News

Oakdale’s matchday programme will now be available to all supporters, free of charge, via a new digital-only format this season.

The Club’s new online programme platform – Heyzine – means that more people than ever before will be able to easily view each edition for free via their mobile phones, tablets, or on desktop.

With the men in Red & White getting their new season up and running last week with an opening clash against Fleur de Lys, supporters can follow their progress every step of the way during the 2024/25 campaign on Heyzine.

Containing exclusive news and features with Oakdale’s first-team and youth squads, updates from the Club’s Chairman, Team Manager and coaches, all the latest news from around the village, as well as statistics and team line-ups for the match, the Dale’s matchday programme is not to be missed.

The digital editions will be published the day of every home fixture and shared with supporters direct via Oakdale’s social media channels and website – meaning supporters can read the programme on their way to the Recreation Ground, inside the ground, or en route home from the game.

Scannable QR codes will also be situated at the entry gates and on social media so supporters can open and read the programme on their mobile devices on matchday.

“Many sports teams, both inside and outside of rugby, have made the switch over to digital matchday programmes in recent years, while at Oakdale we had bucked the trend somewhat by continuing with a printed edition,” said Adrian Robins, Technology Manager at Oakdale Rugby Club.

“This is a decision that has taken a lot of consideration, as we know that some of our supporters like to collect a physical keepsake from the matches they attend in the form of a programme.

“However, the reality is that demand for our matchday programmes have dwindled in recent years – I think many supporters would be surprised to learn that only around 50 on average are requested on matchdays, and as a result, at that volume we are not able to generate any revenue for the Club.

“We believe switching to a free-to-view, digital format will enable more supporters than ever before to view our programmes, delivering a better fan experience and also more exposure and value for our Club partners.”

Julian Baldwin, Social Media lead at Oakdale went on to say,

“With a 25000 ‘post reach’ through our social media channels every week we believe that moving to a digital programme is the right way to go and the move is also positive for our ambitions in sustainability.

“At Oakdale Rugby Club, we want to operate the most sustainable rugby club in the country, and to be a pioneer for climate action in rugby and beyond. A digital programme prevents hundreds of pages being printed for every home matchday and then transported to the Club, substantially reducing our impact on the environment.

“We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Heyzine, who are well-established in their field with many rugby and football clubs across the UK already using their platform. We’re very confident our supporters will find this new service easy to use and enjoy keeping up-to-date with all the latest from Oakdale RFC on matchdays.”