With last season only finally concluding for Blackheath Rugby on 23rd May, it has been a much shorter summer break than normal, and now we are fast approaching the new season.
Across the club, we have been very busy with several infrastructure projects as well as preparing for the new season starting in just a few weeks’ time. Visitors to The Utilita in recent weeks will have seen different sets of contractors undertaking quite large and important ground projects. On the far side of the ground, huge movements of soil have taken place as a new water drainage system has been installed underneath the grass football pitches followed by levelling of the pitches ahead of a new grass surface. Nearer to the club house, a brand new all-weather pitch surface has been laid on which competitive football and rugby will be played in the coming season and the years ahead. The floodlights on the all-weather pitch are also being upgraded to a higher standard. In a corner of the car park, our partners – IONITY – are busy constructing and installing 12 new electric vehicle charging stations, which will be opened for commercial use in the next few months. And on Pitch 1, we have widened the gap between the far touchline and the spectator boundary to comply with World Rugby requirements, raised the filming gantry to a higher level and will shortly be upgrading the strength of our floodlights. It’s been quite a summer of activity, and all of these upgrades and improvements will improve the standard of facilities at The Utilita.
All our teams across the sections of the club are back and training in earnest for the new season and we eagerly await the first Elior Champ League match at home on Friday 25th September against Caldy. Yes – that’s not a typo and we will be playing this match under floodlights on a Friday evening. Our First team is now in the Elior Champ League, having successfully won promotion at the end of last season. The new and higher league will bring several changes for us to absorb and variations in timings of matches is one of those changes. All of our First team matches – home and away — will be live screened by Clubber TV. To maximise the screening opportunity the Elior Champ League has asked all clubs to assist in staggering the start times of matches across the weekend. Everyone will need to be alert to the potential changes in days and kick-off times so as not to miss anything, so please do refer regularly to our website and social media, and follow any announcements that will be made. While many First team games will continue to start at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon, some games will be played at 7.45pm on Friday evening and a few may take place at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon, whilst one or two may start at different times other than 3pm on a Saturday. We have adjusted our fixture list on the website to reflect the different times for matches up to the end of the year, and we will do so for the matches in 2027 when these have been organised by the Elior Champ League. Change brings opportunity and our view is that these different start times will open up the opportunity for a broader audience to enjoy our matches. For example, we have already heard from our friends in local clubs that a Friday or a Sunday will give them an opportunity to watch a high standard match which they would not normally be able to do on a Saturday afternoon when they have their own matches.
A further change is that we have separated the cost of attending a First team match from the core membership subscription. This is to recognise the value of a match at Level 2 of English rugby and separate the cost of attending a match away from the cost of being a member of the club whether as a playing or a non-playing member or as a Junior member or an Adult member. This brings Blackheath Rugby into line with other clubs in the Elior Champ League and recognises the different levels of value whether as a member of the club or as a supporter of the First team, or both! We have increased the cost to attend a match, into line with the other clubs in the Elior Champ League recognising the higher standard of rugby on offer. At the same time, we have reduced the cost of non-playing membership. So, for example, if you were a member last season and you chose to stand and watch, your cost was £275 for the season. If you join as a member this year and buy a season ticket to stand and watch, the cost is £335. We appreciate that no one enjoys paying higher prices but like everyone, Blackheath Rugby has also been impacted by the increase in the cost of living with increased costs to cover across the running of the club. We have reduced the impact of the cost increases by offering season tickets at attractive prices for members so take advantage of these prices and look forward to enjoying entertaining rugby at the Utilita this season. Enjoy the last few weeks of the summer holidays and we look forward to welcoming you to the Utilita in September for what should be a very exciting season of rugby.
The Executive Committee
Blackheath Rugby
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