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The situation is a mess, Wasps own the ground/pitch and Coventry rent it. But from what I have read the Commonwealth games had been booked in for years so this shouldn't have come as a surprise.
I was surprised that Wasps had bought the stadium considering Rugby clubs wouldn't have half the money/income of a football club?
Also surprised more people haven't been pushing for points docked/games moved/games surrendered. If this had been us we'd have had a massive fine and points off.
Wasps are basically bankrupt as well aren't they? On the cusp of financial collapse.
That whole stadium, the business model around it, has been a complete mess from the first day it opened.
I had the pleasure of attending the first ever game at the Ricoh as was. QPR charity in town to hand over a 3-0 win (Ugo Ukah's one appearance for us off the bench, heady days). Even then the stadium was just about half-finished!
I've been to one game at the Ricoh arena years ago and would never go back. It's the definition of an identi-kit souless bowl in the back of beyond. The sooner it's demolished the better.
What did they with Derek Richardson as a co owner?He couldn’t keep hold of anything.One of the worst keepers we’ve ever had.Lucky we kept hold of big Phil for so long.
I've been to one game at the Ricoh arena years ago and would never go back. It's the definition of an identi-kit souless bowl in the back of beyond. The sooner it's demolished the better.
The Tesco next store is handy if you have any shopping to do before heading home.
What did they with Derek Richardson as a co owner?He couldn’t keep hold of anything.One of the worst keepers we’ve ever had.Lucky we kept hold of big Phil for so long.
Don't know if he's anything to do with Bryan Richardson who was the Coventry chairman who had the genius idea to sell Highfield Road and move them to the Ricoh White Elephant.
Don't know if he's anything to do with Bryan Richardson who was the Coventry chairman who had the genius idea to sell Highfield Road and move them to the Ricoh White Elephant.
I didn’t think it was mate,but it brought back bad memories of a terrible keeper,even worse than Tony Roberts.
Talking of stadia, I didn't realize the Stoop had been given a makeover.
"The South Stand was opened for the 2009—10 season.[1] It has new toilets, a real ale bar, the Quins Head, which sells Greene King IPA and guest ales and a club shop. The back of the stand also has a clock for the match."
'king civilized if you ask me. Which you didn't, which is fine as well.
I said before we should team up with Fullers.
[Post edited 18 Aug 2022 11:25]
Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent
I had the pleasure of attending the first ever game at the Ricoh as was. QPR charity in town to hand over a 3-0 win (Ugo Ukah's one appearance for us off the bench, heady days). Even then the stadium was just about half-finished!
yep; one and only time for me too.
no need to return; I miss Highfield Road (as do all of their fans, no doubt)
I did a fair bit of reading on a Coventry forum about all of this - they were none too complimentary about the Rugby Sevens games taking place on it but also know that Wasps have let the place as a whole go to rack and ruin because they can't afford the upkeep and the pitch, instead of relaying it in the summer, had massive concerts on it (The Killers and Rammstein both played there) because they are desperate for the cash.
Lots of chatter about "several tonnes of beef" scrummaging on the turf for hours on end, although Sevens isn't quite the same as regular Union, and the craziness of having 66 games in a handful of days taking place - but again the games are only 14 minutes long so it worked out at about 10/11 normal length games of rugby.
Ultimately a well kept and professionally maintained surface should have been able to cope - Ibrox Stadium had the Rugby Sevens at Glasgow 2014 and had no issues afterwards.
Its quite clear the Wasps move was ultimately disastrous, as you'd well expect when a team called "London Wasps" moves sixty odd miles north, drops the "London" from its name and thinks moving into a 32,000 seater stadium will immediately see the people of Coventry flocking to come and watch, in an area that already has well established union teams in Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints.
The whole thing is a crazy mess and really Coventry are probably better off trying to build their own, suitably sized stadium. Much easier said than done though. The whole place is a huge white elephant.
As an aside, I'd actually really like to see football try something like Rugby Sevens and have six-a-side matches on a full size pitch in shorter games. It might actually be quite fun to watch.
The key mistake with the whole project from the off was Coventry City had to pay to play there, and that amount was set at a ridiculous level - I think they had to get 18,000 fans at every game just to break even, 18,000 people through the gate before you start making any money on your home games. That's insane. It always was insane. Coventry had a perfectly serviceable, slightly rundown but easily developed, ground that they owned in the middle of the town, with a capacity that was plenty big enough for them.
That;s before you even get to the horrid design and location of the place.
The key mistake with the whole project from the off was Coventry City had to pay to play there, and that amount was set at a ridiculous level - I think they had to get 18,000 fans at every game just to break even, 18,000 people through the gate before you start making any money on your home games. That's insane. It always was insane. Coventry had a perfectly serviceable, slightly rundown but easily developed, ground that they owned in the middle of the town, with a capacity that was plenty big enough for them.
That;s before you even get to the horrid design and location of the place.
Classic building a station at the stadium that cannot be used on event days *chef's kiss*
The key mistake with the whole project from the off was Coventry City had to pay to play there, and that amount was set at a ridiculous level - I think they had to get 18,000 fans at every game just to break even, 18,000 people through the gate before you start making any money on your home games. That's insane. It always was insane. Coventry had a perfectly serviceable, slightly rundown but easily developed, ground that they owned in the middle of the town, with a capacity that was plenty big enough for them.
That;s before you even get to the horrid design and location of the place.
I'd be heartbroken looking at this if I was Coventry fan...
“in an area that already has well established union teams in Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints”
Not forgetting Coventry of course!
Mrs Sheen's best friend from college is from Leamington. Her father played with David Duckham at Coventry RFC in the 60s and 70s and she's a rugby fanatic. CRFC lost their ground about the same time as City in the disaster of early professionalism, and have never been able to get much traction since. She said the response to Wasps going there was very positive from old Coventry fans like her and her friends, as well as from supporters of some of the other collapsed West Midlands clubs (eg Moseley) who could never have transferred their allegiance to a traditional rival like Leicester or Northampton.
It's not lack of local support that doomed them, its the model. Supporting much bigger squads over fewer games on Championship crowds and sponsorship at best, when your main competition is shunted around and diluted by international breaks and call-ups, can't be done without a sugar daddy with deep pockets. There seems to be a reasonable supply of punters who expect to be the one who will be holding the reins when the club game breaks through, but Wasps' ownership team have burned their stash.
A lot of teams built new grounds around that time and later on.Some were more successful than others.Coventry seems to have been one of the worst examples of a new ground becoming a millstone. They should’ve negotiated a better deal or stayed where they were.
Mrs Sheen's best friend from college is from Leamington. Her father played with David Duckham at Coventry RFC in the 60s and 70s and she's a rugby fanatic. CRFC lost their ground about the same time as City in the disaster of early professionalism, and have never been able to get much traction since. She said the response to Wasps going there was very positive from old Coventry fans like her and her friends, as well as from supporters of some of the other collapsed West Midlands clubs (eg Moseley) who could never have transferred their allegiance to a traditional rival like Leicester or Northampton.
It's not lack of local support that doomed them, its the model. Supporting much bigger squads over fewer games on Championship crowds and sponsorship at best, when your main competition is shunted around and diluted by international breaks and call-ups, can't be done without a sugar daddy with deep pockets. There seems to be a reasonable supply of punters who expect to be the one who will be holding the reins when the club game breaks through, but Wasps' ownership team have burned their stash.
[Post edited 18 Aug 2022 13:21]
It was the same for the club I supported,Rosslyn Park.They were one of the most successful teams in the amateur years,but they couldn’t compete once teams went professional.
A lot of teams built new grounds around that time and later on.Some were more successful than others.Coventry seems to have been one of the worst examples of a new ground becoming a millstone. They should’ve negotiated a better deal or stayed where they were.
I think they were banking on the Premiership at the time but in fact ended up in League 1 which was disaster.
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