Ep 201 - New season, new tech and new CEO. Tom Tainton joins the pod to talk all things Bears past, present and future.

Having reached a double ton at the end of last season wth the help of emerging club and Instagram legend James Dun, the boys road-test their brand new crowd funded recording equipment at the BBF Taproom Studio Bar for the season seven opener with Bears CEO Tom Tainton, who, lets be honest, was well impressed with the set up and admtted that he had never done a pod in a lock-in before.

The boys asked him briefly about his journey to the top before diving in with some of the sorts of questions that we hope our listeners would expect us to ask - fan engagment, whether the Big Day Out made money, merchandise, Simba cam and much, much more.

Tom was a very engaging interviewee and took his time to clarify and engage many of the issues that are close to fan's hearts. He admitted that sometimes the club had got things wrong but also reaffirmed his belief that the club is in a great position and that the future is bright. 

It was very good of him to come down to our manor on a Sunday night and it can be confirmed that at least two of the can opening sound effects, much loved by many listeners, were definitely of his making.

As always your feedback is welcome both on our socials or via [e-mail]

Up the Bears!

Let us know what you think!

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_03 (00:05):
Hello, you're listening to Bearsville the
Game, a Bristol Bears podcastand a 5 fan 4 fans with three
friends who level Club the gameand all things bears.
Well boys, we are back at ourspiritual home, the Bristol Bear
Factory Catholic, and havingreached our double century of
episode at the end of lastseason with uh our season review

(00:26):
with our good friend James Dunn,we are now back for season
seven.
Unbelievable.
And more importantly, we've gotnew equipment.
New equipment over the summer,as some people have known, we
crowdfunded uh some newmicrophones, some headphones, a
mixer, mainly because offeedback of people and they just
couldn't stand the rain, theseagulls, the prototype and

(00:49):
things, the crisps.
Um, so we will talk more aboutthis at some point, but just a
very quick nod to all of thoseuh listeners that helped us to
talk to this material.
But also, um, we have got avery, very, very special guest
to help us road test this newequipment, and we'd like to
welcome uh Bristol Bears CEO TomTainton to the Bristol Beer

(01:11):
Factory chat room.

SPEAKER_04 (01:14):
Thank you for having me on, gentlemen.
I have to say, um Acongratulations on your double
century, but B congratulationson the setup.
I feel like I'm in the talksports studio.

SPEAKER_03 (01:23):
Well, it's it's it's essentially what you've come to
is a is a podcast in a lock-in.
Because I mean, as you've nowexperienced, because we've had a
chat beforehand, the Bristolbeer factory is now closed, but
we are still here and we we havea few little drinks uh to to
keep us to get us through it.

SPEAKER_00 (01:40):
And um I'm not lost as the working class kid here.
I'm not lost on the irony of uhyou two middle class Ponces
actually asking for crowdfundingto begin with.

SPEAKER_03 (01:53):
Well, I mean I wasn't gonna pay for it.
So I mean I'm not you know, Ihaven't got that much money.
Come on, teacher, and I've gottwo kids.
But so yeah, I mean we're verywe're kind of thrilled and
excited uh to be able to give itthis ago.
And I mean, to be fair, boys,the last time we wore headphones
like this is when we were on theJeff Twentieman show, wasn't it?
And uh a few, so we have done ita few times, but yeah, yeah,

(02:14):
yeah.
I think normally we have amobile recorder in the middle of
the table.
It's it's fairly village, butum, you know, why not?
We thought we'd go anyway, Tom.
You're here.
We really appreciate you comingto help us kind of do our first
what a preview pod, I guess, forthe season.
Um, and you know, a few thingshave happened over the summer.
Um, most importantly of all, Ibelieve you you become a father.

SPEAKER_04 (02:36):
Yes, yeah.
So uh my wife, Amy and I, we hadour our little boy called Otto
over the summer, so he's 12weeks old now.
Um we're we're in the eye of thestorm, uh, but everything's
going really well.
And uh balancing the the joys ofuh a rugby off season with a new
baby has uh has been a funchallenge.

SPEAKER_03 (02:56):
I don't know.
I know I've got a question.
I think you were going to askit, Lee, but I've remembered.
It's it's basically your sonOtto, Lewis Reese Samut, which
arrival is the uh isn't it?
Which was the best signing ofthe summer, we're asking Tom.

SPEAKER_04 (03:08):
Do you know what, boys?
They were equally stressful.
Yeah, I'll be back.
That week of uh that week of theLewis Reese Sammit signing and
the the back and forth we hadwith his representatives and the
murmurings in the in the pressand on social media, like it had
a very kind of football deadlineday feel to it.
Wow.
So being able to get that overthe line was um was a massive
fillet for the club and it'sbeen uh it's it's had a real

(03:29):
boost already.

SPEAKER_03 (03:30):
Well, hopefully I we may touch on on that later
actually, because we did have afew questions uh about that
whole thing.
Um I thought to to kind of allowyou to sort of warm yourself up
a bit, although I'm sure you'reyou're very good at doing this
sort of thing, we just thoughtit'd be interesting for you to
just give us a quick pottedhistory of your like I I would
say your rise to uh you know toto the sea to to this rapid rise

(03:52):
to the CEO of Bristol Bears umat a rel I mean compared to us,
a relatively sort of tender age.
You're a youngster.
And and I mean we've read uh youknow, obviously we've read stuff
in the uh in the papers.
You're Bristol born and bad, youyou you've been associated with
the club for a long, long time,but it'd just be interesting for
us and our listeners to to hearyour kind of your story, as it
were.

SPEAKER_04 (04:12):
Yeah, well, mu much the same as you as you guys.
I'm I'm someone that um caresdeeply about the club.
I I grew up in the city and uhI've my association with Bristol
rugby started back in 2011.
And actually, my first day as acompletely unpaid intern, um, I
didn't actually know thatexpenses existed, so I was

(04:32):
actually paying to go to to goat that point.
Um was was the same the samemonth that our chairman Chris
Boy told the group of players atthe time that there were going
to be 50% pay cuts.
This was after we lost to Exeterin the playoffs in 2010.
So it was a real baptism offire, but actually those
formative years uh were the thebest experience of working in in

(04:57):
professional sport and andtrying my arm at uh lots of
different roles within the club,and this was prior to the
Bristol sport days as well.
So I've done I've been the teammanager, I've done marketing,
commercial, um, media, uh, andactually what it gave me was a
great foundation ofunderstanding of of what's
required to work in pro sport,and it's brutal and it's

(05:20):
unrelenting.
And I think equally it's shownme what a good culture is and
what a what a poor culture is,and and uh I've seen both during
my time in in Bristol, andcertainly since the Lansdowne
family came in and we moved toAshton Gate in 2014, things have
uh have really accelerated, andthen when we rebranded to the
Bears in 2018, that's when itreally took off as a uh as a

(05:44):
commercial entity and and and asa force on the field.
And uh I can sit here with withabsolute certainty and say that
the the future for the club isis very bright and and and and
very positive, so it it's a niceposition to be in.

SPEAKER_03 (06:00):
Well, that's uh I I did I agree that I'd do the
intro question to give you alittle warm-up, but boys, I
think I'm gonna throw it over toum to the lads.
I mean, we have a kind of plan,but I think we we like we like
to do, we thought we just sortof freestyle through uh some
some questions that and we'retrying to kind of come from a
perspective as fans, seasonedcard holders, yeah, um, and so

(06:23):
on.
So I don't know, Lee, do youwant to go first?

SPEAKER_00 (06:25):
Tom, you know me already now by by now.
Um but what we already knowabout the corporate stuff that
you do.
I mean it's it's already outthere, you know, and you speak
eloquently on the you know, onthe the the club's behalf.
As listeners, as fans, e-corfans, what we want to know is I

(06:46):
know we've put a we've we've hada massive uh kind of influence
on youngsters this season.
A lot of fans are worried aboutthat because we're asking a lot
of young lads to step up and youknow and perform.
Can you can you like obviouslyyou see on the training field

(07:06):
every day what's happening?
Like, is it in safe hands?
Are we are we good?

SPEAKER_04 (07:12):
It's a great question, and um I think that we
always talk about homegrownplayers being like a core part
of of what we want to do, but ifyou actually look at the last
few years, have we have wereally lived by that?
And it wasn't until 18 monthsago that we've really leaned
into let's have a squad that issmaller, that is younger, and

(07:34):
let's focus on those homegrownplayers.
And I guess my answer to yourquestion would be that you
referenced James Dunn earlier,Jack Bates, these are guys,
George Klosker, these are guysthat two or three years ago we
might be looking at on the teamsheet and thinking, you know,
how are they gonna how are theygonna survive and cope at the
top level of Premiership rugby?

(07:55):
But the all of them have shownthat they are more than capable
of not just competing butthriving at the top level.
And you could argue that some ofthem should be in in the shout
for an England call-up.
So what what it shows us is thatthe talent is there, they just
need the opportunities.
And I look at the the next cropof youngsters that are coming
through, um, and it's and it'sexciting, and that and there are

(08:17):
guys that are gonna be playingfor Bristol in the next two to
three years and and willhopefully be with us for a long
time.
And one thing that Pat and hiscoaching staff um feel is very
important is the cohesiveness ofa group, and you want the same
group of players to take youthrough.
And uh you look at that lineupthat's gonna play against
Leicester in a couple of weeksfor our opening day of the

(08:38):
season, and a number of thoseguys will be centurions, will be
on the cusp of a hundredappearances, and that's really,
really important for us thatwe've had a group that has gone
all the way through our journeywith us, and and young
Bristolian players or homegrownplayers are at the forefront of
that.

SPEAKER_00 (08:53):
And that's great.
I mean, we we we we did a QAwith Pat a couple of years ago,
and obviously at the forefrontwas Pat wanted Bristolian
players to come through and playfor England.
Now, a massive thing is likeSteve Poorfoot doesn't play the
way Bears play, right?
We we all know that.

(09:14):
I wonder about the pathway ofBristol Bears players coming
through and actually gettingrecognition for England, and you
know, not initially, but youknow, in the future.
But I think most of ourlisteners are kind of worried
about next season.
I think we're we're about sixth,seventh, eighth in the betting.

(09:34):
And obviously we all have becometop four.
Tops, you know, uh how do we welike how do you kind of
readdress our concerns aboutthat for for next year?
Like, can you give us some namesof of the guys who are coming
for it it feels like we'reasking a lot of young players to

(09:56):
come in?
I know we've got brilliantexperience, but it feels like
the youngsters need to come inand hit the ground running.
Um can you can you allay ourfears slightly?

SPEAKER_04 (10:10):
Yeah, well look, we last season that squad finished
in the top four.
Um and you could argue thatthere were certain games, and I
off the top of my head, I thinkGloucester at home, Saracens at
home, where we might have gonegone better.
I believe, and the the guys atthe Bears believe, that the
squad we have this time aroundis stronger than last season.
We've we've added strength withwith Tom Jordan, who's who's

(10:33):
proven international quality.
We've added Lucari Vinishvili inthe back row and Reese Samet in
the back three.
So you think of the options wenow have in that back line:
McGuinty, Randall, Van Rensburg,uh Jimmy Williams, Tom Jordan,
Gabriel Ibatoi, the list goeson.
Benjamin Elizabeth's just justbeen capped again on the
weekend.

(10:53):
Like there's a there's a hugearray of talent.
Um, and by the same token, thoseyoung guys are another year
older, they have a little bitmore experience under their
belt.
We feel really bullish aboutwhat the team can achieve next
season.
You're absolutely right to say,like, compared to the those
those at the very top end of thetable, your your your BAFs and

(11:15):
your Saracens and your SalesSharks, etc., like they
absolutely have the the depthand the quality and and the
experience.
But what we have is uh we have aa game plan and a system that
when it works, and as you've allseen, when it works, no one can
stop us.
And we've been doing a lot ofwork over the summer on uh on

(11:35):
some of those fundamentals andthere's bits and pieces around
defence and set piece and kickreceipt, and and I think that if
we can get those marginal thingsright, uh we will be a force to
be reckoned with next season.

SPEAKER_00 (11:48):
I'm so glad you said defence, because that's that's
the biggest thing I think thatwe were all worried about.
I think if we can tone in thatdefence, then well, we already
know we score a lot more triesthan anyone else.
So if we can get that defenceright, I think we're happy.

SPEAKER_04 (12:06):
Yeah, exactly that.
And and you know, defensive workit is about system and its
basics and it's it'saggressiveness coming off the
line.
But uh a lot of our work inpre-season has been around
tightening up in defence.
Like it's it's no surprise toanyone that uh defensively we
shipped points last year.
Actually, our um our defense atset piece was was excellent.

(12:28):
Um our set piece percentagesuccess was was very strong.
And as you've just alluded to,in attack we were uh
electrifying.
So there's there's there's smallbits of our game that we we
constantly need to improve andwork on, but uh we've got a good
group of boys and we've got agood group of coaches that have
been together for a long time.
And uh I think that if if a fewthings obviously need to go our

(12:50):
way next season and there'sthere's key players that that
need to be available, but Ithink that we can um we can
compete with anyone in thecompetition.

SPEAKER_03 (12:58):
I've got a little question on the back of that is
because you said that you kindof you've seen a bit of
pre-season, it's like I mean, Ipresume your office is at the at
the HPC.
That's right.
I mean, do you kind of do younip out like at 10 o'clock have
a little look and see how thelads are getting on?
And because I I mean, does andand I mean obviously you and Pat
must have a very goodrelationship, but does he get a
bit touchy if he sees the kindof uh the hierarchy sort of

(13:22):
standing with a clipboard by theside of the bit?
I don't know.
I I've I'm kind of interested inlike your working day, really.

SPEAKER_04 (13:27):
Like, you know, do you feel like you've got to sort
of just keep a little bit of aso so my my office and Pat's
office is essentially uh hasadjoining doors, so it's
revolving, so we're evolving, sowe're so we're very close.
And yeah, look, the um I'lloften nip out onto the balcony
and watch a bit of training, andit's funny because pre-season is
probably the only time that Iwatch the boys with a bit of

(13:49):
envy because the sun's out theHPC's beautiful surface, they're
they're running around playingcondition games.
It's when it gets to the middleof winter and it's brutally
cold, and I'm like, no, no,that's I assume you haven't gone
to Portugal because you'reyou're here with us, are you
Tom?
No, we went to G we had a teambuilding weekend in Guernsey,
yeah.
Uh where we were fortunateenough to spend some time with
with Steve and Maggie and theLansdowne family and and um meet

(14:12):
everyone on the island, whichwas wonderful.
And then the team have been in guh been in Portugal this week.
Uh they arrived back on Friday,and we go straight into Prem Cup
next week against Sale, whichwill um as all Prem teams will
be treating it as as part of ourpreseason routine going into
that Leicester game.

SPEAKER_03 (14:28):
Sorry, I've just got another uh image just come to my
mind of you on the balcony inthe middle of winter.
Please tell me you don't wear adry robe watching watching the
guys.

SPEAKER_00 (14:41):
If you do, the interview is over.

SPEAKER_04 (14:43):
Dry robe and I've got sweet Caroline.
Yeah I I you know all thereferences, that's good.

SPEAKER_03 (14:50):
A cockapoo?
Yeah by any chance?

SPEAKER_01 (14:52):
No, no, no.
And a Tesla?
No, no, right, let's just moveon.
I guess off the back of that,very quick, you know, a fans
might not appreciate.
We've got the CEO on.
Um just briefly, you know, whatdoes your role involve?
You know, for to listeners, iflike, who the earth is Tom
Townsend?
What does he do?
And he's got this office next toPat, you know.

SPEAKER_04 (15:10):
So um, so so so I'm essentially responsible for the
the day-to-day operations, um,strategic vision of the
business.
Um, so that's across ticketing,commercial, uh, marketing.
Um, I work closely with theperformance department around
recruitment.
We have a um what we call thecontract committee.

(15:31):
So um that's myself, uh GeffenWatts, who's our head of
recruitment, uh Pat as directorof rugby, and Stu, who's
Geffen's senior recruitmentmanager, and Pat Rodden, our
head of finance, and we meetonce a week and we talk through
players and retention and andwhere there might be
opportunities on the market.
Uh, and what's really, reallyimportant, and I know we'll talk

(15:52):
about Lewis Reese Sammit uhlater in the uh in the
conversation, but it wasexemplified there.
You need to have a reallysymbiotic relationship between
your performance and operationsdepartments because sport is so
reactive and can be reallyfluid.
So you've got to be able to umyou've got to be able to liaise
quickly and efficiently.

(16:12):
Um so like an average, anaverage day, lots of meetings,
lots of planning, because of thenature of our business as part
of the wider Bristol SportGroup, there's uh there's a lot
of external stakeholders thatare based down at the stadium.
Um as I'm sure you guys areaware, there's always
conversations ongoing about foodand beverage and retail and
hospitality and uh all go ontelevision.

(16:36):
All the various bits and piecesabout um about running a uh a
business in in sport, but thethe data tells us that we're in
a we're in a positive place.
Our our crowds are going up, thethe our audience is is getting
younger.
Um however, you know, we can'treally sit here and pat
ourselves on the back if we'reaveraging 21,000 because it

(16:58):
means there's 5,000 empty seatsevery week, and that's a million
quid of revenue on the tableevery year, but that's 5,000
fans and um and people acrossthe city and the region who have
yet to discover why rugby is soimportant and why Bristol Bears
can be so impactful in thecommunity.
So, really, that's in in anutshell, that's my job to help

(17:19):
to grow that game.

SPEAKER_03 (17:20):
And just I have one quick question.
So you've got you're right nextto Pat, you've got a doorway.
Who line manages who?
Or is it a separate we we um soguess the coffees in?

SPEAKER_04 (17:31):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, no one wants my coffees, Ican tell you that.
Uh we uh we we both answer tothe board.
So we both answer to the boardand we answer to ultimately to
Steve Lansdown.
Cool.

SPEAKER_00 (17:43):
Lee.
Well, I was just gonna saythat's great that you have that
relationship with Pat as well.
Um I kind of lost my train ofthought a little bit, sorry,
mate.
Um you you you I nipped inthere.

SPEAKER_03 (17:53):
It was like it was like a it was like what it was a
heads-up rugby there.
It was like a little offloadthat I just I was thinking
about, I was thinking about likeyou know, who you're sorry,
mate, but go for it.
What was it?

SPEAKER_00 (18:02):
I mean, I've just I I don't know.
Can Milos, can you ask anotherquestion?

SPEAKER_04 (18:07):
Should we ask Tom about it?
Yeah, of course something aboutPat while we're on the subject.
I I I think that particularlylast season, and and it's well
documented that um we were thethe eighth um lowest spenders in
in the league last year.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I I and I see obviously thethe um what's you know in sport

(18:30):
when things are going well,you're a hero, and when things
things are are not going sowell, then then you're under
scrutiny and pressure that thatis the nature of professional
sport.
I do think that Pat deserves alot of credit for how he has
turned round that group in thelast 18 months uh to play the
brand of rugby that we do and toum win the games that we have.

(18:51):
And uh we'll all acknowledgethat we're we're not perfect and
there's that next step to go,but I think that the foundations
that have been set, that we'reall sat around the table as as
um custodians of a rugby clubthat we've been involved with
for a long time and and sat herethinking top four's the the
minimum expectation, like itshows how far we've come in a
very short space of time.

(19:11):
Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_00 (19:12):
Yeah, the only one thing I I would interject with
that is the only real criticismI like we've had of Pat, not us,
but as listeners, was when wedeviated after the Quinn's game,
the the you know the defeat ofnone of us want to talk about.
Um we played a different brandof rugby.

(19:34):
Um and I think that's the onlycriticism then that that any of
us have had from Pat is is justbecause we played a a completely
like we've been sold on a systemand a and an ethos, and all of a
sudden we were playing somethingdifferent.
And it like definitely the last18 months we were back to the
bear's way of playing.

(19:57):
That that kind of deviation, Ithink, just kind of upset a lot
of people.

SPEAKER_03 (20:03):
But I think didn't Tom, I mean, uh you said it was
basically the video analyst'sfault, wasn't it?
Yeah, but all his fault.
Yeah, so yeah.

SPEAKER_04 (20:11):
I think you're you're you're right, you're
right to note it, and certainlythe way we were going prior to
COVID, and then obviously afterafter that semi-final against
Harlequins, and and yeah, therewere there were two and a half
seasons where uh it wasn't theBears' DNA, and we we perhaps
tried to play in a in a certainway that didn't necessarily suit

(20:31):
the group of players that wehad.
But um since we've gone back tobasics uh and recognized where
the the genuine strengths in oursquad are, and that is you know,
being fast in transition,attacking, going round, going
over, going through teams, uh, Ithink you see that the players
play with a smile on their face,the coaches coach with a smile

(20:53):
on their face.
And um I I think back to thesemi-final against Bath last
season, and even though we lost,like um going onto the pitch
after the game with with theplayers, like I was so proud of
that group, and I was I wouldhave rather been in the Bristol
camp and knowing that we gave iteverything than the Bath camp
and credit to them.
They they did superbly well togo on and win, and they deserve

(21:16):
that treble, but they had toresort to uh a box-kicking game,
pick and go round the corner tobeat us, and and I think that
says a lot about our game andour young players.

SPEAKER_03 (21:26):
Just out of interest, where like a game like
that, where do you sit at thewreck?
Like out of interest.
Do they stick you like rightunder like on the on the big
elder like when it's raining?

SPEAKER_04 (21:36):
I'm right in the stand.
Right in the stand.
Um, yeah, right right in the mixat the wreck.

SPEAKER_03 (21:41):
Yeah, it's sad.
No, I was I was thought becauseit there's nowhere to hide
there, is there?
That's the truth.

SPEAKER_00 (21:45):
How is that, Tom?

SPEAKER_04 (21:47):
I'm I'm I'm actually my um my wife winces when she
comes to games because I'mterrible to watch games with.

SPEAKER_01 (21:54):
Thank goodness.

SPEAKER_04 (21:55):
I thought you were gonna say she was a bath fan for
a minute, so I'm jumping up anddown, I'm I'm pacing, I'm
pacing.
I would rather um not go to thegame and someone just texts me
the score.
It's exactly our same.
I know how much it means and Iknow how hard everyone has
worked.
And when we when we do lose orwhen we have a bad result, I can

(22:17):
guarantee you that all of thestaff and players, however bad
the fans are feeling, the staffand players are feeling ten
times worse.
So it means so much to us.

SPEAKER_00 (22:25):
And we we know that as well.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think we should should we lookat the show.

SPEAKER_01 (22:30):
Can we look move along maybe season ahead, more
than season ahead?
I mean, uh you you talked aboutyou know gaps in Ashton Gate,
fan base, and I just wonderedreally how you know how do we
fill Ashton Gate?
Are there any innovations?
You used to be obviously themedia manager.
Um what are the club doing totry and fill Ashton Gate?

(22:52):
Any new new innovations orprospects about getting fans on
seats?

SPEAKER_04 (22:56):
Yeah, absolutely.
So fan engagement and tech is isa big part of of what we are
continuing to do.
Um, you'll have seen that we runthemed match days, um, which
have been proven to be reallysuccessful, and it's helped us
to tap into differentcommunities.
And I think that something thathas really been prevalent for me

(23:17):
is that there are huge swathesof the the city and communities
that don't even know rugby, letalone know Bristol Bears.
And I think that there is amassive opportunity to talk to
different audiences.
Rugby's kind of got in its ownway a little bit uh in in the
past, but what I would say isthat the the new Prem Rugby
executive uh and the alignmentat league level and that

(23:42):
governance and control is is somuch better than it's ever been.
So I think there is now aconcerted group effort to try
and bring rugby to a wideraudience.
You'll you'll see theinnovations on TNT.
I think the broadcaster do gamesvery, very well.
I think that Ashton Gate remainsum one of if not the best match

(24:04):
day um in this in the season.
And obviously I know that it itdivided opinion, but but big day
out was a um was a it was a itwas a successful event, and I
think big day out put bears onthe map in a sense, and it and
it showed people that this is aclub that um can bring real

(24:24):
energy to to the big stage andto to get 51,000 supporters to
an event would have been unheardof when I started.
We were averaging 5,000 fans.
So uh I I think that there is along way for us to go, but a lot
of it is around how we how wetalk to our audiences, how we
engage with them, uh, but thatfan experience is is paramount

(24:48):
because also we live in afantastic city, we're all super
proud of Bristol, and there's somany competing factors in
entertainment and theatre andlots of things to do with the
kids.
So it can't just be a game ofrugby anymore.
You have to be able to comedown, have locally sourced food
and drink, spend some time withfriends, know that it's safe and
inclusive for your family, andalso watch a game of rugby at

(25:11):
the end of it.
So um that's a huge part of ourmantra and what we do day to
day.

SPEAKER_03 (25:16):
We'll go to big day out, that was on our agenda, but
let's we'll go straight therenow.
So we there was a little bit ofdivision in the pod about big
day.
I'm well aware.
Yeah.
So Miles and me.

SPEAKER_01 (25:28):
Two-thirds of us went.

SPEAKER_02 (25:30):
Loved it.

SPEAKER_00 (25:31):
My and my boys in the back.
Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 (25:33):
So I'm gonna have five cans in front of me.
I'm about to open another one.

SPEAKER_00 (25:36):
Tom, could you throw one of these over this one?

SPEAKER_03 (25:39):
Yeah, let's get sort of get beers in.

SPEAKER_01 (25:41):
Well, we're not a larger drinker, Tom, we better
see.
Let's get ready for big day out.

SPEAKER_04 (25:45):
You tell me what's one.

SPEAKER_03 (25:46):
No, that's fine.

SPEAKER_00 (25:46):
I love this.
Right.
Can we do a ring four together,Tom?
Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 (25:49):
Three, two, one, one.
Yeah, like it.
Lotely.
No crisps, though.
Right.
So big day out.
Miles and me embraced it.
Like, we we got over the wholeit's not a home game in another
country thing.
And we kind of got over the it'sonly 12 quid on the train sort
of thing.
And we had one of the best daysof our life.
I've got to say, it was afantastic day.

SPEAKER_01 (26:12):
You got two children after them was the best day of
your lives.
I mean, like you've got a flat.

SPEAKER_03 (26:16):
Actually, dead Tom, to be fair, it wasn't, yeah,
you've got to remember that.
Remember the birthday, man.
The first day.
But the point I was trying tosay, it was also everything came
together that day.
It was that the sun was out,they they um uh they closed off
all of you know Cardiff.
It was it was brilliant, it wasa fantastic day.
And then we found us I don'tknow if you saw this, but we
then I mean, to be fair, fivepints down, found ourselves

(26:39):
right at the begin at the frontof when all the players walked
through.
And we know Rich Berry quitewell.
Um, and I was taking pictures ofhim with Brizzly Powers,
suddenly all the players thenembarrassingly, embarrassingly.
I was like, my boys, as they'regoing past, and it was but that
just kind of capped, that waspart of the whole day.
Now, and it was a brilliant, andand obviously we won, uh, which

(27:01):
was was obviously you as a asthe you know needed that to
happen, we won it.
Um so we were very I mean we didqueue, I've got to say we did
queue for about an hour and ahalf to get home on the train,
but it was still kind of fun.
Lee has your problem, no, no, sowe had a big debate in the pod
about it.
We I mean we went for it.

SPEAKER_00 (27:20):
Um and I think you'll you may come back on a
few things, but I mean I I feellike Lee, you need to ask Tom,
you know, give your opinion onthe I mean I was against it in
principle because uh of the waythat the club had actually dealt
with it because I felt that we'dwe'd already got season ticket

(27:40):
orders on board, um, wasn'tmentioned at all at that point
and then it was added on.
So exactly what you just saidabout like BS3.
Um yeah, we got everything inthe local community.
I know what you're trying to doin terms of being inventive and

(28:01):
innovative, and I love that.
I do love that, but I feel thatthe club could have could have
done it a slightly differentway, been more transparent, uh,
was was my thing.
You boys had a lovely day out.
I felt like it was taken awayfrom the local community for a
for a game, especially whenpeople have already signed up

(28:22):
for their season tickets, youknow, and they they wanted to
come to BS3, and all of a suddenyou're asking them to go to
Coradiff.
Um having said that for nextseason, it's all been
transparent and we know exactlywhat we're doing, and and I'm
I'm you know, I'm I'm all in forthat.
Um you said you're all in.

(28:48):
That came on top of obviouslymoving people from the safe
stand and and I kind of feellike we're all in the same boat,
and you know, we're all sataround this table and we all
have one collective goal, andthat's for Bristol Bears to be
successful.
Um I feel mistakes have beenmade, you know, over the last
probably 12 months.

(29:09):
But I do feel actually, lookingyou in the eye, I do feel like
we're we're kind of we're on thesame page now, we're rectifying
these mistakes.
I absolutely love the fact thatyou've owned up and said, you
know, we we have made mistakes,and that's that's huge, I think.

(29:29):
Um and I and I feel next seasonor this season it will be
completely different.
My one worry is that it'sagainst what Gloucester.

SPEAKER_03 (29:40):
No Queen's Queen's arm.

SPEAKER_00 (29:44):
That's exactly my point because I feel it should
have been against Gloucester.

SPEAKER_03 (29:47):
I don't think it was there for well.
But Tom will tell us about it.

SPEAKER_01 (29:50):
Yeah, you're right.
I I think you'll probably tellus about this, but I think
funnily enough, we all expectedGloucester and Gloucester Hartby
women, who do we'd add, youknow.
A fantastic rivalry against, andI'm not gonna deny I was
slightly disappointed to findout it was Quinn's.
But perhaps tell us how thatcame about, or were your hands
tied a little bit about the thethe team?

SPEAKER_04 (30:12):
Yeah, so so so firstly to your point I and and
thank you for raising it, and Iand I completely respect where
you're coming from and and and Ivalidate your point because
there was it was a bit of aperfect storm over the last two
years in that the safest standmove um it was disruptive.
Uh the reality was we we didn'thave a choice, it was almost a

(30:32):
bit of a pulling off theband-aid.
The reason that we had torelocate um the fans from the
upper tier down into the lowertier was because we wanted to,
we felt it was really importantto create that full lower bowl
atmosphere.
And you've probably seen lastseason the number of times we've
been able to open the attio, ithas genuinely enhanced the
matchday experience.

(30:53):
Yeah, that's been great.
Uh and and I think you're you'reright to to note the the big day
out point around when it did goout.
And it we had some challengesaround when contracts were
signed and there were some NDAsand there were things that
couldn't be said, but Icompletely take that on board.
What I would say um before wesort of talk about the mechanics
of big day out, and I'mgenuinely interested to uh to

(31:16):
hear your opinion.
You you know, you guys are umknowledgeable about the club and
and you you articulate wherethings have gone well and and
where perhaps things can bebetter on a week-to-week basis.
So the the the commercialrealities of running a rugby
club, right?
So we want a team that cancompete at the top level, so
therefore you need to invest inyour team.

(31:36):
By the same token, we want tohave a season ticket and a match
day ticket price that iscompetitive, that allows us to
grow the game and and and notput people off.
So we're we're trying to balanceuh something that's a bit of a
paradox.
We want the best players, but wewant to be able to give fans um
the best value season ticket inthe league, which we do year on

(31:58):
year.
Um so uh we have to find a wayto plug this this um this
shortfall.
You know, it's uh when SteveLansdowne isn't gonna be around
forever, and what Steve and theLansdowne family have done for
um not just Bristol Bears butsport in Bristol is absolutely
incredible.
And you know, he he ispersonally funding the club to

(32:20):
the tune of two to three millionpounds a year.
So we have to find everypossible avenue to to try and
grow revenue and uh taking agame to um the principality and
the the the simple mathematicsof it of a sellout crowd at
Ashton Gate at 26,000 or 51,000um customers that supporters,

(32:43):
paying customers, whatever youwant to call them, uh uh the
principality.
But like there is a there is aclear commercial benefit to us
taking that game.
Can I just interject?
Yeah.
How much was that benefit?
Uh with without going intospecifics, it would be uh
significantly more than ourbiggest game at Ashton Gate.
Significantly more.

(33:04):
So my question to you guys wouldbe like, what what what would
you and it's an interestingdebate, what would you do?
Like where where is the likewould you increase ticket
prices?
Like because what we have tostay competitive.
So you don't want you wouldn'twant a game across the across
the bridge, and I totallyrespect and understand that.
So what are the levers that wecan pull to really grow revenue?

SPEAKER_03 (33:26):
So I I I just to clarify, so because there's a
lot of debate on forums andthings like people saying how
can you make money?
So I presumably the way it worksis that that the WIU like you
know gave you a price for thestadium, and then you sell the
tickets, and then I mean Ipresume did we make any money
out of the the the food anddrink and stuff like that?

SPEAKER_04 (33:47):
So we had a profit share agreement where it was
just a percentage split.

SPEAKER_03 (33:50):
And I think it's very clear because there was a
lot of there was a lot ofdebate, and I'm sure you see it
because you look at the forumsthat you know people are saying
a lot of unevident stuff about,you know, but how can they make
money because blah blah blah.
Now I've always thought, well,you just have to kind of, you
know, we don't know.
Well yeah, because it'sinteresting that you're saying
that.

SPEAKER_04 (34:06):
But I get it, and I think when I think supporters
are and have found that we'reall passionate about Bristol,
and we're all passionate aboutthe Bears, and and the
supporters that were upset abouta game in Cardiff had I wasn't I
was never looking at thosecomments and thinking that that
was an unjust view.
They have every right to feelhow they feel about their rugby
club.
All I can say is out of fulltransparency, look, the

(34:28):
realities are was itcommercially successful for the
club?
Absolutely, and it wassignificantly, and we'd expect
it to be the same again.
And is this one of the leversthat helps us grow the game and
increase our revenue?
It it does.
And I don't want to be in aposition where we're saying it's
15-20% increase on seasontickets and match tickets

(34:49):
because that's not who we are asa business.

SPEAKER_03 (34:51):
I think I I think that's fair.
I appreciate your honesty onthat.
But I have a supplementaryquestion on that is going back
to Lewis Ree Summit, which wetalked about.
I mean, re- I know that Ipresume that kind of happened
quite quickly.
He made that announcement.
Suddenly, a lot of premiershipclubs, I imagine, we're start
we're like re-looking at theirbudgets, their recruitment.

(35:13):
Was the factor, the the Welshfactor, something in that, the
fact that we could then, even ifit's for a year, on the back of
the success of the uh the bigday out, by signing Lewis Re
Summit, and I have no ideaobviously what what money or
whatever, and I wouldn't know Iwouldn't even ask you that.
That there was a thought thatthat actually might also pump or

(35:34):
promote a few Welsh fans fromCardiff to come over to Bristol
to watch home games.

SPEAKER_04 (35:39):
Well, absolutely.
Look, we we we saw the benefitof Alona Ma last year on the
women's side and the impact thatshe had.
Uh the players like Lewis andopportunities like Lewis are are
rare in sport because Lewistranscends rugby, he ha he has a
genuine audience, and it alsohelps that he's a fantastic
player, like he's a British andIrish liar.

SPEAKER_03 (36:00):
He's a genuine world-class player, I mean
that's the thing.

SPEAKER_04 (36:03):
So when the opportunity to uh to to to
certainly to put put our bestfoot forward and try and get
Lewis, like we knew thatabsolutely he was going to add
value to us on the pitch, andfirst and foremost, that is the
priority.
Like, we would never sign aplayer to be this kind of
celebrity commercial vehicle,they have to contribute, but it

(36:24):
absolutely helped that he comeswith such excitement.
And the night that we announcedhim, he was wearing the classic
white band we sold out in uhovernight online.
Is there is S stock availablestill?

SPEAKER_00 (36:39):
Well, we we do need to ticket.
We've got so many things.
Luckily, we've got enough earsfor it.

SPEAKER_04 (36:46):
This is a proper lock in, we're gonna be up till
that too late.
It could be like a five-hourpod.
And we sold um we sold uh a goodnumber of season tickets
overnight as well.
And yeah, we've we've seeninterest on the Welsh side of
the bridge.
Um and the the the principalitygame, um, to go to go back to
Big Dat, it it it genuinelyisn't some sort of malevolent

(37:07):
plan to capture Welsh audiences.
It's you'll have seen with thePremiership rugby strategy, the
big game strategy, and thereason why Gloucester wasn't a
possibility for us this year isbecause they've taken a game to
uh Villa Park against the on thesame day.
Yeah.
Um so you know, one o'clockkickoff at Villa Park against
Leicester Tigers, we've got thethe 330 slot, uh the 305 slot.

(37:30):
So I think that there is a thereis a push from the league to
there's a push from thebroadcaster to create these
these big events and theproximity to Cardiff, I totally
understand.
It's it's it's um it's not inBristol, but the proximity to
have a stadium of the the thesize and quality of the
principality and the experiencethat we were able to give to to

(37:55):
supporters, Bath and Bristol,who travelled, and this time
around, we're gonna we're gonnado it even better.
There's a double header, butwe're gonna have live music and
entertainment in the streets,it's gonna be like a real
carnival atmosphere, and I wantpeople to come and feel like
it's a full bears takeover forone day.

SPEAKER_00 (38:12):
And yeah, it's and I I should say Tom as well.
I mean, it did transcend Devonas well, because my mate Paddy
uh he came up from Devon, didn'the?
Yeah, Chiefs fan from ColumpthamRugby Club.

SPEAKER_03 (38:27):
They're uh you know and my mate, my mate Carl
Bennett, they were in the samecoach.
That was the weirdest thing.

SPEAKER_00 (38:33):
So yeah, it I mean it did transcend yeah, not just
Bristol, it it was you know,they all came up 60 of them on a
coach.
Absolutely.
And they loved it.

SPEAKER_03 (38:42):
Well, it would just we'd like we'd like it.

SPEAKER_01 (38:44):
I'd like to just uh add to Pete.
I'm uh put fully take my hat offto the success of Big Day Out,
and I'm gonna give the club andyou and everyone a huge pat on
the back.
The weather helped a lot, therewere beers flowing, and I'm not
gonna die that, but I thoughtthat the the fans who made it
there, I agree that waspotentially one of the best.

(39:05):
You could say, call it a home,call it an away game.
It was one of the mostsuccessful, enjoyable games I
have been to for many a year.
The closing off street, the thethe choice of the stadium.
Well, let's forget the transportbecause that's about it.

SPEAKER_03 (39:20):
Did you, Tom, did you know that we got on ITV as
well for that?
We were I love we've we've got anice relationship with the uh
the those Premier Highlightboys, and we it was a disgrace.

SPEAKER_01 (39:31):
That was I I totally see where you're coming from as
a club.
You know, the London clubs havebeen doing this for a number of
years, haven't they?
The Quinn, the um the Saracens,they're taking over the big
stadiums in London.
And you're right, we haven't gotthat stadium large enough in
Bristol, and Cardiff is not thatthat far away.
And I would just encourage fansnext year.

SPEAKER_03 (39:51):
Miles, are you trying to get a job for Tommy?

SPEAKER_00 (39:54):
Wait a minute, Marcus.
It's been announced.
I'm taking you to task.
We haven't we haven't got astadium big enough.
We've got 26,000 stadium, but itwould okay in Bristol.

SPEAKER_01 (40:04):
But as Tom as Tom alluded to, we filled 51,000
seats.
Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_03 (40:09):
And so do you get I think we uh I reckon we need to
draw big day out.

SPEAKER_01 (40:14):
So we are we are I think Pete and I at least are
thoroughly looking forward tothe event and Lee potentially
next season.
So I put to premiere in thecase.

SPEAKER_00 (40:22):
If Lee comes, I want to see the picture outside part
of south and Lee is there's onthat note, on that note, and I
know you are very left field,and I know you've really
progressive, and I love that.
What's what's next?
Apart from Gloucester, let'sbecause I know you you you
wouldn't just be seeing nextseason, this season, you'll be

(40:43):
you'll be thinking in thefuture.
I know you're a big NFL fan aswell.
By the way, what what team doyou support?

SPEAKER_04 (40:50):
Well, I'm uh I'm a Jets fan.
So we have this debate.
Because right now we're playingthe Steelers.

SPEAKER_03 (40:58):
Yeah, so can I just interject?
Interject, yeah, because I haveI'm not an NFL.
Apologies.
No, neither am I.
Can I make the joke?
Like, Tony, you know, TC used tobe, he was like, what is he?
I don't know.
And I used to say, Oh, what partof like Miami did you grow up in
then?
Or what uh what part ofCleveland have you come from?

SPEAKER_00 (41:15):
I've loved jets since Chad Pennington was
throwing his.
No, I don't even know whatyou're talking about.
I know.

SPEAKER_03 (41:24):
But I do know I have seen stuff on YouTube of those
massive student like NFL games,and he is mental.

SPEAKER_04 (41:31):
And Sandman, enter Sandman, American sports do the
fan experience piece reallywell, which is which uh you
know, I I'm I'm a student of thegame, I enjoy it.
I I'm fascinated by the um bythe commercial machinations of
of of live sport, and I thinkthat the the US has a has an
attitude to sport that it isentertainment first.

(41:52):
So to answer your question, likewhat next for the Bears?
Well, we feel like the sky's thelimit.
We've got a we've got a greatcommunity, we've got uh an
unbelievable group ofcombination clubs that are
passionate about rugby.
I'd love to see us take the gameum overseas.
I think that there are hugeopportunities um in different

(42:13):
hemispheres.
I think that's a long-termaspirational goal for both us
and and the premiership.
It'll be interesting to see whathappens uh post-2028 with the
Club World Cup and all of theconversations that are happening
around the league.
But um when it comes to changeor when it comes to innovation,
like we want bears to be at theforefront of that.

SPEAKER_05 (42:35):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 (42:36):
So we we want to be seen as a club that is willing
to take risks, and as we'vesaid, not not always get things
right.
But if we were sat here as a asa four or five years from now,
and we've gone through thepremiership seasons and we've
played Northampton and we'veplayed Gloucester and all that,
then then I've failed at my job.
Like the the job really istwofold.

(42:57):
It's to grow the game and it'sto create and support the
performance guys in in a increating a squad that can win.
Because winning ultimatelyleaves the legacy.
If we win silverware, that's thequickest way for us to to grow
the game.

SPEAKER_03 (43:12):
Right.
When when we won the EuropeanChallenge Cup, Miles was in a
trolley, an Asda trolley, beingpushed, sorry, being pushed home
by Lee in a Pram.
So that's the sort of level thatwe've got so it is overdue.
I would just like to say thepremiership title or the
European Champions Cup.
I fear that there could be likeuproar in Southville of uh Miles

(43:34):
in.
Well, being pushed home fromChuckingham back to Bristol,
potentially.

SPEAKER_04 (43:38):
And why not?

SPEAKER_03 (43:38):
And that that is you've got to remember that.
That has got to be your on yourwall that we need to win the
premiership to see what whatsort of vehicle Miles will be
in.
Tom Dr.

SPEAKER_00 (43:48):
on his way home.
Can you remember when KansasChiefs won the Super Bowl and
the the mayhem that that wascaused after that?
Imagine the streets of thestreets of Samurai like that.

SPEAKER_03 (43:58):
Right, I I've got a quick question.
So joking aside uh for fanengagement.
And and and again, I know youfamously have been in the press.
I know you did a di thing in thethe uh telegraph 2022, so I did
my research, uh, where you werebut it was a great article with
Charlie Morgan talking about youknow why should people not boo
when it's kicking and all thissort of stuff.

(44:19):
And I I think it's it'sbrilliant.
So here's my question for youlook alike eCam, SimbaCam,
WaveCam, rank them in order,please.

SPEAKER_04 (44:29):
Okay, so I my I love SimbaCam.
You do now, you try to get I'lltell you what, Tom, trying to
lift miles up on CyberCam is anightmare.
I what all joking aside, I Ithink that what I don't want to
be seen as is a is a guy that isis constantly parroting about

(44:49):
young audiences and newaudiences because there is there
is a huge swathe of extremelywell educated and knowledgeable
Bristol fans that have beenaround for a long time that know
the game, are passionate aboutthe game and want to enjoy the
game.
And and I sense that when werebranded, there was there was
perhaps a feeling that thatgroup was being pushed aside

(45:09):
because the club only had eyesfor this new vision of audience.
That's absolutely not the case.
Like we need to, and I th and Ithink we have done a better job
of striking an appropriatebalance between what what is
appealing and compelling tofamilies, family day,
combination day, etc.

(45:30):
But equally what what the thetrue Dyed in the Wool Bristol
fan wants to see, and ultimatelythat is I want to have a good
beer, I don't want to cue toolong, and I want to watch a team
that can compete.
So Simba Cam, I know uh I I'msure there's a few people that
wince when it comes up, butequally, you see how many people
are lifting their kids up andlaughing and filming the big

(45:51):
screen.

SPEAKER_03 (45:52):
So I should come to out of all out of okay, because
we love look at Likey Cam.
But there are like I don't know.
I don't know, I feel like I'mputting you on the spot.
Because there's been uh I don'tknow, maybe two or three, three,
four over the season last year.
Like, what was your and factthey in fact, no, it was yeah,
what was your favourite one?

(46:12):
Oh wow, you are putting me onthe spot because I know mine,
but I'm gonna ask you what yourfavourite one is I do you know
what?

SPEAKER_04 (46:17):
I can't remember.
I bear I barely focus onanything.

SPEAKER_00 (46:21):
I feel it's a bit of a harsh one because you have
pacing up in the end.

SPEAKER_03 (46:25):
Yeah, because you're okay.
I mean, Miles, I mean, when weplayed Australia, I'm pretty
sure there was Dame EdnaEveridge classic.
That was a kid.
John Lennon.
But there was John Lennon.
John Lennon was the best ever.
But I've got to say, and and ifthey I don't know if it's is if
they're under your um remit, butthe last one they had, they had
Bob the Builder, but it was aguy that was dressed as Bob the

(46:48):
Builder.
That's not the same.
He must have been too.
I think that was a very cheaplook-alikey cam.
So just a bit of feedback, justa bit of feedback for the
look-of-likey cam department.
They've got to find someone thatlikely isn't dressed up as
somebody, but anyway.

SPEAKER_00 (47:02):
And on a different note, where's Brisney Tom?

SPEAKER_02 (47:06):
Oh, Brisney's feet there.
Yeah, yeah, he's Brisney's onfire.

SPEAKER_00 (47:10):
We missed him for a few minutes.
No, no, he's messed up.
He's he's definitely there.

SPEAKER_03 (47:14):
More importantly, why is he not doing one-arm
press-ups?
And I think you've got yeah,maybe that I can't let me for.

SPEAKER_01 (47:19):
Can I ask a question, Pete?
Serious question.
So you talk about growing thegame, we talked about big day
out, potentially going abroad inthe future, and and we've done
remarkably well as a thing as aclub and innovation through to
hopefully yourself.
You know, we had South Africa in2023, we had I I and let's not
beat around the bush, a ratherdismal game against Australia,

(47:42):
C's and and a B team in 2024.
We've got fantastically thePumas in 2025.
Uh Pete will ask this, can weever expect New Zealand in 2026?

SPEAKER_04 (47:55):
Well, that would be the um that would be the big
one.
Like the the the way that itworks with these exhibition uh
games is the internationaltouring sides that come over in
November, you sort of have toyou have to bid for for the
teams.
And obviously, uh being able tohave a an all blacks or a New
Zealand Maori side at AshtonGate would just be incredible.

(48:15):
South Africa set the tone.
The second year we actually hadthe Crusaders, if you guys
remember, it was the Crusadersgame, it was excellent with the
with the hacker.
Yeah um I think I think you'reright to say Australia was uh
Australia was disappointingbecause even though we got I
think we had sixteen and a halfthousand, we would have hoped

(48:37):
that um we would have we wouldhave got closer to twenty.
And then the Queensland Redsgame was was bitterly
disappointing for um a number offactors around.

SPEAKER_01 (48:47):
I think the team of you know rightly so said that
the the the timetabling washindered them in that on that
occasion, didn't they?

SPEAKER_03 (48:54):
And it did, but it's you know I think you you held
your hands up.
But on the on the other hand, Imanaged to have a chat with
Michael Liner.
There's literally no one there,so I just went and chatted to
them.
So yeah, that was good.

SPEAKER_01 (49:06):
And I commend you've been you've been really
transparent this year about thePumas, that it won't clash with
up with other, you know, uhpremiership clubs um and cup
size, and that's been great.

SPEAKER_04 (49:16):
But yeah, I and sales have started really well
for the Argentine.
I I just think like Friday nightgames at Ashton Gate, when
you've got an internationalteam, irrespective of whether
it's a a first team or a Pumas15, like you know that Felipe
Contapome and those guys arethere, there's a bit of colour
to it.
These are the sort of games thatwill go down in the scrapbooks

(49:38):
and you'll remember them foryears to come.

SPEAKER_03 (49:40):
I think, yeah, no, I agree.
And and actually it's justreminding me of something, and
I've got to put you on the spotbecause just before I think now
hang on, which was it was justbefore that South Africa game,
that was when we had the umNovember the 5th firework.
Spectacular.
Now, I don't know whether youremember this.
Spectacular! I I need to remindyou this because you were on the

(50:01):
Jeff Twenyman show, and uh Jeff,who's a obviously a great guy, I
was listening, and Jeff askedyou about what was going to
happen at the the um at theSouth Africa game, and you gave
the full kind of you yeah, bigand it was a great thing.
And you were saying we're gonnahave this, we're gonna have
that, and and this had come onthe back of obviously, you

(50:22):
remember, a relatively dampsquid.
And and also the fact thatanybody sat in the dolman didn't
see the the thing.
So I actually texted into Jeffduring that show.
I remember yeah, and Jeff, Iknew that he would read it out
because he loved us and he readand he said he said, Oh, Pete
has just it, and you were like,Oh, it's like brilliant, it

(50:42):
sounds great, Tom.
But are there are there gonna befireworks?
And so my qu and I I appreciateyou took it very well because it
was a bit cheeky.
I've got to say, it was quitecheeky because I knew Jeff would
read it out.
But my point, actually, my pointis is um, so if there are
fireworks, are they gonna comeoff the landsdown as well?

SPEAKER_04 (50:59):
Yeah, look, again, we're when we're we when we talk
about trying to be innovative,uh, a lot of the stars have to
align for everything to know.
I know, and it was a terriblenight.
It was a terrible night.
I think, yeah, we ran them offthe dolman when we were meant to
run them off both the dolman andthe attio.
So yeah, I think we also lost ina really terrible game that day,
like Max Malin scored fromhalfway.

(51:20):
So yeah, one to forget.

SPEAKER_03 (51:22):
But you know, as fans, we love that sort of
thing.
We absolutely loved moaningabout that.
It was like it gets my goat forabout a year.

SPEAKER_04 (51:29):
Fireworks, Bobble Gate.
Oh, well, Bobble Gate.

SPEAKER_03 (51:32):
Well, we see we reckon we might have even
started Bubblegate, although youdid start bubblegate, yeah.
You did, yeah.

unknown (51:37):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 (51:38):
I remember it vividly, yeah.
In the early days, that wasseason one, I think.

SPEAKER_03 (51:42):
That was very early.
But anyway, I mean, yeah, thatwas uh it I we we appreciate it.
Is there a lot of as you rightlysay, there's a lot of things
that have to come together forthings.
Lee, you had a question.

SPEAKER_00 (51:52):
Right.
My question is, Tom.
This is a serious question.
When is the home shirt gonna beavailable?
Because I'm going to Malta onThursday morning, right?
Is there any way you can swingit that I can I would love to be
wearing the new shirt in Malta,sat on the old lunge the sunbed,

(52:18):
and representing Bristol Bears.

SPEAKER_04 (52:21):
Well, I'll give you some I'll give you some breaking
news for your podcast.
Uh, we're we're launching thehome shirt on Tuesday evening,
and it'll be available forpre-order, and I think fans are
gonna really like it.
Okay.

SPEAKER_00 (52:33):
Wait, I was talking about me, though, Tom.
Where'd you fly?

SPEAKER_04 (52:39):
I will make sure one's personally packaged and
FedExed over to Valletta.

SPEAKER_00 (52:43):
All right, can you give us any more information?
Is it gonna be hoopstraditional?
You're gonna have to wait andsee.
It's not long to wait, is it?

SPEAKER_04 (52:52):
You're you're gonna like it.
It's okay, it's again, it's anit's another nod to a shirt and
a style that that is iconic forfor Bristol.

SPEAKER_03 (53:01):
Dang, that means we've got to get this pod out
before Tuesday.
No pressure on the edit.
Um I mean, I don't know, boys.
We've I'm just looking at me uhtiming.

SPEAKER_01 (53:10):
A little bit of a question off the back of that.
Sorry, I nipped on the back.
Quick question that's a thought.
Quick question.

SPEAKER_03 (53:14):
Can you do one more and then we'll have so I've got
very, very short number of quickfires, Tom.
We like a quickfire, and thenmaybe that will wrap it up.

SPEAKER_01 (53:21):
So I guess off the back of the sort of shirt.
I'd just sorry, I didn't knowwhat you answer, but I gather
Pete's holiday might be justlisteners.
Miles went to the toilet.
Can I just say that the onlypeople that haven't gone to the
toilet so far is Tom and myself.
Absolutely.
Anyway, let's move on.
So I guess regarding the kit,the shop, how much, you know,
fans want to how much influencedo you, Bristol rugby, have over

(53:45):
Bristol sport?
You you you you cannot, I guess,shy away from the
disappointments, the moaningsfrom fans on a weekly basis
about the kit shop, let's notdeny some of the faux pas that
have been made in the past.
Can you assure fans that movingforward things are going to get
better?

SPEAKER_04 (54:05):
Well, it'd be very easy for me to sit here and say
that um retail sits withinBristol Sport and it's it's not
a club issue, but actually likewe have to we have to start
taking accountability becausethat retail represents our
brand.
And I hope you guys have seenthat even over the last um over
the last six six to eight weekswe've introduced some of the

(54:27):
classic leisureware lines.
Yeah, yeah.
Um there's going to be a lotmore variety to to the ranges in
in store.
It's not perfect and itabsolutely needs to improve.
Uh and I and I appreciate thatthere has been um some
frustrations for supporters.
Um but we are we are workingmuch more closely now with um

(54:47):
with the retail unit at BristolSport because it has to be
better and and not just there,both with our with our cues
around concourses, um optionsand concessions, us working
really closely with Ashton Gateto to provide a a great product.
Like it's um it's a work inprogress, but we are 100%
committed to making it better.

(55:08):
Okay.

SPEAKER_01 (55:09):
Thank you.
I think that's all for sort oflisters of fans.
Miles is happy.
I I'm happy that's uh we'll comeback in a year's time if it
hasn't improved.

SPEAKER_03 (55:18):
I think I feel Tom, we've I'm I'm looking at my um
clock with 53 minutes we'vedone.
And that's that we reallyappreciate that.

SPEAKER_00 (55:24):
The baby's gonna be waiting back.

SPEAKER_03 (55:26):
Actually, Tom's like, no, do another 53, that's
fine.
So actually, your wife has justrugged me and said he's expected
home quite soon.
So we have some quick fires.
It's probably a bit harsh on youbecause these are like random
ones that I've come up with.

SPEAKER_04 (55:39):
Okay, go.

SPEAKER_03 (55:40):
And I if you can't answer it, you can pass.
Okay.
So, first one.
You've said famously in that2022 article that you you fans
should be allowed to boo kicks.
If you had the power to scrap orreinvent one other long-standing
rugby tradition, what would itbe and why?

SPEAKER_04 (55:59):
Uh oh goodness me, good question.
Uh I would end the um like resetscrum.
Yeah.
I'll just go straight in.
Like it.
No reset on my life.

SPEAKER_03 (56:11):
I think I think that has you've played to the crowd
there.
He's played to the audience,hasn't he?
Apart from those like 35 stones.
Oh, no, anyway, you've playedwith it.
Right, second one.
Um you have talked famously inthe same article.
Talked about uh rugby needing toembrace show business.
Um if the Bears were putting ona Netflix and other obviously
streaming companies areavailable, Netflix documentary

(56:34):
tomorrow, what storyline orcharacter would be in the
headline?

SPEAKER_04 (56:40):
I think it's gotta be, I think it would be Maxwell
Heathwood.
Obviously.

SPEAKER_03 (56:45):
That was a trick question because if you didn't
say it, right, we'd worry.

SPEAKER_04 (56:48):
Even with all the Stardust on display, Maxwell
Heath would find a way to cometo the four point.

SPEAKER_03 (56:52):
Um okay, this is funny.
One, if you gave yoursupporters, your seasoned card
holders, uh, control for onehome game from music to match
day experience, what do youthink would happen?
I think it would be anarchy.
Yeah, I like it.

(57:13):
That'd be running on the pitch.
That that you wouldn't like thatat all, would you?
That'd be like pitch invasions.

SPEAKER_00 (57:18):
I think that'd be pitchful.
It'd be like six sex pistols ina seven eight.

SPEAKER_03 (57:22):
Um okay, you have been bold on social media, not
you personally, but the club.
Um, even poking fun at rivalsdown the road.
Um, but if you could collaboratewith one premiership rugby club
on a sort of joint stunt orevent, and I and I'm not I don't
mean big day out, I meansomething else.
What would it be and what wouldyou do to kind of generate

(57:44):
interest to people who have noidea what rugby's about?

SPEAKER_04 (57:48):
I'd love to do a um some sort of joint unveil, some
sort of joint player unveilingwith one of the really
progressive clubs.
Saracens are very good,Harlequins are very good.
There's a number of clubs nowthat are understanding their
digital much better than thepast.

SPEAKER_03 (58:03):
And I think I think it's fair to say we would all
agree that we have been, or you,I don't say we, we've done
nothing, but you have been theinnovators for social media in
the last few years.
And I think there's been someabsolute classics.
Um and I think other rugbyclubs, I guess, they ring you up
and say, Tom, what are youdoing?
Like, did we can like piggybackon top of you?
Um final question.

(58:25):
And this I'm gonna I'm gonna tagsomething on.
Oh, hang on, because my finalquestion is like a really nice
wrap-up, so I think you need todo your work.

SPEAKER_01 (58:32):
This is a bit of a final question.
Uh and from my point of view, 10teams in the league.
How are we gonna grow the numberof the teams?
Who's gonna join and when?
I I understand your position,Tom.
I fully get that.
But the the league in itself, alot of fans is broken.

(58:53):
When can we see a 12, 13, 14team league in this league?

SPEAKER_04 (58:59):
I I think that's a great question, and and
naturally that's something thatuh the the clubs and the league
are talking about a lot at themoment.
Uh, there's obviously you'veseen in the news there's there's
talk about franchising, um,there's conversations around
what happens with the theregions in in Wales and and the
possibility of an Anglo-Welshcompetition in the future.

(59:20):
Um to be completely transparent,there isn't really a definitive
direction yet.
Um But I think there is arecognition that we we need more
teams competing at the highestlevel.
The unfortunate reality is thatarguably in the second tier in
the championship, there isn't ateam that's ready made oven

(59:42):
baked that has the ability tostep up.
I think we understand that.
Um so we're we're not quitethere yet with with you know a a
a team or an organisation that'sthat's sort of nipping at the
heels to join the uh to joinPrem Rugby.
It'll be really interesting tosee what happens in Wales and
and how that develops.
Over the next couple of years,but um certainly for the short

(01:00:04):
term, and when I say short term,I mean the the three-year cycle
of the broadcast deal, and withPrem Rugby with the new rebrand,
it's in a it's in a solid place.
So uh it will be a league thatis um compelling and and teams
will want to join, which is uh acomplete shift from where it was
perhaps a couple of years ago.

SPEAKER_03 (01:00:24):
Right then.
Unless I have one, I think thisis a wrap-up question.
Go for it, Pete.
Right.
So as you've as you've told us,you've relit, you know, you
you've had uh your first trial,Otto.
Um 20 years' time, Otto is well,you won't be googly, it'll be
like speaking into it.
Otto, ask AI.
Uh tell me uh about the Taintonera at Bristol Bears.

(01:00:50):
What do you think Otto willfind?
What AI will tell him about whatyou've achieved as a as a CEO?

SPEAKER_04 (01:00:56):
Well, I I hope that I'm part of a uh a period for
the club where we are successfuland we win trophies, that we
grow our audience, butultimately we make people happy
and make Bristol fans proud oftheir club.
And um that's continuing to dowork in the community, that's

(01:01:18):
providing a platform for youngwomen and girls with our with
our women's rugby team and umand just showing that we as an
organization care and are arewilling to be different.
And um I I will just sign off bysaying that I think it's
podcasts like this and platformslike this that are really,
really important.
And it's it's a testament to youguys that you've obviously been

(01:01:41):
doing it for so long and you'vebuilt an audience, but actually,
like this is this is fundamentalto the success of the rugby club
that there are fans that arewilling to challenge, that are
interested, that will supportwhen it's right to support and
understand what we're trying todo.
So we're really grateful to tothe podcast and to all the

(01:02:02):
listeners because um, yeah, I'veI've said it a number of times
tonight, we don't always geteverything right, but I can
guarantee you that what we aredoing, we are trying to do it
for the right reasons.

SPEAKER_00 (01:02:12):
And I just want to add, Tom, I honestly thought you
were gonna come here today andgive us the corporate spill.
And I I don't mean that in ahorrible way, but looking you in
the eye, and as we're sat aroundthis table, I've got more hope
for Bristol Bears' future, andand I know that you're someone

(01:02:35):
who's gonna change the game.
Left field thinking, and I andyou know what?
I love it, I absolutely love it,and I think our listeners will
love it as well.
So I came here actually thinkingyou're gonna be in a firing
squad, but actually, I thinkcollectively we're all on the
same boat at the end of the day.

(01:02:55):
Exactly.
We absolutely love the club,exactly.
And thank you so much forturning up for us, and we love
it.
Thank you.
Great.

SPEAKER_03 (01:03:03):
I I think on that note, Lee, I mean, when Lee's
got tears in his eyes, I thinkit's it's time.
I think he needs a toilet.
I think we need to wrap itbecause I actually now need it
to go to the toilet.
But Tom, as we as we said,really appreciate your time and
uh and we look forward to uh toseeing what happens in the
season ahead.
Yeah, thank you very much, Tom.
Really appreciate it.

(01:03:23):
Okay, boys.
Well, um Tom has now left thebuilding.
Uh we we we big thanks to Tom.
He he spent over an hour talkingto us, and that's fantastic.
Uh, we felt as though we neededto just do a little bit more uh
just after he'd gone.
First thing I'd like to say, andI'm sure you would endorse that,
is we are sitting in what feelslike a pod studio.

(01:03:43):
Um we've got four new mics,we've got four microstands,
we've got a mixer, we've got anamplifier.
Uh Lee hasn't got a clue whatany of that means.
But what is important, and Leedoes understand, is that we're
still in a pub.
Well, we're in a lock-in, butthanks to the generosity of our
fans, having having myself donea crowdfunder, we've now got

(01:04:04):
this equipment which isportable.
I hope it it gives a little bitmore clarity.
And I don't know about you boys,but talking to Tom, it it felt
like we were kind of growinginto the interview because we
had serious stuff in front ofus.

SPEAKER_00 (01:04:17):
I mean, to me personally, it felt like you
know, back in the day when we'reup at uh BBC Studio Jeff
Twentiman with Sir Jeff.
Yeah, um, yeah, it felt reallygood.
And um, I mean, it's like Icould hear Miles like in without
crisps.
I I love the fact you know, whenMiles is talking, he uses his

(01:04:38):
hand.
Well, it's like it's like Tonyfucking Blair, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 (01:04:41):
But obviously that won't come across in uh in no
absolute there will be some morefollow-up uh to say thank you
for all the people thatcontributed.
And the reason we haven't saidanything so far is because we
weren't sure we would knew howto use it or and whether it was
actually it would actually everhappen.

SPEAKER_01 (01:04:58):
You're right, Pete.
I mean I I can see flashinggreen lights, but we just yet do
not know if it's actuallyrecorded.

SPEAKER_03 (01:05:05):
But we feel confident that something's
happened.
So one of the things we wouldannounce is for all of those
people and who did contribute,and you know who you are out
there, we were given JamesDunn's European shirt um from
the game when he played againstClaremont Avurn.

SPEAKER_01 (01:05:21):
What a game.

SPEAKER_03 (01:05:22):
Um and as some of you will know, obviously James
Dunn helped us review theseason.
Now, James Dunn gave us hisEuropean shirt because, and as
he said, it was one of thegreatest games he's he's been
involved with.
And I I can also reveal that Idon't think it got washed
either.

SPEAKER_00 (01:05:38):
I I can definitely reveal it didn't get washed, it
actually slept at my house.
Slapped with it.

SPEAKER_03 (01:05:45):
So it definitely hasn't been washed.
So what I'm gonna do is we'regonna get all the names together
and we're gonna do some sort ofraffle, and somebody who
contributed, one of the thenumber of people who did, will
win Jake Dunn's European shirt.

SPEAKER_00 (01:05:58):
So we're gonna put all the names in a hat,
basically, aren't we?

SPEAKER_03 (01:06:01):
I like literally I'm gonna write the names out and
chop them up and put them in ahat.
I'm like literally gonna put ournames.
I mean, we could do it on a youknow, chat GBT or whatever, but
I'm gonna literally I think weshould film it as well.
Should we film it?
I think we should we could filmit and then it could be our
introduction to our brand newlaunch TikTok.

SPEAKER_00 (01:06:18):
And and we should say we we really appreciate
everyone massively, absolutelygive us money and yeah, but
well, one thing I will say, itdoesn't matter how much you
actually invest in into us.
The the names all go in the hat.
So if you if you like literallyinvested a fiver or fifty.

(01:06:39):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 (01:06:40):
And also, can I categorically state that Miles,
I was in control of the money.
Miles didn't get his hands on itto put it in his offshore
account in the Cayman Islands.

SPEAKER_00 (01:06:48):
He wanted to spend it at Fortnum and Mason.

SPEAKER_03 (01:06:51):
Miles said absolutely for you.

SPEAKER_01 (01:06:55):
One bar of soap in Fortnum and Mason.
Let's face it.
No, I just like to reiterate thevoice.
We really, really appreciate thethe crowdfunding that that Pete
instigated, fans reallygenerously put together.
And dare I say, we may have nomore Crisp Gate, Rain Gate,
stupid peanut gate.

SPEAKER_03 (01:07:13):
I think the thing is people quite like that, it's
just gonna be a clearer sound.

SPEAKER_00 (01:07:18):
Pete's saying you can still eat peanuts, Mars.

SPEAKER_03 (01:07:21):
You can if you want.
I mean, we did obviously we didthe old uh opening the cans with
Mark with Tom just now.
So um, right, a couple ofthings, boys.
Uh uh, we haven't got timebecause we've got to go home.
But I mean, we've got one gamestarting next week.
Premiership rugby cup game.
We don't really know what theteam's gonna be like.
It's kind of like a pre-season.
The only thing I would say is Iwent to the um open training

(01:07:42):
session last week, the weekbefore, whatever it was.
Yeah, I mean, it was a verygentle training session, I've
got to say.
I did have a I did see our mateDunny had a picture with him.
I think I sent you that picture.
Yeah, yeah.
Dunny was like, he was likesigning autographs and then he
stopped the whole thing.
He said, Hang on, boys, just gotto wait a minute and came over
to me.
Little thumbs up, the littlephoto where you point to each

(01:08:03):
other, classic, then went backto his job.
Um, but I I I couldn't reallyglean much from that, to be
honest.
Most of the big boys, like theinternationals, weren't there.
Uh Lewis Reed Samut was there.
He I've got to say, he lookslike a specimen.
He had like he had tanned,because he'd come from Florida.

SPEAKER_01 (01:08:19):
He's been in Florida.

SPEAKER_03 (01:08:20):
He had very, very tanned legs, um, as the woman
next to me said.

SPEAKER_00 (01:08:25):
He does look like uh, no offense to you boys, but
he does look a little bit like amiddle class.
Oh, but he's cardic, he'scarded.

SPEAKER_03 (01:08:34):
He shouldn't be middle class, but he did have
he's uh yeah, he and he was andwhat I quite liked about him,
he's no airs and graces.
Just just seemed to be gettingstuck in with the boys.
Um they'd a very gentle warm-up.

SPEAKER_01 (01:08:46):
I mean, we I know I I know Tom alluded to how
excited he was about to be.
He did say the word eluded aswell about the signing, but you
know how how excited were we tosee that, you know, whether it
be a year or or two years orsomething, we didn't really see
that coming, did we?
I uh I'm super excited, and I'dlike to say that he's already

(01:09:06):
looks to be fully engaged in theclub fan engagement.
I think it's gonna be abrilliant.

SPEAKER_03 (01:09:12):
We should also acknowledge two new signings.

SPEAKER_01 (01:09:16):
So uh some some Tom didn't mention.

SPEAKER_03 (01:09:18):
Yeah, so we we didn't get around to that, but
the talent ID gate day that wasdone in the summer, which I
think maybe some of us thoughtwas a little bit of a PR
exercise.
Well, they've signed two blokes,two young lads from that.
Um and fair play, because uh asyou said right in the interview,
right at the start, Lee, is thatwe're gonna rely on local young
people, and um, it's good to seethe club did actually do

(01:09:40):
something on the back of thattalent ID day, and also we
should mention I mean,signings-wise, we we got Tom
Jordan.
I mean, Tom went on about it.
Tom Jordan, um I have alreadyforgotten.

SPEAKER_01 (01:09:52):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 (01:09:56):
Yeah, yeah, and the big Argentinian ladies.

SPEAKER_03 (01:10:01):
But also, I think we should recognise we had the two
guys, yeah.
And uh and who we got?
We got the Georgian lad, the uhno, we've got season.
Pedro was last season, theGeorgian lad, um Max Pepper, and
oh there are listeners out theregoing, how can you not remember
it?
Anyway, we have had about fourpoints.

(01:10:23):
And also, we should say the twoguys from Bucks, the two
university guys who look on theYouTube.
Mind you, we've been down thatroute before of people looking
good on YouTube, haven't we?
Do you remember the old uh TJFisher or whatever it was?
Yes and the old um the Americanguy that was uh I can't remember
someone will know you can'talways rely on YouTube, can you?

(01:10:45):
But anyway, we'll see.
So apart from that, boys, Ithink we're gonna call it a day.
We don't really have much tosay.
And obviously, first proper gameof the season, 28, 20, the
Sunday Sunday 28, 305 pm.
Which annoyingly for us is aSunday game, which means are we
are we gonna do a back are wegonna do a pod straight after
that?
Yeah, of course we are.
Of course we will.
Minimal beers, maximum well no,I don't think minimal beers

(01:11:08):
comes into it, Miles.
But anyway.

SPEAKER_00 (01:11:11):
Minimal beers, yeah.
Anyway, I think on that note, Ithink it's the for the waitress.
Oh, hang on, Lee.
Start of the season, so we'regood to go, are we?
Yeah, but we're we're in.

SPEAKER_02 (01:11:23):
We're in, we're in.
Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (01:11:25):
That's it.

SPEAKER_02 (01:11:25):
That's it.

SPEAKER_00 (01:11:26):
Thank you very much, Tom Taton.

SPEAKER_02 (01:11:28):
Yeah, thanks, Tom, and uh everybody out there, it's
been a long time, but have agood week.
Stay safe, and one, two, three.