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Welsh Premier side TNS are to share Edgar Street after agreeing an initial one year deal.
The Welsh league leaders are in need of a new home to qualify for next season's 'Super 12' league reformat. They were turned down for a grant to build a new 1,000 seat stand at their current Park Hall ground in January. A move to lodge with Chester failed due to the insolvency of the Cheshire club, while a similar deal with Shrewsbury fell apart when the local council demanded 'a substantial figure' to operate the necessary park and ride system to service matches at the out of town stadium.
The Edgar Street deal is for an initial season while the club hunt new funding for their stand. They are hopeful of agreeing a new corporate sponsorship that will see the club's name change again, having changed from Total Network Solutions to The New Saints when the telecoms company was swallowed by BT. The club will continue to train and play reserve matches at Park Hall, using Edgar Street on Matchdays only.
The Bulls' fixtures will get priority over the tenants, while the financial implications are beneficial to the Bulls' budget for the coming season. The deal is believed to be worth up to £1,000 a match to the Bulls, with TNS providing their own matchday staff, and the Bulls will retain the income from sponsorship boards, catering, and bars.
(this is, of course, April 1st.)
