Get Cov Back to the Ricoh response to Wasps Ricoh Takeover (6 Viewers)

jimmyhillsfanclub

Well-Known Member
Maybe the wasps consortium will sell directly to sisu as soon as the deal is done....
...then maybe sisu can sell the job lot, get some of their cash back and finally fuck off...
I'll drink to that....and have been for the last couple hours...
 

jimmyhillsfanclub

Well-Known Member
Has anyone mentioned the fact that acl were courting the wasps as potential tenants as far back as 2011.....
There was article in the CET about it just before we went to sixfields in august 2013.
I've managed to find it but dunno how to paste links on my tablet.
 

Bennets Afro

Well-Known Member
JLR wouldn't invest in a football team, be suicide for them, TATA On the other hand, well that's a different kettle of fish! One thing is we font know got sure if talks were carried out while the return deal was negotiated. and I am guessing Simon us waiting on questions regarding that!


I'm sure simon has investigated fully and will have the answers for you soon my lord
 

Rob S

Well-Known Member
Rob

Just wondering if your source nows how far down the line this lot are with signing up investors?

Cheers

I've done a bit more digging and apparently the prospectus is private and confidential info so not sure about how much more will see the light of day. (Not sure if this is based on a particular financial industry rule or just one set by Deloitte.)

I think that if a prospectus has just come out then they are only at the 'looking for people to sign up' stage. It might indicate that negotiations have gone far enough to establish a deal that is waiting to be financed which in itself is worrying enough.
 

Limey

Well-Known Member
I've done a bit more digging and apparently the prospectus is private and confidential info so not sure about how much more will see the light of day. (Not sure if this is based on a particular financial industry rule or just one set by Deloitte.)

I think that if a prospectus has just come out then they are only at the 'looking for people to sign up' stage. It might indicate that negotiations have gone far enough to establish a deal that is waiting to be financed which in itself is worrying enough.

Is this the same as 'proof of fund's stage? If so, is anything likely to be binding or rather a 'gentlemen's' agreement Rob?
Great but rather depressing info..
 

Rob S

Well-Known Member
One thing to think about is the pitch. Most of the top class shared pitches and many top level 'mainly football' ones use the Desso GrassMaster system which is grass with some artificial fibres woven in for strength and durability. (Strictly speaking, the natural grass is grown around the artificial stuff.) This means that the pitches can survive multi-use better.

Both Brighton & Milton Keynes have it and it might be part of the reason these were chosen over other football stadiums for the Rugby World Cup next year. I think Elland Road is the only RWC venue that has standard grass.

Adams Park – Wasp's current home – also has it.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
I've done a bit more digging and apparently the prospectus is private and confidential info so not sure about how much more will see the light of day. (Not sure if this is based on a particular financial industry rule or just one set by Deloitte.)

I think that if a prospectus has just come out then they are only at the 'looking for people to sign up' stage. It might indicate that negotiations have gone far enough to establish a deal that is waiting to be financed which in itself is worrying enough.

Thanks Rob

Nothing is happening immediately then regarding a takeover of ACL so at least we have some time on our side. I say our side, I guess really I mean SISU's side. If nothing else this disproves the myth that the Ricoh isn't for sale. Rob, you're clearly better contacted than the average CCFC fan with SISU. What's the noise from the SISU camp? Do they have an appetite to do a normal business deal in line with what this bunch seem to have negotiated or is the appeal the only route they are capable of following?

Unless SISU launch a serious bid aren't we just pissing in the wind with trying to block any other party getting involved in the Ricoh?
 

lewys33

Well-Known Member
JLR buy ACL and the naming rights to the stadium. Interesting thought. Could actually work well for CCFC and Wasps then (not CRFC mind).
 

ccfcway

Well-Known Member
arent we going full circle ?, wasnt the arena to be called the Jaguar Arena at its inception ?
 

Rob S

Well-Known Member
Thanks Rob

Nothing is happening immediately then regarding a takeover of ACL so at least we have some time on our side. I say our side, I guess really I mean SISU's side. If nothing else this disproves the myth that the Ricoh isn't for sale. Rob, you're clearly better contacted than the average CCFC fan with SISU. What's the noise from the SISU camp? Do they have an appetite to do a normal business deal in line with what this bunch seem to have negotiated or is the appeal the only route they are capable of following?

Unless SISU launch a serious bid aren't we just pissing in the wind with trying to block any other party getting involved in the Ricoh?

A very good point.

I'm in the process of setting up some meetings to get some answers and see where the club / Sisu could be heading & we've (GCBTTR) called on Joy publicly (in the press release – see the extract below*) to provide answers. (And yes, we will be pressuring for a Ricoh-ACL purchase/staying there deal over anything else!) There was an SCG meeting last night and I'm sure there was some conversation there too. Look out for the minutes in the next few days.

At the moment it's looking like another round of brinkmanship with us lot caught in the middle again.


*Quote from Stuart Cosgrove in our press release:

“We are calling on Sisu’s Joy Seppala to make clear if buying the Ricoh remains a consideration, as well as the option of building a new stadium. And we call on the Ricoh’s owners to work towards a permanent solution with our football club – without which the Ricoh would ever have been built.

“Any offer to London Wasps should at the very least be offered to whoever owns Coventry City. Whether we like it or not, the owners of the club are currently Sisu. This is not the time to be further distressing the club.”



One thing re: 'taking sides': I'd try and steer anyone away from thinking that by opposing this they'd automatically be supporting Sisu. This whole saga has been far more shades of grey than the black & white that some have tried to paint it and this is just another example of why we need pressure on all sides. Conversely, I'm not excusing any behaviour by the owners.

That the council can give assurance to Cov RFC that they wouldn't bring in another RFC (and I've heard that this was actually in writing...anyone else know any details?) and then do this is pretty shoddy behaviour no matter which side you might 'support'. I think I said something along these lines earlier: when all the politicians, bankers and other chancers have moved on to other things, we need our club to be in a sustainable, secure position. Same should apply to other sports in the area too.)
 
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MichaelCCFC

New Member
acl's likely reasoning re wasps was set out on here last week and I upset at least one poster by questioning it. Now we have posts about a prospectus and a letter from ccc to cov rfc - but no copy of either document. So I'm probably going to upset others now by saying that after all the non-existent smoking guns isn't it sensible to be a bit sceptical and say we'll believe it when we see the evidence? Is it also sensible to ask what's the source for the claims these documents exist? Not saying this isn't all 100% true but lots of people claimed they'd seen evidence before the JR which would show sisu were totally in the right and ccc in the wrong. That evidence just didn't materialise. Once bitten, twice shy?
 

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
“We are calling on Sisu’s Joy Seppala to make clear if buying the Ricoh remains a consideration, as well as the option of building a new stadium.

This is the very least that needs to happen, and in my opinion what we really need is SISU to admit there is no new stadium and they want the Ricoh. Putting to the side any issues affecting Cov RFC or Wasps what argument are we supposed to make to CCC and Higgs? We're not staying but don't get a new tenant just in case we change our mind?

At the moment the club are only renting the stadium for a few hours on 24 days a year for this season and next with a possible two year extension. Working on that basis what should happen? Should everyone just wait for the club to walk out again and have the stadium left empty?

SISU need to stop messing about, get a valuation and submit a bid. It's not complicated at all. If at that point there's a refusal to sell then we have a clear dispute and something to get behind. You can't really run a campaign saying the Ricoh should be kept for us when our owners keep saying we're moving out!
 

jimmyhillsfanclub

Well-Known Member

Yeah....that's the one.....article from Aug. 2013.

As the Sky Blues look set to exit stage left for Northampton with the boos of the crowd ringing out for villain Sisu, a subplot has emerged that throws fresh light on the long-running pantomime.
According to a source in the front row, the chairman of the Ricoh was preparing for just such an eventuality three years ago and had sounded out the stadium’s major sponsors.
David Allvey was apparently carrying out a loyalty-check to see if they would remain with the Ricoh if the star attraction left.
And he had a Plan B in mind if the City packed up and walked off with the ball – replace it with an oval one and bring in a top rugby side!
He didn’t need a crystal ball to see what was looming. The rent-row was getting increasing bitter and he correctly predicted there would be a parting of the ways.
In the end, he was the one to go when in May last year he quit as ACL chairman because of “policy differences” – thought to be his objection to giving further ground, in every sense, to Sisu.
Now the Sky Blues have exited and next week is due to be their first 35-mile trip to their “home” ground in Northampton.
Ironically, Northampton Saints might have been playing rugby at the Ricoh under Plan B – life without the football team.
They were part of a bold idea that would not so much have shifted the goal-posts, it would have booted them into touch.
The main target for the Ricoh was London Wasps, then unhappy with their home in High Wycombe, and tempted by the lure a 30,000 seater stadium in Coventry.
And Northampton Saints were to be offered the ground for their cup matches.
Both rugby clubs at that time had ground problems. Wasps were threatening to leave Adams Park, which they shared with Wycombe Wanderers FC, unless the council agreed to a bigger stadium.
A report to the Wycombe District Council noted ominously: “We understand that London Wasps RFC have indicated that they will seek a new home ground outside of Wycombe District if their aspirations cannot be met within High Wycombe.”
And Saints were finding their stadium too small for the big crowds their Heineken Cup games attracted.
Both clubs in fact had played cup matches at the Ricoh, and it seemed a fit.
David Allvey, now chairman of construction giant Costain, was invited to comment this week on the story but had not responded by deadline.
ACL director Peter Knatchbull-Hugessen said he had no knowledge of sponsors being sounded out three years ago.


Still.....Allvey has since left & no-one else at ACL apparently knows anything about it whatsoever......:thinking about::thinking about::thinking about::thinking about:
 

RPHunt

New Member
Now we have posts about a prospectus and a letter from ccc to cov rfc - but no copy of either document. So I'm probably going to upset others now by saying that after all the non-existent smoking guns isn't it sensible to be a bit sceptical and say we'll believe it when we see the evidence? Is it also sensible to ask what's the source for the claims these documents exist?

Exactly.

How much to buy a controlling interest in the Ricoh, £10m? Come on, that's chicken feed in the City and to suggest that Deloitte have produced a prospectus to raise even the whole amount is ridiculous.
 

Ashdown

Well-Known Member
I can never quite understand the Coventry City fans and Coventry Rugby fans relationship at times. Surely the local populace should be supporters of both clubs whenever possible, after all both clubs have the potential to be higher up the league system in their respective sports.
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
I hate rugby and will never ever go and see Cov rugby club play, but I hold no malice against them and would rather see them prosper than a team based 75 miles away.

I can never quite understand the Coventry City fans and Coventry Rugby fans relationship at times. Surely the local populace should be supporters of both clubs whenever possible, after all both clubs have the potential to be higher up the league system in their respective sports.
 

Sky Blue Dal

Well-Known Member
This is the very least that needs to happen, and in my opinion what we really need is SISU to admit there is no new stadium and they want the Ricoh. Putting to the side any issues affecting Cov RFC or Wasps what argument are we supposed to make to CCC and Higgs? We're not staying but don't get a new tenant just in case we change our mind?

At the moment the club are only renting the stadium for a few hours on 24 days a year for this season and next with a possible two year extension. Working on that basis what should happen? Should everyone just wait for the club to walk out again and have the stadium left empty?

SISU need to stop messing about, get a valuation and submit a bid. It's not complicated at all. If at that point there's a refusal to sell then we have a clear dispute and something to get behind. You can't really run a campaign saying the Ricoh should be kept for us when our owners keep saying we're moving out!


I like this comment... This is exactly what I am trying to say but your word have come across better than mine.

We are targeting the wrong people here.. CCFC is owned by Otium/SISU and it is them we should be targeting and getting straight answers without listening to there riddles and lies.

Are we interested in purchasing the Ricoh or Are we building a new stadium. One's we get this answer we as fans move on and if they intend on buying the Ricoh then make a realistic offer for it otherwise build the new bloody stadium and let ACL get on with business.

It's Simple as that.... They snooze they lose.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
A very good point.

I'm in the process of setting up some meetings to get some answers and see where the club / Sisu could be heading & we've (GCBTTR) called on Joy publicly (in the press release – see the extract below*) to provide answers. (And yes, we will be pressuring for a Ricoh-ACL purchase/staying there deal over anything else!) There was an SCG meeting last night and I'm sure there was some conversation there too. Look out for the minutes in the next few days.

At the moment it's looking like another round of brinkmanship with us lot caught in the middle again.


*Quote from Stuart Cosgrove in our press release:

“We are calling on Sisu’s Joy Seppala to make clear if buying the Ricoh remains a consideration, as well as the option of building a new stadium. And we call on the Ricoh’s owners to work towards a permanent solution with our football club – without which the Ricoh would ever have been built.

“Any offer to London Wasps should at the very least be offered to whoever owns Coventry City. Whether we like it or not, the owners of the club are currently Sisu. This is not the time to be further distressing the club.”



One thing re: 'taking sides': I'd try and steer anyone away from thinking that by opposing this they'd automatically be supporting Sisu. This whole saga has been far more shades of grey than the black & white that some have tried to paint it and this is just another example of why we need pressure on all sides. Conversely, I'm not excusing any behaviour by the owners.

That the council can give assurance to Cov RFC that they wouldn't bring in another RFC (and I've heard that this was actually in writing...anyone else know any details?) and then do this is pretty shoddy behaviour no matter which side you might 'support'. I think I said something along these lines earlier: when all the politicians, bankers and other chancers have moved on to other things, we need our club to be in a sustainable, secure position. Same should apply to other sports in the area too.)

Hi Rob

Just wondering if you've been able to get any feedback from either the club or SISU on any of this and if they have any counter for it?
 

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