Regional attendances, what can we expect next season ?

First topic message reminder :

After reading a thread about the Irish province attendances for this season, it made me think about our own regions, with the Blues moving back to the capital and the Ospreys very ambitious new season ticket scheme, the Scarlets and Dragons attendances slowly improving year on year, what do we think the most likely outcome will be for next season ? I think at the moment that the Welsh public are in a really good mood with rugby in general in Wales especially after the performances of the national side, and certain decisions made by the regions, so I think we will see a dramatic increase in attendances across the four regions, I for one now that all the talk around where I am from is this new season ticket offer that the Ospreys are doing and people are talking about buying them as birthday presents for their kids or husbands as they can get a share as well, also I have heard a lot of talk about people now thinking of going to watch the Blues now that they have moved back to the capital. This can only be seen as good news as far as I am concerned and I hope that it is not all built on shaky foundations, so what does everyone else think ?

Cari wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:...the CCS is only a mile or 2 from the city centre. (It would be a nice walk if it wasn't through Riverside)

Smirnoff, for someone who chose to live in Cardiff (under protest it seems) I find your negative attitude towards Cardiff quite disappointing - I've seen you do it a few times on this board. To get to the CCS you don't have to walk through Riverside at all if you really find it that daunting - get the bus or share a taxi! I live in Riverside (have done so for 10/11 years), it's not as bad as you make it sound and I can think of worse areas in this city to be wandering through. No one forced you to move to Cardiff I'm sure, you could've gone anywhere in the world. A place is what you make it. Like Joe Strummer (The Clash) once sang "You should get to know your town, just like I know mine..."

Sorry if I seem negative, I love living in Cardiff and I've stated on here previously that I've been to many Blues games at the CCS when I can't get to Scarlets games (though not as much this season coz of other commitments) but it annoys me when I here somethings like it's good that the Blues have moved back to the centre, or we don't go to the CCS as it's such a hassle to get to, or the CCS is on the edge of town - it's 2 miles from the centre and and easy (and free) bus ride away, prob a £3-£4 taxi ride or a 20min walk, though I find Riverside a bit rough - but don't get me wrong I'm not saying it's any worse than a lot of places in other towns/cities, indeed it's nicer than Eli or Grangetown in Cardiff, I was just comparing it to (IMO) the walk to the Dave in Newport which I don't find at all worrying, even after a night out there.

And I've lived in Cardiff for 7 years (jeez makes me feel old) and spent most of my time here when I lived in Treforest, I agree there's worse places though I do prefer living in Cathays or Canton, I've stayed and visited frequently places from the Bay, to Eli, to Llanrumney and the Heath/Birchgrove.

I've heard (from a Blues season ticket holder) that the prices for the Blues have just been released - he didn't state any offers or deals that they are most probably running but said that terrace tickets are £180, and prices generally are the same as before.

Is that true?

I def don't think the Blues need anywhere near 10k avg attendance, just an slight increase on this season (though I expect them to get more than just an slight increase) and with that and the better atmosphere you'd expect that would keep the optimism flowing for a bit longer and help invigorate the team.

Dave - do you know when their likely to start improvements to the CAP or is it just going to be superficial improvements (new carpet for the boxes, new tiles for the bathrooms ect)

Wayne - Those figures (as any) are open to question, but they are the only ones we have, and you have to assume any factors effecting the figures this season (free tickets, non-attendance season ticket holders, 'creative' counting) would also affect the numbers from previous seasons. While it's not concrete it is reassuring to see that the figures are rising.

Just a Point.

The whole idea behind giving free tickets away is nothing to do with trying to inflate attendences for appearences sake, its all about trying to get new people in to the grounds in the hope the experience gets them coming back as paying customers. judging by the gradual rise in season ticket sales at PYS it does seem to be working.

The Ospreys have posted some positive news about their membership interest this morning:

http://www.ospreysrugby.com/news/5322.php

Cari wrote:The Ospreys have posted some positive news about their membership interest this morning:

http://www.ospreysrugby.com/news/5322.php

Hmmm...anywhere up to half of them could be freebs though, correct?

Regional attendances - what can we expect next season?

Same as any other season - the figures plucked out of thin air and having no correlation to the number of people actually turning up to watch the games.

It's all about season-tickets, corporate block purchases, free giveaways and creative accounting.

The Scarlets, for example, will break through the 10,000 average attendance, even though barely half that number actually turn up. They are playing us for fools, I tell thee.

But, ultimately, who cares about the mickeymouse Rabo and our 'regions' taking a hiding in the HC - it's all about the test team now.

Roll on another Grand Slam and genuine capacity crowds for the 6N.

Stone - freebies? For whom? Surely the corporates would have their own special packages anyway rather than fan Membership?

Cari wrote:Stone - freebies? For whom? Surely the corporates would have their own special packages anyway rather than fan Membership?

Freebs as in, if you buy one, you get another one free

Casartelli wrote:Regional attendances - what can we expect next season?

Same as any other season - the figures plucked out of thin air and having no correlation to the number of people actually turning up to watch the games.

It's all about season-tickets, corporate block purchases, free giveaways and creative accounting.

The Scarlets, for example, will break through the 10,000 average attendance, even though barely half that number actually turn up. They are playing us for fools, I tell thee.

But, ultimately, who cares about the mickeymouse Rabo and our 'regions' taking a hiding in the HC - it's all about the test team now.

Roll on another Grand Slam and genuine capacity crowds for the 6N.

, , , and , in that order.

Stone Motif wrote:

Cari wrote:Stone - freebies? For whom? Surely the corporates would have their own special packages anyway rather than fan Membership?

Freebs as in, if you buy one, you get another one free

But you still have to buy something to get the other free, so it's not an entire giveaway for nothing. I thought you were referring to hospitality giveaways to sponsors and the like.

2ndtimeround wrote:Just a Point.

The whole idea behind giving free tickets away is nothing to do with trying to inflate attendences for appearences sake, its all about trying to get new people in to the grounds in the hope the experience gets them coming back as paying customers. judging by the gradual rise in season ticket sales at PYS it does seem to be working.

Sponsors want to see large crowds and attendance figures to match.
So another reason why there were so many freebies for Cardiff Blues games at CCS and why attendance figures were exaggerated.
Also, I believe that those same sponsors supported a return to the Arms Park.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I've heard (from a Blues season ticket holder) that the prices for the Blues have just been released - he didn't state any offers or deals that they are most probably running but said that terrace tickets are £180, and prices generally are the same as before.

Is that true?

I def don't think the Blues need anywhere near 10k avg attendance, just an slight increase on this season (though I expect them to get more than just an slight increase) and with that and the better atmosphere you'd expect that would keep the optimism flowing for a bit longer and help invigorate the team.

Dave - do you know when their likely to start improvements to the CAP or is it just going to be superficial improvements (new carpet for the boxes, new tiles for the bathrooms ect)

According to their website, there are no deals on Cardiff Blues season tickets.

No idea when the refurb of CAP begins or exactly what is planned, but there is a meeting sheduled for next week in the clubhouse to discuss what is going to happen.

Casartelli wrote:Regional attendances - what can we expect next season?

Same as any other season - the figures plucked out of thin air and having no correlation to the number of people actually turning up to watch the games.

It's all about season-tickets, corporate block purchases, free giveaways and creative accounting.

The Scarlets, for example, will break through the 10,000 average attendance, even though barely half that number actually turn up. They are playing us for fools, I tell thee.

But, ultimately, who cares about the mickeymouse Rabo and our 'regions' taking a hiding in the HC - it's all about the test team now.

Roll on another Grand Slam and genuine capacity crowds for the 6N.

Castarelli - From my experience the PyS has been packed almost full on at least 3 occasions this season (Munster x2, Ospreys) and lots of home games have had both North and South stands pretty much full - I know this is rule of thumb but it's much more than 5k. Also you're comparing a figure of 10k (which might happen next season) to attendances this year.

I'd ask as well, how many Scarlets home games did you go to this year?