Saracens "Home" Games

First topic message reminder :

Got an email from Saracens the other day about their season ticketing for coming season (on there for reasons too complicated to explain) and the link says they are playing games at Watford, Barnet when it opens, Wembley (Tigers), Twickenham (which I assume will be the HEC game V Munster), Northampton at Stadium MK and one game at a "Central London Venue - to be announced".
I know they play a preseason game for the city boys at the HAC but can't imagine they could hold a Jeff/HEC game there so any ideas ?

gowales wrote:I don't think rugby has quite as long a history in Belgium as Germany or the Netherlands but it seems to be the fastest growing out of the three.

Here, here! I'd love to see growth in Germany . They could field an obscene team if it was a fully developed country! ... And having seen some Dutch national full contact sports people, Netherlands could field a scary team!

To be fair if I was a Sarries fan then a trip to Belgium would definitely be on the cards. Go watch the HEC game, enjoy the nice architecture whilst drinking the tasty beer and the delightful chocolate/pastries.

Beats the hell out of Watford.

Just a thought - with all the indignation about London Welsh not having primacy of tenure or their own stadium and all the issues around that - how can Sarries move around the country (and out of it) at will for their "home" games. One in Milton Keynes, one in Fulham and one in Belgium?

Seeing as LW have ignored all the rules and found a legal body to endorse their AP credentials I don't think Sarries have too much to worry about. They'll have a stadium of their own come February (ish) and everything will be set up for years to come.

Irish Londoner wrote:Just a thought - with all the indignation about London Welsh not having primacy of tenure or their own stadium and all the issues around that - how can Sarries move around the country (and out of it) at will for their "home" games. One in Milton Keynes, one in Fulham and one in Belgium?

There's a huge difference between London Welsh and Saracens. It's no surprise the bigger boys get more clout.

Firstly Saracens are the older and more established club. They have been in the top flight league for a lot longer - 22 seasons (more than Saints,Sale and London Irish). They've been one of the more consistent English clubs in the last three seasons. Seem to be continuously in the media.

In comparison next season will be London Welsh's first ever in the professional top tier. The season hasn't started yet and already they are ruffling feathers. They haven't just moved their matches to Oxford, they've taken legal action against the RFU, they've signed Gavin Henson and they've even fielded a side full of 7s mercenaries for the JP morgans tournament. Also they've had the cheek to hammer Leicester and Saints in the 7s. Two of the established giants of English rugby. It's too much to take!

Plus Saracens are moving around whilst their new stadium (in London) is being built. They are bringing rugby to potentially a new client base - Belgium who are on the rise - the country ranked 23rd in the world.

Saints are pleased they are playing at MK - no surprises there. I am sure Leicester are equally happy to play at Wembley. You'll have to find me a link of opposition clubs being upset with Saracens moving their home games.

At least you can hold onto the consolation that in the 606v2 poll there are clubs more unpopular than London Welsh.

Also I don't think it helps that Welsh is in the club's title. Neither does it help that they won't play in London despite their name.

I just can't see what the benefit to Sarries is to play this game in Belgium though. They'd be better off surely keeping the big games in London to try and build up a bigger support base. All this stuff about playing in Boston and Brussells and Capetown and god only knows where else smacks of their rich owners showing off their new toy in exotic locations, Roman Abramovich style.

Mawhis Racing Metro are hardly a massive draw anyway. Certainly not going to brings droves of away fans like Munster for example.

Saracens are planning to play their HC home game vs Munster in London. The rumours are that it will be in Fulham - Craven Cottage.

Let's be honest from a player's perspective which would you prefer - a fun time in Brussells,Boston or Capetown or alternatively you could have a night out in Watford.

Hmmm which would I pick......

Another point it gets people talking.

Poor Worcester.....No one ever talks about them despite them going to start their 2nd consecutive season of top flight rugby in the AP.

is it not a concern to you that they don't seem to be that worried about their own supporters though? Average attendance at Vicarage Road has been in the 5/6k area for the past few seasons I believe, despite the fact that they've been very successful over that period, which should have driven attendances up.

I'm not a saracens fan, so I don't really care that much , but if I were it would concern me. Without the money coming in from South Africa etc the club would really be struggling - echoes of Richmond etc.

Craven Cottage? You could let Musnter play in Wembley and get 40k. Craven Cottage will sell out quickly. I love it as a stadium but Sarries can get well over 20k for a match v Musnter in London every Paddy will go and a shedload of fans from here will go.

Re: Brussels

Saracens are hopeful that with support of the Belgium Rugby Union, the Mayor of Brussels and the Brussels regional government, they will also attract a big crowd but are offering seats free of charge to fans who have bought season tickets for 2012-13.

Interesting. They plan giving free seats to those who have already bought them?

Maybe they meant free travel par le tunnel sous la Manche?

My concern for Sarries is this kind of nomadic existence is going to alienate sections of their supporters, the very same supporters they're hoping will come to Barnet. Should their aim not be to build as much London based support as possible? Sarries do a lot of great work in the community, it just seems strange they're not capitalising on this and actually playing for this community.

Sarries are a good team and with a vocal and veciferous fan base cheering them on they could be great, instead they seem intent on building a fair weather fan base who come for the X Factor drop outs. There is certainly no indication that the SA backers are going anywhere anytime soon, but they really would be in a world of trouble if they did.

But then maybe I'm just opposed to change. You should hear the uproar at Glaws when there was a suggestion we play music!

But then maybe I'm just opposed to change. You should hear the uproar at Glaws when there was a suggestion we play music!

There was a similar uproar when it was suggested jokingly on the Tigers offy forum that Tigers play music after scores. In fact there is a yearly moan about the rubbish that is inflicted on us at Twickers, bl00dy Tiger Feet after we score. Can't they at least play Smoke on the Water if they insist on insulting our support.

Music during rugby matches really grinds my gears. Not particularly fond of music at half time either though when they took to playing Moves Like Jagger at half time vs Falcons at a snowy LV Cup game the dad dancing on show was great entertainment.

I just hope the "stand up for Saracens" song is well and truly put to bed. It's very irritating.

beshocked wrote:I just hope the "stand up for Saracens" song is well and truly put to bed. It's very irritating.

Chants like that are amusing when the opposition have a similar one (like the Dragons and Ulster for instance), as it gets really hard trying to work out who it is chanting.

SS, the thing is that for the Sarries it is just blarring out over the PA and the majority of the fans detest it so won't sing along. It is only given voice when there is a large number of fairly drunk fans at the games where cheaper tickets are sold.

If Sarries got rid of the annoying song I'd actually stop disliking them.

Interesting article for you here Beshocked:

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Owen-Farrell-work-cut-dislodge-Leicester-Tigers/story-16602393-detail/story.html

Good news that young Farrell is taking the opportunity to learn.

beshocked wrote:I just hope the "stand up for Saracens" song is well and truly put to bed. It's very irritating.

My thoughts exactly, but one of the Chuckle Brothers ended up abusing me on Twitter after I mentioned it there

One of the Chuckle brothers is a Saracens fan?

beshocked wrote:One of the Chuckle brothers is a Saracens fan?

The other one is doing the half-time show

I was being obtuse. One of the RSF brothers questionned my lack of exercise. I wasn't being argumentative, just discussing with another Sarries fan that surely he couldn't like that bl00dy annoying song and the next thing I know I'm being abused!

Oh you mean Right Said Fred. Hey you should be blessed that you got a response from such famous musical artists!

The song is bloody annoying I agree but every man and his dog knows it. He was probably chastising you for stating the bloody obvious!