Judgement Day VI - Is it IV to many...

Judgement Day 1 was great, 2 was a good day out and 3 was enjoyable. But, has this double header run its course.

How many will be going along and staying in the ground for BOTH fixtures.

Judgement day 4 was the final straw for me, where the support for the first game (Blues v Ospreys) was good but the stadium didn't have that much atmosphere with most Dragons and Scarlets fans deciding it was better (and cheaper) having a few more beers before going to the ground and hence not there for the first game. Then, during the second game, those Blues and Osprey fans who stayed, lost interest in the second game and started their own competition on who could get their paper plane (made from pages of the programmes) closest to the centre of the field.

Basically, what was initially a great marketing exercise with a derby double header had lost its way. As such I wont be attending this again. Dont get me wrong, its fantastic value for 2 games of rugby, but I think as a a spectacle its had its day and we'd better off reverting to a simple home ground derby.

Thoughts..

I would prefer our game at Dave, seeing as Dragons are always home. I'd love to see how many casual supporters are attracted to RP on the back of a day on the pop in Caerdydd. I would wager nil.

The day is horrendous. Similar gate to an international, without the extra train carriages that you get on one of those days. I will always vote for 8500 supporters in RP for a home game, rather than 60000 tops who on the whole aren't particularly invested in the games.

We get this in the Prem with the London double header. It's just a mess usually and all you end with is two games with poor atmosphere and I imagine no real increase on ticket sales off the back of it.

Do they make money? If so they'll go on forever. What's the roman numeral for eternity?

Ah yeah, it's bound to be a handy money spinner for the WRU.

It will be interesting to see what it is like this year with Dragons playing first, as the other times I have gone we have been second. This may be the first time I watch both games in the stadium.

It makes money for the two home teams. I'm not sure it makes money for the WRU.

There is one more year left on the present contract and then the likelihood is that the "home" team will not always be Cardiff and the Dragons. The other two have seen the figures and fancy some of it themselves.

Will be nice to actually play the Turks at Rodney parade for once, some of them even wear shoes.

You going Sat munk? I'll get you a lovely pint of fosters...

Breadvan wrote:You going Sat munk? I'll get you a lovely pint of fosters...

Damn, I'm in Berlin I'm afraid, will have to settle for the swill over there

Lovely pint of fosters seems a bit of an oxymoron

Interesting to read about the home games possibly alternating. I think I would be more of a fan of the whole thing then. I’m aware that Dragons aren’t in a position to turn down money often, but gates and money don’t matter when we go on our jollies outside of Newport, so they shouldn’t now.

I bet there'll be a lot more people there next year when the games are no longer on free-to-view television

Ha. Fair point.

Scarpia wrote:I bet there'll be a lot more people there next year when the games are no longer on free-to-view television

Nah. I reckon it will make little difference. I just can’t see many (perhaps some) armchair TV fans being driven through the turnstiles when it’s not on TV. I suspect armchair fans are armchair fans because they’d prefer not to go out, cant get there (distance, transport, etc) or can’t (commitments or physically), or are not really that interested in actually attending. They’ll just watch something else instead.

The Oracle wrote:

Scarpia wrote:I bet there'll be a lot more people there next year when the games are no longer on free-to-view television

Nah. I reckon it will make little difference. I just can’t see many (perhaps some) armchair TV fans being driven through the turnstiles when it’s not on TV. I suspect armchair fans are armchair fans because they’d prefer not to go out, cant get there (distance, transport, etc) or can’t (commitments or physically), or are not really that interested in actually attending. They’ll just watch something else instead.

"They" might not even know it's on in future as it probably won't get advertised beforehand and bigged up on the gravy channel. It's a crock of cunk anyway and it seems there are are loads of other Welsh clubs playing this afternoon as usual while their reejuns are in Cardiff.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

The Oracle wrote:

Scarpia wrote:I bet there'll be a lot more people there next year when the games are no longer on free-to-view television

Nah. I reckon it will make little difference. I just can’t see many (perhaps some) armchair TV fans being driven through the turnstiles when it’s not on TV. I suspect armchair fans are armchair fans because they’d prefer not to go out, cant get there (distance, transport, etc) or can’t (commitments or physically), or are not really that interested in actually attending. They’ll just watch something else instead.

"They" might not even know it's on in future as it probably won't get advertised beforehand and bigged up on the gravy channel. It's a crock of cunk anyway and it seems there are are loads of other Welsh clubs playing this afternoon as usual while their reejuns are in Cardiff.

I was talking more about Pro14 attendances in general rather than judgement day, but yes I agree. Live broadcasting on terrestrial tv does give a platform for advertising upcoming games that might encourage a few fans to attend in person. We’ll have to rely on the billboards - for the Dragons there’s a few dotted around; one stuck on the side of the scrap metal factory by Sainsbury’s and one stuck on the entrance of Discount Tyres! Prime locations!

Have to say the tiny rebel is a great pub. Great ales

carpet baboon wrote:Have to say the tiny rebel is  a great pub. Great ales

If you get chance to try the actual Tiny Rebel brewery in Newport you should give it a go. Lovely set up and great range of ales. A bit out of town though but worth it. Strong ales mind you. I struggle with them these days!

The Oracle wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

The Oracle wrote:

Scarpia wrote:I bet there'll be a lot more people there next year when the games are no longer on free-to-view television

Nah. I reckon it will make little difference. I just can’t see many (perhaps some) armchair TV fans being driven through the turnstiles when it’s not on TV. I suspect armchair fans are armchair fans because they’d prefer not to go out, cant get there (distance, transport, etc) or can’t (commitments or physically), or are not really that interested in actually attending. They’ll just watch something else instead.

"They" might not even know it's on in future as it probably won't get advertised beforehand and bigged up on the gravy channel. It's a crock of cunk anyway and it seems there are are loads of other Welsh clubs playing this afternoon as usual while their reejuns are in Cardiff.

I was talking more about Pro14 attendances in general rather than judgement day, but yes I agree. Live broadcasting on terrestrial tv does give a platform for advertising upcoming games that might encourage a few fans to attend in person. We’ll have to rely on the billboards - for the Dragons there’s a few dotted around; one stuck on the side of the scrap metal factory by Sainsbury’s and one stuck on the entrance of Discount Tyres! Prime locations!

55,000 in MS today. If only the regions had that sort of total attendance every game they might not need to sell their product to pay-per-view. Regarding advertising, is there still hope that BBC/S4C will be able to show a highlights programme?

55,000 in the absolute loosest of senses though.

RiscaGame wrote:55,000 in the absolute loosest of senses though.

You'll have to explain that one.

Scarpia wrote:

The Oracle wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

The Oracle wrote:

Scarpia wrote:I bet there'll be a lot more people there next year when the games are no longer on free-to-view television

Nah. I reckon it will make little difference. I just can’t see many (perhaps some) armchair TV fans being driven through the turnstiles when it’s not on TV. I suspect armchair fans are armchair fans because they’d prefer not to go out, cant get there (distance, transport, etc) or can’t (commitments or physically), or are not really that interested in actually attending. They’ll just watch something else instead.

"They" might not even know it's on in future as it probably won't get advertised beforehand and bigged up on the gravy channel. It's a crock of cunk anyway and it seems there are are loads of other Welsh clubs playing this afternoon as usual while their reejuns are in Cardiff.

I was talking more about Pro14 attendances in general rather than judgement day, but yes I agree. Live broadcasting on terrestrial tv does give a platform for advertising upcoming games that might encourage a few fans to attend in person. We’ll have to rely on the billboards - for the Dragons there’s a few dotted around; one stuck on the side of the scrap metal factory by Sainsbury’s and one stuck on the entrance of Discount Tyres! Prime locations!

55,000 in MS today. If only the regions had that sort of total attendance every game they might not need to sell their product to pay-per-view. Regarding advertising, is there still hope that BBC/S4C will be able to show a highlights programme?

I hope not.

RiscaGame wrote:55,000 in the absolute loosest of senses though.

Plus a massive flag.

I meant that the 55k figure is pretty misleading, when you see how empty it looked over each game. Certainly Dragons game anyway.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:55,000 in the absolute loosest of senses though.

Plus a massive flag.

Was there 55000 in the stadium or 55000 tickets issued, and I say issued rather than sold.

There was no way 55000 in the stadium, as that means 72% full and there seemed far less than that when you see areas not opened (covered by flags) and the masses of empty seats. Empty seats could be down to those only staying for one game.

Either way, think this underlines my opening post, that Judgement of Judgement Day is that it’s had its day.

Yeah issued, which is strange seeing as the WRU said indications were it would be over 60,000 attending.

Not exactly hearing great things about the atmosphere etc again. Definitely prefer it to be scrapped.

...and that is a key factor. I know for a fact that in previous years thousands of tickets are given “free” to sponsors and clubs to be used as hospitality. When those tickets are free the recipient of those tickets are more likely not to go than someone who has paid.

When you take the price of the ticket (£10) against the cost of running the games in the Principality Stadium, you have to wonder how much it actually makes. Reckon any monies made has to be off beer and “hot dog” sales, and fans staying for just 1 game would dent that revenue stream.

I’m really not convinced this event is as lucrative as the WRU would have us believe.