James Haskell and Andy Goode of Wasps pose for a picture at the Ricoh Arena © Getty Images

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Wasps' move to Coventry is a done deal. For all the unhappiness this is causing among supporters, the reality is they had little choice but to move to a home of their own after almost two decades of nomadic existence.

It is impossible not to feel great sympathy with those who support the club and who do not want to - or cannot - make a long trip to watch their team. Free coaches and other sweeteners merely paper over cracks, and even then they are unlikely to be there for the long term.

A road to nowhere

• London Irish Left their long-term home because of limited capacity and the high value of the land they occupied which has recently been sold for development. But Reading is too often barely half full and most games are played against a backdrop of banks of empty seats.
  
  London Welsh Their move to Oxford was forced on them in 2012 by Premiership regulations - their Richmond base was simply nit suitable - but they have stayed and failed to ignite any significant local support with attendances poor even for bigger games.

Emotion aside, Wasps have carefully and clearly outlined the reasoning behind their decision. In short, had they stayed at Adams Park they would have ceased to be, or at best not able to compete at the top level. Running with no ground, a small supporter base and annual losses of £3 million was not sustainable. Of late, they have ticked along thanks to a generous owner. But it could not have lasted forever.

The move gives them the financial stability that having a home of their own brings and effectively buying a large, modern stadium for £30 million is a bargain.

That they have moved so far is regrettable but quite possibly calculated. Crowds at Admas Park were never good, so even had it been possible to redevelop the ground - and it was not - the huge outlay would not have been rewarded with a flood of new spectators. Any other venue in the South East would have been mired in planning headaches and soaring costs.

Switching to Coventry means a short-term PR headache and very unhappy loyal supporters. But in the long run Wasps will have calculated they will be able to tap into a large rugby audience which should eventually more than make up for those who vote with their feet come December.