SixNineOne wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 8:06 pm
Given there are probably a whole load more abandoned fixtures in the pipeline over the next couple of months, I think only die hard supporters of relegation would deny the logic of ringfencing being applied this year, albeit with Saracens coming up. I’ve heard it said that the price of entry into the Premiership should be about £20m, so there’s a case for inviting Ealing to buy an entry ticket and make up the numbers to 14. Even after CVC’s share that would leave a fair chunk of change to be shared between the 13 shareholder clubs. The sad thing is that PRL will no doubt avoid taking a decision on ringfencing until the last moment, leaving several clubs’ management, backers and supporters fretting about the possibilities of relegation and messing up their recruitment and growth plans for next season.
I am strongly in favour of ring fencing, the gap between the best of the championship and the worst of the premiership is currently too wide (both financially and in rugby playing terms) for the premiership to be viable for championship clubs and vice versa.
My favoured approach would be to ring fence for a period of no more than 5 years. That would be around £15m the RFU would save in parachute payments that could be invested into the Championship itself or the Championship clubs. During the ring fenced period the salary cap should be dramatically reduced and rewards for academy players increased, I would like to see squads like ours and Sales (plus others) become a thing of the past. BT have already shown that its possible to show every premiership game and the RFU need to look to do that for the Championship, be it on a red button service or online streaming. I would suggest during the ring fenced period Championship clubs should be paired with a Premiership club and have access to their academy. This is obviously a benefit for the Premiership clubs, but I also think it would help increase Championship viewing figures. I know I'd turn on one of the games to see some of our kids getting a run out, I'd probably even pop over to Esher to watch London Scottish if we'd been paired with them. I'd also suggest the paired club had access to see how the academy is run, which would no doubt help should they be looking to create their own.
In summary -
Ring fence for 3 - 5 years
Parachute payment of £9 - £15m invested into Championship
Reduce Premiership salary cap
Increase reward for academy players
Televise the damn Championship matches
Give Championship clubs access to Premiership academy players / coaches