Catalan v Wigan July4th 2010 : Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:59 pm  

Why do you want to move this game after the fixture list has been published,
we have paid out £250 deposit already, booked flights and hotels , as have many Wigan fans.
You can not treat people like this !!!!!!!!!!!

: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:07 pm  

I believe it was originally intended to be Montpellier. I am however in the same boat as you, but we should wait and see if the game is game is actually moved and what type of compensation is offered. I don't want to be out of pocket.

Afterall, a move to Montpellier can only be good for RL.

: Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:34 pm  

i have to ask the question...
Why can a move to montpellier only be good for RL?

Re: Catalan v Wigan July4th 2010 : Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:11 pm  

Because it helps to spread the game, more geographical spread and better demographics mean more sponsorship money etc.

Re: Catalan v Wigan July4th 2010 : Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:45 am  

That sounds very nice but its frankly a load of bull.
They can play the game all over the place every game at a new venue if what your saying actually worked but it doesn't.

They have a really strong supporter base, good relations with local business, where they are based. i.e Perpignan.
If you where one of those local business men, lets say you own a bar and you expect to have a couple of thousand people there for a weekend and you know you'll see x% of them spending money at your bar, how are you goingto feel when the club decide to move that game and your takings that weekend will be decimated?
Are you likely to bend over to support the Dragons next time they want you to?
No. You'll think sod them.
Or you've got your family into going watching and suddemly one of the biggest games becomes an "away" game and you can't afford to go.

Lets take these games they have played on the road...
I do not know the figures but i doubt you'll see loads of people from Barcelona making the trip to Dragons home games after becoming hooked on one match. If they want to attract new support in that way you need to play several games there over a period to get people into it, not one off's.

Why would it bring new sponsors?
or would these be to replace the local sponsors you have disenfranchised?
And as for better demographics are you telling me that the population in Perpignan is ready to pop its clogs (it doesn't seem that way at a match) but montpellier has a fountain of youth?

Either way....

If they had realised all this was so important before they brought out the fixtures (when they were talking of playing in Montpellier) that would have been fine.
But they announced them as Perpignan and thats were it should be.
People will simply stop going if they get messed around.

Re: Catalan v Wigan July4th 2010 : Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:19 pm  

Yes moving to Montpellier would spread the game who knows we could fast track them to SL and then after a year of heavy RL investment they could move to north of France!! Meanwhile in the real world teams like Keighly are struggling with no money!!!!!

Re: Catalan v Wigan July4th 2010 : Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:26 pm  

Thats why if we had any sence the RFL / SL would make sure that each SL club played a preseason game against a club from the lower divisions.
It might not seem like much but promoted well it would provide some much needed income for the real heart of our game.

Re: Catalan v Wigan July4th 2010 : Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:51 pm  

Ian Roberts Closet wrote:

Yes moving to Montpellier would spread the game who knows we could fast track them to SL and then after a year of heavy RL investment they could move to north of France!! Meanwhile in the real world teams like Keighly are struggling with no money!!!!!

With respect, there is no comparison to make. Keighley is a nothing club in a nothing town which offers little beyond it's local community and will never be able to due to its size.

Catalan Dragons is the driving force behind reigniting the whole of Rugby League in France. Their story is one of success. Their on-the-road games last year were unqualified successes which benefited their club, their fans, and French/Catalan Rugby League.

It's sad that Keighley are in trouble but it will not affect the wider game greatly. The Catalans however, have a direct impact on things such as making international rugby league more competitive, increasing sponsorship and TV revenue, and increasing the number of fans/players of the sport.

Re: Catalan v Wigan July4th 2010 : Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:49 pm  

Your almost right but you put it in such a terrible way.
basically by your argument the vast bulk of teams might as well give it up because they're not worth bothering with.
in all seriousness..
Unqualified success is going a bit far though. The Barcelona game lost money for example.
Ok it was down to the excessive cost of the stadium but the sums still add up to a loss. Are there loads of converts from Barcelona heading to Perpignan every week?

What exactly is achieved?

I am a massive supporter of the Dragons as yes it does mean that over time we will get a better French national team. That makes sence.
Them playing some of their games around the region - no problem - there is some logic in that, if done properly without alienating their core support. But there is the rub. Alienate your core support and you'll have nothing to call home.

Why do people who like expansion seemingly want to cut adrift all the existing teams and let them wither?
Why can't the same efforts be made for the teams that need that bit of help but are in the so called heartlands?

Before Bradford came along and ripped off everything that Keithley were doing it was Cougamania or whatever it was called that was leading the way and dragging in the crowds. When we used our brains and had a proper world cup in '95 their ground was full to busting because they promoted that game and sold it out.

Now just because there not up to what you want, just let them die. It wouldn't matter would it?

RL is a small game and we need to support the whole game.
There are sadly not enough people who watch our game and the money comes from the same pockets over and over again.
I agree with you about the importance of the dragons but the bottom line remains that if they swap and change fixtures after they are announced people will stop going.

Re: Catalan v Wigan July4th 2010 : Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:58 pm  

Barcelona didn't alienate the core support, it engaged with them and it was estimated that up to 10,000 fans travelled from Perpignan to the the Catalan Capital for the game.
To say the match made a loss is perhaps a short term view. The long term impact of staging such an occassion in such an influential city, and engaging with the heart of the Catalan business and media community, will be felt over the coming years.
Don't also forget that at the moment the core support is largely made up of all French Rugby League fans as this is the only top class rugby league club. Plenty of fans travel from miles around to watch the Catalans, and it is right that Catalans engage with the Rugby League fans in the rest of the country once or twice a season.