rossie wrote: I think you raise a very valid point ummm. Connacht is extremely gal way city and hinterland based and that is reflected in the attitudeof the fans and the branch alike. There is a sense of iI'm all right jack among fans when these issues are raised. The attitude of branch is similar. No ticket collection point on match day, no posting of tickets either. Collect them Mon to Friday or take what you can get on tickets.com. even the season ticket launch was gal way city targeted. Who else can attend on Wednesday at 6pm. They are patting themselves on the back a bit too much IMO and a change of attitude is required if further growth is to be achieved or current levels sustained. That applies to fans as well. They should be lobbying tg4 and branch about this.

Are there any clan comitee members based in Sligo, lietrim or Roscommon?

Rossie, I do know that the scheme to sell tickets in Centra and SuperValu throughout Connacht was in effort to make it easier for non-Galway based fans to get tickets.

Any there are no Committee members based outside Galway (I probably come closest, I live in Gort, but work in Galway). Nothing stopping anyone, mind.

Edit: But agree with you on the tv, should be more games on.

pinky wrote: But it is no worse than previous seasons (possibly even an improvement but not sure as I can't find the TV schedule from last season).

7/12

c vs cardiff NO
zebre vs c TG4
C vs Scarlets TG4
Glasgow vs c BBC Alba/TG4
C vs Leinster TG4
Ulster vs C BBCNI/RTE
Ospreys vs c NO
C vs Treviso NO
Dragons vs C NO
C vs edinburgh NO
C vs Munster Tg4
Leinster vs C Tg4

5/10

C vs Dragons No
scarlets vs C NO
C vs ospreys TG4
cardiff vs C NO
C vs Zebre TG4
Munster vs C TG4
edinburgh vs C NO
C vs ulster TG4/bbcNI
treviso vs c NO
C vs Glasgow RTE/bbcALBA

ummm, wrote: I've just confirmed with Rob Murphy that he'll be providing radio commentary for all home games, so that's something for the far flung fan at least.

My biggest frustration of last season was that there were a whole bunch of games where you couldn't even get radio commentary and we were relying on PRO12 match tracker and tweets.
At least that is gone this season apart from Edinburgh away (up until Christmas anyway).

Still way behind the other provinces.
Fixtures broadcast (by any broadcaster):
Leinster 12/12
Munster 11/12
Ulster 11/12
Connacht 6/12

The missing fixture for both Munster and Ulster is Dragons away. They are in the same boat as us with 6.
But it is no worse than previous seasons (possibly even an improvement but not sure as I can't find the TV schedule from last season).

Diom wrote: So if I have parsed the information correctly this is the Connacht live schedule for the first half of the season:

Friday 13th September: Cardiff Blues v Connacht 18.30 (19:05 KO) TG4/BBC Wales
Saturday 21 September: Connacht v Ulster 18.30 (18.45 KO) RTE2/BBC Norn Iron
Saturday 26 October: Leinster v Connacht 18.30 (18.45 KO) RTE2
Friday 4th October: Benetton Treviso v Connacht 19:00 (19:30 KO) TG4/Mediaset
Friday 27th December: Munster v Connacht 18.45 (19.15 KO) TG4
Saturday 4th January: Connacht v Leinster 18.45 (19.15 KO) TG4

For "overseas" Connacht fans.........

Pity TG4 can not take a leaf out of the S4C (Welsh TV) book.

I have watched a lot of Welsh games on S4C simply because I have the option to listen to the game in English. How difficult can it be??

ummm, wrote:

salmson wrote: Couple things here:

Umm: How is having games on a Saturday (province friendly as you put it) not catering to supporters outside Galway? Or do you mean the lack of TV coverage?

Yeah, I probably didn't explain myself. I mean that no matter how easy you make it for fans to get to Galway not all of them will be able to make it, and that means there will still be a large number of fans who would like to watch Connacht who end up missing out.

There are plenty of Connacht fans living outside of Ireland, plenty more who are underage and are hardly able to jump in a car and travel down to the Sportsground. Connacht fans are all sorts of people. I'm not saying Galway based fans are spoilt, but they're lucky to be able to get to matches without too much effort. The last time I went to the Sportsground it took me 9 hours of travelling, and I've missed out on watching a whole load of games that could have been televised.

Leinster fans went ballistic when two of their games weren't televised last season. I'd like to see that kind of attitude from Connacht fans.

Effectively what I'm trying to say is Connacht Rugby won't grow very much if only the same 5000 people get to see them every week.

I think you raise a very valid point ummm. Connacht is extremely gal way city and hinterland based and that is reflected in the attitudeof the fans and the branch alike. There is a sense of iI'm all right jack among fans when these issues are raised. The attitude of branch is similar. No ticket collection point on match day, no posting of tickets either. Collect them Mon to Friday or take what you can get on tickets.com. even the season ticket launch was gal way city targeted. Who else can attend on Wednesday at 6pm. They are patting themselves on the back a bit too much IMO and a change of attitude is required if further growth is to be achieved or current levels sustained. That applies to fans as well. They should be lobbying tg4 and branch about this.
Are there any clan comitee members based in Sligo, lietrim or Roscommon?

salmson wrote:
Cows: Saturday night at 5 does not interfere with the hounds later in the evening. Friday night at 7 or later scratches dogs for the night, but after Christmas (at least for January and February, sometime longer) the dogs go from 3 down to 2 nights a week. In the event of Connacht playing at home on Friday they just run Thursday/Saturday and don't lose a night.

That would make sense as to why they play more than 50% of their home games before Christmas
Dont know why they dont put more games on Saturday after Christmas though. Maybe they just like to split them

salmson wrote: Couple things here:

Umm: How is having games on a Saturday (province friendly as you put it) not catering to supporters outside Galway? Or do you mean the lack of TV coverage?

Yeah, I probably didn't explain myself. I mean that no matter how easy you make it for fans to get to Galway not all of them will be able to make it, and that means there will still be a large number of fans who would like to watch Connacht who end up missing out.

There are plenty of Connacht fans living outside of Ireland, plenty more who are underage and are hardly able to jump in a car and travel down to the Sportsground. Connacht fans are all sorts of people. I'm not saying Galway based fans are spoilt, but they're lucky to be able to get to matches without too much effort. The last time I went to the Sportsground it took me 9 hours of travelling, and I've missed out on watching a whole load of games that could have been televised.

Leinster fans went ballistic when two of their games weren't televised last season. I'd like to see that kind of attitude from Connacht fans.

Effectively what I'm trying to say is Connacht Rugby won't grow very much if only the same 5000 people get to see them every week.

Couple things here:

Umm: How is having games on a Saturday (province friendly as you put it) not catering to supporters outside Galway? Or do you mean the lack of TV coverage?

Cows: Saturday night at 5 does not interfere with the hounds later in the evening. Friday night at 7 or later scratches dogs for the night, but after Christmas (at least for January and February, sometime longer) the dogs go from 3 down to 2 nights a week. In the event of Connacht playing at home on Friday they just run Thursday/Saturday and don't lose a night.

I've just confirmed with Rob Murphy that he'll be providing radio commentary for all home games, so that's something for the far flung fan at least.

ummm, wrote: I have a horrible feeling it's 2. especially with the move to Saturday kick-offs being more province friendly.

But rugby in this province will not grow when only rugby fans in Galway are catered for.

The fixtures were very similiar last season. Nearly all the games before Christmas (excluding HC) were held on Saturday afternoons/evenings, and those after Christmas, were held on Friday evenings.
I dont know why they work out like this. Maybe its something to do with the dogs, but I can't work out the logic behind it.

By the way, Saturdays suit me way better anyway. Rushing back from the Pale on Friday nights for games, nearly always resulted in lots of drinks on an empty stomach

Just did some research. Last season, every home game before Christmas, apart from the Leinster game was indeed on a Saturday, and every home game after Christmas was on a Friday evening, apart from the Dragons, which was the 5th of Jan

I have a horrible feeling it's 2. especially with the move to Saturday kick-offs being more province friendly.

But rugby in this province will not grow when only rugby fans in Galway are catered for.

I have two theories why TG4 are showing less of our games

1. Poor viewership
2. Connacht have politely asked them to show less our home games, in hope that more fans will be forced to go to games

It's most likely neither

Thanks for that Diom. Will be printed and stuck on the fridge.

Wife,Kids,Visitor's,lad selling weekly lotto for local GAA Hurling/Football club will need to adjust accordingly.

So if I have parsed the information correctly this is the Connacht live schedule for the first half of the season:

Friday 13th September: Cardiff Blues v Connacht 18.30 (19:05 KO) TG4
Saturday 21 September: Connacht v Ulster 18.30 (18.45 KO) RTE2
Saturday 26 October: Leinster v Connacht 18.30 (18.45 KO) RTE2
Friday 4th October: Benetton Treviso v Connacht 19:00 (19:30 KO) TG4
Friday 27th December: Munster v Connacht 18.45 (19.15 KO) TG4
Saturday 4th January: Connacht v Leinster 18.45 (19.15 KO) TG4

Sheepsean wrote: What's the story with the away games ? Is it just easier to provide your own commentary/studio analysis from home, and use another broadcaster's medium?

Damn right:

Outside broadcast truck, full production staff, live commentary, 5 (TnaG) to 10 (Sky) cameras & crew

vs.

Presenters (in studio), commentary (usually in/off studio), 2 cameras (in studio), producer & one production assistant.

Much much cheaper, even allowing for the cost of the feed.