Perpignan get Nou Camp date

[Teh Mite]

The Top 14 match between 2009 French champions Perpignan and Racing-Metro will take place at Catalan football giants Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium on the weekend of April 15, the French Rugby National League (LNR) announced on Monday.
The announcement comes just three months after Paul Goze, president of Perpignan and his Barcelona counterpart Sandro Rosell had revealed that a domestic French match would be played at the 98,000 seater stadium - Perpignan's only holds 15,000.
"Following a visit with the French Rugby Federation, Perpignan and Canal Plus (the broadcaster) on November 25, the French Rugby National League gaves its assent for a Top 14 match involving Perpignan to take place in the mythical Nou Camp," the LNR said in a statement.
Basque duo Biarritz and Bayonne are the only two French clubs to have played outside France before, haivng played each other at the Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian in the Basque Country in Spain.
Perpignan will be doing well to emulate Stade Francais' flamboyant owner Max Guazzini, who started off the idea of playing top level Top 14 matches at the Stade de France and regularly fills it as he also puts on a colourful pre-match show and offers tickets at vastly reduced prices.


http://www.onehd.com.au/onehd/newsarticles/Rugby-Union-Perpignan-get-Nou-Camp-date-TX-PAR-IRG62.htm

 

[munstermuffin]

Hard to see this work

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hopefully they price and advertise it right, as a 98k stadium will look mighty empty if not
Is Rugby even that popular in Spain? On the French side of the border you see alot of USAP and Catalans Dragons merch everywhere, but as soon as you cross the border (even at the discount shopping places right on the border) it's all football, don't see anything rugby anywhere


Also, would've thought they'd play Toulouse or another southern team, so they're more likely to get travelling fans there

 

[Teh Mite]

Why not? Stade can fill out the football stadium. The Basque people are mental for rugby and have regularly sold out the San Sebastian when Biarritz use it. The novelty of the Nou Camp will sell extra tickets also.

This isn't Saracens we're talking about, French rugby is the biggest in the world. USAP are getting right by tapping the emerging Spanish market early.

 

[MunsterMan]

The people of Catalonia see Perpignan as their national rugby team in the same way they see Barcelona as their national Soccer team, I see no reason why this won't work if priced correctly. Good luck to them too!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Thinking about it, I might go to this
Thinking about visiting my parents in Perpignan over easter, why not combine it with this match (and the Catalans vs Wakefield in Perp too )

 

[cyRil]

Also, would've thought they'd play Toulouse or another southern team, so they're more likely to get travelling fans there

If they price and market similarly to Stade that shouldn't be a problem. I went to the Stade v Toulouse league game in March at the Stade de France, it was an 80,000 sell-out and there was no lack of away support!
I've still got TOU-LOU-SAIN! ringing in my ears now!!!

 

[Charles]

If they get it right that could be grand. Probably a new attendance record for a club rugby game.

 

[Amobokoboko]

How does it works regarding tickets, where do you buy them?

 

[M Two One]

If they can fill the stadium enough, this will be incredible.

 

[Teh Mite]

How does it works regarding tickets, where do you buy them?

Try Perpignans ticket office as the first port of call, then FC Barcalona and ticketmaster.

 

[Melhor Time]

Biarritz has a population of 27,000 and a home rugby stadium of 12,000. How come they can move matches to San Sebastien - Spain and fill it. The venue is 32,000. Clearly the entire town does not go but many do! Bayonne have played there too. Locals go too but in the future more interst will be there. Spanish rugby is doing pertty well. they got over 8,000 fans at their matcehs vs Canada and Namibia in november.

Perpignan will do well in this fixture. In the 2010 Top 14 semi final in Montpellier (vs Toulouse) there were thousands of USAP fans just like there were in the semi final the year before in Lyon vs Stade Français. The distance to Barcelona is far less than from Perpigan to Lyon. For the previous two Top 14 finals there has been thousands upon thousands of red and yellow for USAP at the Stade de France. Perpignan - Paris is far longer than 190KM which is the distance to Barcelona. Montpellier is about 150KM from Perpignan and Paris about 690KM.

So it will be vs Racing Metro who have three starters from Argentina in their side. All three played yesterday (Friday) vs Saracens - Alvaro Galindo, Juan Pablo Orlandi and Juan Martín Hernández. Spain has thousands of Argentine young people in their twenties mainly. They go there like Kiwis and Aussies go to London. The match was hand picked with JMH in mind. Perpignan are going to use his face to attract people from Argentina living in Spain.

Lots of people will make the trip from Paris too. Perpignan (118,000) is much larger than Biarritz (27,000)or Bayonne (48,000).

 

[Charles]

I have just learned that this is gonna be a Friday night. Completely idiotic decision. I predict 60.000 people max..

 

[Teh Mite]

Oh well, I won't be going then. Was strongly considering making a long weekend of it n'all.