Wasps rugby club eyes Solihull stadium move
TROUBLED rugby union team Wasps is set to quit Coventry and move to Solihull, according to reports.
Damson Park, the home of Solihull Moors Football Club, is close to being announced as Wasps’ new ground, sources say. It comes as it bids to make an immediate return to the Premiership after being thrown out over its financial collapse.
Also known as the ARMCO Arena, the Elmdon football ground has a capacity of 5,500. That makes it almost six times smaller than the CBS Arena.
Wasps will be in the Championship next season after their takeover was approved by the Rugby Football Union. Wasps and Worcester entered administration earlier in the season, resulting in their expulsion from the Gallagher Premiership.
The consortium seeking to buy Wasps – which uprooted from London to Coventry in 2014 – included members of charitable foundation Wasps Legends. It was given the green light subject to several conditions being met.
They included financial commitments to ensure the club remained funded, the lodging of a significant bond and the swift payment of rugby creditors. In a press release, new owners HALO22 announced they had reached a ground share agreement at an as-yet-unnamed Midland venue.
Andy Scott, a former CEO of 188Bet and Interim CEO of the Wasps Legends Charitable Foundation, has been appointed as chief executive officer and will be supported by former players including Kenny Logan and Peter Scrivener.
Mr Scott said: “We are proud and delighted to secure the future of this great club. Wasps is a famous and highly regarded name in the history of English and European rugby and while this is a new venture and a fresh start, it is fundamentally built on the same values that brought the Club success and respect in its heyday.”
Christopher Holland, the club’s new owner, added: “As the new custodian of Wasps, I am fully aware of the responsibilities I have to its supporters, history and heritage. I do not underestimate that duty.
“Even though it has been an extremely challenging time for everybody connected with the club, the decision is a reward for the hard work undertaken to date, and means we can now start planning for the future.
“There is, however, a long road ahead of us. In addition to fulfilling the obligations to rugby creditors as set out in regulation five by the RFU, we continue our conversations with investors to improve the funding we have acquired to date.
“We are diligently creating a viable long-term business model for the Club, and we have had to meet rightfully stringent and modern business requirements for regulatory control and corporate governance.
“The RFU and PRL have been a supportive partner during the process.
“I would like to place on record my thanks to all of our fans and partners, the wider rugby community, and all former players and staff. The support we have received has been incredible.”