Do any rugby clubs have the Man Utd Factor?

Pretty much every Tigers fan I know has some sort of connection to either the city or county. I was born in Leicestershire, lived most of my life in the area and play for my local town team. Almost everyone there are also Tigers fans and when we are not involved in our local teams calendar we try and get to as many Tigers matches as possible. There really wasn't much chance of me supporting anyone else.

But are there any teams who seem to attract fans who have no connection to, never mind set foot, in their traditional catchment areas?

Who is the Man U of the Robocelt / Aviva?

Internationally - the All Blacks - they're a big brand. To be honest, any club/team can attract those sorts of fans. It's the way of professional sport these days.

I know at one stage Munster did. When I was in Germany they were very popular amongst the Germans there. They also had serious amounts of supporters who were from other provinces like COnnacht and Leinster.

Metal Tiger I don't think there is one.

I always saw Munster at the Man Utd of rugby but thats only because their players are always moaning at the ref

Munkian - theres a fine line between educating the ref and moaning at the ref. Munster have always flirted with that line

I think the O's may have had it in the past... Playing a match at Derby Uni one day and there were a couple of young lads wearing that hideous Black & Gold shirt... when I asked them if they were Welsh they replied no, they just liked the shirts!

beshocked wrote:Metal Tiger I don't think there is one.

Well.... Sarries certainly don't attract any fans

What's wrong with that Tiger? Lots of people own different sport clothing that they like to wear even if they don't support that sport/team/country.

red_stag wrote:I know at one stage Munster did. When I was in Germany they were very popular amongst the Germans there. They also had serious amounts of supporters who were from other provinces like COnnacht and Leinster.

Isn't there a town in Germany called Munster too? Maybe that is the connection?

You're right Metal Tiger - football seems to be their thing. Also, Munster (Ireland) is a province not a town, so I doubt there's a connection between the two.

Metal Tiger wrote:

beshocked wrote:Metal Tiger I don't think there is one.

Well.... Sarries certainly don't attract any fans

That's not true. Sarries attract a few (literally).

Still it means we are a rare species. A collector's item. Like a gold bar. Priceless!

Cari wrote:You're right Metal Tiger - football seems to be their thing. Also, Munster (Ireland) is a province not a town, so I doubt there's a connection between the two.

Cari, yeah I know the province thing with Munster, I was really just pointing to the shared name.

Staggy, nothing wrong with people buying their shirts because they like the design, but isn't that part of the problem with the O's management at the mo... ie. they want the players to stop being fashion accessories?

red_stag wrote:Munkian - theres a fine line between educating the ref and moaning at the ref. Munster have always flirted with that line

Oh that's why POC always has ROG with him - to flirt with the ref

Metal Tiger wrote:
Staggy, nothing wrong with people buying their shirts because they like the design, but isn't that part of the problem with the O's management at the mo... ie. they want the players to stop being fashion accessories?

Not fully sure why thats put to me but I'd say its a good idea personally. If rugby is fashionable, it will put bums on seats.

At the minute in Ireland its very fashionable to be "seen" at the big rugby games. I work for a rugby touring company and we can see that there is a certain social thing about being in Aviva Stadium for the 6 Nations. the amount of girls dolled up to the max with designer scarfs and hats in the winter is amazing to see. This makes money for clubs, brings in fans, which motivates the players, which leads to more fans and so on and so on.

Munster lived off that for quite a while. Leinster are doing the same now.

[quote="Metal TigerStaggy, nothing wrong with people buying their shirts because they like the design, but isn't that part of the problem with the O's management at the mo... ie. they want the players to stop being fashion accessories?[/quote]

It was me who commented on people buying shirts actually. The coaches want the player's image to be changed, they're not concerned about that of the fans, so I'm not sure what your point is there. It's not about the shirt being a fashion accessory or not, it's about the image of the team as players and individuals. They basically want to move away from the old image.

.

Metal Tiger wrote:

red_stag wrote:I know at one stage Munster did. When I was in Germany they were very popular amongst the Germans there. They also had serious amounts of supporters who were from other provinces like COnnacht and Leinster.

Isn't there a town in Germany called Munster too? Maybe that is the connection?

true - and one of my fav smelly cheese is called Munster ! does it make a Munster fan?...nope

I wouldn't say thats the connection. More than likely it was the fact Munster had done so well (it was 2008-2009 when I lived there); Munster had just won 2 HECs and played the All Blacks and USA that season. They had a massive travelling support and all the expats in Germany were behind them. The Germans took them on as a second team. I suspect its all very different now.

red_stag wrote:

Metal Tiger wrote:
Staggy, nothing wrong with people buying their shirts because they like the design, but isn't that part of the problem with the O's management at the mo... ie. they want the players to stop being fashion accessories?

Not fully sure why thats put to me but I'd say its a good idea personally. If rugby is fashionable, it will put bums on seats.

At the minute in Ireland its very fashionable to be "seen" at the big rugby games. I work for a rugby touring company and we can see that there is a certain social thing about being in Aviva Stadium for the 6 Nations. the amount of girls dolled up to the max with designer scarfs and hats in the winter is amazing to see. This makes money for clubs, brings in fans, which motivates the players, which leads to more fans and so on and so on.

Munster lived off that for quite a while. Leinster are doing the same now.

D-4heads ? My Mrs is from Dublin

Well according to wiki Münster datas back to 793 AD. A bit early for the Munster rugby team I think!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_M%C3%BCnster

Though John Hayes got his first international cap back in 793 AD I think?

Maybe thats it

red_stag wrote:
Not fully sure why thats put to me but I'd say its a good idea personally. If rugby is fashionable, it will put bums on seats.

Sorry about that... tis what happens when I am replying to Cari but reading your post at the same time!

whocares wrote:
true - and one of my fav smelly cheese is called Munster ! does it make a Munster fan?...nope

Mmmm... not so sure on this one, I have smelt a few Munster fans. There was a cheesy whiff about them

Cari wrote:
It was me who commented on people buying shirts actually. The coaches want the player's image to be changed, they're not concerned about that of the fans, so I'm not sure what your point is there. It's not about the shirt being a fashion accessory or not, it's about the image of the team as players and individuals. They basically want to move away from the old image.
.

Not really trying to make any sort of point, more of an observation that maybe the O's do have a touch of the Man U factor about them, in regards to that there are people who may not be from the traditional catchment area for the O's, who are buying shirts because they are trendy. No argument with that and if it makes money for the club then even better.

As for the O's players themselves, I guess I was thinking about some of the other articles being done about trying to shift away from the Galactico's tag.

You don't really see anyone who isn't a fan buying a Tigers shirt... Let's face it, ours is not the prettiest of strips to wear as a casual fashion item!

Thats ok Tiger, what did you make of my point.

Metal Tiger - Manchester United is an international brand that is both popular here in the UK and all over the world. Some individual players from that team - both former and current ones - are international super stars in their own right too. The Ospreys isn't even a national brand in the UK. They've nothing in common at all. Comparing the two is like comparing me to David Cameron - we both work in vaguely similar sorts of jobs, but that's all.

Cari wrote:Metal Tiger - Manchester United is an international brand that is both popular here in the UK and all over the world. Some individual players from that team - both former and current ones - are international super stars in their own right too. The Ospreys isn't even a national brand in the UK. They've nothing in common at all. Comparing the two is like comparing me to David Cameron - we both work in vaguely similar sorts of jobs, but that's all.

Cari, are you the PM of Wales

No, that'll be David Cameron as well. First Minister is Carwyn Jones. Anyway, the point I was making is that I'm nowhere near as successful/well known/loaded as Mr Cameron as the Ospreys aren't compared to Man United.

ok if Cameron is UTD
and hence successful/well known/loaded
and you'r Ospreys and hence not so
successful/well known/loaded

It still means your successful/well known/loaded, and your single?

red_stag wrote:Thats ok Tiger, what did you make of my point.

I think it is always a good thing to get non-traditional rugby folk turning up to watch games, I do have some reservations about the 'to be seen' bit but that is mainly because if you can keep them coming and taking an interest great... but if they just move on to the next trendy 'must be seen at' event then not so good.

In general I think it is a good thing for the game that interest is being generated outside of traditional tribal bounderies.

Cari wrote:Comparing the two is like comparing me to David Cameron - we both work in vaguely similar sorts of jobs, but that's all.

Ahhh... you work in the assembly? Good to see those tax dollars being well spent!

Actually, any chance you could have a word with our local council about my tax bill?

Surely Gloucester is the the Man Utd. We're known to get fans from Cheltenham AND the Forest of Dean! - That pretty much covers the whole country, doesn't it?

No I don't work for the Welsh Assembly so I'm afraid I can't help you.

No offence but it's a bit laughable to compare Ospreys to ManU.

It's like comparing the English Premier League to the Celtic League.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_attendance_figures_at_domestic_professional_sports_leagues

Interesting link above in regards to attendance figures.

Don't turn this into a English v Celtic argument Beshocked. My point was, you just can't compare those two teams full stop. They're too far removed from each other anyway, not because of their nationality.

Cari we agree. No I don't say it because of nationality.

beshocked wrote:No offence but it's a bit laughable to compare Ospreys to ManU.

It's like comparing the English Premier League to the Celtic League.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_attendance_figures_at_domestic_professional_sports_leagues

Interesting link above in regards to attendance figures.

Look, I was never making a direct comparison between the O's and Man Utd for Godsake. Different sports, different leagues etc. etc.

It was purely an observation that some teams can attract supporters from outside of their normal fanbase. Which I referred to as the Man U Factor.

It was observed in the case of O's, like Stad Francais, they can sell their shirts to a wider base purely on design & fashion alone.

And Cari is right... let's not get into yet another cross border bun fight over attendance figures.

red_stag wrote:I know at one stage Munster did. When I was in Germany they were very popular amongst the Germans there. They also had serious amounts of supporters who were from other provinces like COnnacht and Leinster.

Yeah I would say Munster too, in that they are a massive global brand, pretty successful and also wear red. They've got that chip on their shoulder and the refs let them away with blue murder too......

Before the Celtic League, I'd say London Irish drew support from the Irish based anywhere in England, not just London, but since the Provinces turned professional and gained their own league, this has died.

Saracens, seem to be trying to build support in S.A, and I'd say any South Africans based in London would follow them.

Ospreys as mentioned draw support from outside there region as some Welsh don't feel part of their region so support Ospreys.

maybe since Terviso went regional it has gained a bigger fanbase than it historically had.

harlequins in the middle east?

I'd say Edinburgh were the Man Utd of rugby.

No-one in Manchester supports United, and no-one in Edinburgh supports Edinburgh........

No rugby side is comparable with Man U in scale. That's bloody obvious from the beginning. I don't think that was the point of the question. Relatively, in rugby support terms thats much lower than football, which team is supported by a reasonable number of people with no direct connection.

The Ospreys are a pretty good example I thought. There are plenty of people not from the Ospreys region that support the Ospreys, for various reasons. Partly due to a desire to rebel against the region 'assigned' to them. Partly because they had a large number of internationals and were the most successful. Munster are similar due to the same success thing perhaps.

Interesting there seem to very few people who like Leicester, Wasps (and now Saracens) who are the successful sides in England in the last decade, who weren't already supportors or from the area.