Former England international Austin Healey has claimed that a team must be located in Birmingham if the Premiership is to properly go down the franchise route.
RFU CEO Bill Sweeney last month suggested that a franchise-style system, with clubs awarded licenses to play based on finances, fanbase and facilities as well as results on the pitch, was the ambition for the top flight.
This idea was followed by last week’s confirmation of the rebranded 14-team second-tier Champ that includes the resurrected Worcester.
Healey thoughts
Clubs in England are desperate for solutions to their never-ending financial headache and Healey has now chipped in with his thoughts on franchising, insisting that a team must be situated in the country’s second-biggest city.
Speaking on TNT Sports following coverage of Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership match between Harlequins and Exeter Chiefs, the ex-Leicester and two-time British and Irish Lions tourist insisted that England’s second city must be included in any RFU franchise plan for the league.
“Hear this franchise word sent around, we have to understand what it means,” began Healey, talking pitchside at The Stoop in the company of former Tigers and England teammate Ben Kay and presenter Craig Doyle.
“You can’t just say we are going to put a franchise system in place but not understanding are they going to group the deals so they collectively have one shirt sponsor, one stadium sponsor for every single stadium?
“What is undoubted is that Birmingham has to have a team. It’s the country’s second biggest city and there is not a rugby team in the centre of Birmingham, so you can have a team there.
“There is a lot of investment coming into Birmingham City from America [legendary NFL star Tom Brady is involved in the football club] and we have to start to tap into foreign investment, whether that is corporately or individuals who are funded.
“We’re hearing rumours that Red Bull might be interested in buying Newcastle. That could be a brilliant idea and what a wonderful marriage and also set a bit of a business plan for some of the others to follow, making those long-term commitments from big companies who have got a track record in sport, delivering sport overseas.
“The best country at this is America so we have to replicate some of the things they do really well whilst retaining our own soul.”
Kay view
Kay suggested that Exeter are an example of how franchising can be a success as they came into the league from an area in England that had no history of professional rugby but their business plan worked, taking them to a European/Premiership title double in 2020.
“One of the arguments for promotion was Exeter Chiefs,” he said. “They would have been a prime example of a franchise club. They had a business plan off the field with what they have done with their ground, they built a team and they have been successful since they came in.
“There have been other teams that came up into the spent, spent all their money on players and disappeared off the face of the earth. So it’s really important to match the ambition with solid foundations financially.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/the-undoubted-case-austin-healey-has-made-for-a-franchise-team-to-be-located-in-surprise-english-city
