Ospreys - Worst Heineken cup crowd ever??

This must be a record. I can see 15 people in the crowd and at least 14 of them are players family members. Shocking.

Did you check carefully to make sure it wasnt 16?

It was 16, but he thought there was a football match on today so he left.

On a more serious note though:

Fair enough the Ospreys trying to lose the "galacticos" tag, but at least it generated big revenue and H Cup matches were usually sellouts.

Losing Byrne, Hook, Phillips, Collins, Holah etc... will not help with generating revenue, ticket sales and interest.

westernosprey wrote:Fair enough the Ospreys trying to lose the "galacticos" tag, but at least it generated big revenue and H Cup matches were usually sellouts.

No they weren't. I'm pretty sure the only sell outs were Scarlets games around Christmas and the Australia game in 2006(?). Possibly the odd other one but certainly not usual

It was announced as 7,700 or so, which is really good considering we have had gates of 5,000 or so for the league this year.
The south stand crowd was starting to wrap around the corners which is great, that's pretty good for us to be honest.

Before harping on about Ospreys crowd numbers ( there's a new one ) Were you there western???

I thought it was a great afternoon and a good crowd...!

not sure why people keep pretending that 7000 plus at a regional match in wales isnt a decent amount of spectators...

westernosprey wrote:On a more serious note though:

Fair enough the Ospreys trying to lose the "galacticos" tag, but at least it generated big revenue and H Cup matches were usually sellouts.

Losing Byrne, Hook, Phillips, Collins, Holah etc... will not help with generating revenue, ticket sales and interest.

Where did you get the notion that Europe has sell out crowds from?
Last season the 3 European pool games had 12,437 (London Irish), 12,189 (Munster), 10,192 (Toulon). The Liberty stadium has a capacity of 20,532 so they were no where near sell outs.
The problems in the Ospreys are pretty well documented, a lot of fans lost faith in the coaching team and won't return until they are sacked, a lot of fans have said they cannot afford to support Swansea FC AND the Ospreys as Swansea are in the English Premiership now. Throw in the economy, the problems with Neath which has meant a lot of their fans won;t come to the region and it all starts to hit the attendances.

Face it, Wales has passionate rugby fans no doubt, but when it comes to puttung hands in pockets in attending club games. People aren't too bothered. They'll rather watch it at home or in the pub. Wales games at the MS are now seen more as a day on the lash than watching the national team. Sign o the times ..

Few outside Llanelli, Swansea, Cardiff and Newport give a stuff anymore.

Despite the successes of the national team over the last eight years, the WRU haven't the intellect or ability to make the most of it and develop the domestic game. It's a fundamentally flawed model.

Best we can hope for is a few talented players making it, more by luck than judgment, through to the national squad every so often and having a half decent test team.

The basic problem is Wales always had decent crowds but those crowds also included AWAY fans, and Welsh regions only potentially have 3 games a year where they have a sizeable away crowd.

Welsh people love derbies and rivalry against their neighbours, that;s the real reason why attendances are down, we aren't a rich enough country to have 8 pro teams and because of that the interest has waned.
Attendences at some Welsh premiership grounds are not that bad at all, Newport Vs Pontypool at Rodney parade was bouncing!

The crowds at some clubs (Ponty, Ebbw, Neath etc) have gone up due to people don't see the Blues, Dragons or Ospreys as their Region so go back to supporting the clubs.

maestegmafia wrote:I thought it was a great afternoon and a good crowd...!

not sure why people keep pretending that 7000 plus at a regional match in wales isnt a decent amount of spectators...

Sorry mate, but I think that crowd is agonisingly poor. Ospreys (great win, by the way) have been in existance long enough to develop a suporter base. But if people don't attend one of the biggest matches of the season so far, it sends a message there aren't many supporters, or the supporters still are not truly involved with the team. As success breeds success, crowds breed crowds (not literally, I hope). And crowds bring money, which are needed to further develop the team. And if you want people to recognise Ospreys as a viable team thay have to show they know how to bring people to the stadium. Otherwise, just a nice team out west somewhere. I think they need real Marketing people.

the crowd should have been paid for watching that first half,the best marketing you can have is entertaining rugby on the field.you would watch munster northampton games every week,no wonder they fill the place.the team gets the crowd going and vice versa.,not a band or music, just simple RUGBY

If we regularly have a crowd of around seven thousand then that is likely to be our estimated target figure. Therefor it is unlikely that the Ospreys can attract more people to watch them live unless a one off special occasion, those seem to fill the house.

I think the debate is far more economic than rugby.

I think your average local Osprey fan can only afford to watch a game on a very special occasion. They have family and other responsibilities that consume their time more than going to a match with their mates. Their other alternative is to take their family, which is great as kids go free or for very little at all but the kids also want food and drinks and so on which are very expensive.

I am just happy that it is 7000 not 5000.

I am sure the gate will be bigger when Saracens visit, or when we make the Quarters or Semis.

Also don't forget a lot of fans still actually play the game at club level so as much as we all bemoan some of the kick off times the usual 2.30/3 O'Clock kick off will coincide with all the club/prem games.

maestegmafia wrote:

I think your average local Osprey fan can only afford to watch a game on a very special occasion. They have family and other responsibilities that consume their time more than going to a match with their mates.

It's a matter of choice. Most seem to just want to get lagered up with their mates in the pub, comparing fake tans and haircuts. Yes, that's the so-called fans.

Safe, fake tans and haircuts? Thats so last year mate! What next? Using 16 men? Crowds are more because ppl cannot be arsed to go. Simples, and yes they would rather go to the pub. Plus they are not going to pay £20 and £3.30 a pint of pish carling for the privelege!


MM...When we make the quarters or semi's?? and you had a go at beshocked in another thread for being over confident? Thanks for the pm, but was referring to you btw.

Watch out Breadvan!

You could become number 18 on maesteg's 'foe' list. He doesn't like any backchat

Breadvan wrote:
MM...When we make the quarters or semi's?? and you had a go at beshocked in another thread for being over confident? Thanks for the pm, but was referring to you btw.

I wasnt referring to the immediate future. But surely we will make them one day. We have made quarters before.

Very offended that you were referring to me, you couldn't be more wrong....!