Thank you enormously for the positive feedback to the launch of our official website.
We have had plenty of questions about the one-off joining up fee, so we would like to tell you about some exciting new developments.
When we, as a steering committee, pioneered the idea of the Trust in the winter of 2019, we envisioned bringing committed supporters together for the purpose of helping the Ospreys secure their place at the top table of European rugby. Since then, the disastrous Covid-19 pandemic has affected so many and made so many situations precarious. In light of this, we are thrilled to announce that we are accepting applications with the voluntary option of deferring the joining fee for 12 months.
We are immensely thankful to the members who have already joined and made contributions; however we are passionate about making sure that our membership is as broad and diverse as possible so that all committed supporters of varying means can play a foundational role, even if the current pandemic has made that difficult.
We have decided NOT to have an annual subscription model beyond the one-off joining fee. Why? We recognise that the respective wealth and income of supporters will cover a very wide spectrum. Some will be able to contribute more financially than others, but we will all share the common goal of wanting to do everything they can to achieve the ultimate goal. We want the Trust to be open to all committed supporters who want to see us achieve the ultimate goal of competing at the highest level of European and ultimately world club rugby. We are sure this is the objective of the new owners, as if we achieve this objective it will increase the value of their investment.
The one-off joining fee has therefore been set at the relatively small level of £25 and £10 for OAPs and juniors. Again, we are not thereafter proposing a future annual subscription model but will be asking for donations up to an amount each individual feels comfortable they can afford.
The reason we have taken this approach is that we have undertaken research into the pricing of our likely future competitors across the border and have produced the following analysis in tabular form
Season 18/19 (Prices correct at time of publishing) (+/- is variation on Ospreys price)
TEAM CHEAPEST Most EXPENSIVE
Season Ticket Season Ticket
OSPREYS RUGBY £178.50 £303.50
BRISTOL RUGBY £175/-£3.50 £489/+£185.50
WASPS RUGBY £200/+£21.50 £565/+£261.50
BATH RUGBY £339/+£160.50 £681/+£377.50
EXETER RUGBY £370/+£191.50 £770/+£466.50
SCARLETS RUGBY £205/+£27.50 £390/+£66.50
BLUES RUGBY £255/+£76.50 £305/+£1.50
DRAGONS RUGBY £210/+£31.50 £300/-£3.50
(Note: Bristol’s Cheapest ST is behind the posts. Gloucester’s most expensive ST cost not available)
What this shows is that our competitors have an in-built revenue raising advantage in that their supporter base will accept higher prices. Large parts of our locality and not as affluent and those areas in England, even though some parts are. Consequently, we can never hope to obtain the same season ticket and admission prices.
A number of supporters have, however, expressed the view to us that they feel our season tickets are extraordinarily good value and in their financial circumstances too cheap for the value they receive. The Trust is an ideal vehicle for those individuals to pool these sums and enter into constructive dialogue as to how to utilise these amounts towards the ultimate goal. This however is far from the only purpose of the Trust It is open to all. Those whose financial circumstances do not make it possible for them to pay more than the season ticket or standard admission can help out by encouraging friends and family to join. They can help represent us on social media, to ensure we are not outnumbered in the public relations battle, as we were on that medium in the dark days of 2019, by some supporters of other factions in Wales who would prefer to see us gone or downgraded in order to increase their funding.
We do hope as many as possible from different backgrounds within the region, along with exiles who want to have the pleasure of seeing the local area they grew up in dining at the top table of pro rugby, will join together and pool whatever they have to offer. The right to play at the top table will not be given. It will have to be earned. The Trust wants commitment to be a two-way street, especially in the midst of a devastating public health crisis. We want as many committed members as possible, but we want them to buy into achieving the ultimate goal and help in whatever way their circumstances allow, which is why we are delighted to welcome any member who feels that they would rather defer their membership at this current moment in time.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join the Trust!