Is free-to-air TV of any benefit to Welsh regional/club rugby?

It seems to me that below national level, that Welsh rugby suffers because just about every regional game is televised or available in one BBC/S4C tv/online format or another.

So attendances are poor.

Maybe the WRU should restrict coverage to one regional match plus one other Welsh club match per week.

Perhaps that'd put more bums on seats?

Personally I would like to see the welsh/irish/scots/italian broadcasters team up and only show away matches and local derby matches on their stations.

For example if S4C and BBC2W only shown games that were played involving the regions that were played in Italy, Scotland or Ireland (or the regional derby matches). I say this on the grounds that I am a season ticekt holder, and I see all the home games at PYS, and then when we have an away match unless its deemed important enough to show, i tend to have to wait for the highlights. Also it really should improve home ground attendances especially for lesser games.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Personally I would like to see the welsh/irish/scots/italian broadcasters team up and only show away matches and local derby matches on their stations.

For example if S4C and BBC2W only shown games that were played involving the regions that were played in Italy, Scotland or Ireland (or the regional derby matches). I say this on the grounds that I am a season ticekt holder, and I see all the home games at PYS, and then when we have an away match unless its deemed important enough to show, i tend to have to wait for the highlights. Also it really should improve home ground attendances especially for lesser games.

Local derbies? Even in Scotland/Italy that would mean two games a season, but in Wales/Ireland it would potentially involve six matches a year.

Local derby matches are usually full house matches anyway. After all the Dragons V Blues that was called off in Novemebr (i think) was replayed last night, and played infront of a full house even though the 'stars' were all off on international duty. Also showing games with a packed stadium and good atmosphere, which derby matches are, would send across a better image of regional rugby games to those who don't attend regularly. After all if every time you see a regions home games the stadium seems full and buzzing it would make it a far more appealing prospect than at the moment when you see them half empty and lacking noise.

I'd love it to be like that SS - as at the moment I find it almost impossible (money/time) to go to away games, and can only get very poor highlights, yet for the home games I'm faced with the choice of spending my hard earned and going down to the stadium (which is great) or watching it on TV. It should really be the other way round and I can't see the TV companies getting less audiences as potentially more people would tune in for an away game (as there'd be less fans at the game and more at home).

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I can't see the TV companies getting less audiences as potentially more people would tune in for an away game (as there'd be less fans at the game and more at home).

Unless the folk at the grounds are all like my old man who records the matches he goes to so he can sit and watch them when he gets home to see if the ref was as bad as he thought, or if that was really a try etc.

ScarletSpiderman wrote: Unless the folk at the grounds are all like my old man who records the matches he goes to so he can sit and watch them when he gets home to see if the ref was as bad as he thought, or if that was really a try etc.

Thats true just like my old man

Portnoy wrote:It seems to me that below national level, that Welsh rugby suffers because just about every regional game is televised or available in one BBC/S4C tv/online format or another.

So attendances are poor.

Maybe the WRU should restrict coverage to one regional match plus one other Welsh club match per week.

Perhaps that'd put more bums on seats?

It wouldnt make any difference, a lot of fans are staying away because the quality of rugby is so poor, and tickets are so expensive.

AlynDavies wrote:

It wouldnt make any difference, a lot of fans are staying away because the quality of rugby is so poor, and tickets are so expensive.

Watched Cardiff for more years than I can remember and most of the time games weren't great entertainment. Much like football you could say. One or two games a season were worth watching again.
Also, Welsh season ticket prices are cheap as chips compared to our foreign friends. Check out what Leicester charge for tickets. It's a real eye opener for us Welshies. Franklin's sells out regularly too.
Listen to supporters and provide what they want. Don't tell them what they should have. That's the answer.
Cardiff Blues supporters i'm sorry to say have been treated with the utmost contempt by those in charge. Now we have what we have as a result.

From a Leinster fans perspective I have to say free to air is far better.I had little interest in the Celtic League when it was on Setanta and didn't bother to attend many games but that has changed hugely since it has become free to air.

I now go to at least 4 regular season games (would be much more if I could get the time off work)where it might have been 1 or 0 before this.If you can replicate that effect over a few thousand people then attendances jump up pretty quickly.

Yes that would be logical if the regions were spread all over Wales.
I regularly go and watch the regions play but it does involve a 8 hour and quite often a lot more round trip.
For many in the North the TV coverage is by far the easiest and cheapest option considering the price of fuel these days.

Cymroglan wrote:Yes that would be logical if the regions were spread all over Wales.
I regularly go and watch the regions play but it does involve a 8 hour and quite often a lot more round trip.
For many in the North the TV coverage is by far the easiest and cheapest option considering the price of fuel these days.

Wow. You deserve a medal Cymroglan.
From where I live, just outside Cardiff, I could fly to Biarritz and back and be home in time for tea in the same time.

Yup some fans do travel impressive distances to get to games, so we shouldn't moan when we have to go to another town/other side of town to watch games.

I agree Cymro that for fans who can't make every game and for the fairweather/floating supporters we need games on Free to Air TV, which is why I'd like to see the away games broadcast as then everyone has, technically, the opportunity to watch more games (all the away games live/on TV, and as many home games as fans can get to).

Maybe they should try to do what they do in the NFL with broadcast blackouts