Butts Park Arena - put up or shut up ! (1 Viewer)

Voice_of_Reason

Well-Known Member
Absolutely ! In my opinion this will never happen. Any plans to accept a stadium holding only 12,000 without being able to increase to 25,000 would show a serious lack of ambition by SISU. Anyway, I do not believe this will ever happen and my opinion it's just another ploy to delay and further delay future plans.
If Wasps (spit) are serious about wanting the club to remain at the Ricoh, they to should put up proposals or shut up.
 

covcity4life

Well-Known Member
i thought 12k be ok for a few years ago at first but wasnt saturdays attendence 11k? one big away following and bpa be full.

hopefully we can sort a deal out at ricoh that benefits club more. or wasps buy us!
 

JulianDarbyFTW

Well-Known Member
Why does it need to be 20k+? How many times have we broken that barrier this season? Or last? Other than the odd game here and there the 12k is close to the right figure. We're about to be a Division 4 club. 15k is the figure I think ideal for now, so there is scope for a few bigger crowds, but the key thing for me is not the starting capacity, but that the stadium is expandable for the future.
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
A 12k stadium at Butts would be ideal for next season. We will be in Division 4. But it wouldn't be ready that quickly even if everything was in place. We are now seeing an improvement in our team. So if the right players are brought in before next season we could easily get promotion. That would mean that it wouldn't be big enough when we would want to move in as the Ricoh deal ends.

But what is the point of discussing it happening when it won't?

1, Would SISU invest millions on something that they won't own?

2, Fishers Sky Sports interview showed us that his mediation request isn't as simple as that. It looks like he has given a list of what he wants and has left it to everyone else to attend any mediation meetings.

3, Those who had a go at anyone not seeing how mediation would work have now gone quiet on the subject as they have seen Fisher dash all hope.

I am very cynical about Fisher doing what is best for our club. And each time he opens his mouth he reminds me why. It wouldn't surprise me if part of the actively supporting any Butts development would include financially. It could even be the same for a Ryton replacement. And if it doesn't happen it is time to speak to the FL on leaving Coventry again.
 

SkyblueSpecial

Well-Known Member
Why does it need to be 20k+? How many times have we broken that barrier this season? Or last? Other than the odd game here and there the 12k is close to the right figure. We're about to be a Division 4 club. 15k is the figure I think ideal for now, so there is scope for a few bigger crowds, but the key thing for me is not the starting capacity, but that the stadium is expandable for the future.

You build a stadium to your realistic potential, not temporary circumstances.

We were relegated from the championship (at that point our worst season in nearly 50 years) with an average attendance of over 15k.

If we have any ambition whatsoever then any new stadium needs to be 23k+.
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
Why does it need to be 20k+? How many times have we broken that barrier this season? Or last? Other than the odd game here and there the 12k is close to the right figure. We're about to be a Division 4 club. 15k is the figure I think ideal for now, so there is scope for a few bigger crowds, but the key thing for me is not the starting capacity, but that the stadium is expandable for the future.
Talk to Jon Sharp about it. He said 12k max. It is up to him not us.
 

Speedies_Chips

Well-Known Member
Absolutely ! In my opinion this will never happen. Any plans to accept a stadium holding only 12,000 without being able to increase to 25,000 would show a serious lack of ambition by SISU. Anyway, I do not believe this will ever happen and my opinion it's just another ploy to delay and further delay future plans.
If Wasps (spit) are serious about wanting the club to remain at the Ricoh, they to should put up proposals or shut up.

I think they have gone for the shut up option.
 

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
Clearly 12K would be woefully inadequate should there be a sniff of success.
The maximum home fans a ground that size could take is about 10.5K after allowing for crowd segregation.
Even in division 4 the demand for tickets would be topping 20K if the club was truly in the mix for play-offs at this stage in the season.
The only organisation moving to a ground that is too small benefits is SISU.
 

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
Why does it need to be 20k+? How many times have we broken that barrier this season? Or last? Other than the odd game here and there the 12k is close to the right figure. We're about to be a Division 4 club. 15k is the figure I think ideal for now, so there is scope for a few bigger crowds, but the key thing for me is not the starting capacity, but that the stadium is expandable for the future.

Jam tomorrow is not a good idea, chances are the fans would be let down.
 

rob9872

Well-Known Member
I quite like Doncaster and that's only 15k - I'd rather be in that and have it full and rocking than a half empty Ricoh, but we have aspirations for higher and realistically 24k at HR was rarely sold out unless Villa, Liverpool or Utd were in town. I think 20k would be perfect.
 

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
A 12k stadium at Butts would be ideal for next season. We will be in Division 4. But it wouldn't be ready that quickly even if everything was in place. We are now seeing an improvement in our team. So if the right players are brought in before next season we could easily get promotion. That would mean that it wouldn't be big enough when we would want to move in as the Ricoh deal ends.

But what is the point of discussing it happening when it won't?

1, Would SISU invest millions on something that they won't own?

2, Fishers Sky Sports interview showed us that his mediation request isn't as simple as that. It looks like he has given a list of what he wants and has left it to everyone else to attend any mediation meetings.

3, Those who had a go at anyone not seeing how mediation would work have now gone quiet on the subject as they have seen Fisher dash all hope.

I am very cynical about Fisher doing what is best for our club. And each time he opens his mouth he reminds me why. It wouldn't surprise me if part of the actively supporting any Butts development would include financially. It could even be the same for a Ryton replacement. And if it doesn't happen it is time to speak to the FL on leaving Coventry again.
Case being built for franchising the club to a location on the edge of Birmingham?
 

rupert_bear

Well-Known Member
Of course it's put up or shut up time should of happened weeks ago. Apart from the rugger club and ccfc needing to talk there's a third party to consider too and that's the retirement village this isn't an elderly nursing home it's what it says and the people living there having spent thousands to do so are very active and have all sorts of committees on various things, they also have a strong residential committee and I have been well informed have no intention of standing back and allowing this sharing with ccfc to happen without one hell of a fight. I know they have so far kept their powder dry and intend to until the shit hits the fan. This pie in the sky BPA Fisher idea will take months if not years to happen if it ever will.
 

Skyblueweeman

Well-Known Member
I quite like Doncaster and that's only 15k - I'd rather be in that and have it full and rocking than a half empty Ricoh, but we have aspirations for higher and realistically 24k at HR was rarely sold out unless Villa, Liverpool or Utd were in town. I think 20k would be perfect.

Agree with this. I can understand people's reservations about increases on the back of success but we've had one bit of success over the last 50 years.

I wouldn't be adverse to a smaller home for a short while so long as there was an alternative for growth in the future. Smaller stadium with a better atmosphere is alright by me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

SkyblueSpecial

Well-Known Member
I quite like Doncaster and that's only 15k - I'd rather be in that and have it full and rocking than a half empty Ricoh, but we have aspirations for higher and realistically 24k at HR was rarely sold out unless Villa, Liverpool or Utd were in town. I think 20k would be perfect.

It's not about what we "like". It's about the long term financial security of the club.

If we're saying that our aspiration is now a 12k capacity ground, then we will never be anything significant again. And if that's the case, why not just be insignificant at the Ricoh instead?

As for Highfield Road, in the later premier years it was full about 10 times a season.
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
Of course it's put up or shut up time should of happened weeks ago. Apart from the rugger club and ccfc needing to talk there's a third party to consider too and that's the retirement village this isn't an elderly nursing home it's what it says and the people living there having spent thousands to do so are very active and have all sorts of committees on various things, they also have a strong residential committee and I have been well informed have no intention of standing back and allowing this sharing with ccfc to happen without one hell of a fight. I know they have so far kept their powder dry and intend to until the shit hits the fan. This pie in the sky BPA Fisher idea will take months if not years to happen if it ever will.

I was told at the weekend that the retirement village are going to build some more facilities on the site, the options for expansion are getting smaller all the time.
 

NorthernWisdom

Well-Known Member
It's not about what we "like". It's about the long term financial security of the club.
So spending a fortune on a ground that would be half full at best, would probably ensure we would never, then, be in a position to have the success to fill it.

One could argue that going for a mahoosive ground above all else would be going for what you 'liked' rather than how to grow the club and, more importantly, how to bring it back to the community.
 

rob9872

Well-Known Member
The 'like' is for finding a way to incorporate the word "mahoosive" :)
 

SkyblueSpecial

Well-Known Member
I was told at the weekend that the retirement village are going to build some more facilities on the site, the options for expansion are getting smaller all the time.

My understanding is the expansion is on the site of the old college car park so shouldn't directly affect the butts.
 

SkyblueSpecial

Well-Known Member
So spending a fortune on a ground that would be half full at best, would probably ensure we would never, then, be in a position to have the success to fill it.

One could argue that going for a mahoosive ground above all else would be going for what you 'liked' rather than how to grow the club and, more importantly, how to bring it back to the community.

Firstly I would hardly call 25k mahoosive.

Secondly the alternative is spending a fortune on a ground that is too small and unable to sustain the club when it eventually gets back to the championship.

If we going to spend a lot of money on a ground, shouldn't we make sure it's a decent one?

You talk about "growing the club", how could it grow if half our potential fan base cannot get a ticket?
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
I'd much rather a smallish stadium with a modular design so it can be upgraded. Why built 25k on the hope we get back to the premier league one day and have it half empty?

Keep it at 15k or so, then if we get promoted have an easy upgrade.

Totally agree and if we were doing well and wanted to be part of the success then they would have to buy a ST and commit themselves, wouldn't they.

CCFC is for life, not just for Wembley.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
We aren't big enough for a 32k stadium at the moment and when we are there's a 32k stadium lying around.

My only worry would be leaving CRFC with the same problem we've currently got with a stadium too big to afford. I'd think we could go as low as 18k before a move back to the Ricoh, less than 15k and we'd sell out every game if we got close to promotion. Bobble about mid to lower table in L2 and you won't need much more than the current Butts to hold us.

It all really depends on where we plan on being for the next 3-5 years.
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
- But it's not going to happen
- It might happen
- It won't
- Lets put pressure on them to make it happen
- They couldn't anyway it's not big enough
- We're screwed at the Ricoh pairing rent with no revenue
- We wouldn't own Butts Park anyway

giphy.gif
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
My understanding is the expansion is on the site of the old college car park so shouldn't directly affect the butts.

but that would shut off the only realistic avenue for access to the Butts from Albany Road. Even though it's currently blocked off there is a path between where the retirement village ends and the back of the theatre begins.

It would be another obstacle and they appear to be mounting, amazed if City end up there.
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
We aren't big enough for a 32k stadium at the moment and when we are there's a 32k stadium lying around.

My only worry would be leaving CRFC with the same problem we've currently got with a stadium too big to afford. I'd think we could go as low as 18k before a move back to the Ricoh, less than 15k and we'd sell out every game if we got close to promotion. Bobble about mid to lower table in L2 and you won't need much more than the current Butts to hold us.

It all really depends on where we plan on being for the next 3-5 years.

more importantly, it depends on where CRFC plan on being in 3-5 years time. I'm fairly sure it's not rattling around in a stadium bigger than 10-12,000.
 

standupforcity

Well-Known Member
Why does it need to be 20k+? How many times have we broken that barrier this season? Or last? Other than the odd game here and there the 12k is close to the right figure. We're about to be a Division 4 club. 15k is the figure I think ideal for now, so there is scope for a few bigger crowds, but the key thing for me is not the starting capacity, but that the stadium is expandable for the future.
Let's build a prefab!! Something that can be dismantled quickly as if it never happened! Or erected somewhere else quickly if a plot of land is found!!
 

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