R360!!!!

[SaintK]

I wonder where the money is coming from for this and will it get off the ground?

Plans are under way for a revolutionary franchise league that hopes to attract the game's biggest stars.
The competition, known as R360, is scheduled to be launched next year, with benefactors from across other sports reported to be interested in investing.
Organisers insist the new league will not clash with international rugby and say players will be able to continue to represent their countries in tournaments such as the Six Nations.
In a prospectus seen by the BBC, R360 says it can give the sport its "Super Bowl moment" with a global league that would be the "pinnacle of rugby".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-uni ... xw09z4o

[sturginho]

"Clubs around the world are feeling the strain and are being propped up by the international game," Tindall added.

So we're forming a breakaway league to kill them off completely!

[Hugo]

Tindalls the figure head?

As far as financing, these days in sport it's one of two places - American private equity or Arab money. They are both hovering up all the sport they can.

[Sandstorm]

Well I can see the Boks playing Easy Rugby in Japan being available for more matches each season - but every other league is already at full stretch and players are burning out.

Where the hell is the extra schedule window going to appear?

[Hugo]

Well I can see the Boks playing Easy Rugby in Japan being available for more matches each season - but every other league is already at full stretch and players are burning out.

Where the hell is the extra schedule window going to appear?

Agreed. It seems like the most pie in the sky thing imaginable. I'm sure they have money to throw at it and get players to sign up but starting a competition up out of thin air in a top down approach - I don't see how it gets buy in from supporters.

[SaintK]

Tindalls the figure head?

As far as financing, these days in sport it's one of two places - American private equity or Arab money. They are both hovering up all the sport they can.

Quite!
And Stuart Hooper!!!!!

[sockwithaticket]

Tindalls the figure head?

As far as financing, these days in sport it's one of two places - American private equity or Arab money. They are both hovering up all the sport they can.

Quite!
And Stuart Hooper!!!!!

You can only assume they're engaging people who know fuck all about rugby and are bad at doing due diligence, because anyone who looked up Hooper would know to walk away.

[Biffer]

I wonder where the money is coming from for this and will it get off the ground?

Plans are under way for a revolutionary franchise league that hopes to attract the game's biggest stars.
The competition, known as R360, is scheduled to be launched next year, with benefactors from across other sports reported to be interested in investing.
Organisers insist the new league will not clash with international rugby and say players will be able to continue to represent their countries in tournaments such as the Six Nations.
In a prospectus seen by the BBC, R360 says it can give the sport its "Super Bowl moment" with a global league that would be the "pinnacle of rugby".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-uni ... xw09z4o

What they've missed about that 'ok to play internationals' bit is that any cross border league has to be approved by each of the national unions of the territories they're in.

[laurent]

I wonder where the money is coming from for this and will it get off the ground?

Plans are under way for a revolutionary franchise league that hopes to attract the game's biggest stars.
The competition, known as R360, is scheduled to be launched next year, with benefactors from across other sports reported to be interested in investing.
Organisers insist the new league will not clash with international rugby and say players will be able to continue to represent their countries in tournaments such as the Six Nations.
In a prospectus seen by the BBC, R360 says it can give the sport its "Super Bowl moment" with a global league that would be the "pinnacle of rugby".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-uni ... xw09z4o

What they've missed about that 'ok to play internationals' bit is that any cross border league has to be approved by each of the national unions of the territories they're in.

I don't see the French Getting onboard ...
Funny it's the biggest market

[Sandstorm]

If they want to invest in Rugby, there are plenty of leagues (England, Wales, Argentina) that need a cash injection.
Otherwise throw money at Soup, URC or The Euro Comps.
Or pay big money for USA, PI Teams, etc to get more games against Tier 1 nations. South Africa would take a lot of cash to host Tests in the Republic against anyone who'll pay.
Or bring up the Tier 3 nations with a big annual comp like the 6 Nations, etc, etc.

There's so many areas where that cash could be spent without trying to break up current teams with a cheque book, that won't upset fans everywhere.

[Kawazaki]

Rugby Union is like a very very old brand that has struggled to move into the digital age and it's once mighty capitalization is rapidly receding as younger more dynamic brands are attracting all the new money.

Rugby is like Pears Soap, Parker Pens or HMV.


For less than the price of a single top football club, world rugby could be bought across the world. The PIF fund could probably buy worldwide rugby for less than £2bn. Probably much less.

[Hugo]

Rugby Union is like a very very old brand that has struggled to move into the digital age and it's once mighty capitalization is rapidly receding as younger more dynamic brands are attracting all the new money.

Rugby is like Pears Soap, Parker Pens or HMV.


For less than the price of a single top football club, world rugby could be bought across the world. The PIF fund could probably buy worldwide rugby for less than £2bn. Probably much less.

Do you see that as a good or bad thing?

For me I see football which (at the very top level) exists as a cash cow (or vanity project) for gazillionaires. It's mostly lost whatever soul it had and the bona fide connections it had to the local community/grassroots and is just Big Business. It's only going to continue to move in that direction.

Rugby is small enough that it still has that connection to the people and to the grassroots and that is a plus imo. Becoming a bigger more popular sport just means more (non rugby type) investors getting involved who are looking to make some money and don't care what they do to the sport in order to achieve that.

[Lobby]

It all sounds a lot like the World Rugby Corporation that Kerry Packer tried to set up after the 1995 Rugby World Cup. As I recall, he signed a few big names, but the whole thing collapsed as soon as people realised that they wouldn't be eligible to play international rugby if they joined his band of mercenaries.

[Slick]

Rugby Union is like a very very old brand that has struggled to move into the digital age and it's once mighty capitalization is rapidly receding as younger more dynamic brands are attracting all the new money.

Rugby is like Pears Soap, Parker Pens or HMV.


For less than the price of a single top football club, world rugby could be bought across the world. The PIF fund could probably buy worldwide rugby for less than £2bn. Probably much less.

Do you see that as a good or bad thing?

For me I see football which (at the very top level) exists as a cash cow (or vanity project) for gazillionaires. It's mostly lost whatever soul it had and the bona fide connections it had to the local community/grassroots and is just Big Business. It's only going to continue to move in that direction.

Rugby is small enough that it still has that connection to the people and to the grassroots and that is a plus imo. Becoming a bigger more popular sport just means more (non rugby type) investors getting involved who are looking to make some money and don't care what they do to the sport in order to achieve that.

A lot of words to say “SPIVS”!!!

[Margin__Walker]

You tend to get one of these stories at least once a year.

They never get close to getting off the ground.

[Uncle fester]

Not content with wrecking the European competition, the spivs want to have a go on the global stage now.

[SaintK]

Not content with wrecking the European competition, the spivs want to have a go on the global stage now.

Not sure these spivs would have had anything to do with that

[Kawazaki]

There is over $750bn in the Saudi PIF fund. That is a staggering amount of money. A loss leader for that fund might be $5bn.

People scoffed and laughed at LIV golf but it hasn't gone away and the direction of travel now is the established old guard are moving inexorably towards LIV, not the other way around.

PIF could do the same in rugby for a fraction of the cost that golf cost them except rugby will arguably deliver a better ROI - however they choose to measure what that is.

[Sandstorm]

There is over $750bn in the Saudi PIF fund. That is a staggering amount of money. A loss leader for that fund might be $5bn.

People scoffed and laughed at LIV golf but it hasn't gone away and the direction of travel now is the established old guard are moving inexorably towards LIV, not the other way around.

PIF could do the same in rugby for a fraction of the cost that golf cost them except rugby will arguably deliver a better ROI - however they choose to measure what that is.

Please don’t encourage these money men.

[Hugo]

I was about to post something similar. The inter coach (Inzaghi) is now going to go to Saudi Arabia and will be on €26 million per annum, net.

The Saudis could probably pay the top 300 rugby players in the world €2 million annum and I doubt they would blink an eye.

The only reason that they wouldn't bother is that there is very little soft power in controlling rugby like there is in golf, boxing or hosting an Olympics or a world cup.

[Biffer]

I was about to post something similar. The inter coach (Inzaghi) is now going to go to Saudi Arabia and will be on €26 million per annum, net.

The Saudis could probably pay the top 300 rugby players in the world €2 million annum and I doubt they would blink an eye.

The only reason that they wouldn't bother is that there is very little soft power in controlling rugby like there is in golf, boxing or hosting an Olympics or a world cup.

Got to ask yourself where the Saudis want to buy exposure though. Rugby has no USA / China / Germany /profile, unlike golf and football. Don’t see the attraction for them.

[Kawazaki]

There is over $750bn in the Saudi PIF fund. That is a staggering amount of money. A loss leader for that fund might be $5bn.

People scoffed and laughed at LIV golf but it hasn't gone away and the direction of travel now is the established old guard are moving inexorably towards LIV, not the other way around.

PIF could do the same in rugby for a fraction of the cost that golf cost them except rugby will arguably deliver a better ROI - however they choose to measure what that is.

Please don’t encourage these money men.

Do you think the IRB (World Rugby) are any less motivated by money?! There are so many test matches nowadays, it's madness. And we soon have the fucking Nations Cup to add on. A player with an injury free 8 year test career will easily get 100 caps. It's crazy. We need far less test rugby for our to become meaningful again.

[Hugo]

I was about to post something similar. The inter coach (Inzaghi) is now going to go to Saudi Arabia and will be on €26 million per annum, net.

The Saudis could probably pay the top 300 rugby players in the world €2 million annum and I doubt they would blink an eye.

The only reason that they wouldn't bother is that there is very little soft power in controlling rugby like there is in golf, boxing or hosting an Olympics or a world cup.

Got to ask yourself where the Saudis want to buy exposure though. Rugby has no USA / China / Germany /profile, unlike golf and football. Don’t see the attraction for them.

Fully agree and that is the saving grace for rugby, it is not a sport with a high profile outside a few hotbeds so there's not really all that much benefit in investing in it if you are doing so for vanity purposes.

The biggest rugby clubs or franchises in the world at best would be on par with a football team like Southampton.

However, if it tickled their fancy the Saudis could potentially be very disruptive in the sport if they became involved.

[Uncle fester]

I was about to post something similar. The inter coach (Inzaghi) is now going to go to Saudi Arabia and will be on €26 million per annum, net.

The Saudis could probably pay the top 300 rugby players in the world €2 million annum and I doubt they would blink an eye.

The only reason that they wouldn't bother is that there is very little soft power in controlling rugby like there is in golf, boxing or hosting an Olympics or a world cup.

Got to ask yourself where the Saudis want to buy exposure though. Rugby has no USA / China / Germany /profile, unlike golf and football. Don’t see the attraction for them.

Welsh TV money?

[Biffer]

I was about to post something similar. The inter coach (Inzaghi) is now going to go to Saudi Arabia and will be on €26 million per annum, net.

The Saudis could probably pay the top 300 rugby players in the world €2 million annum and I doubt they would blink an eye.

The only reason that they wouldn't bother is that there is very little soft power in controlling rugby like there is in golf, boxing or hosting an Olympics or a world cup.

Got to ask yourself where the Saudis want to buy exposure though. Rugby has no USA / China / Germany /profile, unlike golf and football. Don’t see the attraction for them.

Welsh TV money?

Damn, you’ve detected the weakness in my argument.

[I like neeps]

I was about to post something similar. The inter coach (Inzaghi) is now going to go to Saudi Arabia and will be on €26 million per annum, net.

The Saudis could probably pay the top 300 rugby players in the world €2 million annum and I doubt they would blink an eye.

The only reason that they wouldn't bother is that there is very little soft power in controlling rugby like there is in golf, boxing or hosting an Olympics or a world cup.

Got to ask yourself where the Saudis want to buy exposure though. Rugby has no USA / China / Germany /profile, unlike golf and football. Don’t see the attraction for them.

Fully agree and that is the saving grace for rugby, it is not a sport with a high profile outside a few hotbeds so there's not really all that much benefit in investing in it if you are doing so for vanity purposes.

The biggest rugby clubs or franchises in the world at best would be on par with a football team like Southampton.

However, if it tickled their fancy the Saudis could potentially be very disruptive in the sport if they became involved.

There's no reason for the Saudis to have any interest in rugby.

LIV golf: golf brings high value tourists who bring their cash.
Football: the population love it and so fewer uprisings.
Rugby: unknown sport in country with no tourism potential.

R360 is stupid. Goode on today's rugby podcast is right, taking rugby from its known fans to somewhere in the hope of finding unknown fans.

Sport doesn't need to grow at x% per year and be a money making outlet for billionaires.

[Hugo]

Got to ask yourself where the Saudis want to buy exposure though. Rugby has no USA / China / Germany /profile, unlike golf and football. Don’t see the attraction for them.

Fully agree and that is the saving grace for rugby, it is not a sport with a high profile outside a few hotbeds so there's not really all that much benefit in investing in it if you are doing so for vanity purposes.

The biggest rugby clubs or franchises in the world at best would be on par with a football team like Southampton.

However, if it tickled their fancy the Saudis could potentially be very disruptive in the sport if they became involved.

There's no reason for the Saudis to have any interest in rugby.

LIV golf: golf brings high value tourists who bring their cash.
Football: the population love it and so fewer uprisings.
Rugby: unknown sport in country with no tourism potential.

R360 is stupid. Goode on today's rugby podcast is right, taking rugby from its known fans to somewhere in the hope of finding unknown fans.

Sport doesn't need to grow at x% per year and be a money making outlet for billionaires.

Agreed.

Honestly, I think rugby dodges so many bullets because it's not quite big enough or popular enough to attract the carpet baggers en masse.

In many ways rugby - being relatively incomprehensible to the layperson - gatekeeps itself pretty effectively.

[laurent]

Fully agree and that is the saving grace for rugby, it is not a sport with a high profile outside a few hotbeds so there's not really all that much benefit in investing in it if you are doing so for vanity purposes.

The biggest rugby clubs or franchises in the world at best would be on par with a football team like Southampton.

However, if it tickled their fancy the Saudis could potentially be very disruptive in the sport if they became involved.

There's no reason for the Saudis to have any interest in rugby.

LIV golf: golf brings high value tourists who bring their cash.
Football: the population love it and so fewer uprisings.
Rugby: unknown sport in country with no tourism potential.

R360 is stupid. Goode on today's rugby podcast is right, taking rugby from its known fans to somewhere in the hope of finding unknown fans.

Sport doesn't need to grow at x% per year and be a money making outlet for billionaires.

Agreed.

Honestly, I think rugby dodges so many bullets because it's not quite big enough or popular enough to attract the carpet baggers en masse.

In many ways rugby - being relatively incomprehensible to the layperson - gatekeeps itself pretty effectively.

There was finally a short article in French Press it presents this as a Premiership splinter group
Apparently no Top14 players contacted.

[Biffer]

There's no reason for the Saudis to have any interest in rugby.

LIV golf: golf brings high value tourists who bring their cash.
Football: the population love it and so fewer uprisings.
Rugby: unknown sport in country with no tourism potential.

R360 is stupid. Goode on today's rugby podcast is right, taking rugby from its known fans to somewhere in the hope of finding unknown fans.

Sport doesn't need to grow at x% per year and be a money making outlet for billionaires.

Agreed.

Honestly, I think rugby dodges so many bullets because it's not quite big enough or popular enough to attract the carpet baggers en masse.

In many ways rugby - being relatively incomprehensible to the layperson - gatekeeps itself pretty effectively.

There was finally a short article in French Press it presents this as a Premiership splinter group
Apparently no Top14 players contacted.

Has the stench of the Welsh and southwest trying to set up a B&I league that no one else wants.

[SaintK]

There's no reason for the Saudis to have any interest in rugby.

LIV golf: golf brings high value tourists who bring their cash.
Football: the population love it and so fewer uprisings.
Rugby: unknown sport in country with no tourism potential.

R360 is stupid. Goode on today's rugby podcast is right, taking rugby from its known fans to somewhere in the hope of finding unknown fans.

Sport doesn't need to grow at x% per year and be a money making outlet for billionaires.

Agreed.

Honestly, I think rugby dodges so many bullets because it's not quite big enough or popular enough to attract the carpet baggers en masse.

In many ways rugby - being relatively incomprehensible to the layperson - gatekeeps itself pretty effectively.

There was finally a short article in French Press it presents this as a Premiership splinter group
Apparently no Top14 players contacted.

How very French!
As far as has been reported no Premiership players have been approached either.
Stephen Jones in The Times thinks it's a potentiaally good idea so you know it will never happen

[Hal Jordan]

Spivs.

Now that's a name I've not heard in a.long time. A long time.

[I like neeps]

Agreed.

Honestly, I think rugby dodges so many bullets because it's not quite big enough or popular enough to attract the carpet baggers en masse.

In many ways rugby - being relatively incomprehensible to the layperson - gatekeeps itself pretty effectively.

There was finally a short article in French Press it presents this as a Premiership splinter group
Apparently no Top14 players contacted.

How very French!
As far as has been reported no Premiership players have been approached either.
Stephen Jones in The Times thinks it's a potentiaally good idea so you know it will never happen

A predictably terrible article but buying this uncritically from his source was the best bit

They also deny that their venture would shatter the club game. “We want the very best players, but as a by-product we would be removing from some clubs easily their biggest expenses, and as a by-product we might make clubs around the world profitable. It would be possible for players to stay with Bath, for example, or join R360.”

Its actually good for Bath to lose their best players because they might make money.... A quite incredible piece of logic.

[Slick]

There was finally a short article in French Press it presents this as a Premiership splinter group
Apparently no Top14 players contacted.

How very French!
As far as has been reported no Premiership players have been approached either.
Stephen Jones in The Times thinks it's a potentiaally good idea so you know it will never happen

A predictably terrible article but buying this uncritically from his source was the best bit

They also deny that their venture would shatter the club game. “We want the very best players, but as a by-product we would be removing from some clubs easily their biggest expenses, and as a by-product we might make clubs around the world profitable. It would be possible for players to stay with Bath, for example, or join R360.”

Its actually good for Bath to lose their best players because they might make money.... A quite incredible piece of logic.

It was a really dreadful article. He must be on the payroll

[Paddington Bear]

Terrible idea on a number of levels, but one thing that immediately struck me is that if they are planning on having a global grand prix, surely half the rounds are going to be at awful times for their core tv audience? Meaning their revenue calculations are almost immediately junk