WRU & FAW in talks with the Welsh Government for crowds to return to stadiums
- Published
Wales played Scotland in an empty Parc y Scarlets in the 2020 Six Nations
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and Football Association of Wales (FAW) are in talks with the Welsh Government for the return of fans to stadiums.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a maximum of 4,000 fans will be allowed at outdoor events in England's lowest-risk areas when their four-week lockdown ends on 2 December.
Up to 2,000 people will be allowed in tier two areas, but none in tier three.
The Welsh Government has yet to announce return for spectators.
Indoor venues in tiers one and two in England can have a maximum of 1,000 spectators, with capacity across indoor and outdoor venues limited to 50%.
There will be a meeting between the Welsh Government and sporting clubs on Monday, 30 November regarding the subject of crowds.
At a webinar entitled the "Future of sports in Wales", WRU chief executive Steve Phillips, FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford and Sport Wales boss Sarah Powell addressed the effects of coronavirus on Welsh sport.
Phillips says the organisation is in talks to try to get fans into Wales' final Autumn Nations Cup match on 5 December at Parc y Scarlets.
"We definitely want crowds back, but you have to take it at the backdrop this is a public health issue first and foremost," said Phillips.
"It is a cautiously active [discussion] because we are respective of the health implications and we accept if it is not going to happen.
"There are finances at play but it is much wider than that because I have been to a couple of Test matches and it does not feel right.
"You need the crowd backs to get the best out of the players.
"I want crowds back for 5 December and even if it is not economically viable I would probably still do it because it sets the scene and creates the environment."
Jonathan Ford was appointed the Football Association of Wales' chief executive in 2009
FAW chief executive Ford says he has been consistently lobbying the Welsh Government.
"Public health does have to come first, but we have been campaigning to the Welsh Government on this for some time," said Ford.
"We firmly believe sport has a role in society to helps us come out of this pandemic and to do it in a safe and controlled environment.
"Sport can do that better than anything else. You just have to go into town on any night of the week and see hundreds of people running around ignoring social distancing measures.
"In sport we can control it. We can can do track and trace, we can do temperature testing and we have seen it all before across different countries.
"We can all put measures in place whether it be through our ticketing systems or have appropriate track and trace systems.
"We have been campaigning hard and will be campaigning even harder to ensure we in Wales are doing exactly the same as they are doing over the border.
"This is a fundamental and fantastic income source to those clubs.
"We will play our role to bring it back safely, but we need the Government to push on this agenda to."
Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport and Wrexham play within the English football league system and are waiting to see what will happen in Wales.
Financial talks
Steve Phillips has been with the Welsh Rugby Union since 2007
Phillips also said the WRU remains in talks with the Welsh Government over financial assistance.
The UK government's package last week saw £135m pledged to rugby union in England as part of the £300m winter survival package.
Provisionally the Rugby Football Union - which governs the sport in England - is set to receive £44m, Premiership Rugby clubs are expected to get £59m, Championship clubs £9m and community clubs £23m.
The WRU has so far negotiated a £20m loan from NatWest Bank to help the four professional regions survive over the next 12 months with the money having to be paid back by Cardiff Blues, Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons over five years.
The WRU posted a £5.3m loss for the last financial year.
Departed WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips told its annual general meeting in October he believes the organisation will eventually need a government bailout.
Steve Phillips has also previously raised the prospect of government intervention and suggested the WRU could lose £35m of revenue if the home autumn programme and 2021 Six Nations were both played behind closed doors.
"We would like to acknowledge so far we have had a lot of support from Welsh Government," said Phillips.
"It was fresh news last Thursday [the winter survival package]. We have spoken to Welsh Government and we recognise and acknowledge and thank the support to date.
"All our expectations would be as long as we are treated proportionally and fairly to what England Rugby have had, I don't think we can ask for anymore than that.
"The conversations are ongoing and relationships are very good."