Hope?

[Shugs]

Massive tangent, but with Wasps legends taking over do we think we'll see a return to the old badge, as in the legends badge?

Absolutely love your optimism! It’s probably problem 274 just before will you still be able to get a pie but just after who the mascot will be………………………actually scratch that, it will be after the pie confirmation. 

[MarleyWasp]

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/12742164/phil-vickery-london-return-for-former-club-wasps-would-be-awesome

Phil Vickery is one of the players involved and wants us to return to London.

[Neils]

Nice but faint hope! The RFU will decide where we play if at all.

[Heathen]

Interesting to see that Phil is involved in the proposal.

As you say, Neils, the RFU will decide our fate. Gutfeel says that is an opportunity for them to take more control over professional rugby at the highest level. I am not counting chickens. I just wish that they would get their fingers and make the call.

[DGP Wasp]

Nice but faint hope! The RFU will decide where we play if at all.

Why will the RFU decide?  They didn't decide to move us to Coventry 8 years ago, that was Wasps' decision, backed up by promises of financial viability and a sustainable future and sanctioned by the RFU on that basis.  Now that the experiment has failed so spectacularly, then a reversal of that move makes sense.  How and exactly where, and how the EPIC might feature in that  is something we can only guess at.  I know the RFU are not known for their sound decision making, but I'm not sure what they'd stand to gain by blocking a return to the London area if a solution could be found.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

There as something mentioned n an earlier thread that teams coming out of administration have to play at the ground they were at and show where they are playing for a couple of seasons. 

[baldpaul101]

There as something mentioned n an earlier thread that teams coming out of administration have to play at the ground they were at and show where they are playing for a couple of seasons.

While that is indeed part of the "Sporting succession" criteria, apparently. I think that is meant to be a way of confirming that a club has somewhere to play & that its not a move to a controversial location. I would expect if a club wanted to downsize their stadium to somewhere else in the local area, it would be acceptable, but as this has never happens quite like this before, who knows

[Neils]

There as something mentioned n an earlier thread that teams coming out of administration have to play at the ground they were at and show where they are playing for a couple of seasons.

Correct depending on who you believe it is your first season plus the next or the next two. Do this and you retain your position in the Championship. Opt for a playing ground move and you do like London Welsh and revert back to the bottom of the leagues. RFU would need to waive this to meet Phil's desire.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Yes. The issues around relocating, and would have resulted in much horse trading when Wasps moved to Coventry, is that your new location must not negatively impact on the geography of potential fans visiting nearby clubs. In the case of the move to Coventry, Wasps had to argue that it would not impact on Leicester, Northampton or Worcester. Mainly, this is about non-aligned rugby fans who do, we all know, turn up at games simply to see a game that is on.

The other issue is of academy recruitment and other promotional activity. For example, Wasps agreed that South Warwickshire would remain the recruiting of Worcester, and so on. That is why Wasps retained recruiting links in Oxford.

London is already heavily carved up in both regards, and I cannot see any of the 3 clubs already in place ceding much, and history be damned.

The next issue is the requirement for policing and medical cover. Wherever you set up home, you effectively need the permission of these forces to provide manpower for your games. It wasn't too much of an issue in Coventry. But, when Wasps cast around when looking to move away from High Wycombe, the Met gave a loud and emphatic 'No' to a move back in to London. I cannot think their manning levels have improved, and calls on the force for other weekend activities in the capital have no doubt increased.

I know the Wasps move to Coventry was incredibly rushed, but it was nonetheless complex. It is the reason for the continuity clause in the 'sporting succession' process.

[Shugs]

In all honesty I see us finding our feet in Coventry for 2-3 years (which satisfies the RFU criteria) and then moving on. That allows time and room for a move to be properly scoped out and planned and hopefully will be for a prem side. I think we need to walk before we run.

[Heathen]

In all honesty I see us finding our feet in Coventry for 2-3 years (which satisfies the RFU criteria) and then moving on. That allows time and room for a move to be properly scoped out and planned and hopefully will be for a prem side. I think we need to walk before we run.

That's if we get out of the starting gate!!!

[Rossm]

Wasps' London return backed by former England prop Phil Vickery

From Bobby Bridge.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-london-return-backed-former-25475079

[MarleyWasp]

Whilst I remain to be convinced that the RFU want us to survive, the reality is, if they turn down prospective buyers without an adequate reason (and consider they approved the two conmen who bought Worcester), then it will end up in Court and quite possibly deemed to be unlawful.

[DGP Wasp]

Whilst I remain to be convinced that the RFU want us to survive, the reality is, if they turn down prospective buyers without an adequate reason (and consider they approved the two conmen who bought Worcester), then it will end up in Court and quite possibly deemed to be unlawful.

Unfortunately it's the very fact that they did approve the Worcester cowboys that will lead them to be extra vigilant going forward.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

MarleyWasp,

The problem is finding someone prepared to take the financial risk of going to court.