The Keith Wood podcast with Newstalk, State of the Union.
It’s funny that a lot of people now think the same. The expansion of the Celtic League was bottom feeding. Similar with Super Rugby.
The biggest issue for 15 years has been the French frankly. The English clubs aren’t great but also not the worst.
Only english club to turn a profit is Exeter. They would have more titles if saracens played by the rules. It’s a black hole for money. Not sure if french clubs turn a profit but it’s not unusual for clubs at bottom end of top 14 to be in financial trouble half way through season and pro d2 clubs declaring bankruptcy. It hasn’t been a sustainable model for 10 years now
No sport is in particular good shape over this.
I’ve seen some of the Celtic fans in here laughing at rugby but they will be in the exact same situation. Ticket income is the primary source of income for the majority of pro sports.
Broadcast income is only great at the top. And if anything, having empty stadiums in the medium term will damage the product immensely. The EPL are likely to have to take a cut on international broadcasting for example- people find the atmosphere and pageantry of most live sport the most interesting part.
There could be a scope for the pro sports to go for a short term enhanced membership programme I think. A couple of hundred euro and give them some merchandise and priority access when we can go again to game. There’s gonna to have to be greater sacrifices though from the players, you can’t be paying lads half a million and people to be just subsidising it without getting the normal utility back out of it.
That’s true on the English clubs but the sugar daddies are still not as big an issue. The French have 14 clubs plus the ProD2. It’s a different gravy.
How are Welsh clubs 5 years ahead of Irish?
With CVC involved now it seems the solution will be to flog the players more. I’d say the IRFU are regretting folding on their decision to cut Connacht, they are a continued drain on finances and providing next to nothing in terms of the national team. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that decision revisited in the coming years.
Clubs not provincial/regional teams interms of decline. Welsh clubs ae falling apart due to lack of resources and help from the pro game and WRFU
Bit harsh on connacht, expecting players to play more in the league is fair enough rather than bubble wrapping them for international and European cup games. This deal is only allowing IRFU to hold onto players rather them following money in England and France
I was very hopeful that CVC would mean a pure Celtic League or U.K. & I one but that seems unlikely now with the Italians getting a cut.
Seems to be the worst of all worlds.
I’d be fairly certain the Italians can be bought and sold with equal ease. I’d love to see a return to the amateur days when the game was about fun, friendship and loyalty but appreciate it remains a forlorn hope. I believe Munster are now a replacement hooker away from being able to field a starting XV and full subs bench of players not from Munster, I can’t understand what the attraction is in supporting that. I think we are also near the stage of all cushy coaching and admin jobs being filled by retired pro players, I wonder where the lads retiring in the next 10 years move to?
I see that the Welsh clubs are at present scheduled to get three million between them from the WRFU, down from 28 million last year.
Armageddon
Is this the clubs or the district teams ?
The professional teams.
The fake tan and tattoo industries will be decimated
Ok : that is some hit . The districts / professional teams
with the notable exception of Llanelli never really took off with getting big fan bases .
They survived the retirement of Henson.
It’s game over if it’s true.
They are fcuked utterly.
I would think you will see the better welsh players in England
Clubs are clubs regions are pro teams in Wales. Real rugby folk over would lynch you for that. Same vocabulary is creeping in here with the pro teams.
What ?