The Aspire Group - can anybody help? (3 Viewers)

[JournoRob]

Hello everyone,

I'm not a follower of Coventry City as a starter for ten, neither have I ever written a piece on Coventry City (if you are looking more intently at my user name - do not panic either, I'm not here to judge your club!), but with your help, this may be the closest I come to doing so at this moment in time.

I predominantly cover basketball stories, and something that has cropped up today is in regards to an organisation wanting to start up a new basketball league in the UK called the "British Basketball Association" (BBA).

For many years, it has spouted hot air about how it will change the face of basketball in this country, however it now in its eighth year and not a game has been organised, and no league has been set up. Each year they announce a league will be unveiled...but in the following year.

Today, an announcement was made that there was a deal in place working with The Aspire Group, and in said announcement, Coventry City were linked, and that the group were to base their efforts with the BBA in Ricoh Arena.

So now, I throw it open to all of you, could anyone shed any light on whatever experience they have had or what they may have heard about Aspire in regards to the Sky Blues?

Many thanks.

 

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[shmmeee]

Well if they're linked to City, the Ricoh is the last place they'd be based.

 

[lordsummerisle]

If a group that have set up a sports body that hasn't managed to arrange a game in 8 years is ACL's Plan b, then God help them.

Could they be connected to Ryanair with this bit of information?

BBA’s National Sports Sales Centre to be located at Ricoh Arena in Coventry LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

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[JournoRob]

That's exactly what I thought! This 'BBA' organisation is a bit of a cobbled together group, but an advisor on their board is Bernie Mullin who is CEO of Aspire.

Your club badge is also featured on the Aspire website as part of the Past/Current Clients.

 

[shmmeee]

They can't put basketball in the arena! More likely they've got offices there.

 

[Broken Hearted Sky Blue]

They can't put basketball in the arena! More likely they've got offices there.

In the Jaguar?

 

[shmmeee]

With all due respect "Journo"Rob. Did you even Google? This took me 5 minutes.

Aspire run fan liaison for City, in fact the fella who sold me my ST last year works for them. They basically ring people up to convince them to buy tickets and I imagine the rest of the time are coming up with ticketing strategies.

Google "aspire group Coventry city" and see for yourself.

 

[shmmeee]

In the Jaguar?

So how is that a Plan B?

 

[lordsummerisle]

They can't put basketball in the arena! More likely they've got offices there.

That's how the press release reads anyway, just setting up an office there.

Suppose that you could set up a Basketball court in the Jaguar Hall, they did have tennis there, so possible I suppose.

 

[Broken Hearted Sky Blue]

So how is that a Plan B?

Who mentioned anything about Plan B you said that they couldn't put basketball in the Arena:facepalm:

 

[JournoRob]

I did a fair bit of a Google search yes, but as most things came from the Coventry area, I wanted to know if anyone had some first hand experiences.

The BBA is a pretty closed door organisation in regards to what they do as I previously explained.

If you were to consume regular British basketball content or news of the BBA (you may do, fantastic, if not then, I wouldn't expect you to as coverage is a struggle to find at times here) then you'd hear of many people's frustrations at the false hope and promises, when all supporters of the sport here want is some improvement for the better rather than those wanting to make a quick buck.

Again, it's just if people have had first hand experience concerning Coventry City and Aspire, to try and build more of a picture.

 

[Skybluesquirrel]

Rob

I take it you are vaguely aware of the clubs situation and us leaving the Ricoh? The owners ACL have lost their anchor tenant and so are obviously looking at ways to increase revenues. So something could be happening in regards to other sports being attracted. Maybe check with ACL?