One of the richest clubs in Europe being the main one and 8 years later we seem to be one of the poorest.
How so? We have one of the biggest grounds, many non-rugby businesses, a stunning training centre. It's just we work within the salary cap, that doesn't mean the club isn't better off than others. I get that it's really disappointing to be in the position we are in, but are you suggesting that we should be doing a Sarries and buying some success by cheating?
At the meeting in Marlow we were told that this move made us the richest club in Europe with multiple income streams. We had a few years without Covid to blame and that starts to look like a statement that has not been backed up. We certainly signed some big names, gave away a load of free tickets, had JLR sponsorship and a nice fan village. That all started to go south rather quickly. We can’t afford to pay Pete and even the drummers have been canned (not a big loss)
I’m still not sure where the turnaround is going to come from. I don’t think a new Hilton hotel is our saviour. Would like to see how much that will contribute.
On the field it will be interesting to see what our squad is for next year. As it has been for the past few seasons it seems that outgoing quality may not be fully replaced. Let’s see on that front. I will keep the faith.
We really need to improve the match day experience to attract new fans. Even for us die hards we deserve better than we are being offered. I just hope it’s sorted ready for when I escape the USA back to Blighty.
I wasn’t at the Marlow meeting and no reason to disbelieve what you’re saying. I’m sure I recall press articles using the term richest; but in reality that was never going to be the case. Rich implies the most amount of cash to spend. The insinuation from the team at the first visit to The Ricoh before we played our first game was highest revenue. Which in theory, translated to being able to invest in the playing side.
In terms of the turnaround in finances a combination of Events and Conferences being held, income from two teams playing regularly at the Stadium, Commonwealth Games income and the Hotels being open again increasing footfall should help significantly as should the new hotel once opened.
We've both planned to and been forced to cut costs; again helping our precarious position and assuming we can re-finance the bond we should be on our way to a more stable future.
Time will tell whether posters who have claimed The Arena businesses to be basketcases (and for whom don't believe that the assets could be more heavily utilised and costs better management to increase revenues and decrease costs) are right, or whether Derek and his Team had the right idea all along.
It’s interesting to see that some of the biggest critiques of the matchday experience in recent times have been non-regulars both in terms of Fans who post on social media and some away fans.
Whilst I love the city and the surroundings of the ground, my experience of the Rec was that getting to/from your seat was hard work, the queues for the bars were as slow as they can be at The CBS and the toilets were a message.
That could just be because I’m a visitor and unfamiliar with the quirks of the ground - At The CBS, for example, the queues in the bars behind the posts in the North stand are much quicker (a few mins generally before the game) than in the West stand which seems to have (what feels like) a never-ending queue to grab a pint.
I thoroughly enjoy the Away Day experience at The Stoop (less so the results at times) and we enjoyed our visit to Brentford for the Irish game last season - But that was a capped crowd and so the experience was probably far better than usual.
What's most telling (for me at least) is that for all of the noise on here, DWs and Twitter I just don't hear the same complaints from fellow fans in the Stands. It tells me it's not as bad as we perhaps think - There are definitely improvements to be made and from what Stephen Vaughan has said at the Training Centre night and in his recent E-Mail the Execs fully understand and appreciate what's being asked of them; when they're in a position to deliver I'm sure they will.
What helps with the experience more than anything is winning rugby.
Topic: Not all grim news - Stephen Jones in the Sunday Times (Read 3332 times)
Always a Wasp