Hong Kong Bledisloe under threat?

[Prestwick]

http://www.scrum.com/trinations2010/rugby/story/122633.html

Apparently poor ticket sales mean that only 10,000 tickets have been sold! Rumours suggest that the game could be moved to Europe with Twickenham mooted as an emergency replacement.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It'd be a shame if they did have to move it, and though 10,000 people isn't a massive amount, if they did move it, that's still 10,000 people who are all set up to go and watch it, but then can't.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Maybe they will lower prices and try to sell as much tickets as possible

 

[Charles]

If they advertised it like they did last year in Tokyo, I'm not surprised...

 

[skittles]

Maybe they will lower prices and try to sell as much tickets as possible

I hope so; playing the match in Europe would just defeat the point of taking rugby to an untapped market.

 

[Shaggy]

I hope so; playing the match in Europe would just defeat the point of taking rugby to an untapped market.

it wouldn't defeat the point of adding money to the ARU and NZRU coffers though

 

[skittles]

it wouldn't defeat the point of adding money to the ARU and NZRU coffers though

I don't like when people destroy my utopia of a world where sport isn't ruled by money.

Seriously though, that's 100% true, and it's kind of sad that they'd move it to the other side of the world just because of slow ticket sales; as has already been mentioned, those 10,000 people who have bought tickets just get shafted.

On a side note, I'm not a fan of the fourth match counting as a Bledisloe match; I don't like an even amount of matches in a series.

 

[Shaggy]

I don't like when people destroy my utopia of a world where sport isn't ruled by money.

Seriously though, that's 100% true, and it's kind of sad that they'd move it to the other side of the world just because of slow ticket sales; as has already been mentioned, those 10,000 people who have bought tickets just get shafted.

On a side note, I'm not a fan of the fourth match counting as a Bledisloe match; I don't like an even amount of matches in a series.

I agree with all that you've said ... I've been thinking that if they put the bledisloe up only for one match, and this last match was it, the crowd that they draw to this match would be a lot bigger, and the quality of the rugby and the players on display would be better too.

The game would be played on neutral territory too, so neither team would have an advantage ... the other matches are part of the tri-nations anyway, so they would still have meaning.

I guess the ARU and NZRU could use the money right now from moving it to the UK anyway

 

[Haysie]

I agree with all that you've said ... I've been thinking that if they put the bledisloe up only for one match, and this last match was it, the crowd that they draw to this match would be a lot bigger, and the quality of the rugby and the players on display would be better too.

The game would be played on neutral territory too, so neither team would have an advantage ... the other matches are part of the tri-nations anyway, so they would still have meaning.

I guess the ARU and NZRU could use the money right now from moving it to the UK anyway

Sorry Shaggy, as an Australian who has been brought up on the tradition of the Bledisloe Cup and how it is the highlight of Australian rugby I think that would be a terrible idea. It would probably earn more money for a single test match but with it being overseas much of the feeling would be lost, as well as the atmosphere.
I can't really cast aspersions on whether or not it would be a profiteering venture however because I have no real idea when talking about that.
If there is anyone on an rugby field during a Bledisloe cup match (Or any international for that matter) that isn't playing the best possible rugby and trying as hard as possible, they should be carted from the field immediately.

In summary, I would much prefer it from a traditionalist's point of view if the Bledisloe remained here in the two home nations.

 

[Larksea]

hope it works out, I think the cash from this game is pretty important to the NZRU and it can make or breakd the year!

Would be interesting to make this game a winner takes all for the Beld cup, that would make the game more interesting.!

 

[Shaggy]

Sorry Shaggy, as an Australian who has been brought up on the tradition of the Bledisloe Cup and how it is the highlight of Australian rugby I think that would be a terrible idea. It would probably earn more money for a single test match but with it being overseas much of the feeling would be lost, as well as the atmosphere.
I can't really cast aspersions on whether or not it would be a profiteering venture however because I have no real idea when talking about that.
If there is anyone on an rugby field during a Bledisloe cup match (Or any international for that matter) that isn't playing the best possible rugby and trying as hard as possible, they should be carted from the field immediately.

In summary, I would much prefer it from a traditionalist's point of view if the Bledisloe remained here in the two home nations.

I hear what you're saying Haysie ... i've been watching Bledisloe cup matches since we remember what it was played for (Greg Cornelson scoring 4 tries etc) ... during which time, the playing format has been tamper with several times (in terms of when it's played for, and how many games in the series).

My thinking on the one match/neutral venue idea is as follows:

1/ The Bledisloe traditions have already been tampered with, as it's possible for this fourth game (not this year) to decide the holders.

2/ A four game format is weighted in favour of the holders - two games all and the holders retain the cup.

3/ By the time the fourth game comes around, to date, the Bledisloe has already been decided.

4/ While rugby purests might go to a match regardless of whether a series is dead or not, the general public is much more likely to attend when the series is still live.

I agree with what you are saying in terms of player effort in any test match, but you just need to look at what's happening in terms of selection in the next Bledisloe match - I doubt that the AB's would be selecting as many non first choice players if the Bledisloe and Tri-Nations still were up for grabs.

To be honest, that fourth match is a blatant money grab, and both unions could use the money at the moment

 

[Muzzy]

good, i'd rather special teams play each other like southern hemisphere vs northern hemisphere or barbarians etc, those games usually turn out more interesting

 

[skittles]

good, i'd rather special teams play each other like southern hemisphere vs northern hemisphere or barbarians etc, those games usually turn out more interesting

Then you won't be happy to hear that it's been re-confirmed as definitely happening as of a couple of days ago.

 

[smartcooky]

Tney have already been to Hong Kong and Japan. Can't work out why they didn't take up the option to go to the new Mile High Stadium in Denver Colorado.

Capacity is 76,000 and the major sponsor and owners, INVESCO were prepared to guarantee a crowd of no less than 60,000.

 

[squirrel]

fuckn john o'neill was against it, talk of playing ireland there in the future

 

[Charles]

Tney have already been to Hong Kong and Japan. Can't work out why they didn't take up the option to go to the new Mile High Stadium in Denver Colorado.

Capacity is 76,000 and the major sponsor and owners, INVESCO were prepared to guarantee a crowd of no less than 60,000.

this field looks very narrow to me...

 

[Duckdee]

this field looks very narrow to me...

Soccer is played on football pitches, and rugby is played on soccer pitches, ergo, rugby can be played on football pitches.

 

[Shaggy]

this field looks very narrow to me...

Been to a couple of football matches here in Canada, and I think the grounds would be well suited to Rugby, and could cater for big crowds ... enticing people to attend might require a lot of promotion though

 

[Muzzy]

Tney have already been to Hong Kong and Japan. Can't work out why they didn't take up the option to go to the new Mile High Stadium in Denver Colorado.

Capacity is 76,000 and the major sponsor and owners, INVESCO were prepared to guarantee a crowd of no less than 60,000.

i'm not tryna have a go at americans but i doubt they would watch a sport their country isn't involved in (i don't blame them). even the soccer world cup had low views over there and they made it to the quarter finals, they don't even like the basketball world cup yet NBA is one of their most popular sports. so i doubt they would give an ass about a new zealand vs australia rugby match that doesn't even have any bearing on the tri nations or bledisloe cup. probably don't even know where new zealand is

Then you won't be happy to hear that it's been re-confirmed as definitely happening as of a couple of days ago.

lol, oh well.

 

[smartcooky]

i'm not tryna have a go at americans but i doubt they would watch a sport their country isn't involved in (i don't blame them). even the soccer world cup had low views over there and they made it to the quarter finals

Really? Well that's not what the figures say!!!

Just a few from Group A, the USA' group with Colombia, Switzerland and Romania

United States v Switzerland at the Pontiac Silverdome................73,475 (full house)
Colombia v Romania at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.........................93,586
United States v Colombia at the Pasadena Rose Bowl..................93,869
Switzerland v Colombia at the Stanford Stadium.........................83,401 (full house)

1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA
Total attendance.................3,587,538
Average attendance.............68,991 per match
Best attendance..................94,194
Worst Attendance...............44,132

this field looks very narrow to me...

Don't be fooled. The rows of seats either side of the out of bounds line are removable. Soccer has been played at this stadium, so it is wide enough.

The original Mile High Stadium was the home ground of the Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer team from 1996 to 2001, then in 2002 they moved to this new Invesco Field at Mile High (the one in the picture I posted earlier). In 2007, they moved DSG Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

Here are the three types of pitches overlaid;

white lines - an NFL/NCAA American Football pitch... 360 feet x 160 ft - 109.7m x 48.8m
yellow lines - a FIFA/IFAB Standard "International A" football pitch... 105m x 68m
red lines - a typical IRB Rugby pitch conforming to Law 1.2 (a) & (c)... 120m c 70m (10m in-goals)