity to it on a constant basis can have positive outcomes in terms of appeal to potential sponsorship opportunities with entities that wish to attach themselves with that persona. This is where the real value is.
If the club can position its identity as an accepted symbol of an important element of Australian society of which multiculturalism is then the payoff can be more than many of us realize at this point in time.
Its a great opportunity for the club the spin offs could be enormous with little additional effort required.
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