Aberdeen asset management keen to sponsor 3rd Scottish pro team

Got this from the BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/scottish/

Could be interesting

it would be good to see IMO

Not sure the amounts Martin Gilbert has in mind would cover the sort of costs the SRU have in mind to bank roll this venture. Still, I'd love to see it happen.

They have been involved with Edinburgh up until this season so hopefully they would have some idea of the numbers involved.

Hmmm, sponsoring a side funded by the SRU, and bank rolling a new professional outfit are two different things. I can't see the SRU paying a single penny towards a new pro side, so I suspect it'll have to be 100% privately funded (although I'm sure the SRU would be happy to assume full control).

Still, Gilbert is a smart bloke with loads of connections. Were he to spearhead something like this then it would have credibility.

I can just see it now; The Aberdeen Asset Granite City Grubber-Kicks

Whilst the SRU won't bankroll the project it's important that they back it and potentially centrally contract Scottish internationals i.e release underused players from their contracts at Edinburgh and Glasgow for free. If they do so then we could potentially see the following team:

1. Shiells (At Newcastle but can surely be enticed with the promise of permanent top tier rugby)
2. MacInally
3. Cross
4. MacAlpine
5. Ryder
6. Watson
7. Rennie (rumoured to be unpopular with new coaches at Edinburgh, wants a new start and with his injury record it would be good to keep him in Scotland where he can be monitored)
8. Ashe
9. Kennedy
10. Jackson (signing Parks for one last Scottish hurrah is also a possibility, the best player at getting a win at any costs against a team you shouldn't beat, the worst if you should win)
11. McGuigan
12. Atiga
13. Dick (a genuine player)
14. Farndale
15. Murchie

Not many of these are currently close to a Scotland call-up but this team could certainly give the likes of Zebre, Connacht, the Blues and Treviso a game. It would also be good to see a couple of big foreign names signed such to give the team a bit of exposure.

123456789 wrote:
12. Atiga

      

I don't want to pour cold water on this, but with the Italians signed on to continue with the Pro12 and the SRU also committed to the tournament- where could you fit in another Scottish team?

It's an already very congested calendar and the French and English want to add additional playoffs at the end of the season to decide the final qualifier place for this new Super-Duper European Cup that is meant to start next year.

The other unions may well oppose further expansion. 12 teams is already slightly too many if anything.

Let's have a think about this. AAM have grown dramatically over the last few years, but haven't shown much corporate appetite for this sort of marketing venture before. So let's say they pony up 2 million a year for the next 3 years (absolutely minimum timescale) then that leaves a 2 million gap - SRU bung in a million they don't have, plus another million from secondary sponsorship, then maybe it's a goer.

Plus no ground and the difficulty of getting another team into the Pro 12. Ain't gonna happen.

justified sinner wrote:Let's have a think about this. AAM have grown dramatically over the last few years, but haven't shown much corporate appetite for this sort of marketing venture before. So let's say they pony up 2 million a year for the next 3 years (absolutely minimum timescale) then that leaves a 2 million gap - SRU bung in a million they don't have, plus another million from secondary sponsorship, then maybe it's a goer.

Plus no ground and the difficulty of getting another team into the Pro 12. Ain't gonna happen.

I'm not sure that is entirely true, justified, but let me check my facts and I'll get back to you - pretty sure they've been heavily involved with London Scottish for the last couple of years now, altho clearly not to the same tune

They've also sponsored Edinburgh, the Scottish Open and the Boat Race.....

http://www.aberdeen-asset.co.uk/aam.nsf/aboutus/sponsorshiplondonscottish

I would like to see it happen. Wales will at some point want to include RGC1404, the North Wales region, so it would make sense to coordinate and future timescale to line up all the ducks to make it a 14 team league. Don't see it really for a few years but no reason why it cannot be explored.

They will sponsor a thrid pro team, not fully fund it!

Their money would be better spent sponsoring our youth set up. A schools league or something.

tigertattie wrote:They will sponsor a thrid pro team, not fully fund it!

Their money would be better spent sponsoring our youth set up.  A schools league or something.

I couldn't agree with this more. A schools league would be fantastic - imagine how much more motivating it would be for the pupils who have to get up every saturday morning? Especially if there were play-offs at the end and bbc scotland covered the final in the same way that happens with the northern irish schools competition.

blindsided wrote:

tigertattie wrote:They will sponsor a thrid pro team, not fully fund it!

Their money would be better spent sponsoring our youth set up.  A schools league or something.

I couldn't agree with this more. A schools league would be fantastic - imagine how much more motivating it would be for the pupils who have to get up every saturday morning? Especially if there were play-offs at the end and bbc scotland covered the final in the same way that happens with the northern irish schools competition.

Cultural change at BBC Scotland required, their general idea of 'sport' is limited to football and little else. Thank goodness for Alba, hope it doesn't go the way of BBC Three.

They approached the SRU about 8 years ago about forming a team in Aberdeen but it was poopooed by he who shall not be named. They've then turned their attentions to London Scottish.

That's not to say they won't fund both, that would be amazing! 4 teams would be a very exciting prospect.

I think Alba has a "protected" status because it is the native language channel???

The only thing I wish Alba would do would be to bring about a red button option to listen to English commentary!

Imagine it though. The money poured into school rugby with a league set up. Each school's senior XV competing against neighbouring schools in a league format. Have a regional set up with the winner of each region (say there are 8 regions?) playing each other in a knock out finals stage with the final getting shown on BBC 1 or 2 on a sat or sunday afternoon!!!

BBC 1 Scotland, this sat have: Bargin Hunt, Escape to the country, Davina - Beyond breaking point and Reflex.

I don't know about you lot, but I'd much rather watch a programme of two schools who have earned their place in a Grand Final trying to beat each other in a game of rugby!!!

123456789 wrote:Whilst the SRU won't bankroll the project it's important that they back it and potentially centrally contract Scottish internationals i.e release underused players from their contracts at Edinburgh and Glasgow for free. If they do so then we could potentially see the following team:

1. Shiells (At Newcastle but can surely be enticed with the promise of permanent top tier rugby)
2. MacInally
3. Cross
4. MacAlpine
5. Ryder
6. Watson
7. Rennie (rumoured to be unpopular with new coaches at Edinburgh, wants a new start and with his injury record it would be good to keep him in Scotland where he can be monitored)
8. Ashe
9. Kennedy
10. Jackson (signing Parks for one last Scottish hurrah is also a possibility, the best player at getting a win at any costs against a team you shouldn't beat, the worst if you should win)
11. McGuigan
12. Atiga
13. Dick (a genuine player)
14. Farndale
15. Murchie

Not many of these are currently close to a Scotland call-up but this team could certainly give the likes of Zebre, Connacht, the Blues and Treviso a game. It would also be good to see a couple of big foreign names signed such to give the team a bit of exposure.

That team would get shafted sideways, even by Zebre.

Again just reiterating what has been said - you need to add at least another 0 or two on to the sum required to fund a pro team never mind sponsor Edinburgh.

The only good thing about that side would be watching Edinburgh finally win a match comfortably.

If this 3rd region is going to work, it'll need enough financial clout to repatriate a significant number of exiled players to make it competitive. Players like Jim Hamilton, Richie Gray, Ali Strokosch and Johnny Beattie.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

123456789 wrote:Whilst the SRU won't bankroll the project it's important that they back it and potentially centrally contract Scottish internationals i.e release underused players from their contracts at Edinburgh and Glasgow for free. If they do so then we could potentially see the following team:

1. Shiells (At Newcastle but can surely be enticed with the promise of permanent top tier rugby)
2. MacInally
3. Cross
4. MacAlpine
5. Ryder
6. Watson
7. Rennie (rumoured to be unpopular with new coaches at Edinburgh, wants a new start and with his injury record it would be good to keep him in Scotland where he can be monitored)
8. Ashe
9. Kennedy
10. Jackson (signing Parks for one last Scottish hurrah is also a possibility, the best player at getting a win at any costs against a team you shouldn't beat, the worst if you should win)
11. McGuigan
12. Atiga
13. Dick (a genuine player)
14. Farndale
15. Murchie

Not many of these are currently close to a Scotland call-up but this team could certainly give the likes of Zebre, Connacht, the Blues and Treviso a game. It would also be good to see a couple of big foreign names signed such to give the team a bit of exposure.

That team would get shafted sideways, even by Zebre.

Yes and that is even assuming the better players in that team, Shiels, Rennie and Cross, can be persuaded to leave or turn down the offers of (relativley) good money and a good level of Rugby in the Aviva, to join which amounts to a development team.

Also guys like Murchie (Glasgow) are key squad players at there current club and losing these types of guys in the era of 35 men squads being required for a long season would really hurt Glasgow.

As has been said the money is not there for a 3rd team at the moment and to be brutally honest, either is the player depth.

funnyExiledScot wrote:The only good thing about that side would be watching Edinburgh finally a match comfortably.

If this 3rd region is going to work, it'll need enough financial clout to repatriate a significant number of exiled players to make it competitive. Players like Jim Hamilton, Richie Gray, Ali Strokosch and Johnny Beattie.

Won't get much change out of £750k a year for that lot to get them to come back to Scotland.

Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:The only good thing about that side would be watching Edinburgh finally a match comfortably.

If this 3rd region is going to work, it'll need enough financial clout to repatriate a significant number of exiled players to make it competitive. Players like Jim Hamilton, Richie Gray, Ali Strokosch and Johnny Beattie.

Won't get much change out of £750k a year for that lot to get them to come back to Scotland.  

Exactly my point. It'll take big money to properly do this, and if we are going to do this, it must be properly. No competition will sanction a Scottish development side. In fact they probably think that's what Edinburgh is anyway......

youth

youth

youth

thats where the money needs to go

The sad thing is, what money?

tigertattie wrote:youth

youth

youth

thats where the money needs to go

+1

Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:

tigertattie wrote:youth

youth

youth

thats where the money needs to go

+1

+1

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:

tigertattie wrote:youth

youth

youth

thats where the money needs to go

+1

+1

so most if not all of us think money should be spent on youth. but what would you do if you had the (possibly non-existent) money to spend? Personally I would love for a schools type league as I said above - inclusive of all schools with as much coverage as we could convince newspapers and bbc scot to provide. I also think the 4 district academy plan sounds good and would continue with that - hopefully getting regular competition between the academies themselves and also against other comparable academies/clubs from outwith scotland. However if we could not get regular matches in this way, could we possibly have the U20 teams playing in the premiership? Whilst not maybe the quality that would be required, I think the club XV actually beat Scotland U20s this year, and regular matches playing together would surely be of huge importance for the youngsters.

Also, encouraging the really young kids at grassroots to play rugby instead of other sports or instead of sitting on the couch. I'm no expert in the best way to do this however, but it is absolutely key that we do so. Whilst we can make plans to maximise the ability of the elite, if we do not expand our playing pool we will never be truly competitive at the top end of the sport.

It has to be a grassroots revival, and that can't be led by the SRU. They simply don't have the funding to pay for a coach at every high school. I honestly believe we need a campaign to get parents, players and coaches to volunteer at local schools to help create teams where before there weren't any.

Most rugby growth in developing nations is led by people on the ground, they don't have rich governing bodies to blame for the lack of growth. As we all know the clubs do a good job but kids don't even know the sport exists, let alone the clubs. The place to hit them is at school, and it's apparent that neither the SNP or coalition will do any more to help encourage team sport - so we need to.

Do we know if the SRU pushed to have extra teams like Italy have in europe

You would have to assume having two teams in the third teir cup made up of Scot prem players would help them progress players that show promise.

It would be 6-8 games each and would build up the regions naturally and attendance wouldn't matter to much

Once they reach certain goals eg. Games won, attendance, etc you then give them a bit more ala North Wales who the welsh should also be pushing to be in the 3rd teir.

With 2 scot 4 italian and a welsh team maybe Ponty too, that is almost having an A league without funding it per say