Welsh's Kassam Stadium deal has get-out clause (From Bicester Advertiser)

Welsh's Kassam Stadium deal has get-out clause

9:30am Friday 17th August 2012 in Rugby By Ed Mezzetti, Sports reporter specialising in Rugby, Cricket and Athletics. Call me on 01865 425456

LONDON Welsh will not have to play at the Kassam Stadium if they are relegated from the Aviva Premiership.

But the club’s managing director, John Taylor, stressed this would only happen if they could not afford to remain in Oxford.

Welsh have signed a three-year contact to ground-share with Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium and hope it can prove a long-term arrangement.

Taylor said: “There is a get-out clause. It would be madness for there not to be one.

“But we do very much see our future in Oxford.

“We are putting in a huge amount of effort up there.

“What is already clear is that we are generating a new support base from Oxford and that’s really encouraging.

“We don’t see this as a marriage of convenience for one season.”

Taylor said that Welsh were already getting strong season ticket sales from the Oxford area.

“It is hundreds at the moment, but we are hoping it will be going into the thousands.

“If we were to get to 2,000, we would be absolutely delighted.”

Taylor said a joint bid with United to buy the stadium was at a very early stage.

“I think that we have still got more work to do to persuade the Oxford United supporters that we are a good thing rather than taking over,” said Taylor.

“We do see it very much as a partnership.

“Going forward in the long term, we certainly have some investors who have significant funds and would be interested if the opportunity arises.

“It is really early doors at the moment.

“We have heard from Mr Kassam’s representatives that he might be open to a sale, but we have had no confirmation or anything like that.”