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Saints' innovative car park idea for fans at closed doors matches

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Northampton have revealed a creative plan to overcome the likelihood that the remaining 2019/20 season Gallagher Premiership matches will be played behind closed doors. Conscious of the need to rekindle relationships with fans once the lockdown restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic are lifted, Saints CEO Mark Darbon has a novel idea to convert a 2,500-space car park at Franklin’s Gardens into a drive-in cinema.

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There is ongoing speculation that Premier Rugby will eventually get the green light to stage the remaining 57 matches of the current season behind closed doors. However, rather than just have fans watch these games on their own at home on TV, Northampton are hoping to create some sort of a buzz around their matches by ramping up offerings to fans. 

Speaking to the UK Telegraph, Darbon said: “We are dedicated to delivering an outstanding supporters’ experience at Saints. If we have to operate behind closed doors then we must remain committed to that principle. It’s an opportunity to show some imagination and be innovative to maintain the connection with our supporters, but also to give the players the right stage on which to perform.

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“Clearly we would rather not play in empty stadia, and nothing is confirmed in the Premiership yet, but we have to be ready should it become a reality. We’re determined to come out of the challenges this situation presents with some ideas which will be useful when we get back to normality too.

“This is an idea that we’re currently exploring which we actually heard about when a Danish football club discussed it (FC Midtjylland). We have around 2,500 car parking spaces on-site at Franklin’s Gardens so we have the capability – we just need to do some more work on the interest levels from our supporters and whether we can do it safely and securely.

“We hosted an outdoor cinema on the pitch for two nights during the summer last year, so it would just be an adjusted version of that. The parking spaces are in quite close proximity to the stadium so if the supporters were to collectively toot their car horns to celebrate a home try, the players would definitely hear their support.”

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J
JW 14 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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