Exiles set for Exile?

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gilamonster
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by gilamonster »

In an increasingly introverted and screen-focussed world, in hindsight I’m not sure our investment in increased stadium capacity was the best idea. A venue where you need to buy a season ticket (or book well in advance) to guarantee getting a seat would have held demand through limited availability. Whereas the current status of punters knowing they can likely get a ticket late on to any fixture, then decide not to bother and just watch it on TV is probably only going to get worse, particularly as the coverage and pundit quality has got so much better. I couldn’t see much other than gently declining physical attendee numbers across the league anyway, now with three folded stakeholders, wobbly finances and (assuming the arms-race drops for a sustainable financial model) the likelihood of tailspinning European relevance against the better funded sides. Hmmmm.

With the above in mind and the rest of the league in a similar position re attendances, I think Prem Rugby really need to accept that maximising the televised content is the best shot the domestic game has. Surely there are unexploited viewing numbers in championship towns that might engage if there was more crossover with the premiership? The odd, cup, giant-killing in the local paper would trigger interest, then with the likely exodus of stars and reduction in prem squad size/quality the gap could shrink and potentially creep into something genuinely competitive. The elite, 12 team model with established supporter bases has probably fallen over for good, but maybe accepting an impending standard/budget drop and leveraging local pride and novelty to push for 20 crossed-over, relatively competitive teams over two promotion/relegation active leagues would be the way to go? In time it could provoke enough interest to crack new supporter bases in big enough numbers to have both televised as well as a cup comp.

I also wonder if the stadium (or the supporters) really need an off season? Routine and habit are pretty powerful interest drivers, and if there was a comparable product to attend/watch on TV every weekend, I at least would be keen. Would it be even vaguely possible to muck about with the wonderful stuff the women are doing and flip them over to summer rugby if regular broadcasting was offered? To have year-out, all inclusive season tickets across the league(s) and 52 weekend afternoons of Welford Rd/BT/Prem Rugby TV coverage to establish into standard watching/attending habit?

Just maybe, in time, investing in diversity and exposure of untapped towns and the burgeoning women’s game, twinned with year round predictability of coverage, could ignite new derbies, crack sleeping fan bases and with rugby supporters (being an odd bunch) watching a lot more games than just their home team, build up some viewing numbers that might mean something more to broadcasters than an ailing, 10 team closed-clique.

The glitterati and elite stuff was fun, as were the old days when you had to attend to follow your team. But genuine competition and tribal rivalry are just as potent interest triggers as seeing superstar players, and with the world getting less and less comfortable looking at things outside of a screen, activating the championship, closing the gap, fully backing the women, and getting as much as poss on a screen is where I’d hang my hat and bet my money.
gilamonster
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by gilamonster »

Just looked up the 2022/23 attendance numbers; 22,000 average (out of 25,849), with 11,500 season tickets quoted as having being sold on 28/07/22. Waaay better than I assumed it would have been post covid. Hopefully entirely wrong about attendee decline!
TigerFeetSteve
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by TigerFeetSteve »

gilamonster wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:37 am Just looked up the 2022/23 attendance numbers; 22,000 average (out of 25,849), with 11,500 season tickets quoted as having being sold on 28/07/22. Waaay better than I assumed it would have been post covid. Hopefully entirely wrong about attendee decline!
We've also confirmed on social media that we have sold over 12,000 season tickets for next year. I think two of the other clubs have confirmed that they have already sold out of season tickets too, so for all doom and gloom around attendances us and some of the other clubs are actually doing quite well.
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Hot_Charlie
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by Hot_Charlie »

gilamonster wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:37 am Just looked up the 2022/23 attendance numbers; 22,000 average (out of 25,849), with 11,500 season tickets quoted as having being sold on 28/07/22. Waaay better than I assumed it would have been post covid. Hopefully entirely wrong about attendee decline!
I think given the context of 2020-2023, we don't need to immediately worry about attendances, particularly given some fans may well still be "staying away" for whatever reason.
gilamonster
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by gilamonster »

Definitely nowhere near as doomy or gloomy as thought! Leaving out Quins and Sarries (who hosted ‘big games’), Us (22k), Briz (16k), Gloucester (14k), Bath (13k) and Saints (13k) did solid average attendance numbers, while Exeter (10k), LI (9k), Sale (6k), Newc (5k) look gradually less pretty.

The best attended game in the championship last season was Bedford vs Ampthill (26/12/2022) at 5k, while the average across the whole league was 1,336 per match.
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by Rugbygramps »

Gilamonster the point you make about a viable championship is one everyone agrees with. It is a shame that Wasps, Worcester, and now Irish , weren’t able to hold things together enough to just drop down to the championship, as that would have made it a more marketable commodity.
The Bedford v Ampthill game you mention I’m assuming will have been sold as a local derby hence the attendance.
The new format of the PRC will allow for premiership v championship games, though the chances of any giant killing are practically non existent. Tigers could put out a completely 2nd choice 23 and still win comfortably
Fish8ter
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by Fish8ter »

As the league looks to be a 10 team competition, I do worry for clubs with decreased revenue, A games just don't cut in terms of TV and crowd revenue, I think there are tough times ahead :smt022
gilamonster
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by gilamonster »

Good context RG, helpful, and great point about the three folded clubs. That could have really helped bridge the divide.
Offside
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by Offside »

There was a good point on the RL rugby show from a journalist who said they had tried to build up a rivalry between Ford and Farrell to sell the premiership final and neither wanted to bite. O’Gara vs Leinster has been an entertaining match up in some programmes. I do not like the big hype seen in boxing etc but some humorous rivalry may sell some games to the casual fan that then gets sucked in. I have a friend who will come to Welford road for the first time next season based on my enthusiasm and dragging him to Sale vs Tigers up here for the last 2 meetings. May be we all need to recruit a mate too?
loretta
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by loretta »

Where there is already a base, I do think there's an element of build it and they will come. For example, Wasps showed that some support could be drawn out with attractive rugby. Their gates were undoubtedly inflated by marketing, but there must be a few thousand in Coventry missing them. If Cov rugby could be better funded, pick up some more of the quality players floating around without employment, and the championship was known to be of a higher standard, the gates would improve. Success brings support.
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ourla
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by ourla »

I don't think we would be maximising our match day revenue if our capacity was at the level that never any tickets available for low key matches. For the biggest games yes we should look to be sold out.

There seem to be more and more festivals and events popping up. We've not always done a great job in terms of match day experience/eventing in my point of view.

We should certainly be looking to sweat the stadium asset as much as possible - in whatever shape or form that is.

Most of us seem to be in agreement a solid second tier would help.
RagingBull
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by RagingBull »

Club should try harder to setup friendlies

Men and women baaabaas double header would be cool
Rugbygramps
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by Rugbygramps »

RagingBull wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 12:50 pm Club should try harder to setup friendlies

Men and women baaabaas double header would be cool
World Cup year so difficult but midweek games against touring sides used to be great events
johnthegriff
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by johnthegriff »

I like that idea but unless we are talking pre season I don't see that the club would risk injury to regular first team players in a friendly. As for the Baa baas they would not be the all star fixtures of the past as no club will.release its players during the season. We need a proper domestic cup competition, one that would not be dismissed as a Mickey Mouse Cup, involve the Championship.club's in that to help out those teams.
GB72
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Re: Exiles set for Exile?

Post by GB72 »

johnthegriff wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2023 1:16 pm I like that idea but unless we are talking pre season I don't see that the club would risk injury to regular first team players in a friendly. As for the Baa baas they would not be the all star fixtures of the past as no club will.release its players during the season. We need a proper domestic cup competition, one that would not be dismissed as a Mickey Mouse Cup, involve the Championship.club's in that to help out those teams.
I agree with most of that and also feel that the Barbarians are in danger of diluting their appeal if they are wheeled out most weeks with an ever reducing quality of player in the team. That said, I do think that there would be a massive appeal if Tigers could bring back the boxing day match as that at least has a strong grounding in tradition.

Any other suggestions I have would require the involvement of the unions. Suggestions may be to have the Lions warm up against a couple of club sides pre tour rather than the pointless match against a home nation. Would also like to see England play a touring side over 3 tests in the Autumn with mid week matches against clubs. None of this will ever happen but they are at least suggestions. I would also have an Autumn intetnationl that does not involve the top 4 Southern Hemispeher nations be played at a club ground.
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