Knock On Effect?

Okay I hold my hands up and admit that I have not shed one tear over the collapse of the Celtic League due to the Welsh regions wanting to play in an English cup competition. In fact, the news went pretty much over my head when it was announced such is my lack of interest in rugby union as a sport. I make no bones about my dis-interest in rugby. Nothing personal against the sport it has just never really interested me enough to make me sit up and take notice. I doubt I could even list more than about two or three players that play for the Ospreys. Gavin Henson is one. That big fat bloke with the curly hair is another and I think there is another big fat bloke with curly hair. And that is about it. Not even the names of more than one. And would I know that name if he wasn’t intimate with a singer? Doubtful.

But, anyway I digress. The Celtic league has collapsed and as such the Ospreys have nothing to play in next season other than a few games in a cup competition. And according to the Evening Post tonight, 15 games a season for the side that will share White Rock Stadium with us. Of which half I would imagine would be away from home and potentially even one at the Gnoll despite the loss of the name Neath from their title to try to encompass more than the region – another move I don’t understand and to be honest one I don’t really care about.

So why am I wittering about rugby on this, a football web site? Well, would less games for the Ospreys next season have a knock on effect for the Swans? Surely it has to? Less income into the stadium means less income to meet what will pretty much be the same expenditure? Or am I missing something?

Expanding on the thought I just had. The Ospreys were due to play 12 games at the stadium next season. I guess if they carry out their plans that now comes down to somewhere between 6 and 8? (Someone correct me if they know that I am wrong as I said I know nothing about rugby) Let’s work on 8 – 4 games less at the stadium at say 3500 per game (roughly what people predict they will sell?) 14,000 less paying what? £10 per game? £140,000 less income for them of which how much goes to Stadco? 20%? (these are all questions, I would be interested in knowing the answers) £28,000 less for Stadco? £10k almost less for the Swans?

Premier Seats – have been sold on the basis of x amount of football, x amount of rugby. Less x amount of rugby – will people start asking for lower prices? If so what is the knock on effect there? £10 per month less? 1100 seats x £10 per month = £11000 per month or £132,000 per year? All adds up. Same for the corporate boxes? Should they be less if there is less action at the stadium? There is an argument against this which could be backed by saying that if the Swans ever reached the Premiership there would be less games so less charges for the seats but would that apply? Is the standard of rugby people will be watching going up by the changes? I would doubt it? Or am I wrong there?

I hate to say this but the stadium being empty more often because of less games is bad news for us as a football club. The only plus I can see is less pressure on the pitch but a stadium with no people in it on four more Saturdays a year surely has to be bad news for us?

Many have stated that they believe that we are getting the bum end of the deal from this stadium share but that’s not part of this argument. Our ‘bum end’ will get worse as a result of this unless someone can tell me why it won’t. Not catastrophically worse but definitely worse and if the Ospreys have decided that they can move the goalposts then have the football club got a case to ask for a rethought on how Stadco and the stadium running costs to be met? I would think so?

Time will tell but these are things to think on. Aren’t they?