Sell out

First topic message reminder :

Loads of posts on here always love slating the regions attendance figures but it's nice to see the Scarlets v Ospreys has sold out, but no mention of it yet on 606v2!
So are all the doom mongers just going to ignore this one and focus on the negative?

Probably our strongest backline with Stoddart injured - but not sure what Welch and Timani have done wrong as I like the 2 as a partnership.

Suprised the O's have chosen Bearman over Stowers and Kahn over Webb, but as ever they have a ridiculous amount of internationals lying around

Welch is injured, out for 5/6 weeks with a broken thumb. Timani is more of a 6/8 and does not scrummage as well as Reed.

Iestyn Thomas will be missed, huge test for young Rhodri Jones. Scarlets played inexperienced forwards against the Ospreys this time last year and we all remembner what happened!

Ahh I c, didnt know welch was out,nasty and will hurt us.agree reed is the better scrumager but I like the pairing of welch and timani.

Iestyns loss will hurt us a lot but I like rhodri he looks good. But please dont mention last years game!!!

The regional derbies usually draw bigger crowds than anything else involving the regions...this wouldn't be the first time one has sold out. My concern is spreading that passion on to all games, not just those an hour or so down the road.

Why are you concerned about it...

Regional attendances are what they are. It is an economic problem and little more...

Will we ever have a thread without Munster fans telling you how great they are?
Yes you do well and Yes you have good crowds! so now clear off learn a thing or two about off side,obstruction,truck and trailer and handling the ball in the ruck then perhaps the penny might drop on why everyone hates the team you support.

viewtothegym wrote:

Leinster only had 500 season ticket holders in the first full season at the RDS!
Two European cups later they have 9000 season ticket holders!

Have to pull you up on those numbers.

The year we moved to the RDS. (07) the season ticket numbers doubled to 7000. Increased capacity was the main reason, as I think they had nearly sold out the previous year. We just could not fit any more in Donnybrook with it's 6 to 8000 capacity. Don't forget we were piped for the 1st Magners League by the Ospreys the previous season and Wasps put us out in the HC QF, and we were pipped for the last celtic league by Ulster the season before, and Munster put us out of the Heineken cup in the semi. So we were not world beaters and had not won a trophy since the inaugural Celtic league in 2001.

That was the season we got Cullen and Jennings back from Leicester and won the Magners league. We have been in hog heaven ever since. (as fans)

The current number is over 13500. Which is a sellout. we cannot sell any more because of regulations for away fans. In fact the provinces did a deal last year to slightly increase available season tickets. (agreed to take less away tickets basically, as the interpros are the most likely to sell out) We move the Munster game to Lansdowne rd and pretty much sell it out (50000) The Ulster game on Monday is sold out (18500) despite them sending their "A" team down.

This myth that the Club games were always sold out is just that a myth.

The Welsh club games never really drew huge crowds on a regular basis yes there were more 'derby' games that drew bigger crowds or like years ago up at Eugene Cross Park when Newport or Cardiff wre in town.

I have been lucky to travel to most of the club grounds in Wales and I have stood in the Brewery Field or even Sardis Rd and the Gnoll when say Caerphilly have played them or even Ebbw itself and the crowds were dire, so its not just a Regional problem.

Yes the marketing is poor but I know for a fact the Dragons are addressing that and pretty sure the other Regions are as wee.

maestegmafia wrote:Why are you concerned about it...

Regional attendances are what they are. It is an economic problem and little more...

You do realise that its the whole of the UK in recesion don't you? That ebing the case how do you explain the fact that Quins have sold over 75,000 tickets for their game on 27th December? or the fact that the Worcesyer Warriors average bigger crowds than ALL the four welsh regions despite having a much smaller population that the areas the regions draw support from?

Worcester Rugby Football Club have had over a 100 years to grow a fan base and the same goes for the Harlequins.
The regions were founded in 2003 so comparing long established clubs with a fledgling region is a unfair comparison.

8 years ago the Worcester Warriors were lucky to get 1,000 people through the gate. we now get 10,000 regulary. So in roughly the same time frame that the regions have existed our attendances are far higher despite a far lower population.......

Club/Regional Rugby in Wales is dead.

wrfc1980
Then those clubs are to be congratulated for what they achieved and every genuine rugby fan would acknowledge that
We in Wales are having problems with attendances and we are well aware of that but I believe that the Regions are now working hard trying to solve that problem.
I know by your numerous posts and articles that you have a huge interest in Welsh rugby but I don't think you should be unduly worried in the direction that the rugby in Wales is taking I for one believe that things will improve sooner rather than later.
Strong home nation sides can only be of benefit to British rugby and that is why I as a genuine fan of the sport want to see clubs/regions in England Scotland and Wales do well but of course some wums will be only interested in the negative side of things.

Cymroglan wrote:......Strong home nation sides can only be of benefit to British rugby and that is why I as a genuine fan of the sport want to see clubs/regions in England Scotland and Wales do well..........

I could not agree more!
However, let's not forget our green tinted friends from the island next door. We are all in this together.

There were 10,660 for the Blues Dragons game last night, it shows there is interest when Welsh teams have derbies.

I've got to add my 2p's worth to this.

Yup, the UK (along with many countries) is in a recession. Crowds at rugby matches are down everywhere in the UK; not just in Wales. The areas most hit by a recession are always the old industrial centres (e.g. South Wales, North East and West Midlands), where it has always been easier to lay off (basically sack) workers, and where a significant proportion of the population work in the Government's employ. Massive job cuts there at the moment.

There is still a passion for rugby in Wales, believe me, and the Regions need to find a way of tapping into that. Sometimes we, as fans, need to be a bit more pro-active in times like these and encourage people to get to a game.


wrfc, you have to admit the The Warriors are pretty much the only draw in town - fine city that you have there. But local people don't really have that much else to hang their hat on so to speak, in terms of top flight sport. Nevertheless, the attendances at Sixways are very good.

Well... my ten cents worth would be that we'd reorganise the calendar so that we could have a Monday, a Tuesday, a Wednesday, a Thursday, a Friday, a Saturday, a St.Stephen'sday (Boxingday) and a Sunday in every week??

Yeah? No?