27-05-2015, 09:50 AM
To expand on Richardson option for change (3) in Keith Rose's letter, which I think derives from a suggestion I made for possible change in another thread on 'sponsorship', let me add a little more to explain.
First, the aim of 'reducing' the Richardson to a four team all-play-all weekend in late-May (from 2016-17) is to rejuvenate both the Richardson and Spens. The 'new' Richardson effectively becomes a 'Super-Cup', while the Spens becomes a de facto 'Scottish Cup', open to all.
Note that this option deliberately allows a club to win BOTH the Spens and Richardson Cups, i.e. to become Scottish Cup and Super Cup champions, in the same season. The two Spens finalists (event to be completed by end-April each year) - unless they are the top two already pre-qualified teams from the previous year's Richardson, which will mean that the two defeated Spens semi-finalists go forward - qualify for the (late-May) Richardson weekend, where they meet the previous year's top two teams in the Richardson weekend event, and so on.
Second, and to emphasise, the Spens is truly open to all, which, to repeat, includes the two, pre-qualified Richardson weekend teams from the previous season (if they wish to play, although they won't be competing for the Richardson, Super Cup places, only the carrot of winning the Scottish Cup, of course). I think that kind of enhanced prestige for a new Scottish Cup (Spens) event is likely to be attractive to most current Richardson and Spens Club competitors.
Thirdly, as the organisation of the 'new' Richardson Super Cup event requires only one (late-May) weekend (say, Friday evening or Monday afternoon match, plus the other two matches on Sat and Sunday), that's not a great organisational problem. Teams should remain at 8 players (and I'd prefer increments, but that's a detail).
The question remains, however, whether to keep the new Spens on a wholly KO basis or change it to a group plus final basis, along lines outlined earlier in this thread by Keith Rose for the Richardson (and possibly also the Spens). I think either could work, but this is an important point for sensible consultation about what clubs might think best. Similarly, whether to stick to 6 boards or expand the new Spens (or Scottish Cup!) to 8 player teams needs consultation.
Overall, I think that this kind of streamlined introduction of a Super Cup, all-play-all weekend, plus a Scottish Cup, open to all, is not just attractive but realistic, too, not least from the point of view of a crammed calendar domestically and internationally. Players of all strengths are likely to commit to this, as it's an exciting challenge. The new Richardson 'Super Cup' weekend, moreover, has a commitment and focus about it that has potential to attract sponsorship ... sponsors generally want to see a sport commit to events that resonate EXCELLENCE BEFORE they even consider parting with any £s (other than pure philanthropists) and even AHEAD of whether they will get sufficient 'return' for their investment, however they judge that ... no guarantees, of course, and the new event needs no sponsorship to start off anyway.
Time to be truly radical!? Go for the 'Super-Cup' / 'Scottish Cup' option!?
First, the aim of 'reducing' the Richardson to a four team all-play-all weekend in late-May (from 2016-17) is to rejuvenate both the Richardson and Spens. The 'new' Richardson effectively becomes a 'Super-Cup', while the Spens becomes a de facto 'Scottish Cup', open to all.
Note that this option deliberately allows a club to win BOTH the Spens and Richardson Cups, i.e. to become Scottish Cup and Super Cup champions, in the same season. The two Spens finalists (event to be completed by end-April each year) - unless they are the top two already pre-qualified teams from the previous year's Richardson, which will mean that the two defeated Spens semi-finalists go forward - qualify for the (late-May) Richardson weekend, where they meet the previous year's top two teams in the Richardson weekend event, and so on.
Second, and to emphasise, the Spens is truly open to all, which, to repeat, includes the two, pre-qualified Richardson weekend teams from the previous season (if they wish to play, although they won't be competing for the Richardson, Super Cup places, only the carrot of winning the Scottish Cup, of course). I think that kind of enhanced prestige for a new Scottish Cup (Spens) event is likely to be attractive to most current Richardson and Spens Club competitors.
Thirdly, as the organisation of the 'new' Richardson Super Cup event requires only one (late-May) weekend (say, Friday evening or Monday afternoon match, plus the other two matches on Sat and Sunday), that's not a great organisational problem. Teams should remain at 8 players (and I'd prefer increments, but that's a detail).
The question remains, however, whether to keep the new Spens on a wholly KO basis or change it to a group plus final basis, along lines outlined earlier in this thread by Keith Rose for the Richardson (and possibly also the Spens). I think either could work, but this is an important point for sensible consultation about what clubs might think best. Similarly, whether to stick to 6 boards or expand the new Spens (or Scottish Cup!) to 8 player teams needs consultation.
Overall, I think that this kind of streamlined introduction of a Super Cup, all-play-all weekend, plus a Scottish Cup, open to all, is not just attractive but realistic, too, not least from the point of view of a crammed calendar domestically and internationally. Players of all strengths are likely to commit to this, as it's an exciting challenge. The new Richardson 'Super Cup' weekend, moreover, has a commitment and focus about it that has potential to attract sponsorship ... sponsors generally want to see a sport commit to events that resonate EXCELLENCE BEFORE they even consider parting with any £s (other than pure philanthropists) and even AHEAD of whether they will get sufficient 'return' for their investment, however they judge that ... no guarantees, of course, and the new event needs no sponsorship to start off anyway.
Time to be truly radical!? Go for the 'Super-Cup' / 'Scottish Cup' option!?