Much to the relief of everyone connected with Leicester Tigers, this week saw the investigation into Leicester Tigers for a possible breach of the Salary Cap come to a close. The investigation concluded that Tigers had breached the Salary Cap for four consecutive seasons between 2016 and 2020, with the total overspend in that period coming to £391,941.06. The biggest overspend in a single season was £147,750 in 2016/2017.
Crucially, the amounts that Leicester overspent by fell within the allowed “Overrun Limit” for each season. As a result, Leicester have been provided with a fine of £309,841.06, which is formed of a combination of an “Overrun Tax” which is calculated by how much the club went over, and a fine for non-disclosure. More importantly, the club did not receive a points deduction, with the club accepting the decision in full, with no further process or appeal to be taken. As a result, the findings bring to an end a fairly sorry chapter for the club, on and off the field, and brings to a close any concerns that the club’s good season this year may be impacted for previous misdeeds.
Therefore in the aftermath of the decision, focus can now be turned back to the rugby, with the club in a good position to target all three competitions that they are competing in this season without any distraction. A cloud has been lifted somewhat over the club, with the issue now resolved and dealt with. However it has been a fairly unsavoury event for the club. This piece is just my reaction to the event, 24 hours on, and a chance to put my thoughts down on paper.
Firstly, I’m glad the situation has been resolved, and most importantly, resolved now in March and not in June time. It would not have been good for the club, nor for the wider sport for that matter, for the issue to have dragged on and have not been resolved by the time the season gets to the business end. There is no guarantee that Leicester will be involved in those big games of course, but certainly there is a good chance they may well be. Therefore resolving the issue now stops any possible problems further down the line. Steve, his fellow coaches and his players can now fully focus and concentrate on the rugby without any fear of distraction. That can only be a good thing for us.
In terms of the club, for me there are positives and negatives involved in what was gone on. On the positive side, I am glad that we opened the books and co-operated throughout the process with the investigating team. Saracens of course did not do so when they were under investigation, which lead to their further punishment that they received. It is not known if we approached the investigators or if we were investigated based upon a tip-off from an external source, however the fact we did co-operate throughout is a positive.
However, on the negative side, it is disappointing that this of course happened in the first place. That not only were we investigated but ultimately we were found to be up to no good. Whilst the figures do fall into the overrun rate, it is still not good enough that we did overspend in the first place. In addition, the fact that we did so for four consecutive seasons makes the event even more embarrassing and compounds the problem. To do so once looks like a clerical error or oversight, whilst not ideal, these things do happen. However to have found out that we have done it for consecutive seasons really does remove that excuse, and makes it look a lot more deliberate and cynical ploy to get round the salary cap.
It does of course beg the question, how long has this gone on for? The Salary Cap investigation team could only go back and review the last five seasons given their statute of limitations, however the fact that Tigers were caught overspending in four of those five seasons reviewed, indicates that this was a practice that looks to have been well-established at the club, and one that was used regularly. Of course, there is no evidence to suggest that that it has gone on for longer, however it is understandable that questions should be asked.
But why is this important? Well, for me it is a matter of faith. Faith in the club and the people in charge that they know what they are doing, and what they are doing is the right thing for the club. As fans we contribute towards the club in many ways, whether it is financially through being a season ticket holder and/or a merchandise buyer or someone who cheers the boys on from further afield on the television, often getting up at unsocial hours to do so. We all support the club in different ways. Therefore, we all put our faith into the decision makers of the club that they sort these things properly, and within the set regulations allowed. It is there job to do so after all and it is why the club employs so many people – to make sure the club is running at its very best across all areas and departments.
So to therefore find out that we have been breaching the regulations and consistently so, really is not a good look. It is one that tars us fans by association yet we are all miles away from being involved in these type of decisions. It is us that receive the grief from opposition fans on Social Media or in the grounds themselves, whilst those who did make those judgements are removed from such things in their posh seats or further afield still. Whilst anything on Social Media can be deleted or blocked and ignored, it is less easy when any sharp words are being said in person at your seat. Anecdotally I know of Saracens fans who were worried of going to away games due to fears of getting hassle. That should not be the case, they are only fans like all of us. We are all the same at the end of the day. We all cheer on our respective teams and wish them to do well. None of us are the ones making financial decisions nor do we have any or much influence on them.
The fact we won nothing bar an Anglo-Welsh Cup in that time period, whilst of course plumbing new depths of how low we could sink to, ultimately shows the mismanagement of the club in that time across all facets of the club. Steve has summed it up numerous times, that the club he walked into in July 2020 was one that was not in a good place, on or off the field. The five year period that the investigation looked into was a sorry chapter for the club, and one that quite rightly will not go down in our hall of fame. To have overspent for four years, yet produce some of our worst ever rugby just sums up that period of the club. No one involved in that era comes out of it with much credit. It now seems right that a line is drawn under this sorry chapter of the club’s existence, with lessons learned to ensure that this does not happen again.
In terms of the punishment, it is fair and follows what is set out in the regulations. It should be remembered (by other fans not necessarily Leicester fans) that our breach was nowhere near the level of Saracens hence the lower punishment. It doesn’t excuse our behaviour but those are the facts nonetheless. It is question of scale, like what is used in the criminal justice system. We have numerous different crimes, all involve breaking the law. However the severity of the punishment is linked to the severity of the crime committed. The same principles hold here. To those calling for a points deduction, firstly be careful what you wish for, it could be your club soon enough. Secondly, the regulations do not state we should get one so therefore do not waste your breath moaning. Nonetheless our fine is proportionate and we have little to stand on to disagree.
With this judgement, it hopefully provides the club with a reason to draw a line under the last few years and move on. Lessons need to be learned and individuals need to reflect on their behaviour and be better. The club is bigger than any one person, it should be looked after by those custodians, to ensure it is still with us for many years to come. However, there is much to be positive about. On the field, we are in a great position with a fantastic playing group, filled with young, exciting and committed players, led by a brilliant coaching team. Off the field, it looks like we are getting our act together as we recover from the pandemic. Onwards and upwards Leicester, lets attack the rest of the season!