So there we go, it’s May 7 and seven of the 11 Premiership teams have no competitive rugby now until the Premiership Cup starts in September with that number rising to nine next week after the semi-final play-offs.
What happens next has always been a big issue in the professional era. Four months of wages and bills to pay with no significant footfall, no gates, piffling bar receipts and massively reduced merchandise sales. One or two might be lucky enough to stage the occasional pop concert and make a few bob but mostly they go into hibernation.
Of course, the first team regulars have earned a few weeks off but even they now seem back at pre-season training by mid- June, doing what exactly for the next two months I’m never quite sure, while in the old days the pitches also needed a few months’ tlc but that’s not so much of an issue these days with durable all weather surfaces.
I’ve always felt there was an opening here with so many squad players and academy hopefuls underemployed and underplayed for much of the season. How about a short sharp quick fire development league – two conferences and a finals weekend – for those who badly need a decent run of games and an opportunity to shine. I would also invite in a few leading lights from local junior clubs to strut their stuff and all of this would also serve as a minor trial run for those who are curious as to what summer rugby might look like.
Half price admission, big barbeque and beer tent, local band providing the entertainment and basically a club night for home supporters every fortnight. It would be a start.
Even the NBA, not exactly short of a bob or two, used to run a summer development league, indeed they called it the D League although for reasons unknown it has now morphed into the G League. There the system is even more ambitious with all sorts of players who have been missed by the system invited in to effectively try out for the club.
They are given very short contracts – the equivalent of a zero hours contract really – but the pay off is that they get a chance to impress and progress. One such hopeful – Kris Middleton – even made it all the way to the NBA All-stars game a few seasons back.
So any takers? Or does rugby just bury its head in the sand in perpetuity and complain about its financial woes.
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