Running a series of articles about the finances within rugby union has created significant feedback from fans. The Rugby Fans have asked us to dig more deeply, have asked us to look at Wales and Italy, interview Nigel Melville and pleasingly, keep up the good work.
Our friends at #RugbyUnited wrote a blog on the 17th January talking about the issues facing rugby bloggers and the financial difficulty trying to do this full time can create. It was an excellent piece; well done Trevor, Rich and Paul
Independent Rugby channels give fans an opportunity to participate before, during and after the game. Fan engagement has never been like this and sponsors not middle men are increasingly prepared to put a monetary value on this content. It is not easy to sell this to a sponsor but as our series on the finances of rugby shows, these sponsors are vital to the game’s future.
Just recently, we posted a video on our facebook channels and purely organically it reached over 1.6 million rugby fans. In the UK there are 12 million Facebook users who show rugby union as an interest. In simple, non-advertising speak that means TalkingRugbyUnion had access to over 13% of relevant Facebook users.
For a potential advertiser or sponsor this is significant audience, eager to buy houses, cars, washing machines, skin care products, insurance and many other products. In our eyes this becomes a direct relationship. A connected and targeted relationship facilitated by a key influencer and authority in rugby union. This represents value for money and a light at the end of the tunnel for rugby bloggers.
The clubs that rely on benefactors and sponsors can use this dynamic to reassure their partners that there is brand building and wider audience participation.
This article by Lewis Hughes has created interest from clubs, sponsors and advertisers - http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/the-financial-death-of-championship-rugby-tru-investigates/17127.htm
Clubs have asked us to investigate the benefits that semi-professional rugby brings and over the next ten days both Chris Heal and Lewis Hughes will bring you more on this topic. This is one request from a fan
“Interesting piece, but it's a shame that you didn't examine the wider possibilities. Richmond are currently showing it is possible to be competitive and high quality in a semi-professional environment with a community club at it heart. London Irish were hanging on by their bootlaces on Christmas Eve to avoid an embarrassing defeat at the Athletic Ground. Richmond have beaten London Scottish and Cornish Pirates (away) and also Nottingham in the B&I when Notts had a strong team and Richmond had to rest most of their first XV.
Truth is that semi-pro works: Richmond are very comfortable, financially and beginning to be as competitive against most clubs in the division as any lower-ranked professional side has been. This is a model the RFU ignores, but it is surely worth encouraging, either as part of the Melville solution - though i think that is a mess, frankly and will not encourage the growth of the sport at community level - or on its own. Having clubs go bust is an embarrassment or worse - look at some of the chat on the Rolling Maul forum about Welsh: some of their fans feel very strongly about all this.” FriendofMichie
Multiple new advertisers have made contact with us asking how they can help and participate. Much to our surprise, many of these companies have programmes designed to inject funding into rugby clubs but it’s not clear if this is widely known. Starting on Friday, we will look at some of these schemes in more detail and send these details to the rugby clubs that follow us on twitter and facebook.
Even in rugby union, it seems money talks.