Ospreys looking to leave

[3swan]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-region-plan-leave-stadium-28436805

 

[monmouth]

I should think most would say 'good riddance' - and it's not good for them to play in an echo chamber neither.

Thing is though, now we've oh so cleverly bought the stadium, instead of having a super sweet peppercorn rental deal, it's an income stream.

add, having read the WoL blurb - is he really that stupid? His number one priority should be survival and funding. Plus, selling out a small stadium against Benneton on a Friday night (there isn't a stadium small enough by the way) is of no benefit if it's the same number of tickets but in a smaller ground, just because you sell out rather than have lots of excess capacity. It's like the scum moving to Rodney Parade and filling it now and again instead of having vast swathes of empty seats in their 'big' ground. Pointless.

 

[bakajack]

It would certainly make maintenance of the pitch easier from Swansea's perspective albeit at a loss in whatever the Ospreys pay for rent.

Honestly I would be lying if I said that I had any clue about how much the Osprey's average attendance was but its clear that its nowhere near the 21,000 capacity of the current stadium. Considering how not just for me but for many others domestic rugby has far, far less appeal than international rugby and I would be surprised if it was half that outside of huge games like the derby against Cardiff.

 

[monmouth]

It would certainly make maintenance of the pitch easier from Swansea's perspective albeit at a loss in whatever the Ospreys pay for rent.

Honestly I would be lying if I said that I had any clue about how much the Osprey's average attendance was but its clear that its nowhere near the 21,000 capacity of the current stadium. Considering how not just for me but for many others domestic rugby has far, far less appeal than international rugby and I would be surprised if it was half that outside of huge games like the derby against Cardiff.

7K I think maximum average, and they don't get huge crowds for Cardiff or (the real rivalry) Llanelli any more. I said Welsh rugby was in real trouble a few years ago and got ridiculed. It was, and it is. Chickens are coming home to roost from decades of mismanagement and papering over cracks. When the national team starts to seriously fail (and it's in the post) the whole thing will crash. Cardiff is getting an injection of money I think, so I hope they use it well.

The only hope is the new WRU board can get a grip over the medium term and start actually believing in professional rugby outside team Wales, to actually benefit team Wales. Short term we are stuffed with a few superb players (like Captain Jac) and zero options in key positions and all the half decent players buggering off to England, France and Japan. Playing youngsters and being cannon fodder won't help crowds.

Anyway, I don't really care about "the Ospreys". Regarding the Swans, let's hope it's not a hit on income. At least the pitch might improve.

 

[Neath_Jack]

I should think most would say 'good riddance' - and it's not good for them to play in an echo chamber neither.

Thing is though, now we've oh so cleverly bought the stadium, instead of having a super sweet peppercorn rental deal, it's an income stream.

add, having read the WoL blurb - is he really that stupid? His number one priority should be survival and funding. Plus, selling out a small stadium against Benneton on a Friday night (there isn't a stadium small enough by the way) is of no benefit if it's the same number of tickets but in a smaller ground, just because you sell out rather than have lots of excess capacity. It's like the scum moving to Rodney Parade and filling it now and again instead of having vast swathes of empty seats in their 'big' ground. Pointless.

Similar to us, we'll be rattling around in an empty stadium if fans continue to stay away and dwindle much further.

 

[Niigata Jack]

Similar to us, we'll be rattling around in an empty stadium if fans continue to stay away and dwindle much further.

Swans can move down to Ashley Road mun!

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

Swans can move down to Ashley Road mun!

Yeah it's the same standard of football

 

[Jacket]

I can't imagine there was a huge hike in the rent the Ospreys pay since we bought the stadium, and I can't remember too many complaints from them at the time of the sale, so I'd have a guess that they're still at peppercorn or there abouts. It also should be noted that the cost of playing here isn't mentioned in their statement about moving. That being the case, I wonder how much higher the rent they pay is than the additional ground maintenance cost of having them here?

 

[monmouth]

I can't imagine there was a huge hike in the rent the Ospreys pay since we bought the stadium, and I can't remember too many complaints from them at the time of the sale, so I'd have a guess that they're still at peppercorn or there abouts. It also should be noted that the cost of playing here isn't mentioned in their statement about moving. That being the case, I wonder how much higher the rent they pay is than the additional ground maintenance cost of having them here?

Thats a really good point. I vaguely remember that one of the conditions of the council sale was 'protection' of the bloody Ospreys arrangement. If that's true, you're right, it may be a net outflow.

 

[Jacket]

Similar to us, we'll be rattling around in an empty stadium if fans continue to stay away and dwindle much further.

Caught a glimpse of the Ospreys match on the tv and it looked to me like there were more at the away end at Birmingham than at the .com on Friday. Whatever they're claiming the attendance was (and rugby clubs aren't famed for accurate reporting of attendances, usually rounding up to the nearest thousand up from the actual gate) looked worse than the attendances of around 3,000 we regularly attracted to the Vetch in the 90s.