There has been a clear reduction in the number of spectators at Pontypridd games since Christmas...

Why???

Is it down to the recent debacles at the WRU?
The clubs failure to back the rebel clubs and call for an EGM?
The club becoming more and more of a Cardiff development team?
Or just the disenfanchisement of the valleys supporters at not being represented at the highest level finally setting in and interest in the game as a whole dwindling???

Nelty wrote:
There has been a clear reduction in the number of spectators at Pontypridd games since Christmas...

Why???

Is it down to the recent debacles at the WRU?
The clubs failure to back the rebel clubs and call for an EGM?
The club becoming more and more of a Cardiff development team?
Or just the disenfanchisement of the valleys supporters at not being represented at the highest level finally setting in and interest in the game as a whole dwindling???

I speak as one of the dwindlers (odd I know since I run this website) but my reason are personal and sometimes complicated (just got married/moved house/have an MSc to do). Not sure if that means I fall into this catagory or not, but I certainly feel that regardless of the state of Welsh rugby, this doesn't affect the way I view Ponty rugby.

Like it or not, Pontypridd is more or less a Cardiff development team. We've seen a direct link to providing cover for the Blues when their own bench falls apart, and especially over the last few weeks when injuries have mounted up.

Is this the way things will go? I am not sure but it looks like a trend to me. I feel Pontypridd represents me fine when it comes to rugby. The Blues can go and get stuffed if they don't want to work at getting the loyalty of Ponty RFC supporters, and I have said all season that the quality of Ponty rugby is some of the best in Wales. I see no reason to march an extra 10 miles to see if Cardiff has anything better to offer.

I would be interested in finding out if other clubs have had dwindling numbers over the past couple of months though.

We need advertising though. Proper advertising! We've got a cup run to follow and how can people know about it?

I have constantly complained to the BBC of the lack of coverage that the Premiership gets. If you go on the BBC website it is barely mentioned and takes days to amend fixtures or report results; which is all it does - there are no write ups of the games... There has been no tv coverage, even when there haven't been any 'regional' or international games... Without this coverage and publicity the premiership is going to die a death, become more amateur with some clubs being effectively academy teams and others full of ageing or hobbyist players playing for a crack, but at a much lower and unfitter level... Where will this leave Pontypridd? An academy team playing in a Mickey Mouse league against other academy teams or amateur sides... Who other than those with family on the field would watch them then??? Maybe that's what the WRU are hoping for, to weaken the support base of what is clearly the most unfashionable or within the WRU's Cardiff corridors, the most disliked side??