Dragons keen for Newport County to groundshare Rodney Parade

Newport Gwent Dragons chairman Martyn Hazell has confirmed that the Welsh rugby regional team are in negotiations to allow football side Newport County to groundshare at Rodney Parade.

County's Spytty Park pitch has been called "not fit for purpose" by their chairman, Chris Blight.

It is not yet clear whether County will seek to play all their home games at Rodney Parade or just a select few.

"We're in the initial stages of negotiations," Hazell told BBC Wales.

"If we can accomodate them we will as it helps the town out.

"It helps the soccer team out and helps the rugby team out... but rugby would take the first choice on fixtures and everything else.

"We wouldn't get a tremendous lot of money out of it but it all helps, all finances in the time as we are now helps."

Both Newport Gwent Dragons and Welsh Premiership side Newport play at Rodney Parade, which has a capacity of 11,000.

However, Hazell does not think that having three teams sharing Rodney Parade will be a problem: "Our ground staff are pretty good, I think the pitch can put up with it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17818295?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Smirnoffpriest wrote: However, Hazell does not think that having three teams sharing Rodney Parade will be a problem: "Our ground staff are pretty good, I think the pitch can put up with it.

LINK

PenfroPete wrote: LINK

Come on Penfro, you can do better than that. At least use a frozen picture, not one of a freak flash flood.

Seriously though, it's got to be recipe for disaster, pitch-wise

Just for you big fella - the ICING ON THE CAKE

Of course they would be keen.

Headline should read "Dragons keen for extra cash".

Hope they get it.

REV - would they be upgrading the pitch system ? This is whatb they have at the Library and it seems to stand up well :-
OVERALL SYSTEM
DESSO GRASSMASTER

Not sure many pitches would stand up to 2 rugby teams and a football team playing on it every week.

The scheduling should be interesting as well. Currently Newport rfc (who own the ground) would play there every other Saturday afternoon. The Dragons tend to play on a Friday night or Saturday evening. Given that the football team would probably want a Saturday afternoon as well then I am just not sure it would work.

Besides that Newport FC can't have much money so you'd have to think we are talking pocket money rent from them. Is it worth it?

I presume that Newport rfc would pocket all the money from sale of beer end food etc.

You just wait and see, I bet the football team will want primacy of tenure as there is probably some rule somewhere that states a football team should have it when groundsharing.

I'd tell them to f*** off personally.

I doubt it Penfro, because there are other improvements to the ground they'd probably rather make first such as maybe the roof on the North Terrace.

Stag, money maybe. Enticing more supporters to RP also, as maybe Zooport County supporters might get some sort of deal like you can with the Dragons and some Welsh Premiership clubs (rugby).

Not a fan really anyway, as apparently County's fixtures would take precedence. Though maybe some Dragons detractors would be pleased if it meant taking some Dragons games around " Gwent".

DOCTOR - I can't see much money coming in from beer sales. Drinking alcohol within sight of a football pitch is currently a criminal offence, and it’s often a law that is vigorously enforced, with fans routinely ejected, arrested, charged and even banned as a result

Primacy would be dictated in the contract.

This isn't the worst idea in the world, In reality Newport RFC don't need a stadium that size, maybe they could move spytty complex?

The pitch at the parade would need improving as it is far from flat and as we know the deep end will have to be filled in. About time both teams started to talk, I would have thought Spytty would be a better location for both teams as the parade ground has some sale value and Spytty has better access to the M4 and the bypass and is also closer to the Celtic Manor resort. I am not sure the football team would give up their nice function room and bar as it brings in revenue for the team, why would they give that up unless the parade comes very cheap. All seems very late in the day but better late than never.

Just been on the Newport Fc forum and they are all for it it seems. They also seem to be in the process of taking the place over already. Most seem to hate Spytty Park due to it being difficult to get to and basically a dump in the middle of nowhere.

They did raise a number of issues though such as the lack of crush barriers, turnstiles, womens ref changing rooms??, all stuff like that that conference teams have to have that rugby teams don't.

I don't see Newport rfc spending money to do that.

They also said that currently Newport FC pay about £20k a year in rent, now if they are expecting something similar then surely its not worth it.

right first things first...

Conference premier rules dictate that in any ground share the football teams fixtures must take priority, so going by what hazell stated i cant see it happening....

secondly-beer sales, spytty park has a supporters club that was built and payed for with money from there supporters club, all staffed by volunteers and all funds made from them go back into the playing squad...the county will want some form of revenue on match day sales etc...

thirdly money, Newport County are two weeks away from a trip to wembley in the final of the FA trophy against York City and have all but sold out their allocation of 15000 tickets and have merchandise on sale in tescos in two of the city's stores (first time ever) this tie is worth around half a million and hopefully will set to increase the number of fans with a push for playoffs next year (they have only just avoided relegation this year but current manager came in half way through season and had to avoid relegation with an inherited group of players)...in our first year in conf we were averaging 2-3k a home game which will only increase, as the average gate goes up (and IF they got to L2) sure dragons could charge more rent...

as you can probably tell im all for it, but seen as im a Gwent Dragons fan and not a Newport RFC fan i dont give a damn if Newport RFC (who i believe are only just above pontypool in the prem?) have to play doen the Glebelands park as long as the dragons and county have a basis to succeed

however there is a rumour that this is a ploy by the county board to make the council act in sorting out the pitch at spytty, however if this were true i dont see why the dragons board are going along with it

Or does this add weight to the rumour that the Dragons are to be replaced in the Pro12 by Newport RFC, with Newport RFC then not taking up a place in the new 12 team welsh premiership thus allowing Pontypool to stay in the welsh prem??? That would just leave 2 teams playing at Rodney Parade.

Griff wrote:Or does this add weight to the rumour that the Dragons are to be replaced in the Pro12 by Newport RFC, with Newport RFC then not taking up a place in the new 12 team welsh premiership thus allowing Pontypool to stay in the welsh prem??? That would just leave 2 teams playing at Rodney Parade.

I havnt heard that? Will the WRU allow them?

id be swapping dragons tickets for county tickets if thats the case

I'm not up for it either, even as a former Newport RFC fan, but it's a rumour I've heard from two seperate sources. However, it is just a rumour.

Steffan, it wouldn't be allowed without the WRU letting them. I.e. if it happened then it would be because the WRU agreed to it.

If some clandestine deal for Newport to become a superclub has been struck with Pooler someone ought to mention it to Frank Staunton as they are currently trying to get season ticket holders to renew early so they can take the WRU to court over their demotion from the Premiership.

As a big County fan and a Dragons season ticket holder I'm all for it .The Newport super club rumour would'nt be the biggest surprise and a likewise move for Cardiff no Blues no CCS contract just Cardiff RFC playing at the arms park as a region.There's a lot of wheeling and dealing going on around the regions at the moment me thinks

OK, here's a spin off of the Newport RFC super club rumour that I've just thought of (which I'm not for, by the way, as I would ideally like an Irish style provisional/truly regional model):

Cardiff Blues are not getting on too well with their regional neighbours; the valleys are gaining momentum and supporters for their vision for a valleys region; Pontypool will be lost from the Welsh Prem soon which will apparently be persued through the courts.

Could we see: The Blues allowed to truly stand alone (sort of as they already are!), the Valleys are given their Valleys region, the Dragons then lose their valleys support as they'll support the valleys region so they will just become a Newport superclub like Cardiff, and in doing so will agree to forfeit their semi-pro place in the welsh prem so that Pontypool can remain. The Ospreys are doing fine so are left alone, so too the Scarlets.

The obstacles would obviously be funding and other nations allowing another team to join. However, I wonder if this is one of a number of arguments on the table behind closed doors as a way of appeasing a number of parties (while probably p*ssing off a lot of others too like Dragons fans!)???

In terms of funding I think Tony Brown would put millions in if it was Newport RFC so that may help out, although I'm against the backer model as they can walk away whenever they like.

http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/Home.aspx

perhaps im over analysing this but its all very much pro newport less region

http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/newsarticle.aspx?n=21106

apologies its this link

If Cardiff and Newport do go as standalone RFC clubs then the Scarlets will want to go as Llanelli RFC as well I reckon so basically we will end up with 3 clubs and 2 regions which would be even more messed up than the current system

GavinDragon wrote:Conference premier rules dictate that in any ground share the football teams fixtures must take priority

Based purely on that, there's no way Newport RFC will agree to it. 'Yes, come over, you have our ground and we'll work around you.'

yes i know i cant see it happening

If the move did happen, surely Newport RFC who actually own RP will get the majority of the money. Maybe that's why Hazel says there won't be much money in it for the Dragons.

pic from RP today

http://draggedup.co.uk/chat/album_pic.php?pic_id=62

This makes perfect sense.

The cities (Swansea, Cardiff and Newport) get teams because they are, you know, cities. The Valleys gets a team because it is an area of common identity, captive market and has a huge population.

Llanelli gets a team because....errr....

...why do Llanelli get a team again?

are u refering to the foto?

No - what Griff, and some of the others, said.

Can't see the photo - it says 'not authorised'.

ah ok basically its a foto of newport county having a team photo in the bisley stand, looks like its a done deal

Casartelli wrote:Llanelli gets a team because....errr....

...why do Llanelli get a team again?

Because they beat the All Blacks in 1972 ofcourse

Oh and when "regionalism" first came in they promised the WRU they would build a shop...in Llanelli of all places...and if things take off they might even serve Lattes and Croissant therefore increasing the towns overall culture by 89%

Build it and they will come Gareth Jenkins said......

So anymore news on whether Newport are gonna try and enter the Rabo 12 as Newport RFC then anyone?

no i think thats just a rumour, there when the regions signed the participation agreement there was a 5 year agreement for the status quo to remain, that also poses questions on how the wru could reduce our funding i believe, who knows eh

Which draws bigger crowds - Newport RFC or Newport 'Gwent' Dragons?

Just out of interest.

the dragons

The Rodney Parade ground looks like a typical Welsh club rugby pitch, it would be bloody awful for football.

Though Newport AFC being able to sell merchandise in their club shop might be good for them, and at least if I decide to play Newport on Football Manager 2012 then I will at least have a big stadium to play in!

Steffan wrote:So anymore news on whether Newport are gonna try and enter the Rabo 12 as Newport RFC then anyone?

It wouldn't be a case of Newport 'trying' to enter the Rabo, it would be a case of the WRU forcing them into it by downgrading / disbanding the Dragons.

alyn Newport County AFC have there own shop at spytty which does quite well, i would have thought the shop, like the clubhouse may come with the team

and if you were good at fm2012 then you could get them promoted ;-)...i have found the board will expand the stadium if in l2 (although thats on previous versions)

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

Steffan wrote:So anymore news on whether Newport are gonna try and enter the Rabo 12 as Newport RFC then anyone?

It wouldn't be a case of Newport 'trying' to enter the Rabo, it would be a case of the WRU forcing them into it by downgrading / disbanding the Dragons.

Some would argue "disbranding".
Is there any truth in this downgrading or downsizing or re-Newporting or whatever it is because I haven't heard or read anything for definite anywhere.
All rumours isn't it?

http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/NewsArticle.aspx?n=21153&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

let the jokes begin

on about rebranding, the newport discount dragons, very apt

Of course it's all rumours, Dave. We're all waiting for the independent review and what the WRU are going to do off the back of it.

GavinDragon wrote:http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/NewsArticle.aspx?n=21153&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

let the jokes begin

How unfortunate. Not your main sponsor though is it?
The main thing is it's a sponsor, so that must be a good thing. The more the merrier.

I suppose it is not much different to the Ospreys having "trade centre wales cars"! stamped on their bums, does this mean they are s*** sponsors or products?

I think I'll hang on to this season's shirt!