eezipc wrote:

Darragh wrote: I guess what I am trying to say is this shouldn't solely be about getting to 10,000 capacity.

All the current facilities and match day experience are pretty poor overall. Everything has a makeshift feel today. I have plenty of rugby friends in Galway who just won't go to matches because the place is so poor to view and experience.

I think this has to be done right, otherwise yes we end up with a bit of a bigger crowd, but the same problems,

Compromised match day experience
Sloping pitch
Dog track
Stands that are a bit amateur
No great food, beverage,bathroom, media, facilities

That is not even taking into account changing the current admin, rehab, s&c, training facilities to truly state of the art.

I just feel it has to be about all of it not just growing the number.

Well said, although not sure about your friends though. The place is not that bad.

In fairness food/beverage is poor for modern expectations. Bathrooms are shocking! Queuing in the rain to use a portaloo is unacceptable

We need to set the bar high here if we are to be a respected forward looking outfit! The days of "good enough" must be behind us.

Darragh wrote: I guess what I am trying to say is this shouldn't solely be about getting to 10,000 capacity.

All the current facilities and match day experience are pretty poor overall. Everything has a makeshift feel today. I have plenty of rugby friends in Galway who just won't go to matches because the place is so poor to view and experience.

I think this has to be done right, otherwise yes we end up with a bit of a bigger crowd, but the same problems,

Compromised match day experience
Sloping pitch
Dog track
Stands that are a bit amateur
No great food, beverage,bathroom, media, facilities

That is not even taking into account changing the current admin, rehab, s&c, training facilities to truly state of the art.

I just feel it has to be about all of it not just growing the number.

Well said, although not sure about your friends though. The place is not that bad.

I guess what I am trying to say is this shouldn't solely be about getting to 10,000 capacity.

All the current facilities and match day experience are pretty poor overall. Everything has a makeshift feel today. I have plenty of rugby friends in Galway who just won't go to matches because the place is so poor to view and experience.

I think this has to be done right, otherwise yes we end up with a bit of a bigger crowd, but the same problems,

Compromised match day experience
Sloping pitch
Dog track
Stands that are a bit amateur
No great food, beverage,bathroom, media, facilities

That is not even taking into account changing the current admin, rehab, s&c, training facilities to truly state of the art.

I just feel it has to be about all of it not just growing the number.

Darragh wrote: I can't think of another rugby team that shares with a dog track.

It is a sport that just doesn't fit with modern field sport and modern stadium facilities.
.

It is a sport that just doesn't fit with modern society..

Willie Ruanne speaking a mountain of sense:

“This kind of stuff comes up all the time,” said Ruane. “The one thing I’m absolutely confident about is that Pat is very, very happy in Connacht rugby and he’s doing an incredible job and he gets Connacht rugby.

“The other thing I can guarantee is that Pat won’t be there forever, neither will I, neither will Eric Elwood, neither will Nigel Carolan, or the players. What we’re trying to do is set up a structure that whoever is there, Connacht Rugby is in the best position to move forward in whatever shape or guise or whatever personality is there.

“I’m absolutely happy with where we’re at right now but all of that stuff is subject to change whether it’s two years, five years, 10 years. We just need to make sure we’re set up as well as we possibly can be to do the job we want to do.”

“We are genuinely constantly in dialogue with David Nucifora,” said Ruane when asked if Connacht will work with the IRFU in regards to Aki.

“I’m actually meeting him [Nucifora] after this event today, again, to talk about the next stage of where we’re going. That discussion [about Aki], I would say you can take it as a given that whenever it makes sense to start a conversation early, we start the conversations early.”

Ruane is realistic about the fact that Connacht will have a battle on their hands to retain Aki, but he is confident the same environmental qualities that he hopes will keep Lam in Ireland apply to the powerful centre.

“Of course, that’s a great complaint isn’t it?” said Ruane of the expected interest in Aki. “I mean if he wasn’t performing and no one wanted him, it’s a bigger problem. The fact that he’s performing so well and he’s performing for Connacht is a great thing for us.

“Obviously, the challenge is to hold on to, not just him, but the other players as well. But I genuinely believe that the experience and the environment that they are operating in, they get it, they actually believe in what we are trying to do.

“That doesn’t take away from the fact that there are clubs out there with very deep pockets, but that’s professional sport.”

What would the proposed upper clan tier add to the capacity now ?
Training ground could move to the university which would benefit both sides for research and monitoring of players. That would leave the area of the clubhouse and training pitch to be developed which is plenty of room.
I don't see the dogs leaving as long as we are there. We are actually helping them stay with the additional revenue being brought in on game days.

The dogs don't really present a significant barrier to getting to 10,000.
The main limiting factors are the clubhouse (built in a fairly nonsensical place) and the back pitch.
If they were prepared to to move the training base and find an alternative home for OLBC, they could level their own side and build any kind of a stand they want.
It would meet their scalability requirement too as if at some future point the dogs move out, they could then redevelop the other side and the ends.

This is a big test for Connacht's vision and ambitions.

Personally, I just can't see a solution with the dogs in mind. Anything developed to include the dogs will be a big compromise and will, for me, be a massive opportunity missed.

I can't think of another rugby team that shares with a dog track.

It is a sport that just doesn't fit with modern field sport and modern stadium facilities.

I really want to see the team be both brave and ambitious. But the way Ruane spoke sounds more like building onto what is already there at the sportsground, when in an ideal world, the whole place should be flattened and started again.

Whatever they build will have to do for the next 60 odd years. Please don't do a half job.

FACECUTTR wrote: Can we really have a dog track in the stadium if it's going to be developed? If there is so much talk about ambition and future of Connacht how can there be serious talks with sharing with the dogs ? Is it just that they are being nice and hoping the dog crowd take the hint and move on or what ?

If it's going to get done at the Sportsground the dogs will have to be in the equation. I can't see them moving out unless someone is willing to set them up with a new home. Though getting to 10,000+ at the Sportsground while accommodating the dogs probably leaves Connacht with a less than ideal stadium with additional costs so paying to move them might make more sense in the long run.

FACECUTTR wrote: Can we really have a dog track in the stadium if it's going to be developed? If there is so much talk about ambition and future of Connacht how can there be serious talks with sharing with the dogs ? Is it just that they are being nice and hoping the dog crowd take the hint and move on or what ?

I'm not sure of the dimensions, but could it be possible to develop the following...

Dog Track with retractable athletics track
Proper seated stands on both sides of the ground, with corporate box facilities (caters to the indoor dog pundits)
Retractable end terrace/stands that cover the curved ends of the track.

It may cost quite a bit, but with willing from all side, you could get a decent stadium in there and still cater to all.
If you had vision of putting in an athletics track over it too, you could have the best outdoor athletics stadium in the country too.

Can we really have a dog track in the stadium if it's going to be developed? If there is so much talk about ambition and future of Connacht how can there be serious talks with sharing with the dogs ? Is it just that they are being nice and hoping the dog crowd take the hint and move on or what ?

Owned by The Galway Agricultural & Sports Society Ltd

Leased by IGB.

Clan side sub let by Conncht rugby.

Edit: I actually can't find anything to support that but that is my understanding of it.
There wouldn't be any difference to Connacht whether they were co-tenants or subletting.
The dogs would have to be on board for anything happening on their side of the pitch.
Any redevelopment could and should suit both.

Darragh wrote: Do I interpret WR's comments re the sportsground as, any development of a 10,000 seater stadium there would have to include the dogs as part of the solution?

Says "negotiations with the IGB" - whether that means for a shared redevelopment or for the dogs to move elsewhere I'm not sure

Speaking at the launch of their ‘Vision and Strategy’ document at the Aviva Stadium, the former Connacht player says they want to have a “clear idea by the end of this summer” and says negotiations with the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB), from whom the province lease the stadium.

Open to correction but isn't the Sportsground owned by The Galway Agricultural & Sports Society Ltd. and Connacht Rugby and IGB are both equal tenants - not owned by IGB and leased by Connacht?

Do I interpret WR's comments re the sportsground as, any development of a 10,000 seater stadium there would have to include the dogs as part of the solution?

For schools rugby, don't forget West Offaly is Connacht too, Connor Kenny on the U20's is from Ferbane, granted he's moved to Garbally since, They've only stated rugby in the last 10yrs in Ferbane.

eezipc wrote:

pinky wrote: Very ambitious targets generally but isn't 30% of the squad from Connacht a bit low.

Or do they actually mean "ingenious". In that case, they could be aiming a bit too high..... :silly:

I think the target looks bang on. While Connacht have the lowest number of native born (which I'm defining as Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo plus Athlone and immediate environs for Connacht) players of all the provinces, in terms of native pros in the senior squad per head of population we're right up there (>30% this year; perhaps a shade less next year).

Leinster - 34 native pros / 47 2015-16 senior squad members (13.6 home pros per million population)
Munster - 27 / 39 (21.7)
Ulster - 27 / 44 (12.
Connacht - 11 / 40 (20.3)

This isn't to say Leinster or Ulster are letting the side down (number of players in senior squad is not linearly related to population; Leinster have pros spread across Ireland and abroad and produce the most pro players; Ulster were recruiting from just over half their population until recently), just to point out that the Connacht production line is as good or better than any of the other provinces, and that the 30% target is probably the max. we can aspire to due to the tiny population.