Cornish Pirates plea for funding to stay in Championship
The Cornish Pirates Rugby Club is starting a funding appeal in a bid to participate in the 2020/21 Championship League season.
The club has been kept afloat with a loan from Sport England under the Sport Winter Survival Package, allowing it to subsidise the huge loss of income it has suffered as a result of the pandemic.
However, with no further grant available to cover the extra Covid-related costs of testing and operational changes to run safely, the club expects to fork out thousands of pounds not accounted for in its budget.
In a statement, the club said it expects testing alone to put them more than £100,000 out of pocket.
With the 2019/20 season cut short in March 2020, the club has been unable to generate any significant income stream for nearly 12 months.
Despite the challenges, the club said the support they have received from fans has been 'overwhelming' - and has made a huge difference in keeping the club going.
The club is now asking for support with the #Pledge4Pirates campaign, to try and cover the additional costs Covid has brought to the operation.
Due to ongoing uncertainty around coronavirus restrictions and the accompanying financial burden, the club said it is unsure when fans will be welcomed back to the Mannaye.
Although it doesn't generate the same amount a typical match day would, fans can continue to watch the team at home via a pay-per-view live stream.
Dedicated fans can also benefit from a 'season pass' for discounted access to streams of all home games.
Despite the challenges, the club says it can't wait to "take its place" in the return of Championship Rugby.
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