Wasps owner Derek Richardson explains Coventry move and rejects "franchise" tag (6 Viewers)

[torchomatic]

On the same day as the Wasps PR piece there's a story on "dwindling crowds" at the Ricoh. Wankers.

 

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[Grendel]

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.

Unbelievable. Wasps certainly targeted their demographic correctly.

We have the most gullible, spineless and disloyal sporting fans in the country.

You are easy meat to the likes of them.

 

[chiefdave]

On the same day as the Wasps PR piece there's a story on "dwindling crowds" at the Ricoh. Wankers.

I'm looking forward to the front page piece on Wasps attendances being in freefall the game after Leicester!

 

[Grendel]

I'm looking forward to the front page piece on Wasps attendances being in freefall the game after Leicester!

There's a game before that against Exeter. Odd that we haven't heard how sales are going for that one.

 

[torchomatic]

Wasps in revolutionary idea. As it's hot they have decided to reduce capacity so the air can circulate amongst the fans more freely.

I'm looking forward to the front page piece on Wasps attendances being in freefall the game after Leicester!

 

[torchomatic]

I think they've sold 700 million tickets and everybody loves them.

There's a game before that against Exeter. Odd that we haven't heard how sales are going for that one.

 

[tisza]

Unbelievable. Wasps certainly targeted their demographic correctly.

We have the most gullible, spineless and disloyal sporting fans in the country.

You are easy meat to the likes of them.

Nope.
Don't care about rugby. Don't care about Wasps. Wouldn't go and watch them.
My demographic would be a City supporter for 40+ years.
Do care about CCFC and the way it's run.
Don't see the need to fuss about the way a local paper with a circulation of around 30.000 handles its sports coverage.
Don't feel their coverage of all the ACL issues has been particularly impressive. Which ever way it turns out there is a story there which affects more than just CCFC supporters.
Do feel supporters should be more concerned with how our club is being run and where it's heading rather than what Wasps are up to.

 

[Grendel]

Nope.
Don't care about rugby. Don't care about Wasps. Wouldn't go and watch them.
My demographic would be a City supporter for 40+ years.
Do care about CCFC and the way it's run.
Don't see the need to fuss about the way a local paper with a circulation of around 30.000 handles its sports coverage.
Don't feel their coverage of all the ACL issues has been particularly impressive. Which ever way it turns out there is a story there which affects more than just CCFC supporters.
Do feel supporters should be more concerned with how our club is being run and where it's heading rather than what Wasps are up to.

But you were bothered about the cet when it's journalist interviewed Joy Seppala and was no less or more probing.

Many of the comments from Richardson are open to scrutiny and to put it mildly misleading. Yet it's good PR.

 

[Nick]

But you were bothered about the cet when it's journalist interviewed Joy Seppala and was no less or more probing.

Many of the comments from Richardson are open to scrutiny and to put it mildly misleading. Yet it's good PR.

Wasps bullshit the fans and move clubs = Good PR, transparent, they should buy the football club
SISU / CCFC bullshit the fans and move the club = Worst owners ever, hate them, going to stand outside their office, get them out etc.

If it was Tim Fisher in that article, the ink wouldn't have been dry before there were FOI's etc trying to prove everything he had said wrong. Only right to be fair.

 

[Nick]

Some of the comments are hilarious.

An outfit that seems to have the local community in it's interest not just making money.

It does show that people do believe everything.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

There's a game before that against Exeter. Odd that we haven't heard how sales are going for that one.

Probably offering a free ticket to another match or maybe a free copy of the Wasps Evening Telegraph!

 

[Nick]

free copy of the Wasps Evening Telegraph!

Saves them getting brochures made up I guess

 

[tisza]

But you were bothered about the cet when it's journalist interviewed Joy Seppala and was no less or more probing.

Many of the comments from Richardson are open to scrutiny and to put it mildly misleading. Yet it's good PR.

Nope again wasn't bothered. Just noting the consistency of the CT. Not exactly a publication noted for its hard hitting journalism. My point was there is no reason why Seppala couldn't be giving more interviews as she's not got much to fear from the level of questioning raised in many of these CT interviews.
My comments, if anything, are about how much more media-savvy Wasps et al. are than our lot. I'm fairly sure that given the opportunity to fill their pages with CCFC stories and interviews they'd jump at the chance. Successful local sports teams & stories are always good for improving local newspaper circulation.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

It’s clear from the way Coventry Rugby Club are, and have been in the past, that it’s a hot bed of rugby support

Begs the question why he didn't take over CRFC then.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

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

Sometimes however, I fear Coventry gives a lie to the active audience theory...

 

[Moff]

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

Simon if you questioned him properly I hope you told him, that the reason you cant move a team 1000's of miles away in the UK, unlike America, is beacuse it isnt that big, and if he did Wasps would be in another country, thus making his reasoning that Wasps arent a franchise utter crap.

The man is a walking spin machine, he would make Alistair Campbell proud.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

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

Most can't, you are exploiting their idiocy

 

[Moff]

Forgot to mention, Simon perhaps you can ask him if he has met any real fans of Leicester or Northampton yet, as many I have spoken to are not of Richardsons opinion, and are certainly not as welcoming of the franchise team in the locaility.

Still what do I expect, he shat on his own fans by moving the club, why would he really give a shit about other clubs or their fans.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

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.

That is a question that should be asked, the assumption is they won't because why would they? Logic dictates that Wasps need these revenues to survive so they won't let the club share them. It would however serve to clarify the position to some, but they would probably just choose to ignore it anyway.


In all honesty though if he was asked the question would you expect him to give an honest answer that clarifies anything?

 

[Grendel]

That is a question that should be asked, the assumption is they won't because why would they? Logic dictates that Wasps need these revenues to survive so they won't let the club share them. It would however serve to clarify the position to some, but they would probably just choose to ignore it anyway.


In all honesty though if he was asked the question would you expect him to give an honest answer that clarifies anything?

Exactly he'd just say the door is always open - having changed the locks and bolting it tight shut.

Would be enough to please most of the imbeciles on here though.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

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.

Just another nail in the coffin to those who think Wasps will do anything that benefits CCFC.

Lets not forget they tried to strongarm Wycombe Wanderers into selling Adams Park and building a new stadium they never wanted or needed.

 

[SimonGilbert]

There seems to be a lot of vitriol directed at the CT on here of late, and I'm disappointed by that.

I have always gone out of my way to explain our work, raise issues on your behalf and bring responses from the relevant parties throughout my time covering this saga. But now I regularly see the objectivity of my employer questioned - and by association my own. That seems unfair and unnecessary to me.

It feels like I am being forced to spend more time defending the style of reporting, the need to report and the timing of stories than actually discussing the content of the articles or providing news and information. I'm not sure how much time I can invest in that going forward, which is a shame because my time on here has been largely enjoyable.

All I can say is this: There is no conspiracy here at the CT. But if you look hard enough, you will find one just about anywhere.

I do find this comparison interesting. When we were reporting the comments of Mr Labovitch about the Northampton move / the new stadium the CT was coming in for much of the same criticism as it is now for reporting the comments of Mr Richardson. I can't help but feel it's the comments people are actually angry about rather than the news outlet which published them.

On a final note, our letters page is always open to anyone who has an opinion about anything we write or disagrees with anything anyone says. If you have a real issue with the comments of Mr Richardson, or anyone else, get in touch. That should help put the minds of anyone who thinks we only publish positive content about Wasps, or anyone else, at ease.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

On a final note, our letters page is always open to anyone who has an opinion about anything we write or disagrees with anything anyone says. If you have a real issue with the comments of Mr Richardson, or anyone else, get in touch. That should help put the minds of anyone who thinks we only publish positive content about Wasps, or anyone else, at ease.

*Ahem*

I suspect you may want to add the caveat about style. If I wrote in saying he was a pile of wank who spoke nowt but bollocks, bollocks and more bollocks, I'd struggle to see my letter appear ;-)

 

[tisza]

"It feels like I am being forced to spend more time defending the style of reporting, the need to report and the timing of stories than actually discussing the content of the articles or providing news and information. I'm not sure how much time I can invest in that going forward, which is a shame because my time on here has been largely enjoyable."

Comes with the territory. This is a forum when you're going to get stick from some sides no matter what the issues are or your position is. you could come out with the cliche "don't shoot the messenger".
You're mainly right it's what these people are saying that is winding people up rather than how it's being reported.
Look on the bright side if a bad news story about the Wasps comes up they'll love you again.
Some are always going to hammer anything Wasps-related rather than focusing on blaming the football club & the council for where we are now.

 

[martcov]

There seems to be a lot of vitriol directed at the CT on here of late, and I'm disappointed by that.

I have always gone out of my way to explain our work, raise issues on your behalf and bring responses from the relevant parties throughout my time covering this saga. But now I regularly see the objectivity of my employer questioned - and by association my own. That seems unfair and unnecessary to me.

It feels like I am being forced to spend more time defending the style of reporting, the need to report and the timing of stories than actually discussing the content of the articles or providing news and information. I'm not sure how much time I can invest in that going forward, which is a shame because my time on here has been largely enjoyable.

All I can say is this: There is no conspiracy here at the CT. But if you look hard enough, you will find one just about anywhere.

I do find this comparison interesting. When we were reporting the comments of Mr Labovitch about the Northampton move / the new stadium the CT was coming in for much of the same criticism as it is now for reporting the comments of Mr Richardson. I can't help but feel it's the comments people are actually angry about rather than the news outlet which published them.

On a final note, our letters page is always open to anyone who has an opinion about anything we write or disagrees with anything anyone says. If you have a real issue with the comments of Mr Richardson, or anyone else, get in touch. That should help put the minds of anyone who thinks we only publish positive content about Wasps, or anyone else, at ease.

I don't know how you stick it. You give us information which we can discuss and disect at leisure. If the people you talk to give an opinion that doesn't suit, you and your employer get insulted for it. I am grateful that you go out of your way to try and be polite and helpful. I will be now called a collaborator, CT lover, Wasps apologist, council lover and so on and so on..... I don't give a toss to a point, but I will retaliate if it gets too personal or stupid. The Les Reid interview with Sepalla told us something about her . not enough maybe, but she was directly effecting people's - city fans - social lives. Richardson has moved a Rugby team to Coventry - I am not a Wasps fan and don't care if Rugby teams are or are not franchised. I care about a. what is going to happen to CCFC as a result and b. how our owners got us this far up shit creek and c. what are they doing to get us out of this jam ( other than talking absolute bullshit about a non-existent and unfeasible stadium build )? Have they spoken about the future with Richardson? Is there any chance of a deal regarding revenues? If Richardson says the "door is always open", will you put this to Tim Fisher, and ask him if he is interested in checking out alternatives to building a competing stadium to Wasps?

 

[Jack Griffin]

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.

Interesting articles, thanks for posting, I think they help to confirm my opinions that.

1) Wasps want to be in control and won't share their business, so the I think we can forget the possibility of any form shared ownership at ACL.
2) Everything about the Wasps move is based on money.
3) The landscape of pro Rugby is radically different to Football, there are geographical locations where clubs could relocate and the RFU are not that fussed about tying clubs down in one area.
4) Eastwood is well in with the RFU, being a former RFU finance director.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Interesting articles, thanks for posting, I think they help to confirm my opinions that.

1) Wasps want to be in control and won't share their business, so the I think we can forget the possibility of any form shared ownership at ACL.
2) Everything about the Wasps move is based on money.
3) The landscape of pro Rugby is radically different to Football, there are geographical locations where clubs could relocate and the RFU are not that fussed about tying clubs down in one area.
4) Eastwood is well in with the RFU, being a former RFU finance director.

Doesn't seem an unreasonable assessment.

In its own way it's interesting - there's a curious power struggle, where top flight owners seem to have more control than in football (What *still* staggers me is the desire that rears its head every now and again to get rid of promotion and relegation) but then the national team takes precedence.

One assumes that, to a degree, this is tolerated as much because the exposure the six nations gives Rugby is far beyond anything it'd get if club dominated.

 

[SimonGilbert]

*Ahem*

I suspect you may want to add the caveat about style. If I wrote in saying he was a pile of wank who spoke nowt but bollocks, bollocks and more bollocks, I'd struggle to see my letter appear ;-)

Yes, I'm sure the letters editor would provide you with style guidance! Keeping it civil, short and clean is probably sufficient.

 

[Grendel]

There seems to be a lot of vitriol directed at the CT on here of late, and I'm disappointed by that.

I have always gone out of my way to explain our work, raise issues on your behalf and bring responses from the relevant parties throughout my time covering this saga. But now I regularly see the objectivity of my employer questioned - and by association my own. That seems unfair and unnecessary to me.

It feels like I am being forced to spend more time defending the style of reporting, the need to report and the timing of stories than actually discussing the content of the articles or providing news and information. I'm not sure how much time I can invest in that going forward, which is a shame because my time on here has been largely enjoyable.

All I can say is this: There is no conspiracy here at the CT. But if you look hard enough, you will find one just about anywhere.

I do find this comparison interesting. When we were reporting the comments of Mr Labovitch about the Northampton move / the new stadium the CT was coming in for much of the same criticism as it is now for reporting the comments of Mr Richardson. I can't help but feel it's the comments people are actually angry about rather than the news outlet which published them.

On a final note, our letters page is always open to anyone who has an opinion about anything we write or disagrees with anything anyone says. If you have a real issue with the comments of Mr Richardson, or anyone else, get in touch. That should help put the minds of anyone who thinks we only publish positive content about Wasps, or anyone else, at ease.

I am genuinely aghast at this. Seriously what do you actually expect?

This is a fans forum of a football club. Believe it or not a lot on here are only interested in the club.

Many of us have supported the football club for a long, long time. For many it's at a low ebb and the last thing we need is an advert for all that's fine and dandy from the entity that's delivered probably the terminal kick in the guts.

I'm used to the cet reporting on the football club as its principal sports story. Journalists like Neville Foulger who seemed to have huge affinity at the club and I cannot imagine succumbing to what we are now witnessing in your paper.

You cannot seriously suggest that the articles you write about the two clubs are balanced. Fisher says he spoke to rugby council and you hunt for proof. You find experts to try and prove a new ground is financial suicide. Even when they don't actually say that the headline does anyway. The wasps owner says they are not a franchise. Will you be asking an expert if this is the case? The owner says that they had to move here which directly contradicts prior statements. Statements you choose to ignore

This forum is an easy ride for you I can assure you. I can't think of any other club that has apologists for any institution that tries to bring the club down as there is on here. Try and work in Milwall Sunderland or Leeds and see how you get on.

In the meantime stand in front of the mirror and say journalistic integrity and see how honest you look when you say it.

 

[Broken Hearted Sky Blue]

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?

Good old Les did with Joy and he's "an award winning journalist", so I would say the tea boy done good.

 

[Broken Hearted Sky Blue]

I am genuinely aghast at this. Seriously what do you actually expect?

This is a fans forum of a football club. Believe it or not a lot on here are only interested in the club.

Many of us have supported the football club for a long, long time. For many it's at a low ebb and the last thing we need is an advert for all that's fine and dandy from the entity that's delivered probably the terminal kick in the guts.

I'm used to the cet reporting on the football club as its principal sports story. Journalists like Neville Foulger who seemed to have huge affinity at the club and I cannot imagine succumbing to what we are now witnessing in your paper.

You cannot seriously suggest that the articles you write about the two clubs are balanced. Fisher says he spoke to rugby council and you hunt for proof. You find experts to try and prove a new ground is financial suicide. Even when they don't actually say that the headline does anyway. The wasps owner says they are not a franchise. Will you be asking an expert if this is the case? The owner says that they had to move here which directly contradicts prior statements. Statements you choose to ignore

This forum is an easy ride for you I can assure you. I can't think of any other club that has apologists for any institution that tries to bring the club down as there is on here. Try and work in Milwall Sunderland or Leeds and see how you get on.

In the meantime stand in front of the mirror and say journalistic integrity and see how honest you look when you say it.

This has got to be a wind up,you talking of integrity hahahahahaha

 

[Nick]

Good old Les did with Joy and he's "an award winning journalist", so I would say the tea boy done good.

Does anybody know what the award was for? Was it for a particular story?

 

[Broken Hearted Sky Blue]

Does anybody know what the award was for? Was it for a particular story?

I don't know Nick but have heard that he's changing his name to Les Awardwinningjournalist-Reed,not sure if thats true,but thats how he's introduced on radio.

 

[italiahorse]

Sounds like a race to the bottom.
Wasps have got everything going well at the moment, but rather than drag ourselves up to their level we try to drag them down to ours.
Get a life guys, it's done and dusted, lets start getting CCFC back where we want then and stop making excuses.

Just wish Sisu would go so we can get someone in to drive this forward.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Sounds like a race to the bottom.
Wasps have got everything going well at the moment, but rather than drag ourselves up to their level we try to drag them down to ours.
Get a life guys, it's done and dusted, lets start getting CCFC back where we want then and stop making excuses.

Just wish Sisu would go so we can get someone in to drive this forward.

How do you propose we get CCFC back to where we want them?

And please do offer a better suggestion than lets make £5 million a year and have a go. Soon you will have to accept the inevitable conclusion that this, league one is now our level. Best we can hope for is a short stint in the championship every now and then.