Firstly, we hope that this finds you all safe and well during this continued, unprecedented, period.
We live in extraordinary and challenging times with COVID-19 remaining as a threat to our health and continuing to shape the way that we live our lives.
The overwhelming support that the club has continued to receive during this period is testament to the loyalty and commitment that you all have for the Warriors Family.
We have managed to navigate our way through some very difficult times and we want to thank all of our staff and players for the loyalty and support they too have shown us through this incredibly challenging period. Our Warriors family have stayed together and, unlike many other clubs and businesses, we have retained all of our players and all of our staff.
You will no doubt have seen the announcement by the Prime Minister that new restrictions have been put in place to prevent the further spread of the pandemic.
Those restrictions include the abandonment of the plan to allow crowds to return to outdoor sporting events from October 1 with the suggestion that no crowds will be permitted for up to six months.
Having worked so hard to put in place stringent measures to keep safe all those who work or visit Sixways, this is a huge disappointment and puts additional pressure on our fight for survival and our future plans.
Without revenue generated on matchdays from crowds, sponsors and their associated spend, Warriors and all professional sports clubs cannot hope to be sustainable without significant support.
Playing matches behind closed doors for another six months is clearly not sustainable for this club nor for the Premiership as a whole. The additional loss of our events business puts further pressure on our chances for financial survival.
We are not alone in this fight for survival. Along with the support of our community this period has brought together the clubs in this country in a way that has not been seen for many years. We are working closely with those clubs, our partners, in this common cause that challenges the entire sport.
The Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby have already requested significant financial support from the Government to ensure that rugby in England, at all levels survives this challenging and costly lockdown.
The Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, has indicated that he might consider offering financial support to some professional sports clubs. At the moment we do not know, even if it does arrive, what that support might look like.
Until we have that clarity it is impossible for us to know what the future of professional rugby in England looks like.
It is clear that we are moving further into uncharted waters and a period of continued, deeper, uncertainty in which your support and understanding is needed more than ever. We thank you, sincerely, for it.
Colin and Jason