- Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:28 am
#24064
On top of Simon Orange from Sale speaking a few days ago about “unconfirmed proposals “ regarding ring fencing and COVID cancellation points allocation, we now have the following from gloucestershirelive.co.uk. :-
“ The Gallagher Premiership is set to be ring fenced this season, according to the latest reports, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which has seen most games played to empty stadiums and fixtures cancelled.
The issue of ring fencing the league has been an ongoing discussion for years, the major pro being the stability of clubs knowing they have a place in the league can help them financially plan further ahead and attract bigger sponsors; the negative being more potential dead rubber fixtures and fears of heavily rotated, non-competitive sides being fielded more often like in the Pro14.
However the Covid pandemic has thrown the already money strapped professional game into a financial crisis.
Since the first lock down in March, 2020, the Cherry and Whites have lost more than £7m despite everyone in the organisation taking a 25 percent pay cut, which all but the lowest earners at the club are still on, a number of high key players and coaches departing and redundancies being made in the back office. The club has also taken out a bank loan, received a government support package made up of loans, and shareholders have put in more money.
Speaking at the club’s fans forum last month, CEO Lance Bradley said: “We are okay but we are not out of the woods.
“We are going to be paying back these loans for years to come.”
It looks to me as though PRL are managing strategic leaks to get us all expecting that which has already been agreed, but not announced.