This'll go down well...

First topic message reminder :

"Thomond Park" no more...

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/munster-to-sell-the-naming-rights-for-thomond-park-1.1773070

I agree ME. I'm sure Warwick would have loved to aswell as he would have done anything to be able to stay with Munster. He hasn't looked the same player since leaving Ireland.

Some people seem to "fit" (like Strauss) and others well....Ricky Flutey anyone. Its a tough one and with the PRL and LNR pushing their agenda the IRB will definitely need to have more stringent rules for qualification

I don't think that whoever ends up with the naming rights for Thomond will give a toss about whether you and me and the ordinary punters refer to the new name - what they want is that the media dutifully call in Toyota Thomond Park or whatever.

Theres probably a more suitable thread to ask this but why dont you need citizenship to play for the national team?

Golden wrote:Theres probably a more suitable thread to ask this but why dont you need citizenship to play for the national team?

I'm pretty sure it's because the requirements to become a citizen vary from country to country,therefore it could be easier to qualify for Ireland on residency than it is to qualify for France (I've no idea of the requirements that's just a made up example).

Ah right. Cheers   

I believe that to become a citizen (in the non rugby sense of the word) it takes a minimum of five years.

You also get things like Ben Botica having a UK but isn't eligible for England. Born in New Zealand, moved to England at about 1 until he was about 9. But he wasn't born here and he lost any residency qualification when his dad moved back to New Zealand.

Sin é wrote:Article in Irish Times today suggest that Munster's budget is 1/3 of Toulon's.

Toulon’s operating budget is €21.8 million. At a guesstimate it’s about three to five times that of Munster, the latter centrally funded and underwritten by the IRFU. That gap will increase for a variety of reasons next season.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/heineken-cup/european-rugby-now-far-from-a-level-playing-field-for-irish-provinces-1.1774233

Poor old Munster. That's Toulon's operating budget. Not what they spend on players and staff. It's more like a turnover figure.

At a guess, Munster's player and staff budget is about £6m - £8m

The Welsh regions have a Heineken cup squad budget of £3.5m

It's all relative.

Just on the OP, would Musgraves be interesting is the naming rights to the Park. Large group, Munster based, etc.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Just on the OP, would Musgraves be interesting is the naming rights to the Park. Large group, Munster based, etc.

heard that one being suggested. Musgrave park in limerick..boom boom. I'd go for it

Chunky Norwich wrote:

Sin é wrote:Article in Irish Times today suggest that Munster's budget is 1/3 of Toulon's.

Toulon’s operating budget is €21.8 million. At a guesstimate it’s about three to five times that of Munster, the latter centrally funded and underwritten by the IRFU. That gap will increase for a variety of reasons next season.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/heineken-cup/european-rugby-now-far-from-a-level-playing-field-for-irish-provinces-1.1774233

Poor old Munster. That's Toulon's operating budget. Not what they spend on players and staff. It's more like a turnover figure.

At a guess, Munster's player and staff budget is about £6m - £8m

The Welsh regions have a Heineken cup squad budget of £3.5m

It's all relative.

£6-£8m is not what Munster spend on players or staff either.

Bear in mind that Munster have two stadia (one recently renovated to a 26K stadium) and another now being redeveloped.

Munster Rugby also runs an Academy (they have sponsorship for it now) and all the Development Officers/Underage coaches in the Munster Region.

Oh, and the IRFU take all the tv money and merit payments from PRO12 & HCup.

Big, bad, naughty IRFU.

Essentially that says to me that the Irish are just as nasty as any of the others. Only it's just a matter of scale.

Rumour is that most women are essentially prostitutes and it's mostly a matter of haggling over the price.

I really can't understand this desperate need for some of our contributors from across the water to paint the Irish / IRFU / Irish provinces as being greedy, money grabbing, nasty entities only interested in grabbing as much money as possible, by any available means and with no regard to anyone else's interests.

The fact is selling the naming rights to Thomond affects nobody outside of Munster and is no different to selling the sponsorship rights to the shirts they wear on matchdays and sell in the shops.

Renaming Thomond has no adverse effects on Connacht, Leinster or Ulster not to mention Harlequins, Saracens, Toulouse or anybody else.

I agree, albeit somewhat reluctantly.  Putting a company name on a stadium is simply another revenue stream.  Nothing about being greedy, simply good business.  

On the other hand, I wish it wasn't happenning anywhere.  I like the traditional names, so nothing against Munster or anyone else who does the same thing.    A reality of sports today.

doctor_grey wrote:Putting a company name on a stadium is simply another revenue stream.  Nothing about being greedy, simply good business.  

On the other hand, I wish it wasn't happenning anywhere. 

Thats how I feel. I'm more than sad about it, but with those on top of the pyramid in terms of budget all to willing to wave massive wads at our players we have to be making enough to keep them in Ireland.

MunsterMac wrote:I really can't understand this desperate need for some of our contributors from across the water to paint the Irish / IRFU / Irish provinces as being greedy, money grabbing, nasty entities only interested in grabbing as much money as possible, by any available means and with no regard to anyone else's interests.

The fact is selling the naming rights to Thomond affects nobody outside of Munster and is no different to selling the sponsorship rights to the shirts they wear on matchdays and sell in the shops.

Renaming Thomond has no adverse effects on Connacht, Leinster or Ulster not to mention Harlequins, Saracens, Toulouse or anybody else.

Really? No idea whatsoever? I suggest you read 2 years of insults thrown the other way. Add to the fact it's the usual WUMs. It's like Welsh fans asking why English people (again generally those on the WUM end of the spectrum) are making a point of their team playing boring, bosh rugby, after decades of insults thrown at England (even when they were top try scorers, etc).

It would be nice if people grew up but unfortunately there are   out there.

And no, Munster are not being greedy over this. As GF said earlier on, the disgruntlement from this sort of thing usaully comes about when the owner has their company pastered over it while    the club.

Sin é wrote:

£6-£8m is not what Munster spend on players or staff either.

Bear in mind that Munster have two stadia (one recently renovated to a 26K stadium) and another now being redeveloped.

The IRFU loaned Munster over 9M Euros for Thomond park. Munster are due to repay over 6m Euros of that tomorrow.

Munster Rugby also runs an Academy (they have sponsorship for it now) and all the Development Officers/Underage coaches in the Munster Region.
Oh, and the IRFU take all the tv money and merit payments from PRO12 & HCup.

I don't see how this is relevant. The article suggests that Toulon's operational budget is up to 5 times more than Munsters. Really?

So Munster's operational budget is 4.2m Euros?

Chunky Norwich wrote:

Sin é wrote:

£6-£8m is not what Munster spend on players or staff either.

Bear in mind that Munster have two stadia (one recently renovated to a 26K stadium) and another now being redeveloped.

The IRFU loaned Munster over 9M Euros for Thomond park. Munster are due to repay over 6m Euros of that tomorrow.

What happens if Munster Rugby doesn't pay back the 6M tomorrow? Are the IRFU going to put Munster Rugby into liquidation?   

The IRFU actually loaned the Thomond Park Stadium Co. (whose shareholders are 50% Munster Rugby & 50% IRFU) 15m in 2008. MR have an option to buy back the IRFU 50% share by 2018.

Munster Rugby has started redevelopment of their 2nd stadium down in Cork recently.   

Munster Rugby also runs an Academy (they have sponsorship for it now) and all the Development Officers/Underage coaches in the Munster Region.
Oh, and the IRFU take all the tv money and merit payments from PRO12 & HCup.

I don't see how this is relevant. The article suggests that Toulon's operational budget is up to 5 times more than Munsters. Really?

So Munster's operational budget is 4.2m Euros?[/quote]

They said 3 to 5 times Munster's budget. That could be 7m which sounds about right for Munster.

Sin é wrote:

What happens if Munster Rugby doesn't pay back the 6M tomorrow? Are the IRFU going to put Munster Rugby into liquidation?   

I very much doubt it. It's just a deadline for deadline's sake. The more interesting thing is the actual ability to pay it back, and the other loans that Irish rugby have taken out recently.

They said 3 to 5 times Munster's budget. That could be 7m which sounds about right for Munster.

What is Munster's playing budget?

Personally I still call Landsdowne, Landsdowne and can't think of many Dub dwellers that call it the Aviva. Perhaps it has something to do with having a link in my mind with the original name and the place/neighbourhood around the stadium. Anyway Munsterfolk are a stubborn crowd and I'd say Thomond will mostly continue to be referred to as Thomond