The Ricoh Arena Rent Free for the year - Next Step? (5 Viewers)

[lewys33]

Before I start let me make something clear. Despite my thoughts on certain people, I will give them the benefit of the doubt after reading the guardian article if they assumed the rent free offer was the one made to the administrator.

However, if it turns out that this deal was in fact made, and SISU have rejected it, where do we honestly go from here? I really think pressure needs to be applied to SISU. I think all campaigns & the trust should get together and demand answers. If it turns out the offer was not made, apply pressure to the council to make the offer?

Why could they have not accepted the rent deal free for the rest of the year, and tried to get a deal done to buy the ricoh? I don't understand?

I dont think building a new stadium is the best idea really, however I STRONGLY feel that we should not be playing at Northampton under a rent deal, if a rent deal can be done to play in Coventry.

 

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[Grendel]

Given the news today of a £50 million budget deficit the real question should be how much can they raise by flogging the whole lot.

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

Given the news today of a £50 million budget deficit the real question should be how much can they raise by flogging the whole lot.

Thanks for answering the question.

 

[ccfclinney]

I think you have to look into a lot more detail with stuff like this .. It's like a house no one would say have my house rent free for a year then let them move out.. There would of been clauses I.e free for a year then x amount from then on. That's what you have to think about.
Sisu obviously don't want to be tied in to a rent contract with ACL again.

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

... Sisu obviously don't want to be tied in to a rent contract with ACL again.

Yes- damn those ACL tyrants for expecting rent to be paid as agreed.

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

Before I start let me make something clear. Despite my thoughts on certain people, I will give them the benefit of the doubt after reading the guardian article if they assumed the rent free offer was the one made to the administrator.

However, if it turns out that this deal was in fact made, and SISU have rejected it, where do we honestly go from here? I really think pressure needs to be applied to SISU. I think all campaigns & the trust should get together and demand answers. If it turns out the offer was not made, apply pressure to the council to make the offer?

Why could they have not accepted the rent deal free for the rest of the year, and tried to get a deal done to buy the ricoh? I don't understand?

I dont think building a new stadium is the best idea really, however I STRONGLY feel that we should not be playing at Northampton under a rent deal, if a rent deal can be done to play in Coventry.

Unless there was an ulterior motive.....?:thinking about:

 

[lewys33]

I think you have to look into a lot more detail with stuff like this .. It's like a house no one would say have my house rent free for a year then let them move out.. There would of been clauses I.e free for a year then x amount from then on. That's what you have to think about.
Sisu obviously don't want to be tied in to a rent contract with ACL again.

Apparently it was rent free this year, then £100k for 2 years. Where is the issue? If a deal is thrashed out before the end of the season then its all good. If it goes on in to next season or a deal cant be done and they decide to build their own stadium then they are paying rent in Coventry rather than Northampton??

I really can't see why the above can't be done .......

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

Apparently it was rent free this year, then £100k for 2 years. Where is the issue? If a deal is thrashed out before the end of the season then its all good. If it goes on in to next season or a deal cant be done and they decide to build their own stadium then they are paying rent in Coventry rather than Northampton??

I really can't see why the above can't be done .......

Awaits some legal technocrat answer along lines of wasn't made through correct legal channel?

 

[Astute]

Apparently it was rent free this year, then £100k for 2 years. Where is the issue? If a deal is thrashed out before the end of the season then its all good. If it goes on in to next season or a deal cant be done and they decide to build their own stadium then they are paying rent in Coventry rather than Northampton??

I really can't see why the above can't be done .......

Joy

 

[No future with SISU]

They are after the ricoh on the cheap, it is the only way they can get a return on their investment and the council need to raise £100m.

 

[covmark]

If its rent free, and 100k for two years, then sisu should snap it up. Once a little trust is formed and relationships slightly healed, then maybe talk of buying leaseholds, freeholds, whatever, could happen.

 

[Hobo]

SISU will not negotiate. That is why we are in Northampton. They don't negotiate with fans or haven't you noticed. They blackmail or threaten legal action.

A large percentage of their supporters seem to be "I will support Coventry City whatever, I am so loyal." They can't see past their own pride, they can't see the long term consequences.....heavy debt to them or liquidation out of spite.

But hang on to that thought of the dream stadium they are going to buy and build, keep going to Northampton if that is what you believe.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

If its rent free, and 100k for two years, then sisu should snap it up. Once a little trust is formed and relationships slightly healed, then maybe talk of buying leaseholds, freeholds, whatever, could happen.

...or plenty of time to build their new stadium...

Anyway, questions to be asked include, but not limited to:

Offer for 3 years only, or tied to a longer deal (and if so, does the price goes up after that?)?

If £100k in this division, what was offer in other divisions?

Any conditions attached to it (such as dropping JR, extra payments above certain gates, tied into dropping plans for a ground elsewhere etc. etc.)?

As offer was communicated via football league, have football league progressed this and offered to mediate between the two parties?

As football league urged parties to talk and resolve differences, what do the FL think holds up a deal?

What pressure, if anything, can the football league bring to bear on parties to accept this offer ahead of Northampton?

What were the reasons given for turning down such a deal?

If the club have turned down such a deal, does that mean they have genuinely abandoned all thoughts of returning to the Ricoh?

etc. etc.

All to be asked of football league, as in a world of tops, they're the ones with least cause to spin it...

 

[northwestskyblue]

The Football league should force them to accept this rent free deal. 10000 supporters paying £10 each will pay for the rent the next two years. I don't see any way back to the Ricoh now

 

[cloughie]

Given the news today of a £50 million budget deficit the real question should be how much can they raise by flogging the whole lot.

Well at sisu's value of £4 million it would be almost pointless, much like many your contributions to this forum

 

[James Smith]

Awaits some legal technocrat answer along lines of wasn't made through correct legal channel?

Maybe the directors were being directors of other companies on the day the FL called and couldn't hear the offer or whatever?

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

Joy

Thanks- have a good one yourself.

 

[Spagbol]

They are after the ricoh on the cheap, it is the only way they can get a return on their investment and the council need to raise £100m.

I agree, it is very , very worrying. I am upbeat after a great weekend of footie, hearing of the rent free offer and SISU turning it down, I think it is sounding the death knell for our once proud team. The council should not sell this arena to them. The only way out is SISU go or liquidation. SISU arn't going anywhere until they win, if they can't win they will liquidate. How the bloody hell did we get in this mess??

 

[RegTheDonk]

Given the news today of a £50 million budget deficit the real question should be how much can they raise by flogging the whole lot.

Makes no odds really, they need recurring savings (no doubt by making cuts) not a one off crutch. Besides, they make money in interest payments.

 

[RPHunt]

This was Labovitch's reply on behalf of Sisu:

“Joy’s door is open to Ann for further discussions. But we would have to be clear this time that it would be a discussion about stadium ownership.”“In the absence of a clear commitment to discuss ownership, we are pressing ahead with the plans for our new stadium on the outskirts of Coventry.”

So there you have it. Combining it with what David Conn said earlier, they are only coming back if they can get the arena for £4m.

Not surprising, therefore, that Conn makes reference to the council seriously looking for another tenant and don't be surprised if they find one. There are a lot of ambitious rugby clubs out there, who would be delighted with a similar offer, and fans of Premiership rugby clubs have shown themselves to be less parochial and willing to travel to support their team. One outside possibility, as they are desperate to increase capacity particularly for European matches, is Northampton Saints - wouldn't that be a delicious twist

 

[James Smith]

This was Labovitch's reply on behalf of Sisu:

“Joy’s door is open to Ann for further discussions. But we would have to be clear this time that it would be a discussion about stadium ownership.”“In the absence of a clear commitment to discuss ownership, we are pressing ahead with the plans for our new stadium on the outskirts of Coventry.”

So there you have it. Combining it with what David Conn said earlier, they are only coming back if they can get the arena for £4m.

Not surprising, therefore, that Conn makes reference to the council seriously looking for another tenant and don't be surprised if they find one. There are a lot of ambitious rugby clubs out there, who would be delighted with a similar offer, and fans of Premiership rugby clubs have shown themselves to be less parochial and willing to travel to support their team. One outside possibility, as they are desperate to increase capacity particularly for European matches, is Northampton Saints - wouldn't that be a delicious twist

So where are the plans please Mark?

 

[Deleted member 5849]

This was Labovitch's reply on behalf of Sisu:

“Joy’s door is open to Ann for further discussions. But we would have to be clear this time that it would be a discussion about stadium ownership.”“In the absence of a clear commitment to discuss ownership, we are pressing ahead with the plans for our new stadium on the outskirts of Coventry.”

So there you have it. Combining it with what David Conn said earlier, they are only coming back if they can get the arena for £4m.

Not surprising, therefore, that Conn makes reference to the council seriously looking for another tenant and don't be surprised if they find one. There are a lot of ambitious rugby clubs out there, who would be delighted with a similar offer, and fans of Premiership rugby clubs have shown themselves to be less parochial and willing to travel to support their team. One outside possibility, as they are desperate to increase capacity particularly for European matches, is Northampton Saints - wouldn't that be a delicious twist

Would be just as bad as what SISU have done though; effectively kill off Cov Rugby club, especially when their current owners have worked so hard to save them from the abyss and get them on the up again.

 

[lewys33]

I have read on twitter and grendel has mentioned that it was because the match day costs were not included and they are too high (£320,000 was mentioned on twitter).
However when you own the freehold to the stadium you are of course immune to match day costs, so I can see their point.:facepalm:

I would also love to know if these match day costs are included in the northampton rent.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Makes no odds really, they need recurring savings (no doubt by making cuts) not a one off crutch. Besides, they make money in interest payments.

The one-off crutch helps though, politics isn't above saving some cash short term and leaving the problem for someone else to mop up.

 

[lewys33]

This was Labovitch's reply on behalf of Sisu:

“Joy’s door is open to Ann for further discussions. But we would have to be clear this time that it would be a discussion about stadium ownership.”“In the absence of a clear commitment to discuss ownership, we are pressing ahead with the plans for our new stadium on the outskirts of Coventry.”

WHY CAN WE NOT PLAY AT THE RICOH WHILE THE NEW STADIUM IS BUILT?!?! I really can't see how anyone can defend these people?!

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

WHY CAN WE NOT PLAY AT THE RICOH WHILE THE NEW STADIUM IS BUILT?!?! I really can't see how anyone can defend these people?!

 

[Nick]

I have read on twitter and grendel has mentioned that it was because the match day costs were not included and they are too high (£320,000 was mentioned on twitter).
However when you own the freehold to the stadium you are of course immune to match day costs, so I can see their point.:facepalm:

I would also love to know if these match day costs are included in the northampton rent.

Has it been said what other terms were included?

 

[Snozz_is_god]

I have read on twitter and grendel has mentioned that it was because the match day costs were not included and they are too high (£320,000 was mentioned on twitter).
However when you own the freehold to the stadium you are of course immune to match day costs, so I can see their point.:facepalm:

I would also love to know if these match day costs are included in the northampton rent.

Match Day costs pay for Police, Stewards & Turnstile staff etc. having the freehold makes no difference, they would still have to pay these costs.

Of course they pay them at Northampton.

 

[lewys33]

Match Day costs pay for Police, Stewards & Turnstile staff etc. having the freehold makes no difference, they would still have to pay these costs.

Of course they pay them at Northampton.

Sorry if the keyboard didn't put it across but it was sarcasm my friend.

 

[lewys33]

Has it been said what other terms were included?

No. We still don't officially know if it was offered.

EDIT: We now have confirmation

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/sisu-boss-joy-seppala-rejects-6363684

 

[Snozz_is_god]

Sorry if the keyboard didn't put it across but it was sarcasm my friend.

Sorry emoticon gives it away on second read :thinking about:

 

[Nick]

So apparently we wouldn't get any revenues and match day costs we should be paying as we are using things police and power etc.

It sounds from the cet article that it was an idea floated also so would they have discussed terms

 

[bigfatronssba]

I fail to see how anyone can defend sisu on this one.

 

[lewys33]

So apparently we wouldn't get any revenues and match day costs we should be paying as we are using things police and power etc.

It sounds from the cet article that it was an idea floated also so would they have discussed terms

Probably not. Possibly from Ann's view the meeting was to build a few bridges and get them back first. Joy obviously only wanted to talk ownership.

 

[cofastreecity]

It's all pretty simple, SISU want the Freehold but its not for sale, and even if it was they would still need to purchase ACL from the Higgs and the Council as they own the rights to the Ricoh for 41 years, and can't see they selling to SISU, therefore if they don't want to rent they need to get on and build, good luck with that. In the meantime Seppala and Fisher who care not for the supporters keep ignoring the devastation they cause, thank god David Conn can see through their Con