Wasps in the mire - now in administration

[mol2]

Agree entirely

What is different about "New Wasps" that means they can enter a team at championship level?
Sides have to work their way up on merit or we could have any rich bloke buying/renting a stadium and entering the Championship with no track record to justify their place.

Wasps are gone. Yes the name exists but not the team as we knew it.

Do we want competition or a franchise?

[jgriffin]

Agree entirely

What is different about "New Wasps" that means they can enter a team at championship level?
Sides have to work their way up on merit or we could have any rich bloke buying/renting a stadium and entering the Championship with no track record to justify their place.

Wasps are gone. Yes the name exists but not the team as we knew it.

Do we want competition or a franchise?

I should think a club like Richmond would have something to say about it.

[mol2]

Regrettable as it is for the sides that go bust especially those that work for them and the debtors it would be wrong for the Inland Revenue or receivers to favour a sports side over any other sort of business.

Likewise the relevant leagues rules have to reflect this too for the sake of the consequences on other teams, those that go into administration have to suffer league sanctions and those that go bankrupt must automatically be relegated and if unable to come out of receivership immediately in time for the new season drop to the lowest national league level should they return in the future.

Any special share or entitlement to league or TV revenues must also be dependent on fulfilling their Premiership commitments.
So Wasps, Worcester and Irish's share would revert to the Premiership as a whole and passed to promoted sides.
This would protect the income of the sides who are actually continuing to play games and not be seen as an asset the receiver could sell along with the club name to a phoenix company.

There may be legal reasons why this can't happen but we can't have the situation where the remains of a company can be sold and get preferential treatment nor should shares be retained by dead sides.

[mightymouse]

I agree, I can’t see anyone could see an asset being a future payment for services unfulfilled.
If that was the case you could order money off customers from every bankrupt company based on an order book irrespective whether they had supplied the order or not.

[Scott1]

"Free Pass" Wasps

[GB72]

It has been like this all the way through. Seems like no hurdle is too high when it comes to keeping Wasps in the league whereas Worcester was sold down the river to cowboys and, potentially, to a scheme that gives Wasps a new ground and nobody has even discussed saving London Irish.

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Unfortunately the way the sport is at present, who ever runs the game needs to build a platform that is sustainable* and that means getting teams in stadiums that have a decent capacity and getting people in to watch thsoe games to make it a decent experience at the game and on TV.
Unfortunately again, that means that if Wasps can get a team into Worcesters ground they'll be granted access into the Championship in the hope that the locals will turn up to watch rugby. Its a nice stadium so will look good on TV regardless of what the branding is around tha ground. Also lots of smaller clubs might not actually want to make the step up as they just can't afford it in the long run. I remember Donny not wanting to get promoted to the premeirship as they couldn't sustain it at that point.
We need leagues that interest people and, unfortunately again....Wasps fit that mould. I don't think it's right, but I think it's the way it kind of needs to go in order to get a decent 2 tier league structure.
Wasps will effectivley be the lucky one out of the 3, just because they have the bigger brand. Which is rubbish!

*I know.....

[GB72]

Unfortunately the way the sport is at present, who ever runs the game needs to build a platform that is sustainable* and that means getting teams in stadiums that have a decent capacity and getting people in to watch thsoe games to make it a decent experience at the game and on TV.
Unfortunately again, that means that if Wasps can get a team into Worcesters ground they'll be granted access into the Championship in the hope that the locals will turn up to watch rugby. Its a nice stadium so will look good on TV regardless of what the branding is around tha ground. Also lots of smaller clubs might not actually want to make the step up as they just can't afford it in the long run. I remember Donny not wanting to get promoted to the premeirship as they couldn't sustain it at that point.
We need leagues that interest people and, unfortunately again....Wasps fit that mould. I don't think it's right, but I think it's the way it kind of needs to go in order to get a decent 2 tier league structure.
Wasps will effectivley be the lucky one out of the 3, just because they have the bigger brand. Which is rubbish!

*I know.....

Sadly I agree. There is valid talk about a strong championship but that will never be realistic with one man and his dog watching and with teams that have so little wider interest that you cannot give the TV rights away. Wasps are at least a known brand and will attract people which is more than can be said, unfortunately, for most of the championship sides.

[Rugbygramps]

Unfortunately the way the sport is at present, who ever runs the game needs to build a platform that is sustainable* and that means getting teams in stadiums that have a decent capacity and getting people in to watch thsoe games to make it a decent experience at the game and on TV.
Unfortunately again, that means that if Wasps can get a team into Worcesters ground they'll be granted access into the Championship in the hope that the locals will turn up to watch rugby. Its a nice stadium so will look good on TV regardless of what the branding is around tha ground. Also lots of smaller clubs might not actually want to make the step up as they just can't afford it in the long run. I remember Donny not wanting to get promoted to the premeirship as they couldn't sustain it at that point.
We need leagues that interest people and, unfortunately again....Wasps fit that mould. I don't think it's right, but I think it's the way it kind of needs to go in order to get a decent 2 tier league structure.
Wasps will effectivley be the lucky one out of the 3, just because they have the bigger brand. Which is rubbish!

*I know.....

Sadly I agree. There is valid talk about a strong championship but that will never be realistic with one man and his dog watching and with teams that have so little wider interest that you cannot give the TV rights away. Wasps are at least a known brand and will attract people which is more than can be said, unfortunately, for most of the championship sides.

I do agree and the demise of Jersey, who from the outside would appear to have been one of the stronger clubs in the championship, highlights this further.
Clubs like Caldy and Ampthill have done fantastically well on the field to compete but they are a million miles away from being teams that help grow the game, but their playing ambitions shouldn’t be penalised.
Same could possibly be said for Leicester Lions. I’m full of admiration for what they have achieved in reaching and competing in the 3rd tier of English rugby, and they could achieve what Caldy and Ampthill have, but that’s it without an input of millions they will never grow past that, and outside of south Leicestershire I doubt there are many interested in watching them

[LE18]

Unfortunately the way the sport is at present, who ever runs the game needs to build a platform that is sustainable* and that means getting teams in stadiums that have a decent capacity and getting people in to watch thsoe games to make it a decent experience at the game and on TV.
Unfortunately again, that means that if Wasps can get a team into Worcesters ground they'll be granted access into the Championship in the hope that the locals will turn up to watch rugby. Its a nice stadium so will look good on TV regardless of what the branding is around tha ground. Also lots of smaller clubs might not actually want to make the step up as they just can't afford it in the long run. I remember Donny not wanting to get promoted to the premeirship as they couldn't sustain it at that point.
We need leagues that interest people and, unfortunately again....Wasps fit that mould. I don't think it's right, but I think it's the way it kind of needs to go in order to get a decent 2 tier league structure.
Wasps will effectivley be the lucky one out of the 3, just because they have the bigger brand. Which is rubbish!

*I know.....

Sadly I agree. There is valid talk about a strong championship but that will never be realistic with one man and his dog watching and with teams that have so little wider interest that you cannot give the TV rights away. Wasps are at least a known brand and will attract people which is more than can be said, unfortunately, for most of the championship sides.

I would have been far happier if Irish had taken over at Worcs, they have a history too as being a migrant club, I think their failure was far more legal than Wasp's failure. I would support them anyday, but not Wasps. What is happenig at Irish, anyone know?

[Rugbygramps]

Unfortunately the way the sport is at present, who ever runs the game needs to build a platform that is sustainable* and that means getting teams in stadiums that have a decent capacity and getting people in to watch thsoe games to make it a decent experience at the game and on TV.
Unfortunately again, that means that if Wasps can get a team into Worcesters ground they'll be granted access into the Championship in the hope that the locals will turn up to watch rugby. Its a nice stadium so will look good on TV regardless of what the branding is around tha ground. Also lots of smaller clubs might not actually want to make the step up as they just can't afford it in the long run. I remember Donny not wanting to get promoted to the premeirship as they couldn't sustain it at that point.
We need leagues that interest people and, unfortunately again....Wasps fit that mould. I don't think it's right, but I think it's the way it kind of needs to go in order to get a decent 2 tier league structure.
Wasps will effectivley be the lucky one out of the 3, just because they have the bigger brand. Which is rubbish!

*I know.....

Sadly I agree. There is valid talk about a strong championship but that will never be realistic with one man and his dog watching and with teams that have so little wider interest that you cannot give the TV rights away. Wasps are at least a known brand and will attract people which is more than can be said, unfortunately, for most of the championship sides.

I would have been far happier if Irish had taken over at Worcs, they have a history too as being a migrant club, I think their failure was far more legal than Wasp's failure. I would support them anyday, but not Wasps. What is happenig at Irish, anyone know?

As far as I know the London Irish name continues as an amateur side, the professional club has ceased to exist

[LE18]

Sadly I agree. There is valid talk about a strong championship but that will never be realistic with one man and his dog watching and with teams that have so little wider interest that you cannot give the TV rights away. Wasps are at least a known brand and will attract people which is more than can be said, unfortunately, for most of the championship sides.

I would have been far happier if Irish had taken over at Worcs, they have a history too as being a migrant club, I think their failure was far more legal than Wasp's failure. I would support them anyday, but not Wasps. What is happenig at Irish, anyone know?

As far as I know the London Irish name continues as an amateur side, the professional club has ceased to exist

I believe they have always had an Amateur team with that name, did any of the professional players join as amateurs.? Is there any known move to restore the professional club?

[Rugbygramps]

I would have been far happier if Irish had taken over at Worcs, they have a history too as being a migrant club, I think their failure was far more legal than Wasp's failure. I would support them anyday, but not Wasps. What is happenig at Irish, anyone know?

As far as I know the London Irish name continues as an amateur side, the professional club has ceased to exist

I believe they have always had an Amateur team with that name, did any of the professional players join as amateurs.? Is there any known move to restore the professional club?

Much like the other 2 defunct clubs their players have Ben scattered to the 4 corners, Tigers have picked up a couple plus OHC who was already coming.
As I’m sure you’re aware the owner wanted to sell and the supposed owners from across the pond were not forthcoming with the money, hence them going out of business.
As they were tenants in Brentford think it’s very unlikely that they will rise again and may feel that the best way is to work their way up via the Amateur team which was also a feeder team.

Just purely supposition by me but I do wonder if hem loosing Guinness as their main sponsor due to the Paddy Jackson saga was the beginning of the end for them

[mol2]

Financially were a car crash in slow motion. The bond issue notionally paying high rates was ambitious seemingly assuming the purchasers would want paying back was flawed because they were supporters was flawed. What fans?

Wasps moving to a city that already had a historic, established rugby club (although not in the top tier) and right between 2 of England’s best supported Premiership teams, somehow expecting Tigers an Saints supporters to suddenly opt to watch Wasps was pretty dumb.

Then to cheese off the rest of the city by being seen to turf the footy side out of the Ricoh was a recipe for an empty ground.

Choosing to give tickets away rather than be seen to be outnumbered by Tigers’ fans. And apparently no tickets in spite of sections of the stands closed and you can see the demise inevitable.

Worcester and Irish were more of unfortunate in their financial demise. Would they still be here but for Covid?

[PJM]

I can’t see Wasps filling a stadium with paying fans, they couldn’t do it in Coventry so little chance in Worcester. How many of the original fans will travel from London, High Wycombe and Coventry to watch them.

How many travelling fans do Tigers have? Wasps fans would be travelling every week home or away and after being shafted by losing their bond money.

I know there will be some but will it be enough and will the RFU give them the go ahead. Some big bridges to be built there I think.