Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread IV

thomond2006 wrote: »

Fri 5 Sep vs Edinburgh
Fri 19 Sep vs Zebre
Sat 27 Sep vs Ospreys

Fri 10 Oct vs Scarlets
Fri 28 Nov vs Ulster
Fri 26 Dec vs Leinster

Munster home games in the Pro12 that have been confirmed. All those Fridays are a bollix, I'm sure there are quite a few people with a season ticket who don't live close to Limerick who are pretty annoyed right now.

On the first 14 matches it looks like 10 will be televised.

Will be working overtime during the week to leave Cork early on Fridays

Oh well the rugby is nearly back

Eod100 wrote: »

Think I remember Garrett Fitzgerald being critical of late kick off times on Saturdays but those Friday times are even worse for anyone working 9-5 Monday to Friday. Whatever about the rush to even make it up, not sure many coming from Cork say would fancy the drive up and down after a day at work.

I think it's clear that pushing as many games as they can to Friday means less clashes with other sports on TV

phog wrote: »

And it clashes with Connacht v Leinster on TV, why the Munster game couldn't have been moved to Saturday is mind boggling.

Anyone more than an hour or so away from Thomond will find it hard to get there for a Friday evening game.

I see the Leinster game is set for St Stephen's Day at 17:00.

The whole thing is pretty stupid, if not scandalous for season ticket holders. A lot people on the fence about buying a season ticket now will probably be put off. At least in Ulster the Friday night match at Ravenhill is an ongoing tradition and if buy a season ticket there you know that you need to be available to go on Friday nights.

Do the broadcasters have any say about the day/time of matches they aren't broadcasting? I would probably lay blame at Celtic Rugby for this.

Clashing with an interpro is ****ing dumb as well.

former legend wrote: »

This must be coming from Munster themselves, a marketing thing to make Friday nights rugby night?

At some point the home and away Zebre fixture was switched. I don't know why but it may have been too late to change other details.

athtrasna wrote: »

The Leinster games are very close this year...October and December. Any logic behind that one Usually it's one October and one in March/April. Not loving the 5.30 on St. Stephen's Day...would expect manic traffic around Limerick.

It breaks up Ulster always having Munster and Leinster at Christmas/New Years and with Leinster getting both Munster and Ulster at Christmas/New Years we get Leinster games close enough.

irishbucsfan wrote: »

There are many reasons that could possibly dictate this, maybe they're testing the water with a lesser fixture to see how crowds react etc.

testing the water for what?

Munster had 5 home games on a Friday night last year and now the majority of the games are again fixed for Friday.

They got one game not on a Friday night

in any examination, that's a pain in the hole

btw Zebre have one home game on a Friday night, and Trevisos have none although they have to be finalised

Cookiemunster wrote: »

We had 1 game on a Friday last season, against Connacht on Dec 27th. All the other 10 games were on Saturdays and attendances were still poor. Maybe they're trying something different this season, because people still complained about KO times last season.

apologies the A games were listed in the same fixture list and I didn't notice

I am not aware of issues about Saturday KO times (other than in the Leinster Thread about bringing kids) but I can tell you that Friday nights will make it very difficult for Munster. Of all the branches it has a significant level of support outside the immediate uirban area with limited transport options

I for one simply cannot take the time off to make so many games and will have to miss some of them

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Munster aren't the only team involved in the game. There is an Italian team playing on most Fridays from what I can see, and it could be that Friday games are more attractive to potential Italian broadcasters if they don't clash with the calcio.

There are many reasons that could possibly dictate this, maybe they're testing the water with a lesser fixture to see how crowds react etc.

That's true and it is also a refixed fixture as it was originally listed to be an away game.

If there isn't a local broadcaster how will a potential Italian broadcaster rebroadcast it?

It is interesting that Saturday matches are all Sky's and that they don't clash with any non-televised match. It makes sense from Sky's POV that their Saturday match/matches are standalone on that day. I suppose this is one of the concessions the Pro12 had to make in order to keep Sky from picking the big matches twice.

former legend wrote: »

TBH, it might be no harm. Crowds have been declining, maybe shaking it up might help?

I think shaking it up has come in the form of the dynamic pricing model. Now we still don't know how much it will actually affect prices but ideally it will make the low demand matches cheaper and the high demand matches more expensive. It's risky but worth trying as to do nothing will continue the slide.

One positive for Munster this year as opposed to previous years is the quality of teams in their European group: Clermont, Saracens and Sale is by far a bigger 'draw' than Perpignan, Gloucester and Edinburgh, none of which sold out last year.

Friday nights are a disaster for a Dublin based supporter like myself. I wrongly assumed that there would still be Saturday night matches to accompany Sky's Saturday afternoon slot. I can't see myself taking too many days/half-days to go to see Munster vs Poor Opponent X when TP is only 1/3 full! I might go to the season opener versus Edinburgh but after that...

Just looking at the fixtures again, is it to do with Musgrave Park not being available to play games that 6 of 7 Pro12 games to be played in TP will be from September to December? 4 in Sept and Oct and possibility of a European Cup match in TP on the 2nd last or last weekend of Oct too.

Presume Connacht will be the 7th match at TP which leaves Treviso, Cardiff Blues, Glasgow and Newport as the fixtures at Musgrave.

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Yeah. The new stand in Musgrave won't be ready until January. Not ideal, but can't really be helped.

Was gonna say it might sorta work out better for fans from Cork with better teams playing but don't think that's right. Might avoid going to games in cold winter nights in December anyway though! :P

Highlights of Group 1's Munster Race

http://vimeo.com/103179414

Axel talks to MR

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/mobile/home.php#/mobile/news/18884.php

He explains why the Zebre game is can Friday night KO



Despite the Round 3 Zebre encounter at Thomond Park not being televised, the game has still been scheduled for Friday September 19th - the Munster CEO explains why.

"We were advised at very late notice that the game would not be televised which in turn allowed the home team to determine the night and kick-off time of the game. We initially believed the game would take place in Italy, but as the fixtures are subject to change the game was reverted back to Limerick. This resulted in a clash with another event that was already timetabled for Thomond Park. Therefore the game could only go ahead on Friday evening

Eod100 wrote: »

Wonder what it was? Limerick FC's match seems to be scheduled for that Friday..

I'd imagine its the conference suite that's booked rather than the field.

former legend wrote: »

Sort of raises more questions than answers.

The stadium would be half full. Would it really impinge that much on the Ball?
What about Limerick FC and their game?
Why not Saturday afternoon or Sunday?

Edit: Sunday is all ireland final day so that's out.

Munster use the Conference Suite for their corporate tickets/meal for all the their games in Thomond Park.

Limerick FC can be/have been bumped for Munster fixtures.

Why not Saturday afternoon? it would probably have to early Saturday to give the conference suite to the Masquerade Ball organisers to allow them get the place ready.