Where have all the fans gone?

[Bullitt]

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3...5778537,00.html

Welsh crowds worry Davies

18th December 2009 06:42

Scarlets Head Coach Nigel Davies has admitted that Welsh rugby is being badly hurt by current attendances at the four regions.

The Llanelli outfit were last week supported by only 9,012 spectators when taking on European holders Leinster in the Heineken Cup, with Cardiff Blues only managing just over 10,000 for their hugely-anticipated clash against Toulouse.

And on the eve of Round Four of the competition, Davies has publicly lodged his 'major concern' over the matter and believes that Wales' quartet need to pull in the crowds if they are to compete with their Magners League rivals from Ireland.

"It is a problem and I think we need to look at it as a nation and a sport, because it's got huge impact medium to longer term, particularly with new stadia and the game going more and more professional," he said, speaking to the Western Mail.

"For us to compete with the likes of Leinster. Munster and Leicester we really have to make sure we get more people through the gates.

"It could be seen as a major concern."

 

[shazbooger]

Its true.

Weve been talking about it in other forums and in the match threads here.

Where Munster and Leinster are consistently beinging in good numbers for the non-glamour ties, the Welsh cant get excited about the visits of major European clubs and provinces in the biggest club competition in the world. However the likes of Davies need to understand that confidence in Welsh club rugby seems to be at a real low, because Welsh club rugby is kinda **** at the moment.

Personally I would suggest that atmosphere builds atmosphere. Fill the stadium and people will start to come in. Sell tickets at the gate for a fraction of the usual price etc. Do somthing as opposed to just sitting there accepting it. Create a night out, an experience, and people will come.

 

[Bullitt]

On the flip side however, you risk developing the crappy atmosphere when nobody gives a toss about the rugby - Teenage Girls are only there to see "Diversity" dance, the football fans and idiots only turn up because it's at Wembley, there's an idiot "silent conductor" at half-time...

Hold on, we're not talking about Saracens?

 

[feicarsinn]

I can't understand the problem in Wales. I suppose Llanelli is a small enough place (50,000ish according to wikipedia) but the likes of Swansea, Neath and Cardiff are all big enough to put out crowds of at least 10,000 for the ML games and 15,000 for the Heineken games as a bare minimum. Welsh rugby is going well but still crowds stay small. I understand there is a situation with Cardiff moving stadium but can any of our Welsh members explain the low numbers elsewhere?

 

[shazbooger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teh Mite @ Dec 18 2009, 11:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

On the flip side however, you risk developing the crappy atmosphere when nobody gives a toss about the rugby - Teenage Girls are only there to see "Diversity" dance, the football fans and idiots only turn up because it's at Wembley, there's an idiot "silent conductor" at half-time..[/b]

Actually were seeing somthing similar here with Leinster and Munster.

The more traditional fans are struggling to reconcile the new atmosphere with things like "soccer chants" and shouting at the referee.

There is another element coming across from other sports. Once its focused on supporting the team, or throwing the other team off I think its great, if it twists into something nasty I'd be very very worried.

Long long way way from that though.

As for the Scarlets. I didnt realise that place was so small. Kinda different here as Leinster are the only show in a town of 1.5million people.

 

[feicarsinn]

Leinster should be getting crowds of 25,000+ a week. There's no football to compete with in Dublin and the GAA is a summer sport so where are all the fans? In saying that I should really try to get to mor than 3 or 4 games a year.

 

[An Tarbh]

seems to be a problem relating to lack of identity with the regions. I thought the success of Blues in getting to the semi-final would have seen them getting bigger crowds in the new stadium but there also seem to be issues with the stadium not actually being in the city, just how far out is it? Don't know if that's an issue for the Scarlets as well but they've yet to fill the new ground for a Heineken Cup tie.

 

[feicarsinn]

Apparently only one mile from the Arms Park, so I guess it's not an issue of distance. I've heard some Cardiff fans grumbling that they never should have left the Arms Parks and alot of them aren't going out of sheer stubbornness and frustration.

 

[An Tarbh]

I think it's only a mile from Ninian Park, which isn't exactly in the city centre.

 

[shazbooger]

As for Leinster. Even in the great depression season ticket sales grew.

Another few years and they will have out grown the RDS

 

[LydiatesGirl]

it is true - i used to watch Dragons and Blues at every home game with my mum and mate
since the Blues moved ive been there twice (Ospreys and Australia) - the prices have gone up and my mum says she cant afford it - fair play its £25 a game for her and £5 for me (although for Blues v Dragons its £10 for a child!!!!) Dragons are cheaper but theres not a huge capacity

i agree with some people about not movin from Arms Park - the reason i hardly ever go (apart from prices) is because i haven't got a way to get back after evening games - usually when i watched the Blues as it takes a while to get from the stadium to train station and always clashes with my last train home

 

[cyRil]

In reality, our club rugby is ****. The Ospreys in particular, until recently, have played awful rugby more often than not over the last 5 years. Why bother shelling out £20 per ticket to go watch that, when you could go watch the Swans playing attractive and successful football? I'm not talking personally, like hell I'd take football over rugby ever, but this seems to be the mentality of many people in the area.
Similarly in Cardiff, I guess they'd much prefer to watch a team pushing for Premeirship football than a side struggling at the foot of teh awzum Magners League. The attendance at the Toulouse game disgusted me; but tbf it looks like they should never have moved from the Arms Park. It was a good, atmospheric ground that was easy to get to; as opposed to the new ground which is a good half hour's walk from the city centre. This might sound like nothing, but it does put people off!

We really need to cut ticket prices dramatically and the teams need to get their acts together. The O's have started to do this - with a mini-gig before the match and this weekend everyone goes in for a fiver + the team are playing some cracking rugby at last. Hopefully the start of good things to come.
But I won't hold my breath just yet.

 

[LydiatesGirl]

i agree - i went to watch Cardiff City v Newcastle down the new stadium and that practically filled the stadium - Blues never get many fans - there wasnt much over 10,000 for Blues v Australia if i remember rightly
they shouldnt have moved - some of the players didnt like the move either (and are now playing regularly for Cardiff rfc instead)
i pay the same price for Crosskeys as i do for Dragons and the rugby is alot better.

wish dragons did something like that - a mini gig. the entertainment they usually have is shocking - slags in shorts and fake tan attempting to dance and are out of time
although there have been a few good singers

 

[shazbooger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

slags in shorts and fake tan attempting to dance and are out of time[/b]

Leinster need that to bring us to the next level!

 

[LydiatesGirl]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Dec 18 2009, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

slags in shorts and fake tan attempting to dance and are out of time[/b]

Leinster need that to bring us to the next level!
[/b][/quote]
seriously theyre not even remotley interesting!!!
i think theyve been dropped now aswell haha - so you can have them if you want

 

[cyRil]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Dec 18 2009, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

slags in shorts and fake tan attempting to dance and are out of time[/b]

Leinster need that to bring us to the next level!
[/b][/quote]
seriously theyre not even remotley interesting!!!
i think theyve been dropped now aswell haha - so you can have them if you want
[/b][/quote]
Such is the way. Our 'Birds of Prey' didn't last long, they were diabolical.

 

[gingergenius]

£25 is far too much to charge. Ticket prices are the answer.

 

[LydiatesGirl]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cyRil of Ospreylia @ Dec 18 2009, 04:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Dec 18 2009, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

slags in shorts and fake tan attempting to dance and are out of time[/b]

Leinster need that to bring us to the next level!
[/b][/quote]
seriously theyre not even remotley interesting!!!
i think theyve been dropped now aswell haha - so you can have them if you want
[/b][/quote]
Such is the way. Our 'Birds of Prey' didn't last long, they were diabolical.
[/b][/quote]
were they dancers aswell?
ours were 'dance kats' then 'dragons claw'

 

[cyRil]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cyRil of Ospreylia @ Dec 18 2009, 04:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Dec 18 2009, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

slags in shorts and fake tan attempting to dance and are out of time[/b]

Leinster need that to bring us to the next level!
[/b][/quote]
seriously theyre not even remotley interesting!!!
i think theyve been dropped now aswell haha - so you can have them if you want
[/b][/quote]
Such is the way. Our 'Birds of Prey' didn't last long, they were diabolical.
[/b][/quote]
were they dancers aswell?
ours were 'dance kats' then 'dragons claw'
[/b][/quote]
Yeah they were our cheerleaders. They were overweight and out of sync. Not trying to sound misogynistic, but most people have a standard stereotype of what cheerleaders should look like and do, and that weren't it!

 

[LydiatesGirl]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cyRil of Ospreylia @ Dec 18 2009, 04:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cyRil of Ospreylia @ Dec 18 2009, 04:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Dec 18 2009, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LydiatesGirl @ Dec 18 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

slags in shorts and fake tan attempting to dance and are out of time[/b]

Leinster need that to bring us to the next level!
[/b][/quote]
seriously theyre not even remotley interesting!!!
i think theyve been dropped now aswell haha - so you can have them if you want
[/b][/quote]
Such is the way. Our 'Birds of Prey' didn't last long, they were diabolical.
[/b][/quote]
were they dancers aswell?
ours were 'dance kats' then 'dragons claw'
[/b][/quote]
Yeah they were our cheerleaders. They were overweight and out of sync. Not trying to sound misogynistic, but most people have a standard stereotype of what cheerleaders should look like and do, and that weren't it!
[/b][/quote]
haha like the dragons claws then - at least the dance kats were the right build. did they have a stupid chant aswell? our was '1,2,3,4 let me hear the dragons roar, 5,6,7,8, who do we appreciate'