Hi all The New Wigan Way Podcast Special is out now Yesterday we had the chance to sit down for a couple of hours with one of Wigans greatest ever Full backs and current CEO Kris Radlinski In the 2hrs we got a chance to review is life, playing career and post playing career that has led him in the last year to become Wigans CEO A fantastic review of all those things plus insights into other subjects behind the scenes and his passion and vision for the future of the club. https://open.spotify.com/episode/73UU4v ... LNAXm9j-Sg PS Once again the club and in particular Kris were fantastic and pro-active in inviting us down and couldn't have been more accommodating, and hopefully this will give more opportunities of collaborations down the line

Hi all The New Wigan Way Podcast Special is out now Yesterday we had the chance to sit down for a couple of hours with one of Wigans greatest ever Full backs and current CEO Kris Radlinski In the 2hrs we got a chance to review is life, playing career and post playing career that has led him in the last year to become Wigans CEO A fantastic review of all those things plus insights into other subjects behind the scenes and his passion and vision for the future of the club. https://open.spotify.com/episode/73UU4v ... LNAXm9j-Sg PS Once again the club and in particular Kris were fantastic and pro-active in inviting us down and couldn't have been more accommodating, and hopefully this will give more opportunities of collaborations down the line

Just listened to it, absolutely superb. Rads really has grown into that job, great insight.

Great episode. I love listening to Rads speak. He obviously has all the passion you'd want, but he articulates the reasons for the things the club does really well. We're lucky to have someone as capable and forward thinking running the club.

On a technical note, the audio quality was improved comparsd to the last episode which I had to turn up to top note in places

Great listen and think we are in safe hands for the foreseeable future. Surprised he wasn’t asked about the season ticket debacle though (unless it was agreed this was off limits).

It wasn't off limits, no-one asked, there was nothingnthat was said befire the interview about what was coming up but I guess that's more to do with the formula/aim of that special

The aim is/was to discuss the individuals background and introduction into rugby league, there career at club and then international level, and then post playing career etc which in this instance would lead to other things wigan related but in other instances it wouldn't
In this instance there would I guess be dozens of specific questions, relating to specific subjects that are pertinent to this exact moment, each of which would possibly require more time than we have.
What I will say is that whilst chatting after the recording lots of little subjects were touched on (he mentioned the trouble he'd had with Smithies agent on more than 1 occasion, he mentioned what needed to happen with the Stadium in terms of revamping it and H&S issues that had been left that he will have a major role in sorting, and he mentioned the ticketing situation
It wouldn't be my place to repeat what was said, but he was far from happy about it, explained what ticketmaster were doing with the old ticketing people to resolve it and the accountability all parties are being held to that include compensation and other legal issues.

We did say that we could do a whole other Podcast etc just on the current situation, ownership takeover, marketing, merchandising, ticketing etc etc etc
He didn't seem phased and in time it may be something we approach him about to do.

As an aside, Matty Peet contacted my son today and they've arranged to meet in May and also Peet has expressed interest in arranging interviews with players as well inconjunction and doing other things behind the scenes.

Great to hear the club are so receptive to the Podcast. It's a great listen every week.

Keep up the good work

Great listen and you and your son and friends are doing a great service to this club of ours.

Fantastic pod, very enlightening. Huge thanks to all involved

I only got around to listen to it a few days ago and like yourself I thought it was great.
So far every podcast has been excellent and as the lads gain more experience it gets better and better.
Long may it continue.

I'd be interested to know more about that. The DW is long overdue a refresh. Any scope for bringing safe standing in?

It's probably about time both clubs put their heads together and picked a new name for the ground. I'd rather it be called Mike Danson's Money Pit or The Heinz Tomato Soup Bowl than be named after Whelan

Stadium deffo being renamed
Just to dampen people's expectations so they don't get carried away thinking it will be a multi million deal with Google or something it will be a more Down to Earth type deal for naming rights etc. So on part you will get your wish that itnwont be the DW any more

Not heard anything about safe standing

The stadium revamp he only mentioned in Generic terms, however I do know a few people in another way who are involved in different capacities that link into stadium management, safety etc so that's how I know a few of these things

Pre covid the stadium alone was losing nearly 1.5million a year and was getting to the point that it needed upgrading from what i would call a modernisation point of view (a bit like me and you changing the boiler, decorating etc in our houses) but the bigger worry was that stadiums need a licence, and every stadium has to have a 20to25yr major licence I believe and the cost of this one to test basically every nut and bolt throughout the stands and the structure was going to be into the millions.
None of that was done by the Chinese, it certainly wasn't discussed by the administration, and then the Bahranis sat on it for 12 months plus and that along with the HMRC debt and the 17million losses all formed the Danson takeover

I Don't want to get into too much detail and betray confidences from other sources, but Danson wanted the stadium to align with his purchase of Wigan Warriors (if you listen to Rads and Prof Brookes in their interviews they let slip that they've been working with Danson for 2 years prior to him taking over, so don't let anyone kid you he was interested in Latics first) and when the Latics situation came to a head approx July time he was "Persuaded" to take both - and if he hadn't then there really was a chance Latics would have gone (no buyers waiting/hmrc were banging on the door etc etc etc) and everything was done in days, and things like this usually take many months.

It took 4/5 months to complete the due diligence you would normally do before hand and the things I'd been told about stadium certificates, cost to upgrade etc all came out the woodwork to Danson/Radlinksi etc and rather than throw quick money at it they took stock to look at doing 1 overall upgrade.

There are certain inherited issues like the Sodexo contracts that they won't be able to resolve immediately but I did ask specifically and was told by Rads that there's a mutual "Break" in the contract in 2025 when both parties can agree to continue or walk away, so reassuring that they will get chance to review that in 12months or so

The Ticketting system situation was also a nightmare, and let's just say that the previous system people walked away leaving issues for the new people, issues that are being legally dealt with hence the silence from the club surrounding "Why" this has happened.

Overall it will take 18/24 months to get everything into the place it should have been 2019 etc.
And Wigan Warriors/Rads will have a very big say (interpret that how you will) in what happens, so that's good news for the rugby

Cheers Jukesays

All gonna cost a fortune then. Maybe Danson's Money Pit isn't a bad name after all

Hopefully both teams and both sets of fans repay him with good performances and good turnouts

Thanks for all that always appreciate your input.

There you go WW & Stanfax
I've also left the bottom bit in as a reminder that Wigan RLFC (interpret how you wish) will have a BIG say

Made up with that. Hats off to Danson for picking a worthy cause.

If I was a cynical man I might suggest that they have chosen to give naming rights to a charity as it gives some of the more bitter Tics less of an excuse to moan about ditching the DW name.
That is with a view to then getting a sponsor in the year after and splitting the cash between both clubs.