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RFU not selling Twickenham (?)

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Paul10 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Paul10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: RFU not selling Twickenham (?)
    Posted: 19 Feb 2024 at 19:15
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/feb/19/rfu-twickenham-wembley-stadium-rugby-union-england




The Rugby Football Union has ditched a radical proposal to sell Twickenham and buy a 50% share of Wembley from the Football Association, the Guardian can reveal, instead focusing on £663m plans to overhaul its current stadium

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steve@Mose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2024 at 19:45
Originally posted by Paul10 Paul10 wrote:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/feb/19/rfu-twickenham-wembley-stadium-rugby-union-england




The Rugby Football Union has ditched a radical proposal to sell Twickenham and buy a 50% share of Wembley from the Football Association, the Guardian can reveal, instead focusing on £663m plans to overhaul its current stadium

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The Rugby Football Union has ditched a radical proposal to sell Twickenham and buy a 50% share of Wembley from the Football Association, the Guardian can reveal, instead focusing on £663m plans to overhaul its current stadium.

Twickenham has served as the home of English rugby since 1909 and while the RFU is formulating plans to revamp the stadium as part of its “masterplan programme”, last year the union’s board approved a recommendation to retain an option to “leave” but to “defer formal engagement with the FA”.

...

The Guardian has seen the RFU’s in-depth plans for revamping Twickenham, with a window between the end of the 2027 Six Nations and the start of the following year’s championship identified as the preferred time to carry out a large section of the work with minimal disruption. It would, however, mean that Red Roses matches and the men’s team’s World Cup warm-up matches would have to be played away from Twickenham in that time.

The masterplan – which focuses on property, transport and user experience – also makes reference to a previous potential option to relocate to Wembley, where England have hosted one previous match, against Canada in 1992. Wales also used Wembley – which was the subject of a £900m offer by the US billionaire Shahid Khan in 2018 – as a temporary base while the Principality Stadium was being built. “The RFU is focused on continuing to develop Twickenham Stadium,” a spokesperson for the union said. “Previous considerations looking at the viability of moving to alternative sites have been rejected.”

While the RFU has calculated costs of £663m for its Twickenham overhaul, there is an acknowledgement that is unaffordable and that more pressing works will be prioritised with around £300m in financing available. The figure of £663m is considered illustrative and the intention is for the total costs to form a longer-term blueprint and for subsequent works to be carried out as and when the union has the finances.

The work includes renovations of each of the four stands – which would see the minimum capacity for rugby events reduced to 80,000 – as well as the stadium roof, the car parks and the RFU’s offices relocated. The intention is that the stadium would be fully operational again by 2031.

The RFU is also seeking to improve transport links due to the overreliance on Twickenham rail station and countless reports of overcrowding chaos on matchdays. Among the initiatives being assessed to improve transport to and from matches, the RFU is exploring the use of riverboat services.

Writing in the RFU’s most recent annual report, the chief financial officer, Sue Day, outlined how such an overhaul of Twickenham is necessary to “safeguard the future revenues needed to invest back into the game”. There is a concern within the RFU, however, that such lavish spending on the stadium will be seen as incongruous at a time when the professional and grassroots games need investment.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dumbape Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2024 at 23:10
Oh my giddy aunt … the lunatics really are in charge of the asylum!

With all the things that need doing spending hundreds of millions on a stadium would be nothing less than FU to all the clubs across the country.

What a blessing it would be if we could open and shut our ears as easily as we open and shut our eyes!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FHLH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Feb 2024 at 01:37
Originally posted by dumbape dumbape wrote:

Oh my giddy aunt … the lunatics really are in charge of the asylum!


East Stand Budget £56.5m, expenditure £80m


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BP Youth Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Feb 2024 at 09:06
Oh my giddy Aunt, indeed! User experience?? Who wants that cringeworthy razzmatazz blasted out at every given opportunity?
Here's aradical plan; Try playing some entertaining rugby. England are currently the worst watch in the 6 Nations competition.
They could also stop supplying tickets to people who have gone thinking it is a beer festival and especially to those with limited bladder capacity. ( I am aware that they have imposed booze free zones, a p*ss poor idea, badly implemented)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tigerburnie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Feb 2024 at 11:17
All that money that could go into the grass roots of the game and grow the sport.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WEvans Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Feb 2024 at 12:38
Is it not possible to keep Twickenham and sell Sweeney? I'm sure the ten bob that he would raise could be usefully spent somewhere. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Malcr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Feb 2024 at 16:33
Is it levelling up or dumbing down? Disgraceful management focussed entirely on the elite. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JAB87 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2024 at 15:24
I confess that despite the exorbitant prices and the inconsiderate behaviour of some spectators, and as a Midlander, I do enjoy a day out at Twickenham, and a move to Wembley would be disappointing.

However, I would be even more disappointed if the RFU spent over £650 million renovating Twickenham.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to redevelop Old Trafford into a national stadium for the “North”, but appears to want national support for such a project.   

My blue sky thinking suggests that the RFU sells Twickenham and buys “shares” in Wembley, who in turn enter into a “joint venture” with Sir Jim Ratcliffe/MUFC to create a national stadium for the North.  The England football and rugby union teams would continue to play most of their games at Wembley, but some could be played in Manchester, in addition to rugby league internationals.  We could also get away from the farce of two northern teams travelling to London for FA Cup semi finals.

France, Ireland and Italy use stadia which are used for both football and rugby.  A number of Italian football teams share stadia with city rivals.  Surely, shared costs make sense for the organisations involved.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2024 at 15:45
Jim Ratcliffe can bring his taxable income back to the UK if he wants state support for his vanity project.

Is Twickenham getting old?

I haven't been there for years.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raider999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2024 at 17:30
Originally posted by Paul10 Paul10 wrote:

Jim Ratcliffe can bring his taxable income back to the UK if he wants state support for his vanity project.

Is Twickenham getting old?

I haven't been there for years.


Quite agree - there is no way public money should be put into building a New Trafford.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2024 at 18:09
Didn't Lancashire rebuild quite recently.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2024 at 18:16
I think that the £600 million includes upgrades to transport links.

I believe from Wikipedia:
The East Stand was completed in 2018 - late and over-budget.
The South Stand was finished in 2006.
The West stand dates to 1995 and the North to 1990.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CJB1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2024 at 21:48
Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

I think that the £600 million includes upgrades to transport links.

I believe from Wikipedia:
The East Stand was completed in 2018 - late and over-budget.
The South Stand was finished in 2006.
The West stand dates to 1995 and the North to 1990.
Might be cheaper to demolish the existing stadium and rebuild it next to the railway station.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kimbo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2024 at 22:26
Originally posted by CJB1 CJB1 wrote:

Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

I think that the £600 million includes upgrades to transport links.

I believe from Wikipedia:
The East Stand was completed in 2018 - late and over-budget.
The South Stand was finished in 2006.
The West stand dates to 1995 and the North to 1990.
Might be cheaper to demolish the existing stadium and rebuild it next to the railway station.
I thought you might suggest the Alex Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2024 at 22:48
Wembley cost £789 million, so possibly not.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steve@Mose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2024 at 09:50
Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

Wembley cost £789 million, so possibly not.
Context - Wembley Stadium construction cost £789 million when opened in 2007.  Adjusted for inflation £1.27 billion today.

London Olympic Stadium construction cost £486 million when completed in 2011 (£717 million in 2024 prices). Plus £274 million in renovations between 2013-16.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote No 7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2024 at 13:09
Twickenham is relatively new and is already non compliant.

Edited by No 7 - 26 Feb 2024 at 13:16
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SK 88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2024 at 13:31
Non compliant with what?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote No 7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2024 at 14:21
The reason for the 600 + million pound refurb is to make current and upto regulations. This possibly refers to fire exits , energy consumption and type of energy and possibly cladding on the function rooms and hotel. 

What do you think it is for ?
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
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