Sneak Peak - RDS Redevelopment Plans

[cormac]

And yes I still call Lansdowne Road like every normal person who isn't forced to say something else because they're on telly.

I call it the Aviva cause its just a name ................. and I don't really give a shite what the pile of cement is called once I have a ticket.

Same here. As far as I'm concerned Lansdowne Road (the stadium, not the road itself) was bulldozed in 2007.

[Ultra Vires]

I guess it's safe to say that we'll all just continue to call it the RDS.

As for stadiums that intimidate the opposition...the Principality Stadium would be high on the list...

[johng]

I guess it's safe to say that we'll all just continue to call it the RDS.

Maybe not. Branding is strong these days. Like the man sez. As long as we have a ticket.

Personally I still call the point depot the same thing as it was called for the last 120 years. But that's just because I don't like being told what to do, and because there was an O2 in London and an Aviva in English Rugby. Dunno if there is a 3 Arena anywhere else but feck it. The pointy pot was fine the way it was.

Anyone else can call it whatever they like as long as we all know what we are talking about.

[Flash Gordon]

Laya Healthcare are putting up a reported 8 to 11m. I'm happy.

At the height of the celtic tiger Munster abandoned their plan of earning money by selling the naming rights to Thomond Park. Currently they still owe 9m on Thomond and lost money last year. Over a long repayment plan, up to 2027 its thought that they will not be able to meet payment obligations. If they had taken 5m, 6m they would have next to nothing to pay off.

I'd rather take the money and welcome and beat the opposition in TeleTubby RDS Arena if it means we have the money to stay competitive, keep our players, develop player pathway structures, infrastructure and provide a great match experience for existing fans, expand fan base and offer premium packages. Its about the money, money.

Seeing as it wont be the Teletubby park, and I wont have to wear a Stade jersey to games I think I can watch Leinster win in Laya Healthcare Arena.

That was the IRFU indulging the Munster Branch and supporters preciousness. I remember the outrage from supporters that there was even a question of sullying the hallowed stadium! The branch have been financially incompetent for quite some time now with a Celtic Tiger mortgage based upon the belief that good times would last forever and the IRFU has been way too tolerant in my opinion. Unfortunately now, nobody is prepared to put up the cash. Hopefully, given that their on field performance is better and crowds are up again, they will be able to remarket the property - just not at the value it had in 2007!

Yeah, but how long do these contracts last for. I thought it was generally for 10 years only. Wouldn't they be going again around now anyway?

No fixed term really - Busch Stadium, Wringley Field, Fenway Park etc have been that way for decades. The rebranding of Bolton's Reebok to "Macron stadium" is a 4 year deal. But you're right, it would have been up for renewal one way or the other either now or in more difficult times.

[BlueBlue]

Laya Healthcare are putting up a reported 8 to 11m. I'm happy.

At the height of the celtic tiger Munster abandoned their plan of earning money by selling the naming rights to Thomond Park. Currently they still owe 9m on Thomond and lost money last year. Over a long repayment plan, up to 2027 its thought that they will not be able to meet payment obligations. If they had taken 5m, 6m they would have next to nothing to pay off.

I'd rather take the money and welcome and beat the opposition in TeleTubby RDS Arena if it means we have the money to stay competitive, keep our players, develop player pathway structures, infrastructure and provide a great match experience for existing fans, expand fan base and offer premium packages. Its about the money, money.

Seeing as it wont be the Teletubby park, and I wont have to wear a Stade jersey to games I think I can watch Leinster win in Laya Healthcare Arena.

That was the IRFU indulging the Munster Branch and supporters preciousness. I remember the outrage from supporters that there was even a question of sullying the hallowed stadium! The branch have been financially incompetent for quite some time now with a Celtic Tiger mortgage based upon the belief that good times would last forever and the IRFU has been way too tolerant in my opinion. Unfortunately now, nobody is prepared to put up the cash. Hopefully, given that their on field performance is better and crowds are up again, they will be able to remarket the property - just not at the value it had in 2007!

For sure.

[BlueBlue]

Laya Healthcare are putting up a reported 8 to 11m. I'm happy.

At the height of the celtic tiger Munster abandoned their plan of earning money by selling the naming rights to Thomond Park. Currently they still owe 9m on Thomond and lost money last year. Over a long repayment plan, up to 2027 its thought that they will not be able to meet payment obligations. If they had taken 5m, 6m they would have next to nothing to pay off.

I'd rather take the money and welcome and beat the opposition in TeleTubby RDS Arena if it means we have the money to stay competitive, keep our players, develop player pathway structures, infrastructure and provide a great match experience for existing fans, expand fan base and offer premium packages. Its about the money, money.

Seeing as it wont be the Teletubby park, and I wont have to wear a Stade jersey to games I think I can watch Leinster win in Laya Healthcare Arena.

That was the IRFU indulging the Munster Branch and supporters preciousness. I remember the outrage from supporters that there was even a question of sullying the hallowed stadium! The branch have been financially incompetent for quite some time now with a Celtic Tiger mortgage based upon the belief that good times would last forever and the IRFU has been way too tolerant in my opinion. Unfortunately now, nobody is prepared to put up the cash. Hopefully, given that their on field performance is better and crowds are up again, they will be able to remarket the property - just not at the value it had in 2007!

Yeah, but how long do these contracts last for. I thought it was generally for 10 years only. Wouldn't they be going again around now anyway?

Yes I'd be delighted with missing out on earnings for the past 10 years based on the prospect of earning in the coming ten years, that way I can realise 50% of my value, or if I'm lucky less than 50% of my value.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Yes I'd be delighted with missing out on earnings for the past 10 years based on the prospect of earning in the coming ten years, that way I can realise 50% of my value, or if I'm lucky less than 50% of my value.

That was the point I was trying to get to. The money is gone, any new deal now would have had to happen anyway.

Bloody stupid inability to make an argument

[Oldschool]

Laya Healthcare are putting up a reported 8 to 11m. I'm happy.

At the height of the celtic tiger Munster abandoned their plan of earning money by selling the naming rights to Thomond Park. Currently they still owe 9m on Thomond and lost money last year. Over a long repayment plan, up to 2027 its thought that they will not be able to meet payment obligations. If they had taken 5m, 6m they would have next to nothing to pay off.

I'd rather take the money and welcome and beat the opposition in TeleTubby RDS Arena if it means we have the money to stay competitive, keep our players, develop player pathway structures, infrastructure and provide a great match experience for existing fans, expand fan base and offer premium packages. Its about the money, money.

Seeing as it wont be the Teletubby park, and I wont have to wear a Stade jersey to games I think I can watch Leinster win in Laya Healthcare Arena.

That was the IRFU indulging the Munster Branch and supporters preciousness. I remember the outrage from supporters that there was even a question of sullying the hallowed stadium! The branch have been financially incompetent for quite some time now with a Celtic Tiger mortgage based upon the belief that good times would last forever and the IRFU has been way too tolerant in my opinion. Unfortunately now, nobody is prepared to put up the cash. Hopefully, given that their on field performance is better and crowds are up again, they will be able to remarket the property - just not at the value it had in 2007!

At a guess the "Anthony Foley Memorial Stadium" has a better than even chance of taking the field. The IRFU probably don't want to hear that suggestion mind you!

[brenno]

And yes I still call Lansdowne Road like every normal person who isn't forced to say something else because they're on telly.

I call it the Aviva cause its just a name ................. and I don't really give a shite what the pile of cement is called once I have a ticket.

Whoever has the naming rights doesn't give a toss about whether the punters use the new name - all they really care about is the branding and whether the media and particularly the TV companies will call Lansdowne the Aviva Stadium or whether they will the RDS the Laya Arena or whatever it ends up being called.

As for myself, I'm a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the names of the grounds and gig places.. I confess I do call it the Aviva, but the Point will always be the Point and as for the Bord Gais Energy Theatre - well it's the Grand Canal Theatre to me. It seems that 3 tried to persuade the operators of the Luas to change the terminus name The Point to the 3 Arena but the Luas people refused (or weren't being offered enough money!)
And somehow I think the RDS will always be the RDS

[Oldschool]

And yes I still call Lansdowne Road like every normal person who isn't forced to say something else because they're on telly.

I call it the Aviva cause its just a name ................. and I don't really give a shite what the pile of cement is called once I have a ticket.

Whoever has the naming rights doesn't give a toss about whether the punters use the new name - all they really care about is the branding and whether the media and particularly the TV companies will call Lansdowne the Aviva Stadium or whether they will the RDS the Laya Arena or whatever it ends up being called.

As for myself, I'm a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the names of the grounds and gig places.. I confess I do call it the Aviva, but the Point will always be the Point and as for the Bord Gais Energy Theatre - well it's the Grand Canal Theatre to me. It seems that 3 tried to persuade the operators of the Luas to change the terminus name The Point to the 3 Arena but the Luas people refused (or weren't being offered enough money!)
And somehow I think the RDS will always be the RDS

Agree "Royal" in the name of something has huge significance - it attracts the "right kind of people" don't you know (You and me like).
The Dublin Horse Show is called the Royal Dublin Horse Show as opposed to the Royal Dublin Society Horse Show, I think.
Laya Royal Dublin Stadium ie Laya RDS might actually work, it kind off rolls of the tongue after a bit of practice - perhaps that's the way the negotiators should present it - kills two birds with the one stone.

LAYA

Royal Dublin Stadium

[Ultra Vires]

Agree "Royal" in the name of something has huge significance - it attracts the "right kind of people" don't you know (You and me like).
The Dublin Horse Show is called the Royal Dublin Horse Show as opposed to the Royal Dublin Society Horse Show, I think.
Laya Royal Dublin Stadium ie Laya RDS might actually work, it kind off rolls of the tongue after a bit of practice - perhaps that's the way the negotiators should present it - kills two birds with the one stone.

LAYA

Royal Dublin Stadium

[/quote]

More nonsense. The only people who are attracted to "royal" in the name of something are the Brits and other monarchies around the world. Oh and little Paddies with an inferiority complex who like to attach themselves to faux imperial trappings of another country because it gives them the illusion of being better than some of their fellow citizens. See my comments on the British "and Irish" Lions on another thread.

Not sure where you're getting this "Stadium" in the name either. It's currently called the RDS Arena. Also, the brand is Laya Healthcare not Laya. They're not going to dispense with half their name just because you think it'll roll off the tongue of the average supporter easier. Therefore the reality is it would likely be renamed the Laya Healthcare Arena which as I pointed out earlier is horrible sounding.

Another poster above said the corporate sponsors don't care whether supporters call event venues by their new name. Au contraire. That is exactly the purpose behind renaming rights, to generate publicity and brand recognition and what better way to do that than if all the fans refer to it as Aviva Stadium rather than Lansdowne Road. Of course, they can't make the fans call it that, but they can make TV stations and commentators do so because they are contractually obliged to.

Anyway my original rant is that the new name will sound shite, but that joe public will continue to call it the RDS, in contrast to the Aviva which actually doesn't sound too bad (leaving aside historical attachment for all of us to Lansdowne Road). It just shows that the name of the actual sponsor is very important to liklehood of its use, rather than it being a simple case of just taking bags of cash off any organisation offering it.

eg The Heineken Cup sounded great, the Rabo-Direct Pro 12 did not. Hypothetically, the Guinness Arena would sound good, and there's an Irish and specifically Dublin link so it fits and feels natural and comfortable. By contrast say, the Persil Automatic Arena sounds shite and has no relevance. Similarly, the Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Cornflakes Arena would be farcical (no matter how good they taste).

Marriage of the appropriate brand and venue is vital. I just don't see it with Laya Healthcare. Sounds like Leinster only got one offer on the table and had to take it.

Mind you, as Laya and Aviva are competitors there's a good chance that TV commentators won't be able to mention the other venue by name when reporting from the first during a broadcast. Interesting. Remember when the UEFA cup final was hosted here at the "Dublin Stadium" a few years ago because UEFA's sponsors wouldn't allow mention of Aviva?

[Oldschool]

LAYA

HEALTHCARE

ROYAL DUBLIN STADIUM

The LAYA is for the huge paddies.
The HEALTHCARE is for the little paddies.
The RDS is for the rest of us West Brits.

[paddyor]

If you're relying on the name of a stadium to strike fear into the hearts of the opposition its time to take up dungeons and dragons

You say that, but if the makers of the Doom video game stepped in, you'd be pretty happy about it.

[Ultra Vires]

If you're relying on the name of a stadium to strike fear into the hearts of the opposition its time to take up dungeons and dragons

You say that, but if the makers of the Doom video game stepped in, you'd be pretty happy about it.

The Stadium of Doom. I like it.

The Carlsberg Coliseum would be pretty cool too.

The Ironman Arena.

The Ford Fortress.

Any other good suggestions?

[TerenureJim]

If you're relying on the name of a stadium to strike fear into the hearts of the opposition its time to take up dungeons and dragons

You say that, but if the makers of the Doom video game stepped in, you'd be pretty happy about it.

The Stadium of Doom. I like it.

The Carlsberg Coliseum would be pretty cool too.

The Ironman Arena.

The Ford Fortress.

Any other good suggestions?

This is all nonsense as Lansdowne Rd is and always will be Lansdowne Rd because of its address, the RDS will always be the RDS because it's inside the RDS. If anyone wants to sponsor the name that's grand, take the money and run some people will call it by the sponsor name, whatever let them at it but does it stick? No because probably it'll change in 5-10 years e.g. The point where the old name is constant.

It's like Jury's, the Burlo or the Berkley court for my folks.

[Oldschool]

One of the best banners - actually THE best banner in the RDS is D4TRESS.
So perhaps.

LAYA

HEALTHCARE

D4TRESS

[Flash Gordon]

Yes I'd be delighted with missing out on earnings for the past 10 years based on the prospect of earning in the coming ten years, that way I can realise 50% of my value, or if I'm lucky less than 50% of my value.

That was the point I was trying to get to. The money is gone, any new deal now would have had to happen anyway.

Bloody stupid inability to make an argument

So if Munster were a normal club, that financial behaviour would have driven them towards bankruptcy. Fortunately for them the IRFU bailed them out. The money that went is money that could have kept Sexton in Ireland or made marquee signings for all 4 provinces (or properly funded Connacht). Better funded provinces increases the chance of winning trophies and that fills stadia, does better sponsorship deals and generates more income and interest. It's a virtuous circle.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Yes I'd be delighted with missing out on earnings for the past 10 years based on the prospect of earning in the coming ten years, that way I can realise 50% of my value, or if I'm lucky less than 50% of my value.

That was the point I was trying to get to. The money is gone, any new deal now would have had to happen anyway.

Bloody stupid inability to make an argument

So if Munster were a normal club, that financial behaviour would have driven them towards bankruptcy. Fortunately for them the IRFU bailed them out. The money that went is money that could have kept Sexton in Ireland or made marquee signings for all 4 provinces (or properly funded Connacht). Better funded provinces increases the chance of winning trophies and that fills stadia, does better sponsorship deals and generates more income and interest. It's a virtuous circle.

Yeah, but this one goes up to 11...

[Laighin Break]

One of the best banners - actually THE best banner in the RDS is D4TRESS.
So perhaps.

LAYA

HEALTHCARE

D4TRESS

The worst banner we have had at the RDS has to be "Let Us Compete".

[Dave Cahill]

The worst banner we have had at the RDS has to be "Let Us Compete".

And you know the story behind that, yeah?