Earlsdon_Skyblue1
Well-Known Member
Can we have a terrace please.
Why won't I?You won't go anyway, so I assume your negativity is some kind of self-justification for it.
Safe standing would be incredibleCan we have a terrace please.
Before I get hammered with abuse, I just want to state that my sincere hope is that this has been well thought through and is a viable long term solution for us but I just wanted to put the alternative view out there.
I can't help but feel that this is a smokescreen for our inability to negotiate a deal to stay at the Ricoh. It really feels like this carrot is being dangled as a pre-cursor to an announcement that we will not be playing in Coventry for the forseeable. What has actually been announced today? 2 entities have announced that they are looking into a new ground for Coventry City at a determined site, it is nothing more than that. No planning permission, no accurate timescales, no clear source of funding. What we have is a paper thin promise.
If it doesn't come to fruition there are so many get out clauses for both parties and whilst we are playing outside of coventry it is something for SISU to fall back on to appease the fans. That means for potentially the next 5 years we'll be tenants in another clubs ground with: limited matchday revenue, no events revenue, limited F+B revenue, all whilst trying to compete in a league whereby the top clubs are paying player £50+k per week.
Remember the shortsightedness of our highfield road to ricoh move, we made an assumption that we'd still be a premier league club and the reality was that when we got relegated to div 1 and didn't bounce back, the model was unsustainable and the ricoh became a money pit. How are we mitigating the same thing happening again? We're looking into building a ground in 5 years time having only just got back into the championship, potentially taking on huge debts, with limited revenue all whilst facing the very real risk of not being able to compete in the championship (MR has stated our budget will already be the lowest)
Before everyone gets giddy we should face the real possibility that: this is all just a smokescreen for a short term announcement that we won't be playing in cov; that it impacts our revenue in a highly monetised league and it exposes us to huge financial risk when the reality is we could well be a L1 club again next year.
A lot of people being optimistic about the Uni putting their name to it here, again I can see why but let's look at their challenges 1/6 of Warwick Uni revenue comes from overseas students, in the wake and aftermath of a global pandemic it will be more difficult than ever to attract overseas students (particularly from th efar east where a large proportion come from) in addition there is no longevity in uni's keeping their fees the same whilst all teaching is being moved online, there is already uproar in the student population about this. They have to tell a story of positivity and investment. Investment attracts more investment and whilst there is the possibility of the ground go ahead they will see income from associated streams.
*** prepares for abuse ***
As it was so long ago I can't remember if there was specific land named last time? This time we have a specific area and a specific partner named publicly which I think makes it less pie in the sky than last time (but obviously I'm sceptical until I'm in my sky blue seat)
I don’t think a parcel of land was identified but we’d heard Bermuda Park I think. I’ll be honest it all blurs together and I might be mixing up things.
To be clear: this is what I wanted. The location and partner are right and I think a new ground is the right way forward. I’m just very wary of promises of progress.
Complete understand any scepticism but I can't see the Uni agreeing to have their name involved without there being something to it.
I would always take an announcement like this with a pinch of salt, but having Warwick Uni on our side does give it more substance. I think the club has also changed direction off the pitch in terms of management so I doubt they would be making this all up. The absence of Fisher in this announcement gives it more credit for one.
I suspect we will be at St Andrews indefinitely and I would expect this announcement has been timed accordingly to soften the blow from that. If this does really take off though, and I think there is more reason to believe this more than anything else, then it could be absolutely phenomenal for the club.
The uni have been building stuff for fun in the last 10 years and seem to have a bucket of money. There are so many lessons from the Ricoh to take into account and I hope there will be a committee of fans involved in the project. I.e. making sure it isn't a soulless bowl etc. I for one would be happy to be involved with that.
It is very easy to tell apart the people who are genuinely apprehensive of this news from the ones that have no intention of going to games and just want to slate it at any opportunity.
Equally to some the thought of Wasps and the Council getting done over has roughed a few feathers. I love it.
It's plenty big enough for a mid table Championship side. All the caveats only apply if you exclude the Uni. Once you include a substantial, prestigious partner, all those caveats are automatically weakenedA surprise announcement and you can't do that without both sides having agreed. So from that angle 'exploratory' work has been done regarding the 'possability' of a stadium being erected there. That's all it is. SISU have found a willing partner with land available that would be a suitable spot. It could be turned downed by local authorities at the first hurdle and that will be that. I struggle to see the universities role or reasoning other than the ability to get a partner to help plan a sports facility being helpful from an exposure viewpoint, and helping getting new infrastructure on the planners minds for the evr expanding university.
SISU I doubt very much will ever build a stadium. Getting a plan in place that is viable, and with an high profile university onboard is the more likely reason in their ultimate goal of selling CCFC. They will attract more buyers and a larger price with such a 'proposal' that consist of some outline approval and a high profile university partnership.
It provides SISU with something of a 'stability' plan for the future of CCFC albeit without any concreate approvals, while remaining feasible.
I have said many times SISU will sell once they get to the championship, and part of that plan will be keeping us in this division to ensure a decent price for the club can be achieved.
It also negates fans if we fail to agree a deal with WASP. I suspect we are seeking a 5 year deal at the Ricoh to align with this forward thinking, thus attracting buyers for the football club as our future looks secure. I would expect the caveat with WASP would be for any future owners of CCFC would inherit the full rights negoitated, and are free to make any new arrangements with WASP. So SISU get back at the Ricoh for the good of all sides, match day revenues and a sound footing is established once more with a back up 'intentional' plan for the long term.
WASP should relish the opportunity of a football club for the next 5 years and the possibility of new owners of CCFC looking for more with them once SISU depart.
Annoucing now is just a feel good factor for fans and a small added pressure on WASP to see a 5 year deal approved. WASP will have plenty of options to persuade new owners of CCFC to remain at the Ricoh and SISU have their get out of jail card in place to attract buyers whether at the Ricoh again or not.
On a personal note: A 20k seat stadium rising to 30k or so will not be large enough for Coventry should we continue to have ambition or even stability in the championship.
CBRE were engaged by the club and paid, not partners, and, at least partially did the job they were brought on board to do. IMO that's very different to the University announcing a partnership with the club on a new stadium project.CBRE were happy to have their name on our much-derided stadium announcement in 2013, and it doesn't seem to have done them much harm. Warwick's involvement is interesting, but there's nothing here that can't be very easily and quietly unwound later on.
It's plenty big enough for a mid table Championship side. All the caveats only apply if you exclude the Uni. Once you include a substantial, prestigious partner, all those caveats are automatically weakened
Warwick has largely catered for most of the planned losses caused by Covid by pausing projects and spending and a voluntary redundancy scheme. A second wave or it never subsiding will obviously fuck things up for everyone but short of that it's not the alarm bells that may be sounding elsewhere.
Could this be another business opportunity to help to make up for the shortfall? They are doing this to make money, right?Warwick has largely catered for most of the planned losses caused by Covid by pausing projects and spending and a voluntary redundancy scheme. A second wave or it never subsiding will obviously fuck things up for everyone but short of that it's not the alarm bells that may be sounding elsewhere.
There's got to be something in it for everybody of course. It'd be nice to know Sisu are somehow helping to keep me employed, they owe me something for that 16/17 season if nothing else
I agree with all of that. Still think it's wise to wait a few days however before we get too orgasmic with the Warwick Uni bit. It wouldn't be the first time a potential partner was surprised with the wording of a club statement.I don't think you would get abuse for being pessimistic about it, most people should be.
The one promising thing I can think of is that Warwick Uni won't be making statements for shits and giggles for a smokescreen.
If it means 5 years at St Andrews IF something then starts to get rolling then let's go for it. That's if progress is actually made on it.
I agree with all of that. Still think it's wise to wait a few days however before we get too orgasmic with the Warwick Uni bit. It wouldn't be the first time a potential partner was surprised with the wording of a club statement.
Now obviously, I hope they're not and all is good. If they don't stick their hand up and say err hang on, then fantastic.
And that's before we get to the funding, the plan / design / permission etc which of course we'll all believe when we see it.
I do feel obliged to go through my own old posts however, to wherever I said Warwick Uni would be the ideal partner. Nobody likes a smartarse, but it'd make me feel better!
Fair enough thenThey have released the exact same statement though?
Fair enough then
I'll modify it to the devil behind the detail then. As yet there's not a lot...
I suppose it's progress that it's not just a goon from their bedroom knocking a statement out. One thing we've had plenty of in the past, is statements!
We'll see... experience says wait a while and see what actually happens!
That is definitely progress, and Warwick Uni have more to lose for sure, not like we have much credibility in scenarios like this!I think people are more optimistic because they have put their name to it and it's not Fisher saying "we have identified land".
So am I at the moment we are flat out and employing more, but there is talk in the building industry is that the bubble is about to burst.Understand where you're coming from but through my work I'm actually involved with a couple of the projects & there is no talk of delaying. There will be minimum of £130m worth of projects delivered next year & new planning applications are still being submitted.
Nope I don't think students necessarily will but it will attract investment from associated fields, they will be able to invest heavily in faculty and research and development to make themselves a more attractive proposition overall. The article already cites sport science and hospitality and leisure as growing disciplines, they will be able to access government funding to build these functions out
So am I at the moment we are flat out and employing more, but there is talk in the building industry is that the bubble is about to burst.
I was on site in Sheffield today at a student village off to London to another tomorrow, if the students dont return all these brand new builds will be left empty.
Hope it doesnt happen as we rely on the Univercities for a majority of our work at the moment as no one else is building.
Never know might get a contract for the new ground we have already supplied Spurs, Arsenal, Everton, Ricoh,Fleetwood and many more.
I did feel with the student blocks going up Coventry got on the bandwagon pretty late, esp for a 'student city'. Obv no-one was expecting the global pandemic but relations with China are always frosty at best and there are a large number of Chinese students. There certainly was demand to be filled over the last few years though hence why the building started very quickly compared to other projects involving retail or office space.
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