Butts arena (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Glen
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NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
skybluefred
New Member
IF we are planning for a successful future what good is a ground that only holds 12,000?
SkyBlueRuffian
Well-Known Member
planning for a succesful future? is that what selling your best 2 young players in Christie and Wilson is, future planning?
ccfcway
Well-Known Member
Are we ?
Seaside-Skyblue
Well-Known Member
Its frustrating that with a catchment area the size of Coventry we can't attract more fans. Then again , if the product ain't good people won't come. Our stadium size should match our potential attendance's (Leicester, Southampton etc) and that's why its important we stay at the Ricoh.
Nick
Administrator
You start then.
bigfatronssba
Well-Known Member
Maybe CRFC don't want their ground redeveloping?
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
Well, the original plan was for 10,000 capacity...
Nick
Administrator
Maybe they don't want another rugby team but who cares what they want?
chiefdave
Well-Known Member
It's a bit of a chicken and egg situation. It's rubbish playing at a 32K capacity stadium and getting under 10K but that's where we're at. A move to a smaller stadium in the city centre would be attractive now but what happens if we do well? Do we pack in at the new stadium and move back to the Ricoh, develop it up to a similar capacity?
I'm sure if we could get things right on the pitch and get promotion and make a decent start in the championship we'd be back up to 20K or more but there's been too many false dawns, a run of a few games unbeaten doesn't bring people out while every performance like the last 2 at home drives more people away.
I'm sure if we could get things right on the pitch and get promotion and make a decent start in the championship we'd be back up to 20K or more but there's been too many false dawns, a run of a few games unbeaten doesn't bring people out while every performance like the last 2 at home drives more people away.
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
It's where, tbh, we're stuck between hatred of owners and other possibilities.
There is and always has been the danger our ground can be too big for us. It's running costs and the like that can hit hard, Darlington are the prime example... If we ever went pop and a new team was formed, it'd be crazy to start them off at the Ricoh for that very reason.
A smaller, city centre ground that can be developed can show ambition... if done properly. As ever, it depends what you gain and lose by doing so. Hindsight says leaving HR for the Ricoh was a shockingly bad move - potentialy drawing the club closer to the city itself could have the effect of re-connecting it with its fanbase... if done properly.
Unfortunately the final couple of words are key. Given we can't even sell tickets for our own games properly, it doesn't bode well for us coming up with a coherent strategy to make such a move work. Then again, it doesn't bode well for us making *any* strategy work.
But we're in very real danger of the Ricoh swallowing us up. Chicken and egg I know, as you say about grounds, but our crowds aren't justifying the Ricoh atm. Sure, blame SISU for that completely if you like, but the point still holds true and it is what it is. It's all very well saying potential, but maybe the radical approach is the longer term plan that deals with the pain and the wrenching now, and at least starts the process of building us on firmer foundations. Maybe closing a stand or two ain't such a bad idea in the interim...
And when it comes to somewhere like the Butts, maybe it needs people with vision not to even try and link a young football team to us, but to just set one up and see how far they can grow it, to see if there's any possibility of a new approach and if there's the appetite for such a thing.
I dunno, if I had the answer I'd be doing it rather than talking about it, I suppose!
torchomatic
Well-Known Member
italiahorse
Well-Known Member
Last season has killed this club.
Fans have found other things to do.
Last years revenues have given us this team.
The absence has identified other options for the Ricoh.
This season is going to drag knowing that if we are lucky we will finish mid table.
Fans have found other things to do.
Last years revenues have given us this team.
The absence has identified other options for the Ricoh.
This season is going to drag knowing that if we are lucky we will finish mid table.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Genuine question: do we actually know how they feel about this? Have there been any public statements? The only things I've heard don't exact point to the owners spitting feathers like portrayed on here, but I've not really been following it.
Rusty Trombone
Well-Known Member
It wasn't big enough a few weeks ago.
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
Basic statement was along the lines of there's only one Rugby team in Coventry...
Although with the slightly baffling caveat that they wouldn't mind Wasps playing Euro games here.
Which seems crazy to me. It's a small step then once they're there to turning up full-time if it goies well, after all. Plus it's still crazy to have a team out the area play in the city, even if it's one game or eleventy billion!
torchomatic
Well-Known Member
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
I'd be completely indifferent as I'm not a rugby fan, let alone a rugby club. But again, doesn't answer my question, the hardest thing when this place blows up about something is extracting fact from speculation.
From NW's answer, I guess I'd feel OK about it as long as they're not moving for all games.
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
My answer was the Rugby club's official response.
Remembering of course that our football club's official response was that a ground round about Coventry, somewhere, won't be so bad really.
Gynnsthetonic
Well-Known Member
23000 capacity was plenty for us we are never gonna be a 30000 club every week even in the premier league, I just wanna wash my hands of the Ricoh it's been a disaster from day 1 and hopefully SISU F off and the council can accommodate us nearer the city centre
J
Jack Griffin
Guest
torchomatic
Well-Known Member
Forget Rugby. The game doesn't matter. How would you feel if say a big Premiership team was going to move into the City? Would you be worried for CCFC?
italiahorse
Well-Known Member
I don't think I could be more worried than I feel now.
