The Future of the Prem

[kk20gb30]

Ring fencing inevitable , just a matter of when ; money will call the shots from television as the powers that be in the game use football and the Premier League as the loose basis of a business model (wonder why ?).Not honestly sure if the top clubs will really prosper , but the lower tiers, I believe, will certainly become poorer.

[Mark62]

Ring fencing inevitable , just a matter of when ; money will call the shots from television as the powers that be in the game use football and the Premier League as the loose basis of a business model (wonder why ?).Not honestly sure if the top clubs will really prosper , but the lower tiers, I believe, will certainly become poorer.

Unfortunately I think we are already at the level of lower tiers becoming poorer.
IMO there are too many rugby clubs and the player pool is stretched much too thin.
Also people’s social requirements and loyalty to clubs is less then it used to be.
If I remember back to my playing days through the 80s the bar was still full at 8pm, this is no longer the case and as such bar takings, a key source of income are down and still reducing

[chipnchase]

They have to allow a season before making any changes anyway so not impossible

[JP14]

I think keep it more or less as it but expand the teams to 14 and have a French style relegation, also have have rules that mean only majority U23 players (injury crisises aside) can play in the international breaks.

[johnthegriff]

Ring fencing in my opinion a definite NO! Our game is still a young professional sport and lessons are hopefully being learned from mistakes being made. Money must be found from somewhere to fund a fully professional second tier, that probably means a television deal but it is essential either that or a two division Premiership with twelve teams in each division. Sorry Mark 62 but regional games will just kill the fan base.
Many soccer clubs survive due to the generosity or gullibility of owners others because of their fan base and success, if it works ok but we must have clear rules and scrutiny to ensure that all start from a level playing field. Personally I would like to see a full second team competition involving all Premiership teams playing on a home and away basis with teams being basically an under 23 side possibly with a maximum of four overage players to allow first teamers needing game time to get a run out.

[Scott1]

Dont think theres a chance of that Jimmy,two words Tony Rowe.

all they need to do is wait for Sarries to get back promoted, so in a year, and then announce the revamp and invite the likes of Ealing and Cornish Pirates to apply to be the 14th side and have the Premiership be more like Super Rugby nothing Rowe can do as they won promotion and are their by right

Sorry Jimmy ,mistook you for meaning that Sarries would get a reprieve this season. That won't happen imo regardless

[fleabane]

I will get shot down for this but I honestly believe that to protect the game at the professional level , both financially and player welfare wise, we need to set up 5 regional teams, South East, South West, Midlands, North East and North West, who would then enter into British league with the Scottish, Irish and Welsh regions, playing only once against each team per season. That would be 14 games per season, 7 home 7 away, plus revamped European competitions.
Leicester, Northampton Bath etc could continue as semi pro teams maintaining their own identity and acting as development teams for the regions.
Below that the league structure needs reducing in numbers both in number of leagues and number of clubs, with clubs at championship and national leagues being amateur, with them being allowed a maximum of 3 paid players each.

Radical I know, and I feel that the main objection from people will be the lose of club identity, but other countries have managed to overcome this over time


Your thoughts chime almost word for word with an article I read yesterday in aa newspaper!

[mol2]

Not in favour of regional sides.

There needs to be promotion and relegation otherwise the premiership just becomes a circus. In turn that would make the next division down the pinnacle of club rugby, and if they decide against promotion & relegation ... then the nex league down does it.
Retaining promotion and rlegation comes with risks for sides that overspend, lose their benefactors, get relegated. That's the nature of profession sport.

In which case we will as good as be back in the amatuer days where the top sides decide who they are and only play themselves.

[BFG]

Everyone has their own idea of what should happen but in the end revenue streams are simply drying up.
A mate of mine works in television and ads are dropping like flies.
T.V and sponsors were already not happy with the Sarries debacle and the prospect of some of the best known players not playing in the Prem next season.
There is a growing view that dug in opinions may need to change to protect the entire product.

[Mark62]

I completely get that people aren’t in favour of regional sides, it’s far from being my first choice either.

My issue with keeping the structure as it is is that it isn’t financially viable. 1 team that’s 8.5%, Exeter, made a profit last season. Too many teams are being kept alive by the support of wealthy backers, who if they suddenly choose to withdraw their backing or loose their wealth the clubs will fold.
Johnthegriff says money must be found to have a fully professional 2nd tier. Agreed that would be great but where is this money coming from. Certainly not the RFU, private individuals, don’t think so at the end of this crisis the country is going to be a further £4 billion in debt, companies many privately owned will be in severe financial trouble.
TV money, possibly, but we are the minority winter sport in this country, Sky haven’t even been showing the top level french games this season, so finding the money to show the local derby between Bedford and Ampthill won’t be a huge draw.

I remember speaking to a top administrator when the game turned professional in the mid 1990s, who gave the game 20 years before it was in danger of imploding and a major shakeup was required. Well they’ve had an extra 4 or 5 years but imo that time has now been reached.

Again I get people’s feelings that fan base will be lost, but sports fans tend to be migratory and they will go to where top class sport is played. I’m sure many on here will remember Welford rocking when the Midlands used to host touring international sides.

[Scott1]

Regional sides would probably end my fandom in domestic rugby and I would just stick with Top14 and SR. It wouldnt be Leicester tigers anymore I'm afraid

[BFG]

I completely get that people aren’t in favour of regional sides, it’s far from being my first choice either.

My issue with keeping the structure as it is is that it isn’t financially viable. 1 team that’s 8.5%, Exeter, made a profit last season. Too many teams are being kept alive by the support of wealthy backers, who if they suddenly choose to withdraw their backing or loose their wealth the clubs will fold.
Johnthegriff says money must be found to have a fully professional 2nd tier. Agreed that would be great but where is this money coming from. Certainly not the RFU, private individuals, don’t think so at the end of this crisis the country is going to be a further £4 billion in debt, companies many privately owned will be in severe financial trouble.
TV money, possibly, but we are the minority winter sport in this country, Sky haven’t even been showing the top level french games this season, so finding the money to show the local derby between Bedford and Ampthill won’t be a huge draw.

I remember speaking to a top administrator when the game turned professional in the mid 1990s, who gave the game 20 years before it was in danger of imploding and a major shakeup was required. Well they’ve had an extra 4 or 5 years but imo that time has now been reached.

Again I get people’s feelings that fan base will be lost, but sports fans tend to be migratory and they will go to where top class sport is played. I’m sure many on here will remember Welford rocking when the Midlands used to host touring international sides.

I'm not against your regional sides idea as a short term end of season annual event.
Union will miss a large proportion of its season this year and quite possibly the remainder of it.
I quite like the idea of a national cup competition involving the best performing players from the Prem season amongst four regions (North/Midlands/South East/South West) and playing double headers of semi finals and 1st/2nd/3rd/4th place finals over two weekends could sell out Twickenham and gain large T. V interest in my opinion.
I don't think people realise just how critical the current cash flow issue could become.

[Tigerbeat]

BT Sport have invested a lot of money in the game and if no further games are played / televised this may well impact on Premiership Rugby as they may be asked to reimburse some of the finance. Not a very easy situation but the safety of all must be a priority over rugby at this time.

[JP14]

I can’t remember the thread but I think an unofficial international Pacific nations selects of the Vunipolas representing Tonga, Manu for Samoa, Reece and Cokanasiga for Fiji etc playing at a big venue like Twickenham could be a good way to restart the rugby season in August.

[johnthegriff]

The clubs would never sanction players having time away to play in non international matches the danger of injury is too great. Lions tours are stretching the goodwill of club owners to introduce another competition may be a step too far, possibly at the end of a season Baa baas style, but that is when the England guys would be off on tour and other players on family holidays.