BB Breaking - Announcements

[Neils]

Birmingham would be good - we had a couple from Wolverhampton near us and they had local friends two rows down. Same old question though who the hell would have us.

[ardenwasp]

Birmingham is very football focussed in my experience (except Solihull). Not sure there is much of a Rugby audience there that isn't already invested in Moseley, and any Silhillians I know who were interested in the Premiership went to the CBS.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Ground share with Racing club Warwick would be ideal.

Sadly the road infrastructure and lack of space for parking is an issue. Don't the Old Warwickians play here as well?

The local club that has a ground in a slightly better location is Central Ajax Football Club Warwick (on the same road as Racing Club Warwick, but the other side of the bypass).

I agree the CBS Arena for the short term, using one stand, but my guess is that it would be expensive to rent, and may end up repurposed to something other than an outdoor team sport venue.

The only assets Wasps currently still have available to them is the EPIC site in Henley, so that is where you start from. But, you have to consider you have a lot of fans in the South East, but no possibility of playing anywhere near them, and a lot of fans in South Warwickshire (and some in Coventry). IF Wasps is to survive and move forwards, those elements have to be at the heart of any solution. And I don't see any alternatives, and what I suggested is highly unlikely to happen without (a lot of) money and time.

[Sliminator]

If it's a temporary ground share, surely the ideal place to start is the BPA sharing with Coventry RFC? walking distance from a main line train station, parking isn't great of course.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

If it's a temporary ground share, surely the ideal place to start is the BPA sharing with Coventry RFC? walking distance from a main line train station, parking isn't great of course.

With both clubs in the Championship? I can't see that as a starter. I was really uncomfortable being in Coventry at the Arena with Cov RFC so close, but at least we were in different leagues ...

[DGP Wasp]

If it's a temporary ground share, surely the ideal place to start is the BPA sharing with Coventry RFC? walking distance from a main line train station, parking isn't great of course.

With both clubs in the Championship? I can't see that as a starter. I was really uncomfortable being in Coventry at the Arena with Cov RFC so close, but at least we were in different leagues ...

Agreed.  Not only would it be even more uncomfortable as you describe, but the point of difference from a local interest point of view was Premiership compared to Championship.  If both are in the Championship then I think CRFC have already captured what local interest there is in Championship rugby.

[InBetweenWasp]

Birmingham is very football focussed in my experience (except Solihull). Not sure there is much of a Rugby audience there that isn't already invested in Moseley, and any Silhillians I know who were interested in the Premiership went to the CBS.

Big cities seem to struggle for a rugby audience, especially as a % - Look at London, Manchester and Newcastle.  The prime rugby towns/cities are all sub-500k population and actually, going further probably sub-350k (only Bristol at just under 500k and Leicester at 360k population are north of 350k population).

[DGP Wasp]

Birmingham is very football focussed in my experience (except Solihull). Not sure there is much of a Rugby audience there that isn't already invested in Moseley, and any Silhillians I know who were interested in the Premiership went to the CBS.

Big cities seem to struggle for a rugby audience, especially as a % - Look at London, Manchester and Newcastle.  The prime rugby towns/cities are all sub-500k population and actually, going further probably sub-350k (only Bristol at just under 500k and Leicester at 360k population are north of 350k population).

Bigger cities always have this issue with having to identify with a not always specific area within the larger urban sprawl, rather than a neatly defined town or city like Leicester, Northampton, Exeter, Bristol, Gloucester, Bath etc.

It's part of the problem Wasps had in London, and is still a problem for both Irish and Sarries.  Quins are fortunate to have a very affluent area of London to tap into, and with a plethora of established clubs in the area, Quins have been the only elite outfit for a long time and draw a lot of support from those clubs.  With all their success and big name internationals, Sarries still struggle to put bums on seats.  I think Wasps had more of a geographical identity at Wycombe, where the town had really come to identify with them, but a population of just 125k simply wasn't enough.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

If you’re looking for a temporary ground share and being in the same league is a problem, how about The Stoop?

ok, I’ll get my coat.

[westwaleswasp]

Sarries struggle to get bums on seats, but have never had a problem with arseholes in the boardroom.

For us I simply think there is a huge shortage of viable options. Groundshare is the most likely.

[Laterontoday]

NWW, I was thinking somewhere like Oxford could be a good location. Roughly 1 hour drive from Henley and Lemington Spa, 45 min train from Cov, 1 Hour trains from London, and ~1h30 drive from Surrey/Kent. Location ticks a lot of boxes.

Not suggesting it's even a possibility, but the Kassam Stadium where Oxford United play holds 12,300. Which feels about right for a rugby team...

And Oxford United want to build a new ground in Kidlington which might leave the kassam empty.  Land and stadium not owned by the footie club though and is getting quite run down.  Not sure if it's planned for demolition and more housing.

[JF]

The problem in London was the lack of marketing.

I remember one game at home to Quins where there must have been 15,000 attending on the back of some actual marketing.

[Shugs]

Can’t help but think we’re getting ahead of ourselves. First base is finding someone with cash to burn for a period of time to keep us going at any level. If that doesn’t happen by Thursday trying to find a place to play will be the least of our worries.

[Neils]

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-administrator-gives-confident-update-25291946

[wasps]

Thje one place that has never been touched by First Class Rugby is East Anglia which has a vast number of existing clubs and one or two larger stadia. However unless we get a very very rich backer it is all pie in the sky stuff. We are a toxic brand.

Given that I live in Norwich these days, I'd take that as an idea