With the plan to scrap promotion to, and relegation from, the Prem voted through by the Rugby Football Union’s Council in February, any club aspiring to reach the top flight will now have to wait until at least the 2029-30 season.
Under a new franchise-style system the league hopes to expand from the current 10 teams to 12 with new applicants having to satisfy a range of criteria including standard of play, finances, investment potential, infrastructure and establishing a women’s side.
Added to that is the requirement to buy a ‘P share’ in order to unlock a slice of annual revenues.
Vaughan said the investment needed to bring Warriors into contention meant even considering a top-flight return was “not an option” at the moment, although he believed Worcester were “the next cab off the rank”.
“There’s no secret that those involved in the Premiership [Prem] would be very keen on Worcester Warriors coming back. We understand that and we think that’s fantastic,” Vaughan said.
“Why do they want us back? We’ve got a great audience, we’ve got a brilliant stadium, we’re in a great location geographically. We’re the 11th Premiership club. We’re the next cab off the rank, call it what you will.”
But Vaughan described the financial clout needed to get back as “enormous” with £10m a year a “broad-brush figure”.
“We’re talking double-digit millions to buy your way in effectively with the P shares,” he said.
“That sits on your balance sheet as an asset. But then to compete in the Premiership is a different thing. You could throw £50m over three years into it – that would immediately put this place into jeopardy overnight. So that is not an option.”
