Wasps owner Derek Richardson explains Coventry move and rejects "franchise" tag (4 Viewers)

[SimonGilbert]

..."Franchise" tag.

First part of a series of stories from my lengthy interview with him this week.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/exclusive-wasps-owner-derek-richardson-9039965

 

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[martcov]

Light the touch paper and stand well back........

 

[Nick]

ha! not a franchise but moved to the midlands as thats where the fans are.

Crank the PR machine up.

Did the Cov RFC attendances up because of wasps go unchallenged? It reads like Adam Barton puts more challenges in.

 

[stupot07]

If it looks like a franchise, sounds like a franchise and smells like a franchise......



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors

 

[martcov]

The main thing I am interested in is whether there is the slightest chance of selling a share of the stadium to, or allowing some form of future participation in the revenues to CCFC. If he says no chance then we know where we stand.

 

[chiefdave]

i'd be surprised if even Richardson himself believes the rubbish he's spouting in this interview. He probably thought these guidable idiots will lap up anything I say. Did you challenge him on any of his statements Simon or is this just a Wasps PR piece?

A few of my favourites:

“It’s not a franchise. Wasps has always been nomadic. Wasps have been from West to North London, to West, to South West London over the years" - well I suppose they were nomadic from inception until moving to Sudbury in 1923 as they didn't own their own ground prior to that. They only had to move when they sold that ground to be redeveloped as housing. They temporarily moved to Wycombe after a brief period at Loftus Road. Throughout their time in Wycombe Richardson has been assuring their supporters the move was temporary and they would return to London. It's the equivalent of Fisher moving us a hundred miles away as we're nomadic having moved from one part of Cov to another and once made a temporary move out of the city!

“It’s not like the American examples where they move teams thousands of miles" - Has anyone told him America is a lot bigger than the UK? When you apply scale it is exactly the same as what happens in America.

"We are here for the long term" - unless it goes wrong or we get a better offer, then we're off. After all he repeatedly stated their new ground would be in London so why would we believe this statement?

"We are already a local team" - only by location. CCFC have been here since 1883 and CRFC since 1874, they are the local teams.

"Coventry’s attendances are up since we got involved. I think that’s a sign of increasing the rugby interest in the area" - nothing to do with their massive winning streak then?

"There were loads of reasons to move to Coventry" - we all know the reason. It was the only place with a local council and media gullible enough to fall for his rubbish. Where else would you find a stadium you could buy for a fraction of the build cost with owners who will hand it over to you while taking a massive loss? Of course if what he is stating here is true then Simon needs to ask him why he was outright lying to their fans saying the new ground would be in London when they were actually looking far away form there for the reasons he gives in this interview.

"it’s easy access for supporters" of course, much easier for those London and Wycombe based supporters to get to.

I hope the Telegraph are being well paid for the PR work they are doing for Wasps. Or do Wasps get this sort of advertising free?

 

[SimonGilbert]

It reads like Adam Barton puts more challenges in.

Come on Nick. You may not like the answers, but it's slightly disingenuous to suggest I didn't question him properly.

He was asked about whether the move played on his conscience, whether "franchise" rugby was a dangerous path, whether Wasps would ever be accepted as a local team, the location of the planned training complex and the effect on neighbouring clubs - not least CRFC.

These are his comments and views. People can read them and draw their own conclusions.

There's more to come. And you might not like the answers again, but it's unfair to suggest I haven't asked him the pertinent questions.

 

[Nick]

Can you not do it as a Q and A? I guess that shows more how he came to those quotes.

Like you say, you could have asked him something and he dodged it but we only see the dodging.

 

[Grendel]

The funniest justification I heard was from his sidekick Eastwood he suggested the move to Coventry was because most of the season ticket holders could get to the Ricoh quicker than Wycombe.

 

[Grendel]

..."Franchise" tag.

First part of a series of stories from my lengthy interview with him this week.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/exclusive-wasps-owner-derek-richardson-9039965

When you say "interview" did you ask any questions or just let him get away with this self serving nonsense?

 

[SimonGilbert]

Can you not do it as a Q and A? I guess that shows more how he came to those quotes.

Like you say, you could have asked him something and he dodged it but we only see the dodging.

Possibly. Perhaps something to consider in future.

In all honesty, its presented like this because there was a lot to write / split up and this was the quickest way of doing it.

 

[chiefdave]

Come on Nick. You may not like the answers, but it's slightly disingenuous to suggest I didn't question him properly.

Did you challenge him when he claimed CRFC increased attendances were down to Wasps and nothing to do with their incredible form, the outright lies he repeatedly told the Wasps fans when stating they would move back to London, statements like saying Wasps were already nomadic which are clearly factually incorrect?

You may well have questioned him but the article doesn't read like that, it reads like a Wasps PR piece. Hopefully that balance will be redressed over the remaining parts.

 

[SimonGilbert]

I hope the Telegraph are being well paid for the PR work they are doing for Wasps. Or do Wasps get this sort of advertising free?

Do you really believe there's some sort of shady arrangement with Wasps where we only give them positive coverage? I mean do you ACTUALLY believe that?

 

[Nick]

You may well have questioned him but the article doesn't read like that, it reads like a Wasps PR piece. Hopefully that balance will be redressed over the remaining parts.

That's the thing, without seeing the questions there it just looks like him reeling off his spiel. It is just how it reads and the impression it gives.

You could have been there calling him a franchise wanker and stuff and properly grilling him but as it just shows his side you can't see it.

 

[Nick]

Do you really believe there's some sort of shady arrangement with Wasps where we only give them positive coverage? I mean do you ACTUALLY believe that?

They do seem to get away lightly, I am no expert on journalism so may be a bit naive but it isn't hard to see when reading a story what you are "meant" to think after reading it. Not just the Telegraph before anybody says that, other local newspapers also included!

An example is if you speak to people who only really know stuff from what they read in the telegraph and listen to them, often happens at the Gym when you overhear people talking about things. I have no doubt people will be repeating things from that article as fact.

Would you let Tim Fisher sit there and bullshit you as much? Maybe they could get together and have a bullshit off and record it?

 

[SimonGilbert]

They do seem to get away lightly, I am no expert on journalism so may be a bit naive but it isn't hard to see when reading a story what you are "meant" to think after reading it. Not just the Telegraph before anybody says that, other local newspapers also included!

Would you let Tim Fisher sit there and bullshit you as much? Maybe they could get together and have a bullshit off and record it?

The same criticism is often levelled whenever Mr Fisher speaks about the new stadium in our paper.

I'm not in the business of mind control. People can read the comments and judge for themselves.

If a reader can't think for themselves, then they're in trouble anyway.

 

[Nick]

The same criticism is often levelled whenever Mr Fisher speaks about the new stadium in our paper.

I'm not in the business of mind control. People can read the comments and judge for themselves.

If a reader can't think for themselves, then they're in trouble anyway.

Like I said I don't mean that it is all you and nobody else does it

If people read the comments to try and judge, that makes it even worse judging by some of the headcases on there. They make Schmeee and Italia at their worst like like sane, normal people whistle

When Tim Fisher or SISU speak, there is sometimes a fair few " "'s floating around which makes it clear it is bollocks! (Which is often is)

 

[chiefdave]

In all honesty, its presented like this because there was a lot to write / split up and this was the quickest way of doing it.

To me it allows him to paint a false picture. For example Wasps weren't nomadic, that's factually incorrect. Now he obviously said it and you may well have questioned him on it but people will read this article and it will now become fact.

 

[Nick]

To me it allows him to paint a false picture. For example Wasps weren't nomadic, that's factually incorrect. Now he obviously said it and you may well have questioned him on it but people will read this article and it will now become fact.

Exactly, an example is how people talk about this Wasps increase in business etc. It was yesterday I heard people talking about how they must be making millions each game in profit to be able to pay the loan off in full.

Now, I am not saying that is what is said but it is the impression it gives off when reading.

 

[Monners]

The bloke asked questons, and these are the answers. Richardson, or anyone else for that matter is never going to paint themselces in a bad light and say "actually, fuck it you're right - it is a franchise, and we have stiched up our core fan base etc.."

Has anybody on here actually noticed that there is an Election campaign going on at the minute!!! Look at how the Parties answer questions, and how manifesto's are launched; and how it is reported. It could be argued that the CT could do a Nick Robinson style disectoin of the issues raised by Richardson's answers, but realyy it is down to readers to make there own mind up and move on - re the Election.

If anyone dislikes the CT so much, then don't read it - such as me dumping UKIP shit in the bin as soon as it hits the mat (to clarify, I am not in any way comparing the CT to blinkered pseudo facist opportunist fuckwits)

 

[chiefdave]

Do you really believe there's some sort of shady arrangement with Wasps where we only give them positive coverage? I mean do you ACTUALLY believe that?

Wasps get a lot of articles in the paper that read like PR pieces. I have no idea if the CT editor is coming up with these or Wasps are approaching suggesting what is newsworthy but it does read like exactly he sort of thing you'd be after if you employed a PR firm - obviously not the case as Wasps have told us they don't have a PR machine It seems everything Wasps related has a positive spin put on it and everything CCFC related has a negative spin put on it.

There's other things that bug me. A large number of articles about Wasps have ticketing information placed at the bottom of the piece. Now either Wasps are paying for that or the CT are doing it off their own bat. If its the former it be made clear its a paid for advert, if its the later why is the same not being done for CCFC. Even if Wasps are supplying the details and CCFC are not how much effort would it be to have a copy and paste piece ready for CCFC articles.

The other thing is the acceptance of a team being moved in from 90 miles away no questions asked. There appears to be a lack of scrutiny of CCC and ACL's role in this and Wasps being welcomed with open arms. This is the same paper that ran a major campaign, for which I seem to recall you won an award, against CCFC playing temporarily 35 miles away yet there seems to be no issue at all with Wasps being dropped into the city.

 

[torchomatic]

I don't think there's a "shady arrangement" but you certainly are going on an all-out offensive with PR for them. You never do or have (at least for a long time) been this generous to the Citys' football team.

Maybe you could link to some of the constant stories that haven't been positive?

Do you really believe there's some sort of shady arrangement with Wasps where we only give them positive coverage? I mean do you ACTUALLY believe that?

 

[torchomatic]

Exactly my feelings on the matter. The CT were all out at CCFC for going to Northampton - rightly so, but not a murmur about Wasps moving 85 miles. It stinks from a local newspaper in my opinion.

How on earth Simon can't see the tone of these articles really is beyond me. Even my Dad who pays little attention to most things described the CT as "Wasps' own prvate news agency".

There appears to be a lack of scrutiny of CCC and ACL's role in this and Wasps being welcomed with open arms. This is the same paper that ran a major campaign, for which I seem to recall you won an award, against CCFC playing temporarily 35 miles away yet there seems to be no issue at all with Wasps being dropped into the city.

 

[torchomatic]

And yet when Les Reid asked Joy questions...

The bloke asked questons, and these are the answers. Richardson, or anyone else for that matter is never going to paint themselces in a bad light and say "actually, fuck it you're right - it is a franchise, and we have stiched up our core fan base etc.."

Has anybody on here actually noticed that there is an Election campaign going on at the minute!!! Look at how the Parties answer questions, and how manifesto's are launched; and how it is reported. It could be argued that the CT could do a Nick Robinson style disectoin of the issues raised by Richardson's answers, but realyy it is down to readers to make there own mind up and move on - re the Election.

If anyone dislikes the CT so much, then don't read it - such as me dumping UKIP shit in the bin as soon as it hits the mat (to clarify, I am not in any way comparing the CT to blinkered pseudo facist opportunist fuckwits)

 

[Grendel]

And yet when Les Reid asked Joy questions...

Yeah exactly. Weird isn't it how one gets away with it and the other doesn't.

 

[Monners]

I read the Les Reid articles when posted on here in the same way as any others.... and form a view from there.... Is that ok?

 

[mattylad]

Do you really believe there's some sort of shady arrangement with Wasps where we only give them positive coverage? I mean do you ACTUALLY believe that?

Of course they do, anything that does not support there one sided slant of anything is always deemed as false propheting.

 

[mattylad]

I don't think there's a "shady arrangement" but you certainly are going on an all-out offensive with PR for them. You never do or have (at least for a long time) been this generous to the Citys' football team.

Maybe you could link to some of the constant stories that haven't been positive?

The number of times Simon has said that questions have been put to SISU and they refuse to answer them. If they wanted to answer them in a positive light towards SISU do you think the CT would refuse to publish them? Of course not its just they refuse to answer them at all.

 

[chiefdave]

The number of times Simon has said that questions have been put to SISU and they refuse to answer them. If they wanted to answer them in a positive light towards SISU do you think the CT would refuse to publish them? Of course not its just they refuse to answer them at all.

Except that's not the case is it. When Fisher said he had spoken to Rugby council it wasn't just accepted as fact. The CT were firing in FOI requests to try and disprove him, and I have no problem with them trying to validate his claims, when it was found to be incorrect it was shoe-horned into as many articles as possible.

When he's claimed we need stadium ownership to survive independent experts have been called up, they actually agreed with Fisher yet the tone of the corresponding article did not seek to give that impression.

Where are the independent experts examining Wasps claims they had no choice other than to move to Coventry or go out of business. Why is Richardson allowed to state as fact things such as Wasps being nomadic when it is clearly not true?

 

[duffer]

It's a franchise. It's just embarassing that he'd pretend it's anything else.

As for all of the other bullshit around "we looked at other areas", come off it, where else was there a 32,000 seater stadium available for the £5.7m Wasps paid?

Wasps didn't have to move, it was all about money.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...e-to-send-themselves-to-coventry-9789348.html

Richardson himself said that Wasps were a London team...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/wasps-new-owner-derek-richardson-1822756

... but that was before the Ricoh was available, obviously. Maybe you could mention that quote to him sometime, Simon?

And as for Wasps move benefiting Coventry RFC, you can see exactly what he means there when he talks about "different levels" of Rugby. The one thing that's certain is that Coventry RFC will only benefit from Wasps being here as long as there's no threat of them getting to the top level themselves. Clearly Wasps have actually capped Coventry RFC's ultimate ambition.

 

[chiefdave]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...e-to-send-themselves-to-coventry-9789348.html

Not seen that one before, some interesting stuff in there. If you substituted Fisher and SISU into that article the forum would go into meltdown!

 

[torchomatic]

Your one sided slanted view seems clear enough.

Of course they do, anything that does not support there one sided slant of anything is always deemed as false propheting.

 

[torchomatic]

Very interesting article, Duffer. Something we knew all along though isn't it. Unfortunately the "we've not got a home" sob story was swallowed by not only the Coventry Council but the Trust too. Too late now.

The amusing part of Richardson's PR when stating they were nomadic was his example of them moving about in London. In ONE city.

Still hook, line and sinker.

 

[tisza]

I don't get the fuss about Wasps coverage in the CT.
They put themselves out there and give the paper copy to work with.
CCFC have been pretty abysmal with their media handling for a number of years particularly with the local press.
Also it's not as if we are giving the CT many opportunities to write positively about us - either on or off the field.
There's nothing stopping Seppala ringing up the CT offering to do an indepth interview on the new stadium for example. I'm sure that would get plenty of coverage. As mentioned earlier she wasn't exactly challenged when she spoke to Les Reid when he was at the CT.
Wasps owner isn't hiding behind a load of front men like SISU do.
It makes absolute sense for Wasps to be putting themselves in the local media whilst they are trying to establish themselves in the area. Lest we forget Ranson wasn't exactly publicity-shy during his early years here.
I actually think there are lessons that could be learnt from Wasps in terms of media-relations and marketing - again 2 areas we have been poor in over the last few years.

 

[Nick]

I don't get the fuss about Wasps coverage in the CT.
They put themselves out there and give the paper copy to work with.
CCFC have been pretty abysmal with their media handling for a number of years particularly with the local press.
Also it's not as if we are giving the CT many opportunities to write positively about us - either on or off the field.
There's nothing stopping Seppala ringing up the CT offering to do an indepth interview on the new stadium for example. I'm sure that would get plenty of coverage. As mentioned earlier she wasn't exactly challenged when she spoke to Les Reid when he was at the CT.
Wasps owner isn't hiding behind a load of front men like SISU do.
It makes absolute sense for Wasps to be putting themselves in the local media whilst they are trying to establish themselves in the area. Lest we forget Ranson wasn't exactly publicity-shy during his early years here.
I actually think there are lessons that could be learnt from Wasps in terms of media-relations and marketing - again 2 areas we have been poor in over the last few years.

So if it is OK for Wasps to bullshit and spin does that mean it is ok for Tim Fisher and Waggot?

Surely the Telegraph don't just print copy that Wasps send them do they?