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#Post#: 51034--------------------------------------------------
SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: October 4, 2020, 4:37 am
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Exclusive: Saracens will take 'pre-emptive action' if
Championship season is postponed and results in extended exile
Saracens have drawn up contingency plans, which could involve
legal challenges, to avoid being exiled from top flight for an
extra year
By
Daniel Schofield,(Telegraph)
Saracens will take “pre-emptive action” to ensure they are not
stuck in limbo if the 2020/21 Championship season is postponed.
The reigning English and European champions will be play their
final Premiership match against Bath on Sunday before they are
relegated to the second tier as punishment for salary-cap
breaches. However, there is still no start date for the
Championship season with many clubs saying that it would be
impossible to play if crowds are still not permitted in
stadiums. With the RFU slashing its central funding to the
Championship, clubs are almost entirely reliant on matchday
income. Nottingham chairman Alistair Bow says that he represents
most clubs in saying it would be “financial suicide” to start
the season without crowds.
That could theoretically leave Saracens trapped in the second
tier if they were unable to win promotion back to the
Premiership. However, Saracens board member Vic Luck told The
Sunday Telegraph that they have drawn up contingency plans,
which could involve regulatory and legal challenges, to avoid
being exiled from the top flight for another year. “It has come
up in our board meetings,” Luck said. “There are a few things
around our scenarios where we will have pre-emptive action being
taken. I can’t divulge the exact details but we would be ahead
of the game.”
Luck, who spent 25 years as a chartered accountant with PwC, was
appointed to the Saracens board as chief financial officer in
August and has a direct responsibility for managing the salary
cap. Since the start of the year, Saracens have moved on 15
internationals, whether permanently or on loan, to fit under the
cap, but have maintained their “crown jewels” such as Maro Itoje
and Owen Farrell. Premiership Rugby's Andrew Rogers visited the
club last week to inspect the books and Luck confirmed Saracens
are operating well below the £7 million ceiling. “At working
level, our general manager, Phil Morrow, has an excellent
relationship with Andrew,” Luck said. “I think he is quite happy
with everything. We are pretty determined that there is plenty
of leeway between our limit and our salaries.”
While Saracens had budgeted for their year in the Championship,
like every other club they have been severely affected by the
lack of crowds. At present, matchday income accounts for 46 per
cent of their total revenue, a proportion that increases
significantly in the Championship with a fraction of the
television and central funding.
Leading players have already agreed to take pay-cuts and defer
their wages above £75,000 but Luck admits Saracens will be
reliant upon the continued financial support of Nigel Wray, who
had formally cut many of his ties with the club after the
salary-cap scandal.
“Nigel has a lot of patience and understands the devastating
impact,” Luck said. “He is happy to carry on supporting the club
as long as he can and extending his generosity. He is driven by
the need to make a positive impact on society through sport and
the last thing that he would want would be to make a negative
impact by not continuing to support Saracens. I also would not
underplay the effect of the players and staff taking the salary
cut and the wages deferral.”
Even with Wray’s backing, Saracens will still require financial
support from the Government’s bailout fund for sports if crowds
continue to be locked out of stadiums. Once they ride out this
current storm, Luck firmly believes that Saracens can return to
their place at the top of the English game as well as achieving
financial sustainability – and is looking to Italy for
inspiration.
“I looked at other sports over the years and the one that struck
me as being parallel to our situation was Juventus (after the
Calciopoli match-fixing scandal in 2006),” Luck said. “They took
a tumble into Serie B, took a while to come back but they moved
from being a club that threw money away to a club that sustained
financial success in concert with success on the pitch. They
have just won their ninth Serie A on the bounce. That wouldn’t
be bad for us.”
#Post#: 51038--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: Mayor West
Date: October 4, 2020, 5:50 am
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Two things; Firstly, I don’t see how you can demand to be
promoted if the season doesn’t happen. That’s beyond arrogant.
How can you know who is the best team in the championship if no
games are played. I hope there is no clause saying they only
have to be there for one season.
Secondly, they had to let 15 internationals go
to get under the cap. Says it all in that statement.
#Post#: 51040--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: honkytonk
Date: October 4, 2020, 5:54 am
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There cant be a clause stating they only serve one season. What
would happen if they did not win the Champ, they would not just
be placed back in the Prem. They made their bed, tough luck
#Post#: 51042--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: Mayor West
Date: October 4, 2020, 6:04 am
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Why are they wasting money on lawyers if there isn’t something
they have found. Are the lawyers being consulted about player
contracts as they didn’t expect to spend two seasons in the
Championship. I also find it annoying that they are still
described as English and European Champions without mentioning
that they achieved this by cheating.
#Post#: 51043--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: SwindonQuin
Date: October 4, 2020, 6:13 am
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Well that would be the premiership ringfenced from the 2021/22
season with the championship downgraded to amateurs status.
If they let Saracens bully their way back into the premiership
without earning promotion that will be the end of the integrity
' Premiership Rugby'.
Are there options for a breakaway league by other Premiership
teams if this did happen, I can't see Quins, Wasps or Exeter
accepting it without a fight.
#Post#: 51045--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: never sleep
Date: October 4, 2020, 6:44 am
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I hope that sarries don't force the championship teams to play
without crowds. I suspect that all 11 other teams would go
bankrupt.
Richmond say that they would lose £10k per game. That would
finish then off.
#Post#: 51046--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: Only Joe Quin
Date: October 4, 2020, 7:16 am
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Why don’t they just pay all the other championship teams £10k
per match for as long as full crowds aren’t allowed? Surely that
nice Mr Wray would be happy to pay for that?
#Post#: 51047--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: Mayor West
Date: October 4, 2020, 7:25 am
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That would be perfect if they still didn’t win it. Make it
£15000 per game just to make it worthwhile. That would only be a
few million £.
#Post#: 51048--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: never sleep
Date: October 4, 2020, 7:38 am
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To be fair. It would only cost around £600k. But much in the
scheme of things. Less than one of his big names salaries.
Edit. Scrap that, I clearly can't do my sums today 😀
#Post#: 51188--------------------------------------------------
Re: SalaryCens Lawyers in the starting blocks!
DIR By: Comet
Date: October 4, 2020, 1:47 pm
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--- Quote from: Mayor West link ---
>
> Two things; Firstly, I don’t see how you can demand to be
promoted if the season doesn’t happen. That’s beyond arrogant.
How can you know who is the best team in the championship if no
games are played. I hope there is no clause saying they only
have to be there for one season.
> Secondly, they had to let 15 internationals go to get under
the cap. Says it all in that statement.
>
--- End Quote ---
Agree. Particularly about the 15 internationals to get under the
cap. I had to read that twice to take it in!
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