New Season Double Header - Fans to be segregated

[Getofmeland]

So the Double Header at the start of Next Years Aviva Premiership, will see Fans Segregated for the first time at the event...

This just comes across as an absolute joke... Rugby Fans in general behave well with others and there is a general amount of Banter and Good Fun between sets of Fans... This will put people going to it now...

Next thing Beer will be banned from the Stands...

 

[Getofmeland]

The Aviva Premiership Rugby season will kick off on 1 September with the traditional London Double Header at Twickenham Stadium. The event, which has been packing tens of thousands of rugby fans into the home of English rugby since 2004, promises to be an exciting start to the 2012/13 season.The exact fixtures for the 2012/13 campaign will not be confirmed until July but to give fans the opportunity to secure a seat at a 25% early bird discount a limited number of tickets have gone on sale today.For the first time this season each club will be given a specific area of the ground for its supporters, so don't delay buy your ticket today and show support for your team."This day always gives a cracking start to the Aviva Premiership Rugby season as we expect a big crowd again this year," said Dan Kiddle Head of Marketing and Promotions at Premiership Rugby.With the end of season still heading for a nail-biting conclusion Premiership Rugby confirmed "Should one of the London clubs be relegated during the 2011/12 Aviva Premiership season a replacement Aviva Premiership Club will take their place in the London Double Header fixture. The 2012/13 Fixtures will be announced in early July."

From Aviva Prem​

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's a pretty crappy thing to do.
Presumably they think it will create more atmosphere with all the fans sitting together etc. however it's just wrong, basically.
Would also be a bit stupid if, say, Sarries and Quins sold out their quarters, and then Irish and Wasps were really sparsely filled.

 

[Getofmeland]

Its absolute Madness... What with the number of staff involved...

Also I have gone as a Neutral Fan, where would I sit? I want sit amongst fans from all kinds of clubs...

 

[Feicarsinn]

I can't for the life of me see why they would do this. Segregation is needed to an extent in footy due to the high amount of scum that has taken to following the game, but fortunately rugby hasn't suffered this faith. I've always loved talking to other fans at games and having a bit of banter with them. Seems like an incredibly silly move that do nothing but detract from the experience of going to the matches.

Hopefully it's a one off and won't catch on.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Next thing Beer will be banned from the Stands...

That has already happened in SOuth Africa... Only Durban stadium still serves alcohol at games

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

For the first time this season each club will be given a specific area of the ground for its supporters, so don't delay buy your ticket today and show support for your team.

Without seeing the seating plan, it's hard to call this "crowd segregation" in the soccer/football sense. It could merely be laid out like the 2009 Heineken Cup semi final.


In my opinion, such a seating plan added to the atmosphere in Croke Park on that day. Perhaps the same will be true of Twickenham for the double header.

 

[gingergenius]

Initially my reaction was horror, because crowd segregation is what they do with dumbed down sports that attract uneducated/ juvenile fans.

However, I would guess this is in order to allow the 4 London clubs to control their own ticketing distributions and maybe even pricing. I would say any change is dumb - why change what is a very successful format?

 

[Family]

I've just written the following to premiershiprugby.com, hopefully I will get some kind of reply. Does anyone agree/disagree?

Dear Sir/Madam,
I received an email link from your company today promoting the London Double Header 2012.
You proudly promoted on the flyer that for the first time each club will be given a specific area of the ground for its supporters.I have attended this event every year since its inception.
I like to support not just the double header, but also other matches, with my friends.
I am a Wasps supporter, some of us are Quins fans, others Saracens, and now and again we even have some Irish fans come along.
Do you suggest we all sit apart? If not then what is the point of the separate areas?
Also, I believe this to be a mistake; if rugby continues to do this we will eventually have the same "us and them" mentality that causes so many problems in football.
I suggest you reconsider this particular strategy.I would appreciate a reply to this from one of your representatives to understand what the thought process is behind such a move.
Kind regards,
Julian

 

[j'nuh]

I suppose that half of the stadium would be quiet when their team isn't playing and they're watching as neutrals, so it makes sense to put a few fans together to get a bit of noise going.