Premiership II plans announced

FHLH wrote: Halliford wrote: The RFU Business Network hosted a Zoom session on Marketing pre-Christmas which included the Marketing Manager from Northampton Saints. He made the comment that they are actively trying to recruit as spectators the 18-30 age group. They are exactly the same people as grassroots Clubs are trying to recruit as players. Yet another conflict with the Premiership. Rugby always used to be a participation sport but there is now a drive for it to be primarily a spectator sport. Is the pond big enough for both? Unless there's a by product of people turning to rugby having watched it for the first time .... unintended consequence for Saints

I wonder how many of the England U20s squad came through volunteer led community clubs, National Leagues and the Championship? Heaven forbid that the RFU should invest in clubs outside the Premiership!

Edited by FHLH - 23 May 2024 at 17:26

rugbychris wrote: https://www.lnr.fr/actualite/top-14-et-pro-d2-les-droits-audiovisuels-attribues-a-canal-pour-les-saisons-20272028-a-20312032 RFU champ funding laughable in comparison.

Interesting that from this article it looks like French clubs have totally different funding model to English clubs. TV rights and local government make up the bulk. England looks a very sorry state by comparison. I wonder if this is going to translate into French dominance for many years to come. 

Halliford wrote: The RFU Business Network hosted a Zoom session on Marketing pre-Christmas which included the Marketing Manager from Northampton Saints. He made the comment that they are actively trying to recruit as spectators the 18-30 age group. They are exactly the same people as grassroots Clubs are trying to recruit as players. Yet another conflict with the Premiership. Rugby always used to be a participation sport but there is now a drive for it to be primarily a spectator sport. Is the pond big enough for both?

Edited by tulip - 24 May 2024 at 17:23

KnightsBoy wrote: https://www.drfc.co.uk/statement-by-the-championship-clubs/ This has been put on its own thread by kimbo

They can’t find 12 clubs from the lower leagues or those that no longer exist who have the stadiums, money and support to a Tier 2 structure they want, so it is in the interests of the RFU to be reasonable.

Edited by The Blues - 6 hours 20 minutes ago at 12:05

Looking at these sensible comments it's clear that if the Champ clubs stick together they are in a strong bargaining position. The threat from the RFU to relegate every Champ club to Nat 1, if they don't cave in to their unreasonable demands, is pretty ridiculous when you start to think about the knock-on effects it would have on the entire league structure.

I'm not sure that it would be 'welcomed' by all the National League clubs in all honesty. 

The chances of Championship clubs being downgraded like this are virtually zero. First, even if they could cobble together participants, the RFU can't create a new league above the current Tier 2 - it would be a clear breach of competition law. Second, they have already said that the result of a failure to reach agreement would be a deferral of Tier 2 negotiations for another year, which nobody wants, but on the current conditions ie £160K a year central funding and not the fabled £4m (£333K per club) that is on offer. Third, the National Leagues would not wear it.