"Nobody can run these places better than I can. Fact." – Steve Diamond plans for his role within Newcastle Falcons' new era of ownership
Today at 09:37 AM
Amid their on-pitch issues, Newcastle Falcons have been put up for sale, reflecting their off-pitch financial struggles, along with Premiership Rugby as a whole. Local businessman Semore Kurdi has spent over a decade as Chairman at the club, feeling that the club needs new investment after reportedly investing £20 million, with meagre return.
Director of Rugby Steve Diamond is optimistic that the club can find the right money, but hopes for the right person as well. He claims "it's got to be somebody who's going to invest in the rugby business and there’s an asset here of god knows what acreage, and stadium, and a brand, and shares that are owned.
"So any serious contenders will be going through the correct channels, providing proof of funds that they can afford to do it and afford to invest into it and the powers that be will decide from there on in."
Premiership Rugby and their clubs have been under a big financial pressure to stay afloat, with the loss of three of their clubs in the last few years has made it more important to keep clubs financially healthy.
Diamond thinks that "what we’ve got to remember is that, however much people don't like me saying it, certainly in the game, the reason that the clubs hemorrhage money is because of the player and staff wages, and mainly the rugby staff, not the commercial staff, effectively the coaches and the players.
"It doesn’t run in parallel to the revenue that comes in. So there's always going to be a difference, but rugby's good at talking about this, where football doesn't anymore, because it's the same in football: the player wages out do the revenue coming in clubs and they’ve got the added bonus that the broadcasting amounts are enormous.
"So the model is difficult to work, but it needs people who are ambitious, it needs people who have commercial understanding, people who want to generate revenue. We can't cut the costs. Nobody can run these places better than I can, fact."
This isn't Diamond's first rodeo looking for investment: previously at the helm of Worcester Warriors whilst they were looking for club-saving investors before they folded midway through the 2022-23 Premiership Rugby season.
However this time round, he is looking and hoping for an investor that provides Newcastle with a new look and platform for fans.
"However what we do need is marketing: we need people who have got a sales background, who know sport, who can promote players like Adam Radwan and Callum [Chick]. We need superstars created in rugby, someone on the front pages as well as the back pages.
"We need controversy, we need people who talk about the game on a regular basis, and part of my job is being a little bit different than some of the other guys, but the thing about what happens around the scene and how we turn clubs like Newcastle around."
Hoping that he remains an integral part of a potential new investor's plans, Diamond asked: "What is the harder job? Coaching with no money and trying to finish second from bottom, or coaching with all the money and trying to finish top? I think we all know the harder job is down at the bottom.
"Now, for me they’re great stories you can tell, but equally, the people who come in here, whoever they may be: organisation, individual, or a group of people, they'll be coming in not to be bumbling around at the bottom of the league, one would imagine.
"They'll be ambitious and they'll want to put their mark on it. That might be with people like me or not. All I can do is have it in another ready state that when they come in and open the door, the cake's been cooked pretty well."
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