Jeff/RFU funding for home-owned grounds

First topic message reminder :

Let's face it - football stadia are inappropriate for rugby because of the fact that they can't be filled by rugby peeps. So I'm fully behind the Wasps and Sarries (soon to be materialised) in their aspirations to gain home ownership of their venues.

In the Jeff we have Bath, Exeter, Harlequins, Gloucester, Leicester, Northampton, Saracens(soon) and Worcester have grounds for which they have primacy of tenure. That's eight sides out of the twelve.

In the Junior Jeffs there's Bedford, Cornwall Pirates (debatable with Truro aspirations), Doncaster, Leeds (with RL), Moseley(tiny), Newcastle, Rotherham (shared with cricket).

A competitive league structure relies on aspiration. A competitive professional league structure relies on aspiration and sustainability. That means long-term planning which won't degrade the top league.

My feelings are that the Jeff should be reduced to ten sides post-2015 RWC and that the RFU should pump in loads of dosh to develop their second tier.

The current Jeff football ground hosts should be given due notice: get in or get out.

justified sinner wrote:Portnoy, just so I understand. You promote an independent club rather than regional/provincial model with minimal interference from the governing body.

In order to see this model work you would like a large injection of capital from the governing body.

You're not a banker by any chance?

Well given how much the RFU leech from the top clubs in terms of player development, interest in the sport, revenue from the HC etc it doesnt seem unreasonable.

I'll think you'll find that's the other way round if you look at the payments from the RFU to the AP and Championship.

The RFU pay for additional time with the players, more control over the players and to encourage EQ players being picked. They don't give it for free.

Aren't the RFU supposed to be behind on their promised payments to the championship clubs?

justified sinner wrote:I'll think you'll find that's the other way round if you look at the payments from the RFU to the AP and Championship.

I said top clubs, and thats direct payments only youre looking at, the clubs contribute huge amounts indirectly. The EPS payments are a smoothing that costs the top clubs. The money the Premiership and national side generate also subsidises other levels.

That aside the point is should the RFU seek to encourage investment in areas that create long term viability and tangible assets (eg permanent owned stadiums) versus equally funding clubs who employ a bare minimum of EQ players and invest in short term squad members rather than long term growth. Of course the whole relegation issue doesnt exactly encourage positive investment either.


Certainly if the Jeff moved to franchise ring fencing then ownership of grounds should be one of the criteria for assessing the quality of applicants. If anything prior success on thpitch should be the least of concerns, its easy enough to buy a team and recruit players these days.