Groundshare with Bath Rugby - on a full time basis?

[herthab]

So we'd have plastic rugby fans visiting the CG and putting money into the clubs coffers?

What's the problem?

[Simon Pieman]

Nothing if that's how you feel.

I just don't like the franchise model in sport, it goes against any form of tradition we have in this country and is simply a money making exercise to those involved.

[herthab]

I think that Rugby, in general, look on it differently.

Isn't there a former London based club playing at Reading? I don't remember any uproar when that happened.

I understand where you're coming from and if it was a football club I'd feel differently, but rugby? Meh..

[neville w]

I think that Rugby, in general, look on it differently.

Isn't there a former London based club playing at Reading? I don't remember any uproar when that happened.

I understand where you're coming from and if it was a football club I'd feel differently, but rugby? Meh..

London Wasps - Wycombe
London Irish - Reading

[Arriba]

my only concern would be the pitch.if thats dealt with properly then i think its a great idea

[suttonred]

I've been to a few stadiums with a running track around, particulary abroad,
and even though further away from the pitch the atmosphere and view has been just as good.

Ever been to Brighton?  :?  

I think a groundshare with Bath is a potentially good idea, although it would depend very much on the location of any future development. Also, it would be a bit weird if Bath permanently moved that far away from the city they are named after, and I wouldn't exactly expect them to change their name after 140-odd years

Thing is with Brighton the away bit is at least as far again back, no elevation, and there isn't any roofing in the ground as such to amplify anything, if done correctly it wouldn't be an issue, although like someone else said if it was joint with Speedway it would probably be seperate areas back to back sharing things like conferencing.

[Jamiesfuturewife]

Half my office have gone to Bath Rugby for a dinner today - If Id have known about this could have tried to get them to get some gossip

[Ardiles]

Interesting.  Not sure if I like the idea or not.  The major stumbling block, I would imagine, would be the Bath supporters themselves.  Understandably, most of them would not want to leave Bath - and neither would I in their position.  Sadly, I'd expect a lot of them to be quite snotty about it ('Swindon's a dump.  Not watching my rugby there' etc.) - but that's another story.

I don't like the franchise model in sport, but accept that is used more widely in rugby that in football...thankfully.  But if I can get past my opposition to that and consider what might happen if they did move to Swindon, I'd say they would almost certainly pick up a lot of new fans.  I shop in Reading on a fairly regular basis and the London Irish shirts there are not as common a sight as Reading football shirts, but there are still quite a few.  Whether our away support would be affected in the long run (Bath vs Gloucester in Swindon or STFC away at Stockport?) is anyone's guess.

[le god cuervo]

millennium stadium has football & speedway events and that has no running track, they just lay boards over the pitch, so no compromise with viewing distances http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Stadium#Motorsports not sure what impact it has on the grass underneath though.

[broomfield]

I don't think that too many Bath Rugby fans would mind a move for a season knowing that the end result was a new stadium in Bath.

At the moment there is talk of Bath loosing its club permanently.

Its only 30 mins on the train to Swindon and on a Saturday the return fare is under £9.00. If they get a lift to the station rather than pay the stupid costs that the Council have put on Parking down here its good value.

A fair number of us Town supporters down here use the train and the service is well timed to get in and out without too much fuss.

Anyway, once they have their new stadium and our board decide to revamp the CG we will need somewhere to go!!  Return the favour and all that!!

[SwindonTartanArmy]

I think Sarrys play at Milton Keynes now as well. Rugby has turned franchise as a sport in general. Id welcome Bath at the CG to be honest.

[Simon Pieman]

Saracens play at Vicarage Road. A fixture or two have had to be moved to MK because of fixture clashes with the football. This happpened with some of the other clubs too, from memory one had to play in Coventry.

[SwindonTartanArmy]

Saracens play at Vicarage Road. A fixture or two have had to be moved to MK because of fixture clashes with the football. This happpened with some of the other clubs too, from memory one had to play in Coventry.

thats explains it. It confused me at the time as well!

[Don Rogers Shop]

Dont know why we dont look at getting involved with the Speedway redevelopment out in blunsdon just have one big super stadium.

[pauld]

Dont know why we dont look at getting involved with the Speedway redevelopment out in blunsdon just have one big super stadium.

1) Not enough room
2) They've got planning permission on the basis of the plans submitted; they'd have to completely redo them and risk being rejected second time round, plus getting called into the Office of Local Government and delay their plans considerably
3) We should stay at the County Ground, not move out of town