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Post by Southampton Ox on May 15, 2012 6:11:37 GMT
Let's get some things straight chaps, Firstly I'm no Kassam lover. 1- Rugby at the stadium was always in the plan, even back in the Robin Herd days 2- A number of Rugby clubs have been courted at the stadium for a number of years, right from the off. Remember we've hosted European Rugby finals here. 3-London Welsh fans don't like it. www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s691.htm?1370,13290128 4-Their average attendance is only around the 300 mark, they are dead in the water in London 5-Gillingham and Palace have both been trying to get them in 6-Even if we owned the ground, I'd imagine Rugby would be part of the plan 7-This has been on the cards for ages, Welsh, Wasps or even Irish. 8-Has Rugby been bad for Wycombe or Reading? 9-Improvements would need to be made to the facilities, paint job and a trim for TV 10-The chances of Oxford buying the ground increase IMHO. 11-They're only looking to move in if they win 2 legs and get promotion, asking a team to do that on a neutral and then an away ground is quite an ask. 12- I'd guess less than 2,000 would watch the Oxford leg, if that. OxVox or someone needs to find out about the deal 1- What's the clubs position on London Welsh Ground Share? 2- Would the club host rugby if we owned the ground? 3- How has Reading hosted Rugby and been able to play good football on it? 4-Will the club get a share of any revenue from any season long stand/pitchside advertising or sponsorship? 5-What improvements will be made to catering? 6-What improvements will be made to the facilities. Once we know these then we can decide what's what. What He ^^^ Said.......Let's get some fact's first....
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Post by hairy on May 15, 2012 9:28:43 GMT
We will get nothing out of this thats good as we dont own the ground but might well suffer because of it. Nothing against London Welsh but I cant see this working out well for them either, getting into bed with Kassam is always a mistake. Can see London Welsh struggling to get break even crowds if they have a struggling team what with being so far away from their support base.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2012 9:36:48 GMT
We need to lay down all the advantages and disadvantages and see what is the best for the club. Then protest away if the disadvantages are far greater, which I imagine would be the case...
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Post by scoob on May 15, 2012 9:57:46 GMT
Let's get some things straight chaps, 8-Has Rugby been bad for Wycombe or Reading? What is your answer to that question?
Wycombe have been taken over by the owner of the rugby club because he wanted to build a stadium to be owned by the rugby club with the football club as tennants rather than the other way round. He has also continued to allow massive overspending (£1.9M in the 2 years to June 2010 & their latest accounts are overdue at Companies House!) which risks the future of the football club. Is that good for WWFC?10-The chances of Oxford buying the ground increase IMHO. Why/How?
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Post by carefreeoufc on May 15, 2012 10:00:26 GMT
The below positives are ones I have thought of since hearing the news. Whether or not any would actually happen is another story.
Possible improvement in catering facilities as I can't imagine rugby fans will be too chuffed with the stuff served up in particular the beer selection.
OUFC marketing or ticket opportunities. Thinking outside the box here but perhaps the club could create packages or marketing opportunities for rugby fans attending matches. Prime example is Notts County this season who had a rugby play off played after their match and offered a combined ticket or something for both matches that day.
IL knows rugby clubs inside out (allbeit league clubs) but may have a few ideas up his sleeve to have this benefit OUFC.
In terms of purchasing the club this may become more attractive to IL if he knows that as well as OUFC there is another team using and paying for the facilities. Not to mention the fans and subsequent awards dinners or socials they may hold. Ploughing 13 - 15 million into an investment may seem more worthwhile with other doors this could open up. Not to mention the ground would be used every week.
Admittedly I don't know if any of the above is even possible. I also don't know what sort of crowd they currently get but Northampton, Wasps and Irish would all bring fair followings. I would think whilst Welsh will lose some of their more local fans I could see reasonable number of Oxford locals deciding to watch some of the bigger matches against Leicster etc.
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Post by saddletramp on May 15, 2012 10:06:39 GMT
Let's hope they don't go up eh? Given they're playing a team without access to a compliant ground, who therefore can't be promoted, I'd say they have a good chance! Bristol were the only team in the play offs with a compliant ground, with there defeat as i understand it,Newcastle stay in the premier league. The egg chasers are an exclusive club,once you are in,it is very difficult for someone else to replace them. The "old boys network" were hoping that they could get one of there clubs back in the prem,(Bristol) and get rid of one of the usurpers (Newcastle).Worcester over a number of years had every obstacle placed in there way to prevent them joining the "club" it cost them millions,i am pretty sure London Welsh will find the "old boys" will find a way to prevent them getting promoted. P.S. Baths ground does not reach the set criteria for a premiership club,but being one of the "chaps" this gets overlooked.
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Post by scoob on May 15, 2012 10:09:32 GMT
The below positives are ones I have thought of since hearing the news. Whether or not any would actually happen is another story. Possible improvement in catering facilities as I can't imagine rugby fans will be too chuffed with the stuff served up in particular the beer selection. OUFC marketing or ticket opportunities. Thinking outside the box here but perhaps the club could create packages or marketing opportunities for rugby fans attending matches. Prime example is Notts County this season who had a rugby play off played after their match and offered a combined ticket or something for both matches that day. IL knows rugby clubs inside out (allbeit league clubs) but may have a few ideas up his sleeve to have this benefit OUFC. In terms of purchasing the club this may become more attractive to IL if he knows that as well as OUFC there is another team using and paying for the facilities. Not to mention the fans and subsequent awards dinners or socials they may hold. Ploughing 13 - 15 million into an investment may seem more worthwhile with other doors this could open up. Not to mention the ground would be used every week. Admittedly I don't know if any of the above is even possible. I also don't know what sort of crowd they currently get but Northampton, Wasps and Irish would all bring fair followings. I would think whilst Welsh will lose some of their more local fans I could see reasonable number of Oxford locals deciding to watch some of the bigger matches against Leicster etc. All of the above is fair enough and I do not automatically see this as a negative thing but surely if Kassam improves the profitability of the Stadco then this will either give him additional justification for the price he is asking or will allow him to increase it. He will now be receiving £100k extra from the football club in service charges and that is all profit so that will have improved the value of the Stadco already. This will take away an area where any new owner could add value so it will make the purchase less attractive.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2012 10:09:32 GMT
Firstly I hate rugby so initial reaction is that I don't want this to happen
But it may bring benefits to us in the long run as long as we avoid issues with the pitch getting churned up.
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Post by ZeroTheHero on May 15, 2012 10:16:20 GMT
I just keep getting recurring visions of that pitch at Stockport a couple of seasons ago on which the Sale Sharks had been playing. There was so much sand on it to try and make it playable, the ball would hardly bounce, never mind run properly.
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Post by oufcrealist on May 15, 2012 10:56:33 GMT
The Exiles (London Welsh) are still waiting to have their application to join the English top flight approved whereas their Cornish opponents did not submit a case.
The Rugby Football Union will announce if the London club's submission has successfully passed their minimum standards criteria audit on 21 May.
If it has, and if they win the two legged play-off (the first leg being played in Penzance on 23 May), they will go up.
If neither of the above happens then Newcastle Falcons, who finished bottom of the Premiership pile, will not be relegated.
So if they are accepted by the RFU and win the play-off, there will almost certainly be Rugby at the Kassam.
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Post by hairy on May 15, 2012 11:30:26 GMT
The below positives are ones I have thought of since hearing the news. Whether or not any would actually happen is another story. Possible improvement in catering facilities as I can't imagine rugby fans will be too chuffed with the stuff served up in particular the beer selection. OUFC marketing or ticket opportunities. Thinking outside the box here but perhaps the club could create packages or marketing opportunities for rugby fans attending matches. Prime example is Notts County this season who had a rugby play off played after their match and offered a combined ticket or something for both matches that day. IL knows rugby clubs inside out (allbeit league clubs) but may have a few ideas up his sleeve to have this benefit OUFC. In terms of purchasing the club this may become more attractive to IL if he knows that as well as OUFC there is another team using and paying for the facilities. Not to mention the fans and subsequent awards dinners or socials they may hold. Ploughing 13 - 15 million into an investment may seem more worthwhile with other doors this could open up. Not to mention the ground would be used every week. Admittedly I don't know if any of the above is even possible. I also don't know what sort of crowd they currently get but Northampton, Wasps and Irish would all bring fair followings. I would think whilst Welsh will lose some of their more local fans I could see reasonable number of Oxford locals deciding to watch some of the bigger matches against Leicster etc. The food thing, could they not just use a different catering company for the rugby, mening we would see no difference. What with being able to drink in the ground during the game the food/drink side of things in football and Rugby must be quite different. We will not see any extra fans from this no matter what deal you offer them, they are an outside entity who would just happen to share the same ground as us, it hasnt helped Wycombes attendances. Said it before but no good will come of this for us as we do not own the ground, whether it will be bad for us is a different matter. Best we can hope for is that it doesnt f*ck the pitch up (although I realise we are a fourth division side not Barcelona so that can come across as a bit precious) and it barely affects us. Saying all that they are a sports team getting involved with Firoz Kassam, they can probably expect to plummet down the leagues and be fighting bankruptcy, thats the price to be paid for making a deal with slum landlord.
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Post by saddletramp on May 15, 2012 11:30:56 GMT
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Post by ZeroTheHero on May 15, 2012 11:47:20 GMT
Would they have to share the stadium maintenance costs with us?
Would we have to share our bit of the pitchside advertising revenue with them?
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Post by malcolmnl on May 15, 2012 11:53:55 GMT
Don't know about the photo. But the article did not mention "don't park on the grass verges". Extra income for the council methinks.
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Post by junior1 on May 15, 2012 11:56:00 GMT
A while back as his hotel is not in it.."0
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Post by sarge on May 15, 2012 13:28:16 GMT
... will the play off leg at the OGB stadium see Tim take a bit of unexpected £, or will being allowed to (take) drink into the seats mean its the overpriced franchises inside OGB stadium.
Ans as far as Im concerned, f*ck OFF egg chasers
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Post by backonthecoupon on May 15, 2012 13:38:53 GMT
I might have gone to watch this if it wasnt one of the provincial affiliated teams.
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Post by scoob on May 15, 2012 17:41:49 GMT
Maybe LJS can tell us as it is on the Oxkits website. It says "The Kassam Stadium - not long after completion (well almost!)" www.oxkits.co.uk/club_history.htmIf you Google "Kassam Stadium Photos" that photo is the first to show so maybe that is where the editor of their website got the pic.
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Post by hairy on May 15, 2012 17:50:17 GMT
Can anyone see the majority of people from Oxfordshire getting behind what is essentialy a taffy exile team? Unless you are Welsh its not exactly a great drawing point is it. This looks like one of those doomed before it even starts ventures.
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Post by carefreeoufc on May 15, 2012 18:27:32 GMT
Would be amazed if they beat the pirates which will end this there and then.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2012 18:28:38 GMT
I'm pretty sure the majority of the Irish fans at Reading are only connected with the Emerald Isle by Guinness!
Actually Oxford isn't a bad shout, as its relatively easily accessible from London and Wales!
It all seems a bit Franchise (R)FC though!
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Post by wantageox on May 15, 2012 18:29:56 GMT
We need to lay down all the advantages and disadvantages and see what is the best for the club. Then protest away if the disadvantages are far greater, which I imagine would be the case... Oggie I like your sentiment. but do you honestly think that B******D K****M will let us voice our feelings? No he will only listen to the sound of money. I say we look for an alternative venue. With Oxford City pushing up through the leagues they may have to expand or move, we should look at ground sharing with them.
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Post by hairy on May 15, 2012 18:46:17 GMT
I'm pretty sure the majority of the Irish fans at Reading are only connected with the Emerald Isle by Guinness! Actually Oxford isn't a bad shout, as its relatively easily accessible from London and Wales! It all seems a bit Franchise (R)FC though! Yeah but their are a few million more plastic paddys than actual Irish people so a plastic Irish rugby club sort of makes sense to tap into that. Nobody ever claims to be Welsh if they are not on the other hand, they are not seen as cool in the eyes of guiness hat wearing weirdos so the potential support for them is miniscule. If you are welsh and want to support a rugby team why not just go to Cardiff/Swansea/Llandudno or whatever and support one of them, not exactly a huge trek over land and sea is it? This has masssive failure written all over it if it happens, hopefully we will avoid any problems during what will most likely be a short spell of them playing at a ground that was given permision to be built on the basis of Oxford United FC playing there, not a load of sheep shaggers.
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Post by The Fence End on May 15, 2012 18:53:21 GMT
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Post by abba on May 15, 2012 18:54:40 GMT
There is a market for top class rugby in Oxford and this could be heaven for Ka££am. Now rugby clubs have a massive following by rich people as Eric Read put it so politely. Who's to say that Kassam would not offer the stadium to London Welsh for £13m and we become the tenants to a rugby club???
Now that would be a kick in the teeth, but I would rather play in a stadium owned by London Welsh than Ka££am.
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Post by oxymoron on May 15, 2012 19:14:44 GMT
I might have gone to watch this if it wasnt one of the provincial affiliated teams. Can anyone see the majority of people from Oxfordshire getting behind what is essentialy a taffy exile team? Unless you are Welsh its not exactly a great drawing point is it. This looks like one of those doomed before it even starts ventures. I wouldn’t let the provincial nature of the name put you off. The club might have been formed by Welsh ex-pats over 100 years ago, but London Welsh are as much a team of Welshmen as Arsenal are representative of England. In fact over half of the current first team squad are English, less than a quarter are Welsh are the rest hail from Argentina, Nigeria Tonga and the USA – they even have a token Scotsman. Your average rugger bugger isn’t as parochial as a football supporter; they will support a team, their team, but they are usually just as happy to bimble along and watch two teams that hold no affinity to them, just to have a beer, watch the game and have a beer – there could well be a ready made crowd for them in Oxfordshire where the competition from other clubs is minimal.
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Post by hairy on May 15, 2012 19:34:34 GMT
There is a market for top class rugby in Oxford and this could be heaven for Ka££am. Now rugby clubs have a massive following by rich people as Eric Read put it so politely. Who's to say that Kassam would not offer the stadium to London Welsh for £13m and we become the tenants to a rugby club??? Now that would be a kick in the teeth, but I would rather play in a stadium owned by London Welsh than Ka££am. Having lived in Oxford all my life I feel qualified to say that apart from the students their seems to be hardly any interest in the sport, especially club rugby. If their is such a demand for it why has no one taken one of the local clubs up the leagues? Oxfordshire itself maybe a different matter what with all the posh little villages that I have barely heard of but Henley had some years in the league that London Welsh are currently in and they didnt seem to be packing them in. If you wanted top class rugby that badly how hard was it to go to watch wasps at Wycombe its barely half an hour up the road, surely any rugby inclined folk round here would of been picked up by Wasps, or London Irish/Gloucester/Northampton etc. Its not as if a artificially inserted team is going to have any more loal appeal over than ground location. Can see a lot of Rugby snobs being put off by the Kassams salubrious location as well, pimms in the Blackbird Hugo? Potential is a very hard thing to gauge, look at MK Franchise, we are constantly being told that they could support at least a championship side yet they got a truly terrible crowd for a play off semi final despite having being in plastic cow land for a few years now and charging shillings to get in.
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Post by abba on May 15, 2012 19:44:30 GMT
There is a market for top class rugby in Oxford and this could be heaven for Ka££am. Now rugby clubs have a massive following by rich people as Eric Read put it so politely. Who's to say that Kassam would not offer the stadium to London Welsh for £13m and we become the tenants to a rugby club??? Now that would be a kick in the teeth, but I would rather play in a stadium owned by London Welsh than Ka££am. Having lived in Oxford all my life I feel qualified to say that apart from the students their seems to be hardly any interest in the sport, especially club rugby. If their is such a demand for it why has no one taken one of the local clubs up the leagues? Oxfordshire itself maybe a different matter what with all the posh little villages that I have barely heard of but Henley had some years in the league that London Welsh are currently in and they didnt seem to be packing them in. If you wanted top class rugby that badly how hard was it to go to watch wasps at Wycombe its barely half an hour up the road, surely any rugby inclined folk round here would of been picked up by Wasps, or London Irish/Gloucester/Northampton etc. Its not as if a artificially inserted team is going to have any more loal appeal over than ground location. Can see a lot of Rugby snobs being put off by the Kassams salubrious location as well, pimms in the Blackbird Hugo? Potential is a very hard thing to gauge, look at MK Franchise, we are constantly being told that they could support at least a championship side yet they got a truly terrible crowd for a play off semi final despite having being in plastic cow land for a few years now and charging shillings to get in. Having lived in Oxford for all of my life and a follower of rugby, I can assure you that there is a market and of course you are right a large support will come from the Universities and the surrounding countryside. Maybe BBL is not the best place, but it is where the stadium is situated. Bring on the rugby, even the priory will support this as Cottonsocks will get more business.
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Post by Colin B on May 15, 2012 20:28:26 GMT
But it's another indication of how far we've fallen.
We've got a slum landlord dictating to us who we share our "home" with. I f*cking hate what that c*nt has done to us, and fear that people of my age have lost forever the Oxford United we grew up with. I don't think I'll ever see this club united and at it's own home. We used to be so proud. We punched above our weight, we took on all comers, we were UNITED. The Manor was a fortress. Now we've become the sort of club that we used to deride......all thanks to one man, Firoz Kassam. c*nt.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2012 21:55:07 GMT
There anyone you don't hate Eric? Like minded Oxford fans. Everyone else can f*ck off. hahaha what a comment ;D
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