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#Post#: 149355--------------------------------------------------
Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: DOK
Date: February 11, 2026, 3:50 am
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If passed, the proposals would have seen five of Prem Rugby’s 10
teams instantly made ineligible for the competition.
HTML https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-prem-rugby-kicks-plan-to-hike-stadiums-to-15000-into-touch/
#Post#: 149357--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: February 11, 2026, 4:05 am
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Calls for franchising have grown amid mounting losses at Prem
Rugby clubs – Exeter Chiefs recently registered a deficit of
over £10m while Sale Sharks’ losses were in the high seven
figures.
#Post#: 149358--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: February 11, 2026, 4:08 am
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I'm not saying I'm in favour of Franchising particularly because
I love the ethos of Club Rugby and its culture and look what
happened in Wales when they merged clubs together, BUT, there
are certain realities out there.
#Post#: 149360--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: DazzaS
Date: February 11, 2026, 4:17 am
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I am not certain how franchising will improve things. I will not
feel a loyalty to a club that is not Harlequins.
What will they do? Just have a London team so no more Quins or
Saracens? Have just one east midlands team, a west midlands etc.
The clubs are distinctive in their culture and grew organically,
having an artificially put together culture hardly ever works
well. As Deadly said above, look at the Welsh regions.
#Post#: 149361--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: February 11, 2026, 4:33 am
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--- Quote from: DazzaS link ---
>
> I am not certain how franchising will improve things. I will
not feel a loyalty to a club that is not Harlequins.
>
> What will they do? Just have a London team so no more Quins or
Saracens? Have just one east midlands team, a west midlands etc.
The clubs are distinctive in their culture and grew organically,
having an artificially put together culture hardly ever works
well. As Deadly said above, look at the Welsh regions.
>
--- End Quote ---
The current teams will become the franchise's as they own the
league, an addition of two and perhaps four teams in the end is
the idea, is very similiar to the PWR model.
The only difference is that they may link the wage cap to
revenue, so you can only spend 60% of your revenue on wages or
the cap limit, which ever is lower.
#Post#: 149362--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: February 11, 2026, 4:34 am
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Wouldn't it be something if Harlequins won the bidding war for
the "London" Franchise and The Dark Lords disappeared....
#Post#: 149364--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: February 11, 2026, 4:36 am
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The concept of a Draft System each year/two would shake things
up too...
#Post#: 149366--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: February 11, 2026, 4:45 am
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--- Quote from: deadlyfrom5yardsout link ---
>
> The concept of a Draft System each year/two would shake things
up too...
>
--- End Quote ---
This isnt how it will work, and there will be no draft system.
HTML https://www.sportspro.com/news/decision-makers/prem-rugby-franchise-league-ring-fenced-clubs-rfu-champ-2029-january-2026/
Saracens chief executive Charlie Beall told SportsPro at the
start of the 2025/26 Prem Rugby season that he would support a
franchise model provided there were certain assurances.
“The definition of a franchise league is still being contested,
but in theory if you didn’t have relegation I think that would
make the league and the teams more investable, which would then
give you the opportunity to attract new capital partners,” said
Beall.
“If a franchise model meant that you could grow the league over
time by carefully selecting who would get access to promotion
into that league, you could carefully grow it in a sustainable
way.
“If those were the fundamentals that went into a franchise
model, speaking from a personal perspective, I’d welcome that.”
#Post#: 149367--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: February 11, 2026, 5:01 am
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Yes and No then?
#Post#: 149371--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem Rugby kicks 15,000+ stadiums into touch
DIR By: DOK
Date: February 11, 2026, 6:28 am
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but is the franchise model just going to be a chunk of rich
investors throwing good money down the drain? OK, we swap Duncan
Saville for Standard Life or some such, but how is that going to
increase crowds? A new franchise builds a new Stoop in the
council bin lorry park behind the current pitch, at a cost of
what? How is the franchise going to make money? I assume that
will be their goal?
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