Great time to invest in rugby - Newcastle's Diamond

Steve Diamond has been in charge of Newcastle Falcons since January 2024

Newcastle Falcons consultant director of rugby Steve Diamond said the the climate has improved for investment in club rugby.

A new five-year TV deal has been signed to broadcast Premiership matches until the end of the 2030-31 season.

While Bristol Bears and Harlequins took league matches to the Principality Stadium and Allianz Stadium on Saturday leading to healthy attendances and potential new audiences.

"It is obviously a good time for businesses to invest in the league," Diamond said.

"There were two games with 100,000 people watching club rugby, they've just done a new TV deal, so I think it's about time big organisations and investors looked at rugby."

A crowd of 51,095 attended Bristol v Bath at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday

Newcastle, who prop up the Premiership with two wins from 16 league games, have been looking for new investment since November with owner Semore Kurdi wanting out.

An article linked the north-east club with interest from energy drink giant Red Bull, the company which has a strong sports portfolio in football and Formula 1 amongst others already.

Diamond said he has heard nothing about this, but he is more optimistic about the future.

He also cited the report which showed that a more youthful audience was being attracted to Premiership rugby as another way of bringing in much-needed new money.

"I have nothing to say about Red Bull," Diamond added.

"But big multi-national companies would look to invest in what they see is a growing sport.

"We've got 15 British and Irish Lions coming out of the Premiership. The league is looking good, we just need the right sort of investors.

"One of the interesting stats for me that came out was an increase in people between 18 to 34 watching rugby.

"I'm pretty sure for a company like Red Bull or something similar, that is the demographic they are targeting."