Holly Coomey’s Post

Update: The RFU has approved the structure of the Premiership and Championship for next season. Promotion/relegation will be subject to a two-legged play-off between the Premiership’s lowest team and the Championship winners, provided that the Championship winners meet the necessary Minimum Standards Criteria. In other words, the status quo will remain. Many had hoped for a revitalised, streamlined second tier to stimulate commercial growth, but this has not materialised, seemingly after opposition from some Championship clubs. This therefore feels a missed opportunity. But it was clear that the reported lack of engagement from the RFU and Premiership with the Championship clubs was always going to make meaningful change difficult. So where does this leave English club rugby? It is not clear that this news will stimulate significant investment into the Championship, but it does at least guarantee the existence of the current Championship clubs and maintains a route through to the top tier. But, as the past decade has shown, this matters little if there is no meaningful investment into the second tier and if there remain significant barriers to entry to the Premiership (a relegation play-off system is already in place but the Championship winners haven’t met the Minimum Standards Criteria, so no play-off has taken place). The same old questions over the levels of funding for the Championship, the Minimum Standards Criteria and the sustainability of a second professional league will therefore continue to plague the game, as they have done for the past decade. Talks are ongoing about the make-up of the Championship, and there will be hope for an improved funding package. But the incongruence of the overlap between the professional and amateur games will seemingly remain, leaving us all to ponder whether a commercially viable professional second division will ever evolve… Let me know what you think. Am I missing something? #sportslaw #rugby #englandrugby https://lnkd.in/ecfAhybP

Leyton Orient Face Championship Competition For Non-League Star https://ift.tt/wrnYHTO Leyton Orient have joined the race to sign Chippenham Town defender Dan Ellison but face plenty of competition, according to journalist Dan Marsh. The 18-year-old is continuing to impress in the National League South so far this season and has earned a mountain of EFL interest ahead of what’s expected to be a busy summer transfer window for the defender. Which clubs are interested? According to Dan Marsh, there are four clubs interested in signing the 18-year-old, but one is facing a very difficult quest due to an EFL limitation. Championship side Queen’s Park Rangers have entered the race alongside League One trio Leyton Orient, Blackpool and Reading. The Royals are very keen to sign him according to Dan Marsh, but their ongoing transfer embargo means they face the likelihood of missing out, leaving three sides to battle it out. However, no side has been listed as the player’s preferred destination. How much will the deal cost? Chippenham Town have reportedly slapped a £10,000 price tag on his head, as well as including a 20% sell-on clause to protect the football club in the long term. Non-League sides placing a high sell-on clause is normal at this level, as it protects the football club in the long term and allows them to push towards their goal of reaching the National League and becoming a full-time football club. Why are Leyton Orient chasing this player? The defender has impressed in the sixth tier this season, scoring four goals in 26 league appearances as well as making appearances in the FA Trophy and local regionalised competitions. His exposure to first-team football at such a young age is a true testament to how well he has performed so far this season. January 2023 saw a similar move when St. Albans City defender Riccardo Di Trolio was snapped up by Championship side Coventry City. <p>The post Leyton Orient Face Championship Competition For Non-League Star first appeared on LSM Sports.</p> Callum Moseley Read More At Look Sports Media

Hot Take: Why You Shouldn’t Want Ipswich Town To Be Promoted This Season – Opinion https://ift.tt/STlh5oR Sure the three-horse Premier League title race between Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City is pretty interesting, but it’s got nothing on the race to be crowned champions of the Championship. With six match days left of the 2023/24 campaign, only two points separate the top three, with Leicester City, who once looked like the runaway leaders, having slipped to third and out of the automatic promotion places. Their game in hand over table-topping Ipswich Town and Leeds United would put them back in the driving seat should they take all three points.  Ipswich Town are the real surprise. I’m sure most of you reading this expected Leicester City and Leeds United to be right up there battling to be Championship champions, but as the pair were suffering their relegations last season, The Tractor Boys were in England’s third tier, entertaining away trips to Forest Green Rovers, Accrington Stanley and Fleetwood Town. To see Ipswich at the summit of the Championship with six/seven games left to play is both a surprise and a real treat for neutrals like myself. Much like Luton Town this season, having fresh faces, new names and different stadiums coming into the Premier League is vital to the neutral’s continued interest and the value of the ‘product’ – otherwise, if it’s just the same eight or so clubs rotating up and down, what real difference is there between the EPL and that pesky ‘Super’ League? Ipswich’s rise and promotion has and would be a joy to see for folks like myself, however, you’ve read the title, this hot take is all about why you shouldn’t want The Tractor Boys to reach the top tier for the 2024/25 campaign. Let me explain why… There has been a trend over recent years that has seen promoted clubs fall to relegation after just one season in the EPL. Excluding the 2022/23 season and making large assumptions about how the 2023/24 campaign will end, nine (ten including Luton) out of the 18 promoted sides in the last six seasons have suffered relegation immediately back to the Championship. These teams were as follows; 2023/24 – Burnley, Sheffield United and maybe Luton Town (as things stand) 2021/22 – Norwich and Watford 2020/21 – West Brom and Fulham 2019/20 – Norwich 2018/19 – Fulham and Cardiff A 50% likelihood of falling back into the second tier the first time of asking. The gap between the Championship and Premier League is only getting bigger too, with the lack of distribution of wealth, the EPL standard is getting higher whilst the typical Championship side isn’t progressing as quickly.  Ipswich Town, it would be fair to suggest, falls into the ‘typical Championship side’ when you look at the playing squad. And that is the major reason why you shouldn’t want their promotion to happen this season, Ipswich’s squad isn’t Premier League ready and due to the tough nature of cracking into and staying in the ...

The NRL’s decision to open its 2024 season in Las Vegas might appear to some to be too bold a step for a game like little ol’ rugby league to be taking, but that’s exactly the reason it should be moving in the direction it is. One of the main criticisms from nay-sayers of the Las Vegas five-year “experiment” - during which the game’s governing body will be playing regular season matches in “Sin City” - is that no-one in America knows what rugby league or NRL is. This, to me, is the perfect reason to take matches there. In recent years, for example, the NRL has packed up the State of Origin circus and played matches in Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide – certainly three cities where rugby league is far away from being considered well-followed or popular, but cities nonetheless where the potential to collect new fans and participants is quite strong. Near sold-out venues in those cities on each occasion have proven that the curiosity has been strong enough from people to buy tickets, whether they’re league fans from the eastern states or complete newbies from SA, WA or Victoria.  From nine-a-side tournaments, to pre-season All-Stars matches, to Pre-Season Challenges, World Club Challenges and even super bowl-style play-offs between the state league premiers from New South Wales and Queensland, the game has had many stabs at starting new traditions and trying out new ideas. Some have worked (Covid and the success of the recently created Indigenous vs Maori format of the All Stars concept pretty much saw off the Auckland Nines) but almost every other initiative the game has added to its annual calendar of events has proven successful over time.   The “little ol’ rugby league” I referred to earlier has been rewarded for its bravery in thinking and playing outside the box in the past. These are interesting and exciting times, drawing similarities to the late 1970s and early-80s, when many critics were warning the sport’s officialdom that a crazy idea like State of Origin would never work …

New blog article is now available and today's topic is all things rugby! "Super Rugby, once heralded as one of the premier rugby union competitions in the Southern Hemisphere, has undergone significant changes in recent years. Among the most profound shifts was the departure of South African teams, which has had far-reaching implications for the competition's excitement and business viability. This detailed article explores how the end of Super Rugby involving South African teams has affected the competition, both in terms of fan engagement and financial performance." To read more of the blog, click the link below: https://lnkd.in/gtS2Wg9w #sports #sportsmarketing #content #blog #writing #rugby #superrugby #sportsbusiness #agents #athletes

Leyton Orient Face Championship Competition For Non-League Star https://ift.tt/pJnTYOd Leyton Orient have joined the race to sign Chippenham Town defender Dan Ellison but face plenty of competition, according to journalist Dan Marsh. The 18-year-old is continuing to impress in the National League South so far this season and has earned a mountain of EFL interest ahead of what’s expected to be a busy summer transfer window for the defender. Which clubs are interested? According to Dan Marsh, there are four clubs interested in signing the 18-year-old, but one is facing a very difficult quest due to an EFL limitation. Championship side Queen’s Park Rangers have entered the race alongside League One trio Leyton Orient, Blackpool and Reading. The Royals are very keen to sign him according to Dan Marsh, but their ongoing transfer embargo means they face the likelihood of missing out, leaving three sides to battle it out. However, no side has been listed as the player’s preferred destination. How much will the deal cost? Chippenham Town have reportedly slapped a £10,000 price tag on his head, as well as including a 20% sell-on clause to protect the football club in the long term. Non-League sides placing a high sell-on clause is normal at this level, as it protects the football club in the long term and allows them to push towards their goal of reaching the National League and becoming a full-time football club. Why are Leyton Orient chasing this player? The defender has impressed in the sixth tier this season, scoring four goals in 26 league appearances as well as making appearances in the FA Trophy and local regionalised competitions. His exposure to first-team football at such a young age is a true testament to how well he has performed so far this season. January 2023 saw a similar move when St. Albans City defender Riccardo Di Trolio was snapped up by Championship side Coventry City. <p>The post Leyton Orient Face Championship Competition For Non-League Star first appeared on The Deck.</p> Callum Moseley Read More At Look Sports Media

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Scouting Report: Rising Star Evan Ferguson: A Deep Dive into Brighton's Prolific Striker: #evanferguson #brighton #premierleague #football #soccer #tottenham #tottenhamhotspur Steve Halls recently acquired his FA Talent Identification qualification and has conducted an in-depth analysis of Brighton's rising star, Evan Ferguson, for NexxtGen Football. Background and Contract Renewal: At the age of 19, Evan Ferguson, an Irish striker, recently committed to a new six-year deal with Brighton. This signals a long-term investment by the club in the young talent, solidifying his position within their ranks. Impressive International Presence: Ferguson's rapid rise is underlined by his remarkable international achievements. With just eight senior caps for Ireland, he has already found the net three times, showcasing his goal-scoring prowess on the international stage. Top Scorer for Brighton: Within Brighton's domestic campaign, Ferguson has emerged as a pivotal figure, leading the scoring charts for the team. His ability to find the back of the net consistently has not only bolstered Brighton's attack but has also garnered attention from top clubs across Europe. Tottenham's Pursuit and Kane's Void: Tottenham, in particular, has expressed keen interest in Ferguson, viewing him as the long-term successor to Harry Kane. Following Kane's high-profile move to Bayern Munich for £104 million in the summer, Spurs are in search of a striker to fill the void left by their talismanic forward. Hefty Valuation and Competition: Brighton, recognizing the potential in their young star, has placed a significant valuation on Ferguson, reportedly exceeding £100 million. This places him in the same echelon as transfers like Moises Caicedo, who commanded a British record fee of £115 million from Chelsea in the previous summer. Despite the substantial price tag, other major clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea are also in the race to secure Ferguson's services. Steadfast Commitment to Brighton: While Ferguson is undoubtedly on the radar of several top clubs, reports suggest that he is in no hurry to depart from Brighton. His commitment to the club, showcased through the recent contract extension, suggests a player focused on continued development within the team. Scouting Insight from Steve Halls: Steve Halls, having recently earned his FA Talent Identification qualification, provides valuable insights into Ferguson's potential. His analysis likely delves into the striker's technical attributes, tactical adaptability, and overall suitability for top-tier football. Interest Beyond Tottenham: It's not just Tottenham in the race for Ferguson. Manchester United and Chelsea have also expressed admiration for the young talent. However, Manchester City, a notable absentee in the pursuit, is not currently targeting a move for the Irish striker. Evan Ferguson's journey from… http://dlvr.it/SzD9t6