Aviva Premiership: something exciting happens

[simonokeeffe]

Bath 21 -11 Saracens!

2nd biggest douchebag chairman overthrows biggest douchebag chairman

Exactly! Pleasurable... but why wasn't it Exeter or even LI. Usually when those two play, I'm hoping for a scoreless draw.

when those two play I'm hoping for terrorists in the hospitality suite

[rooster]

2nd biggest douchebag chairman overthrows biggest douchebag chairman

Exactly! Pleasurable... but why wasn't it Exeter or even LI. Usually when those two play, I'm hoping for a scoreless draw.

when those two play I'm hoping for terrorists in the hospitality suite

Wouldn't surprise me if they didn't have a few of them in their midst working for them !

[simonokeeffe]

given Baths recent history a Columbian cartel wouldnt be a complete surprise

[TrapperChamonix]

WASP's now certain to move to Coventry. Now a full 100 miles from their original club in Greenford.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... ahead.html

Its hard to see why moving slap bang between Leicester, Northampton and to a lesser extent Worcester will make them any more likely to attract a fan base. Sounds like its as much to do with the owners buying Ricoh Arena as anything. But hey its the AP so it must be a genius move!

[rooster]

WASP's now certain to move to Coventry. Now a full 100 miles from their original club in Greenford.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... ahead.html

Its hard to see why moving slap bang between Leicester, Northampton and to a lesser extent Worcester will make them any more likely to attract a fan base. Sounds like its as much to do with the owners buying Ricoh Arena as anything. But hey its the AP so it must be a genius move!

Sure it would be pretty similar to Leinster moving to Ravenhill

[simonokeeffe]

they may as well have bought Musgrave Park

[leinster4life13]

So thats "London" Wasps dead then. surely the Hask will be out the door along with everyone else who would rather live in London, farcical situation, they have killed the club, no fan will drive a four hour round trip to see them play. Should be fun to see 400 Wasps fans being dwarfed by the 30'000 seatrr stadium and outnumbered by opposition fans. As much as I am fan of the free market and free enterprise, this is soulless stuff.

[blaker]

Lonodn based so have had occassion to discuss this with a few APL guys over the past while. All have been appalled mainly because they're concious that its "there but for the grace etc". LI, Sarries - whats to stop something similar happening there.

The arguements about supporters being dwarfed in a big stadium are pointless - the idea is that the guy wante dthe stadium, the team were the vehicle. If they could cease to exist now it would suit him so players leaving and supporters focking off would suit.

[Hornet]

Wasps Club Statement

"Club Statement

Wasps are delighted that Coventry City Council have unanimously approved the sale of their shares in ACL to Wasps. Final details of the agreement will be confirmed tomorrow morning.

Wasps are delighted that Coventry City Council have unanimously approved the sale of their shares in ACL to Wasps. Final details of the agreement will be confirmed tomorrow morning.

It is no secret that the Club has been searching for a permanent home for many years. We are very excited to be in a position to fulfil this ambition and to be able to move to the Ricoh Arena; it is an outstanding Arena in a truly fantastic City.

We understand this is an unsettling period for our supporters and we will be holding a series of meetings for our Season Ticket Holders, starting this week, where we can speak face-to-face to explain our decision and to address their concerns. We are also writing to each of our Season Ticket Holders.

This decision has not been taken lightly, it has been a very thorough and detailed process and we truly believe this is the best option to secure a successful long-term future for the Club.

It’s important to us to make clear that we see the Ricoh as the home of Coventry City Football Club and are committed to it staying that way, and that we are already working with Coventry Rugby Club to ensure both clubs thrive and grow.

Our priority now is to work with our players, staff and fans on what this will mean for them. Once we have communicated to our supporters and staff we will be very happy to answer any questions the media may have at a press conference tomorrow. We will also issue a full media statement at 10am tomorrow morning."

[mikerob]

The AP embraces the franchise model like US sports - if a team isn't that successful in one location, the owner ups sticks and moves it to somewhere else.

I don't think the fans come into it. Wasps aren't that well supported anyway and I'm sure the owners know very few will travel to Coventry. They'll try to build a new support base from scratch and if that doesn't work then, hey, they've still got a valuable piece of real estate.

I'd say the other clubs who rent stadia without a big support base are becoming nervous (London Irish, Sale).

I can understand why Wasps want to own a stadium as it looks like that is necessary to be financially successful in the AP, and a reason why Saracens built their own, even a small one but moving miles away is very cynical.

Who was the pest who lurked here during the debate about the HEC? Beckenham Wasp? You let clubs be dominated by money men and you reap what you sow...

[Hornet]

The AP embraces the franchise model like US sports - if a team isn't that successful in one location, the owner ups sticks and moves it to somewhere else.

I don't think the fans come into it. Wasps aren't that well supported anyway and I'm sure the owners know very few will travel to Coventry. They'll try to build a new support base from scratch and if that doesn't work then, hey, they've still got a valuable piece of real estate.

I'd say the other clubs who rent stadia without a big support base are becoming nervous (London Irish, Sale).

I can understand why Wasps want to own a stadium as it looks like that is necessary to be financially successful in the AP, and a reason why Saracens built their own, even a small one but moving miles away is very cynical.

Who was the pest who lurked here during the debate about the HEC? Beckenham Wasp? You let clubs be dominated by money men and you reap what you sow...

Old BW isn't very popular on the Drunken Wasps forum ATM. They have sent him to Coventry!

[leinster4life13]

@mikerob, I cant see this working in the short term, EP crowds are mediocre as is, constant movement is no way to build a fanbase, Wasps will become Coventry Wasps and all of their fans will break away and be subsumed by Ealing, Sarries etc whilst NuWasps will have the arduous task of creating an entirely new fanbase from scratch in an area well served by rugby clubs and with a football team who couldn't even fill the stadium. I reckon its all about the real estate. Leaves a sour taste, shame they couldn't buy West Hams stadium noe that its going to unoccupied or QPR's

[The Anathemata]

Lonodn based so have had occassion to discuss this with a few APL guys over the past while. All have been appalled mainly because they're concious that its "there but for the grace etc". LI, Sarries - whats to stop something similar happening there.

The arguements about supporters being dwarfed in a big stadium are pointless - the idea is that the guy wante dthe stadium, the team were the vehicle. If they could cease to exist now it would suit him so players leaving and supporters focking off would suit.

At a time when London is literally bursting at the seems, to see another rugby team leave is quite frankly, bizarre.

Sarries have tried to attract the Saffa crowd, but they'd have been better off sharing a ground with Fulham in that case. Ain't too many Saffas or goys in general living 'round Brent Cross ways. As far as I'm concerned, Barnet ain't London, so that leaves only Quins, given the two proverbial Not-Nots play in Oxford and Reading.

[Hornet]

As far as I'm concerned, Barnet ain't London.

Really? You had better tell this lot.

http://directory.londoncouncils.gov.uk/ ... ry/barnet/

[mikerob]

I think it is recognised that ground shares aren't the way to sustainable success but building a new stadium in London is incredibly difficult and expensive given land prices,

Saracens did the best they could with a small stadium in Barnet. I don't like Saracens at all but can see they have got something they can call their own and can grow from there.

[The Anathemata]

As far as I'm concerned, Barnet ain't London.

Really? You had better tell this lot.

http://directory.londoncouncils.gov.uk/ ... ry/barnet/

Correct, but if you lived and Greenwich and worked in the City, you'd know what I mean.

[The Doc]

And how do Coventry RFC feel about it...

Doesn't only affect the supporters of Wasps.

[mikerob]

I don't see that it is inevitable there will be a negative impact on Coventry RFC if Wasps play in the area.

Coventry RFC are in the same division as Ealing, Richmond and Rosslyn Park. These teams are all within a few miles of Quins and are doing fine.

If a club has strong roots in their local community then there shouldn't be a problem as top flight pro rugby is a different world.

[simonokeeffe]

shows real contempt that Wasps doing all this consultation after theyve made the decision

small matter too of wasps taking 15 million pounds of debt on in this deal, thats a big worry when theyre relying on away fans to pass through the gates and hope theres always someone crapper than them to get relegated

[paddyor]

I think it is recognised that ground shares aren't the way to sustainable success but building a new stadium in London is incredibly difficult and expensive given land prices,

Saracens did the best they could with a small stadium in Barnet. I don't like Saracens at all but can see they have got something they can call their own and can grow from there.

Ground shares work fine in Italian football(Milan, Rome). AFAIK the grounds there are owned by the municipality so that might be the thing. I.E not wanting to be paying into your rivals coffers or your rival trying to see you out the door. There does seem to be some attachment to the grounds in England though, like they are a link back to the past as opposed to just part of the balance sheet(I've no big sentimental attachment to Donnybrook or the RDS). Like no matter the financial sense they don't want to share it. I don't think it's beyond reason that 2 clubs could play out of the same ground and develop from it.