The Scotsman--reports
League still without sponsor on eve of season

DAVID FERGUSON
CHIEF RUGBY WRITER

SCOTTISH rugby clubs are praying that a meeting at Murrayfield this afternoon will secure a league sponsor and some much-needed cash just three days before the new season kicks off.

The SRU will meet with BT officials from London in an effort to clinch a new sponsorship deal after BT's last agreement, a three-year deal worth £1 million in cash and benefits to the union, ended in July. Talks have been ongoing since May, but no deal has yet been struck. The SRU maintain that the agreement is late due to the recent executive upheaval at Murrayfield, and remain hopeful a new deal will be agreed this week.

Clubs, however, fear that the sticking point is a reluctance by BT to offer the same level of cash support as part of the deal, and even if they do that the SRU will use their current financial plight to justify a further cut in club funding.

Glasgow Hawks netted nearly £25,000 in winnings for a league and cup double two years ago, made up of £10,000 for each of the league and cup and a "double bonus." That in itself was a drop from early years of BT sponsorship, but it fell again, to just £6,000 for the league title last term and £8,000 for cup-winners Boroughmuir as the SRU tried to shore up its spiralling debt.

Hugh Barrow, the Hawks secretary, said: "There are just a few days to go and we've heard nothing, so it's a big worry for clubs. It is not just the prizemoney. All accreditation was cut last season and we're still awaiting word on whether or not the professional player scheme - where clubs involved in developing a player received money when he signed professionally for Glasgow, Edinburgh or the Borders - is continuing.

"You are talking about some clubs having as much as £20,000 to £30,000 wiped off their income if that all falls, and we're already having a difficult time."

Clearly, having the title sponsor issue hanging in the balance until just days before the season kick-off is far from ideal. But David James, the SRU's commercial head, believes BT will again sign up. He said: "Conversations are ongoing about a range of different structured deals and I'm confident of a resolution by the end of the week."

Alan Bonas, Head of Communications at BT Scotland, provided further hope when he said: "We have sponsored Scottish rugby for six years, which is a long time as sports sponsorship goes, but we genuinely thought it was a good product to have in that time and it remains a good product.

"We have been talking with Scottish Rugby since the end of the season and although there is no deal yet, we're hopeful we can come to an agreement which hopefully includes the leagues and cup competitions, and our 'Rich Media' of highlights of club games on the internet."

Another sensitive issue being thrashed out this week is the player protocol. It was agreed earlier this year that all professional players would be permitted to play for club sides this season, but the issue remains one of the most contentious in the game.

After years of pro players being released or banned, and forced to play 2nd XV games to keep fit, there seemed to be widespread agreement in the summer.

However, as always, putting it into practice has stirred tensions. Professional players are being allocated to the clubs they came from, but only in the First Division, with all others - including new international signings from abroad - spread across top-flight clubs.

With no draft system in place - clubs last season took it in turn to pick the players available - it is a major headache for the pro team coaches trying to place them according to clubs' requirements and avoiding great imbalances affecting the championship. Many clubs will kick off this weekend still unaware of which professional players are to become part of their club this season.

This article was posted on 23-Aug-2005, 06:44 by Hugh Barrow.