| What a load of old Cobblers 07:37 - Jul 10 with 895 views | durham_exile |
The news that the Sky Blues will be entering into a 5 year ground share deal with Northampton Town has been met with incredulity in many quarters.
Personally I enjoyed the Ricoh Arena and it will be interesting to see how the CC support holds up.
In the meantime, a clear out of players is expected with at least 7 on their way.
Grim times indeed for that famous old club.
Up the U's
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| What a load of old Cobblers on 14:49 - Jul 10 with 878 views | Leadbelly |
Very sad to see the state of Coventry. Poor decisions made regarding the move from Highfield Rd to the Ricoh Arena and poor ownership, which still continues, have brought about the current position. Very surprising that the Football League have sanctioned this ground share when other options, closer to Coventry, were available( so I've heard)
And our game away at "Coventry" is one of those now shunted to a Sunday because of a fixture clash. |  |
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| What a load of old Cobblers on 17:35 - Jul 10 with 862 views | noah4x4 |
It does seem like a done deal; given that the Football League has issued its confirmation and approval. So see you at Sixfields on 7th September.
However, let's now consider what will happen back at the Ricoh Arena. I think the fall out will be massive and reach far beyond the regular 11,000 supporters of the football club and is likely to have some financial impact on all 320,000 residents of the City.
The two Ricoh Arena shareholders (e.g. Coventry City Council and The Higgs Charity) haven't actually "lost" £1.3million in annual rent given that 'Coventry City' (e.g. that now in administration) had refused to pay it; whilst the football club management were arguing that it was an excessive contribution; given the wider prosperity that the football club was bringing to the venue (see below).
But having locked out the football club since May; and having forced it into administration; the two arena shareholders now have no regular big league high value revenue generating sports tenant for the main outside arena. Note that Coventry Rugby play at Butts Park.
The 12,500 seater 'Jaguar' INDOOR arena is used for stuff like martial arts expo's and similar; but typically just six major sports events per annum; but it did host the Davis Cup (tennis) in April. They also have a few concerts (like Bruce Springsteen) but again, music events are rarely more than one concert per quarter. Other indoor events are smaller and more parochial.
Economies of scale might suggest this is probably not enough INDOOR activity to sustain this vast complex? It probably does need a large revenue generating outdoor sports tenant, but who can afford £1.3M per annum on average gates of 11,000? Let's get real Mr 'City of Coventry' Civil Servant.
The rest of the Ricoh is largely all about the hotel (DeVere), the bars; fine dining; casino etc. But my guess is that much of this more spontaneous and potentially volatile consumer spend/activity revolved around the tenancy of Coventry City F.C. Its dominant presence must surely have generated the largest footfall of free spending visitors to the venue's OTHER attractions. One can now start to see the wisdom of the football club's original "we think you need us more than we need you" argument.
My trip to the Ricoh Arena last season was as a guest of Jaguar Cars (lucky me). Jaguar has invested an incredible amount of money in the Ricoh Arena as Gold sponsor, with dedicated "Jaguar" dining, bars, exhibition hall, sponsorship of the indoor arena; you name it; the best corporate hospitality set up I have ever seen.
My guess is that Jaguar has a long term contract directly with the stadium owners and neither party ever considered the possibility of Coventry City F.C making an swift exit. Other 'sponsors' attracted to its footfall are Yorkshire Bank, Lloyds Pharmacy, and, of course Ricoh (a Japanese technology company) itself. We are here talking about serious £millions of sponsorship investment; and now the jewel in the Arena's crown has just fell out.
it seems to me that the two shareholders might now regret not reaching a compromise deal with the football club. What will now persuade sponsors of this calibre/spend to invest as much in the Ricoh Arena without the presence of a major football club, albeit one that has had a ten year blip in its fortunes; but with aspirational premier league potential and the real possibility of succeeding given its residual support base?
The matter is now subject to a House of Commons motion as wider interested parties are perhaps fast waking up to the likely economic fall out for the 320,000 residents of the City of Coventry. After all, local rate-payers are THE principle stakeholders in the Arena, and there is hence an even bigger resounding voice that doesn't want them to go to Sixfields than just those that regularly wear a sky blue scarf. Local and parliamentary election votes might even rest on the outcome.
So in summary; how very clever; the 'old' Coventry City has probably got its rent debts written off via administration and the new owners Otium Entertainment are possibly still calling a huge bluff. They have little else to lose; and all to gain. By contrast, if the Ricoh Arena sponsors aren't happy, and start to diminish spend; Coventry City Council and the Higgs Charity may soon be on a hiding to nothing and regretting their stubbornness. I reckon Coventry City Council will soon be begging for the return of the Sky Blues. What a tragedy.
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| What a load of old Cobblers on 20:29 - Jul 10 with 852 views | wessex_exile |
Excellent piece of investigative journalism - my only meagre paltry contribution is to report from other sources (I think it was one of the CCFC forums) that the stadium owners make significantly more revenue from the Ricoh as a concert venue than they do as a football stadium... |  |
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| What a load of old Cobblers on 20:45 - Jul 10 with 851 views | carruthers |
Well done Noah |  | | |
| What a load of old Cobblers on 12:03 - Jul 11 with 824 views | Leadbelly |
www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/coventry-city-fc-gary-hoffman-5065953
Sent to me by a Coventry fan of my acquaintance. He believes the current owners are corrupt to the core and refuse to use the Ricoh in an attempt to force the stadium owners into liquidation, following which they would hope to buy the ground on the cheap.
He also reckons the vast majority of CCFC fans will boycott games at Sixfields in an attempt to break the current owners and force a sale of the club.
What a complete shambles. | |
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