Stuart Gallacher

By Andrew Collins
January 22 2013

Following the regions’ poor showing in the Heineken Cup this year Regional Rugby Wales chief, Stuart Gallacher, says ‘we haven’t got the resources any longer’. Is that really true, or are they just devoid of fresh ideas and out of touch?

His comments, which came in the wake of the Ospreys’ somewhat shock loss away at Treviso, call for one region to essentially become the development side, or Connacht of Wales. He told BBC Sport,

"It may be that we need to look at the whole map of Wales again. I'm not scaremongering, but we haven't got the resources any longer for four teams. I believe we need four [but] I'm not saying four equal. To have an area of Wales without a professional region is self defeating... but I think we can do it differently [...] it's no good ducking it, we can talk around it forever, but we have to make decisions."

Can that really be true? Have we exhausted all our ways of making income? Have we tried everything to appeal to and recapture the imagination of the disenfranchised Welsh public?

What worries me greatly is that Gallacher’s not an idiot. He’s the man closest to the finances and meant to be the man defending the four regions. Yet this is what he sees as the only remaining option.

I beg to differ.

When the Celtic Warriors folded, we were assured that four was the correct number and that it would ensure we have four regions who would compete at the highest level. That failed to ever materialise. Amlin Cup, EDF Cup and a smattering of Celtic League titles have provided some great days out for rugby fans since regionalism, and are achievements that should be recognised as significant. However there has been nothing close to success where it matters in the European Cup.

Simply cutting some of one region’s funding and distributing that amongst the other 3 won’t prove to be that significant in the long run, and in all likelihood would just see that region disbanded 5 years later.

We all know the financial problems the regions are facing, but Gallacher implies there is no other way to find money. I have to disagree. Look at Saracens, Leicester, Harlequins, Toulouse, Montpelier and many others. They’re making rugby successful in their region, and by successful I mean financially viable and even healthy.

If we really go to the root of the problem, it’s that the general public has lost interest in the club game. For me, this is the biggest issue that needs addressing, and certainly will not be helped by turning one of our four into a ‘feeder’ team.

Welsh fans have proved they will come for the big games, the big occasions; the problem is how to capture that market and make them permanent fans. The way to do this is to make a season ticket an offer they cannot refuse; once you’ve bought a season ticket you’re naturally more inclined to turn up to watch the ‘lesser’ matches against Edinburgh, Treviso or even Leinster during the 6 nations.

So how do you make a season ticket that attractive? Below I’ve listed some ideas which are feasible and would make a big difference.

• Give all season ticket holders a week ‘priority’ to purcahse tickets for Wales matches, before they go on general release.
• Far fewer regional home games televised on free to air (BBC).
• Increase the price of one-off ticket purchases, especially for Heineken Cup.
• As a rule around Wales’ teams, offer a discount for any regional ST holder at all the venues.
• Offer terrace season tickets at a bargain price, say £100-120 for an adult.
• Stop all additional ticket promotions. Show the ST holders they are valued.

Of course, it would also help if we left the failing RaboDirect. The lack of away support ensures no environment and therefore implies a lack of importance to each match. There’s not the same element of rivalry against the Scots, Italians and Irish. Of course, this is more difficult to achieve, but would be my priority in front of any regional cuts.

ReboDirect aside, we need to improve the match-day experience. I don’t mean having a live band or a singer at half time, (and for god’s sake no more fancy dress or themed days!) but make the supporters feel like they are actually part of something. Something different. Something more unique. Something specific to our region.

When the Cardiff Blues Supporters’ Club called an emergency call to arms and organised a pitch clearance, they proved that the old club spirit of old hasn’t died, but is just in hibernation, waiting to be awoken. The Ospreys do very well at making their fans feel part of something special, but I think we really can do much more. We can still make the club the heart of the community.

We are not going to cut and chop our way out of this financial mess. We need to work together to improve the product we are offering potential supporters, and then do everything we possibly can to turn them into supporters. Not customers.