We Need To Talk About Wasps

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Someone is gonna nab Koch at a very good discount

 

[Saintjay]

Wasps now officially suspended from the Prem according to Sky.

 

[Jimbo]

Very, very gutted, feel a little bad I haven't attended a match for some time but that's mostly due to the relocation to Cov which is a fair trek and not a particularly nice place in my opinion, feels like the move there was doomed to fail due to the lack of support locally and Covid was the final nail in the coffin, I wouldn't be surprised if other clubs struggle going forwards but most don't have the local fan base issues we had.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Wasps fans.....it may get worse but it will almost certainly get better, stay strong

Otago my home rugby team went into administration back in 2010, eventually its debts were bought out and completely restructured

I am a life long wimbledon fan, we had our club sold....ground sold....relegated...administration...and then the bones of the club finally stripped and moved 70 miles away from the majority of the fan base.....and we're now arguably in a better place, having reformed with only the basics and rebuilt by people that actually care about the club, than at any time since our FA cup win, club is majority owned by us fans, we own a 9k seat stadium in central london

the lesson is find some mates, watch some games, do whatever you can to keep things alive and it will be, good luck

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Reading that the other clubs are looking to buy the P share for close to £10m.

Pests have issued a joint statement with Worcs….

"Worcester and Wasps are at the heart of our communities and deserve a future. We are at the mercy of the clubs and Premiership Rugby. Don't take our P share".

Sounds like the other clubs are taking a fairly hard line, which wouldn't be too surprising in the current climate.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Wasps isn't hence why they are in this mess

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I really hope they don't. It will 100% hurt them in the long run. Less premiership games equals less money directly in the clubs coffers.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Wasps isn't hence why they are in this mess

It is, they do loads around the area. They've spent 8 years investing in their local community work.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

And yet they get **** all in paying supporters

 

[Which Tyler]

I really hope they don't. It will 100% hurt them in the long run. Less premiership games equals less money directly in the clubs coffers.

Way less than 100%, given that several people disagree, and value quality over quantity - it just needs to be thought through with a properly planned restructuring, not an enforced reflex to disaster.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

And yet they get **** all in paying supporters

Yeah the amount of freebies they give/gave out was mental - when I worked in Coventry we had a number of clients who had worked with wasps/with their sponsors and they got a sackful every week, we were inundated with people trying to offload them
Wouldn't be surprised if every game had more people there for free than paying - and that includes hospitality/boxes
Pint and a pie at halftime only goes so far

 

[BillyMarlene]

They did a good job supporting diversity and stopping cultural appropriation with their campaign against Exeter last year.

That only cost Exeter £1m in re-branding.

Karma? Or whatever the Navajo word is.

 

[Which Tyler]

I don't think that's how karma works...

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

However hard Wasps have worked, they're still newcomers to Coventry and a zillion miles from being embedded in their community as traditional rugby towns like Leicester, Gloucester or Northampton. That takes a lot of time and in any event while a Prem game is a nice day out and a higher standard I suspect that many of the local real rugby people are far more emotionally vested in Coventry as 'their' team.

The Wasps story has been a long tale of woe. It's sad that it's come to this, but not a shock.

 

[duncanb]

Lot of very good players could be on the market ,little cap room or cash available however.
Things are looking sadly very dark at present for English domestic rugby.

 

[Reiser99]

I think one of the worst outcomes will be losing good players who due to circumstances can't find a club and have to take time away from the game that becomes permanent.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lot of very good players could be on the market ,little cap room or cash available however.

What does this mean for England, as well - are the players not eligible now, because they're not registered to a top flight club?

 

[Which Tyler]

I think one of the worst outcomes will be losing good players who due to circumstances can't find a club and have to take time away from the game that becomes permanent.

Which is an echo of (part of) this crisis in the first place.
Covid took fans out of stadiums, and broke their habit of buying tickets, and reserving Saturdays for rugby. Fans who, due to circumstances, haven't been to a club, and have to take time away from the game that becomes permanent.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

What does this mean for England, as well - are the players not eligible now, because they're not registered to a top flight club?

That's a fine print job but I'm assuming they would still be eligible although who'd pick them if they weren't playing at all? Precedent for Championship with Sarries.

If any went abroad isn't there an exceptional circumstances carve out that could be invoked?

 

[MarkyH]

Yeah the amount of freebies they give/gave out was mental - when I worked in Coventry we had a number of clients who had worked with wasps/with their sponsors and they got a sackful every week, we were inundated with people trying to offload them
Wouldn't be surprised if every game had more people there for free than paying - and that includes hospitality/boxes
Pint and a pie at halftime only goes so far

I went to see Wasps probably around 10 times in Cov, didn't pay for a ticket once and don't know anyone who did pay.

In that time I've been to watch Coventry Rugby at least 20 and paid every single time, it wouldn't suprise me if Cov Rugby had more people paying to watch, and also have a thriving post match bar scene. They also share their ground with Cov United teams, and hire it out in the community and do plenty of reach out work.

Wasps initially were everywhere in the community, but I've hardly noticed since the initial year.

I'm not surprised Wasps are in admin, its a shame as I'm never going to wish a sports team go out of business. I'm wondering if Coventry Rugby can afford some assets (fringe players, training facilities etc) and build a bigger team again in this city. Leave the CBS to City.