JARRYD Hayne will visit reigning Super Bowl champions Seattle over summer as part of a new blueprint aimed at switching Parramatta from NRL laughing stock to Australia’s most successful sports logo.
Enjoying a stunning resurgence on the field in 2014, the Eels are also making some major advancements off it — with figures from independent researcher REPUCOM showing their number of “passionate fans” across Australia has climbed to 550,000.
Elsewhere, the club famous for bickering boards and consecutive wooden spoons has earned record membership (20,086), while also enjoying merchandise sales increase by 170 per cent, game day takings 158 per cent and the online store doubling its monthly average.
While much of this success can be attributed to a side gunning for a shock finals berth, Eels CEO Scott Seward also credits a radical front-office overhaul which has involved consulting the likes of Collingwood, Cricket Australia, even reigning Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaking with The Daily Telegraph yesterday, Seward confirmed it was now “very likely” coach Brad Arthur, Hayne and several other senior players would undertake a study tour of the NFL heavyweights over summer.
While other league clubs have undertaken such trips previously, few send senior players to mix and learn from their superstar American counterparts.
Asked why the Eels wanted to fly Hayne Stateside, Seward replied: “Because our goal is to become the best sporting organisation in Australia.
“That’s why Jarryd Hayne should be encouraged to go and learn from (Seattle running back) Marshawn Lynch. Why we want Brad Arthur meeting with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
“People ask me if we’re aspiring to become South Sydney or the Brisbane Broncos ... no, we want to be better than that.”
Signing on last September, Seward effectively heads a huge shake-up of Parramatta’s key decision makers — with his appointment followed by new chief operating officer John Boulous, head of football operations Daniel Anderson and coach Arthur.
Asked about the changes being made inside Eels HQ, the CEO continued: “As a club, we needed to get our identity back.
“In recent years we’d lost focus and gone away from what makes a football club successful. As a result, we didn’t really feel like a club at all.
“There were people here who didn’t understand what makes a footy club work. That you have a responsibility to the members, the fans, the community.
“We’d lost that focus.”
Asked if ending the infamous Parramatta board wars was part of said overhaul, he added: “It is, yes.
“Clearly the club is now moving in a new direction — and we needed to. Where we were headed ... it wasn’t good.”
Rather than taking on fellow NRL rivals commercially, the Eels see their biggest market competitors as new A-League franchise Western Sydney Wanderers and AFL young guns, Greater Western Sydney.
Currently, the Eels average 19,100, which is 4000 more home game fans than the Wanderers and over double that of GWS.
The Blue and Gold’s largest home crowd, against Wests Tigers at ANZ Stadium in round seven, was 50,540 while on television, their average Channel 9 viewership is 815,000.
On Tuesday, the Eels also announced plans to build the club’s first ever high performance centre, which will include two training fields, gymnasium, recovery centre, theatrette and office facilities for football staff.
On field, the Eels currently sit eighth, requiring wins against both Newcastle and Canberra to secure their first playoffs berth since their famous 2009 grand final run.
Replies
Parra when they are flying they are electrifying!!!!! The club is going like a house on fire, congrats must go to everyone involved.
“People ask me if we’re aspiring to become South Sydney or the Brisbane Broncos ... no, we want to be better than that.”
That's the best thing I've ever heard from Seward. And that's indicative of a winning culture. I was surprised that our average home game attendance was larger than the Wanderers. 19,100 is massive, that's only 3,000 or so seats left empty.
I think you have to factor in the Tigers v Parra anz home game as well though Super. But I agree the crowds have been great this year. Can't remember one being below 15k.
Jack Gibson regularly traveled to the states to poach ideas off successful NFL teams. He led us to 3 premierships in a row. Brad Arthur is off to the states to visit a successful NFL team. I can smell 3 premierships for Parra starting this year!
Lets bring back the black eye shadow for night games.
Wow, Jarryd Hayne says he wants to play NFL and he is off contract during the tour, bad idea, just giving him an excuse to go negotiate contracts.
lol Jarryd won't play NFL. If he thinks he can tell him he's dreaming.
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