'You can't run businesses on zero finance'
Rob Baxter is hopeful that Exeter will “weather the storm” as rugby union continues without crowds against an alarming financial back-drop. The Rugby Football Union is forecasting losses totalling £106million as a result of measures designed to limit a second wave of coronavirus infections that will prevent Twickenham from hosting fans for up to six months.
And Premiership Rugby has asked for a “rescue package” after warning of “irreparable damage to our clubs” by an absence of crowds for the the foreseeable future. Exeter could reach the Heineken Champions Cup and Gallagher Premiership finals next month, with both showpiece occasions set to go ahead behind closed doors, which will be the case for Saturday’s Sandy Park semi-final against Toulouse.
“You always imagine quarter-finals and semi-finals of Europe being these huge occasions based on the build-up to the game, everything, flame-throwers around the pitch, music going on, the crowd going mad,” Exeter rugby director Baxter said. “They are amazing days, and it is a shame, but at the same time it doesn’t dilute what has to happen on the pitch.
“I am a director and I sit on the (Exeter) board, so I see the financial predictions, the budgets, the expectations of what we need crowd-wise, what we need to be taking over the bar, what we need the conference centre to do. And those things for obvious reasons are under pressure when people are either in semi-lockdowns or conference centres and sporting venues aren’t allowed to open.
“For obvious reasons, there is pressure on us financially. We think we will be fine, bigger picture, longer term. We think we are a very stable business, we think we have got things in the pipeline that will help. So, as long as we don’t seem to be in a lockdown for eternity, which is kind of what it’s been like at the moment, if there is something sensible moving forward over the coming months, then we think we will weather the storm.
A maiden #HeinekenChampionsCup semi-final in the bag for @ExeterChiefs! ?@SaintsRugby fought hard but the hosts sealed a win and will take on @StadeToulousain in a mouth-watering tussle ?
Catch all the best bits from yesterday's quarter-final ? pic.twitter.com/AvQ85wNdAX
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) September 21, 2020
“There is a reality that this cannot go on if we genuinely as a country want sport and sporting venues to be able to continue and provide what they do for their communities. Outside of professional sport, a lot of sports clubs that just provide community service are just going to disappear. You can’t run businesses on zero finance.
“Let’s hope there is a genuine concern taken by the Government in how they aim to help us and how they also aim to get crowds back in as soon as they possibly can.”
Baxter underlined how Exeter’s relationship with local clubs has been an essential part of their growth from a Championship outfit ten years ago to being crowned Premiership champions in 2017 and now standing one win away from a European final.
“We take a great deal of pride in our relationship with local clubs, how we foster them and 100 per cent do not want to think of local clubs suffering,” he added. “There are way more Exeter academy players playing for local clubs than there are playing for Exeter. That is how the numbers game works.
“We have a great relationship with local clubs as to how that all happens and how players move and work. All that is fantastically-important to us. We genuinely think that we can give young players pathways. If they can’t make it through into professional ranks, then at least we can help them into work so that they are well-set for life outside of rugby, but still maintain social enjoyment of the sport.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Crazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
4 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
4 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
212 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
23 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
23 Go to commentsWow, do we really still have to listen to all the excuses and “unfairness” of it all. Even blaming the bounce of an egg shaped ball for the loss. But the article is about context, so what about the Springboks having to play the other 5 teams in the top 6 and still beating a comparatively rested AB team on a very empty tank.
212 Go to comments“Teams would generally have three coaches below their head honcho; attack coach, defence coach, forwards coach” do they? I’m not sure what the NZ set up is tbh, but the other 4 sides top 5 sides all have very different structures to the one outlined in the article! As well as attack, defence, and forwards coaches, SA, Ireland, and France also have specialist scrum coaches. England have a specialist scrum coach too, but arguably don’t have a forwards coach, with that role taken on by Borthwick. SA also have a backs coach in addition to defence and attack, and Ireland and England have fitness coaches, with England also having two skills coaches.
2 Go to commentsWorst article I've read in a while. Trying to disguise a backhand slap as a compliment. The whole article is a bit weird and negative. I think South African men are emotional in general… think Clad le Clos’s father 2012 London Olympics.
4 Go to commentsIreland are going to win the world cup.
23 Go to commentsIt was the strangest result ever. Etzebeth should've been yellow card for his cynical retiring move and a penalty try. Birth second half tries by the Allblacks were fantastic and the TMO operating outside the law to rule out the first try was egregious. Yes, the boks got the win but it was through some bizarre officiating that allowed them to sneak home against 14 men that dominated them. The quieter Bok supporters know and acknowledge the Allblacks were the better and dominant side. Justifying the win because they beat a pre world cup Allblacks selection is silly.
212 Go to commentsA very English thing to do hey Courtney, blerrie kant
4 Go to commentsIt sounds like Andrew is trying to convince himself or has just lost all perspective. The team did look jaded for the last couple of games of the six nations but a few things were wrong there. Italy tackled their hearts out and made Ireland work hard for every try. Outsmarted by Scotland? Huh? Ireland got held up over the line about 4 times. Scotland did nothing on attack the whole game other than one breakaway near the end. A recharge and reset is needed which they hopefully will have had before the SA your.
23 Go to commentsIncluding SA and Argie teams was great for the quality of rugby, but middle of the night games and player travel/ jet lag make that unworkable. I think that SA in Europe and Argie building an American league with USA, Canada etc would be better long term. If Oz can't sustain Rebels then next cab off the rank should be a Japanese team. Keep regional comps to time zones, both club and test rugby. Then existing test windows for test tours plus RWC.
8 Go to commentsMisogynists have feelings too!
4 Go to commentsCrowd sizes of the URC v the Premiership must be a big factor.
1 Go to commentsWell you’ve made a proper tit of yourself, haven’t you! 😂
173 Go to commentsBen it's beyond their comprehension-
212 Go to comments