By Saints80
July 29 2002

Well, our brilliant new stadium with a capacity of 12,500, European and Domestic Cup Finals being sold-out (or almost), and gate receipts increasing season on season, it must be a sign that the game of rugby union is finally closing a gap on football. Or is it? Even that well known team down the road are following our example and expanding. Just like us they realise that increased capacity means increased revenue and with further terrestrial television coverage on the way the space to bring new supporters into the game.

However, whenever I open up the sport section of a newspaper, it always has football on the main pages and then rugby further back – sometimes even hidden away on the last sports page, if at all. The news on television rarely has any rugby coverage on it unless it is an international or European Cup Final, but nothing about any transfers, as they do with the footballers.

What we need is to make more people aware of what rugby union is all about – getting on with each other (no hooliganism here) and creating a family experience (something which Saints prides itself on). Now that the BBC has been awarded the rights to the Six Nations and many European Cup matches are also available to all viewers not just those with Sky bringing those new supporters into rugby union should be easier.

However, the BBC hasn’t helped by expecting people to watch the all-new Rugby Special at a time after 11pm! Do they think we are all nightowls? Sky to their credit realise that rugby union is as important to its fans as football isto theirs, with Zurich Premiership matches on almost every week and varoius other rugby fare from around the world, but unfortunately not everybody has Sky so it is only reaching a limited audience.

I think that more high profile sponsors could raise awareness. Look at Zurich since they became the Premiership sponsor, they have included rugby themes in some of their advertising campaigns which helps spread the word. Perhaps others sponsors could be encouraged to do the same and even use a few of the big name players to help them promote this.

Saints’ open day, this year on 25th August, introduces people to rugby union with activities and the chance to meet some of rugby’s finest international players in a relaxed atmosphere at the Gardens. If this were football do you think you would get a chance like this to meet the Beckhams and Owens of this world under the same circumstances? I think not!

I don’t know how many other Zurich Premiership clubs do this, but with the top ZP clubs in all areas of the country now, from Newcastel in the North East right down to Bristol, Bath and Gloucester in the south west this would surely help to spread the gospel?

Saints also through their community programme use the schools to encourage children to take up rugby. One of the problems is that not all schools play rugby, so children become used to playing football and supporting the top teams, not knowing that is a game with perhaps more to offer those not inclined towards the round ball game.

Do you feel there enough efforts being put into promoting this great game of ours and raising the awareness of the general public to rugby?
Tell us now on the message board.