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#Post#: 121108--------------------------------------------------
London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: Adrian
Date: March 16, 2024, 4:47 am
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HTML https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2024/03/16/daniel-thomas-loitz-german-investor-london-irish-rfu/
London Irish in advanced talks over takeover and eye 2025 return
to Championship
Exclusive: Daniel Thomas Loitz is hopeful club would be able to
compete in the Championship in time for the 2025-26 season
Tom Garry,
London Irish are in advanced talks over a takeover that would
revive the professional club.
The club have been in administration since June 2023 but German
investor Daniel Thomas Loitz, who heads up private investment
holding company Hokulani Ltd, has been in negotiations to save
them for several months.
A final agreement has not yet been reached but Telegraph Sport
understands a deal is now closer than ever. A large number of
separate creditors would have to sign off on any deal, but Loitz
is hopeful that London Irish could be competing in the
Championship, English rugby’s second tier, in time for the
2025-26 season.
Speaking exclusively to Telegraph Sport, Loitz said: “London
Irish is a wonderful brand and has so much history. I do not
want to strive for idiotic things like immediate silverware, but
I want to focus on the community, engaging with the fans and
having an identity at the club.
Daniel Thomas Loitz - German investor poised to bring London
Irish back as a professional club
The move is part of Daniel Thomas Loitz's vision to support
English rugby
“For example, I believe it’s necessary that we concentrate on
producing players for the English youth national teams and mould
players for the future. That’s good for the English game, it’s
good for English rugby.
“We also want to make sure we have a great relationship with
London Irish’s amateur club, and to have a pathway together
where we can bring through talents.”
London Irish filed for administration last June following their
suspension by the Rugby Football Union from all leagues for
failing to provide proof of funds and ownership for the 2023-24
season.
Asked how soon London Irish could be competing again, Loitz
added: “The most realistic version of it would be 2025-26,
because at this point there are so many parties involved in
order to bring back Championship rugby with the London Irish
brand, and I really understand that it’s reasonable for the RFU
to never want to lose a brand like that again, because it would
not look good. So we have to follow a process first, which I
completely understand.
“I want to give credit to the RFU and the administrators from
the Resolve Group and to Mick Crossan, who has said he wants the
club to be in good hands. For them, it’s not about the money –
credit to all of them – instead it’s been about the vision for
the club.”
Loitz also says he wants the club to resume training at
Hazelwood, the 63-acre training ground in Sunbury-on-Thames,
which was the team’s base prior to them going under in the
summer of 2023.
Hokulani Ltd already own several women’s football clubs around
the world, including Halifax, who play in the Women’s National
League Northern Premier Division, the third tier of English
football.
In December, Hokulani purchased the franchise rights to one of
the new women’s football clubs that will play in Canada’s
“Project 8” competition, a new, fully professional women’s
league launching in 2025. That deal will involve building a club
from scratch.
#Post#: 121118--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: Nico Wilson
Date: March 16, 2024, 11:31 am
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Does Loitz simply buy the “London Irish” brand off the
administrators, or is there more to it?
#Post#: 121120--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: March 16, 2024, 12:06 pm
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--- Quote from: Nico Wilson link ---
>
> Does Loitz simply buy the “London Irish” brand off the
administrators, or is there more to it?
>
--- End Quote ---
Well he wants Hazelwood (for training) so you'd think he has to
buy the company(ies). Unless Hazelwood is separate. I really
can't remember. But he also talks about creditor sign-off which
also suggests it's more than the brand.
#Post#: 121125--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: Wirralquin
Date: March 17, 2024, 1:58 am
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as a championship supporter of Caldy , we for one do not support
this , the way Bill Sweeney has treated this league and his
aspirations are beyond contempt .
#Post#: 121127--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: March 17, 2024, 2:10 am
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Don’t support this at all. Start from the very bottom, and don’t
get shoe horned in for an easy premiership return. All this does
is reward bad management of clubs! Essentially says, yeah be
financially stupid, but don’t worry put your feet up for a bit
and we will get you a seat at the table when you are ready
#Post#: 121130--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: March 17, 2024, 2:41 am
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First reaction is, how many houses can you fit onto Hazelwood?
Also, like the Wasps saga, why should they receive preferential
treatment after going bust?
I think their Vision is slightly blurred.
#Post#: 121132--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: T-Bone
Date: March 17, 2024, 2:56 am
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This chap is certainly saying some more acceptable things than
the wasps lot. Agreeing deal with creditors, links with amateur
club, etc. it might all be hot air but it's not as obviously
awful as the wasps approach
#Post#: 121139--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: poorfour
Date: March 17, 2024, 5:36 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: T-Bone link ---
>
> This chap is certainly saying some more acceptable things than
the wasps lot. Agreeing deal with creditors, links with amateur
club, etc. it might all be hot air but it's not as obviously
awful as the wasps approach
>
--- End Quote ---
If he wants access to Hazelwood he doesn't have much option -
it's still used extensively by the amateurs.
While it leaves a bit of a bad taste in the mouth if the folded
clubs have a fast track back to the Premier, the reality is that
none of the Championship clubs are actually ready to make the
step up competitively or in terms of facilities. It's not like
there's another Exeter out there being held back, and the game
would benefit from having additional teams as long as it doesn't
overstress the playing calendar.
#Post#: 121140--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: SunburyQuin
Date: March 17, 2024, 6:17 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: poorfour link ---
>
> If he wants access to Hazelwood he doesn't have much option -
it's still used extensively by the amateurs.
>
> While it leaves a bit of a bad taste in the mouth if the
folded clubs have a fast track back to the Premier, the reality
is that none of the Championship clubs are actually ready to
make the step up competitively or in terms of facilities. It's
not like there's another Exeter out there being held back, and
the game would benefit from having additional teams as long as
it doesn't overstress the playing calendar.
>
--- End Quote ---
It would be nice to see L. Irish back and, although I don't see
it coming, my other team Worcester Warriors (who suffered from
mis-management by 2 very unscrupulous owners). Wasps - I do not
know enough about to comment.
Ealing (although their facilities wouldn't allow them to
qualify) would not disgrace the Premiership - they certainly
wouldn't prove to be another London Welsh.
#Post#: 121141--------------------------------------------------
Re: London Irish takeover and return.
DIR By: A222Quin
Date: March 17, 2024, 8:22 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: poorfour link ---
>
> If he wants access to Hazelwood he doesn't have much option -
it's still used extensively by the amateurs.
>
> While it leaves a bit of a bad taste in the mouth if the
folded clubs have a fast track back to the Premier, the reality
is that none of the Championship clubs are actually ready to
make the step up competitively or in terms of facilities. It's
not like there's another Exeter out there being held back, and
the game would benefit from having additional teams as long as
it doesn't overstress the playing calendar.
>
--- End Quote ---
The issue here is how sustainable are they in this day and age?
If they turn up and try to go after the same London catchment
that they've barely scratched the surface of before then how
long will this new owner hope to pump money in?
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