lovesthehardground wrote:Sorry, dont get this. How will playing a match in the NW increase UR's fan base that will attend matches at Ravenhill. Yes I am sure there are many in the NW who would go to a match played in Derry but how many would then start to come to Ravenhill on a regular basis? Very few I would imagine.
You are right, it will make sod all difference to attendance at Ravenhill, indeed it probably lowers the attendence for a year.
What it might do though is make a few folk up there feel that Ulster rugby is there team or that rugby is a sport for them. The former makes it more likely they spend money on Ulster shirts etc, the latter means we increase the number of people who could end up playing for us.
lovesthehardground wrote:Sorry, dont get this. How will playing a match in the NW increase UR's fan base that will attend matches at Ravenhill. Yes I am sure there are many in the NW who would go to a match played in Derry but how many would then start to come to Ravenhill on a regular basis? Very few I would imagine.
You are right, it will make sod all difference to attendance at Ravenhill, indeed it probably lowers the attendence for a year.
What it might do though is make a few folk up there feel that Ulster rugby is there team or that rugby is a sport for them. The former makes it more likely they spend money on Ulster shirts etc, the latter means we increase the number of people who could end up playing for us.
And you have sdtas to prove this??!!!! No I didn't tink so. Surely if this "sleeping" fans were there they would be watching BBC2 on a Friday night or Sky for the HC matches. Would have caught the bug by now and rushing out to buy their UR shirts?!
No again don't think so. Wearing a UR shirt up there may give the game away on what side of the fence you were born on. Maybe not. I don't know or care BTW, but i don't see a mass increase in kit sales from having a game there.
UR won't know until they try a pre-season game or so in the North West. The Coleraine area have produced Gaston, Cocheran and Trimble in the current Ulster squad, they deserve a game a bit closer to home instead of having to go on a 120mile round trip to Ravenhill every so often.
I've always wondered that the people of Belfast beleived Ulster to be their team and only their team. Belfast based posters in this thread are starting to prove that.
got nothing to do with being based in belfast or UR being a belfast team. i'm not based in belfast BTW. UR play their home games at ravenhill where they have played for decades. we do not play them in the NW. Your argument does not stand up. Should UR play in monaghan/ or cavan/ or even enniskillen? No. So why derry?
You dont think that maybe by playing this grand total of one game a year in a "Catholic" city Ulster rugby might be taking another small step on the path to eroding the view that wearing an UR top is a reliable indicator as to
lovesthehardground wrote: what side of the fence you were born on.
???
Maybe you are you happy for people to hold that view? I'm not.
bigchiefally wrote:You dont think that maybe by playing this grand total of one game a year in a "Catholic" city Ulster rugby might be taking another small step on the path to eroding the view that wearing an UR top is a reliable indicator as to
lovesthehardground wrote: what side of the fence you were born on.
???
Maybe you are you happy for people to hold that view? I'm not.
Check my post again and you'll see I've already answered that one. But then its maybe difficult for you to take on board other peoples views?
lovesthehardground wrote:got nothing to do with being based in belfast or UR being a belfast team. i'm not based in belfast BTW. UR play their home games at ravenhill where they have played for decades. we do not play them in the NW. Your argument does not stand up. Should UR play in monaghan/ or cavan/ or even enniskillen? No. So why derry?
Why Derry? Pretty simple really. It is the next biggest city after Belfast. It's a numbers game. As I've said before UR have a lower number of Catholic, non Grammar school and non Greater Belfast fans than they should do. Stuff like this can help to address these issues for limited cost to UR.
Maybe dont have a game in Derry every year but take UR on the road somewhere else once a year. Maybe have a game in Derry one year, then Cavan, then Monaghan, then Enniskillen etc. Derry makes the most sense though because it is big and espescially in 2013 because of the City of Culture.
BTW I live 5 minutes from Ravenhill so very much a Belfast boy.
bigchiefally wrote:You dont think that maybe by playing this grand total of one game a year in a "Catholic" city Ulster rugby might be taking another small step on the path to eroding the view that wearing an UR top is a reliable indicator as to
lovesthehardground wrote: what side of the fence you were born on.
???
Maybe you are you happy for people to hold that view? I'm not.
Check my post again and you'll see I've already answered that one. But then its maybe difficult for you to take on board other peoples views?
You are right, you said you didnt care if they hold that view or not. That is indeed different from being happy for people to hold that view.
A common theme in recent interviews, when talking about their plans for the future, is the need to increase playing numbers in the province to give a wider and stronger base for recruitment.
I imagine that in meetings of how to accomplish that, playing the odd game - even if only a friendly - around Ulster would have come up a lot. Equally, I imagine there in terms of where, Derry was one of the top names on the list if not the top. Just to put another perspective on it.
Just because there are numbers in Derry doesn't mean this will work and we will convert lots of people to Rugby in a non rugby city. Why not consider Monaghan? Somewhere like Clones maybe, Monaghan's favourite son is of course Tommy Bowe. The natives there are very proud of their provincial status and those that I know would love this. They love supporting Ireland but never get to 6 nations as they can't get tickets and have no reason to join a club. There would be no controversy here at all as in Derry it would be manufactured into one by pricks so unintelligent they think anything different is a threat.
damianmcr wrote:I doubt the GAA would open up Clones unless theres a rugby pitch there. Plus getting to Clones is a bit of a nightmare!
Can't happen. Rules specifically forbid it.
5.1 Uses of Property (a) All property including grounds, Club Houses, Halls, Dressing Rooms and Handball Alleys owned or controlled by units of the Association shall be used only for the purpose of or in connection with the playing of the Games controlled by the Association, and for such other purposes not in conflict with the Aims and Objects of the Association, that may be sanctioned from time to time by the Central Council. (b) Grounds controlled by Association units shall not be used or permitted to be used, for Horse Racing, Greyhound Racing, or for Field Games others than those sanctioned by Central Council.
(Note: Central Council shall have the power to authorise the use of Croke Park for games other than those controlled by the Association.) Penalty:
In the event of any Club, County Committee, or Provincial Council acting contrary to this Rule, that body shall be subject to suspension or fine, as deemed appropriate.
Really don't think playing a game in L'derry will change much, even a game every year whether friendly or competitive would change anything. The Ravens I would be very keen on playing matches away from Ravenhill, promote them reasonably well with free admittance and games in Monaghan, Dungannon, Coleraine, Ballymena and so on would be great. Promoting rugby and building bridges between communities and the like is up to the local clubs, rugby development officers and players through the schools and stuff like that. If we played every competitive rugby match in L'derry firstly it would bankrupt UR but secondly I don't think it would achieve a great lot.
I may well have had a misinformed view of 'City of Culture'. I was down the line of thinking Arts, Literature, History, Music etc.
Fairly certain that events celebrating these will be central in 2013 but would question the status of visits from La Liga, Premier League football clubs and Ulster Rugby. Are these add-ons to enhance the overall events schedule?
I would really like to know where the idea for a rugby game came from and who took it up and ran with it. If it was COD RFC, then fine. They are local and they would know best.
I have a nagging feeling in my waters that it may have came from the 'talkie-up fraternity' and UR were subsequently put in a position where they could not be seen to decline being involved. If it came from COD to celebrate rugby in Stroke City, then good luck to them.
