Dragons worth backing says Chris Brown (From Free Press Series)

Although granted this is a little one sided from a Dragons perspective. The points drawn out make perfect sense. Other regions have been quite happy to continue to spend money they did not have on players/new stadiums and seek frequent bailouts from the WRU!!

Well, he would say that wouldn't he! Who the hell he thinks is going to put money into Gwent I don't know. The RaboDirect Pro12 is a pathetic league, NGD are unable to compete in the Amlin never mind the heineken cup, the team is made up of youngsters and other clubs cast offs and are governed by a body that seem to enjoy confrontion and keeping the regions on a very firm and close leash.

the guy has made some perfectly valid points. If the Dragons have succeeded in one thing it's being able to run a commercial enterprise responsibly i.e. without piling up debts that have little chance of being repaid. They have had less success building a successful rugby club. There's the dilemna they face - how much can they risk financially to increase the chances of success? There aren't many rugby clubs out there actually making a profit - and none in Wales. If they knew that buying success would increase crowds to a level that would enable them to sustain that success ( say 10-12,000 ) then they might be tempted to invest more. Its easy to say that more money should be spent when its not your cash at risk. My own feeling is that it would be virtually impossible for any Welsh region to get regular 10,000+ crowds without somebody ( benefactors? WRU? ) being prepared to write off huge amounts of money. Its not going to happen , is it? If you can't get success, the next best strategy is survival. That way you keep alive the possibility of future success in more favourable times. Not much fun though.

I've said it before and I will say it again the rugby people of Gwent don't support the Dragons or regional rugby and I don't blame them. Would it be possible for Chris Brown to say how many season ticket holders there are who come from outside the np18, np19 and np20 post code areas. The other side of this is that I personally know of six lifelong Newport RFC supporters that have not set foot in Rodney Parade since this dogs breakfast of so called regional rugby was dreamed up.

blackandamber wrote:
I've said it before and I will say it again the rugby people of Gwent don't support the Dragons or regional rugby and I don't blame them. Would it be possible for Chris Brown to say how many season ticket holders there are who come from outside the np18, np19 and np20 post code areas. The other side of this is that I personally know of six lifelong Newport RFC supporters that have not set foot in Rodney Parade since this dogs breakfast of so called regional rugby was dreamed up.

They would support a succesfull heineken cup involved team, all thats needed is investment and backers with a lot of money, the areas ripe for it.

I most certainly would not. As a citizen of Newport I had a NRFC season ticket prior to 2003, but the first time I set foot in Rodney Parade since was on my Newport County season ticket.

This "regional" mess is doomed to fail. No matter how successful they may be they cannot generate the fanatical support of a proper Newport team.

blackandamber wrote:
I've said it before and I will say it again the rugby people of Gwent don't support the Dragons or regional rugby and I don't blame them. Would it be possible for Chris Brown to say how many season ticket holders there are who come from outside the np18, np19 and np20 post code areas. The other side of this is that I personally know of six lifelong Newport RFC supporters that have not set foot in Rodney Parade since this dogs breakfast of so called regional rugby was dreamed up.

Probably six of the people who signed the petition to put Newport in the name, them and 6000 missing others.

Mike

Owain Vaughan wrote:
I most certainly would not. As a citizen of Newport I had a NRFC season ticket prior to 2003, but the first time I set foot in Rodney Parade since was on my Newport County season ticket.

This "regional" mess is doomed to fail. No matter how successful they may be they cannot generate the fanatical support of a proper Newport team.

Well stay away, your part of the problem not the solution, the cut off their nose to spite their face brigade are an example of the problems this region has, get into the new millenium you dinosaur, theres far more chance of a decent standard of rugby here, now,as a region, than you would have had as a club.

Regardless of what the team is called, and I personally think it shold be Monmouthshire, the bigoted views of the NRFC people is probably one of the reasons more Gwent Valley supporters refuse to attend the matches.

poolerboy wrote:
Regardless of what the team is called, and I personally think it shold be Monmouthshire, the bigoted views of the NRFC people is probably one of the reasons more Gwent Valley supporters refuse to attend the matches.

I Like this, should put a few noses out of place :-)

Well stay away, your part of the problem not the solution, the cut off their nose to spite their face brigade are an example of the problems this region has, get into the new millenium you dinosaur, theres far more chance of a decent standard of rugby here, now,as a region, than you would have had as a club.
I'd just like to reply. I am not a dinosaur although I must admit I don,t have that many summers left I am a lifelong Newport supporter you must have guessed and yes suprisingly I am a season ticket holder with the Dragons. We have had ten long suffering years of this cunning plan of the WRU and it plainly is not working. If my guardian angel ever bestowed fabulous wealth on me, would I invest my money in the Dragons the answer would be no.

poolerboy wrote:
Regardless of what the team is called, and I personally think it shold be Monmouthshire, the bigoted views of the NRFC people is probably one of the reasons more Gwent Valley supporters refuse to attend the matches.

Monmouthshire only covers one part of the former county of Gwent. Monmouthshire starts at Magor and goes to Chepstow and north to Monmouth. There are three other areas within the Dragons region and changing the name to Monmouthshire would be more self defeating than the current title. As for the Newport element in the name, that's been a long running argument and I think it should not be part of the regions name, but that's my view. The region covers all three premiership clubs none of which are in Monmouthshire and other clubs in lower levels such as Ebbw Vale, Newbridge and Pontypool. I always call them Gwent Dragons the original name of the region until the WRU took over the Ebbw Vale share anyway. You would be surprised how many people from Cross Keys and Bedwas do actually support the Dragons some of them season ticket holders.

silurix wrote:
the guy has made some perfectly valid points. If the Dragons have succeeded in one thing it's being able to run a commercial enterprise responsibly i.e. without piling up debts that have little chance of being repaid. They have had less success building a successful rugby club. There's the dilemna they face - how much can they risk financially to increase the chances of success? There aren't many rugby clubs out there actually making a profit - and none in Wales. If they knew that buying success would increase crowds to a level that would enable them to sustain that success ( say 10-12,000 ) then they might be tempted to invest more. Its easy to say that more money should be spent when its not your cash at risk. My own feeling is that it would be virtually impossible for any Welsh region to get regular 10,000+ crowds without somebody ( benefactors? WRU? ) being prepared to write off huge amounts of money. Its not going to happen , is it? If you can't get success, the next best strategy is survival. That way you keep alive the possibility of future success in more favourable times. Not much fun though.

Very true. I have thought the same thing; the investment needed to secure regular 10k plus attendance would exceed the revenue that would generate. This is why we rely on benefactors in Wales of course. I think grim times are ahead though without significant investment. Many are watching closely following the promises made by RP and deals like Mathew Rees going to the Blues have made people start to wonder how committed they really are to investment. Walking a bit of a tight rope with fans loyalties at breaking point this season. I can see a big drop in attendance for next season if there aren't any names on dotted lines very soon. t

Robert Shillabeer wrote:

poolerboy wrote:
Regardless of what the team is called, and I personally think it shold be Monmouthshire, the bigoted views of the NRFC people is probably one of the reasons more Gwent Valley supporters refuse to attend the matches.

Monmouthshire only covers one part of the former county of Gwent. Monmouthshire starts at Magor and goes to Chepstow and north to Monmouth. There are three other areas within the Dragons region and changing the name to Monmouthshire would be more self defeating than the current title. As for the Newport element in the name, that's been a long running argument and I think it should not be part of the regions name, but that's my view. The region covers all three premiership clubs none of which are in Monmouthshire and other clubs in lower levels such as Ebbw Vale, Newbridge and Pontypool. I always call them Gwent Dragons the original name of the region until the WRU took over the Ebbw Vale share anyway. You would be surprised how many people from Cross Keys and Bedwas do actually support the Dragons some of them season ticket holders.

The name continues to be an issue. One poster on here flatly refusing to call the team 'Newport Gwent Dragons' preferring 'Gwent Dragons', etc, etc. With the prospect of more money available with a determined aim to be more successful, the management would be wise to think carefully about the 'brand' as they call it. The reason the name continues to be an issue is mainly due to the failure of the team to achieve anything. I suspect it would not be an issue if they had done the opposite. Of course there's always the 'principle'!