- Mon Jun 02, 2025 10:37 am
#73820
I learned a new word this morning: perorate. It means to speak at length. And there have been many words spoken about this topic with many pundits, professional and amateur, suggesting what the future will look like.
We, at Worcester, had enough bottom feeding in the Premiership even before Administration but without an owner willing and able to subsidise the rugby - and as it happens even to keep it going - there was no alternative.
Recently, at a supporters' meeting, WW's CEO was talking about the Premiership's owners realising that having 10 clubs in the league was not viable financially AND that, in his view, the gap between the bottom of the premiership and the top of what was the Championship was narrowing.
In other words he was perhaps suggesting the possible expansion of the Premiership to 12, maybe 14 clubs.
But on the other hand there is Champ Rugby - an unfortunate re-branding but we seem to be stuck with it! - where a serious attempt seems to be being made to strengthen the second tier with talk of television and promotion / relegation with the Premiership. The model being striven for seems to be the French Pro 2.
So, do we have two rival camps? A ringfenced league of a dozen or more clubs or a two tier, 10 clubs apiece, set up? The first championed by PRL, the second by the RFU?
Money. Yes, money is the missing factor here because to state the blindingly obvious professional rugby as a whole is not sustainable financially, far too dependent on the generosity of individuals.
But there does seem to be the glimmer of change - or at least personal generosity being replaced by corporate "investment" at Newcastle.
There is talk here of "getting back into the Premiership" on the back of expansion but it's something that I personally would not wish to see with matters as they are presently constituted. Nearly 4,000 season tickets have been sold for next season but excellent though that is in the circumstances it is no basis for financial survival in the top league.
A two league, Pro 1 and Pro 2 lookalike would be a different matter with the prospect of end of season excitement - but the money would have to be there. Where will it come from?
We, at Worcester, had enough bottom feeding in the Premiership even before Administration but without an owner willing and able to subsidise the rugby - and as it happens even to keep it going - there was no alternative.
Recently, at a supporters' meeting, WW's CEO was talking about the Premiership's owners realising that having 10 clubs in the league was not viable financially AND that, in his view, the gap between the bottom of the premiership and the top of what was the Championship was narrowing.
In other words he was perhaps suggesting the possible expansion of the Premiership to 12, maybe 14 clubs.
But on the other hand there is Champ Rugby - an unfortunate re-branding but we seem to be stuck with it! - where a serious attempt seems to be being made to strengthen the second tier with talk of television and promotion / relegation with the Premiership. The model being striven for seems to be the French Pro 2.
So, do we have two rival camps? A ringfenced league of a dozen or more clubs or a two tier, 10 clubs apiece, set up? The first championed by PRL, the second by the RFU?
Money. Yes, money is the missing factor here because to state the blindingly obvious professional rugby as a whole is not sustainable financially, far too dependent on the generosity of individuals.
But there does seem to be the glimmer of change - or at least personal generosity being replaced by corporate "investment" at Newcastle.
There is talk here of "getting back into the Premiership" on the back of expansion but it's something that I personally would not wish to see with matters as they are presently constituted. Nearly 4,000 season tickets have been sold for next season but excellent though that is in the circumstances it is no basis for financial survival in the top league.
A two league, Pro 1 and Pro 2 lookalike would be a different matter with the prospect of end of season excitement - but the money would have to be there. Where will it come from?
- By ledzepsfr