Simon

Jul 22, 08 - 12:45 PM

Celtic Crusaders in Super League

OK, so not exactly directly Cardiff related, but the Crusaders will be playing in Super Leage from September 2009. This is surely great news for south Wales as a whole...
I wonder how long Bridgend can support a Super League club however, and whether they will move to Cardiff. The Arms Park will be pretty much vacant when the Blues move to the new ground...

Simon

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 12:46 PM

Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League

Sorry Kyle to have completely rewritten what you said on the new stadium thread! Should have read that one first!

Kyle

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 1:10 PM

Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League

No worries...I should have started a new one anyway !

As a Bridgend born person I'm pleased for the town and it will give the WRU a kick in the nuts that it deserves. It will also keep the Ospreys and hopefully other regions on their toes when it comes to picking up the young talent before the Superleague team picks them up.

You make a good point about it being viable for an area with, what 150,000 people, who are predominantly interested in football and rugby. I don't think anyone can say for certain how it will affect any of the professional teams in the area. You would have thought it would affect union more than football but you never know.

The key thing is can they tap into all the p1ssed off people who are still bitter about the Celtic Warriors being stuffed by the other four regions (which I'm not0 and any real rugby league fans in the area will flock to the game wherever it is in South Wales. People already do it for the two footie teams and for the regional rugby matches.

On the other hand, the four union regions are starting to get there with their attitude to professionalism and commercial activity. All four are either in new grounds or are mid-development on new grounds. Attendances are up partly due to the national team's success and the Blues and Ospreys had an improved year in the Heineken Cup. On top of that Cardiff City and Swansea City are both also improving. Cardiff's FA Cup run will have improved season ticket sales, and the Jacks have been promoted...so all in all they have quite a bit of competition within a 50 mile radius. The one thing in their favour is that the seasons aren't the same as the other two sports.

I know they have plans for a new ground as well...which leaves me a little worried for the semi-pro union team who really should be looking at moving to a ground of their own (sharing with Bridgend Athletic....yuk !).

The Arms Park will be vacant but I hope this is demolished to extent the MS and build a conference centre.

Good luck to them I say. More choice is never a bad thing.

Simon

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 1:52 PM

Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League

I too am Bridgend born, but now live in Cardiff. I would hope to see them initially try to stay in Bridgend, especially if it means another new stadium being built in Wales (I wonder if this is the Junction 36 ground that was proposed a few years back?). However, if crowds aren't up to the RFL's expectations, I would expect them to move to Cardiff, either after the first or maybe second season, with the Arms Park being the obvious target. There again, I also hope they demolish that and finish the damn MS properly!

I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Starscream

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 5:42 PM

Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League

Fantastic!!

I've been waiting for this decision and then forgot about it sometime between 9am and now!

So thanks for a great suprise!

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 11:02 PM

Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League

Are Bridgend RFC really going to share a ground with the Athletic? If so, the wheel has come full circle, because I remember Bridgend playing in the 'Bandstand Field' down Newbridge Fields in the Fifties (the pitch by the river - the real bandstand has long since gone, together with the open-air pool and sandpit!) Seems the tragic end of an era to me. Good Luck to the Crusaders, because they've worked hard for that status and it puts one side of Bridgend rugby firmly on the map. But I'll still go to Ospreys (or see the Blues in the new stadium out of curiosity!).

Cardiff Ian

Jul 23rd, 2008 - 8:09 AM

Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League

I'm suprised at the perceived threat some see from the Crusaders towards rugby union and football. Rugby league is now mainly a summer sport and while they may attract the odd union player surely it's a good thing that we will now have another major sports team based in the area? The summer is traditionally a quieter time for spectator sport than winter so I'm looking forward to having something else to watch.

Jantra

Jul 23rd, 2008 - 9:12 AM

Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League

I'm with Cardiff Ian on this, rugby league is a great sport to watch, and its something esle to do other than cricket, which lets face it, is only really watched at 20twenty or One Day league

Author	Comment
Simon Jul 22, 08 - 12:45 PM	Celtic Crusaders in Super League OK, so not exactly directly Cardiff related, but the Crusaders will be playing in Super Leage from September 2009. This is surely great news for south Wales as a whole... I wonder how long Bridgend can support a Super League club however, and whether they will move to Cardiff. The Arms Park will be pretty much vacant when the Blues move to the new ground...
Simon Jul 22nd, 2008 - 12:46 PM	Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League Sorry Kyle to have completely rewritten what you said on the new stadium thread! Should have read that one first!
Kyle Jul 22nd, 2008 - 1:10 PM	Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League No worries...I should have started a new one anyway ! As a Bridgend born person I'm pleased for the town and it will give the WRU a kick in the nuts that it deserves. It will also keep the Ospreys and hopefully other regions on their toes when it comes to picking up the young talent before the Superleague team picks them up. You make a good point about it being viable for an area with, what 150,000 people, who are predominantly interested in football and rugby. I don't think anyone can say for certain how it will affect any of the professional teams in the area. You would have thought it would affect union more than football but you never know. The key thing is can they tap into all the p1ssed off people who are still bitter about the Celtic Warriors being stuffed by the other four regions (which I'm not0 and any real rugby league fans in the area will flock to the game wherever it is in South Wales. People already do it for the two footie teams and for the regional rugby matches. On the other hand, the four union regions are starting to get there with their attitude to professionalism and commercial activity. All four are either in new grounds or are mid-development on new grounds. Attendances are up partly due to the national team's success and the Blues and Ospreys had an improved year in the Heineken Cup. On top of that Cardiff City and Swansea City are both also improving. Cardiff's FA Cup run will have improved season ticket sales, and the Jacks have been promoted...so all in all they have quite a bit of competition within a 50 mile radius. The one thing in their favour is that the seasons aren't the same as the other two sports. I know they have plans for a new ground as well...which leaves me a little worried for the semi-pro union team who really should be looking at moving to a ground of their own (sharing with Bridgend Athletic....yuk !). The Arms Park will be vacant but I hope this is demolished to extent the MS and build a conference centre. Good luck to them I say. More choice is never a bad thing.
Simon Jul 22nd, 2008 - 1:52 PM	Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League I too am Bridgend born, but now live in Cardiff. I would hope to see them initially try to stay in Bridgend, especially if it means another new stadium being built in Wales (I wonder if this is the Junction 36 ground that was proposed a few years back?). However, if crowds aren't up to the RFL's expectations, I would expect them to move to Cardiff, either after the first or maybe second season, with the Arms Park being the obvious target. There again, I also hope they demolish that and finish the damn MS properly! I guess we'll just have to wait and see...
Starscream Jul 22nd, 2008 - 5:42 PM	Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League Fantastic!! I've been waiting for this decision and then forgot about it sometime between 9am and now! So thanks for a great suprise!
Ian, Bridgend Jul 22nd, 2008 - 11:02 PM	Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League Are Bridgend RFC really going to share a ground with the Athletic? If so, the wheel has come full circle, because I remember Bridgend playing in the 'Bandstand Field' down Newbridge Fields in the Fifties (the pitch by the river - the real bandstand has long since gone, together with the open-air pool and sandpit!) Seems the tragic end of an era to me. Good Luck to the Crusaders, because they've worked hard for that status and it puts one side of Bridgend rugby firmly on the map. But I'll still go to Ospreys (or see the Blues in the new stadium out of curiosity!).
Cardiff Ian Jul 23rd, 2008 - 8:09 AM	Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League I'm suprised at the perceived threat some see from the Crusaders towards rugby union and football. Rugby league is now mainly a summer sport and while they may attract the odd union player surely it's a good thing that we will now have another major sports team based in the area? The summer is traditionally a quieter time for spectator sport than winter so I'm looking forward to having something else to watch.
Jantra Jul 23rd, 2008 - 9:12 AM	Re: Celtic Crusaders in Super League I'm with Cardiff Ian on this, rugby league is a great sport to watch, and its something esle to do other than cricket, which lets face it, is only really watched at 20twenty or One Day league