Aviva Premiership: something exciting happens

[outcast eddie]

The issue is further complicated by the fact that London Irish are one of the 12 shareholders in the Premiership, and Bristol are not. So even if LI are relegated and locked out of the Premiership, they'll still get their slice of the revenue from TV and sponsorship deals.

I'm pretty sure there are 13 shareholders in the Premiership one of them being Bristol, despite not playing in that league. One of the financial incentives to go to 12 teams is that the 13th share gets allocated to the other teams and thus providing a short sharp cash injection into the league.

I think you're right about Bristol. They can't just re-allocate the 13th share though, they'd have to buy it off London Irish.

I suppose the shares belonging to the excluded team (LI) would be rendered valueless although you'd expect some kind of compensation to come from somewhere. The share of dividend, TV and sponsor revenue etc, would go from 13 portions to 12. This equals a boost of considerable wedge to the remaining teams, a boost which many of them desperately need.

[FLIP]

I suppose the shares belonging to the excluded team (LI) would be rendered valueless although you'd expect some kind of compensation to come from somewhere. The share of dividend, TV and sponsor revenue etc, would go from 13 portions to 12. This equals a boost of considerable wedge to the remaining teams, a boost which many of them desperately need.

To do anything like that legally, they'd have to set up a new company for the new league, sign new sponsorship deals, etc while losing the 1/13th share of assets and cash reserves in the old company which would rightfully belong to the 13th team. There is considerable risk and cost there.

Or they could save themselves the time and money and just pay the 13th team. Which would far lessen the cash boost available.

[TerenureJim]

I suppose the shares belonging to the excluded team (LI) would be rendered valueless although you'd expect some kind of compensation to come from somewhere. The share of dividend, TV and sponsor revenue etc, would go from 13 portions to 12. This equals a boost of considerable wedge to the remaining teams, a boost which many of them desperately need.

To do anything like that legally, they'd have to set up a new company for the new league, sign new sponsorship deals, etc while losing the 1/13th share of assets and cash reserves in the old company which would rightfully belong to the 13th team. There is considerable risk and cost there.

Or they could save themselves the time and money and just pay the 13th team. Which would far lessen the cash boost available.

Or just save everyone the hassle ans split into two conferences of 7 teams, one a London conference the other rest of England so you keep big local derbies then rotate other cross conference games to ensure a balance of quality of sides. Or something like this, it's worked out fairly well for us in the pro14 Suprising well IMO.

[IanD]

Worcester Warriors: Premiership strugglers report a £8.1m loss for 2016-17 season

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/43690322

Premiership club Worcester Warriors have reported a pre-tax loss of £8.1m for the 2016-17 season.

Losses for the 12 months up to 30 June 2017 came after the club reported a pre-tax profit of £14.3m a year before.

The profit for 2015-16, however, came after the club's owners - who have put the Sixways side up for sale - wrote off loans worth £20.4m.

In the club's directors report for 2017 it says the Warriors remain reliant on shareholders for financial support.

The struggling top flight club's 2016-17 accounts, from their six-man board, were revealed by Companies House on 29 March 2018.

Warriors, in their third season back in the Premiership, lie 11th with three games left.

But, despite beating play-off hopefuls Newcastle on Saturday, they are still not safe from the threat of relegation.

They are now only nine points clear of bottom club London Irish, who are enjoying an end-of-season revival.

The club have had a turbulent season, which has seen Gary Gold succeeded as director of rugby by fellow South African Alan Solomons, while a major end-of-season reshuffle of their backroom team has already been announced.

But they still have England and Lions centre Ben Te'o on the payroll and last month announced a new contract for star South African scrum-half Francois Hougaard.

Warriors also had a change of chief executive last summer, Gus Mackay, having joined the board on 12 June 2017, to replace the outgoing Jim O'Toole, who officially departed 18 days later, the end of the time period which the accounts cover.


That is a staggering loss

[blockhead]

Jones had an article today in the Times about how everything in the Prem was tikityboo and forget about the numbers, and sarries saffers doing a runner and how great the prem is for everyone. Came across all ComicalAli to be honest.

[Blue not red blood]

A lot of the clubs are trading at unsustainable levels.
Their balance sheets are very dependent on directors support.
I recall a number of years ago an article referred to Premier Soccer clubs that were technically insolvent but only surviving on Directors Financial support.
The clubs as I recall were Bolton , Wigan,QPR and Blackburn.
Lessons should have been learned but obviously not.

[tigerburnie]

Club rugby is always going to be different, both in England and in France, central contracts and the RFU financing a few regions is totally unworkable. The present may change to maybe 2 conferences, but I doubt it, the old school tie brigade still run the game and think it's still "rugger" that's played.
There are other clubs than Bristol that have got themselves a financial backer and pushing for the top, so there's clearly a desire amongst some super wealthy to have a play in the Premiership.

[Flash Gordon]

So the model is find a backer because English club rugby has no chance of making money? The reality is that almost all clubs lose money and will continue to do so. They could cut their cloth but they are unlikely to be able to be able to compete with the European elite.

There are options. For example a model which links the clubs centrally OR a model where they push to expand their market and revenue potential by expanding the European Cup - or working towards a European league.However, Wray wants to reduce the importance of the Champions Cup because it's "lost it's Heineken Cup luster" - oh the irony.

As for London Irish, when they were successful they were regularly getting crowds in excess of 10k but they clearly aren't now. Let's not forget they only just missed out on a Heineken Cup final as recently as 2008. Irish made a strategic choice to prioritise the development of the academy which was economic suicide given the fact that they can spend years investing in players who can leave as soon as they break through to clubs who pay more. That model cannot sustain a club unless there are transfer fees, which there aren't. However, the club has also fed into the England set up with the likes of Delon and Stefon Armitage, Nick Kennedy, Paul Sackey, Jonathan Joseph, Marlon Yarde and Anthony Watson all moving on to pastures new after emerging at Irish. Arguably they contribute more to the England team than Saracens.

Should they be excluded from the League maybe the price of their shares could be the opportunity to play Pro 14 rugby. It would be a massive boost for the League to have them involved and may be an opportunity for the IRFU to work with London Irish on player development rather than the current situation where the IRFU have actively worked against them.

[Lar]

There is no chance the RFU will sanction a London (or Reading) based club playing in the Pro14, let alone the issue of making it a Pro15 (or 16)

[jimbobjoe]

There is no chance the RFU will sanction a London (or Reading) based club playing in the Pro14, let alone the issue of making it a Pro15 (or 16)

I say the same every time it comes up. The RFU won't ruffle the feathers of the PRL unless there's a drastic change in their agreement.

[olaf the fat]

Sealing the AP off for just 12 teams may give the chance of a different league to nip in and base a team in London. After all they want Saracens to play some games in america - so whats difference.

Cant see them being too happy about it though

[blockhead]

Super Mario needs a new agent.

[domhnallj]

In sport its the little things that get the supporters on side and provide a natural base from which to build your sporting empire. Take for example, Bristol, exploiting their long history with wildlife to get the locals sense of pride bubbling...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43784221

'Bristol, the city itself, has no history of being home to any bears'

[Grumpy Old Man]

In sport its the little things that get the supporters on side and provide a natural base from which to build your sporting empire. Take for example, Bristol, exploiting their long history with wildlife to get the locals sense of pride bubbling...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43784221

'Bristol, the city itself, has no history of being home to any bears'

They really should check these things out first...

http://www.bristolbears.co.uk/

[Ruckedtobits]

In sport its the little things that get the supporters on side and provide a natural base from which to build your sporting empire. Take for example, Bristol, exploiting their long history with wildlife to get the locals sense of pride bubbling...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43784221

'Bristol, the city itself, has no history of being home to any bears'

They really should check these things out first...

http://www.bristolbears.co.uk/

Interesting site........smelling a PR f÷#k-up on the barbie

[fourthirtythree]

In sport its the little things that get the supporters on side and provide a natural base from which to build your sporting empire. Take for example, Bristol, exploiting their long history with wildlife to get the locals sense of pride bubbling...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43784221

'Bristol, the city itself, has no history of being home to any bears'

Bet you feel foolish now: GOM has just shown that Bristol has a fine tradition of bears.

Probably an LUBE group or two as well.

[dropkick]

There are other clubs than Bristol that have got themselves a financial backer and pushing for the top, so there's clearly a desire amongst some super wealthy to have a play in the Premiership.

That might explain all the talk of ringfencing now. Ealing and Coventry are 2 clubs that have backers and Cornish Pirates have just been granted planning permission for their new stadium.


I'd say there are one or two clubs looking over their shoulder and might be starting to worry that if they go down there might be 2 or 3 strong rivals rather than none.


So I expect ringfencing to be brought in as soon as possible.

[domhnallj]

In sport its the little things that get the supporters on side and provide a natural base from which to build your sporting empire. Take for example, Bristol, exploiting their long history with wildlife to get the locals sense of pride bubbling...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43784221

'Bristol, the city itself, has no history of being home to any bears'

Bet you feel foolish now: GOM has just shown that Bristol has a fine tradition of bears.

Probably an LUBE group or two as well.

Indeed! I was only quoting from the article.

I’ve just listened to Cahill give the Bristol Bears a proper roasting on Bluestalk which shows me.

[dropkick]

As for London Irish, when they were successful they were regularly getting crowds in excess of 10k but they clearly aren't now. Let's not forget they only just missed out on a Heineken Cup final as recently as 2008. Irish made a strategic choice to prioritise the development of the academy which was economic suicide given the fact that they can spend years investing in players who can leave as soon as they break through to clubs who pay more. That model cannot sustain a club unless there are transfer fees, which there aren't. However, the club has also fed into the England set up with the likes of Delon and Stefon Armitage, Nick Kennedy, Paul Sackey, Jonathan Joseph, Marlon Yarde and Anthony Watson all moving on to pastures new after emerging at Irish. Arguably they contribute more to the England team than Saracens.

That must be a worry for the RFU. If I was an owner of London Irish I would be pulling resources from the academy and offering more on wages. It's like Leinster losing James Ryan, Leavy, Larmour, Porter, Deegan etc to their rivals in the pro14. LI's efforts are benefitting the wealthier clubs. Not to mention their fanbase want to see more Irish players at the club.


And I'm someone who always have a keen interest in long term player development strategies in Irish rugby. It benefits the provinces massively because unlike LI they reap what they sow.

[blockhead]

A 20-year-old South African has become the first professional player to fail a drugs test in English professional rugby in seven years.

Brandon Staples of Yorkshire Carnegie has been suspended for a period of four years from all sport following the decision of an independent national anti-doping panel.