Regions/Semi Pro Marketing

Had this thought knocking about for a while so thought would put it on here and see what response it gets, will also try and explain it as best as I can.

First off we all know that the Regions could do a lot more on the marketing front it is also the general consensus that the WRU have given little thought to anything lower than the National side and the debt of the MS.

Its now time that the Regions and Semi Pro sides do more in areas that they can do something about.

So how about Regional double headers on derby day, I know we've had the Judgement Day ones (something I think we should stick with) but what I mean is maybe having a semi-pro derby as a curtain raiser to a Regional one.

Dragons have recently played the Os at Dave and the Scarlet host us this week at PYS so would the possibility of lets say Newport v Swansea/Neath or Llanelli v Ebbw Vale/Cross keys as a curtain raiser work.

Maybe Camarthen Quins could play Ponty at PYS before a Scarlets Blues game, I know Quins would in theory lose the 'home advantage' but could benefit from a slice of gate receipts or profits.

I know there is still a lot of animosity towards the Regions and the WRU so lets try keep this on topic and feiendly but could or would this work? I think its something worth exploring.

Also meant to add that as an Ebbw Dragon I wouldn't go to watch Newport play, unless against Ebbw but if they were a curtain raiser to a Dragons game them would go to watch both.

BW, I do not know if we can do that at the Liberty, in actual fact I don't think we can, as the proceeds from merchandise within the stadium is split 3 ways, between us (Os), Swans and the management company who run the Stadium (Stadco), even though it sounds like a good idea to me.

Wayne,

Does that apply to gate receipts as well?

BW, no I don't think so, although I do believe that Stadco does take out a small percentage of both Os and Swans attendance.
The thing is we get capacity gates against Scarlets on Boxing Day, we get a reasonable crowd against Blues and Scarlets when Scarlets have the Boxing Day game, and we get about 10 Dragons supporters for our home game against them, do you think those figures would increase dramatically if your plan comes to fruition. How many extra fans do you think would come to the Liberty to watch the Os play the Dragons, after watching either Neath, Bridgend or Aberavon play either Newport, Cross Keys or Ebbw, it might add a thousand IMO, but that would be it, all small steps are welcome, we need a lot of small steps.

Wayne,

Not sure but again guess you not know until try etc. Not sure what crowds the semi pro league gets now other than Ebbw, who get a decent crowd.

Would more go to watch them play Swansea at the Liberty than at St helens, maybe not but possibly more local would go to the Liberty to watch two games - who knows.

The Arms Park has hosted back to back WP/Pro12 games I believe.

BW, Swansea are not in the Premiership this season, they were relegated last season, I don't know if the same happens as before and the Premiership does not allow teams in for a number of years as has recently happened.

How much to hire the Liberty btw and WP fixtures don't attract that many supporters in general. Only a few hundred for Cardiff and only a small fraction would bother travelling to an away game.

CD, the 2 teams that MIGHT bring a decent number of supporters to the Liberty would be Ponty and Keys, would either of those support first Blues and then Dragons. I very much doubt it

wayne wrote:CD, the 2 teams that MIGHT bring a decent number of supporters to the Liberty would be Ponty and Keys, would either of those support first Blues and then Dragons. I very much doubt it

Indeed. There we are then. End of thread I guess.

Oh well least I got it off my chest lol

bedfordwelsh wrote:Oh well least I got it off my chest lol

Thread's up and running again. I have to say that i'm amazed this regional nonsense has lasted so long. There again it is the wacky world of Welsh rugby, so nothing surprises me anymore.

wayne wrote:CD, the 2 teams that MIGHT bring a decent number of supporters to the Liberty would be Ponty and Keys, would either of those support first Blues and then Dragons. I very much doubt it

Keys don't get many fans, I don't think. I also think quite a few of them do support the Dragons. They can't really claim to be "disenfranchised" either, when they do very well for players in the LV and now the league.

Roger stopped any region trying to promote themselves a few years back, I think he told Andrew Hore to mind his own business and just concentrate on the Ospreys, Roger is too scared that the regions will become too powerful if he let them control and market things within their own region.

Like the idea of regional/wp double headers.  Like LD said the regions have been put in their place enough time with regards advertising/promoting themselves.  But in theory this could work with Cardiff/Newport/Llanelli (erm not Swansea though....) being the home team prior to the regional game.  However it would just lead to more issues of 'well Blues/Scarlets/Dragons are Cardiff/Llanelli/Newport".

Anyone else think, maybe with a little planning between the Pro12 and WP that maybe we could see an opening of the season that sees (for argument sake) the first/last home games of the regions also being an inter-regional clash.

Bridgend V Neath; Ospreys V Treviso &
Neath V Aberavon; Ospreys V Leinster

Llanelli V Carmarthen Quins; Scarlets V Ulster &
Llanelli V Llandovery; Scarlets V Treviso

Newport V Cross Keys; Dragons V Glasgow &
Newport V Ebbw Vale; Dragons V Connacht

Cardiff V Pontypridd; Blues V Zebre &
Cardiff V Pontypridd (Bedwas aren't Blues region??); Blues V Munster

That should promote a bit more of a Semi-pro derby day atmosphere.  It will also remind the regional fans that there are clubs below them, and showcase those players too.  And also it will be a chance for fans of rival prem sides to show that there is actually (in most cases) a unity when it comes to the regional game.

SS,

It gets my vote

Sadly it would be too much like joined up, and supportive thinking to ever work.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Sadly it would be too much like joined up, and supportive thinking to ever work.

Yeah co-operation really is a dirty word in the corridors of Welsh rugby

great ideas abovee, would love to go see Newport vs Ebbw Vale ahead of a dragons match,

going off on a complete tangent, would love to see an 8 team welsh premiership (2 from each region) playing from end of May to August, squads made up of fringe players of the regions (and giving young players a chance to push their case for regional inclusion.

Should help push up the standard as there would be more pro players plus the clubs wouldnt be competing with the regions for fans....plus summer rugby and rugby all year round!

think the NH rugby calendar needs to be in sinc with the SH too but thats another matter

Next week is a bit of an acid test for me, we have played IMO above our expectations so far this season, we have won with some free flowing rugby against Treviso and Edinburgh and ground out 3 away victories against the Dragons, Munster and last night against Zebre, the Blues by all accounts came back well against Connaught. Will we see any decent numbers of Blues fans travel? Will there be any promotional work done by S4C to showcase this match? We have another series of roadshows going around Ospreylia will this encourage anymore doubting Thomases to come and support, there are new Ticketing Initiatives in place (4 for the price of 3).
What more can be done to encourage the Pink Hat Brigade to really support Welsh Regional Rugby, we need to see a lot more than the 6000 odd that came to see us play Edinburgh.
Just to add we had over 10000 for this fixture last season, although it was a week before Christmas, the previous season which was played at the end of November the gate was over 8000, we NEED and DESERVE these sort of attendances if not more.

Weren't those attendances at the time of your BOGOF season ticket deal? So they're going to be higher.

All Regions should be looking for that sort of turn out and in the case of the Dragons, Blues and Scarlets it would generate a very good atmosphere indeed.

For the Os unfortunately it would still be seen as a smallish crowd in a big stadium so they might struggle with the atmosphere but because of that stadium they have chance to attract bigger crowds

I don't know why the Dragons and others don't utilise Tickets for Troops more, to boost the numbers a bit. I know Ospreys are giving tickets away a fair bit on there and in Dragons region, Ebbw Vale gave me a free season ticket for being in the military. I won't get to use it very often, but it is a brilliant gesture. I bet a few of the Army boys at Chepstow would probably come down to Dave Parade with free tickets.

Rev,

Didn't know you were in the mob, ex RAF here been out just over 2 years now. I use to have season ticket for Ebbw and the Dragons but work/living away etc just never renewed them.

Tickets for troops is great and went to watch the Wales V France game last season via freind who got tickets off them for it.

Risca Rev wrote:Weren't those attendances at the time of your BOGOF season ticket deal? So they're going to be higher.

,
Rev, the BOGOF offer was only for one season, so no it doesn't totally explain the good attendance figures, I could understand this seasons figures if we were having the results that say you or the Blues were having, not with the way we are playing and where we are in the League, there are still excellent deals to be had with us, one such deal is you have a voucher for 4 games but pay for 3, you could go to say Blues, Scarlets, Northampton and Leinster and only pay for 3 of them, for the Edinburgh game any Season Ticket Member even kids could have 2 people come for half price, yet the crowd was just over 6000, just to add there are 6000 Season Ticket Members with us

It might work but say for example it was Cardiff v Pontypridd then Cardiff Blues v Munster etc. none of the Ponty fans would be interested in watching Cardiff Blues play and likewise no Blues fans ever really seem that interested in the Cardiff RFC team

Steffan wrote:It might work but say for example it was Cardiff v Pontypridd then Cardiff Blues v Munster etc. none of the Ponty fans would be interested in watching Cardiff Blues play and likewise no Blues fans ever really seem that interested in the Cardiff RFC team

If they had a say in wht games they tried it on then maybe it would, lets you it was a European game, I know the fixtures are like this this season but say the Blues had a hom fixture against Gloucester or Leicester etc would a Cardiff Ponty game work then maybe as well after all we all like to beat the English

I got nothing against English clubs as I love watching the high standard of the English Premiership so I would happily stay on to watch Cardiff Blues play and cheer on the opposition

That may well be the case Steffan but they would happily accept your money so win win all around

bedfordwelsh wrote:That may well be the case Steffan but they would happily accept your money so win win all around

True. Those prawn sandwiches for the 'Kaaaaaaiiiiiidiff' supporters ain't gonna pay for themselves. I assume the cost of the gate would be split though among all the teams involved so Ponty and Cardiff (Blues and Seconds) all get a share?

Steffan wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:That may well be the case Steffan but they would happily accept your money so win win all around

True. Those prawn sandwiches for the 'Kaaaaaaiiiiiidiff' supporters ain't gonna pay for themselves. I assume the cost of the gate would be split though among all the teams involved so Ponty and Cardiff (Blues and Seconds) all get a share?

If it happened then I would like to think something along those lines would work or certainly if someone as I mentioned like Camrthen Quins played at PYS would in theory miss out on a 'home' gate.

Steffan wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:That may well be the case Steffan but they would happily accept your money so win win all around

True. Those prawn sandwiches for the 'Kaaaaaaiiiiiidiff' supporters ain't gonna pay for themselves. I assume the cost of the gate would be split though among all the teams involved so Ponty and Cardiff (Blues and Seconds) all get a share?

Steffan wrote:I got nothing against English clubs as I love watching the high standard of the English Premiership so I would happily stay on to watch Cardiff Blues play and cheer on the opposition

Can't fault you there Steff. I'd do the same in your shoes.

Risca Rev wrote:I don't know why the Dragons and others don't utilise Tickets for Troops more, to boost the numbers a bit. I know Ospreys are giving tickets away a fair bit on there and in Dragons region, Ebbw Vale gave me a free season ticket for being in the military. I won't get to use it very often, but it is a brilliant gesture. I bet a few of the Army boys at Chepstow would probably come down to Dave Parade with free tickets.

Emailed Rodney Parade about this and the new commercial guy Pete Grzonka emailed back (at 22:08, which I thought was a bit late for a 9-5 person ) saying that he wasn't aware they didn't and he said he is getting the ticketing manager to set something up tomorrow.

Risca Rev wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:I don't know why the Dragons and others don't utilise Tickets for Troops more, to boost the numbers a bit. I know Ospreys are giving tickets away a fair bit on there and in Dragons region, Ebbw Vale gave me a free season ticket for being in the military. I won't get to use it very often, but it is a brilliant gesture. I bet a few of the Army boys at Chepstow would probably come down to Dave Parade with free tickets.

Emailed Rodney Parade about this and the new commercial guy Pete Grzonka emailed back (at 22:08, which I thought was a bit late for a 9-5 person ) saying that he wasn't aware they didn't and he said he is getting the ticketing manager to set something up tomorrow.

"Cardiff Blues support Tickets for Troops
18 November 2009 10:18am

Cardiff Blues are delighted to announce a brand new partnership with Tickets for Troops. The new and independent not for profit organization, is dedicated to offering tickets for big events to our soldiers, sailors and airmen."

http://www.cardiffblues.com/news/5198.php#.VDUL8hbst1M

I check the site frequently and they aren't on there anymore.