Why doesn't the WRU think fans of the regions matter?

by Newsilure Fri 26 Jul 2013, 2:25 pm

I am sure this has been brought up before but, after a few weeks of not thinking about rugby since the Lions, I have just started to get enthusiastic about the new season and took a look at the Blues fixtures only to become immiediately upset by again being hit by the realisation that the WRU cares nothing for rugby fans in Wales.

The Autumn Internationals mean that all clubs struggle to have reintegrated their international players in time for the 3rd round of the Heineken cup. But for Welsh teams, with the WRU continualy adding an extra international after the end of the IRB window, there is just no preparation for what is often one of the seasons most vital games. This year Wales play Australia on the 30th of November and the Blues are at home against Glasgow 6 days later, its a fair bet that our full back, one or two wings, both props, maybe a second row, probably a scrum half, Warburton ... in fact about half the Blues first team wont have trained with the other half for about 5 weeks ..... loose that home game and another Heineken cup run ends ... not that I am predicting great things, but surely the WRU should at least allow them the chance to give it their best shot!

last year Wales lost to Australia on Dec 1st, the Scarlets lost at home to Exeter on the 8th, the Ospreys lost away to Tolouse on the 8th and the Blues lost at home to Montpelier on the 9th.

Why doesn't the WRU realise that if the regions have no success then attendance will continue to fall, financial strength will be further undermined and the Welsh national teams current level of success wont be sustained.

by Bathman_in_London Fri 26 Jul 2013, 2:31 pm

To be blunt, because the WRU makes its money through the national team?

by ScarletSpiderman Fri 26 Jul 2013, 2:39 pm

Also to be fair, some of those losses would have happened anyway, if not all of them.

The one that gets me is that we have to play a Rabo fixture when seriously hamstrung by losing players to tackle bag duties. Tav Knoyle played next to feck all last season for the Scarlets and spent ages holding tackle bags for team Wales, which contributed to him being asked to look for work elsewhere.

by Newsilure Fri 26 Jul 2013, 2:40 pm

Bathman_in_London wrote:To be blunt, because the WRU makes its money through the national team?

I undestand that but most companies have a long term strategic plan and that nearly always involves satisfying their customers and growing customer numbers, there is no evidence that the WRU has any kind of long term strategic plan

by ScarletSpiderman Fri 26 Jul 2013, 2:47 pm

Newsilure wrote:
Bathman_in_London wrote:To be blunt, because the WRU makes its money through the national team?

I undestand that but most companies have a long term strategic plan and that nearly always involves satisfying their customers and growing customer numbers, there is no evidence that the WRU has any kind of long term strategic plan

The international attendies and the regional attendies tend to be different people, the international scene seems more geared up to having a good laugh and a fun (but expensive) day/weekend out. The regional fans seem to be a bit more geared up about trying to make their life fit around rugby for nine months of the year. So the WRU are not really alienating too much potential customers by putting on a 4th fixture, but actually getting more people into the MS and making more money, and the more people who go and enjoy themselves there, the more people are likely to want to go next time etc.

by bedfordwelsh Fri 26 Jul 2013, 6:43 pm

The WRU dont give a flying feck about the Regions themselves let alone the fans of the Regions.

In fact the dont give a flying feck about genuine fans full stop all they care about is the corportae/hospitality element that they can cram into the MS.

by Scrumdown Fri 26 Jul 2013, 7:16 pm

Newsilure wrote:
Bathman_in_London wrote:To be blunt, because the WRU makes its money through the national team?

I undestand that but most companies have a long term strategic plan and that nearly always involves satisfying their customers and growing customer numbers, there is no evidence that the WRU has any kind of long term strategic plan

But the companies in this instance are Ospreys rugby ltd , Llanelli Scarlets ltd etc.

They are controlled by private investors being Robert Davies (ospreys), Nigel Short (scarlets) etc who appoint boards of directors to run their businesses on a day to day basis.

Their customers are regional rugby fans, Sponsors, tv companies and the WRU. The WRU are one of their most important and valuable customers, because the regions receive such a high proportion of their total income from that source.

So, the WRU are a CUSTOMER of the region and not therefore responsible for their long term strategic plans. This is the responsibility of the boards of directors at the regions who also signed the 5 year participation agreement with the WRU in return for a fixed level of funding.

So the question you should be asking is 'why do the regions value wru money more than sponsorship money and supporters money?'.

by HammerofThunor Fri 26 Jul 2013, 7:25 pm

Scrumdown wrote:
Newsilure wrote:
Bathman_in_London wrote:To be blunt, because the WRU makes its money through the national team?

I undestand that but most companies have a long term strategic plan and that nearly always involves satisfying their customers and growing customer numbers, there is no evidence that the WRU has any kind of long term strategic plan

But the companies in this instance are Ospreys rugby ltd , Llanelli Scarlets ltd etc.

They are controlled by private investors being Robert Davies (ospreys), Nigel Short (scarlets) etc who appoint boards of directors to run their businesses on a day to day basis.

Their customers are regional rugby fans, Sponsors, tv companies and the WRU. The WRU are one of their most important and valuable customers, because the regions receive such a high proportion of their total income from that source.

So, the WRU are a CUSTOMER of the region and not therefore responsible for their long term strategic plans. This is the responsibility of the boards of directors at the regions who also signed the 5 year participation agreement with the WRU in return for a fixed level of funding.

So the question you should be asking is 'why do the regions value wru money more than sponsorship money and supporters money?'.

+1 Regions agreed to the extra game for the extra money. What do people think would happen? The WRU pay the regions for the extra time with the players and not use it?

by Brendan Fri 26 Jul 2013, 9:58 pm

Just out of curiosity have the regions results dropped since the 4th test was added. I think it was two years ago that the regions seemed to be doing well after the first two rounds and then did rubbish in the next two, many blamed the fourth test.

How much extra did they get or is it the 1.5m

by HammerofThunor Fri 26 Jul 2013, 10:47 pm

Brendan wrote:Just out of curiosity have the regions results dropped since the 4th test was added. I think it was two years ago that the regions seemed to be doing well after the first two rounds and then did rubbish in the next two, many blamed the fourth test.

How much extra did they get or is it the 1.5m

It's in the £1.5M. Which also covers, WQP quota, release time during the 6 nations, etc.

by Stone Motif Sat 27 Jul 2013, 7:14 am

Scrumdown wrote:
Newsilure wrote:
Bathman_in_London wrote:To be blunt, because the WRU makes its money through the national team?

I undestand that but most companies have a long term strategic plan and that nearly always involves satisfying their customers and growing customer numbers, there is no evidence that the WRU has any kind of long term strategic plan

But the companies in this instance are Ospreys rugby ltd , Llanelli Scarlets ltd etc.

They are controlled by private investors being Robert Davies (ospreys), Nigel Short (scarlets) etc who appoint boards of directors to run their businesses on a day to day basis.

Their customers are regional rugby fans, Sponsors, tv companies and the WRU. The WRU are one of their most important and valuable customers, because the regions receive such a high proportion of their total income from that source.

So, the WRU are a CUSTOMER of the region and not therefore responsible for their long term strategic plans. This is the responsibility of the boards of directors at the regions who also signed the 5 year participation agreement with the WRU in return for a fixed level of funding.

So the question you should be asking is 'why do the regions value wru money more than sponsorship money and supporters money?'.

by Brendan Sat 27 Jul 2013, 11:29 am

HammerofThunor wrote:
Brendan wrote:Just out of curiosity have the regions results dropped since the 4th test was added. I think it was two years ago that the regions seemed to be doing well after the first two rounds and then did rubbish in the next two, many blamed the fourth test.

How much extra did they get or is it the 1.5m

It's in the £1.5M. Which also covers, WQP quota, release time during the 6 nations, etc.

But what was the money before the extra test.

£1.5m @ £20pp is 75000people that the WRU are covering for loss of a succesful team.

As has been pointed out the regional fans are different to national fans. If the WRU gave the regions £1.5m worth of MS tickets at 10% discount so that they could link attending regions to seeing wales would it help.

by HammerofThunor Sat 27 Jul 2013, 12:19 pm

Previously the WRU gave the regions the money for the TV, sponsorship, etc (the equivalent of the £9M now). They just expected the players released outside the window. The Regions refused to release players and it ended up in court. The judge decided the current agreement required them to release the players. When the next agreement was reached it included the extra money.

I think

by Shifty Sat 27 Jul 2013, 6:51 pm

The "international" players play only a few weeks before the november international series to get them match fit. then over xmas and new year leading to the 6 Nations, then at the end of the season to try and salavage something. Almost every week you see reserve Welsh teams in the Rabo Direct.

by maestegmafia Tue 30 Jul 2013, 8:32 pm

The problem is the NH fixture list not the union.

If the NH fixture list was organised as we as the SH one there would be far less conflicts of interest.

by Metal Tiger Thu 01 Aug 2013, 3:22 pm

Newsilure wrote:
Bathman_in_London wrote:To be blunt, because the WRU makes its money through the national team?

I undestand that but most companies have a long term strategic plan and that nearly always involves satisfying their customers and growing customer numbers, there is no evidence that the WRU has any kind of long term strategic plan

Whilst the WRU are filling the Millenium with corperate bums and the sparkly cowboy hat brigade on international day, why do they need a plan?

Lewis is making pots of money already, and has all the best players centrally contracted so you should be grateful (in his eyes) that he lets the regions have access 6 or 7 times a year to those players at all.

Wasn't he whinging the other day that the Ozzies got the majority of the money from the Lions tour and was demanding even more revenue for the WRU? Never misses an opportunity does he.

by HammerofThunor Thu 01 Aug 2013, 6:29 pm

maestegmafia wrote:The problem is the NH fixture list not the union.

If the NH fixture list was organised as we as the SH one there would be far less conflicts of interest.

The SH equivalent of the AI are our Summer tours. They're smack bang in the middle of the S15. If sides tried to add extra fixtures here they were clash exactly the same as they do up north. The SH sides tend to add in games during the off season.

by maestegmafia Tue 06 Aug 2013, 3:26 pm

HammerofThunor wrote:
maestegmafia wrote:The problem is the NH fixture list not the union.

If the NH fixture list was organised as we as the SH one there would be far less conflicts of interest.

The SH equivalent of the AI are our Summer tours. They're smack bang in the middle of the S15. If sides tried to add extra fixtures here they were clash exactly the same as they do up north. The SH sides tend to add in games during the off season.

Still massively better than the juxtaposed rubbish we have in the NH though isnt it....! Club, HEC, Club, AI, Club, HEC, Club, Local Derbies, Club, HEC, Six Nations, Club, HEC, Club, HEC...

That is a ridiculous season and all the NH teams at National level and club suffer for it.

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