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| Season 2020/21 Community Funding |
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Covid-19 will have a major impact on RFU revenues for 2020/21, as it will on many other organisations. In addition to a significant in year impact (potentially between £70m and £107m dip in revenue) recovery is anticipated to take four to five years, with a forecast revenue reduction of at least £15m-£25m per annum over that period. This is leading to tough, and in some cases, extreme decisions to preserve the RFU, to ensure we are well placed in the future to support the community game, and to give us the best chance of having winning England teams. Initially, these decisions have focused on season 2020/21 where we have had to limit expenditure as much as possible in what is still an uncertain year. The Community Game Board have taken some hard decisions to suspend a number of areas of spend for 2020/21 and key headlines of these can be found below.
We remain totally committed to sustaining and growing our partnership with CBs and clubs throughout what is going to be a challenging year. This will undoubtedly mean working differently and in a more focused way – we look forward to discussing this more over the coming weeks and months.
Key Headlines:
• Club liability and catastrophic injury insurance will continue to be funded and provided centrally.
• The core element of PFR funding will be committed to CBs at an overall rate of circa 30% of what was paid in 2019/20.
• Funding for DPP and Age Grade Representative Rugby (Male U15, U16 & U18 and Female U15 & U18) will continue at the same levels as 2019/20.
• A dedicated Club Support Fund will be established to provide financial support to clubs in greatest need. A working group has been established to determine priorities and eligibility for this and further detail will follow over the next few weeks.
• Match Officials at Levels 3-5 will continue to be managed and funded centrally with a reduced (50%) charge levied on clubs - £1500 at L3, £750 at L4 and £500 at L5.
• Funding for the Senior Men’s & U20 and Women’s County Championships will be suspended for the 2020/21 season and the RFU will also suspend the organisation of these competitions for this season only. A review will be initiated over the course of this season to fully understand the importance and priority of the County Championships to the community game and this will inform its operation from season 2021/22 onwards. CBs are able, should they wish, to continue to operate (and self-fund) representative teams, arranging and funding matches against other CBs.
• Funding and operation of the Aspirational Team programme (England Counties, England Counties U20s, England Counties U18 & Divisional programmes) will be suspended for the 2020/21 season.
• All ring-fenced onshore and offshore travel funding will be suspended for the 2020/21 season. Clubs who suffer financial distress as a result may be eligible for support from Club Support Fund (subject to confirmation of criteria).
• Operational budgets to reflect key areas of ongoing commitment have been reduced significantly from previous years. |
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