Good move by the Dragons

THE future of top flight rugby at Rodney Parade will be assured with the completion of a new £4m stand and hospitality area in time for the start of the new season in September.

Work is well under way on the major new project which will also incorporate a function suite for 300, a new shop, 13 hospitality boxes, a premier members’ lounge for 150, education suite and reception area.

The new stand, to be named once a major sponsor or sponsors are obtained, will provide 2,700 seats and will take the ground capacity to 11,000. The Hazell Stand has also been reclad.

And interest in the new development is already high with demand for season tickets well up on this time last year.

“The idea is to enhance the match day experience with a fantastic new state of the art facility,” said Dragons chief executive Mike Jenkins.

“But it has got to pay its way so it needs to be available seven days a week. There are no comparable sites in the centre of Newport available for weddings, seminars, conferences and parties.

“A lot of interest is being shown already and we are taking bookings now for weddings in 2013. We have applied for a wedding licence so people can get married on the halfway line and have their reception on site!”

And on the demand for seasons tickets Jenkins said: “We haven’t sent out renewal packs yet but we are already way ahead of last year (when they sold 2,000) and prices are being held at those levels.

“We are running advertising campaigns and we are making a series of presentations to people which we want to take out into the community.

“I want to stress that we are eager to get out into the region to sell the whole concept, the match day experience. We also want an 80% occupancy of the facility.

“One initiative we have is that if you are a Newport season ticket holder you get a discount for the Dragons as well, and we want to extend that to our other Premiership clubs Cross Keys, Pontypool and Bedwas.

“The whole rationale behind this is rugby based, to generate income streams which will be reinvested in the rugby organisation like the first team squad and the academy - that’s the message, that’s the future.

“Rodney Parade is the last traditonal rugby ground, it’s in the city centre which none of the other three regional grounds are and there is a vociferous, partisan crowd which will serve and hopefully enhance that.

“Success on the field is, of course, paramount because people won’t come without the product, that’s got to be right.

“Everyone considers Rodney Parare a traditional rugby ground, Warren Gatland says its the best atmosphere of any of the regions, we are enhancing that.”

And the future beyond the completion of the stand and hospitality area?

“We would like to see further development of Rodney Parade with the southern end of the ground, but that would encompass student accommodation, plus a roof on the terrace,” said Jenkins.

But at last the wheel is turning and Rodney Parade could be the envy of the rest of the country on and off the field.

glamorganalun wrote:It is about time the Dragons tried to pull in crowds outside of Newport the problem is, it has taken so long, will the crowds come to Newport? The club could arrange organised transport to games as parking in Newport is poor, it may improve as the shopping centre seems to be closing down. There is no point in travelling by train from Cwmcarn as the train goes to Cardiff, maybe the Blues should run a special from Ebbw Vale to watch HC rugby?

I hope the Dragons can ditch the WRU from the club so they can move forward with potential investment but they need to do an Ulster and aim high but with Welsh players not S Africans.

DRAGONS SIGN UP BISLEY
By Charlotte Moriarty | Friday, 10 June 2011
Newport Gwent Dragons are delighted to announce that the new East Stand will be named the Bisley Stand. Bisley Office Furniture will be the region’s headline sponsor for the coming season.

The company name will be projected to fans and armchair viewers far and wide across Europe as the Dragons challenge for glory in the RaboDirect PRO12, LV=Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup tournaments.

Bisley and the Dragons have enjoyed a long and happy partnership since the launch of regional rugby.

The company was a shirt sponsor of the Men of Gwent last season and this new six-figure sponsorship deal renews the relationship with Bisley owner Tony Brown who re-joined the region’s Board of Directors last season.

“We see this sponsorship of the Newport Gwent Dragons as continued support of our brand awareness,” said Richard Blackwell, Bisley UK Sales & Group Marketing Director, “Bisley has had a major presence in the City of Newport since 1989 and currently employs over 400 local people. Bisley supplies the UK and the rest of the world with steel office storage of which nearly 70% is manufactured at the Newport Plant.”

Dragons Chief Executive Mike Jenkins added “This is a very exciting time for the Dragons and we are delighted that Bisley will be a key part of this next stage in the region’s development.

Tony Brown has been instrumental in enabling the new stand to be built and it is fitting that the title sponsorship of the new stand reflects the strength and importance of the relationship between Bisley, Rodney Parade and the teams who play here”

Impossible Standards wrote:Amiln pools are announced next Wednesday (15th).
Not sure when the Russia tickets are on sale but the match is on the 17th Aug so I guess a week or so before that.

manofgwent wrote: I e always thought it criminal that the WRU stand back and do nothing when other regions try and poach talent. I'm just glad Toby and steffan chose the dragons rather than aberavon!!!

AlynDavies wrote:The Dragons have been getting left behind to be frank. all 3 other regions have moved into new homes. Now finally the Dragons have got a decent stadium too.

Risca Rev wrote:Utter tosh. All three other regions have moved into new homes, but what good does it do? It just means more empty seats. Wow, well done. Is your brass band ready to try generating more noise again?

manofgwent wrote:Alum I couldn't disagree with you more.
You won't find many blues fans that are happy with playing at the CCS. If the ospreys can only attract 6000 to watch numerous lions and kiwi stars you can't blame tactics.
If playing in old stadiums is good enough for the likes of Gloucester and Leicester, it's good enough for the dragons.
Why do spectators need modern grounds?
I've been to the CCS 3 times and it's absolutely dire.
Unless these stadiums are at least 3/4 full the whole place echoes. I know people who won't go to the CCS because of this.
Ulster fans have mentioned that they only enjoy going to Rodney parade now, out of the regions.
I would like to think the blues would get back to the arms park. Probably the best old club ground in Wales. They are spending a fortune to play at the CCS and now can't afford to bring any new faces in. Their dans aren't happy, so if that's progress, I'll stick with the Rodney parade shed!

Griff wrote:My mate had 50 free tickets through the RAF, of which we had 6 for the Dragons game, but he couldn't shift the rest!

What about New Zealand? They do pretty well as a rugby nation. Are their clubs/provinces playing in new stadia or are they in old ones? I'm pretty sure they're all pretty old but they just get on with it and the rugby takes care if itself.