Championship thread 25/26! (29 Viewers)

[Captain Dart]

The stadium design is based on Tolkien's works, mind you he was a Villa fan.

 

---

[Nuskyblue]

Looks ridiculous

What the flying fuck is that. It makes Man United's weird tent look sensible.

 

[TomRad85]

Wagner- 'This will be a sports stadium and music venue that will claim the sky to claim the city'.

Fucking Hell.

He's such a weird c**t. Biggest gimp in football.

 

[Tommo1993]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

Fuck off.

 

[Tommo1993]

View attachment 47247
The stadium design is based on Tolkien's works, mind you he was a Villa fan.

Christ, they were such long books. I didn’t bother with Return of The King

 

[clint van damme]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

Even if all thats true, where are your extra 33k fans coming from?

 

[clint van damme]

The Dibnah Bowl

*just seen Wingy beat me to it re: Dibnah!

With all those chimneys I'd call it the Santa's nightmare arena

 

[pusbccfc]

Even if all thats true, where are your extra 33k fans coming from?

They had 50k for their first trip to Wembley since 2011 though!

 

[clint van damme]

They had 50k for their first trip to Wembley since 2011 though!

They're genuinely mental if that's the basis of their working out.

 

[blunted]

Birmingham City, the Benny from Crossroads team in the West Midlands.

 

[pusbccfc]

They're genuinely mental if that's the basis of their working out.

“We sold 50,000 seats at Wembley last year for our Vertu Trophy final. We had 22,000 people live on the phone waiting to buy tickets when the last ticket was sold.

“So the demand is there. We don’t need to sell 62,000 every single game in year one.

“But I bet we will every Saturday, and we’d do it in the Championship.”

Genuinely mental.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

first of all congratulations to Tom and Y’all on this fantastic achievement.

Keep being the shining light of Midlands football.

Can’t wait to visit! Play up Birmingham Blues!

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

He should genuinely call it West Midlands Village

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

He should genuinely call it West Midlands Village

West London village

 

[robbiethemole]

This fucker is as deluded as Trump!!!! Are all American as batshit demented ?? ( sorry USA Sky Blues)

 

[baldy]

He should genuinely call it West Midlands Village

Pro Evo 3 fan I see

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Pro Evo 3 fan I see

Don’t tell Wagner that was Villa’s name…

 

[Para1140]

Fuck off.

Will you be emptying your own bins or the council ?
Will you be doing a car stripping service at the new ground as well or will you just be polishing the turd thats Birmingham

 

[Viktor17]

This fucker is as deluded as Trump!!!! Are all American as batshit demented ?? ( sorry USA Sky Blues)

Hes an odious shit Wagner.

 

[shmmeee]

“We sold 50,000 seats at Wembley last year for our Vertu Trophy final. We had 22,000 people live on the phone waiting to buy tickets when the last ticket was sold.

“So the demand is there. We don’t need to sell 62,000 every single game in year one.

“But I bet we will every Saturday, and we’d do it in the Championship.”

Genuinely mental.

So they think in 2029 they still won’t have been promoted? See not entirely delusional.

 

[SeshMouseSkyBlue]

I'd be genuinely worried if I was a blues supporter.
Building a 62k capacity ground for a team that doesn't get 30k seems delusional to me.

Why not build something 35-40k that's scalable and look at using money for other stuff like developing the playing side?

It's got white elephant written all over it.

According to my blues supporting mate at work they have a 12.5k waiting list for season tickets

 

[Joy Division]

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

I thought that text looked familiar lol https://www.skyscrapercity.com/thre...7544/page-61?post_id=195435690#post-195435690

Anyway, you can keep your UB40 gigs but featuring the ex-singers brothers son and a bunch of session musicians.

 

[SkyBlueStallion_89]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

I go on other fans forum a few days leading up to the game, so I can see what their fans are saying but I never post and certainly don't sign up to them so I can keep reading their posts , you've come on and posted an essay about Tom Wankner and his boyfriend Tom's future plans for brum, you've got your own forum to strum your shaft about it to with all the the other blue noses.

Oh and by the way we will keep our enemy gigs and you can keep your KRO, however I have a new one for you.... FRO, you probably can guess what that stands for

 

[fernandopartridge]

Yeah, keep up the doodling, pipe dreams are good

 

[fernandopartridge]

It's rushed out shite trying to compete with the Manchester redevelopment plans.

Difference is the sports club there is Manchester United and not Birmingham City

Indeed, and United (annual revenues of £1bn) are a bit more realistic about how difficult it will be to fund it.

 

[SBAndy]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

I started writing a reasoned response to all this but I cba. Just a few great nuggets:

The club are paying the interest on behalf of their former owner who is diversifying? LOL.

Insurance firms build speculative sports arenas? LOL.

The club will be the beneficiary of all of this revenue from the mythical sports quarter? LOL.

All I’ll say is, the best thing that the club could hope for is that this doesn’t go ahead.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

Ok mate, mind the crack habit

 

[clint van damme]

According to my blues supporting mate at work they have a 12.5k waiting list for season tickets

Just had a quick look andI think that was the list in the closed season for new ticket holders, so some of them will be part of the current attendees but I could be wrong.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

That’s not a surprise given the peaky blinders creator is collaborating with the designers….
Sits next to Wagner in the directors box.

unfortunately he’s doing the next Bond film so expect 007 to be in Brum at some point or wearing a silly hat.

Going to be a shit film. When asked for a sneak preview all he said was "No. Fuckin'. Fightin!"

 

[SBT]

The renderings of the inside look quite nice in an American baseball stadium kind of way, but then I saw a blatant spelling mistake on one of the stands and remembered it was all nonsense again.

 

[Johnnythespider]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

Well now we know where all the wasps fans went

 

[hologram]

75 people to come up with that hideous design I get wanting to incorporate something of the heritage but that's really not it.

Edit: forgot so say I saw it on reddit earlier and thought it was a pisstake meme.

 

[Johnnythespider]

Taking all the rivalry out of it, they had a blank canvas to create something iconic and they chose chimneys, what will they be running out to, Jerusalem.

 

[wingy]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

Taking all the rivalry out of it, they had a blank canvas to create something iconic and they chose chimneys, what will they be running out to, Jerusalem.

Think they're trying to rekindle the Olympics vibe from that director bloke.

 

[David O'Day]

Long-time reader, first-time poster and all that. I’ve been waiting a good while to post this, fully aware of the reactions the stadium will provoke.

Love the “11% interest charged on loans” comment, by the way — only it’s not quite the gotcha you think it is. Knighthead Capital Management ($16+ billion AUM) offered a loan facility to the previous Hong Kong owners as a way for them to diversify their business, secured against the outstanding ownership percentage the Chinese group held in BCFC.

I’ve seen plenty of comments questioning the financing, usually from people who only understand the classic “loan plus interest” model where the lender pockets interest, everyone nods along. Fair enough, that’s the limit of most people’s experience.

But Wagner spelled it out at the open house, Blues are tied into Knighthead’s life insurance and annuity arm ($6+ billion). Suddenly it all makes a bit more sense for anyone with even a passing grasp of finance. Insurance companies are tightly regulated on the liabilities they can take on, and their trick is the age-old “investing the float” strategy — using premiums until claims are due and making money in the meantime. And here’s the clever bit, that float isn’t just idle cash, it’s used to grow the assets inside the insurance company (BCFC), which in turn lets them shoulder more liabilities, expand further, and ultimately add value for the owners. Hardly rocket science, it’s what the big insurance players across the globe have been doing for decades.

“bUt tHe oWnErS WiLl wAnT pAyInG bAcK”

NFL? Why would the NFL come to Birmingham when Tottenham already have the UK games? The original 10-year Spurs contract runs out in 2028, but it’s not long been extended to 2030. Meanwhile, Wagner and Tom Brady have an $800–900 million investment in the Las Vegas Raiders. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. NFL European expansion league, anyone?

For those insisting the plans will never get approved now that would be a pretty embarrassing outcome for a team of around 75 people working alongside Birmingham City Council, fully funded by Knighthead Capital. Eighteen months of effort binned? That would sting, wouldn’t you think?

The exterior of the stadium won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but one thing’s certain: it’s iconic. The stadium bowl is as steep as regulations allow, and it’ll be the only UK stadium with both a retractable roof and pitch.

Laugh, joke, sneer, and poke fun all you like — but when serious businessmen make investment pledges of this scale, it’s not to keep the squad’s financing stuck in the status quo. The entire sports quarter revenue flows into BCFC’s coffers, making PSR an issue only the Villa blokes cry about.

Enjoy your current ride in the Championship — I genuinely hope you make it to the Prem. FYI, Mike Ashley was perfectly happy owning the Ricoh, as it gave him a tidy return on his initial investment plus all the non-football revenue (concerts, etc.). But I know for a fact there’s already been a meeting about what’s about to be built just down the road in Brum. Which means the Ricoh Arena and Villa Park will be collecting their last few concerts before the Powerhouse opens in 2030.

You can keep the Enemy gigs though.

Why all this effort, you may ask? Because Mike (English teacher) ex–brother-in-law who thought my sister was a punching bag is a regular poster on here, and I know full well the “love” he has for the real Blues. Petty? Absolutely. Do I care? Not in the slightest.

1st and last post, Keep Right On….. (JB)

The loan is still money you have to pay back at 11% interest rates, there is no getting around this

Why would the NFL not come to Brum? They have reached peak saturation point in the UK already and are looking to other markets. There is not for logistics reasons going to be a European NFL team and there has already been and gone a European NFL league which sadly wasn't a money spinner as it wasn't NFL teams.

Let us see if you have a retractable roof and pitch, the specs will change.

Loads of "serious" businessmen make massive pledges and don't come good on them. Also I know people from the WM Mayors office, the 75 people is not what it seems and no the full revenue doesn't flow into BCFC.

You'll build a stadium but it will not look at the shite AI nonsense released today.