Fencing the ZP, No Way Wray, No Way!!!

No to ringfencing!!!
By St Andrew & 'Shaddo'
May 8 2002

In the interests of protecting the professional game of rugby, it seems that the Wrays, Andrews and Wheelers of this world have it the wrong way around. In pure marketing terms, the Zurich Premiership is a product.

Clubs, should they wish to have a viable business, need to make their product attractive, in order that punters come through the gates, spending money on tickets, burgers, beers, merchandise and such, give the business something called cashflow, and allow it to invest to improve. This is what has been done at clubs such as Saints, the Unspoken Ones and even London Irish.

For clubs such as Sarries, Wasps and Newcastle, the significant and strong bedrock of fans is simply not large enough to achieve this cashflow, and therefore in pure business terms they are doomed to failure. Using these three clubs as examples shows us proud and successful amateur club which have failed to make the transition over.

Yet waiting in the wings, we have three clubs in Rotherham, Worcester and Orrell (four if you include Exeter) who have larger gates in the first divison than some of these three clubs in the Premiership. It would seem therefore that the bedrock is larger, and therefore the business is more likely to succeed.

If ringfencing does occur, the ZP is forced into carrying these "weaker" teams, while having "stronger" ones sitting on the outside.

The players, in this professional era, will play for whoever pays them so there is no problem there. If promotion and relegation is allowed, weaker teams will fall and stronger ones will rise. This can only be good for the game. New fan bases will be established in Rotherham, Worcester and Wigan, encouraging the young to come and watch a game of rugby. Interested and committed parents take their kids etc. This is what happens at Northampton, Pooh Corner and Gloucester and ensures consistent support, no matter what the fortunes of the team are.

To conclude this rather lengthy piece of ranting, I believe that promotion and relegation are the lifeblood of sport in general, and that in the particular case of the ZP, are essential to its development and survival.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger and all that....

Saint Andrew

I agree entirely - relegation/promotion can only be a good thing. Surely what the RFU/EFDR need to do is to set the rules regarding standard of grounds, financial viability, primacy of tenure and a deadline for those rules to be met - say 1 June 2004.

Then it is simple, if you want to play in the Zippee, or whatever it will be called by then, then you must meet those standards, whether its Orrell, Unspoken Ones or even Saints. Then everyone knows where the goalposts are and there can be no complaints. But what are the chances of the blazers doing anything so straightforward?

As far as fan base is concerned, what are the Wasps chances a year hence? I can't see too many making the trek to Wycombe/Oxford, especially if they're not in the HC and get off to a bad start.

Building a local base is tough (to be fair, Sarries have had a decent crack at it, even if some of us traditionalist get a bit cross about music, radio controlled cars etc) and takes time - how long will Wasps stay at their new home before it's time to move yet again?

Shaddo