Real Fans

Wellington is currently consumed with the toughest philosophical question ever: who is a real fan of the Hurricanes?

It’s a pretty fucking deep question. As tickets to the final sell out in unbelievable time are the real fans the ones who a) slept in the queue for tickets, b) got priority as season ticket holders, c) paid inflated prices for them on TradeMe, or d) complained online about who weren’t real fans.

That face you make when they swear they were there all year but all you saw were yellow seats. pic.twitter.com/eSUjWRosxV
— Whā Kapow (@Rarerecordings_) June 30, 2015

'Real fans are only the ones who refuse to pay any more than face-value for tickets' - seems kinda stupid, really. #rpt
— Jamie Wall (@JamieWall2) June 30, 2015

Wellington the city of glory supporters. We were using people's spare tickets as beer mats last season.
— Dan Hargreaves (@Raise1glass) June 30, 2015

"I queued for 13 hours to get Hurricanes tickets, and all I got was this shitty bottle of chocolate milk?"
— Ferdy + Slugso (@ruggerblogger) June 30, 2015

Most people I know see the humorous side of the situation but some people are grumpy as fuck about it. WHY WON’T THE GUBBNAMENT STEP IN TO HELP?!

Which is kind of funny in itself. This Government has painted itself into a corner as the “Rugby Government”, everything must be done to make rugby great! After all our PM is the captain of the All Blacks. He’s a real fan™!

I was on a bus after the election and overheard a young man recounting why he voted for “good cunt” John Key: “He went to heaps of [Rugby] World Cup games!” Motherfucker, I went to more games than he did and I paid the same amount of money for my tickets that he did, $0. But at least I was working when I was there.

Where was I going with this? Oh right, there’s no such thing as a real fan, a #1 fan or any other fake metric for determining who likes something more than someone else. Wellington does have a lot of fair weather fans though. Literally.

Watching the Hurricanes play in the summer is much nicer than watching them play in autumn or winter. The Caketin is a freezing cauldron of icy wind and very little rain shelter. Empty yellow seats everywhere. So I can totally understand why the numbers of people wanting to attend games would increase the closer you get to the final. And when have the Hurricanes ever been the in-form team?

The only other time they reached the final, no one saw them lose.

The tickets are so in demand because fans are hoping to see the Hurricanes in the final for the first time ever. pic.twitter.com/QKDxA4WKkc
— post-scott (@buzzandhum) June 30, 2015

Dominic Kelly, 09:55 Jul 1, 2015

It's not that long (~2000) since Wellington rugby followers were incredibly loyal, turning up in better numbers than anyone else in the country. There are many complex reasons why they've (we've) become fickle and fair-weather. The lack of silverware in that era was part of it, but a lot have to do with the way we've been treated by those running the games. Issues such as the lack of afternoon games, terrible catering within the stadium, irritating entertainment and incidental music. For me the way we were treated during the 2005 Lions tour was about the final straw. Still going to the playoff games though, partly for the satisfaction of (hopefully) experiencing the success that we could never pull off earlier.

Wellington • Since Jul 2014 • 1 posts Report

simon g, 12:51 Jul 1, 2015

Should be subject to a simple test: name the team.

Anyone who says 'Canes' is refused admission. See also: 'Nix'.

This message brought to you by CAINS, the Campaign Against Idiotic Name Shortening.

Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

Paul Campbell, 13:13 Jul 1, 2015

I hear complaints here in Dunedin that there wasn't a similar line queueing around the Octagon ... not because the fans aren't just as 'real, but because the tickets weren't being sold here

Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

Craig Lucinsky, 14:18 Jul 1, 2015

Not sure what a real fan is. I stopped being a season ticket holder before the last World Cup - there was just no value in it, and I felt ignored by the Unions. After that I just bought a ticket to whatever game I wanted to attend. Pay $25, sit in a $100 seat… there was no one there.

My chums have kept it up after I went to the UK for 3-4 years. They are loyal, but I have a wee nipper now and don't go out as much in last season or two. This year I have been to 3 home games I think, plus semi and the final this week. With crowd numbers down to a low of (I think7) 7,500… if you are there you are a fan.

I sit with my member friends. Plenty of room - but it was on the back of their passes I got to the playoff games. Kudos to them - they stuck it out while I bought a big telly. However, I will be back for three reasons next year as a pass holder I reckon: 1) the team are great again 2) I hate Sky Sport gouging my bank a/c, and 3) It's the only way you'll get Lions tickets in 2017.

Wellington is mall - 250,000 in decent area nearby? To fill a 35,000 stadium for everything is hard. Simples. Especially if your teams are not playing well.

an enclosed dislocation • Since Dec 2014 • 3 posts Report

Marion Ogier, 16:55 Jul 1, 2015

Can you be classed as a real fan if you've lived in Christchurch for many years but occasionally venture out to Super games in Wellington supporters gear? (Including attending but not seeing the infamous Gorillas in the mist final at Jade Stadium). A real fan also watches on tv which allows the continuous swearing, cheering and groaning which is the usual lot of a Hurricanes fan (except this year).

Christchurch • Since Nov 2010 • 20 posts Report

Scott A, in reply to Dominic Kelly, 10:19 Jul 2, 2015

To echo Dom - I also was a long-time season pass holder for the Hurricanes and Wellington Lions, both through Athletic Park then Westpac Stadium. But then, around 2010, it all just got too much.

While seeing our teams playing poorly wasn't particularly new, having to do so at great cost in a bitterly cold concrete stadium with ridiculously poor choices for food and drink, attempts at half-time entertainment that at best were half-hearted (but more accurately, simply piss-poor) and security who embodied all the worst aspects of trumped up little pricks in uniform.

We started to leave at half-time to watch the rest of the game in comfort at a nearby bar; with good food and drink to hand.

Then we just stopped going along at all.

The wilds of Kingston, We… • Since May 2009 • 133 posts Report

Grant McDougall, 12:23 Jul 5, 2015

Well, us Highlanders' fans are pretty stoked. Hard luck, Canes. I was very impressed by how dignified Conrad Smith was at the press conference, too.

Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report

Geoff Lealand, 21:57 Jul 6, 2015

Got back from Brisbane in time to catch most of the final, which was a damn fine game of rugby, I think I was pleased that the Highlanders won as the Hurricanes were getting a little too cocky, Sort of affirmation too that my team (Chiefs) were up against tough opposition in their encounters with the Highlanders.

Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

Field Theory by Hadyn Green

8 responses to this post