Wasps on the up? I hope not! (7 Viewers)

[GaryJones]

Let me start this by saying that I absolutely hate The Wasps Rugby Club. They waltz into the city riding roughshod over the heritage of Coventry Rugby Club and expect (and sadly get) the people of Coventry on board to go and watch the pantomime crap they call entertaining rugby. Now recently I’ve been in good mood as they are losing left & right week after week and apparently losing their best players and with it a sizeable chuck of cash and profit. Some have even said that they actually need Coventry City’s rent but suddenly I’m not so sure - today I heard on CWR that they are expecting 32,000 paying supporters at the Ricoh this weekend plus tonight CVC Partners have just pumped £200 million in to Premiership Rugby for a 27% stake which will be distributed to the teams in the Premiership.
Suddenly they might be feeling a little more bullish and I’m fearing for the future of my football club.
Today on BBC Radio 5 Live they were banging on about poor old Manchester United only finishing in the top 6 when a caller from Coventry came on explaining that we might be kicked out of the football league at the end of the season. They listened but made no comment and moved on to the next moaner from Manchester. Truth is nobody outside of this City gives a shit.
I’m worried, really worried that we might be non-existent as a league club in a few months.

 

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[shmmeee]

We won’t stop existing. Someone will blink. It just sucks that we’ve got to go through a few months of divisive shit first.

 

[Otis]

Let me start this by saying that I absolutely hate The Wasps Rugby Club. They waltz into the city riding roughshod over the heritage of Coventry Rugby Club and expect (and sadly get) the people of Coventry on board to go and watch the pantomime crap they call entertaining rugby. Now recently I’ve been in good mood as they are losing left & right week after week and apparently losing their best players and with it a sizeable chuck of cash and profit. Some have even said that they actually need Coventry City’s rent but suddenly I’m not so sure - today I heard on CWR that they are expecting 32,000 paying supporters at the Ricoh this weekend plus tonight CVC Partners have just pumped £200 million in to Premiership Rugby for a 27% stake which will be distributed to the teams in the Premiership.
Suddenly they might be feeling a little more bullish and I’m fearing for the future of my football club.
Today on BBC Radio 5 Live they were banging on about poor old Manchester United only finishing in the top 6 when a caller from Coventry came on explaining that we might be kicked out of the football league at the end of the season. They listened but made no comment and moved on to the next moaner from Manchester. Truth is nobody outside of this City gives a shit.
I’m worried, really worried that we might be non-existent as a league club in a few months.

Hmmm, 'Let me start by saying I absolutely hate Wasps' does come across a bit like 'I'm not racist, but...'

 

[Covkid1968#]

Hmmm, 'Let me start by saying I absolutely hate Wasps' does come across a bit like 'I'm not racist, but...'

that’s harsh Otis....... has Xmas and the season of goodwill not arrived at the Otis home yet

 

[Otis]

that’s harsh Otis....... has Xmas and the season of goodwill not arrived at the Otis home yet

No. Missus has a really bad back and a mood to match it.

I was only joking though. I'd just run out of smileys.

They're back now.

:cigar::angelic::joyful::mooning::smuggrin:

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I'm a bit surprised if it is 32000 paying. Recently they have been getting less than 10,000 paying, so I'm a bit surprised that an additional 22k who havent been turning up have suddenly decided to, especially on a losing run worse than ours!

 

[pusbccfc]

Let me start this by saying that I absolutely hate The Wasps Rugby Club. They waltz into the city riding roughshod over the heritage of Coventry Rugby Club and expect (and sadly get) the people of Coventry on board to go and watch the pantomime crap they call entertaining rugby. Now recently I’ve been in good mood as they are losing left & right week after week and apparently losing their best players and with it a sizeable chuck of cash and profit. Some have even said that they actually need Coventry City’s rent but suddenly I’m not so sure - today I heard on CWR that they are expecting 32,000 paying supporters at the Ricoh this weekend plus tonight CVC Partners have just pumped £200 million in to Premiership Rugby for a 27% stake which will be distributed to the teams in the Premiership.
Suddenly they might be feeling a little more bullish and I’m fearing for the future of my football club.
Today on BBC Radio 5 Live they were banging on about poor old Manchester United only finishing in the top 6 when a caller from Coventry came on explaining that we might be kicked out of the football league at the end of the season. They listened but made no comment and moved on to the next moaner from Manchester. Truth is nobody outside of this City gives a shit.
I’m worried, really worried that we might be non-existent as a league club in a few months.

The problem is, while no one gives a shit outside of the city, almost nobody gives a shit inside the city.

Most of the city has abandoned this club.

 

[stupot07]

I'm a bit surprised if it is 32000 paying. Recently they have been getting less than 10,000 paying, so I'm a bit surprised that an additional 22k who havent been turning up have suddenly decided to, especially on a losing run worse than ours!

His post lost any credibility when I read thay bit.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[Nick]

His post lost any credibility when I read thay bit.

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It's interesting in the press releases they have put out its not people attending it's paying fans ha

 

[SkyblueBazza]

Well I shall be there...my first time watching Rugby at the Ricoh.

I shall be unashamedly there on a free ticket too.

And I shall unashamedly wear my Bath Rugby shirt as well.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Nick]

Well I shall be there...my first time watching Rugby at the Ricoh.

I shall be unashamedly there on a free ticket too.

And I shall unashamedly wear my Bath Rugby shirt as well.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

That's an extreme disguise!

 

[Hobo]

I will be in Nottingham in a Coventry Rugby shirt and paying at the gate

 

[Liquid Gold]

If it’s a sell out why are they still trying to sell tickets?

 

[Nick]

I will be in Nottingham in a Coventry Rugby shirt and paying at the gate

I am going to Stoke on Trent, might wear a CCFC T Shirt and then home in time for the CCFC game and paying via Direct debit.

 

[I_Saw_Shaw_Score]

I am going to Stoke on Trent, might wear a CCFC T Shirt and then home in time for the CCFC game and paying via Direct debit.

I guess Hobo means he/she is going to the Cov Rugby away game

 

[Nick]

I guess Hobo means he/she is going to the Cov Rugby away game

I gathered that Get a strong coffee down!

 

[chiefdave]

they are expecting 32,000 paying supporters at the Ricoh this weekend

CVC Partners have just pumped £200 million in to Premiership Rugby for a 27% stake which will be distributed to the teams in the Premiership.

IMO this is a terrible move for the Premiership that will give them huge problems in the future. This is not some sort of sponsorship deal where they've got an additional £200m, they've sold a share of the league to a SISU type company who will only be interested in making money. They've given away future revenue for a short term fix.

All but 2 Premiership teams are running at a loss. The game only turned pro 20 years ago and they're already in a mess. This money will be wasted and then they'll be looking to sell another share to plug the next gap. Before you know it they don't have control of their own league anymore.

 

[chiefdave]

It's interesting in the press releases they have put out its not people attending it's paying fans ha

Someone had better alert the safety chap. Given the meltdown they go into if a couple of people stand up, claiming there's a danger of overcrowding, they will be very concerned that they've got to fit 32K paying spectators in as well as the thousands of freebies. Stadium will be well over capacity.

Suppose the other option is its more BS from Wasps.

 

[GaryJones]

Paying or not it makes me feel sick that 30,000 plus will be watching these fucking interlopers!
They seem to be putting down roots in this area and obviously couldn't give a toss for their original "fan base" and are now trying (and succeeding) in creating a new one here in Coventry.
They come in with the help of our very own council and throw some money at them and hey presto the original sporting clubs in Coventry (CCFC & CRC) are cast aside by the good people of my fair City.
If they didn't get behind this newcomer, the Wasps would slide into oblivion - that's the point I'm making here in my OP - Wasps are here because the people of Coventry support them and are keeping them here.
Rant over (for now!)

 

[harvey098]

I'm a bit surprised if it is 32000 paying. Recently they have been getting less than 10,000 paying, so I'm a bit surprised that an additional 22k who havent been turning up have suddenly decided to, especially on a losing run worse than ours!

Sadly probably 50% of those fans won’t know about their losing run, they’re not actually fans, they just go because it’s an event. The only people I know that go, attend 1-2 games a year and couldn’t tell you a players name but they like the atmosphere etc.. I think this one has been billed as a family Xmas event with fireworks etc aswell.. more people will be going for that. They won’t even know who they’re playing or where wasps are in the table.

 

[SkyBlueCRJ]

We won’t stop existing. Someone will blink. It just sucks that we’ve got to go through a few months of divisive shit first.

I admire your optimism. But, having such a laissez-faire attitude is exactly what's going to cause this club to stop existing.

 

[Joy Division]

If it’s a sell out why are they still trying to sell tickets?

Not quite sold out yet but there is about a thousand or so tickets left

 

[Warwickhunt]

Well I shall be there...my first time watching Rugby at the Ricoh.

I shall be unashamedly there on a free ticket too.

And I shall unashamedly wear my Bath Rugby shirt as well.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

i could have got upto 4 tickets free but couldnt be arsed

 

[Liquid Gold]

i could have got upto 4 tickets free but couldnt be arsed

Always take the free tickets and bin/burn them, stops people being tempted to take them and use them.

 

[sb84]

I can only find 30000 news on the internet, not sure where the sell out claim came from. I would estimate around half of these have been exchanged for cash, rest are freebies. A few weeks ago I ended up with 6 tickets and only one was used so that's not a great ratio of bums on seats. If the weather is crap on the day most of these freebie ticket seats will not be used. As usual the photos from the ground will no doubt pop up on here on Monday to show the real extent of 30k tickets sold??

 

[sb84]

and isn't the new capacity under 32k (since new scoreboard) so if they have sold these then im not sure where they will all sit?

 

[chiefdave]

I can only find 30000 news on the internet, not sure where the sell out claim came from. I would estimate around half of these have been exchanged for cash, rest are freebies. A few weeks ago I ended up with 6 tickets and only one was used so that's not a great ratio of bums on seats. If the weather is crap on the day most of these freebie ticket seats will not be used. As usual the photos from the ground will no doubt pop up on here on Monday to show the real extent of 30k tickets sold??

Posted a couple of weeks back that the resident Wasps fan at work had said they were giving out 15K tickets for the Xmas game, assume its this one. Thought it was their equivalent of the community day but it seems they just want to claim its a sell out.

 

[no_loyalty]

If I am ever given a free ticket to a watch Wasps, I will rip it into tiny bits and post it back to them.

 

[shmmeee]

I admire your optimism. But, having such a laissez-faire attitude is exactly what's going to cause this club to stop existing.

We will see.

CCFC exist as a bargaining chip, once that’s gone things get worse for both sides

The very thing that put us in this situation will keep us there until legals are done IMHO

 

[mmttww]

Coventry Rugby are only improving on and off the pitch since Wasps arrived. In a higher league and breaking attendance records. Stand to be corrected, but the overall effect on rugby in the area seems to have been really positive.

The issue that Wasps' move has caused the football club isn't the stadium ownership etc., it's that casual sports fans are being offered a better social thing or family day out than the City.

The way they run match days and engage with the community incl. local clubs made Cov Rugby up its game in that area and they've seen the benefit of copying that approach. People have started going there that weren't going before.

The football club, like most football clubs, took its fans for suckers for decades assuming they'd keep turning up irrespective of the quality of the experience. Now that an alternative is on offer at the same location, they're playing catch up.

I understand the urge to blame Wasps for the mess we're in but it's just using them as a scapegoat. It's like the argument people make about big clubs 'deserving' to be in higher divisions; it's sh*te. You are where you deserve to be and the club did this to itself.

Don't misconstrue this as criticism of the fan base, die hards, casuals or stay aways. I'm just of the opinion that if you blame someone or something else you miss what you're doing wrong and don't deal with the root cause.

 

[Liquid Gold]

We will see.

CCFC exist as a bargaining chip, once that’s gone things get worse for both sides

The very thing that put us in this situation will keep us there until legals are done IMHO

Disagree, I think us going bust would play right into Sisu's hands, they'd be able to put forward a strong argument that a business they put £60m into had been forced insolvent.

 

[Liquid Gold]

Coventry Rugby are only improving on and off the pitch since Wasps arrived. In a higher league and breaking attendance records. Stand to be corrected, but the overall effect on rugby in the area seems to have been really positive.

The issue that Wasps' move has caused the football club isn't the stadium ownership etc., it's that casual sports fans are being offered a better social thing or family day out than the City.

The way they run match days and engage with the community incl. local clubs made Cov Rugby up its game in that area and they've seen the benefit of copying that approach. People have started going there that weren't going before.

The football club, like most football clubs, took its fans for suckers for decades assuming they'd keep turning up irrespective of the quality of the experience. Now that an alternative is on offer at the same location, they're playing catch up.

I understand the urge to blame Wasps for the mess we're in but it's just using them as a scapegoat. It's like the argument people make about big clubs 'deserving' to be in higher divisions; it's sh*te. You are where you deserve to be and the club did this to itself.

Don't misconstrue this as criticism of the fan base, die hards, casuals or stay aways. I'm just of the opinion that if you blame someone or something else you miss what you're doing wrong and don't deal with the root cause.

Bollocks, lack of revenue generation opportunities linked to being tenants to London Wasps will restrict City's ability to compete long after Sisu have gone.

 

[Nick]

Disagree, I think us going bust would play right into Sisu's hands, they'd be able to put forward a strong argument that a business they put £60m into had been forced insolvent.

"Just been promoted, cut down the losses so it was nearly break even, cat 2 academy etc. then look what happened"

It's exactly the line they would choose, not saying it's right but that would be all it was to them.

 

[Liquid Gold]

"Just been promoted, cut down the losses so it was nearly break even, cat 2 academy etc. then look what happened"

It's exactly the line they would choose, not saying it's right but that would be all it was to them.

Possibly getting all their money back and more without having to deal with us. It's perfect for them, don't give them what they fucking want.

 

[Nick]

Possibly getting all their money back and more without having to deal with us. It's perfect for them, don't give them what they fucking want.

It's the same when people say "Why don't the EFL do something?" without realising the lines that the EFL will be given.