Francis, Join the Real Rugby World!
Francis Baron, the RFU’s Chief Executive, insists Twickenham’s financial problems are being exaggerated by the fact that “people are sitting on their wallets at the moment” and he believes that the income downturn is “entirely recession based.”
Come off it Francis, join the real world! When will the RFU realise that the Credit Crunch for the game at Headquarters has been approaching for the past five years, and that it has been the very match pricing policy at International events which is now undermining resources at central level. When will they learn that the culture of accommodating the ‘sponsorship set’ from the City of London and elsewhere at the expense of the man or woman on the terraces is now at the heart of the problem?
With match tickets for England International games at Twickenham priced at over seventy or eighty pounds, is it any wonder that less support has been coming in recent years from those who have to travel considerable distances to reach London and are forced to pay more for travel costs? Is it any wonder that the average club supporter who once made his or her annual trip to Twickenham for a match now chooses to watch it at home or in their own club on TV? And especially when car parking around the famous stadium is priced as high as £30 plus! I ask you, £30 and more to park a car for two hours? At the moment within four miles of the stadium an international chain of hotels is advertising Bed and Breakfast accommodation at one of its biggest hotels for £25. And that includes free car parking!
Significantly, too, corporate hospitality surrounding the forthcoming Home Nations matches is reported to be 27% down from previous years. Is it any wonder when a package for lunch, match, tea, and a meeting with a couple of ex-internationals is priced in adverts in major newspapers at over £1000? Such a ridiculous fee has only been affordable by those who have fed fat on bonuses in the City, or have been enjoying a ”freebie” courtesy of a profligate company. At what price has hospitality been, or is available, for the general loyal club supporter who sweeps out the club changing rooms every Saturday morning and puts the flags around the pitch? None. So is it any wonder that such an elitist hospitality policy now alienates the very people who are the core support for the Union code nationwide?
On a more local note was it not understood that thanks to the farcical fixture scheduling, and the low number of clubs, twelve, contained in the lower leagues around the country many spectators have had no option but to “sit on their wallets? Raise money? How, when a club like Liverpool St.Helens had one home match scheduled between Saturday 29th November 2008 and Saturday 31st January 2009? - and that game was postponed because of frost!
When it comes to value for money, Francis, join the real world.
Ray French
Come off it Francis, join the real world! When will the RFU realise that the Credit Crunch for the game at Headquarters has been approaching for the past five years, and that it has been the very match pricing policy at International events which is now undermining resources at central level. When will they learn that the culture of accommodating the ‘sponsorship set’ from the City of London and elsewhere at the expense of the man or woman on the terraces is now at the heart of the problem?
With match tickets for England International games at Twickenham priced at over seventy or eighty pounds, is it any wonder that less support has been coming in recent years from those who have to travel considerable distances to reach London and are forced to pay more for travel costs? Is it any wonder that the average club supporter who once made his or her annual trip to Twickenham for a match now chooses to watch it at home or in their own club on TV? And especially when car parking around the famous stadium is priced as high as £30 plus! I ask you, £30 and more to park a car for two hours? At the moment within four miles of the stadium an international chain of hotels is advertising Bed and Breakfast accommodation at one of its biggest hotels for £25. And that includes free car parking!
Significantly, too, corporate hospitality surrounding the forthcoming Home Nations matches is reported to be 27% down from previous years. Is it any wonder when a package for lunch, match, tea, and a meeting with a couple of ex-
On a more local note was it not understood that thanks to the farcical fixture scheduling, and the low number of clubs, twelve, contained in the lower leagues around the country many spectators have had no option but to “sit on their wallets? Raise money? How, when a club like Liverpool St.Helens had one home match scheduled between Saturday 29th November 2008 and Saturday 31st January 2009? -
When it comes to value for money, Francis, join the real world.
Ray French