New Dragons RFC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rhys Blumberg has vowed to put supporters at the heart of decisions made at Rodney Parade – and urged fans to get behind the team ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Blumberg sat down to talk to the Dragons TV as he completed 10 days in charge with the Men of Gwent.
He has spoken about the warmth of the welcome he has received in Newport from fans, partners and staff.
And he has outlined his hopes for the future as he looks ahead to a busy off season.
“I've landed at the Dragons at a time which is very exciting for the club,” he said.
“With the new ownership group and everything that's going on behind the scenes, it's an exciting time to come in as CEO.
“There are lots of things that happen at Rodney Parade that are fantastic. I’m excited about what I can bring to the Dragons, where the Dragons are as a club, and how we look to the future to improve everything, from an off field and on field perspective.
“There's some fantastic people working here and the welcome I've received has been brilliant,” he added. “I've been accepted as part of the Dragons family by both staff, fans, and partners very quickly.
“There are clearly some challenges for us. But I think those challenges are things we can influence and improve. That's something I'm going to be seriously focused on for the next few months.”
Blumberg has made speaking to fans one of his to priorities as he looks to understand the needs of the Rodney Parade faithful and where the club can make changes.
“I'm keen to in front of our supporters and spend time with them, understand what they like and dislike, work with them to improve their experiences,” he stated.
“The most important thing for us is our fans. We need to work very hard to make sure those people feel included in everything that we do.
“Ahead of next season, I’ll make it a priority for me to sit down and understand their requirements and what I can to fulfil them.
“The key area which supporters want to discuss is on field performance, and alongside that we have commercial growth.
“Jonathan Westwood and the commercial team are doing a great job. I'm looking to add value by getting involved as much as I can and helping them increase our revenues across all lines.
“On the field, there's a new coaching team in place next year, a number of signings, and we have managed to retain a lot of our high profile talent.
“All of those things contribute towards us being more successful on field.”
Blumberg has also revealed how he is keen to add more events to the calendar in Newport and see Rodney Parade used throughout the year.
“We've got an incredible site here in the heart of Newport,” he stressed. “This time of year, when we don’t have games, is exactly when we should be monetising it better.
“There are events going on and the team are working hard. But there's scope for us to be looking at big events next summer, when there is no Newport County or Dragons games on.
“The focus this summer to make sure everyone here at Rodney Parade knows which direction we're travelling in. Everyone has a focus and a clear set of goals and objectives.
“I also want to improve our Dragons story. I want to talk about who we are, where we're from, what makes us, and that will feature in everything that we do going forward.
“Once we've created that story, I want that to run through the DNA of everything that we do at Dragons.”
And with the Early Bird deadline for memberships now approaching, Blumberg had a special message for supporters as he appealed for them to once again back the club and be a part of a bright future.
“I think it's an exciting time to be a supporter of the Dragons,” he said.
“You've got a new ownership group who are enthusiastic about making a serious change on an off field.
“They’ve brought me in as Chief Executive to help them do that, to drive standards and to make sure that all of us are pulling in the same direction.
“The important thing is that supporters buy into that and come on the journey with us. We need our fans to be right behind us at this point.
“We can promise that next season we're going to give 100%, on and off the field, in everything that we do.
“This isn't going to be a quick fix, but hopefully over the next six to ten months, you'll see a significant step change in performances on the field which will lead to better experiences on match day.
“Buying Season Memberships, being part of our journey, is something that starts now. So, the message to fans is get behind us and enjoy it.”
I think it's an exciting time to be a supporter of the Dragons... We need our fans to be right behind us at this point...
