We used the opportunity of the BBC Coventry and Warwickshire election night coverage to quiz various politicians about the situation of the Sky Blues and the rent they pay on the Ricoh. Given that we were in the Ricoh, it was particularly appropriate.
We used the opportunity of the BBC Coventry and Warwickshire election night coverage to quiz various politicians about the situation of the Sky Blues and the rent they pay on the Ricoh. Given that we were in the Ricoh, it was particularly appropriate.
I wasn’t able to take detailed notes, but I think it is fair to say that a general (and reasonable) view was that the fault for Coventry City’s relegation lay primarily with Sisu. The City Council wanted a viable football club in Coventry, but the main responsibility lay elsewhere. It was also pointed out that ACL actually run the stadium.
I did take some rough notes when the council leader spoke. He did agree that the meeting with Sisu had been constructive and they had been more open than in previous discussions. However, he noted that the rent was only 5 per cent of the club’s totalcosts. Even if it was halved, it would not cope with one month’s losses.
What he seemed to be suggesting was that the way forward was to get better use of the Ricoh. Its use as a conference venue was limited by a lack of hotels. If Sisu was, for example, able to help fund a hotel development, some of the money could then come back to them. This doesn’t sound too promising from a Sky Blue perspective, but one can’t give away one’s negotiating position on air.
Local MP Geoffrey Robinson said that he would be coming to the Ricoh for the rest of his life, but he wouldn’t be putting any more money in the club. However, he thought that there were people out there who would. Let’s hope he’s right.