Money talks, real fans forced to walk

WHEN FACED with a match as monumental as tomorrow’s clash with Stade Français, one cannot help but feel a little nostalgic.

The video player has been busy this week, alternating lovingly between 'Their Finest Hour', the account of Munster's win over the All Blacks in 1978, and the day in 1992 when we hammered the sh**e out of the Aussies in Muzzer (was there ever a better penalty try?).

But those were the big days.

It is easy also to recall a bitterly cold Lansdowne Road in 1990 and Munster losing to Leinster in front of 23 fans, two dogs and a bewildered seagull.

Or going down to Cardiff in '97, our last home European Cup defeat, when the crowd barely numbered 2,000.

How times have changed. In the old days, following Munster was not sexy, it was simply what you did.

The fans were knowledgeable, lifelong supporters who wished to see rugby at a level above the club game, and cared not about the weather, the atmosphere or the quality of opposition.

Now, many of those who laboured through the dark days to build Munster into the force they are today cannot get a ticket to see them play.

There is nothing wrong with winning new fans, the game is far more popular than 20 years ago and has become a credible rival to soccer and GAA, which is to be applauded.

However, the corporate sector, ever watchful for a commercial opportunity, has moved in and the rank and file are losing out.

In the interests of their team's progression, the majority of Munster fans approved the decision to stage tomorrow's quarter-final in Thomond when Lansdowne Road could have accommodated a far greater number.

But that decision meant there were less tickets and, when it comes to acquiring a ticket, money talks.

Of the official allocation, corporate hospitality officially got 720. But look at the list a little closer and you see ERC Ltd and commercial partners also received 714.

So, that's 1,434 to the corporate sector.

Stade took their full allocation of 3,199, but only used 700 and put the rest on the open market.

Where did they end up? Bingo, corporate hospitality.

The Munster Supporters Club got their full allocation of 2,850. Yet the clubs, the lifeblood of the game in the province for over a century and more, had their allocation reduced, while no tickets went on public sale.

To compound matters, many clubs are using their allocations to stage corporate events as fundraisers. While the need to raise club funds has never been more pressing, it is another kick in the groin for the club man.

There are a lot of angry fans and the phone and email have been hopping this week.

"I have been involved with my club for nearly 30 years," said one caller, who did not wish to be named. "I played with them, coached their underage teams and sat on committees for years and I cannot even get one ticket for this match, they've all gone to the gin and prawn brigade, it's a disgrace."

The anecdotes have also come thick and fast. The middle-aged couple, tipsy from their corporate lunch, who left just after half-time in the Gloucester game because it started to rain.

Or, the sheepskin-clad man at the same match who wanted to know why "Keith Woods (sic) wasn't playing, didn't he have a great World Cup?"

The Munster players, to their credit, know the score. They know who their real fans are. Anthony Foley, Frankie Sheahan and Anthony Horgan spoke out this week, empathising with the core fans and hoping the atmosphere will not be affected tomorrow.

They are aware of the power of committed support and their Leinster pals will have told them about the dangers of an apathetic crowd.

It is the Munster Branch and the clubs who need to take a close look at what is happening with their tickets.

Munster's children are being written out of the will in favour of the busty, leggy blonde who has won their father's affections.

We do not want Thomond to be the new Donnybrook.