FalconsRugby.org.uk - All Your Questions Answered!

I’ve tried to organise the discussion with questions on a particular topic grouped together. Part 1 covers questions on the Bar and management related topics

Bar

Q How much does a Falconstein hold?

A 1.5 pints. These were used as the glass supplier had run out of 2 pinters. The mathematical geniuses will quickly work out that a Falconstein works out more expensive that a single pint. This is due to the cost of the glass. Falconsteins and 2 pinters have to be made more substantially than 1 pint glasses so they do not collapse when gripped with the increased volume inside. The cost of an ordinary 1 pinter is about 10p, 2 pinters are 30-40p and the Falconsteins 40p. The Club appreciate that this is not ideal and are looking at the possibility of a discount if a glass is reused and returned for a refill.

Q Will bar prices be increased next season?

A There will probably be a small inflationary increase though this has not been determined yet

Club Management

Q What is the status of ground developments - East Terrace, Expansion to 12,500, Floodlights and Car Park

A There has been a change in the regulations and expansion to 12,500 is no longer a requirement. The Club are still working with the Council on ground expansion and particularly East Stand plans and expect a formal legal agreement which specifies that the Club have met all the e conditions laid down by the Council to be signed by end of June. The East Stand development is envisaged to take the capacity to 13,000 though the exact configuration of it has yet to be finalised and it is intended to go back to the Council in late summer with firm proposals. Due to the requirement for a certain percentage of the ground capacity to be seated it is likely that most of the additional capacity would be seats. The Floodlights will be improved by September 2009 by when all Clubs must have systems rated at 400 lux. Ours are currently only 320 lux. The Car Park will be the last thing to be improved as resurfacing it is expensive and doesn’t add to revenue to enable the team to grow. Potholes will again be filled in over the summer.

Q What does the Owner say to supporters who wonder why they should spend money watching games such as Sale away when the Owner sys in a public interview that the team didn’t try to win it?

A The Team always tries to win but obviously in some games we have a better chance than in others. The team never takes the pitch intending to lose.

Q What wholesale changes are being made to coaching staff, playing staff, training staff and tactics to ensure that we don’t have to suffer another season like this one?

A Steve Bates has set out to change the long established Falcons culture based upon throwing the ball round willy nilly irrespective of field position and the status of the game. The game plan will be much more forward based with the backs being released only at the right time . This is a very different style and the change will take some time but it is believed that the Leicester game was the first time that it showed signs of emerging. There will be two additions to the Coaching squad. One is virtually complete but the Forwards Coach is not near completion yet and isn’t being rushed to ensure that all options are considered.

Q There have been comments regarding the installation of a plastic pitch at a cost of £500K, wouldn’t this be better spent on players?

A A plastic pitch couldn’t go ahead before September 2009 at the earliest to allow for approval an installation etc. No definite decision has been made to progress with it and such a decision would only be made if it could be used for other things that would generate income to build the team. The cost would be about £300k which would require a financing cost over a number of years of about £40k. It actually costs about £60k to maintain a grass pitch with additional cost of £10-20K for frost protection.

Q The Salary Cap has been increased this year. Will the dull amount be made available for player salaries?

A The Salary Cap for 2007-08 was £2.5M but with allowances for International Players and certain types of injuries this could be boosted to £3.5M. The new Cap will be a hard Cap of £4m with a maximum of £400k injury allowance. For the first time this will be rigorously policed by a PRL official who has been specifically recruited to do this. Any Club found to be over the cap will be fined League Points on a sliding scale depending on the excess, up to a maximum of 30 points! It is believed that only 5 out of the 12 Clubs currently spend up to the Cap. We will not be able to reach it next year but will not be the lowest spending Club. The Club’s 3 year plan would see us spending up to the Cap by the 2010/2011 season and by then would expect to be in a position to be a serious challenger for League Winner. The next two years will be tough but the Club is planning to be making a fair profit by 2010/2011

Q How can the Club justify increasing admission prices on the back of abysmal performances?

A This is the first increase for 3 years and is no more than 5% and no increase in some areas. The Club are looking at having special deals for specific games eg Anglo Welsh Cup and the Western Force Game

Q The non refund for the postponed Wasp match caused supporters who had bought tickets and couldn’t make the re-arranged match considerable difficulty. What is the Club’s position on this?

A This is the normal procedure in the entertainment industry and has happened before on the rare occasions it happened in the Premiership. However should it happen again the Club will look at what options are available

Q Are you leaving or applying for other jobs?

A No to both questions.

Q How affordable is the annual rent with NR for the ground?

A Very affordable and better than the market rate over the next few years.

Q Do the Club have any big sponsorship deals lined up in case NR pull the plug?

A The NR deal is cast iron until 2009/2010 unless NR went into liquidation

Part 2 to follow

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