Border Reivers to be disbanded apparently

[RoyalBlueStuey]

Rugby New Report

Where will that leave Scottish rugby and the rest of the Magners League?

I thought that the Borders where Scottish rugby's heartland.

 

[An Tarbh]

I'd imagine the league will continue with the 10 teams, although this might bring rise again to the daft idea of London Welsh looking to get in on the Magners League.

Also should the HEC survive it'll only mean 1 Scottish team in the competition unless the other can secure the playoff spot and beat the Italian side, can't see this as being in the interests of Scottish rugby although if the financial situation is that dire then maybe they have no alternative.

 

[Prestwick]

Rugby New Report

Where will that leave Scottish rugby and the rest of the Magners League?

I thought that the Borders where Scottish rugby's heartland.
[/b]

If it is, it must be in pretty abysmal health. They can barely get a couple of thousand spectators at Border Reiver's home ground.

They should just have a North Eastern team operating out of Pittodrie at Aberdeen.

 

[martinyoung]

<div class='quotemain'>
Rugby New Report

Where will that leave Scottish rugby and the rest of the Magners League?

I thought that the Borders where Scottish rugby's heartland.
[/b]

If it is, it must be in pretty abysmal health. They can barely get a couple of thousand spectators at Border Reiver's home ground.

They should just have a North Eastern team operating out of Pittodrie at Aberdeen.
[/b][/quote]

Absolutely, with the support that turned up at Pittodrie and McDiarmid Park for the internationals there, either Aberdeen, Perth or even possibly Dundee would be a good place for a Magners League team. Maybe something for outside investors to look at?

 

[An Tarbh]

support for an international is one thing but it's hard to see the crowds going there for Magners league games, the stadiums wouldn't have been full for the Six Nations games had it not been for the travelling support which is worrying considering it's not the biggest venue in international rugby.

 

[Prestwick]

Aberdeen is one of the most popular cities in Scotland for tourism after Edinburgh and Glasgow, is well served by Air from the other major Magners League nations (Ireland and Wales) with cheap links courtesy of BMI Baby and Ryanair. Personally in the five or so years I have been in Aberdeen, I have loved the place. It'd be perfect for Magners League team.

Also it has the biggest contingent of Irish students in the UK, that's why RGU and Aberdeen University do so well in Gaelic Games, not to mention Rugby. If there was a major Magners League team in Aberdeen and it was promoted well amongst the student population (subsidised tickets, etc), you would get a decent turnout I think.

 

[An Tarbh]

I know I'm looking at this as an outsider but ticket prices and lack of marketing seem to be a major problem for rugby at the moment, rugby also seems to be declining because of a lack of terrestrial coverage and people just don't seem interested in going to the games.

 

[DR749]

The SRU says that disbanding the Border Reivers will "Strengthen" rugby in Scotland. This seems counterproductive. If countries like Wales and Ireland can field four teams each for the Magners league, why cant Scotland add a team to Aberdeen and keep the Borders? I know they are 23 million in arrears, but there are other ways to make up some dosh.

Having a Pro team in the Borders helps, due to the history of the area and, wont kids in the area get excited and involved in the sport if there is a Pro team and local heros to spur them on?? Wont these kids being involved in the sport early on only have a trickle down effect as they get older and remain behind their team either in management, playing or supporting??

I am at a loss. Even though I am not in Scotland, I still would follow the Reivers either on Radio Borders or the net after Radio Borders stopped broadcasting internationally on the net.

Very sad day for this one.....

Dr. Dave

 

[An Tarbh]

we took the right decision not to disband Connacht a few seasons back, 2 professional teams just isn't enough for any country to properly survive on, especially with the outflow of players to France, England and Ulster.

 

[RoyalBlueStuey]

I am at a loss. Even though I am not in Scotland, I still would follow the Reivers either on Radio Borders or the net after Radio Borders stopped broadcasting internationally on the net.

[/b]

They seem commited to forcing the issue in Glasgow come-what-may. Seems a shame to abandon an area with such good rugby tradition. I suppose a £2m a year loss is pretty unsustainable.

What are the relative attendances like for the three teams?

 

[DR749]

Netherdale would see around 1200 per match.

Murrayfield was not packed by any means...not sure what they see in Glasgow.

 

[An Tarbh]

Average this season in Edinburgh is 2600 and in Glasgow it's around the 2000 mark so pretty dismal all round.

 

[RoyalBlueStuey]

Average this season in Edinburgh is 2600 and in Glasgow it's around the 2000 mark so pretty dismal all round.
[/b]

In that context 1,200 doesn't seem that terminal.

 

[Prestwick]

£23 Million worth of debt is pretty substantial. The most pressing problem is sorting out that debt and before you can do anything else, you need to get that dealt with.

After that, then you can focus on consolidating the two teams. Personally, considering how big a student population both Glasgow and Edinburgh have, I think its a disgrace that nobody has thought of forging stronger links with the Student Unions and pushing hard to get attendances up.

One major problem is the stupid law banning booze at Scottish sports grounds. One excellent idea would be to have cheap booze at Murrayfield/wherever the hell Glasgow Warriors are with free mini buses to transport students to the game (like the big night clubs do up here in Scotland) followed by cheap drinks promos afterwards. Essentially treat the whole experience as a night out. Murrayfield at least is dead close to the city center anyway.

The emphasis should always be, push the product as hard as you can. Even if you have to give away tickets (like what Stade Francais are doing right now), you need to pack out the stadia, get the atmosphere going and push for customer retention.

Doing what the SRU are currently doing - which consists of just sitting around with their fingers up their arses and desperately trying to establish a team, any team other than London Scottish - will just lead to oblivion.

EDIT: Actually more on Stade Francais. It's President, Max Guazzini has done things that will make more traditional stuck in their ways clubs in the rest of Europe blink with shock and go red with anger for rocking the boat. When a big game with a big name team comes up, the guy exploits it. He goes to the Universities and the schools and the colleges and he hammers them with advertising, dirt cheap tickets and free soft drinks, etc. He organises outrageous entertainment (such as can-can dancers at half time) and basically does everything he can to pack out the Parc des Princes, Stade de France, whatever.

The result? A huge fanbase in Paris, the highest attendances of a league match in any sporting code in France and a huge financial return on fan loyalty to Stade Francais. And this was a club who people said would vanish twenty years ago in an area once said to be "awful for rugby" in the same time frame.

So you see, if you have someone who has the balls (and, admittedly deep pockets) to see the project through, it can be done! Edinburghs new owners need to be incredibly creative. They CAN get a full capacity crowd for an Edinburgh game, they just haven't been trying hard enough.

 

[DR749]

Average this season in Edinburgh is 2600 and in Glasgow it's around the 2000 mark so pretty dismal all round.
[/b]

With that being said, wouldn't the Reivers be the MOST sucessful club in regards to bringing in a percentage of spectators when compared to the surrounding popultion base?? Edinburgh only 2600?? Glasgow, the most populus city, drawing less than Edinburgh and only 800 on average more when compared to Galashiels draw??

 

[edinburgh_gunner]

The problem in the Borders is that no one is interested in the pro-team. They're only interested in their diddy clubs, like Hawick, Melrose etc etc who achieve nothing.

Attendences are so low in Glasgow is because that rugby isn't all that popular in the west, plus they tend not to win that much.

Edinburgh attendences have been hitting the 4-5000 mark this year, given the opposition and promotions that are on. But given the SRU's policy of draining our squad of internationals come 6 nations it's no wonder people lose interest mid-season. The fixtures don't help either. So many breaks and irregularities don't help to build a consistant fan base. For example, Embra have only 5 home games after Christmas. How will that get people consistantly interested?

Edinburgh are the most successful team, not matter what way you look at it. Highest attendences, best results, and a team that's capable of winning something. Plus, now that they're in private hands it's really unlikley Edinburgh will be scrapped or moved.

It's just the latest in a the farce from the SRU. Top players leaving, the Borders being disbanded. It's all going to end it tears. The Sru are going to give most of the excess funds to Glasgow, meaning Embra will basically get nought, yet the SRU will still expect a seat on the board and a big say aswell as a percentage of match day takings. McKie needs to wake up, realise that the SRU isn't capable of running pro teams and that they should be sold off to people who know what they're doing, like the Curruthers brothers. Edinburgh have become far more professional, with attempts to bring in sponsors, supporters and promotions etc. I can't see the SRU trying this.


I've got be honest though, I don't really care about the borders. They were a nothing team with hardly any decent players playing in area where it's the old fart brigade, more interested in the old guard of clubs who are achieving hee haw in the leagues and cups.


It's a sad state of affairs all the same, and the only way it'll be resolved will be if the SRU allow the Curruthers complete control of Embra, and to sell of Glasgow like they did with Edinburgh.

 

[An Tarbh]

I think your comments pretty much sum up the sad state of Scottish rugby, if rugby people like yourself don't give a **** about the likes of Borders then that's hardly going to attract new fans to the game.

It's also an indictment that a club like Edinburgh are hemorhaging players left, right and centre, only have an average attendance of 2600 in the league and not even 4000 for the Heineken Cup games, and that's the biggest club in Scotland. They have a huge amount of work to put in to be competitive next season and the SRU really needs to get its house in order.

 

[edinburgh_gunner]

Of course I don't care about the Borders, I was born and raised in Edinburgh!

My point is, why should I care if the people who live there don't?

I am willing to bet you that if the Curruthers were in complete control of Edinburgh we would not be losing so many players, and the attendences would be up as well.

 

[An Tarbh]

I would have thought that you'd care out of interest for the game at a national level or is your club side more important to you?

 

[getofmeland]

Protest call over Reivers closure

Rugby fans and Borders Council are urging protests over the Scottish Rugby Union's decision to scrap Border Reivers at the end of the season.

The Border Reivers Action Group and the council carried a newspaper advert on Tuesday, criticising the move.

They described it as "one of the most misguided and unpopular decisions in the history of the game".

The SRU has defended its move to cut the number of professional teams in Scotland from three to two.

Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh will be the two pro clubs in Scotland next season, following the SRU's review of professional rugby.

But the move has angered fans, who are also upset over news that Edinburgh owner Bob Carruthers had a bid for Borders rejected by the SRU last year.

A full-page advert in the Scotsman newspaper criticised the decision and urging a protest at Murrayfield.

A rescue plan will be presented to the SRU on Thursday and has received backing from Borders Council.

The following evening, supporters are being urged to protest during the Magners League match between Edinburgh and Newport Gwent Dragons at Murrayfield.

In its statement, the Borders Council said: "This council deplores the decision taken by the Scottish Rugby Union to close down the Border Reivers professional rugby team at the end of the current season.

"This council regrets that the SRU has failed to engage with the institutions of civic life and other stakeholders to build a consensus around action required to promote and develop the game in the 21st century.

"We have no confidence in the ability of the SRU to protect and nurture the game of rugby in Scotland."

The SRU said it was unrealistic to continue running three professional teams in Scotland.

The governing body said Glasgow Warriors would receive extra funding as a result of the Reivers' closure.

Several Borders players will be transferred to the Warriors for next season but a number have been told to find new clubs as part of the cost-cutting process.

From BBC Sport
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_unio...ish/6522149.stm