Wasps fans have a bee in their bonnet about moving to Coventry and rightly so, says Kristian Ross...
Earlier this year, I met a special someone (I won’t go into intricate detail ladies and gents) from High Wycombe, the home of Wasps Rugby.
Over the summer I started following the club, a club I’ve admired in the past, a club with great morals, a superb fan base, in short a club that is incredibly respected by the rest of its Aviva Premiership counterparts.
Wasps have dropped their London name, a name that in my opinion was used loosely to start with. High Wycombe isn't exactly London, but I suppose from many fans point of view, it’s entirely how you look at it.
A few years ago, Newcastle Falcons dropped the city’s name from their kit and there were rumours of a move to Darlington, with the Northern Echo Arena having became available. Darlington is about 40 miles away from Kingston Park, and at the time the move seemed utterly ridiculous. Having a look at it now, it seems totally bearable, due to Wasps' current situation.
It's been known for a while that Wasps have been searching for a new home, but when Coventry was mentioned, the alarm bells started ringing. A bid of £30m has been made by the club for the Ricoh Arena.
This is easily one of the worst proposed relocations in sporting history. It would be a 158 mile round trip from Wycombe to Coventry, something even a die hard fan would struggle to make the journey, costs of travel are simply too expensive, and the fact that the club has its southern and traditional values firmly rooted in High Wycombe means it would simply be a disgrace to move so far away.
The club haven't helped themselves either; their latest press release saying they were unable to give any sort of update on the situation. Wasps fans have the right to feel angry and the disappointment is clearly visible on social media, with some fans going as far to petition to keep the club around the London area. Surely if Wasps have £30m to bid for the Ricoh Arena, they can find a permanent next home somewhere local, or at least within the confines of the south east.
The fans should fight this every step of the way, loyal supporters at Adams Park who for so long have put money into the club will see their team have to play in a new town, which can only be described as not only a logistically nightmare but a total insult to the fanbase in general. This isn't some half-bit franchise, this is a club that commands respect throughout English and world rugby.
The directors need to have a serious think about what they are doing and if comes down to the fact that their pockets may be lined due to the relocation, it’s a very sad day for rugby indeed.
No to Coventry Wasps.
Kristian. 20. Geordie. Fond of Wasps, Falcons and Ulster. @Kristian7Ross
