Leicester Tigers: Coronavirus sees 25% pay cut for players and staff

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption, Leicester Tigers were 11th in the Premiership table before the campaign was suspended

Leicester Tigers have become the sixth Premiership club to say players will take a 25% pay cut to help the club through the coronavirus pandemic.

On Friday, Gloucester, Saracens, Wasps, and Worcester all announced 25% pay cuts, from 1 April, while Bristol Bears also confirmed an undisclosed-size cut.

"Regrettably the board believes it is necessary to reduce working hours and salaries by 25% from 1 April,"

The move will impact players and staff.

On 16 March, all levels of rugby across England were suspended by the Rugby Football Union until at least 14 April because of the virus.

Tom also said that Tigers would lose 拢1m in matchday revenue alone across just March and April, with a minimum of three home games postponed.

He added in a statement: [We are] faced with a situation where we cannot generate income from rugby activities while still having our own costs to meet.

"Measures of this type are not restricted to Tigers, with many clubs and businesses elsewhere having to implement similar plans during this period of disruption.

"We will work closely to find solutions where this decision causes exceptional hardship for any staff member.

"The loss of income from ticket sales and other matchday activities costs the club a figure between 拢300,000 and 拢400,000 per home game; taking lost revenues beyond 拢1m solely for this period in March to April.

"The players and staff remain at the heart of the club and this is an extremely difficult decision to make, but it is felt this is the only appropriate course of action available."