Prem A/B MK or Hatfield

[rice]

It was good to see more people watching the matches at Hatfield, and more courts to get the games through
Much better view of courts and facilities.Any thourghts??

[Markymark]

It was good to see more people watching the matches at Hatfield, and more courts to get the games through
Much better view of courts and facilities.Any thourghts??

Hatfield is a good venue for spectators, but both final weekends are in Milton Keynes. MK is actually a really bad venue for spectators and whoever designed it should be shot.

[heartofgold]

Hatfield is a more friendly venue for spectators but at a cost.

The venue was several hundred pounds more expensive than MK and the difference was meet by the County Association, I am told.

It is over 10 years since the Herts 1st team played at Home and the opportunity was too good to miss and received some good local support.

Should Premier A & B be more widely circulated at venues up and down the country and not at MK or the likes of Hatfield.

These two divisions are the cream of county badminton in the country, with great opportunities to see international players at first hand.

Should they not be spread around the country for club players to admire the standard.

I think we need to sell our sport rather than keep it to ourselves.

Heartofgold

[Woody]

One of the issues here is surely whether these Premier weekends are for the players or the spectators?

I have only ever been to one premier weekend and that was the one in November in Nottingaham. The facilities for spectators was appalling BUT the number of spectators other than team managers/ girldfriends or other such hangers on could have been counted on one hand.

Providing facilities for spectators costs moneyand one has to ask the question again would people pay to watch these matches. I would venture to suggest an emphatic no.

As for Milton Keynes and complaints about its design. What is the purpose of the premises? Is it to prvide a centre where our top players can train and be coached or is it somewhere where the odd match(s) can be watched by spectators.

You only have to look at the number of large sports centres around and count up the number of times they are full for events to see that it is an expensive buisness pampering to spectators.

Personally I would prefer to see the days when Counties played individual matches against one County and played out full matches with reverse doubles etc. I watched quite a few matchs in the mid 70's at Southampton University when Hampshire played Surrey and Essex on seperate occasions and they were very exciting affairs and players played very hard for their one match.

[Markymark]

I have no experience of the old system, but I think the weekends are excellent and there were a fair number of spectators at Hatfield, and there are always some at MK - albeit they can't hear anything that's going on.

[rice]

Well done to Herts BA for bringing this event to where the general public are exposed to this excellent Badminton format.

Would any other B A be interested in doing the same and making an effort to publicise the event, as long as the entry is reasonable , People will pay and the centre will make revenue on the hospitality.

[badmintongroupie]

Can I turn on its head, the speculation of the reasons, that spectators are thin on the ground at Premier A/B matches?

Is it because entry is free that spectators think that there will be nothing exceptional or exciting to watch? Re the old adage that you don't get anything for nothing!

Perhaps if there were a modest entry fee for spectators, these weekends would attract more spectators.

[TheChosenOneReturns!]

Run a few raffles, auction a couple of bikes ... the Chosen One agrees !!

:D