Last Night's Rugger - How Did The Club Benefit?

[Official Old Man]

I watched the intro of the Sky programme where the commentator had nothing but praise for the stadium. And as a Rugby man I don't think he'd stepped foot anywhere near it before.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

Rugby could and should become a nice little earner for the club in the future. Surely there's a market for it down here in middle class Sussex

Worthing's our top rugby club in Sussex, isn't it? I hear them mentioned on BBC Sussex quite a bit, but Brighton very rarely. I guess their crowds would be too small ever to justify using the Amex, unless they got drawn in a cup competition against a Premiership side, though things could change if they went up through the leagues. Their ground's at Roundstone Lane, Angmering, isn't it? I don't know what their crowds are like, though.

 

[Yoda]

Worthing's our top rugby club in Sussex, isn't it? I hear them mentioned on BBC Sussex quite a bit, but Brighton very rarely. I guess their crowds would be too small ever to justify using the Amex, unless they got drawn in a cup competition against a Premiership side, though things could change if they went up through the leagues. Their ground's at Roundstone Lane, Angmering, isn't it? I don't know what their crowds are like, though.

Worthing have been averaging about the 800-1000 mark lately, nut have also been looking at moving from Roundstone Lane to land close to Goring station.

The only way I could see them playing any games a the Amex is if they were promoted 3 times to the Premiership.

Worthing have also been good at helping develop some of the younger players. Joe Marler and Joe Launchbury have both played for Worthing and gone on to play for the National team and, out of last nights squad, James Chisholm played for them last year and this year they currently have Joe Marchant & Piers O'Coner on their books from their parent clubs.

 

[Stat Brother]

Seems to me a long term strategy by the owners of the stadium. Establish the stadium as a venue for all sorts of prestige events, build the hotel, fill the hotel with attendees of aforesaid prestige events at premium prices.

That would seem to be an ideal business strategy.

It's nice to finally support a club with a plan beyond 'how are we going to pay the next bill'.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Did they ruin the pitch?

No it looks just the same as it did in 2008 #ploughedfield

 

[Superphil]

Thats where i am. Would be stunned if they hadn't insisted in a trial run

Serious question, why would they need a trial run, we've had over 100 events at the Amex, most if them with a bigger crowd than last night, what can they learn from last night?

Rugby could and should become a nice little earner for the club in the future. Surely there's a market for it down here in middle class Sussex

Middle Class Sussex doesn't watch club rugby in any numbers, they're all plastics, only turn out for the internationals, or when 'their' club team plays a 'once a season' special match at Twickenham.

 

[Gazwag]

Serious question, why would they need a trial run, we've had over 100 events at the Amex, most if them with a bigger crowd than last night, what can they learn from last night.

First sporting event to allow drinking on the terraces - were there any issues.

How did the ground men's convert the pitch - what recovery issues would the pitch have.

Would the clock on the tv screens work - needs work as was on 80 minutes for about 15 minutes at the end of the game as it didn't stop when the ref stopped his watch.

 

[Superphil]

First sporting event to allow drinking on the terraces - were there any issues.

How did the ground men's convert the pitch - what recovery issues would the pitch have.

Would the clock on the tv screens work - needs work as was on 80 minutes for about 15 minutes at the end of the game as it didn't stop when the ref stopped his watch.

Fair enough, I thought the post I quoted was referring to the RFU wanting a trial run, all the points you make, which are totally valid, are matters affecting the Albion and the Amex, the running of it and the fabric of it.

 

[somerset]

Middle Class Sussex doesn't watch club rugby in any numbers, they're all plastics, only turn out for the internationals, or when 'their' club team plays a 'once a season' special match at Twickenham.

Its a fair point, although rugby is ingrained in the private school system, it isn't too high on the general publics radar in Sussex for some reason. Very few clubs, how many across the whole county, 10 maybe?.......by comparison, I played for 20 odd years until 4 years ago in the Bristol combination which covers Bristol and the immediate surrounding area, there are 53 clubs.....my club (Yatton)regularly ran 4 senior men's teams and the 1st team would always have 3-5 hundred supporters watching and spending in the bar.

I think if Worthing, Hove or Brighton did move up the leagues, they would attract decent crowds, but to sustain the interest there needs to be more local clubs, probably never going to happen in Sussex.

 

[el punal]

Cue the rugger bugger ripostes from Sussex who regularly watch Harlequins, London Irish and, Wasps before going oop North (well Coventry)!

I'm must admit that on Saturdays, waiting at Southampton station to take me to the beloved Amex, I've noticed a load of Bath rugby fans catching the train west. Perhaps rugby is not as parochial as football.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Serious question, why would they need a trial run, we've had over 100 events at the Amex, most if them with a bigger crowd than last night, what can they learn from last night.

First sporting event to allow drinking on the terraces - were there any issues.

How did the ground men's convert the pitch - what recovery issues would the pitch have.

Would the clock on the tv screens work - needs work as was on 80 minutes for about 15 minutes at the end of the game as it didn't stop when the ref stopped his watch.

Fair enough, I thought the post I quoted was referring to the RFU wanting a trial run, all the points you make, which are totally valid, are matters affecting the Albion and the Amex, the running of it and the fabric of it.

Have to say I thought the same as [MENTION=268]Superphil[/MENTION]. However, I found the following:

http://www.espn.co.uk/premiership-2014-15/rugby/story/232193.html

Northampton Saints have moved next season's 'home' fixture against Saracens to Milton Keynes in order to help the city prepare for the 2015 World Cup.

Stadiummk, home of Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, will host a repeat of the 2014 Premiership final next season when the Saints take on Saracens on Saturday, April 25 2015.

The match will serve as a warm-up for next year's World Cup, with the 30,500-capacity venue due to host three pool matches at the tournament.

I suppose it must be a condition of hosting at non-rugby grounds to have a game or two before the tournament.

 

[wehatepalace]

If wasps can play in Coventry, then you never know, maybe another club would move to Brighton.
I certainly believe if premiership rugby was on offer in sussex there would be plenty of people to support it, and after all it's not far from London on the trains these days.
I think there would easily be 8-10k crowds.
The only problem would be, the amount of games that can be played at the Amex, isn't there a limit ?

 

[somerset]

London Irish - Reading
Wasps - Wycombe ( now Coventry)
London Welsh - Oxford
Sale - Stockport
Bristol - Rovers ( now City)
Saracens - was Watford

So you see there is a set of precedents that could form the basis of a business proposal.....all they need is a top level club.

Maybe Bloom should form a consortium and push a 5 year plan to get a Brighton Rfc into the top divisions via using the Amex.

 

[The Birdman]

Someone who is a Brighton fan and also likes Rugby Union I enjoyed the game on Friday night, lots of youngsters at the game who may also want to go to a football match at the Amex in the future so we may benefit from the odd Rugby game. I would be worried if regular rugby matches are played at the Amex it may damage our great playing surface. Well done Brighton looking forward seeing the Amex in September on TV unless I can blag a ticket.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Serious question, why would they need a trial run, we've had over 100 events at the Amex, most if them with a bigger crowd than last night, what can they learn from last night?.

Their aim is stress test their plans at the stadium. They are also trail running at the olympic stadium.

 

[Yoda]

So you see there is a set of precedents that could form the basis of a business proposal.....all they need is a top level club.

Maybe Bloom should form a consortium and push a 5 year plan to get a Brighton Rfc into the top divisions via using the Amex.

Would need a 6 year plan for Brighton (in the 7th tier, London 2 South East). Worthing would only need 3 years in National 2 South.

 

[Gwylan]

Middle Class Sussex doesn't watch club rugby in any numbers, they're all plastics, only turn out for the internationals, or when 'their' club team plays a 'once a season' special match at Twickenham.

That's a bit unfair - you may as well say that, looking at the gates Burgess Hill, Lewes or Whitehawk get - fans in Sussex don't watch football in any numbers. Rugby is the same as football, the higher up the pyramid you go, the higher the gate. Sussex have no teams in the top two divisions, so it's hardly surprising that they don't attract big numbers. There's a lot of support for rugby locally though - a decent team would attract plenty of fans

 

[Uncle Buck]

Its a fair point, although rugby is ingrained in the private school system, it isn't too high on the general publics radar in Sussex for some reason. Very few clubs, how many across the whole county, 10 maybe?.......by comparison, I played for 20 odd years until 4 years ago in the Bristol combination which covers Bristol and the immediate surrounding area, there are 53 clubs.....my club (Yatton)regularly ran 4 senior men's teams and the 1st team would always have 3-5 hundred supporters watching and spending in the bar.

I think if Worthing, Hove or Brighton did move up the leagues, they would attract decent crowds, but to sustain the interest there needs to be more local clubs, probably never going to happen in Sussex.

A number of the Sussex private schools are Woodard schools and play football rather than rugby.

 

[SAC]

I have no idea if it is just due to the rugby but the Reading pitch looked awful.

 

[el punal]

I have no idea if it is just due to the rugby but the Reading pitch looked awful.

No surprise really. Their fans keep invading it in numbers on numerous occasions. Just wait for them to finish in seventh place again - now that would be fun.