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#Post#: 152191--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: April 1, 2026, 4:27 am
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--- Quote from: deadlyfrom5yardsout link ---
>
> It would be interesting to have a comparison between Ealings
efforts to increase their crowd size and other pro clubs?
>
--- End Quote ---
They can expand to over 10000 seats, the present capacity is
6000, they would only be able to to be certified to 7500,
because of the single road.
HTML https://ealingtrailfinderssupporters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Map-TFSC_Ground-Safety-Info-Feb-2023.pdf
#Post#: 152201--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: never sleep
Date: April 1, 2026, 5:22 am
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--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
>
> Why the obsession with 10,000 seats? Why can't they allow
clubs with smaller grounds to be involved?
>
--- End Quote ---
My understanding is this.
10000 seat stadiums means that clubs can just comply with the
act that Rugbycat mentioned (Safety of Sports Grounds Act).
Basically, it a ground only had 5000 seats, then they wouldn't
fall into the governments head and safety laws and they would
have to define their own safety criteria. This then this would
cost the clubs to define this and would make insurance of events
difficult.
#Post#: 152207--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: April 1, 2026, 5:41 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: never sleep link ---
>
> My understanding is this.
>
> 10000 seat stadiums means that clubs can just comply with the
act that Rugbycat mentioned (Safety of Sports Grounds Act).
>
> Basically, it a ground only had 5000 seats, then they wouldn't
fall into the governments head and safety laws and they would
have to define their own safety criteria. This then this would
cost the clubs to define this and would make insurance of events
difficult.
>
--- End Quote ---
If they were a football club you need to meet the safety of
sports ground act at 5000 which they do, but since they are a
rugby club they need a capacity of 10000.
They can’t meet the requirements at that capacity as they only
have a single road, they have a maximum allowed capacity of
7500.
They already meet the amended fire regulations (1987) for their
covered stand, the safety of sports ground act is administered
by the local authority.
Even if as is likely one of the schools behind the club become
surplus to Ealing Councils requirements, it would cost £14.8m to
carry out the necessary improvements to comply with the act at
2023 prices excluding land purchase.
#Post#: 152213--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: April 1, 2026, 6:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
So, its a pet project for a sugar daddy who just likes pot
pinching every week?
#Post#: 152218--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: dawson9
Date: April 1, 2026, 6:40 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The weird thing with the 10k requirement is it's so out of
kilter with the actual popularity of the sport. Then again,
thats basically the RFU all over.
You have two stadiums in the current premiership that only just
meet the capacity requirements. Newcastle, Sarries and Sales
(without 'big' games) average attendances are under 10k. When
compared to football - you have 7 clubs in the current
Championship with under 10k capacities - in a far bigger and
more popular league/sport. The prem is basically enforcing the
same ground size criteria as the EPL - which is a league that
makes the prem look pitifully small time by comparison.
Its all either delusions of grandeur or just an artificial trap
door (or both)
#Post#: 152222--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: never sleep
Date: April 1, 2026, 7:03 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: dawson9 link ---
>
> The weird thing with the 10k requirement is it's so out of
kilter with the actual popularity of the sport. Then again,
thats basically the RFU all over.
>
> You have two stadiums in the current premiership that only
just meet the capacity requirements. Newcastle, Sarries and
Sales (without 'big' games) average attendances are under 10k.
When compared to football - you have 7 clubs in the current
Championship with under 10k capacities - in a far bigger and
more popular league/sport. The prem is basically enforcing the
same ground size criteria as the EPL - which is a league that
makes the prem look pitifully small time by comparison.
>
> Its all either delusions of grandeur or just an artificial
trap door (or both)
>
--- End Quote ---
Again - my understanding . . .
The law isn't just for rugby.
It applies to all sports other than football.
So - Wimbledon / Queens / Lords etc all have the 10,000
requirment.
Football is different in that they only need 5000. The reason is
that it is the FA that take the responsibility away from the
government for managing the risk.
The solution could be that the RFU makes its own rules and sets
a smaller target and they themselves do the ground audits etc. -
or, we lobby the government to look at reducing the requirement.
#Post#: 152227--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: April 1, 2026, 8:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: never sleep link ---
>
> Again - my understanding . . .
>
> The law isn't just for rugby.
> It applies to all sports other than football.
> So - Wimbledon / Queens / Lords etc all have the 10,000
requirment.
>
> Football is different in that they only need 5000. The reason
is that it is the FA that take the responsibility away from the
government for managing the risk.
>
>
> The solution could be that the RFU makes its own rules and
sets a smaller target and they themselves do the ground audits
etc. - or, we lobby the government to look at reducing the
requirement.
>
--- End Quote ---
The law is around capacity, Ealings ground has the required
safety to host a premier league football match (6000) and any
event up to 7500 people.
The restriction on Ealing is around emergency services access,
ie only one road to enter or leave the ground, the minimum for
the RFU to pass the MOS is 10001.
The present capacity is 6000 and there average attendance is
around 2000, Queens club capacity is 8600-9000, insurance is
linked with the capacity.
So they comply with the act at present up to 7500 and are fully
insured, could host a premier league football match, but the RFU
have decided 10001.
#Post#: 152231--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: Yareet
Date: April 1, 2026, 10:11 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Rugbycat link ---
>
> The law is around capacity, Ealings ground has the required
safety to host a premier league football match (6000) and any
event up to 7500 people.
> The restriction on Ealing is around emergency services access,
ie only one road to enter or leave the ground, the minimum for
the RFU to pass the MOS is 10001.
> The present capacity is 6000 and there average attendance is
around 2000, Queens club capacity is 8600-9000, insurance is
linked with the capacity.
> So they comply with the act at present up to 7500 and are
fully insured, could host a premier league football match, but
the RFU have decided 10001.
>
--- End Quote ---
I may be misunderstanding you here but the RFU didn't set the
10001 limit; that is stated in the Act. And as mentioned
elsewhere, it's an Act that covers all sports except football.
--- Quote from:
HTML https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/52
---
> The Secretary of State may by order designate as a sports
ground requiring a certificate under this Act (in this Act
referred to as a “safety certificate”) any sports ground which
in his opinion has accommodation for more than 10,000
spectators.
--- End Quote ---
#Post#: 152233--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: April 1, 2026, 10:55 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> I may be misunderstanding you here but the RFU didn't set the
10001 limit; that is stated in the Act. And as mentioned
elsewhere, it's an Act that covers all sports except football.
>
--- End Quote ---
No any sports ground over 10000 is subject to the legislation,
which is no different to grounds under 10000 if you have a
covered stand with a more than 500 capacity which they have, the
RFU decided to set the ground capacity to 10001.
The act is enforced by the local authority and Ealings ground is
complies with the act up to 7500, the 10001 number was probably
suggested by a consultant, it is not a higher safety standard.
The amount of access roads required is just a formula.
#Post#: 152234--------------------------------------------------
Re: Prem is a dead-duck league without relegation
DIR By: dawson9
Date: April 1, 2026, 10:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: never sleep link ---
>
> Again - my understanding . . .
>
> The law isn't just for rugby.
> It applies to all sports other than football.
> So - Wimbledon / Queens / Lords etc all have the 10,000
requirment.
>
> Football is different in that they only need 5000. The reason
is that it is the FA that take the responsibility away from the
government for managing the risk.
>
>
> The solution could be that the RFU makes its own rules and
sets a smaller target and they themselves do the ground audits
etc. - or, we lobby the government to look at reducing the
requirement.
>
--- End Quote ---
Might be me completely misunderstanding but I thought the ruling
from the SGSA is only that stadiums over 10k require a
certificate and the checks that go with it. Which some sports
decide to implement in their top leagues?
Super League has two clubs with less that 10k (Wakefield and
York), a number of County cricket clubs have less etc? So it is
possible if the RFU wanted to (which they dont)
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