SOUTHEND RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB (1870) LIMITED

What SOUTHEND RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB (1870) LIMITED does

Southend Rugby Football Club (1870) Limited is a community rugby club founded in 1870 and based at Warners Bridge Park, Sumpters Way, in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, United Kingdom. The club operates as a private limited company with 16 staff and a large volunteer base, offering competitive and recreational rugby across men's, women's, youth, mini, academy, and inclusive teams. It fields four senior men's sides (Saxons 1st XV in Regional 1 South East, Priors 2nd XV in Essex Counties 1, Bishops 3rd XV, Cardinals 4th XV), a Women's XV (Saints) established in 2017 competing at NC2, youth boys' teams from U13-U18, youth girls' teams from U12-U18, minis from U5-U11, an Academy/Colts programme, and two differentiated inclusive programmes: SouthSEND (children aged 4-16 with special educational needs and disabilities) and the Sea Lions adult inclusive team formed in late 2024.

The club runs no proprietary technology platform and offers no digital product; operations are supported by a Squarespace-hosted website, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, X), email communications, and two external merchandise partners (Akuma Match Gear Shop and Victor Trophies Supporters Shop). Revenue is generated through six streams: recurring membership fees across all age groups; match-day bar, food, and merchandise sales through the clubhouse; tiered sponsorship packages (player sponsorship £450/season, website advertising £300+VAT/season, club TV screens £1,000/season, plus training equipment, flags, and travel packages); venue hire of pitches and clubhouse facilities; merchandise sales via external partners; and fundraising, grants, and donations including charitable partnerships with the Finish Line Fund and Wooden Spoon Charity. Sponsorship is backed by a network of over 50 local businesses including Howden, Shepherd Neame, Paul Robinson Solicitors, GMB Union, Farsound, Atlantic Pacific, SW Brook Construction, and Southend Private Hospital.

Distribution is purely local (Essex), customer acquisition is community-led through word-of-mouth, school partnerships, open trials, taster days, Pride marches, and earned media (including visits from the local MP and Princess Anne), and the organization has no disclosed external funding, parent company, subsidiaries, or institutional ownership. Recent on-field success includes promotion for the 1st XV after winning 21 of 22 league games and lifting the Papa Johns cup at Twickenham in the 2023/24 season.

Name

SOUTHEND RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB (1870) LIMITED

Legal name

SOUTHEND RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB (1870) LIMITED

Website

https://southendrugby.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southend Rugby Football Club (1870) Limited is a community rugby club in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, operating senior, women's, youth, mini, academy, and inclusive teams, funded through memberships, sponsorships, venue hire, merchandise, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Amateur Rugby Club Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Community rugby club
• Amateur rugby teams
• Youth rugby development
• Inclusive rugby programs
• Club sponsorship packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Southend-on-Sea

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual and seasonal membership fees for players of all ages and ability levels, including seniors, women, and youth/minis.
2. Match Day Revenue: Revenue from bar sales, food catering, and merchandise on match days through the clubhouse facilities.
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship packages including player sponsorship (£450/season), website advertising (£300), club TV screens (£1,000), and training equipment/match day branding opportunities.
4. Venue Hire: Hiring of club facilities, pitches, and clubhouse to external groups for events, meetings, and sports activities.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sales through external partner shops (Match Gear Shop, Supporters Shop) for club merchandise, kits, and memorabilia.
6. Fundraising & Grants: Charitable fundraising activities, community grants, and donations to support club development and community programs including SouthSEND.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southend Rugby Football Club (1870) Limited operates a community-based amateur rugby club at Warners Bridge Park in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, providing rugby participation opportunities across all age groups and abilities. The club runs multiple men's teams (Saxons 1st XV down to Cardinals 4th XV), a women's team (Saints), youth and mini teams from U5 to U18, inclusive teams (Sea Lions, SouthSEND), and supports these with coaching, physio, and strength & conditioning services. Auxiliary revenue comes from venue hire, match day bar/catering, sponsorship packages, membership subscriptions, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Southend Rugby Football Club is a community-focused rugby club offering a comprehensive range of rugby teams and related services. The club operates multiple men's teams (Saxons/1st XV, Priors/2nd XV, Bishops/3rd XV, Cardinals/4th XV, and Sea Lions inclusive team), women's and girls' teams (Saints Women's XV and youth girls' teams), and youth development programmes from Mini's (age 5) through Academy/Colts. The club also provides inclusive rugby through SouthSEND for children with special educational needs. Supporting services include venue hire, membership, and retail shops for merchandise. The club is based at Warners Bridge Park in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, and has a proud history dating back to 1870.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Saxons: The club's top-level men's team (1st XV) playing at Regional 1 South East level
• Priors
• Bishops
• Cardinals
• Sea Lions
• Saints
• SouthSEND Rugby

Quantifiable outcome

• Promoted to Regional 1 South East (Level 5) after winning 21 of 22 league games
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• HowdenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance specialist sponsor displayed on club website. Howden manages premiums on behalf of millions of clients spanning 100 countries.
• Shepherd NeameminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPub company and brewer sponsor. Dedicated to brewing great beer and running pubs across London and the South East.
• Paul Robinson SolicitorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAward-winning law firm established in Essex in 1983, providing personal and commercial legal services. Major club sponsor.
• Finish Line FundcoreOthersRegistered charity (2018) providing free defibrillators and health/wellbeing support to Southend-on-Sea and East Essex sporting bodies. Major supporter of Sea Lions team kit.
• Wooden Spoon CharitycoreOthersEssex Rugby Wooden Spoon Charity sponsors SouthSEND Rugby team and Tag Fest competition. Princess Anne met the SouthSEND team at Tag Fest.
• Southend Private HospitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare provider sponsor displayed on club website, part of Circle Health Group.
• GMB UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade union sponsor providing support to working people for over 130 years.
• FarsoundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLogistics and supply chain solutions provider. Logo displayed as sponsor on various team pages.
• Atlantic PacificminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal logistics solutions provider with 25+ years experience in freight services and supply chain.
• SW Brook ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBuilding and construction company in Leigh-on-Sea serving Essex. Multiple team kit sponsor.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Barking RFC: East London/Essex-adjacent community rugby club with mini and youth sections. Comparable community/grassroots model and feeder geography, though operating in a different sub-region of the Essex rugby pyramid.

Direct peers

• Westcliff RFC: Closest geographic peer, also based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, operating men's, women's, youth, and mini rugby teams from a community club model. Directly competes for the same local player pool and sponsors in the same catchment.
• Chelmsford RFC: Long-established Essex rugby club with similar multi-team community structure, comparable social/membership offering, and competing in the same regional leagues. Highly comparable as a peer community club in Essex.
• Tonbridge Juddians RFC: Established Kent community rugby club competing at National League levels with women's, youth, and mini sections. Comparable in club scale, competitive level, and traditional membership/sponsorship revenue mix.
• Bishops Stortford RFC: Historic Hertfordshire/Essex border rugby club with four men's XVs, women's and youth sections, and bar/function-hire operations. Directly comparable in heritage, multi-team model, and community-based revenue mix.
• Colchester RFC: Another large Essex community rugby club with full mini-to-senior pathway and venue-hire operations. Comparable in scale, multi-tier playing structure, and rural/urban community club dynamics.
• Ampthill RUFC: Bedfordshire-based community rugby club that has risen to the Championship level from a similar volunteer-heavy community model. Useful peer for benchmarking community-club growth and competitive progression paths.
• Old Albanian RFC: Hertfordshire community rugby club with men's, women's, youth, and mini teams operating at regional level. Comparable multi-team community structure and reliance on volunteer coaching and sponsorship.
• Canterbury RFC: Community rugby club in Kent operating across men's, women's, youth, and mini sections with match-day bar and venue hire. Closely comparable on operating model and English community rugby pyramid positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Rosslyn Park RFC: Large, well-resourced London community rugby club operating at the National 1 level with extensive mini/youth and women's sections. Comparable as a larger, more established peer in the same English community rugby space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/southendrugby
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthendRFC
• Instagraminstagram.com/southendrugby
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southend-rugby-football-club-1870-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SOUTHEND RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB (1870) LIMITED