3 provinces see Pro12 attendance increases-Munster in declin

[jordanracer]

http://www.thescore.ie/munster-pro12-at ... um=twitter


THE MUNSTER SUPPORTERS that won deserved praise for making their voices heard against Harlequins, and presence felt, are staying away from Thomond and Musgrave Park this season.

While three of the Irish provinces experienced jumps in attendance figures for RaboDirect Pro12 matches, Munster have seen a decline of more that 750 supporters for home games this season.

With just one round of fixtures remaining, the league released average attendance figures for the season. The reading is good, in general, for the Irish sides.
Leinster, boosted by the sell-out against Munster at the Aviva Stadium last October, Leinster have the highest average [19,791] in the league, up 768 on last season.

Munster [14,137] are down 761 and Connacht [5,154] are up 501 but the biggest number shunt this season has come from the current league leaders, Ulster [10,307]. That number is up a whopping 2,011 on 2011/12 and should grow again next season as Ravenhill is being expanded. Here are all the figures:
Leinster 19,791 (19,023 + 768), Munster 14,137 (14,798 – 761), Ulster 10,307 (8,296 + 2,011), Ospreys 9,291 (7,686 + 1,605), Blues 8,933 (7,275 + 1,658), Scarlets 7,803 (9,006 – 1,203), Dragons 6,518 (6,098 + 420), Connacht 5,154 (4,653 + 501), Edinburgh 4,600 (4,252 + 348), Glasgow 4,541 (4,018 + 523), Treviso 3,510 (3,900 – 390), Zebre 1,977 (first season).

Despite the failing gate receipts, Munster have taken part in three of the Pro12′s five most attended matches.
The top attendance this season was 46,280 for Leinster v Munster at the revamped Lansdowne Road. The ‘Judgement Day’ double-header between the four Welsh regions, at the Millennium Stadium on 30 March, attracted a crowd of 36,174.

Top Pro12 attendance figures: 46,280 Leinster v Munster (Aviva Stadium); 36,174 Blues v Ospreys/Dragons v Scarlets (Millennium Stadium); 23,587 Munster v Ulster (Thomond Park); 23,037 Munster v Leinster, Thomond Park); 19,443 Ospreys v Scarlets (Liberty Stadium).

[johng]

What does Declin think of that? Sounds painful.

[simonokeeffe]

they still have 2 of the top 5 pro12 attendences though, bilocation still the major problem they have

factor in
1. were working off a relatively small core population/not based in one large city
2. migration/immigration/economics more likely to hit on crowds coming from a high percentage of a lower total population
3. kick off times/travel between major supporter bases (getting between Limerick and Cork on a Friday evening no fun)
4. less away supporters travelling
5. no singular season ticket covering all regular season home games
6. declining results
7. anti Munster bias in media

[outcast eddie]

Leinster... up 768 on last season

Munster... are down 761

It looks like the bandwagon picked up 7 hitch-hikers on the road from Limerick.

[Maradona10]

they still have 2 of the top 5 pro12 attendences though, bilocation still the major problem they have

factor in
1. were working off a relatively small core population/not based in one large city
2. migration/immigration/economics more likely to hit on crowds coming from a high percentage of a lower total population
3. kick off times/travel between major supporter bases (getting between Limerick and Cork on a Friday evening no fun)
4. less away supporters travelling
5. no singular season ticket covering all regular season home games
6. declining results
7. anti Munster bias in media

8. Axel Foley

[blockhead]

Great to see 8 of the 12 with increasing numbers even if by small amounts for some of them. We are almost at 93% capacity so we can't really grow much more until the stadium is revamped.
Interesting to see 550 more Munster fans turniped for the Ulster game than when we were there. Sick of losing?

[LeinsterLeader]

they still have 2 of the top 5 pro12 attendences though, bilocation still the major problem they have

factor in
1. were working off a relatively small core population/not based in one large city
2. migration/immigration/economics more likely to hit on crowds coming from a high percentage of a lower total population
3. kick off times/travel between major supporter bases (getting between Limerick and Cork on a Friday evening no fun)
4. less away supporters travelling
5. no singular season ticket covering all regular season home games
6. declining results
7. anti Munster bias in media

That is interesting. I did not know this. So how does that work then?

[blockhead]

Thomond parks ave is nearly 18,000! Why don't they just drop muzzer?

[deco]

they still have 2 of the top 5 pro12 attendences though, bilocation still the major problem they have

factor in
1. were working off a relatively small core population/not based in one large city
2. migration/immigration/economics more likely to hit on crowds coming from a high percentage of a lower total population
3. kick off times/travel between major supporter bases (getting between Limerick and Cork on a Friday evening no fun)
4. less away supporters travelling
5. no singular season ticket covering all regular season home games
6. declining results
7. anti Munster bias in media

They have the biggest home stadium in the league and the same capacity as last year. The reason their numbers are in decline is, quite simply, because fewer people want to go to see them.

[Dave Cahill]

They have the biggest home stadium in the league and the same capacity as last year. The reason their numbers are in decline is, quite simply, because fewer people want to go to see them.

Quite simply nothing. Certainly the lack of recent success will have had an effect, but the economic situation in Limerick is a far more significant factor. Disposable income is way down, and if the majority of the games are on TV, then scarce cash isn't going to be spent on tickets.

[simonokeeffe]

they still have 2 of the top 5 pro12 attendences though, bilocation still the major problem they have

factor in
1. were working off a relatively small core population/not based in one large city
2. migration/immigration/economics more likely to hit on crowds coming from a high percentage of a lower total population
3. kick off times/travel between major supporter bases (getting between Limerick and Cork on a Friday evening no fun)
4. less away supporters travelling
5. no singular season ticket covering all regular season home games
6. declining results
7. anti Munster bias in media

That is interesting. I did not know this. So how does that work then?

Theres also 10 year tickets (think theyre HC only)

this year the 3 seperate packages (crazy IMO)

[ronk]

they still have 2 of the top 5 pro12 attendences though, bilocation still the major problem they have

factor in
1. were working off a relatively small core population/not based in one large city
2. migration/immigration/economics more likely to hit on crowds coming from a high percentage of a lower total population
3. kick off times/travel between major supporter bases (getting between Limerick and Cork on a Friday evening no fun)
4. less away supporters travelling
5. no singular season ticket covering all regular season home games
6. declining results
7. anti Munster bias in media

That is interesting. I did not know this. So how does that work then?

It doesn't, it's a mess.

The clubs asked for, and got, a break from the standard way of operating season tickets. They take the best seats for the best games and pay a tiny premium. Munster Rugby then try to sell a package of its worst seats for not a huge discount.

Then to top it all off, a full Mrsc member buying a Thomond Park Rabo only ticket actually paid more than the cost of the individual tickets back when they were doing well (pre Italian teams). When times got tight a lot of people realised they couldn't afford to flog tickets if they couldn't go and didn't need to anyway.

[Lazarus]

They have the biggest home stadium in the league and the same capacity as last year. The reason their numbers are in decline is, quite simply, because fewer people want to go to see them.

Quite simply nothing. Certainly the lack of recent success will have had an effect, but the economic situation in Limerick is a far more significant factor. Disposable income is way down, and if the majority of the games are on TV, then scarce cash isn't going to be spent on tickets.

Spot on

[blockhead]

http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/news/16426.php

Rabo Site confirms continual rise in attendances or "tickets sold". Small increase true enough but it will be interesting to see Ulsters attendances next season. I bet they will have a very big rise indeed.

[Lazarus]

they still have 2 of the top 5 pro12 attendences though, bilocation still the major problem they have

factor in
1. were working off a relatively small core population/not based in one large city
2. migration/immigration/economics more likely to hit on crowds coming from a high percentage of a lower total population
3. kick off times/travel between major supporter bases (getting between Limerick and Cork on a Friday evening no fun)
4. less away supporters travelling
5. no singular season ticket covering all regular season home games
6. declining results
7. anti Munster bias in media

That is interesting. I did not know this. So how does that work then?

It doesn't, it's a mess.

The clubs asked for, and got, a break from the standard way of operating season tickets. They take the best seats for the best games and pay a tiny premium. Munster Rugby then try to sell a package of its worst seats for not a huge discount.

Then to top it all off, a full Mrsc member buying a Thomond Park Rabo only ticket actually paid more than the cost of the individual tickets back when they were doing well (pre Italian teams). When times got tight a lot of people realised they couldn't afford to flog tickets if they couldn't go and didn't need to anyway.

Incorrect. The Clubs do not have the best seats for the best games, my Seat is through mrsc and it is front Row west stand on halfway line for all tp games inc Heineken. On Tickets, of Course the cost of tp rabo only ticket is higher than it was before 2 more sides joined the League. You also get a min of a 15% discount on that season ticket as opposed to buying per game.

[ronk]

It doesn't, it's a mess.

The clubs asked for, and got, a break from the standard way of operating season tickets. They take the best seats for the best games and pay a tiny premium. Munster Rugby then try to sell a package of its worst seats for not a huge discount.

Then to top it all off, a full Mrsc member buying a Thomond Park Rabo only ticket actually paid more than the cost of the individual tickets back when they were doing well (pre Italian teams). When times got tight a lot of people realised they couldn't afford to flog tickets if they couldn't go and didn't need to anyway.

Incorrect. The Clubs do not have the best seats for the best games, my Seat is through mrsc and it is front Row west stand on halfway line for all tp games inc Heineken. On Tickets, of Course the cost of tp rabo only ticket is higher than it was before 2 more sides joined the League. You also get a min of a 15% discount on that season ticket as opposed to buying per game.[/quote]

Your good fortune proves nothing and you didn't really address my points, there's a reason seat selection is separate for Rabo and HC, most (MRSC) fans can't get the same quality seats as are available for the Rabo. If you renewed in the first minutes this year when seat selection was allowed, you'll have seen a huge difference in availability. A customer who'll buy a ticket a year in advance (it's possible) without knowing when or against whom is a hero (to the accountants). They deserve special treatment, not sloppy seconds. It stands to reason that some of these people are less likely to keep coming.

A Rabo Thomond Ticket in your seats is €280 for 7 games (it was €240 for 6). Subtract the 15%, add €30 for (non-voting) associate membership and it comes out at €268 (€234). So it's a saving of €12 (€6). It's also a price bump for a match that many fans didn't especially want. In the terrace it's €140 (IIRC), so the member's price is €149, when not a single match sold out last year and the waiting list that held some people has long evaporated.

Add in the HC ticket (€150 for the 3 games, €10 more per game) and the voting membership (€65) and your €430 of individual tickets is €430.50!
It looks a little better with the 20% discount, but that wouldn't be hard. It was stupid when everything was going perfectly well...




In case anyone reading this didn't already know, the membership fees aren't optional.

[mikerob]

http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/news/16426.php

Rabo Site confirms continual rise in attendances or "tickets sold". Small increase true enough but it will be interesting to see Ulsters attendances next season. I bet they will have a very big rise indeed.

Certainly for the big games like the inter-pros, a bigger Ravenhill will mean more people and will boost the overall attendances.

However there has been some debate on UAFC about whether a bigger ground will necessarily mean bigger crowds for all games. With the team playing well, games are selling out in advance as people want to make sure they have a ticket. With a bigger ground, there will be less scarcity value, so will people assume they can just walk up at the night and pay at the gate? And if it is a miserable night...maybe decide that watching the game on BBC NI on the sofa is a better option?

IMO a bigger ground means the Ulster marketing department will need to work harder to fill it.... however the bigger ground does give them more scope to do things they can't do at the moment - like a dedicated family area.

The key point to ensure good attendances is continued success on the pitch. Ulster's attendances held up quite well when the team were finishing in the bottom 3 of the Celtic League so there is a solid core of about 8,000 or so who will turn out whatever... however to get beyond this the team needs to be finishing in the top 4 consistently.

[Oldschool]

Overall, given the state of the Brittish and Irish Isles' and Italian economies that's an impressive increase in attendances.
And while there has been some shyte games, there hasw been a lot of entertaining and close fought games too.
Glasgow's performance both in the HEC (a few very tight results) and the Rabo have been a real positive.
Scarlets late run of form has also been another positive.
We could have two new teams in the playoffs as a result with Ospreys and Munster being the losers.

[mikerob]

I haven't looked in detail at the figures but it is possible that the increase in Cardiff and Dragons attendances is primarily due to the double header. If the Pro12 do the same as the AP, then they will count the double header attendance as a home crowd for both teams.

[simonokeeffe]

http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/news/16426.php

Rabo Site confirms continual rise in attendances or "tickets sold". Small increase true enough but it will be interesting to see Ulsters attendances next season. I bet they will have a very big rise indeed.

Certainly for the big games like the inter-pros, a bigger Ravenhill will mean more people and will boost the overall attendances.

However there has been some debate on UAFC about whether a bigger ground will necessarily mean bigger crowds for all games. With the team playing well, games are selling out in advance as people want to make sure they have a ticket. With a bigger ground, there will be less scarcity value, so will people assume they can just walk up at the night and pay at the gate? And if it is a miserable night...maybe decide that watching the game on BBC NI on the sofa is a better option?

IMO a bigger ground means the Ulster marketing department will need to work harder to fill it.... however the bigger ground does give them more scope to do things they can't do at the moment - like a dedicated family area.

The key point to ensure good attendances is continued success on the pitch. Ulster's attendances held up quite well when the team were finishing in the bottom 3 of the Celtic League so there is a solid core of about 8,000 or so who will turn out whatever... however to get beyond this the team needs to be finishing in the top 4 consistently.

watching a match on BBC NI is never a better option, to anything
theyre panels feel like smalltalk in a waiting room

for games they know theyll have massive overcapacity easy enough to sell a load of school and/or family tickets for cheap