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Premiership Rugby / Premiership Cup
The ace of Herts - now Hugh just wants Saracens fans back
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<blockquote data-quote="Prestwick" data-source="post: 167169"><p>When at Viadana, I did have the chance to have an in depth talk with fellow fez fans. There were a fair few actually, I'd put their number at 500 who attended the game which was excellent. There were certainly more Saracens fans than there were Worcester fans I think. However, out of that 500 who actually turned up, only about 100 were regular attendants of Saracens games and out of them I'd count 50 of them would be season ticket holders!</p><p></p><p>There was a good chat about why this is and it goes deeper than the (pants) stadium and Watford generally not being very welcome. For example, if you were a well heeled and well to do corporate director who would spend thousands idly on drinking one glass of 70 year old champagne before pouring the rest on top of a poor person's head then you will be waited on hand and foot by Saracens, whisked away to a lovely country house in rural Hertfordshire to enjoy delicious food, talks on rugby by members of the squad before being taken to the game by luxury car to watch from a leather seat in the updated upper rouse and then being whisked back to the Country House for more food, drink and rugby players.</p><p></p><p>However. If you are a regular guy or, like Webby, unemployed, then you can enjoy..er...a..erm..seat. Tah daaah! Maybe they will have a food van and one of the bars will be open. No club house, not even any entertainment beforehand. Nothing.</p><p></p><p>The problem is that Saracen's priorities are in the wrong place. When Saracens visited Biarritz, the french club virtually shut down the city center to put on a weekend of events, competitions and food/beer fests for the home and visiting fans to enjoy. Viadana laid on free wine and salami and the home fans did what they could. Superb and almost superhuman efforts by more or less every other club in the entire world. </p><p></p><p>Except Saracens.</p><p></p><p>Guess what our club is providing for visiting fans? A seat...and...er...a food van. Woo! Its so bad that the Various fez fan organisations are desperately trying to contact the Biarritz fans to let them know that us fans are going to have a go at making a hospitable welcome for them. So we're hiring Druids (a rugby pub in Watford) and having a hog roast, games, etc, etc, etc so while it might not be quite closing down Watford city center, its about 2,000 times better than anything Saracens have come up with.</p><p></p><p>Saracens and Nigel Wray (its mysterious benefactor) focus too much on cornering the corporate market. I don't think any other GP club save Leicester or Wasps has a better or more comprehensive package for corporate clients. However, when it comes to catering for the actual fan? They come bottom of the WORLD list. Some crappy club in O'Rothlan country in the States has a better welcome than Saracens!</p><p></p><p>And the reason for this goes back to how Saracens got into Watford. They signed a heavily unbalanced deal with Watford FC which lasts until 2012. Nothing can happen short of holding matches without the landlords say so. The Saracens village idea was knocked on the head after Watford FC complained. The deal has been a total disaster and the worst thing is that we're locked into it until 2012! </p><p></p><p>I do think that Saracens will be moving on or at the very least negotiating a deal which better befits their status. I could see Saracens gradually moving to somewhere else in Hertfordshire like Hertford proper and helping to develop an existing stadium for example.</p><p></p><p>To sum it up: the fans exist but they're sick to the teeth with how the Club has treated them but love the supporters organisations so much that they go abroad and away with them on a regular basis!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Prestwick, post: 167169"] When at Viadana, I did have the chance to have an in depth talk with fellow fez fans. There were a fair few actually, I'd put their number at 500 who attended the game which was excellent. There were certainly more Saracens fans than there were Worcester fans I think. However, out of that 500 who actually turned up, only about 100 were regular attendants of Saracens games and out of them I'd count 50 of them would be season ticket holders! There was a good chat about why this is and it goes deeper than the (pants) stadium and Watford generally not being very welcome. For example, if you were a well heeled and well to do corporate director who would spend thousands idly on drinking one glass of 70 year old champagne before pouring the rest on top of a poor person's head then you will be waited on hand and foot by Saracens, whisked away to a lovely country house in rural Hertfordshire to enjoy delicious food, talks on rugby by members of the squad before being taken to the game by luxury car to watch from a leather seat in the updated upper rouse and then being whisked back to the Country House for more food, drink and rugby players. However. If you are a regular guy or, like Webby, unemployed, then you can enjoy..er...a..erm..seat. Tah daaah! Maybe they will have a food van and one of the bars will be open. No club house, not even any entertainment beforehand. Nothing. The problem is that Saracen's priorities are in the wrong place. When Saracens visited Biarritz, the french club virtually shut down the city center to put on a weekend of events, competitions and food/beer fests for the home and visiting fans to enjoy. Viadana laid on free wine and salami and the home fans did what they could. Superb and almost superhuman efforts by more or less every other club in the entire world. Except Saracens. Guess what our club is providing for visiting fans? A seat...and...er...a food van. Woo! Its so bad that the Various fez fan organisations are desperately trying to contact the Biarritz fans to let them know that us fans are going to have a go at making a hospitable welcome for them. So we're hiring Druids (a rugby pub in Watford) and having a hog roast, games, etc, etc, etc so while it might not be quite closing down Watford city center, its about 2,000 times better than anything Saracens have come up with. Saracens and Nigel Wray (its mysterious benefactor) focus too much on cornering the corporate market. I don't think any other GP club save Leicester or Wasps has a better or more comprehensive package for corporate clients. However, when it comes to catering for the actual fan? They come bottom of the WORLD list. Some crappy club in O'Rothlan country in the States has a better welcome than Saracens! And the reason for this goes back to how Saracens got into Watford. They signed a heavily unbalanced deal with Watford FC which lasts until 2012. Nothing can happen short of holding matches without the landlords say so. The Saracens village idea was knocked on the head after Watford FC complained. The deal has been a total disaster and the worst thing is that we're locked into it until 2012! I do think that Saracens will be moving on or at the very least negotiating a deal which better befits their status. I could see Saracens gradually moving to somewhere else in Hertfordshire like Hertford proper and helping to develop an existing stadium for example. To sum it up: the fans exist but they're sick to the teeth with how the Club has treated them but love the supporters organisations so much that they go abroad and away with them on a regular basis! [/QUOTE]
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