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Wasps set to make their Ricoh Arena debut in December Wasps set to make their Ricoh Arena debut in December
(35 minutes later)
Wasps will stage their first game at their new home in Coventry against Castres or London Irish in December, the club have announced.Wasps will stage their first game at their new home in Coventry against Castres or London Irish in December, the club have announced.
The two-times European champions have acquired a 50% interest in the Ricoh Arena after Coventry city council voted in favour of selling their controlling interest in Arena Coventry Limited (ACL).The two-times European champions have acquired a 50% interest in the Ricoh Arena after Coventry city council voted in favour of selling their controlling interest in Arena Coventry Limited (ACL).
Wasps will continue to play at their existing ground at Adams Park, which is shared with the League Two football club Wycombe Wanderers, until December.Wasps will continue to play at their existing ground at Adams Park, which is shared with the League Two football club Wycombe Wanderers, until December.
The decision to move the club to Coventry has angered supporters, but the Wasps chief executive, Nick Eastwood, insists it was taken in the best interests of the club.The decision to move the club to Coventry has angered supporters, but the Wasps chief executive, Nick Eastwood, insists it was taken in the best interests of the club.
“This is a watershed moment in the history of Wasps and the professional game,” Eastwood said. “It will help us realise our ambition to re-establish ourselves as one of the best teams in Europe and will guarantee the long-term success of the club.“This is a watershed moment in the history of Wasps and the professional game,” Eastwood said. “It will help us realise our ambition to re-establish ourselves as one of the best teams in Europe and will guarantee the long-term success of the club.
“We fully appreciate this move will unsettle many of our supporters and I would like to stress that this decision has not been taken lightly.”“We fully appreciate this move will unsettle many of our supporters and I would like to stress that this decision has not been taken lightly.”
Wasps captain James Haskell supports the move to the Ricoh Arena, insisting the decision was necessary to safeguard the future of a club that went desperately close to bankruptcy two years ago.
“It’s always dangerous to try and project what other people feel, but it’s obviously a massive change and people are very sceptical of change, it’s human nature,” Haskell said.
“But look at the situation we were in - we were an hour away from going bankrupt. We were losing £3m per year for a long period of time.
“(Owner) Derek Richardson came in and absorbed £10m worth of debt. Our deal at Adams Park meant that for every £1 spent we got 50p. There was no other option than to move.
“I’ve been a Wasps fan since the age of 12 and am their longest serving player. I have intimate knowledge of where this club has been and how close we were to disappearing.
“Players should be solely focused on the rugby and on performance, but at Wasps at times it’s been ‘are we getting paid and where are we living?’. As of now that’s changed.
“It’s difficult to explain that business side of it to a young fan because of the emotion involved, but Coventry isn’t a million miles away.
“This stadium, facility and the matchday experience - the whole set up will only make the club better.
“Fans have been shielded from how much of a struggle it has been at times, but this move has now secured the future of Wasps.”