English rugby plots revolutionary changes to expand new ‘franchise-style’ Premiership

[McTallshort]

Don't know if I can stomach 90mins of Haskell, what's the wake-up call?

Not being able to pick Willis and having to slum it out with Curry, Curry, Earl, Underhill, Pollock and Pepper?
Or losing Farrell and allowing the two Smiths to come through?

Haskell's not in it but the new bloke running the championship clubs is and it's really interesting

 

[Geordie]

Newcastle must struggle as well with the location of the town. It's proper out out the way so offers from Newcastle are going to have to take that into account that a lot of players might not want to live that far up.

Thats not actually an issue....the players weve had through the years is a whos who, we can attract the very best. I personally live at the coast 10 mins from Newcastle and Carl Hayman was a regular as he was a mad surfer. Many others have been also.

Newcastle as a city is a massive pull as it has everything.

The issue some fans have is the location of the stadium. It really isnt the easiest to get to.
You need to try and attract people outside of the die hard rugby people to come watch, and If you have some people who have a friday night free and think ah lets go watch the rugby...who then have to spend a right old hassle and time getting there. It really can be off putting.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Thats not actually an issue....the players weve had through the years is a whos who, we can attract the very best. I personally live at the coast 10 mins from Newcastle and Carl Hayman was a regular as he was a mad surfer. Many others have been also.

Newcastle as a city is a massive pull as it has everything.

The issue some fans have is the location of the stadium. It really isnt the easiest to get to.
You need to try and attract people outside of the die hard rugby people to come watch, and If you have some people who have a friday night free and think ah lets go watch the rugby...who then have to spend a right old hassle and time getting there. It really can be off putting.

I think it is an issue, you could in theory play for Northampton, Leicester, Gloucester, Bristol and Bath without moving house and still be close to your family. But playing for Newcastle means you have to move.

So if you had two of the same offers that will always be a factor. Some will want to go, others will take a closer club.

 

[Geordie]

I think it is an issue, you could in theory play for Northampton, Leicester, Gloucester, Bristol and Bath without moving house and still be close to your family. But playing for Newcastle means you have to move.

So if you had two of the same offers that will always be a factor. Some will want to go, others will take a closer club.

To an extent yes, but with our catchment area we should have a predominantly locally raised side...Newcastle, Northumbria, Durham, Cumbria and North Yorkshire. Carlisle is only just over an hour away.
Dean Richards plan was always to have "roughly" a side with around 10 players from those regions and 5 international players.

So it really shouldnt be a significant factor in my opinion.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Champ Rugby: Championship rebranded for start of next season

England's second tier will be called Champ Rugby, rather than the Championship, from the start of next season as part of an expansion and rebrand.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Ddanno]

Champ Rugby: Championship rebranded for start of next season

England's second tier will be called Champ Rugby, rather than the Championship, from the start of next season as part of an expansion and rebrand.

www.bbc.co.uk

This all sounds weirdly promising. Who replaced the RFU?

 

[stevenp]

Sport should be based on merit.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Gallagher Premiership to axe 7 letters as part of rebrand

The Gallagher Premiership will be rebranded as the Gallagher Prem from next season. The name change is part of a campaign to attract new...

www.rugbypass.com

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Ofcom reporting that the biggest decreases in sports viewership in the 18-34 age group have been in tennis and rugby. Rugby also dropped in the 35-54 age group.

Whether that's due to inaccessibility on pay platforms or a genuine drop in interest I don't know - maybe a bit of both. But seems to be a bit at odds with the messaging coming from elsewhere, although you'd think the regulator might just be a little more impartial than those with skin in the game.

 

[Ddanno]

Whether that's due to inaccessibility on pay platforms

This has to be a pretty big factor. If you're strapped for cash one of the first things to get binned is the Sky (and TNT) package.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

This has to be a pretty big factor. If you're strapped for cash one of the first things to get binned is the Sky (and TNT) package.

Yep, although also a drop in the 35-54 bracket which does tend to have a bit more disposable income.

From my own example, I can afford it but chose not to get Premier as I'm fed up with the fragmentation of the game. So I missed out on the European stuff - I found other things to do and the world didn't stop turning. Treat existing customers badly at your peril.

 

[Ddanno]

From my own example, I can afford it but chose not to get Premier as I'm fed up with the fragmentation of the game. So I missed out on the European stuff - I found other things to do and the world didn't stop turning. Treat existing customers badly at your peril.

Well said.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

It doesn't seem like Football has dropped but I haven't seen if that's propped up by FTA matches with Pay matches dropping.

 

[Which Tyler]

Premiership Rugby Final 2025: TNT Sports gears up for Bath vs Leicester battle with huge uptick in season audience views

[caption id=attachment_117895 align=aligncenter width=715] TNT Sports expert for the Premiership Rugby Final 2025, Ugo Monye [Credit: Getty ...

www.svgeurope.org

Maybe it's just old buggers? Out of interest, how many matches were on ITV4 this year compared to last?
More to the point though, why can't ITV4 have a match weekly (and can be recorded as a series), rather than roughly once a month, when no-one notices?

As a further thought, OfCom are reporting on the sport as a whole, so maybe it's Scots & Welsh viewership of URC; or everyone getting fed up with the terrible Champions Cup - especially, as mentioned, since moving to a platform English fans don't already have.
Or maybe they're counting 2023/24 season, which included the 2023 RWC?

Too many variables to say "Ofcom are telling the truth, TNT are lying"