Stadium update (19 Viewers)

[Joy Division]

It really would be great to utilise the exhibition hall on matchdays to offer fanzone and family activities pre-match

 

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[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

They started life at Old Bull Fields (later named The Butts) in the late 19th century and didn't move to Coundon Road until 1920.
They moved back to their spiritual home in 2004.

How you doing anyway, keeping well?

I'm doing OK Bad Boy, happy to be corrected, thanks for the history lesson.

 

[ajsccfc]

I overheard someone on Saturday calling it The Antidote so in my head that's the name of it now.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I overheard someone on Saturday calling it The Antidote so in my head that's the name of it now.

@Leamington spa sky blue Was this you?

 

[Diogenes]

Turn it into the Sky Blue Tavern ??
Leave it alone maybe call it The Jimmy Hill

Or Kelly's Bulge Inn

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

'The George & John' sounds like a great name for our bar.

Although does also make it sound like a toilet.

 

[Hobo]

The West Coast Maine Line is the busiest mixed-traffic system in Europe, not the busiest line overall (by passengers, this is the Elizabeth Line). But only a portion of traffic on the WCML goes through Coventry (the Rugby - Stafford portion carries a lot), so the WCML through Coventry is definitely not the busiest line in Europe.

It is busy though, so the challenges of integrating shuttles from the Arena are real. There are solutions, but they are expensive and aren't a priority.

I realise the problem. I’m not one of the ones thinking oh just put some extra trains on.

 

[Hobo]

I'm sure there's over 120 bedrooms at the CBS Doubletree, then there's the Novotel which is only up the road and I think they have probably 4/5 others at least within a 10 min drive.

Personally I wouldn't have thought that poses that much of a problem for them.

The exhibitions hosted there also aren't really ever that big.

Hotels in Coventry get a lot of trade from stuff going on at the NEC and in Birmingham.

 

[CovInEssex]

I suppose it needs both hotels and parking- always surprised a Premier Inn hasn’t sprung up in that area- not only for the CBS but it’s also so close too the M6- there is all that land opposite the Novotel too.

There's one already. Just up the bypass towards Nuneaton

 

[jas365]

Not been through the whole thread, but it would be interesting to know what the revenue levels have been for the whole site in recent years. Given that it will now fall under our own income streams, it should give us a boost for PSR?

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Hotels in Coventry get a lot of trade from stuff going on at the NEC and in Birmingham.

I still wouldn't have thought it's that much of an issue. I suspect why the CBS gets overlooked is because it's not a great exhibition space generally.

Its exhibition area is really only big enough to cater to small to medium sized exhibitions - and even then they often spill out into the main atrium which is just impractical and it lacks the choice of eating / drinking amenities which venues like the NEC has.

I'd suggest issues such as those are much more glaring than a lack of hotel capacity.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I still wouldn't have thought it's that much of an issue. I suspect why the CBS gets overlooked is because it's not a great exhibition space generally.

Its exhibition area is really only big enough to cater to small to medium sized exhibitions - and even then they often spill out into the main atrium which is just impractical and it lacks the choice of eating / drinking amenities which venues like the NEC has.

I'd suggest issues such as those are much more glaring than a lack of hotel capacity.

I was quoted a frankly ludicrous 6 figure sum to host a chess tournament in one of the exhibition spaces. Have also been quoted ridiculous amounts for hosting academic conferences, they price themselves out of the market as otherwise we absolutely would have gone with them.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

I was quoted a frankly ludicrous 6 figure sum to host a chess tournament in one of the exhibition spaces. Have also been quoted ridiculous amounts for hosting academic conferences, they price themselves out of the market as otherwise we absolutely would have gone with them.

I was about to say I would bet my mortgage on the fact it's ridiculously priced.

I go probably 10+ exhibitions at the NEC per year and every single client who exhibits there at various shows complains incessantly about the cost.

The CBS being a not-so-great exhibition space aside it really wouldn't be that difficult to seriously undercut the NEC while still boasting healthy margins. I'd imagine we'd manage to prise a few shows away from them if they actually got the pricing strategy right and it reflected the quality on offer.

 

[SkyBluePower]

It’s £300k to hire the Stadium Bowl for gigs according to Dawkins ( who I would tend to believe on this issue)

Imagine that would rule out all but the very biggest touring bands - and then you are in serious completion from big players around us - Villa Park for one seems to be going down the gig route.

 

[chiefdave]

It’s £300k to hire the Stadium Bowl for gigs according to Dawkins ( who I would tend to believe on this issue)

Imagine that would rule out all but the very biggest touring bands - and then you are in serious completion from big players around us - Villa Park for one seems to be going down the gig route.

Bands who are playing stadiums are netting over £1m on ticket sales alone. You also have to consider there's many different types of hire. The hire fee most likely includes fully staffing the venue, providing local crew and various other services. Also likely to include working with the local licensing authority, dispersal plans, emergency plans etc.

 

[Sky Blue Goblin]

Just listening to this. Apparently we bought the arena for forty million.

No idea where his source is on that but is widely respected in the football finance

 

[Mcbean]

I still wouldn't have thought it's that much of an issue. I suspect why the CBS gets overlooked is because it's not a great exhibition space generally.

Its exhibition area is really only big enough to cater to small to medium sized exhibitions - and even then they often spill out into the main atrium which is just impractical and it lacks the choice of eating / drinking amenities which venues like the NEC has.

I'd suggest issues such as those are much more glaring than a lack of hotel capacity.

Parking also is limited !

 

[chiefdave]

No idea where his source is on that but is widely respected in the football finance

Given how accuarate some of his reporting on us in the past has been I would not be surprised if he's just guessed a figure.

How this guy has managed to become the go to 'expert' is beyond me. He couldn't get the basic details right when reporting on the whole rent situation, moves to Northampton & Birmingham etc.

 

[David O'Day]

Bands who are playing stadiums are netting over £1m on ticket sales alone. You also have to consider there's many different types of hire. The hire fee most likely includes fully staffing the venue, providing local crew and various other services. Also likely to include working with the local licensing authority, dispersal plans, emergency plans etc.

Yeah, the promoter/band just has to provide their band specific equipment and staff

 

[Levship20]

Given how accuarate some of his reporting on us in the past has been I would not be surprised if he's just guessed a figure.

How this guy has managed to become the go to 'expert' is beyond me. He couldn't get the basic details right when reporting on the whole rent situation, moves to Northampton & Birmingham etc.

This deal will and would have been agreed under a ‘NDA’, so nobody other than the 2 parties will know, so stop peddling bullshit.

 

[biggymania]

I think logically listening to some of the statements from Doug and the facts from the original acquisition by Fraser's group - 35-45M would make sense.

It cost Frasers 18M to buy with improvements of 13M minimum needed - so that's 31M of "costs" to Frasers. Doug bid 25M knowing that he'd need to spend a further 13M so already you can suggest he was willing to pay almost 38M back then. That bid itself probably put him in a tough spot when negotiating with Frasers as it sets the price at 38M at least - a mere 7M profit for Frasers at that price.

Let's assume like all good negotiations both parties walk away slightly aggrieved at the price - so I'd suggest 40M sounds about right to me.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

I think logically listening to some of the statements from Doug and the facts from the original acquisition by Fraser's group - 35-45M would make sense.

It cost Frasers 18M to buy with improvements of 13M minimum needed - so that's 31M of "costs" to Frasers. Doug bid 25M knowing that he'd need to spend a further 13M so already you can suggest he was willing to pay almost 38M back then. That bid itself probably put him in a tough spot when negotiating with Frasers as it sets the price at 38M at least - a mere 7M profit for Frasers at that price.

Let's assume like all good negotiations both parties walk away slightly aggrieved at the price - so I'd suggest 40M sounds about right to me.

According to Kieran Maguire £40 million.

 

[Grendel]

According to Kieran Maguire £40 million.

He’s hardly very knowledgeable

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

I'd take anything pushed by Maguire with a sizeable pinch of salt.

He's very good at marketing himself as a football finance expert but his general insights on scenarios are more often than not based on guesswork, and as such he regularly gets things wrong.

Doesn't help his cause that he wants to put in his two cents on pretty much everything without actually having the facts to hand first.

 

[Brylowes]

This deal will and would have been agreed under a ‘NDA’, so nobody other than the 2 parties will know, so stop peddling bullshit.

If you read chiefdave’s post it’s clear he’s stating that it wouldn’t be wise to believe anything Maguire has said regarding the sale price of the CBS so not sure why you’re telling him to stop peddling bullshit.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

I'd take anything pushed by Maguire with a sizeable pinch of salt.

He's very good at marketing himself as a football finance expert but his general insights on scenarios are more often than not based on guesswork, and as such he regularly gets things wrong.

Doesn't help his cause that he wants to put in his two cents on pretty much everything without actually having the facts to hand first.

He's an expert in his field, he also works for the PFA giving financial guidance to players . He regularly invited into various shows and podcasts , so it isn't him just giving his 2 cents worth . He's regularly asked for his opinions because he knows what he is talking about.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

He’s hardly very knowledgeable

He's a lot more knowledgeable than the comments made by some people on here.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

He's an expert in his field, he also works for the PFA giving financial guidance to players . He regularly invited into various shows and podcasts , so it isn't him just giving his 2 cents worth . He's regularly asked for his opinions because he knows what he is talking about.

It's not that he isn't qualified to speak on these matters, I think he's been a lecturer at Liverpool Uni for nearly 40 years alongside the above you've mentioned.

But if you read my post properly I've explained why you should take things he says with a pinch of salt.

He has a habit of trying to jump in front of the queue with analyses of things which he doesn't actually have the full facts to. Hence why he quite often gets things wrong.

 

[skybluecam]

He's a lot more knowledgeable than the comments made by some people on here.

He was on 5 live the other day and started quoting wage numbers sourced from capology. Instantly lost any credibility he had in my eyes.

 

[Skyblueweeman]

He’s hardly very knowledgeable

I mean, he is.

Does he get everything right? No.

But he's obviously knowledgeable as he's often sought out by respectable media outlets for anything football finance related.

 

[Grendel]

I mean, he is.

Does he get everything right? No.

But he's obviously knowledgeable as he's often sought out by respectable media outlets for anything football finance related.

He’s made himself the go to guy.

Media outlets will choose people with a name and he is great at pushing himself forward.

His analysis of our finances under Sisu was wrong at every level. He once put a detailed analysis on Twitter and ended up deleting it as he was ripped to pieces on it. His errors were GCSE accounting level stuff.

Every piece I’ve seen on us was wrong,

 

[CovRes]

I think logically listening to some of the statements from Doug and the facts from the original acquisition by Fraser's group - 35-45M would make sense.

It cost Frasers 18M to buy with improvements of 13M minimum needed - so that's 31M of "costs" to Frasers. Doug bid 25M knowing that he'd need to spend a further 13M so already you can suggest he was willing to pay almost 38M back then. That bid itself probably put him in a tough spot when negotiating with Frasers as it sets the price at 38M at least - a mere 7M profit for Frasers at that price.

Let's assume like all good negotiations both parties walk away slightly aggrieved at the price - so I'd suggest 40M sounds about right to me.

Frasers got the preferred bidder status with the administrators by paying to keep the place open, which will have been a fair amount. Wasn't that on top of the £17/18m they paid for the place?

 

[Skyblueweeman]

He’s made himself the go to guy.

Media outlets will choose people with a name and he is great at pushing himself forward.

His analysis of our finances under Sisu was wrong at every level. He once put a detailed analysis on Twitter and ended up deleting it as he was ripped to pieces on it. His errors were GCSE accounting level stuff.

Every piece I’ve seen on us was wrong,

Media outlets wouldn't keep choosing him if he was wrong all the time.

 

[SkyBluePower]

He has become quite clever at looking a 3 or 4 indicators in the accounts at Companies House and then making a pronouncemnet . He very rarely digs much deeper into anyone forensically (especially below Premier League)
He clearly knows his stuff but relies on a few cliches and facts he knows about each club .
When Dawkins interviewed him about the last set of accounts he had to be prompted on Gyokeres name ( despite him coming from his beloved Brighton) and he had no idea who Hamer was.

 

[Speedie's Head]

He has become quite clever at looking a 3 or 4 indicators in the accounts at Companies House and then making a pronouncemnet . He very rarely digs much deeper into anyone forensically (especially below Premier League)
He clearly knows his stuff but relies on a few cliches and facts he knows about each club .
When Dawkins interviewed him about the last set of accounts he had to be prompted on Gyokeres name ( despite him coming from his beloved Brighton) and he had no idea who Hamer was.

Seems all important to us but it's just detail. What matters to him is just the line in the accounts accounting for player sales.