Burton RFC Partying On
Look through a list of attendances at rugby matches on Saturday, 10 September, from the top tier down to the fifth, and you'd be forgiven for having a double take at Burton v Oundle in the Midlands Premier Division. The Staffordshire club attracted a 5,000-strong crowd for their first home game of the season, making it the biggest gate recorded outside the Gallagher Premiership.
How did they do it? Visionary club members, a team of dedicated volunteers, a well-thought-out marketing strategy, and an open invite to the local community to join Party On The Pitch.
Selling up & moving
"We were based at Peel Croft in the centre of Burton, a great ground for our First XV, but our other teams had to play their games on the local municipal pitches," explains Burton RFC's Head of Promotions, Matt Satchell.
"So we decided to sell the ground in 2019 and move to an area more suited to the growing club. The year of Covid and no rugby enabled us to move and build a venue without the pressure of fixtures. Our pitches were finished in September 2021, and after 12 months of settling into our new home, it was important for us to invite the local community into our multi-purpose facility and promote the attractiveness of the game of rugby."
"Rugby, live music, local food vendors, craft stalls, bouncy castles, a fun fair…it was a day out for the whole family," recall Promotion and Marketing Leads, Megan Wood and Ellie Catlin. "To promote the event, we used traditional and digital marketing channels," Megan explained. "We posted about the event on our social media accounts and distributed 10,000 leaflets around the community, particularly focusing on new housing estates, and even created some out-of-home banners for the high footfall areas across town."
Amazing band of volunteers
Given the close bond between club and community, it's no surprise that Burton RFC enjoys a 150-strong network of volunteers who dedicate their weekends to supporting the club. "We run a Facebook Group for the volunteers," explains Ellie. "This allows them to offer help where they can and share the load. For Party On The Pitch, we had 60 fantastic volunteers supporting various activities, and their invaluable support helped make the day the success it was.
"The players definitely felt the spectacle of the day, and who wouldn't want to play in front of 5,000 people! Even our opposition stayed late and carried on the party off the pitch after the final whistle. Our ethos at Burton Rugby Club is simple. We want to be the best amateur rugby club in the country. As a Level 5 team who doesn't pay any of our players or coaching staff, we need to grow and sustain all our teams, from minis to seniors. By hosting big events for the local community, we naturally bring in potential new players and members, increasing our financial stability and ability to reinvest into our grassroots club."
Burton's first home match of the season wasn't just a huge success off the pitch but also on it, with the 1st XV recording a bonus-point 27-10 win against Oundle. It's hard to overstate the importance of Party On The Pitch for a club like Burton RFC, but with further plans for similar events on the horizon, it looks like they're just getting started.
#PlayTogetherStayTogether
Rugby’s about more than the 80 minutes on the pitch; it’s about the friendships you make off it. That’s why we’re calling on community game players to share their ‘On & Off the pitch’ photos on social media. All you have to do to get involved is share two photos: one on the pitch playing for your club, and another off the pitch with your teammates. Include the hashtag #PlayTogetherStayTogether, and we’ll automatically enter you into a prize draw to win one of four England Rugby kit bundles worth £100.
