Supporters forum - 13 March (4 Viewers)

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT · Mar 14, 2025

Brighton Sky Blue said:
On that note, some more places to rest your food/drink on in the concourse would be welcome. Bit difficult to eat certain foods with one hand

Yeah actually that's a good point, when I used to sit in block 20 hardly anywhere to put your beer down and eat your food at the same time and some people bumping into you spilling your beer.

mmttww · Mar 14, 2025

Brighton Sky Blue said:
On that note, some more places to rest your food/drink on in the concourse would be welcome. Bit difficult to eat certain foods with one hand

Ainnit! Pie and pint does not work standing up.

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT · Mar 14, 2025

mmttww said:
Ainnit! Pie and pint does not work standing up.

You think that's bad, try holding a beer and eat your chips at the same time, while putting brown sauce over your chips.

mmttww · Mar 14, 2025

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT said:
You think that's bad, try holding a beer and eat your chips at the same time, while putting brown sauce over your chips.

WHERE DID YOU GET CHIPS!
I CAN NEVER FIND JUST CHIPS!
ALWAYS WITH THE NUGGETS!

also, Yeah, that sounds messy.

Brighton Sky Blue · Mar 14, 2025

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT said:
You think that's bad, try holding a beer and eat your chips at the same time, while putting brown sauce over your chips.

This is conjuring a funny image of you burying your face in a tray of chips while holding a pint

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT · Mar 14, 2025

Brighton Sky Blue said:
This is conjuring a funny image of you burying your face in a tray of chips while holding a pint

Yeah and having brown sauce all over your face.

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 14, 2025

Bit of a non answer but his email is there if anyone has any good ideas to improve things

Hi Pete.

Thank you for your email.

It was great to meet you and everyone again last night, and I'm glad to hear you were encouraged by the updates I provided.

It's a valid point with regards to the egress situation and one that we are aware of. This is something that I am looking into as part of a wider piece around access and egress for supporters with accessible needs. I have had positive dialogue with the Arena around access and will continue to look into the egress phase of a match day and do what I can to improve the situation. As you know, the footprint of the Arena is such that, congestion occurs in certain areas so the hope is that in working with the Arena, we can improve this situation over time.

All feedback and suggestions are valid, so thank you for those.

If you have any further questions or queries, please ask.

Kind regards,
Eamon

Eamon Collins
Disability Access Officer
E: eamon.collins@ccfc.co.uk

fernandopartridge · Mar 14, 2025

Sky Blue Pete said:
Bit of a non answer but his email is there if anyone has any good ideas to improve things

Hi Pete.

Thank you for your email.

It was great to meet you and everyone again last night, and I'm glad to hear you were encouraged by the updates I provided.

It's a valid point with regards to the egress situation and one that we are aware of. This is something that I am looking into as part of a wider piece around access and egress for supporters with accessible needs. I have had positive dialogue with the Arena around access and will continue to look into the egress phase of a match day and do what I can to improve the situation. As you know, the footprint of the Arena is such that, congestion occurs in certain areas so the hope is that in working with the Arena, we can improve this situation over time.

All feedback and suggestions are valid, so thank you for those.

If you have any further questions or queries, please ask.

Kind regards,
Eamon

Eamon Collins
Disability Access Officer
E: eamon.collins@ccfc.co.uk

"Piece" ffs

ovduk78 · Mar 14, 2025

Flying Fokker said:
Move. I was in 23, there are better areas. 10-19?

We were in 29 in row XX but weren't going to renew as I cannot get to midweek games but then my son wanted his 1st ST. I wanted to be on the side but not as high up and the only ones available were in 23. I like where we sit, the only downside is the jack in the box along the row.

itsabuzzard · Mar 14, 2025

SBT said:
You also get covered in beer every time there’s a goal

If you're a Mackem, it would make a pleasant change to human faeces.

SBAndy · Mar 15, 2025

Appreciate the forum has passed now, but possibly worth noting for next time. Is there any way that the music/announcements that happen in the bowl could be piped through to the concourse as well? Not thinking the whole thing, but maybe the announcements of players coming back out. Been a couple of times I’ve been talking and then walk back up to my seat having missed 2-3 minutes. The start of the 2nd half always feels very flat because of the number still down on the concourse.

Telfer85 · Mar 16, 2025

I know space in the concourse can be tight but also might be beneficial to stop people standing right at the foot of the stairwells where people go up to their seats. This can cause congestion with people trying to get through.

Prior to the game we stand closer to the turnstile side and there’s still room over there for people to move to rather than block a stairwell. Not a major issue granted but might just help a bit.

chiefdave · Mar 16, 2025

there's a steward on every entrance to the stand, or at least I think there is, but they seem to do nothing when people decide to stand there and hold everyone else up

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

Coventry City Supporters Forum
13th March 2025 @ the CBS Arena

1. In attendance:
Doug King (DK) – Executive Chairman
John Taylor (JT) – Chief Operations Officer
Jodie Jones (JJ) – Head of Supporter Services and Fan Experience
Mark Hornby (MH) – Head of Marketing and Communications
Rasoul Didarzadeh (RD) – Head of Retail
Eamon Collins (EC) – Disability Access Officer

Pete Griffiths (PG) – Chair and London Supporters
Billy Bell (BB) - Former Player’s Association
Alan Ludford (AL) - Diamond Club
Simone Seth (SS) - Disabled Supporters Association
Paul Maddox (PM) - South Wales Supporters
Matt Loveitt (ML) - Proud Sky Blues
Claudio Cardellino (CC) - Leamington and Warwick Supporters
Jack Saunders (JS) – Leamington and Warwick Supporters
Mark Silvester (MS) - Rugby Supporters
Paul Armstrong (PA) - Coundon Supporters
Alan Wing (AW) – Coundon Supporters

2. Apologies for absence

Colin Henderson - Forum Chair & London
Kevin Heffernan – Vice President’s & Irish Supporters
Steve Moloney – Welsh Supporters
Dave Eyles – Sky Blue Trust
Laura Smith - Family Zone
Daren Cowley – Southam Supporters
Ian Davidson – London Supporters
Steve Harding – Bedworth and Nuneaton Supporters

3. Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting - not covered on the agenda:
None noted.

4. Equality and Diversity (EFL Mandate) – John Taylor
JT advised it would be more beneficial to pass over to EC and JJ to discuss some of the EDI related progress we have made over recent months.
EC says that the Away visitors’ wheelchair platform is still an ongoing process. The temporary platform has received fantastic feedback so far with away fans saying they have noticed a difference; we have made positive improvements and have even circulated this to other clubs within the league. We are working with the CBS Arena for a long-term solution.
EC discusses the sensory room, with the major change being the location on the room. This used to be situated in the south-west corner between home and away fans which was not ideal, this has now moved to the end of the balcony on level 2 where it is a much more relaxed environment and has its owndesignated seats outside. The sensory room is now being usedat every game, and we look forward to improving this more over the summer with new equipment.
EC tells us of additional ‘little wins’ that have made significant improvements for our disabled supporters with additional signage and reserved tables in hospitality lounges, all of which have been received well. EC has also been able to have an input in to steward briefings over recent games and is able to include his own accessibility- related information to help educate matchday staff; something that has not been done before and shows the progress being made.
EC confirms that this weekend will be our Level Playing Field ‘Unite 4 Access’ matchday which hopes to give our DSA a much-needed spotlight, in order for them to be the mainconduit between the Club and Disabled fans and celebrates all things ‘accessibility’.
The entrance for Away wheelchair visitors in gate twenty-fivehad become a hazard and no longer accessible with the bricks sinking and creating a lip. The Arena have worked alongside us and had this fixed recently. We also now have a ‘stock’ of ear defenders for fans to be able to make use of on matchdays, should they get overwhelmed. They key is to raise awareness of disabilities overall and supporting each other.
MS asks- How can we help to educate the fanbase to assist with this?
EC urges people to come to him directly, or the DSA, who are all willing to help and educate. In time, we hope to have much more information on the Club website and will continue to raise awareness.
JJ reminds us of the recent themed matchdays that have been organised to support International Women’s Day, Football v Homophobia week-of-action and Unite for Access, all to create awareness and understanding.
JJ announces that the Club were shortlisted at the Football v Homophobia awards in Glasgow last week for last season’s awareness matchday. From all of the PL, EFL, WSL and Scottish Leagues, Coventry City came away with third overall which is a huge achievement in itself.
JJ tells us that alongside this weekend’s ‘Unite for Access’ matchday, the Club shall also be marking ‘World Down Syndrome Day’ at the end of next week, having had twomascots with Downs Syndrome at recent games.
JT reiterates that the clear message from the Club is that ‘everyone is welcome here’ and, whilst we may see some negative feedback online, we are proud of the steps being made and achievements being recognised by professional football bodies. We urge all our fans to keep up the same message of support for everyone visiting us.

5. Club up-date - Doug King
DK touched on the recent Club accounts that were published. The Club is still losing £5-6million each season at an EBITDA level. Given the distortion to the Championship from the Parachute payment regime, to be competitive warrants as it stands a negative operating environment that is not sustainable unless owner funded. He hopes that the new football regulation bill will firstly increase appropriately funds from the PL through the pyramid and secondly address once and for all the hugely distorting sums paid to relegated clubs from the PL.
An important change over the last 2 years is the increase in revenue at the club. This might have been used to narrow operating losses however basis our gameplan it has been deployed on constructing a stronger first team squad (higher squad wages). The sale of two exceptional players has been reinvested recruiting this squad alongside further inward investment (from the owner). As such the squad quality and depth now matches other top-Championship (non-parachute payment) clubs who are our natural competitors in reaching the play-offs whilst also minimising the risk of relegation. This transition has been done whilst maintaining a similar annual operating loss as reported by the club over the two years preceding the 23/24 season.
Frank Lampard, Joe Edwards, and Chris Jones have settled in quickly and professionally. Their impact is now being strongly demonstrated with an average of nearly twopoints/game over an extended series of fixtures (automatic promotion form).
Given the slow start to the season and high-profile change of Head Coach in November, the club has moved into the play-off places and are challenging once more at the upper end of the championship.
As the club once more prepares another Season Ticket campaign, the focus remains on retaining our current fan base and engaging with new members of our community to enjoy the spectacle of fantastic live sport at the Arena and supporting our journey to the top division of English football.
CC and AL both comment on the drastic changes with record Season Ticket holders.
DK mentions the need to increase the Commercial side of the business. Monzo, a new sponsor for this season, have been a great company to work alongside, and reveals that there has been 50,000 people personalise their Monzo app to a CCFC theme.
DK also notes that the Club underwent a digital marketing audit some months ago with IMG, who will also be working with us as we move towards to the new Season Ticket campaign.
MH comments on the huge increase in engagement from fans across all social media platforms, which is down to the much-improved content being put out by the Club.
DK confirms the strong working relationship with the CBS Arena which has helped us make positive changes to the matchday experience which we are continually looking to improve and enhance.
It was also mentioned that the Club brought in and covers the cost of a shuttle service this season to get fans to and from the ground which has gone down well. We will continue to work on this going forward.
JS comments on the level 2 balcony not being full and asks how we change that.
DK and JT both discuss the difficulties with the capacity of the lounge not matching the seats on the balcony. There is a fine line between filling the room and not ruining people’s matchday hospitality experience. There has been lots of growth in this area with 550 expected in the Balcony StreetBar for Sunderland, but still, lots of work to do on the hospitality offerings.
JT says there is around 350 seats being left empty on the balcony currently given the capacity numbers for the lounge, and the numbers do alter dependant on furniture in the room, too. We have had largely positive feedback regarding the Balcony Street Bar, more so when it is full as it creates a real atmosphere.
AL asks if the 12:30pm kick offs for ‘Sky TV’ make much of an impact to sales, and whether the Club get much say on these fixture changes.
JT thinks it does have some impact, but the Club has no say at all over this. It is slightly better with the longer notice time, however.
PG says he has had comments from supporters worried they may lose their Family Zone tickets if not attending games andasks if any had had tickets taken away.
JT responds by saying the Ticket Office are keeping an eye on this and have sent pre-warnings out to people who have breached the conditions or are close to breaching asreminders. Given this is the first year of the new scheme, the club is being pragmatic but are clear that this will continue to be policed properly, and any persistent offenders will have their access revoked. At this point though, there have been zero cancellations.
DK says how the Stoke game showed the potential of the South stand with so many fans so close to the away end, and what a buzz it created. The aim is to have a full stadium withseason tickets an extremely valuable commodity with more demand than availability that could merit a wider ticket exchange system. Huge progress has been made there but there remains a long way to go.

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

6. Responses to submitted questions – John Taylor
PG asks for clarity on the lease of the stadium.
DK states that by the end of this season it is a requirement to have a 10-year agreement in place or we shall receive a fine. The Arena owners are aware of DK’s long-term plan, and we continue to invest in the Arena. From next week, the Club will take control of the CBS Arena pitch to give consistency across both Ryton and the stadium.
PG asks if there is a published plan or timeline of the work being done/ due to be undertaken at the Arena. He sees many comments on forums regarding cleanliness or bits that need updating/ upgrading.
JT states the Club have invested in the pitch, safe standing, the matchday activity area and branding across all areas. The cleaning comes down to the Arena which has improved but is still being worked on. We upgraded some hospitality seats over last summer, as well as the PA system, but this still is notideal and will need more investment along with the floodlights. It all comes down to prioritising.
AL and CC comment on ripped seats and the roof of the bowl still leaking, JT confirms these shall be looked at again.

7. Family Zone up-date – Jodie Jones
JJ gives detail on the new matchday activity area that hasopened in the north-west corner with merchandise and family zone units. This is a small-scale temporary solution until we can move on to the bigger project but has already had lots of positive feedback.
JJ relays Laura Smith’s notes to the group: There has been a significant increase in visitors since the units were introduced and there is a great buzz in the area pre-match. There are more comments via social media and word of mouth, and the volunteers are happy with having a ‘home’ to call theirs. At the Stoke game we had away families that made use of the area and gave lovely feedback. We have started up the dug out draw again at the Preston game, which was very successful, and have the next one planned for Sunderland. We are slowly introducing more activities/prize draws/ competitions. We now have a Face painter and balloon modeller for every game which are a fantastic addition, too, and in general the zone has a real buzz to it.
JS asks if there is a policy on away supporters being in the Fan village, as there has been mixed messaging from stewards.
JJ confirms that both home and away fans are welcome in the fan village areas as this helps to create a happier atmosphere and changes the mentality of fans.
JT notes that supporter behaviour has dramatically improved,and we have had no issues in these areas.

8. Any Other Business:
AW asks to discuss the road closures post-match and whether there could be somebody controlling the traffic lights manually, as used to happen years ago, to hold the crowds and help with traffic management.
JT states that the Club are working hard to find a better solution but, ultimately, the decision is made by the City Council and Arena safety teams. The Club have to pay for the road closures at a cost of circa £120,000 per season, which is far from ideal, particularly with the negative feedback we receive.
AL says even once the roads are opened, they will often see multiple carparking stewards standing and talking rather than directing traffic.
JT confirms that we are constantly communicating and will keep working towards the safest and quickest solution for everyone, with all parties involved.
MS reiterates how frustrating it is and how long it takes to get home, specifically when people are travelling home from night games.
DK says he has seen the footage of near misses from people running across the carriageways and this would not be allowed to happen again. Any delays to the road closure reopening sit with the safety control team at the CBS Arena, but we are working hard to communicate with fans more, should we have to delay for any reason.
DK asks if people leave early to get out before the closuresand is a met with a resounding ‘Yes.’ He carries on saying this is frustrating, disappointing and must dampen the experience, whether winning or losing.
SS asks why we cannot have kiosks or food outlets open post-match, as this would give people chance to get some food or keep entertained whilst waiting for the roads to open and, ultimately, people just need to have some patience.
ML asks about the relationship with West Midlands Railway and if the rail service to the Arena has improved.
JT responds to say there has been minor changes toaccommodate a Saturday 3pm Kick-off, but that is all. The Club is continually trying to engage but progress is slow-moving. We will continue to push for increased trains andlook at the shuttle bus offering going forward.

9. Date of next meeting:
JJ states that the next meeting is due around the end of May, however, a date has not been confirmed yet. The Forum will be updated in due course.

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

Questions and Answers for the Supporters Forum Meeting
13th March 2025 @ the CBS

1. After the recent fall in the Family Zone area are the Club and CBS Owners considering adding safety rails in the steepest areas of each stand? (CCLSC) – Both the club and the CBS Arena operations team review all areas of the stadium after each game and take a risk based approach on any incidents. We will continue to add safety measures around the stadium where needed.

2. The P.A. System is still not working to the highest standard you would expect from a modern sports arena. Can the club provide an update on any improvements planned? (CCLSC) – Maintenance work has taken place on the PA system and output in some areas has improved but not in all areas . The system itself is old and approaching end of life and for a major improvement the system will ultimately need to be replaced. With the Arena approaching twenty years old, there are a number of infrastructure projects which need to be undertaken as a priority within the Arena such as the floodlights.
We know the PA quality in certain areas of the ground is not great and in time this will be addressed.

3. Will the club consider a Season Ticket holder discount for all purchases made on-line or in-store for the 2025-26 season? (CCLSC) We are in the process of constructingour offerings for next season in all aspects and will takeall commercial aspects into account as that concludes.

4. Could there be a Season Ticket discount for bookings to use the Away Coaches in 2025-26? (CCLSC). The Coach travel is being operated this season by our partners at the CBS Arena and have seen numbers increase in the offering. Alongside everything else, we will look at thisas part of our commercial planning for next season.

5. Potential Improvement ideas for the Club Shop for 2025-26 – DVDs of recent seasons, Cup runs, and Play Off finals. Photos of current Sky-Blue Players. Areial photos of the CBS Arena and the Old Highfield Road. Mugs with players photos on etc. Finally, more winter coats. (CCLSC) – DVD’s have seen a decline over the last 10 years in terms of popularity, we are looking at other digital solutions. Player posters are currently available with a supplier, and we are working on having this integrated with our platform. Imagery of stadiums and other photographic imagery is currently in the pipework as we are looking at suppliers and integrations. Player Mugs we are looking at print on demand for these. Winter coats was mentioned previously, outwear product has been reviewed for next season AW buy and we will see more options coming through.

6. Can Supporters have input into improving the current match day programme ahead of the 2025-26 season?Which areas need improving? The matchday programme production & content will be reviewed during the close season as per every year, we are always on the lookoutfor support on how we can continually improve the publication.

7. The current road closures after games continues to impact supporters leaving the stadium footprint. Those who park in Car Park’s A & C have experienced significantly long delays after a number of matches this season. Maybe have more car park staff available after the game to support safe egress out of the car parks? The free shuttle bus service has been a good success this season. Can more buses be available immediately after the game to get more fans back to the City Centre and train station in a timely manner? Will fans be able to contribute to any end-of season review of the current road closures and its impact on all fans both positive and negative? (CCLSC & Sky-Blue Talk) The shuttle bus, currently paid for by the club, has been well received and we are looking at expanding to help transport to and from the stadium on a matchday and how we continue to improve this service.
The road closure is being constantly reviewed by all parties to ensure the safety of supporters leaving the ground, the closure time has reduced since implementation and will continue to push to open as early as possible.

8. What is the Club’s position on the Football Governance Bill? What are the Club’s plans to comply? (CCLSC).
We support the Bill. We support light touch regulation but unfortunately given the lack of cohesion in particular in the Premier League, structural reforms are needed and these can only take place now through external review and oversight.
Moderately more of the PL income should flow to the Seventy-two League Clubs.
The parachute payment support from the PL to the Championship is so distorting that it creates a hugely unfair situation and stifles natural competition encouraging unsustainable behaviour in the Championship.
Those to me seem quite easy to fix and the new regulator will have the powers needed to do so and ensure a more robust pyramid for all involved.

9. Any plans from the train company serving the CBS to increase the service on match days and evenings? (Sky Blue Talk) The club have and will continue to push for an increased service on a matchday. There has been a small increase to a 3pm kick-off. We will continue to push.

10. Can more Former Players be interviewed pitch side during the half time interval? (CCLSC) We stopped the interview following supporters mentioning they cannotmake out the interview at half time due to the PA system(as per question 2), we introduce the former player at the start of half time and have also bought back kick it for a ticket which is more of a visual experience.

11. The latest Club accounts have recently been published. Are there any plans for a meeting with Supporter Groups to discuss them? (CCLSC) The Club provided an in-depth summary of the latest accounts with extensive quotes from Doug. Can we get more details on this pointand what areas / queries that require clarification.

12. Supporters Club Awards Presentations. With the Awards Dinner not being accessible for all supporters, will the club allow presentations to be made after the last home game against Middlesbrough? (CCLSC) – We will look to arrange these as in previous seasons, in principal, but will need to look at the logistics before confirming arrangements.

13. Season ticket pricing and Fan Engagement – Supporter Groups at other club’s such as Manchester City and Fulham, have called for a dialogue on season ticket prices under a “fans first” model. Will Coventry City commit to engaging with supporters on this issue through discussions or consultation? (CCLSC)
Championship clubs are all significantly loss making at an operational level. Matchday pricing and Season Ticket pricing are reflective of commercial decisions that take into account all aspects of community/affordability but also very importantly club sustainability. PL clubs are in a very different position given their broadcasting revenue dwarfing their ticketing revenue. So as always we try to find the right balance alongside enhanced experience of attending a game.

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

14. Playoff Final Ticketing (If applicable) – Last season’s Wembley semifinal ticketing process left many supporters unable to sit with their regular groups due to the way tickets were allocated. If we reach the Playoff Final, will the club consider selling tickets in loyalty point order, as done for away games? Additionally, if the club intends to reserve blocks again for internal use, could this be communicated in advance, as CCLSC members had tried to book seating in that area which the system would not allow, causing members being in small groups spread all around the Coventry City allocation for the game. (CCLSC) - Long way to go in the season but everything will be reviewed if applicable.

15. Will there be any further up-date regarding a new lease with Frasers beyond 2028 in the near future? Are there any issues that might preclude an agreement being signed beyond 2028? Are there any contingency plans being prepared in case a new deal cannot be reached? Furthermore, with the EFL’s suspended points deduction still in place, are the club confident that all necessary requirements will be met to avoid any sanctions? (Sky Blue Talk / CCLSC).
The suspended points deduction has now lapsed.
Given the Arena was built for the football club despite the football club never actually owning it, both parties are aware of the current relatively short term licensing arrangements. Both parties are aware that EFL rules require a longer License agreement to be in place by the end of the 2025 season or the club will be liable to be fined. Clearly therefore it would seem appropriate to conclude fair longer term arrangements.
If for some reason this is not part of the current owners plans then as always contingency plans must be considered with sufficient lead time.
From my perspective as I have always said that would make no sense at all.

16. What are the plans for up-grades at the CBS? What role does the Club have in seeing these to completion? (Sky Blue Talk) – The maintenance of and asset improvement within the bowl, the club has a remit to support. This includes therefore floodlights, turnstiles etc.
This season the club invested in several areas such as safe standing, branding such as the players tunnel, the matchday activity area and more. We have a number of plans to improve the overall experience for our supporters. In terms of delivery we work closely with the CBS team with the club being License holders and approval is required in all areas from the stadium owners, an example of the collaborative working between partiescan be seen with the potential floodlight project for the 25/26 season which the club is funding and signing off on but working with the CBS team to deliver. The club has also recently agreed to take over the preparation and maintenance of the pitch itself to ensure optimum consistency with Ryton for future seasons.

17. Is the Club still planning on appointing a Director ofFootball? (Sky Blue Talk)
The club continually looks at optimum structures to support our success. This remains on the table fore the future but is not actively being pursued at this point.

18. Any possibility of changing facilities for people cycling to the game? And or Cycle Storage? (Sky Blue Talk)There are various cycle racks placed outside the arena already which are currently underutilised during match day. We will look at how we create awareness of the existing facilities which will then allow us to potentially grow the offering on a matchday.

19. Are there any plans to add a scoreboard at the North End of the Stadium for those in blocks 11,12 and 13? (Sky Blue Talk) – At present no plan, we are looking at focusing on other areas to invest but at some point this could be reviewed.

20. Will there be funds available in the summer for Frank Lampard to strengthen the team? Or will it be a case of selling to buy? (CCSWS)
No comment. As always our transfer plans are closely held.

21. Could the lyrics to we’ll live and die in these towns be put on the scoreboard to get everyone in the whole song? (CCSWS) We get mixed feedback on this point but the club wants to encourage inclusiveness in all areas and so into the end of the season we are actively considering this.

22. Before the appointment of Frank Lampard in the Fans Forum Doug mentioned whoever came in would have to work with the coaching staff. What was the reason for the change in this stance? (CCSWS).
The new Head Coach would have to work with the existing football staff however as in all change environments, Frank Lampard wanted to bring in two additional highly qualified coaches that I agreed to. As such George Boateng and ultimately Rhy Carr were let go. Overall the transition away from a football set up where a manager had been in situ for over seven years to this new structure was extremely smooth aided by the significant organizational changes that had been made over the preceding two years.

23. As previously mentioned by many supporter groups the bottle necks on the concourse for food and the toilets is not improving. Is this going to be looked at ahead of 2025-26? (CCSWS) and (Diamond Club) The CBS Arena are committed to offer the best possible service across the concourse and its facilities and this is always under review with both the venue and the football club. There has been Investment in infrastructure such as increased tills and units across the venue to help decrease the wait times and increase the serving frequency. We are always looking at ways we can improve and handle the high volume / short time like half time.

24. Has decision been made to use digital season tickets for 2025-26? Also, will all season ticket holders be able to use the current ticketing exchange for 2025-26? (CCSWS) – The plan for next season is to continue with current season tickets in physical form, we have digital offering for match my match purchases which has been a great success this season . We are currently reviewing the ticketing access system technology which will allow us to review / consider how season cards could work in the 26/27 season.

25. It has been pointed out that there is a lack of wheelchair access outside the retail outlets. Can this be looked at? (CCSWS) - Can further information to be supplied so our accessibility officer (Eamon Collins) can review and provide a solution.

26. The smoking area for the North Stand is getting very congested at half time. Can this be extended or an additional area be provided? (Diamond Club) – We continue to review as the safety of our fans and the integrity of the security operation on a match day is of upmost importance.

SkyBluePower · Mar 19, 2025

Brighton Sky Blue said:
On that note, some more places to rest your food/drink on in the concourse would be welcome. Bit difficult to eat certain foods with one hand

Remember the short lived Season Ticket only section in the concourse? That had what I believe are known as Poseur Tables set up. Be a bit difficult now with 3/4 of the attendance having a ST.

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT · Mar 19, 2025

Sky Blue Pete said:
14. Playoff Final Ticketing (If applicable) – Last season’s Wembley semifinal ticketing process left many supporters unable to sit with their regular groups due to the way tickets were allocated. If we reach the Playoff Final, will the club consider selling tickets in loyalty point order, as done for away games? Additionally, if the club intends to reserve blocks again for internal use, could this be communicated in advance, as CCLSC members had tried to book seating in that area which the system would not allow, causing members being in small groups spread all around the Coventry City allocation for the game. (CCLSC) - Long way to go in the season but everything will be reviewed if applicable.

15. Will there be any further up-date regarding a new lease with Frasers beyond 2028 in the near future? Are there any issues that might preclude an agreement being signed beyond 2028? Are there any contingency plans being prepared in case a new deal cannot be reached? Furthermore, with the EFL’s suspended points deduction still in place, are the club confident that all necessary requirements will be met to avoid any sanctions? (Sky Blue Talk / CCLSC).
The suspended points deduction has now lapsed.
Given the Arena was built for the football club despite the football club never actually owning it, both parties are aware of the current relatively short term licensing arrangements. Both parties are aware that EFL rules require a longer License agreement to be in place by the end of the 2025 season or the club will be liable to be fined. Clearly therefore it would seem appropriate to conclude fair longer term arrangements.
If for some reason this is not part of the current owners plans then as always contingency plans must be considered with sufficient lead time.
From my perspective as I have always said that would make no sense at all.

16. What are the plans for up-grades at the CBS? What role does the Club have in seeing these to completion? (Sky Blue Talk) – The maintenance of and asset improvement within the bowl, the club has a remit to support. This includes therefore floodlights, turnstiles etc.
This season the club invested in several areas such as safe standing, branding such as the players tunnel, the matchday activity area and more. We have a number of plans to improve the overall experience for our supporters. In terms of delivery we work closely with the CBS team with the club being License holders and approval is required in all areas from the stadium owners, an example of the collaborative working between partiescan be seen with the potential floodlight project for the 25/26 season which the club is funding and signing off on but working with the CBS team to deliver. The club has also recently agreed to take over the preparation and maintenance of the pitch itself to ensure optimum consistency with Ryton for future seasons.

17. Is the Club still planning on appointing a Director ofFootball? (Sky Blue Talk)
The club continually looks at optimum structures to support our success. This remains on the table fore the future but is not actively being pursued at this point.

18. Any possibility of changing facilities for people cycling to the game? And or Cycle Storage? (Sky Blue Talk)There are various cycle racks placed outside the arena already which are currently underutilised during match day. We will look at how we create awareness of the existing facilities which will then allow us to potentially grow the offering on a matchday.

19. Are there any plans to add a scoreboard at the North End of the Stadium for those in blocks 11,12 and 13? (Sky Blue Talk) – At present no plan, we are looking at focusing on other areas to invest but at some point this could be reviewed.

20. Will there be funds available in the summer for Frank Lampard to strengthen the team? Or will it be a case of selling to buy? (CCSWS)
No comment. As always our transfer plans are closely held.

21. Could the lyrics to we’ll live and die in these towns be put on the scoreboard to get everyone in the whole song? (CCSWS) We get mixed feedback on this point but the club wants to encourage inclusiveness in all areas and so into the end of the season we are actively considering this.

22. Before the appointment of Frank Lampard in the Fans Forum Doug mentioned whoever came in would have to work with the coaching staff. What was the reason for the change in this stance? (CCSWS).
The new Head Coach would have to work with the existing football staff however as in all change environments, Frank Lampard wanted to bring in two additional highly qualified coaches that I agreed to. As such George Boateng and ultimately Rhy Carr were let go. Overall the transition away from a football set up where a manager had been in situ for over seven years to this new structure was extremely smooth aided by the significant organizational changes that had been made over the preceding two years.

23. As previously mentioned by many supporter groups the bottle necks on the concourse for food and the toilets is not improving. Is this going to be looked at ahead of 2025-26? (CCSWS) and (Diamond Club) The CBS Arena are committed to offer the best possible service across the concourse and its facilities and this is always under review with both the venue and the football club. There has been Investment in infrastructure such as increased tills and units across the venue to help decrease the wait times and increase the serving frequency. We are always looking at ways we can improve and handle the high volume / short time like half time.

24. Has decision been made to use digital season tickets for 2025-26? Also, will all season ticket holders be able to use the current ticketing exchange for 2025-26? (CCSWS) – The plan for next season is to continue with current season tickets in physical form, we have digital offering for match my match purchases which has been a great success this season . We are currently reviewing the ticketing access system technology which will allow us to review / consider how season cards could work in the 26/27 season.

25. It has been pointed out that there is a lack of wheelchair access outside the retail outlets. Can this be looked at? (CCSWS) - Can further information to be supplied so our accessibility officer (Eamon Collins) can review and provide a solution.

26. The smoking area for the North Stand is getting very congested at half time. Can this be extended or an additional area be provided? (Diamond Club) – We continue to review as the safety of our fans and the integrity of the security operation on a match day is of upmost importance.

Thanks for all the feedback Sky Blue Pete

Just a thought, if it's costing £120,000 a season to close the roads, building another foot bridge over them traffic lights, wouldn't it eventually pay for itself.

Sky Blue Goblin · Mar 19, 2025

Thanks Pete as always.

chiefdave · Mar 19, 2025

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT said:
Just a thought, if it's costing £120,000 a season to close the roads, building another front bridge over them traffic lights, wouldn't it eventually pay for itself.

Its a thought, although where would the footbridge go to, into the car park? Think there's a problem that Winding House Lane / Hen Lane can't cope with the volume of people and you can only really solve that by widening the pavements but is that even possible.

Couple of things I would look to do would be add a proper entrance / exit to car park B from the A444. Can't be that hard to do as you've already got the gate and lights. That would mean you don't need a road around the arena which would definitely improve things. Crazy to me that 15 - 30 minutes before kick off you've got visiting teams supporter coaches driving around.

Once you've done that get rid of the steps down to the A444 roundabout. Have a nice wide, gradually sloped walkway (like they have around Wembley) and then you don't have to worry some much about a bottleneck at the crossing and the worry that if people at the back start pushing you're going to end up with the people at the front in the road.

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

chiefdave said:
Its a thought, although where would the footbridge go to, into the car park? Think there's a problem that Winding House Lane / Hen Lane can't cope with the volume of people and you can only really solve that by widening the pavements but is that even possible.

Couple of things I would look to do would be add a proper entrance / exit to car park B from the A444. Can't be that hard to do as you've already got the gate and lights. That would mean you don't need a road around the arena which would definitely improve things. Crazy to me that 15 - 30 minutes before kick off you've got visiting teams supporter coaches driving around.

Once you've done that get rid of the steps down to the A444 roundabout. Have a nice wide, gradually sloped walkway (like they have around Wembley) and then you don't have to worry some much about a bottleneck at the crossing and the worry that if people at the back start pushing you're going to end up with the people at the front in the road.

Needs a solution doesn’t it

PUSB-We_are_going_up · Mar 19, 2025

Cheers Pete, great work as always in getting our questions out

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT · Mar 19, 2025

Sky Blue Pete said:
Needs a solution doesn’t it

Where there's a will there's a way.

chiefdave · Mar 19, 2025

Sky Blue Pete said:
Needs a solution doesn’t it

Certainly does but we're seeing issues now caused by the initial design of the stadium not being suitable for capacity crowds. Is there any other stadium in the country that has a balcony they can't use all the seats in?

Generally all things are solvable but its a cash of affordability. You could, in theory, have a huge walkway from that corner of the ground, over the roundabout, coming out on Winding House and then widen the pavement all the way up to CTK but I imagine the cost would be huge.

But then the cost of closing the road isn't going to decrease so if you start looking at 10 years or more of that do major projects end up paying for themselves?

HuckerbyDublinWhelan · Mar 19, 2025

The club needs to have a 10 year agreement by the end of the season or they get fined?

mare we expecting an announcement on an extension shortly then?

Noble · Mar 19, 2025

HuckerbyDublinWhelan said:
The club needs to have a 10 year agreement by the end of the season or they get fined?

mare we expecting an announcement on an extension shortly then?

Suspect it’ll drag on to the last minute, Frasers hold most of the cards and will probably want to squeeze the club for as much money as they can.

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

HuckerbyDublinWhelan said:
The club needs to have a 10 year agreement by the end of the season or they get fined?

mare we expecting an announcement on an extension shortly then?

Doug expecting to pay a fine

Gynnsthetonic · Mar 19, 2025

Thanks Pete.
The balcony seating issue is a joke though isn't it!

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

Noble said:
Suspect it’ll drag on to the last minute, Frasers hold most of the cards and will probably want to squeeze the club for as much money as they can.

Club are paying for pretty much every enhancement at the ground and being so successful is massive for frasers in terms of attracting events and investment
They’ve also moved headquarters close and the negative publicity from throwing the club out when the stadium was purchased wouldn’t want to be repeated

most of the forum was back slapping
Very impressed with Doug not gloating even a little
Lots of mutual respect and understanding from John Taylor to us supporters groups
The one massive fly is the lease and the stadium and while relationships have never been better we don’t have a long term deal
It might be abiut money it might not but they won’t want to piss off 50000 people in the local community
The one thing not in the notes which I felt asssured by was this

I asked can we leverage anything as fans and Doug went a bit serious as if to say no leave it for now
He then promised if it’s looking difficult and like an agreement won’t be made he will tell us and I thought you know what that’s enough for now

Previously he’s been a bit dismissive of any questions as he was sort of saying you don’t think we know it’s an issue and this time he was quite serious so here’s hoping

The other thing not in the notes is that it refers to contingency plans in the answers to questions - I don’t think there are any yet

Sky Blue Goblin · Mar 19, 2025

Sky Blue Pete said:
Doug expecting to pay a fine

I know I’m being silly but the longer this drags on the more anxious I get.

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

Gynnsthetonic said:
Thanks Pete.
The balcony seating issue is a joke though isn't it!

The rules change and this was explained as maybe the capacity was when the rooms were just empty and no food was being provided
They are looking at ways of accessing the balcony without going through hospitality
650 up there for Sunderland most ever I think

Sky Blue Pete · Mar 19, 2025

Sky Blue Goblin said:
Feck it, next meeting Pete can you ask for Doug to buy the Ikea and skydome and just build a new stadium there.

Can’t be worse than the national art gallery thing

As I’m getting older certain situations and conversations keep getting repeated

I went camping when sisu were in charge and we were playing in Birmingham and everyone on here was saying it makes sense to ccfc and wasps to just play at the Ricoh but Joy wouldn’t talk to Derek and Derek wouldn’t talk to joy
I kid you not and maybe I should write a book but one night I was on the phone with Derek for an hour then joy as a sort of go between trying to set up a meeting between the clubs.

Just cause it makes sense doesn’t mean that it will happen and that’s what scares me

Sky Blue Goblin · Mar 19, 2025

Sky Blue Pete said:
As I’m getting older certain situations and conversations keep getting repeated

I went camping when sisu were in charge and we were playing in Birmingham and everyone on here was saying it makes sense to ccfc and wasps to just play at the Ricoh but Joy wouldn’t talk to Derek and Derek wouldn’t talk to joy
I kid you not and maybe I should write a book but one night I was on the phone with Derek for an hour then joy as a sort of go between trying to set up a meeting between the clubs.

Just cause it makes sense doesn’t mean that it will happen and that’s what scares me

Yeah that’s the problem.

As much as it makes sense to all of us and probably anyone from the outside, I just worry with the arena every time it’s mentioned.

Captain Dart · Mar 19, 2025

Wtf is a digital ticket? If it means an app on a phone then I shall definitely not be using one. I shall remain true to my luddite soul.

Supporters forum - 13 March (4 Viewers)

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency