Eels Fans - A Rare Breed - Eels Blogs

Are we insane?Are we the laughing stock of the NRL?What are Eels fans?I've heard and read plenty of comments recently about what Parra fans are like and how we are perceived by others. I've also heard plenty about how Eels fans are tough to please. How can we be described?I think that we are cut from something different.Very few clubs have had so little experience of success that almost two generations of fans have yet to witness a premiership. Take out a 6 year period in the club's history during the 1980s and older fans like myself have also had minimal experience following a winning club. Yet as fans we roll up every year in spite of probably grumbling to ourselves how we've finally had enough.Let's consider the numbers. A club rooted at or near the bottom of the NRL Premiership is able to attract over 20000 members. What does that say about us as fans?It says that despite our frustrations, despite repeated failures, our love of the club runs deep and is not easily cast aside when things don't go well. Other fans may choose to make jokes of Parra fans, but I bet their clubs wished that they had supporters as loyal as Parramatta possesses.I've often pondered about the true size of the Parramatta fan base. About how many loyal fans don't buy memberships for various reasons. About how many new fans a successful Parramatta would be able to tap into.For myself, I truly believe that success lies just around the corner. That may be the hope of an eternal optimist, but even if that success comes later rather than sooner, the reality is that I'll still roll up every year. I'll have a moan and groan every time I mutter the words "there's always next year". I'll have the expectation that my club will do its best to be successful, but even without success, I'll still be there.Rightly or wrongly I'll still be there.I'm a Parramatta supporter and that's just how it is.

I reckon though when it comes to this generation of footy fans that as small kids have started following the game at about 5 years old when they get to school and all the other kids are footy mad,so you pick your team,and it's usually a successful one,just like I did when I started school in 1979,thats not counting the kids who's dad pushes them towards a certain team by buying them exclusively parra gear and secretly op shops the roosters jammies that nanny bought,as I did with my 5 year old.anyway how many kids have we missed out on that have reached that age In the last five years or so and wouldn't dare follow a crap embarrassing team like parra.i reckon there wil be a huge drop in ticket buying adult parra fans in about 15 to 20 years.

"The six again rule should just be taken out of the game, It has been controversial, frustrating and has not improved the game at all. No one in the viewing audience has no idea whats going on
"

"1 Iongi
2 Simmo
3 Pensini
4 Russell
5 Kelly
6 Papalii
7 Moses
8 Moretti
9 Smith
10 Paulo
11 Williams
12 Kautoga
13 Walker
14 Tuivita
15 Guymer
16 Tuilagi
17 Samrani
18 De Belin
19 Da Silva"

Replies

Monsieur Eel May 19, 2015 at 11:46pm

Are we insane?

Yes.

The End.

:D
- sixtiesboy > Monsieur Eel May 20, 2015 at 7:26am
  
  Goes with the territory!
Gower Power May 19, 2015 at 11:47pm

Parramatta has MANY loyal fans who are not paying members. My whole family and extended family are Eels supporters, yet I'm the only paying member. A lot of the fans from the 80's are still big Eels fans and have brought their kids up that way.

Wait until we are regular finals contenders or win a GF.... I'm sure membership would boom. We also need a decent hat in the member pack. That would probably go a long way.
- sixtiesboy > Gower Power May 20, 2015 at 7:25am
  
  This was my thoughts GP. Just how big the supporter base is. I'd make a guess at around 10% of our real supporter base having a membership - and that may be conservative. I'd also estimate that there is a huge potential supporter base that would come with success.
- Tin Tim > Gower Power May 20, 2015 at 11:07am
  
  I give mine away, one size does not fit all.
Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown May 20, 2015 at 12:56am

Im with you sixties, maybe we were all bad people in a past life and this is part of the punishment?
- sixtiesboy > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown May 20, 2015 at 7:14am
  
  I've considered that mate!
- Sharkiesboomboomboom > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown May 20, 2015 at 7:47am
  
  The husband and I must've been evil in a previous life. How much can one couple endure while supporting their teams and continue to hope every year that it will turn around? Aaargh. The life of a Sharks and Parra supporter, hey.
- Alan Hunt > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown May 21, 2015 at 6:09am
  
  It's all your fault Snake.
the Eggman May 20, 2015 at 6:56am

I reckon though when it comes to this generation of footy fans that as small kids have started following the game at about 5 years old when they get to school and all the other kids are footy mad,so you pick your team,and it's usually a successful one,just like I did when I started school in 1979,thats not counting the kids who's dad pushes them towards a certain team by buying them exclusively parra gear and secretly op shops the roosters jammies that nanny bought,as I did with my 5 year old.anyway how many kids have we missed out on that have reached that age In the last five years or so and wouldn't dare follow a crap embarrassing team like parra.i reckon there wil be a huge drop in ticket buying adult parra fans in about 15 to 20 years.

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