‘Inspired’ Bristol Bears put USA fixture ‘on the table’ after Big Day Out success
Bristol Bears' Viliame Mata scores a try during the Gallagher Premiership match at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff.
Ambitious Bristol Bears will continue exploring opportunities to break new ground following the success of their money-spinning venture in Cardiff yesterday.
Pat Lam’s title-chasers took their home Gallagher Premiership home fixture against Bath to the Principality Stadium, beating their understrength West Country rivals 36-14.
The event was marketed as ‘Big Day Out’ and attracted a crowd of 51,095 – a club record for a Bristol game and approaching double the size of Ashton Gate’s capacity.
Bristol target USA fixture
Following the commercial success of this year’s event, the Bears will head back to the Welsh capital next season for what will become a double-header with a Bristol Bears women’s fixture.
Yet Bristol chief operating officer Tom Tainton has revealed the club are looking beyond just the UK – with the American market also on their radar.
Saracens previously took two Premiership fixtures to the USA and Wigan Warriors recently played Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas in the first Super League game to be staged Stateside.
That was part of a five-year deal the NRL (National Rugby League) has to stage their season-opening games in Sin City over one weekend.
That did not go unnoticed by Tainton, who told Planet Rugby: “I’m a big fan of rugby league and what the NRL have done over in Las Vegas.
“It’s fantastic to see the way they have sold a collision sport to a US audience, with all the glitz and glamour that comes with that.
“First and foremost, here at Bristol Bears we absolutely looked at other sports for inspiration before making the decision to take Saturday’s game to Cardiff.
“Myself and Gavin Marshall (CEO for the Bristol Sport group) have actually spent time out in the US during the past two summers, going to different events and speaking to various stakeholders.
“America and North American sports remain the market leader when it comes to how to engage fanbases and truly understand their audiences.
“I love the NFL, I love the NBA and I love how they create stories and narratives.
“And I think it’s a really positive thing that we’re now seeing the NRL and, more recently, the Super League following suit in rugby league.
“It’s definitely something that we’ve been able to draw inspiration from and, from a wider standpoint with the Premiership, we’re really excited about the executive’s plans for the competition and what it’s going to look like moving forward.
“No option should be off the table and that’s not to say that anything has been tangibly discussed at this stage.
“But absolutely at Bristol Bears, because of the club that we are and the attitude we have to be at the forefront of positive change, if opportunities arose to play overseas then that’s absolutely something that we would consider.”
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“We have to think big”
Bristol earned plenty of plaudits for taking the Premiership into Welsh territory for the first time the competition had staged a league fixture there.
Tainton added: “We have to think big and take an aspirational approach because rugby union needs that injection of energy and calculated risk, if you like, by doing things differently and showing some ambition.
“I hope that the Principality game and Big Day Out is something that we can continue to repeat following the success of this year’s inaugural event.
“By the same token, if it helps us to grow new audiences and encourage people to enjoy a sport that we all love, then who knows where that might lead us and what doors it could open?
“Whether that’s in global markets and overseas, but first and foremost as custodians of the sport we have a job to get as many people enjoying watching Bristol Bears.”
Neagtive headlines
Bristol are funded by wealthy owner Stephen Lansdown and despite the financial struggles of numerous Premiership clubs, Tainton believes the competition can have a healthy future.
He said: “I’m tired of seeing negative headlines about Premiership Rugby and then expecting supporters, sponsors and broadcasters to want to get involved.
“We should be really proud of our product and talk about all the really good things that we can deliver.
“I just think now it’s about everyone getting together, working in an alignment as the clubs within the Premiership to try and grow the competition.
“The low-hanging fruit is obviously how we market the game, how we talk about it, and puff our chests to be really positive about the Premiership and the game in general.
“Losing those three teams, especially out of Covid, was incredibly challenging for everyone.
“The actual product on the field – and I include Super League in this – is the best it has been in terms of everyone can beat each other.
“You look at the English Premier League this season and there has been no real jeopardy at either end of the table.
“In the Premiership, there is still so much to play for.
“I feel we’ve got a really compelling product and what we need to do now is ensure that more people and younger audiences can engage with what we’re doing.
“The way you do that is you create stars, you amplify your players and make them the advocates of what we’re doing.
“Again, we can look at the blueprint of how it’s worked in American sports, so I think there are lots of positive things already to draw upon.”
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