Amex and Rugby Union

[goldstone rocks]

Argas reporting that the Amex is lined up for the European Cup Semi Final if Wasps can beat Toulon (sadly is isn't ever ever ever going to happen).

Clearly the Amex is now being seen as a venue to stage high profile sports events and the thought of a European Cup semi final at the Amex (having gone to Cardiff for the final last year) shows how far we have come and how highly our facilities are accepted.

If only we had moved when Wasps were looking for a new home and left for the delights of Coventry when demand down on the coast would be huge.

 

[Everest]

If only we had moved when Wasps were looking for a new home and left for the delights of Coventry when demand down on the coast would be huge.

Wouldn't have happened.

 

[mikeyjh]

Argas reporting that the Amex is lined up for the European Cup Semi Final if Wasps can beat Toulon (sadly is isn't ever ever ever going to happen).

Clearly the Amex is now being seen as a venue to stage high profile sports events and the thought of a European Cup semi final at the Amex (having gone to Cardiff for the final last year) shows how far we have come and how highly our facilities are accepted.

If only we had moved when Wasps were looking for a new home and left for the delights of Coventry when demand down on the coast would be huge.

Nice thought isn't! Would be great to see top class rugby in the area, but it ain't going to happen in April.

 

[TomandJerry]

Barber OUT

 

[SAC]

It would be lovely to see the pitch fecked up every other week so that 5000 people can watch rugby union locally.

 

[goldstone rocks]

Have you been to the Liberty Stadium Swansea where Swansea and the Ospreys share? Hasn't impacted on Premier League football for the Swans as they have managed it well. You think only 5000 would watch down here? On what basis do you work out 5000?

 

[Diablo]

It would be lovely to see the pitch fecked up every other week so that 5000 people can watch rugby union locally.

Reading pitch share with London Irish...No problem....These days pitches are resiliant and easily repaired....I to would Love alternate weekends of football and Rugby at the Amex.

 

[TomandJerry]

Reading pitch share with London Irish...No problem....These days pitches are resiliant and easily repaired....I to would Love alternate weekends of football and Rugby at the Amex.

Wigan also pitch share

 

[London Irish]

I would have loved to see a euro semi final at the Amex - much more meaningful than the two world cup games later this year. Sadly Wasps are a bit too ordinary compared to megabucks Toulon to oblige

 

[SAC]

Have you been to the Liberty Stadium Swansea where Swansea and the Ospreys share? Hasn't impacted on Premier League football for the Swans as they have managed it well. You think only 5000 would watch down here? On what basis do you work out 5000?

I just plucked a number out of the air to support my argument! The state of the pitch I am solely basing on the Reading pitch, which looked awful.

 

[London Irish]

Reading pitch share with London Irish...No problem....These days pitches are resiliant and easily repaired....I to would Love alternate weekends of football and Rugby at the Amex.

Coppell always used to complain about our cloggers messing up the Royals' artful passing game but they didn't exactly do badly (also helped by the rent we gave them). But of course the Amex can cope with the odd game every now and then, not an issue

 

[Gwylan]

It would be lovely to see the pitch fecked up every other week so that 5000 people can watch rugby union locally.

5000? Wasps average more than 20,000 for the home games at the Ricoh ... and we're a lot closer to London than Coventry.

It would be fantastic if we could entice some top class rugby to the Amex on a regular basis

 

[Everest]

In case anybody missed the U20s match there and wanted to see it, here's the full programme.

 

[Stat Brother]

I assume the club would have to go back to Mr Planning in order to get the conditions of use changed for the AMEX, should they want to change it to a duo purpose stadium.

Although judging by the comments made by the Falmer residents when approached about the hotel and our fantastic non-bat killing behaviour I doubt that will be a problem.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

5000? Wasps average more than 20,000 for the home games at the Ricoh ... and we're a lot closer to London than Coventry.

It would be fantastic if we could entice some top class rugby to the Amex on a regular basis

It's a LITTLE bit disingenuous to measure the distances to Coventry and Brighton, from London. Despite their roots, Wasps were at Adams Park for about 15 years - pretty much their entire existence as a professional club. That's where their fan base has grown and is now centred.

That said the distances from Adams Park to both The Ricoh and the Amex are pretty much exactly the same (84 miles).

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I assume the club would have to go back to Mr Planning in order to get the conditions of use changed for the AMEX, should they want to change it to a duo purpose stadium.

Although judging by the comments made by the Falmer residents when approached about the hotel and our fantastic non-bat killing behaviour I doubt that will be a problem.

They would need to get the permitted number of outdoor events increased from 50 to fit in a full rugby and football Season.

Personally can't see a problem with it, but I imagine Falmer Parish and the Universities might have.

 

[Gwylan]

It's a LITTLE bit disingenuous to measure the distances to Coventry and Brighton, from London. Despite their roots, Wasps were at Adams Park for about 15 years - pretty much their entire existence as a professional club. That's where their fan base has grown and is now centred.

That said the distances from Adams Park to both The Ricoh and the Amex are pretty much exactly the same (84 miles).

Wasps were based in London for over 100 years, so I think it's pretty fair to call them a London club. They were at Adams Park for a little over 11 years, not 15. I've no idea where their fanbase comes from but I wouldn't mind betting that most of them came from London rather than Wycombe. Do you think it likely that most of our gates when we played at Priestfield were made up of people from Gillingham? They'd have been a few but they'd have been a minority.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I just plucked a number out of the air to support my argument! The state of the pitch I am solely basing on the Reading pitch, which looked awful.

The Reading pitch was awful. The odd game or 2 at the Amex per season would be ok, but I don't think it's worth the damage to the pitch to have a full time rugby fixture list.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

In case anybody missed the U20s match there and wanted to see it, here's the full programme.

Cheers for posting. Interesting that they didn't use the TV studio at the Amex.

 

[Eeyore]

I just plucked a number out of the air to support my argument! The state of the pitch I am solely basing on the Reading pitch, which looked awful.

It all depends on the type of grass. Swansea City seem to be fine sharing with Ospreys.

That said, a ground share with another team is not going to happen. But to have the odd game, especially a European Semi-Final, would be a wonderful spectacle, good for the clubs finances, and massive in terms of raising sporting the profile of the area.

Being a Harlequins fan, the thought of watching them in a major game at the AMEX is mouth watering, I would even set aside rivalries and watch the Wasps there. Quins have a large Sussex fan base (including a number of Albion fans), so one game a year at the AMEX wouldn't hurt.

A European Semi-Final at the AMEX would be a sell-out.