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Cardiff's latest financial headache could result in a winding-up petition
By Online Editors
Under-achieving Cardiff Blues have been given their latest headache - the threat of facing a winding-up petition if they fail to pay outstanding rent for their use of the Arms Park.
The Blues are only tenants at the ground adjacent to the Principality Stadium and they have been issued with a statutory demand by the Arms Park’s landlord, Cardiff Athletic Club (CAC), to either pay the debt or reach an agreement to pay within 21 days.
Failure to keep up with payments is apparently nothing new for the Guinness PRO14 rugby club who failed to qualify for the league play-offs and didn’t secure qualification for next season’ Heineken Champions Cup. But the existing debt is now reported to be in the region of £140,000.
“We were assured by Cardiff Blues that a financial package had been arranged which would guarantee settlement of all arrears before the end of June,” read a statement issued by Cardiff Athletic Club. “As a result of this reassurance, the legal proceedings were put on hold.
"Cardiff Athletic Club recognises the tough financial environment for regional rugby in Wales and has made every effort to work with Cardiff Blues Ltd to clear the outstanding arrears.
"However, Cardiff Athletic Club management committee has a duty to all five (bowls, rugby, hockey, cricket and tennis) of its sections. The absence of any rental payments for such a substantial period has impacted on the operations for all sections of the club.
"Having exhausted all areas of negotiation and being able to settle this matter amicably, Cardiff Athletic Club has therefore issued a statutory demand in respect of all outstanding debts to protect the interests of our members.”
Cardiff revealed in February 2018 that they were considering a move away from the Arms Park as a new lease had not yet been negotiated with the CAC beyond its 2022 expiry date. In an effort to cut costs, though, the Blues announced some weeks ago that Arms Park will be their training base for the 2019/20 season and not the Vale of Glamorgan hotel.
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Latest Comments
Yes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.
They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).
That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).
Go to commentsThe only benefit of the draft idea is league competitiveness. There would be absolutely no commercial value in a draft with rugby’s current interest levels.
I wonder what came first in america? I’m assuming it’s commercial aspect just built overtime and was a side effect essentially.
But the idea is not without merit as a goal. The first step towards being able to implement a draft being be creating it’s source of draftees. Where would you have the players come from? NFL uses college, and players of an age around 22 are generally able to step straight into the NFL. Baseball uses School and kids (obviously nowhere near pro level being 3/4 years younger) are sent to minor league clubs for a few years, the equivalent of the Super Rugby academies. I don’t think the latter is possible legally, and probably the most unethical and pointless, so do we create a University scene that builds on and up from the School scene? There is a lot of merit in that and it would tie in much better with our future partners in Japan and America.
Can we used the club scene and dispose of the Super Rugby academies? The benefit of this is that players have no association to their Super side, ie theyre not being drafted elshwere after spending time as a Blues or Chiefs player etc, it removes the negative of investing in a player just to benefit another club. The disadvantage of course is that now the players have nowhere near the quality of coaching and each countries U20s results will suffer (supposedly).
Or are we just doing something really dirty and making a rule that the only players under the age of 22 (that can sign a pro contract..) that a Super side can contract are those that come from the draft? Any player wanting to upgrade from an academy to full contract has to opt into the draft?
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