Why the hell don't Wasps reveal what's going on?

Both the Wasps and the consortium made it clear that the new financing package would be explained by a month ago.

But the silence is deafening...

Contracts were exchanged and completion (perhaps optimistically) was expected mid July.
No announcements have been made since so no point speculating.

There's no contract until completion Trev. That's my point.

You'd have thought that some announcement would have been made by now.

It's only a week or two before the season starts. If Wasps don't complete the transfer of ownership what happens?

If Wasps don't start the season do Newcastle have to come up?
If they fail to end the season will accrued points etc. be eradicated from the record?

You know. The sort of stuff which generated the OW debate...

Yes I do get your point but there is no mileage in making interim announcements until the deal has been completed. I hope like all Wasps fans there are no hiccups.
Amongst many issues the RFU have to ratify the deal.

First game is 4 weeks yesterday so I am not quite 'squeaky bum' time yet!

Portnoy, if I didn't know better I'd suspect that Waspies were on a personal mission to annoy you!

Port - it is all a big conspirancy. Wasps will start next season, go into administration, and then even though Oxford Welsh finish bottom they will stay in the Prem on a technicallity.

Being serious it is probably better that they don't waste time making press confrences etc without any real news, and concentrate on getting the important details hammered out.

If Wasps don't start the season do Newcastle have to come up?

Nope please keep us out of this now. We have had enough disturbances...we are now planning nicely for the Championship assault, and rebuilding.

Anything out yet? Any ideas on time scales?

From the Express today -

WASPS coach Dai Young fears uncertainty over the club’s future could condemn them to another season of battling relegation.
Contracts were exchanged last month for former player Ken Moss’s purchase, but separating Wasps from Wycombe Wanderers FC and the issue of who pays which outstanding bills have dragged out the process.
Young said: “There are constraints on what we can do on the field because the question remains, who is going to pay the bill? There is a deal 80 per cent done, but not 100 per cent.
“From a rugby point of view I don’t think the day-to-day stuff really affects the players. But they want it to be settled. We have to keep our fingers crossed that it’s done sooner rather than later.”
Chairman Mark Rigby said after Wasps’ Premiership salvation three months ago, by one point from relegated Newcastle, that he thought the club’s sale would be complete by the end of May.
“He didn’t say which May,” said Young sardonically.
He didn’t say which May,
Dai Young
Wasps’ predicament had a dire effect on Young’s end-of-season recruitment, with a previous sale falling through and Wasps then threatened with administration.
He turned his attention to his native Wales and signed Lions fly-half Stephen Jones as well as his old Cardiff hooker Rhys Thomas and Ospreys apprentice prop Will Taylor.
Though Young has also repatriated England forwards James Haskell and Tom Palmer from overseas, the lack of domestic interest when Wasps were at their lowest was total.
“I don’t want to fill this place with a load of Welsh players, but we couldn’t get anybody to sign for us,” he said. “The first goal is always to go to English boys but nobody in England would look at us.

“Trying to coax players to sign when they are reading we could be going into administration is never easy, that’s for sure. I had sleepless nights because the guys we’ve signed were taking me at my word and I was taking the board at their word that things were being done.
“You can only go on what people tell you and they are confident it will be done.”

2 things struck me about this -

1) there are really no quotes from Dai justifying the opening couple of lines.

2) the Welsh signings sound almost like second options because no English payers wanted to come to Wasps. I'm sure Dai didn't want the Welsh lads to feel second best but unfortunately his openness & honesty have possibly made it that way.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:1) there are really no quotes from Dai justifying the opening couple of lines.

2) the Welsh signings sound almost like second options because no English payers wanted to come to Wasps. I'm sure Dai didn't want the Welsh lads to feel second best but unfortunately his openness & honesty have possibly made it that way.

1) Yeah there is nowhere he says it should make life awkward, he actually says it should not concern the players.

2) Dai is a pretty good at doing the yes man thing, English press "there are not that many people who are willing to sign for us, with how things area, so I have had to sign welsh players", welsh press "i want the best players and the welsh boys are the best players I can sign" (not acutal quotes, just examples of things he would say).

He sounds like a very honest open bloke to me rather than pandering to an audience or certain press people

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:He sounds like a very honest open bloke to me rather than pandering to an audience or certain press people

Give him time and you will see his a churchill pure and simple. That said he is a nice enough bloke, and I have nothing against him, but he does seem to say the right thing to the right people, whilst bending the truth never realy lying.

One of my favourite Churchill quotes,

"He has all the virtues I dislike and all the vices I admire"

BIgTrev - I meant the nodding dog, 'oh yes'.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:BIgTrev - I meant the nodding dog, 'oh yes'.

Haha oh yes - that's funny

From a more recent Q & A with Dai,

There’s lots of talk about the number of Welsh faces in the squad now – why so many?

I’ve said in the past that we want to be a Club who are first and foremost looking at bringing in English players and developing English players but the difficulty of trying to sign guys last year when the Club was in trouble on and off the pitch shouldn’t be underestimated. When we hit a brick wall with those players I turned to guys I knew and who trusted me and I’m very happy with the quality of those players.

DailyMail today reporting that the deal is done.

However, no official confirmation & no other corroboration at the moment.

Best of luck bringing a great side back from the brink.

The last side to do what Leinster have failed to do for the last two seasons and no French club has ever done. (ok Toulouse did it in 96 but that doesn't count)

What's that?

Winning the HC and League double

English Rugby was on a serious high then. Leicester did a double double. Then England won the Grand slam and World cup and beat NZ in NZ (with 13 players at one stage)

Then another double from Wasps.

I’ve said in the past that we want to be a Club who are first and foremost looking at bringing in English players and developing English players

Wade, Launchbury, Lindsay, Daly, etc i think they are developing English players

From espnscrum.com:

Wasps move to reassure fans about takeover

Wasps chairman Mark Rigby has moved to reassure supporters of the club that the takeover is still on track despite a delay in announcing the completion of Ken Moss' consortium's deal for the Aviva Premiership side.

Wasps boss Dai Young said last week that he was hopeful that the takeover would be completed in a " couple of days" but the club are yet to confirm that Moss' consortium has taken over from previous owner Steve Hayes. With the first game of the season on Saturday, Rigby has now issued a statement claiming that he is hopeful that the deal will be completed imminently.

"As we approach the first game of the season, it is an important time to assure all of our supporters and stakeholders of the on-going nature of the sale process behind the scenes," Rigby said. "As communicated in recent months, terms were agreed on the sale earlier this summer but it is fair to say that there have been some complex financial issues to resolve since that time which has prolonged the process much longer than anyone involved would have liked; but such is the nature of this transaction.

"I am pleased to say that we are nearing the end of the process now and we anticipate that we will complete imminently and a further statement will be issued at that time."

I still wonder whether the AP and Rabo will both end the season with a full complement of clubs.

LondonTiger wrote:I still wonder whether the AP and Rabo will both end the season with a full complement of clubs.

Which Rabo teams are in trouble?

LondonTiger wrote:I still wonder whether the AP and Rabo will both end the season with a full complement of clubs.

Indeed, LT - I wonder if the PRL/RFU considered not allowing Wasps to start the season with no arrangement in place?

mawhis wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:I still wonder whether the AP and Rabo will both end the season with a full complement of clubs.

Which Rabo teams are in trouble?

While Wasps and "London" Welsh are the most likely clubs to go into administration (seeing as LW did so 2 years ago and are really stretching themselves atm, while Wasps situaion is fluid) things are not all that rosy over the Severn Bridge. Dragons had to beg season ticket holders to renew to ensure they had the necessary cashflow to survive the summer, and there was an 2interesting" letter written by their MD to fans indication that there could be an issue by Christmas. Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets all have largish deficits. Scarlets have been bailed out by the WRU in the past, but along with Ospreys have made great steps forward on a sustainability front. Cardiff are probably OK, unless they are sued for breach of contract by owners of CCS.

Aironi only just survived to the end of last season - who is to say Zebre will not falter?

I have noticed that Wasps don't appear to be selling season tickets and their Platinum card system is being modified (perhaps?) in some way.
https://tickets.wasps.co.uk/Online/default.asp?brand=Wasps
http://www.wasps.co.uk/news/wasps33283.ink

All of which is a bit worrying - but whether or not that means had-to-mouth is uncertain.

Maybe an announcement about Adams Park is pending?

Curious.

Portnoy wrote:I have noticed that Wasps don't appear to be selling season tickets and their Platinum card system is being modified (perhaps?) in some way.
https://tickets.wasps.co.uk/Online/default.asp?brand=Wasps
http://www.wasps.co.uk/news/wasps33283.ink

All of which is a bit worrying - but whether or not that means had-to-mouth is uncertain.

Maybe an announcement about Adams Park is pending?

Curious.

The season ticket sales & Platinum card system seems to be all working ok?

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

Portnoy wrote:I have noticed that Wasps don't appear to be selling season tickets and their Platinum card system is being modified (perhaps?) in some way.
https://tickets.wasps.co.uk/Online/default.asp?brand=Wasps
http://www.wasps.co.uk/news/wasps33283.ink

All of which is a bit worrying - but whether or not that means had-to-mouth is uncertain.

Maybe an announcement about Adams Park is pending?

Curious.

The season ticket sales & Platinum card system seems to be all working ok?

Sorry if I spoke out of turn Trev. - I still can't find an online season ticket window on the Wasps site. I'm not up-to-speed on the Platinum Card thingy. The Double Devotion card is disappearing it seems.

you can buy season tickets just fine from the Wasps Website (well I got as far as checkout). Expensive for what you get, but certainly freely available.

from the link you provided Portnoy just click Memberships (top, Middle of screen, just below phone number)

OK - got it. They all them 'memberships'.

Meanwhile more parsnips remain un-buttered.
http://www.espnscrum.com/premiership-2012-13/rugby/story/169009.html

"As we approach the first game of the season, it is an important time to assure all of our supporters and stakeholders of the on-going nature of the sale process behind the scenes," Rigby said. "As communicated in recent months, terms were agreed on the sale earlier this summer but it is fair to say that there have been some complex financial issues to resolve since that time which has prolonged the process much longer than anyone involved would have liked; but such is the nature of this transaction.

"I am pleased to say that we are nearing the end of the process now and we anticipate that we will complete imminently and a further statement will be issued at that time."

Surely at this late stage, all this is bound to have a huge impact on ST sales?

Telegraph reporting the long awaited announcement that the takeover by he consortium is complete, will be today.

Just before the forst home game of the season!

From the Wasps website -


London Wasps finalise change of ownership

London Wasps today announced that the Club is in the hands of new owners following the culmination of a successful takeover process.


Having exchanged contracts recently, a consortium has now taken full ownership of the Club, having purchased the shares of previous owner Steve Hayes in a deal developed by advisors Baker Tilly.
Under the new ownership structure, the majority of office staff will be based at Twyford Avenue, the Club’s training ground, as a full separation from Wycombe Wanderers, which had also been owned by Hayes, has already taken place.
London Wasps will continue to play at Adams Park for the foreseeable future, with the new owners placing a long-term priority on developing a new Stadium for the Club.
A new board of directors at the Club will be appointed in due course with extensive experience in business and sport. Mark Rigby, a former Club captain, will continue his role as Chairman while a new CEO is in place with David Thorne* having recently taken on this role.
Ken Moss, the former Wasps player, has played an important role in the development of the consortium in recent months and his future role is currently being finalised.
London Wasps Chairman Mark Rigby said.
“We are delighted to confirm the completion of the sale process following the agreement of terms in recent months. It has undoubtedly been a lengthy process and there have been some complex financial issues involved, but we are pleased that the situation finally has been resolved.”
“The vision of everyone involved in the consortium who will take the Club forward, is to ensure that London Wasps becomes a sustainable business long-term. In the short term we have some major work to get the company back on a sound financial footing and our priority is to stabilise the business after a rocky and difficult 12 months for everyone involved.”
Rigby confirmed that in the coming months, the structure of the Club going forward would be fully outlined to all supporters and stakeholders.
“It is our hope to confirm our new board of directors plus additional staff resource as soon as possible. All stakeholders, including supporters, will be fully kept up to date with our progress and changes. We are also in the process of finalising a number of new sponsorship deals which, now we have confirmed ownership, will be progressed strongly.”
Rigby added his thanks to Steve Hayes.
“I would like to thank Steve for his financial support over the last few years which shouldn’t be underestimated. Under his ownership, the Club sought to be innovative off the pitch with the development of the St George’s Day brand and in taking the first English domestic competitive game overseas.”

the Pests

good news.

Good news, but Wasps still facing the same problems - stadium, playing squad, supporters...

Well at least Wasps have a definite way forward. It'll probably take a shed-load of dosh to turn the tanker round.

LI next to restructure?

Bathmad, I think the foundations for the playing squad are in place. That together with a new stadium would sort out the supporters. I know loads of Wasps fans who can't make games because they are busy and the Stadium is outside of London, taking advantage of Twickers like we do could help out there.

The problem with HQ is its size. It is OK for the odd, big game but they are unlikely to make money as there can't be much or more likely any money in them. Sarries are playing Tigers at Wembley tomorrow - same thing.

What Wasps need a place nearer London. What's Brentford like? Or a return to Loftus Rd (cap 18500)?

In May there were reports that the new consortium had identified a location near the M40 about 10 minutes away from AP nearer London.
Wasps would remain at AP for 2 years whilst developing the new 12,000 stadium.

The main thing is the new owners are in place & the supporters can be reassured of their clubs existence & look forward to better things in the future.

Hopefully starting with a win tomorrow.

Consortium news:

Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/sep/14/london-wasps-consortium

Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/9543113/London-Wasps-await-cash-injection-from-consortium-as-takeover-deal-finalised.html