How many more....................

[Plymouth Grecian]

To be honest was disappointed with the attendence yesterday, thought that the rugby probably took 400 off the gate, and however many it took off its still lost revenue to the club.

However, not worry, just been checking both sets of fixtures and there doesn't look like too many clashes across the season (unless I've balls up!), from my calculations they are as follows; (obviously not including cup matches not yet drawn)

18th September - City home to Peterborough, Chiefs home tio Newcastle.
26th Feb - City home to Hartlepool, chiefs home to Bath (game to be played between 25th and 27th)
16th April - City home to Orient, cheifs home to Saracens (game to be played between 15th and 17th).
Boxing day - city home to Swindon and the cheifs are away at Bath (could loose a few off the gate, not many though I would of thought).

So currently only 3 matches where supporteres would have to choose, not a huge issue IMHO.

 

[Strongbow]

Surely it only really matters if the attendances are above or below what the board have budgeted for?

 

[ecfctis]

To be honest was disappointed with the attendence yesterday, thought that the rugby probably took 400 off the gate, and however many it took off its still lost revenue to the club.

However, not worry, just been checking both sets of fixtures and there doesn't look like too many clashes across the season (unless I've balls up!), from my calculations they are as follows; (obviously not including cup matches not yet drawn)

18th September - City home to Peterborough, Chiefs home tio Newcastle.
26th Feb - City home to Hartlepool, chiefs home to Bath (game to be played between 25th and 27th)
16th April - City home to Orient, cheifs home to Saracens (game to be played between 15th and 17th).
Boxing day - city home to Swindon and the cheifs are away at Bath (could loose a few off the gate, not many though I would of thought).

So currently only 3 matches where supporteres would have to choose, not a huge issue IMHO.

Thanks for this snippet of information, which persuades me to acknowledge the problem is less than originally suggested. However over these 3/4 clashes it could still mean a loss of revenue to ECFC in the region of £20-25K.
Obviously depending on opposition and respective league positions this could change and Chiefs may suffer.

 

[Oli]

I really don't see this as a big issue at all. There are few clashes and for those I see only the big big teams having any impact and that only being a few hundred off the gate. Yesterdays attendance was fine too, anything over 5k is fine for me.

What do people expect us to do about it anyway? We are cheaper for a start. We also got a lot of publicity off the back of the chiefs game too.

If it has been budgeted for then what does it matter?

Going to see Chiefs at Quins as it is on my door and getting to Yeovil by train is horrific. I am not a huge rugby fan but like to watch the odd game here and there. People always have choices, I often chose to do something other than City. Be that a day at Somerset ccc, England games, golf, weddings etc, it is called having a life. I get depressed if I see city every week anyway.

In conclusion, no big deal.

 

[Antony Moxey]

I really don't see this as a big issue at all.

I would suggest that whether it is an issue or not is irrelevent. I've seen comments about burying heads in sand and complacency over the Chiefs' impact on our crowds, but what burying of heads and what complacency?

It's not like we can do anything about it, so whether the board are aware or not what can they do? You can't force people to watch one thing over another and the only way to keep the crowds up is for the team to keep getting results on the pitch. Everything else is just hand wringing for the sake of it.

 

[Poultice]

and whether the club or the Trust have tried to do anything about it or not, they have achieved nowt.

If there actually are only five games that conflict then I may well have been talking utter b*ll*cks here, on the other hand that may have been pure luck.

I am sure the Board have considered the ramifications of of the Chiefs doing well, my point was really to address the Webbers who don't think it is a problem, even if the option to bale out to Sandy P on a match day is restricted, they will still be hoovering up a lot of the available cash from sport fans, entrance and sponsorship money.

The other possibility is of course that the added interest might generate a bigger pot of cash from which both both clubs can benefit.

 

[Alan Crockford]

It's not like we can do anything about it

As I mentioned on another thread, a little bit of marketing work by both clubs to promote the sporting city of Exeter would be a few hours well spent.

Nothing massive, but a small regular ad in each club's programme, perhaps sharing some community work or school hols programmes and maybe a joint Chiefs/Grecians t-shirt or scarf might be clever steps forward.

The key aim being to show that supporting one club doesn't mean you're not allowed to give a bit of backing to the other.

I'm sure it's not top of anyone's priority list at either club - and I understand why City or Chiefs fans will say "Ahh, f**k the other lot" - but given how professional both clubs are, I don't think it's too much to ask that a bit of thought is given to how two successful teams can prosper in one small city.

 

[Reggie T42]

Just get orff your fookin horse.......support City.....home........AND AWAY......put your conviction where your mouth is.........."Cummooon yooooouuu Chiiiieeffffsss"

 

[heathy1]

It is an interesting conundrum. If there is a clash - who do you watch?

I am in an interesting position really as a lifelong TUFC fans but a relatively recent (last couple of years) convert to Exeter Chiefs rugby and I occasionally go and watch them and was there today.

I am grateful that the fixture computer has made it so that most Chiefs games are when TQY are away, so I am not faced with having to make a choice - although, it would never be a choie, TQY would win hands-down every time. Actually, it is cost that precludes me from goling to Chiefs each game. £22 to stand today.

However, to those who decried the atmosphere - it was a great atmosphere at Sandy Park today. Different to football but still a great experience. I really enjoyed today. I like having a pint or two or three during the match and the lack of segregation is refreshing.

For Chiefs to win today was brilliant and I cheered for them as heartily as I do at Plainmoor. It is possible to follow two sports and follow two teams in this way. If I was from Exeter, I would be really proud my city had a Premiership rugby team.

This post made my day, yes the atmosphere is better at Exeter chiefs than at Plainmoor, I would have thought that obvious

 

[PeteUSA]

There might be only five City/Chiefs first team clash's, but unlike us, dont the Chiefs have a reserve or second team that would play at Sandy Park on the other saturdays?

The point I'm making is, isnt it likely that if the Chiefs get under peoples skin (I've heard that before somewhere), whereby they'll watch rugby no matter what the game is, in the unlikely event that we play crap?