Purpose of the Premiership

Halliford wrote: Should I be flattered by the references to me? It’s not that I ama friend of the RFU, it’s more that barbs are thrown their way on this Forum which should be thrown elsewhere. The RFU made a mistake in 1997 by not embracing professionalism and they have paid for it ever since. Clubs took control of the players and individuals driven by motives other than rugby took over the Clubs, leading to PRL which is a morally bankrupt entity. Some years ago, misguided people at the RFU committed long-term funding to PRL, failing to link it to RFU profits. In recent years with the Pandemic, etc. the RFU has been forced into a difficult corner.  Yes, things could be done better, but my experience is that the Executive is doing its best, hampered by an RFU Council which no longer represents the rugby we know. National League Rugby has 56 Clubs and 1 representative. Some CBs, such as Army Units, have fewer Clubs and more representatives. The Governance is outmoded but the belief and drive of the workers is still strong and supportive. I don’t work for the RFU, I’m a Club Secretary who receives regular communications from them.

WEvans wrote: Camquin wrote: Leicester made money in 2012. 2013 and 2014, but has lost money every year since. That was rather my point about all Premiership clubs being heavily in debt. I take tigerburnie's point about shareholders and no apparent wealthy benefactors but someone somewhere is keeping them afloat and I think to call it "paying their own way" is a little generous.

Camquin wrote: But of the £20m turnover, £5m comes From TV and Gallagher, another £2m from the RFU and £3m from sponsorship that relies on being on TV.

Richard Lowther wrote: tigerburnie wrote: Camquin wrote: But of the £20m turnover, £5m comes From TV and Gallagher, another £2m from the RFU and £3m from sponsorship that relies on being on TV. and? The tv companies want to sell the product and are prepared to pay for it, do you expect the clubs to give the money away? Companies who sponsor want their product to be seen, on the terraces is fine, but on the tv it is seen by more people and is easy to see the advantage of going with a successful product. Premiership rugby is watched all around the rugby world, just like the other top leagues. The PRL is not making good decisions just now, now I agree changes need to be made, good governance and a league open to promotion and relegation, proper competition. I think the point that Camquin is trying to make is that the income of Premiership clubs is fragile and reliant on a combination of commercial revenue and money from owners and that if one part goes it leaves a club vulnerable. None are really living within their means.

tigerburnie wrote: WEvans wrote: Camquin wrote: Leicester made money in 2012. 2013 and 2014, but has lost money every year since. That was rather my point about all Premiership clubs being heavily in debt. I take tigerburnie's point about shareholders and no apparent wealthy benefactors but someone somewhere is keeping them afloat and I think to call it "paying their own way<span style="font-size: 9pt;">" is a little generous.</span> Tigers bought the adjacent land that was Granby Halls and have had a hotel built on the ground, it is being run for them by a specialist company called Bespoke, that will be helping pull in some income. Home - Hotel Brooklyn Leicester (bespokehotels.com) The off-field investments are not finished as a new stand is to be built in the future which will include a multi storey car park, further increasing revenue to help the club sustain itself. I am not certain, but I am told the reason for the profit short fall prior to covid is because of the re-investment in these projects.

Whilst I agree with you in regard of the need for promotion/relegation, I would point out that probably the most successful league in the world (the NFL) plays I front of large packed stadiums week in week out and attracts a shed load of money from TV channels for coverage.

That said I wouldn't want a closed shop such as the NFL has

Raider999 wrote:   Whilst I agree with you in regard of the need for promotion/relegation, I would point out that probably the most successful league in the world (the NFL) plays I front of large packed stadiums week in week out and attracts a shed load of money from TV channels for coverage. That said I wouldn't want a closed shop such as the NFL has

Camquin wrote:  To thrive, the Premiership should be bringing money into the game, not sucking money out of it.

tigerburnie wrote: WEvans wrote: Camquin wrote: Leicester made money in 2012. 2013 and 2014, but has lost money every year since. That was rather my point about all Premiership clubs being heavily in debt. I take tigerburnie's point about shareholders and no apparent wealthy benefactors but someone somewhere is keeping them afloat and I think to call it "paying their own way" is a little generous. Tigers bought the adjacent land that was Granby Halls and have had a hotel built on the ground, it is being run for them by a specialist company called Bespoke, that will be helping pull in some income. Home - Hotel Brooklyn Leicester (bespokehotels.com) The off-field investments are not finished as a new stand is to be built in the future which will include a multi storey car park, further increasing revenue to help the club sustain itself. I am not certain, but I am told the reason for the profit short fall prior to covid is because of the re-investment in these projects.

Marquee players have dropped to one per squad, I understand why they introduced it at the time to put bums on seats having a "world star" in the squad, but somehow that has sort of faded, there are many "stars" that are home grown these days, an example is the number of Tigers academy players currently in the club first team squad and the England squads too. What Moore says about academy players not good enough for the first team shows just how dumb he is, plenty of under 21 players played for England, Johhny Wilkinson probably the most famous, his comments epitomise the outdated dinosaur attitude of those jealous old men who didn't get paid when they played, some seem to inhabit the RFU.