These days, Al Kellock has trays of paper stacked as high as his towering frame. The demands of running URC’s champion club have forced him to scope trophy tours and community events, seal new deals for his coveted headliners while fending off rivals across Europe, and bring Glasgow’s traditional festival derby to Scotstoun. I got to deal with the small matter of moving from to Hampden Park. The iconic National Football Stadium on the other side of the city.
There is so little tangible success in Scottish rugby that we cannot just let it languish. Glasgow is desperately trying to capture in its hearts and minds the incredible achievements of the last six months. The boys who ran wild through Limerick and stormed Fort Loftus carried the silverware and toured the country attending civic receptions and photo-ops, but Scotland’s first game as URC winners did not feel like a grand homecoming. Part of this was due to its outdated timing and the Glasgow weather. That’s partly because of Franco Smith’s disdain for such fanfare when there’s work to be done.
Smith’s focus will be on winning the title again, not just defending it. But those in charge must capture the joy of the present to build for the future. Glasgow are currently champions. What happens now?
Kellock responds: “We take the game to Hampden. And trying to leverage that momentum and put as many people in there as possible and understand that we have a phenomenal group that has achieved a high level of success against the best teams in the world. That’s how many World Cup winners have won against the Stormers and Bulls during the play-offs.
“And we’re talking about accommodating Glasgow’s best players. Whether it’s the entertainment or the way the games are played, fans of all sports can come and enjoy the night. We had to do something different and we did Hampden.
I try not to have someone come in and see one of our games and think, ‘Yeah, I want to go back.’
“The other thing is to keep telling the story. That was the biggest frustration about winning at home. Premier Sports TV has a great audience, but they are already very engaged and paying to watch. If the finals had been aired for free, people would have realized how big of a showcase it was. 51,000 people attended, more than 50,000 of whom were Bulls fans. We need to talk about the scale and scale of this.”
The Hampden project is central to our strategy. Glasgow hope to make it an annual event similar to Harlequins’ ‘Big Game’ concept at Twickenham and Edinburgh’s use of Murrayfield for cross-city matches. Of course, the Hive Stadium is on the Murrayfield campus and the entire site is owned by Scottish Rugby, while Glasgow are tenants at Scotstoun and must lease Hampden from the Scottish FA. They are also understandably keen to involve Scotland’s northernmost region of Caledonia, where the club is affiliated.
“Hampden has a break-even point,” says Kellock. “We’ll keep it inside. We saw that Edinburgh built 37,900 last year. We are in first grade.
“There is enough support in the ‘Glasgow Caley’ area to be able to hold some showcase events and that is exactly what we are looking forward to. Then people will want to come and see you more regularly. I try not to have someone come in and see one of our games and think, ‘Yeah, I want to go back.’
“I would like to see good travel support not only in Edinburgh but also in other parts of our region. One of the reasons we chose a 3pm kickoff was to give people the opportunity to travel. The late start of 19:35 on a Saturday night means it’s closed for many children and adults who live more than 45 minutes away in Glasgow. The price categories and children’s prices allow people to do this at a reasonably reasonable price.
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“We are working with clubs, schools and especially clubs. Because there won’t be much mini rugby taking place. West of Scotland RFC already has buses in place and is in talks with Cambuslang and GHA so these could also become hubs. Let’s say you want Aberdeen Grammar to come down. They can base themselves at Braidholm (home of the GHA) and go across the road to Hampden.
“Every club in ‘Glasgow Caley’ should be part of Glasgow Warriors. There must also be real benefits to this. We will hold a competition where participating clubs will either have players join their club or Franco will come and coach them. We need the consent of the whole of Scotland. This is a Scotland-wide event.”
Kellock led Glasgow to their previous league title in 2015. It was the only time a Scottish club had won a major trophy and he served as the union’s interim commercial director before being appointed Warriors managing director in 2021.
Scotstoun doesn’t look fundamentally different from his swan song almost a decade ago. There was a time when Glasgow maximized its season ticket allocation and the waiting list for hospitality packages was longer than Clyde’s. By the end of Gregor Townsend’s reign, there was a compelling argument that the club had outgrown its home base. When COVID-19 hit and the team was shaken up, demand declined, but the numbers reached critical mass once again.
The legacy of the Commonwealth Games must be intertwined with us. We are the primary tenant and are spending a ton of money to improve our facilities.
Scotstoun is owned by Glasgow City Council and although an outdoor fan zone has been introduced, increasing capacity to 7,351 people remains a hurdle. The 2026 Commonwealth Games could offer an opportunity even as rugby sevens has been hit by a reduced program. Kellock is working with lawmakers and games organizers to make his case.
“I’m not frustrated (with Scotland’s capacity remaining the same) because we’ve had to build back up post-Covid. There are currently over 4,000 season ticket holders and eight of last year’s 11 regular season games were sold out. Now we’re at the point where we need to get something moving again.
“Let’s say we run 10 sessions in Scotstoun during the Commonwealth Games. So what is the smartest thing to do when it comes to spectator seating, and is there anything we can do to increase capacity? Because the legacy of the Commonwealth Games must be intertwined with us. We are the main tenant, and we are spending a huge amount of money on improving our facilities, so a strong legacy will be full of united thoughts. All my conversations so far have been very positive.
“We have to prove we have the numbers. I want us to move forward gradually. You don’t want to have a 15,000-seat stadium with no risk on tickets. But if we can prove that the fan base we strongly believe in is there, it’s another step in the journey.”
Can the much-controversial British and Irish League propel Glasgow’s quest for more eyes and greater recognition?
“We need to protect the whole game of rugby and any changes we make will protect it and improve everything about rugby. There are a lot of positives about the (British and Irish League) but there needs to be a wider conversation.
“I am a big advocate of what the South African team brings to URC. If we can find a structure that improves rugby compared to other sports, it should compete with other sports because they shouldn’t be competing with each other. How can we ensure that rugby is better collectively, rather than just solving local problems?
“We need to make sure our TV coverage improves. It could create a real risk across the league to make sure more people are watching.
You completely understand that other clubs will be there for Sione, Danny Wilson and Harlequins are one of them.
“Cultural relevance is something we talk about a huge amount in Glasgow. The cultural relevance of rugby in South Africa is enormous. The cultural relevance of rugby in Ireland is remarkable. Leinster and Munster sold out Saturday’s Interpro too quickly. A huge amount of work still needs to be done to make rugby culturally relevant in Edinburgh and Glasgow, even if we are champions.
“There will be a lot of due diligence done on the British and Irish League. “The conversation is at a relatively early stage, but we are in a place where people are open to dialogue.”
Closer to home, Scottish Rugby no longer wields its sword in a shootout to retain its top talent. In fact, it can be a sin to keep too many senior players in storage when the emerging crop needs to play. Few front-line international players leave in their prime, with many returning soon, including Huw Jones, Duhan van der Merwe and Adam Hastings.
And yet, sharks are hovering around. Van der Merwe cashed in on suitors in France. Sion Tuipulotu, believed to be the Northern Hemisphere’s number 12 form, is now entering the final year of his contract, and his undeniable performances are attracting attention. Bath and several top 14 clubs have shown interest. Harlequins coach Danny Wilson, who brought him to Scotland three years ago, is trying to lure him south. The expected annual salary was rumored to be £400,000.
Tuipulotu loves Glasgow and what the place has done for him. He recently became a father and is investing heavily in the city and the club. Behind the scenes, the Warriors are confident the emotional appeal will be compelling.
“You talk to Sione. Communicate with him early,” says Kellock. “You fully understand that other clubs will be there. Danny and Harlequins is one of them. There will be many people looking at him.
“You just try to move forward as best you can. Part of that is financial, but what we work incredibly hard to do is the environment we create – an environment that people can enjoy and that gets the best out of our players. We talk about having a 90% plus environment where people can thrive. If people are prospering, it’s harder to leave.
“Not just Sione, but our players won it in such an incredible way last year that people are watching them and people have earned the right to see them. It gives me an additional challenge, but it’s a challenge I’d like to have.
“I am not afraid to admit that economics will play a big role in our performance against Hampden. We need finances to continue to be as successful as we have been. Our commercial model has been incredibly successful. We have excellent partners, many of whom are long-term partners. The other lever is ticketing, which we are pushing as much as possible. We need something to change the dial so that Siones, Zander Fagersons and Kyle Steyns all have a chance to stay with us.”
The glory days of Scottish rugby tend to fade for a while. Glasgow’s task is to demonstrate the courage, creativity and tenacity to build a dynasty.
