Les Catalans v Hull FC @ Beziers

[ParraEelsNRL]

Les Catalans are taking another game on the road in a few weeks time following up fropm their game @ Barcelona.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=e...yxCg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1

This is the stadium they'll be playing at.

Le stade de la méditerranée à Béziers

Plus Les catalans will be taking a game to Montpellier next year, things are looking good for the club in France.

 

[cumberlandsashes81]

Good one - spreading the games a bit around the region. A bit like Celtic doing the same next year (which, sadly, is interpreted as a weakness and an excuse to spread rumours rather than a clear show of the potential reach the club has in South Wales).

This Stadium has a capacity of around 20,000. If they can get 13,500 to travel to Barcelona then surely they could get even a few more to travel 70kms up the road?

Will also be a nice boost for the local RL scene there.

 

[Ryan_N]

It's a nice looking stadium. Taking the games on the road is all well and good, and will promote the game, but with Toulouse's probable inclusion in Super League, I think they should maybe stay Perpignan exlusive. The support in France would development immensely just from a second team and moving Catalans games could just make fans in Perpignan frustrated. They should in the long term look for somewhere to stay permanently.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Na, Les Catalans should spread their brand as far as possible along the East coast in France and also down into Catalonia.

Toulouse has a massive population with plenty of towns and villages nearby.

 

[Coastbloke]

Yeh, a good move..

Catalans is doing a great job getting League back to a recoginition they deserve..

Belziers has a League background does it not..??..I'm pretty sure the Kangaroos have played a Test there..

 

[druzik]

Most of the places have a league background.

Actually I have been to Beziers to that stadium. Yes it does look nice and all but it sists in a really sh!t area of the city. On the outskirts and with no easy public transport access back into town. The Ibis hotel is near by but its effectiovely an industrial area and also the red light district around there.

Busses stop running about 5 pm. So yeah, I think they could have done better.

Ryan, Cats are on the road a lot this year because their stadium is getting is much needed upgrades and so some games have to be played elsewhere.
span.jajahWrapper { font-size:1em; color:#B11196; text-decoration:underline; } a.jajahLink { color:#000000; text-decoration:none; } span.jajahInLink:hover { background-color:#B11196; }

 

[AlbertRosenfeld]

The renovations of the Gilbert Brutus stadium were supposed to start in May, but commencement has been postponed to September. It is not clear if the ground will be finished its renovation by the beginning of the 2010 season. So the club may need to play more on the road in 2010.

Unfortunately the new stand will only raise capacity from 9,500 to 11,000.

Meanwhile Les Catalans are likely to take one of their games to Barcelona every year to build support in Spanish Catalonia. Personally, I think it would be nice if they took two games to Barcelona each year, and one to Montpellier, to try and help the local Elite club develop support there. Beziers doesn't have an Elite rugby league club with big ambitions. Montpellier does.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Great stuff Catalans. Who is the man in charge of the Cats? He's possibly the best admin the French have had in years.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Bernard Guasch is President.

Here's all the people who look after the Dragons.

http://www.catalansdragons.com/fr/organigramme.php

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Yeh, a good move..

Catalans is doing a great job getting League back to a recoginition they deserve..

Belziers has a League background does it not..??..I'm pretty sure the Kangaroos have played a Test there..

They have a team in the national division 2.