The Welsh FA can’t turn their backs on Wales fans now
Sun Oct 14, 2018 12:31 am
The Welsh FA can’t turn their backs on Wales fans now
The big question around the Principality Stadium?
As over 50,000 people filled the P̶r̶i̶n̶c̶i̶p̶a̶l̶i̶t̶y̶ Millennium Stadium, the question that lingered in the air was whether the Welsh national football should be playing their games at the home of Welsh rugby?
There’s a real split on this; some arguing that it enables more fans to get tickets due to the higher capacity, while others argue that it is lifeless and matches should be played at the Cardiff City Stadium.
I’ll set my camp out early here — I’m dead set against playing Welsh football games at the Millennium Stadium. That said, I want to explore the reasons behind the switch and the argument for moving there.
The case for: demand and money
The move to the national stadium for the visit of one of world football’s greatest sides was obviously a marketing ploy by the Football Association of Wales.
Big attraction equals more demand. More demand equals more to supply. It’s really basic.
The Cardiff City stadium only holds just over 33,000 people, meaning that the FAW were able to sell 51% more tickets than if the match as played at the CCS.
At an average ticket price of £11.60, that means that the match at the Principality Stadium generated £580,000. While there will be running and rental costs to subtract from that, there will be a big chunk of profit for the FAW.
A poor atmosphere
Let’s be frank here, the atmosphere at the Principality was subdued. No matter how you look at it, the atmosphere would’ve been more electric at the Cardiff City Stadium.
While it would be easy to argue that the score didn’t help the atmosphere, I still think that the atmosphere would’ve been better at 4–0 at the CCS than at the Principality.
The stadium is a bowl that is built for rugby spectators, not football fans. While the Cardiff City stadium generates a carnival-style atmosphere, the Principality generates the feel of a major event, which isn’t suited to a football match.
Is there really a need for more seats?
I’d argue no. While the draw of Spain meant that more fans attended the friendly on Thursday night, only 25,000 fans attended the Wales v Ireland match at the Cardiff City Stadium back in September. There were almost seven thousand empty seats, meaning that the argument that the Principality Stadium gives new fans a chance to get tickets is wrong.
Why the FAW can’t turn their backs on the red wall
The last two major marketing campaigns from the FAW have centred around the message of unity among the players and Welsh fans.
#TogetherStronger was a major success and, combined with fan movements like the Barry Horns, Spirit of ’58 and others, created an unprecedented unity amongst Wales fans.
More recently, the FAW have capitalised on this with their new marketing campaign; the Red Wall.
The campaign plays on the nickname given to the Welsh fans — the red wall — and encourages fans to take membership of the ‘red wall’.
To celebrate the vital role Wales supporters continue to play in the success of our national teams, we have renamed the supporters club after you, THE RED WALL!
Again, this has been a success and a number of fans have taken up membership and bought Red Wall campaign tickets.
By moving games to the Principality Stadium, the FAW are abandoning the red wall.
They are abandoning the very notion of unity and #TogetherStronger that brought so much togetherness and pride to so many Welsh fans.
One of the strengths of the Red Wall at the Cardiff City Stadium is the congregation of fans in the Canton Stand, behind the goal to the left of the dugouts.
This is the undoubted ‘singing stand’ of the Red Wall and birthplace of many a cult chant. The Canton Stand are the conductors, leading the rest of the Welsh fans in creating an unrivalled atmosphere.
Despite the best efforts of the relocated Canton Stand loyalists, it was difficult for them to generate an atmosphere at the Principality. They were confined to the lower tier of the South Stand, where space was limited.
This meant that the number of fans sat in the atmosphere generating section of the stadium was a lot less than at the CCS.
We’ve not touched on some of the more logistical issues for football fans at the Principality stadium (or the opinion-splitting light show!) but having set their stall out with campaigns promoting unity, the FAW cannot abandon the loyal red wall in search of higher profits
Scott Salter
https://medium.com/saturday-football/the-welsh-fa-cant-turn-their-backs-on-wales-fans-now-61bee6848704
The big question around the Principality Stadium?
As over 50,000 people filled the P̶r̶i̶n̶c̶i̶p̶a̶l̶i̶t̶y̶ Millennium Stadium, the question that lingered in the air was whether the Welsh national football should be playing their games at the home of Welsh rugby?
There’s a real split on this; some arguing that it enables more fans to get tickets due to the higher capacity, while others argue that it is lifeless and matches should be played at the Cardiff City Stadium.
I’ll set my camp out early here — I’m dead set against playing Welsh football games at the Millennium Stadium. That said, I want to explore the reasons behind the switch and the argument for moving there.
The case for: demand and money
The move to the national stadium for the visit of one of world football’s greatest sides was obviously a marketing ploy by the Football Association of Wales.
Big attraction equals more demand. More demand equals more to supply. It’s really basic.
The Cardiff City stadium only holds just over 33,000 people, meaning that the FAW were able to sell 51% more tickets than if the match as played at the CCS.
At an average ticket price of £11.60, that means that the match at the Principality Stadium generated £580,000. While there will be running and rental costs to subtract from that, there will be a big chunk of profit for the FAW.
A poor atmosphere
Let’s be frank here, the atmosphere at the Principality was subdued. No matter how you look at it, the atmosphere would’ve been more electric at the Cardiff City Stadium.
While it would be easy to argue that the score didn’t help the atmosphere, I still think that the atmosphere would’ve been better at 4–0 at the CCS than at the Principality.
The stadium is a bowl that is built for rugby spectators, not football fans. While the Cardiff City stadium generates a carnival-style atmosphere, the Principality generates the feel of a major event, which isn’t suited to a football match.
Is there really a need for more seats?
I’d argue no. While the draw of Spain meant that more fans attended the friendly on Thursday night, only 25,000 fans attended the Wales v Ireland match at the Cardiff City Stadium back in September. There were almost seven thousand empty seats, meaning that the argument that the Principality Stadium gives new fans a chance to get tickets is wrong.
Why the FAW can’t turn their backs on the red wall
The last two major marketing campaigns from the FAW have centred around the message of unity among the players and Welsh fans.
#TogetherStronger was a major success and, combined with fan movements like the Barry Horns, Spirit of ’58 and others, created an unprecedented unity amongst Wales fans.
More recently, the FAW have capitalised on this with their new marketing campaign; the Red Wall.
The campaign plays on the nickname given to the Welsh fans — the red wall — and encourages fans to take membership of the ‘red wall’.
To celebrate the vital role Wales supporters continue to play in the success of our national teams, we have renamed the supporters club after you, THE RED WALL!
Again, this has been a success and a number of fans have taken up membership and bought Red Wall campaign tickets.
By moving games to the Principality Stadium, the FAW are abandoning the red wall.
They are abandoning the very notion of unity and #TogetherStronger that brought so much togetherness and pride to so many Welsh fans.
One of the strengths of the Red Wall at the Cardiff City Stadium is the congregation of fans in the Canton Stand, behind the goal to the left of the dugouts.
This is the undoubted ‘singing stand’ of the Red Wall and birthplace of many a cult chant. The Canton Stand are the conductors, leading the rest of the Welsh fans in creating an unrivalled atmosphere.
Despite the best efforts of the relocated Canton Stand loyalists, it was difficult for them to generate an atmosphere at the Principality. They were confined to the lower tier of the South Stand, where space was limited.
This meant that the number of fans sat in the atmosphere generating section of the stadium was a lot less than at the CCS.
We’ve not touched on some of the more logistical issues for football fans at the Principality stadium (or the opinion-splitting light show!) but having set their stall out with campaigns promoting unity, the FAW cannot abandon the loyal red wall in search of higher profits
Scott Salter
https://medium.com/saturday-football/the-welsh-fa-cant-turn-their-backs-on-wales-fans-now-61bee6848704
Re: The Welsh FA can’t turn their backs on Wales fans now
Sun Oct 14, 2018 9:27 am
SNOOPYSTORM
A great post it needs to be read by the powers that be but unfortunately that won't happen what needs to happen is to have a representative from the red wall to be on the faw board to put forward views of fans our other big problem here is the manager himself who is pushing the egg stadium for his own big ego and it goes to show how out of touch he is with the fans, giggs talking to the media was gushing about the stadium and his time there when he played, there was also no mention at all about the fans atmosphere etc, coalman wanted ccs and talked non stop about the fans along with bale and ramsey etc, so we are up against it as regards getting the point across and the fans where split with giggs appointment anyway and this move by the faw and with giggs backing will split the fans and start the rot, personally i was against giggs appointment not because he did' nt turn up to friendlies it was for the bigggest part of his life it was spent in manchester and was out of touch with a welsh persons thinking which was understandable, but to date i have yet to here him mention anything about the fans and togetherness with them and i fear his distance with fans unlike coalman is never going to work, once again great post but now lets sort these cockney boys out and stuff fulham, bluebirds.
A great post it needs to be read by the powers that be but unfortunately that won't happen what needs to happen is to have a representative from the red wall to be on the faw board to put forward views of fans our other big problem here is the manager himself who is pushing the egg stadium for his own big ego and it goes to show how out of touch he is with the fans, giggs talking to the media was gushing about the stadium and his time there when he played, there was also no mention at all about the fans atmosphere etc, coalman wanted ccs and talked non stop about the fans along with bale and ramsey etc, so we are up against it as regards getting the point across and the fans where split with giggs appointment anyway and this move by the faw and with giggs backing will split the fans and start the rot, personally i was against giggs appointment not because he did' nt turn up to friendlies it was for the bigggest part of his life it was spent in manchester and was out of touch with a welsh persons thinking which was understandable, but to date i have yet to here him mention anything about the fans and togetherness with them and i fear his distance with fans unlike coalman is never going to work, once again great post but now lets sort these cockney boys out and stuff fulham, bluebirds.
Re: The Welsh FA can’t turn their backs on Wales fans now
Sun Oct 14, 2018 8:32 pm
Proud to say that I have the last 6 campaign memberships, and yes I was pleased when we moved the games to CCS as many have already stated about the atmosphere at the egg bowl. Been there when only 10,000 in and tumble weed blowing across the pitch. If the power's to be at the FAW want to move back then I for one won't be buying a 7th membership and I did boycott last Thursday. Rather play the games at the council ground down west and that hurts me to say 
Re: The Welsh FA can’t turn their backs on Wales fans now
Sun Oct 14, 2018 9:22 pm
All the Welsh FA have to do when they play at the Principality Station is to allocate one of the Stands to the Red Wall? CCS Stadium is not Wales’s only Stadium, most of the Cardiff supporters moan about the red seats,Wales colour yet they want to host all the Welsh games.Staduim should be allocated according to crowd expected, Wrexham 10k,Liberty20k,CCS 33k,Principality 74k.
Re: The Welsh FA can’t turn their backs on Wales fans now
Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:15 pm
Agree with most of what you say apart from your comments that the stadium is a bowl and not suitable for football fans.
In over 50 years of watching football Wales v Italy 2002 at the Millenium Stadium is right up there as one of the best. It was electric. Giggs played that night, may be its clouding his judgement.
In over 50 years of watching football Wales v Italy 2002 at the Millenium Stadium is right up there as one of the best. It was electric. Giggs played that night, may be its clouding his judgement.