Rugby And all sports’ fans matter!

[Ian Cant]

Having emailed my local MP, who replied almost immediately, about allowing fans back to not only watch Tigers, but City, The Lions and The County( too late for this season!), I really do think we need a united front from all clubs and supporters to get fans back.
Having now watched some French rugby and the tennis, seeing fans watching, well spread out, I fail to see why rugby, football, speedway etc in the country, cannot have a sensible number of fans return. I’m sure fans and clubs would make sure entering, queuing for a pint, sitting/standing and exiting would be done in an organised, safe way.
Maybe it’s time to promote ‘Sport’s Fans Matter!” as the negative economic effect, not to mention the toll on mental health is surely of great importance to any government. Time for a sensible return of fans to ensure clubs survive and to reduce even more financial aid which the government can ill afford.
Yes, something has clearly gone awry at Sale but I have the utmost faith in our sporting professionals and genuine supporters to act in sensible ways!

[ourla]

Speedway!?

[ourla]

I think 100% of things I've written to my MP about they have written back saying thanks but no thanks. It pretty much changes nothing of policy.

[Ian Cant]

Ourla: Speedway ! Yes. Sorry if I wasn’t clear.
I’m a Leicester lad although Tigers are my “first love”.For over 50 years,
since I was 7 I’ve supported all the Leicester teams but obviously watching Tigers home and away means, apart from The County, (cricket) I’ve only been to the other grounds, tracks, spasmodically but I feel the hurt when any Leicester team loses and that includes Mark Selby and the Loughborough ladies cricket and rugby as well as Leicester Ladies hockey. I also want Leicester Races to be successful even though I’ve never been to a race meeting.
I just want all our beloved clubs to survive and be successful.
All the best to all clubs everywhere in these strange times.

[Tiglon]

I think 100% of things I've written to my MP about they have written back saying thanks but no thanks. It pretty much changes nothing of policy.

Same. Copy and paste reply that is completely irrelevant to the letter sent. Waste of time.

[BengalTiger]

The farce of the Sale situation has undermined any claims of Rugby administrators being competent to run a whelk stall let alone to manage a crowd of fans!

Sorry but as Rugby continued to shoot itself in both feet by allowing the game to become a rich man's toy, allowing cheats to prosper, allowing the club game to be a safe haven for middling foreign players, allowing tinkering with the laws to be an bi-annual event, allowing the premise of a game for all sizes to go by the board, the current crop of rugby administrators should all hold their heads in shame, including the sainted Mr Beaumont, so to put them in charge of keeping anyone safe in the current situation, I for one would say no thank you

[tigerburnie]

Having emailed my local MP, who replied almost immediately, about allowing fans back to not only watch Tigers, but City, The Lions and The County( too late for this season!), I really do think we need a united front from all clubs and supporters to get fans back.
Having now watched some French rugby and the tennis, seeing fans watching, well spread out, I fail to see why rugby, football, speedway etc in the country, cannot have a sensible number of fans return. I’m sure fans and clubs would make sure entering, queuing for a pint, sitting/standing and exiting would be done in an organised, safe way.
Maybe it’s time to promote ‘Sport’s Fans Matter!” as the negative economic effect, not to mention the toll on mental health is surely of great importance to any government. Time for a sensible return of fans to ensure clubs survive and to reduce even more financial aid which the government can ill afford.
Yes, something has clearly gone awry at Sale but I have the utmost faith in our sporting professionals and genuine supporters to act in sensible ways!

How do you identify a sporting professional or a genuine supporter that will act in a sensible way? Numbers of cases/hospital admissions/deaths are rising and you want to throw more people together that is likely to make matters worse, will the fans travel on public transport to get to said events? Have you also seen what is happening to the numbers in France, might not be related to going to watch sport. Before and after each event the grounds would have to be sterilised, what cost would that be, how much profit would a club make from small numbers?

[kk20gb30]

The issues that a lot of Sports fans find difficult to accept are the obvious inconsistencies that seemingly surround us/them....
Gyms , Swimming Pools , Pubs , Restaurants etc accepting patrons whereas sport is precluded.
Overall , the situation as it stands is impossible for any government to effectively deal with - health has to come first , but the finance and industry that composes Sport is obviously under immense strain.There are an awful lot of hands being held out for help right now.....

[nasher]

I agree completely with Bengal Tiger. This pox kills, it is exceptionally virulent and spreads ultra rapidly. The media enjoy the death statistics but do not offer any sensible advice. The scientists expound theory after theory but their appears to be no current solution other than staying apart . What happened at Sale proves the authorities cannot manage the situation so no crowds. I feel for the clubs but the stark choice is death or money.

[jgriffin]

Nearly 40% of transmission is driven by schools, biggest identified growth in infection 10-19 years. Public events in the open air utilising social distancing, masks and entry temperature checks- transmission risk as close to 0% as you can get. (ONS, independent SAGE). That's the 'science' of 'safe'.
You can mock Sale, but in the absence of competent Pillar 1 and 2 Test/Trace/Quarantine that pool data and inform local authorities, nothing will change the situation. And in the absence of a vaccine, the risk assessments are simply totally awry.
I take part in one of the most virus risk-free sports (orienteering, essentially individual time trials locating targets in the open air e.g. forests) and most local authorities have cancelled them while keeping underfunded schools open (I work in one). Spectators at a rugby match can be as safe as anything, that's how daft things are now. That's what's going to kill pro rugby, incompetence.

[Tigerbeat]

One of the other considerations is that fans travel from further afield to watch the games and therefore increase the risk and transmission of the virus, especially at the moment when cases are rising daily.

[BFG]

Kids getting some education (albeit underfunded) is extremely important.
A few folk being able to go orienteering is not, the risk of transmission is obviously less but other than someone tripping up on a twig whilst engrossed in a compass and then requiring the air ambulance to attend there isn't really any longer term risks in orienteering comparable to the potential long term damage of kids missing out on an education.
I don't believe orienteering is a priority right now, even though a few teachers might prefer some extra paid leave to take part.

[jgriffin]

Kids getting some education (albeit underfunded) is extremely important.
A few folk being able to go orienteering is not, the risk of transmission is obviously less but other than someone tripping up on a twig whilst engrossed in a compass and then requiring the air ambulance to attend there isn't really any longer term risks in orienteering comparable to the potential long term damage of kids missing out on an education.
I don't believe orienteering is a priority right now, even though a few teachers might prefer some extra paid leave to take part.

OK you think working in an underfunded school with a whole year (9) and 11 teachers out, with support staff at risk as well is a joking matter? So underfunded we can't afford textbooks, decent computer and proper UPVC screening, let alone socially distance? Especially with some kids having parents who tell them COVID is a leftwing scam/paedophile plot etc, and refuse to wear masks etc, but we can't exclude them on those grounds? The only mental health problems are those generated at home or by the test-test-test system, to go with the normal 10% of kids with moderate to serious personality and anxiety issues. We deal with it, we have always had to.
My comparison was between attendance at Tigers and another sport you find a joke.
The problem is that it is not a trade off between school and open air events, it's school or not. Or in the case of the situation my middle brother is in the process of managing, university or not - in the halls at the southern uni he works at, there is a 70% infection level and lockdown, and he goes in wearing a hazmat suit.
He knows the risks, and he finds it unbelievable that open air events - properly managed - aren't allowed.
Perhaps all of us at the frontline are deluded. Hey ho.
Finally - I had a lot of respect for your opinions but your final sentence says it all.

[tigerburnie]

Solutions on it's way.................................https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54498191

[BFG]

Kids getting some education (albeit underfunded) is extremely important.
A few folk being able to go orienteering is not, the risk of transmission is obviously less but other than someone tripping up on a twig whilst engrossed in a compass and then requiring the air ambulance to attend there isn't really any longer term risks in orienteering comparable to the potential long term damage of kids missing out on an education.
I don't believe orienteering is a priority right now, even though a few teachers might prefer some extra paid leave to take part.

OK you think working in an underfunded school with a whole year (9) and 11 teachers out, with support staff at risk as well is a joking matter? So underfunded we can't afford textbooks, decent computer and proper UPVC screening, let alone socially distance? Especially with some kids having parents who tell them COVID is a leftwing scam/paedophile plot etc, and refuse to wear masks etc, but we can't exclude them on those grounds? The only mental health problems are those generated at home or by the test-test-test system, to go with the normal 10% of kids with moderate to serious personality and anxiety issues. We deal with it, we have always had to.
My comparison was between attendance at Tigers and another sport you find a joke.
The problem is that it is not a trade off between school and open air events, it's school or not. Or in the case of the situation my middle brother is in the process of managing, university or not - in the halls at the southern uni he works at, there is a 70% infection level and lockdown, and he goes in wearing a hazmat suit.
He knows the risks, and he finds it unbelievable that open air events - properly managed - aren't allowed.
Perhaps all of us at the frontline are deluded. Hey ho.
Finally - I had a lot of respect for your opinions but your final sentence says it all.

They quite possibly are deluded, being on full pay!