Coventry Rugby have once again ruled out a groundshare with Coventry City while Sisu own the football club.
Chairman Jon Sharp told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire that the club’s position had not changed and they could not take the “risk” of doing a deal with owners who are “correctly or not, vilified within the city”.
He also referred to the current legal battle over the Ricoh Arena, with Coventry City Council still facing High Court action from the firms who make up the football club.
The football club have repeatedly said a deal to play at Butts Park Arena was a definite prospect, with club chairman Tim Fisher telling supporters at a public meeting in March: “The Butts Park Arena is on in terms of the football club”.
The Sky Blues’ deal to play at the Ricoh Arena expires at the end of this season and the prospect of the club building a new a stadium of their own appeared to have been ruled out by Mr Fisher in March when he also said: “We weren’t able to close a land deal on our own stadium - full stop.”
The City chairman had said in May 2013 that a new stadium, once dubbed Highfield Road Two, would be “designed and delivered” in three years.
The rugby club have big ambitions on and off the pitch and plan redevelop their ground as a multi-sport arena that also hosts other events.
Cov bought the land around BPA earlier this year and are looking to install a 3G pitch that is approved both by the International Rugby Board and FIFA and add to the one all-seater stand at the site.
Cov assembled an exciting squad in the summer and have won all 11 games in National League One this season, in front of bumper crowds, to open up a gap at the top of the table as they aim for promotion to the Championship.
Jon Sharp on a Sky Blues groundshare
“There has been no movement. The position of Coventry Rugby regarding the football club has not changed.
“They are a sister club bearing the city’s name with a proud old history just like us, have fallen from grace just like us. We are marching back up and I sincerely hope that they do and we will offer what support we can to get there.
“One thing we can’t do is to have any formal arrangement with them, any groundshare while they are owned by their current owners.
“And the reason for that is quite simple - the current owners are in the first place, whether correctly or not, vilified within the city and we have spent many years re-establishing our relationship and our standing in the city, and I’m not prepared to risk that by associating with City’s owners.
“The other thing is we rely upon a good relationship with Coventry City Council and how can we do that if at the same time we are supporting someone who is suing them.
“It doesn’t make business sense, never mind from a moral point of view.
“So our position has not changed - we will not deal with them so long as they are owned by Sisu.
“I’m sorry about that but that is very clear.”
Cov Rugby’s plans for Butts Park Arena
“We acquired the land around the ground earlier this year and have been speaking to the city council who are very supportive of our objectives in longer term thinking about how we develop this stadium.
“Not just for rugby union, but we also have rugby league playing here and have done so for several years, and now football with Coventry United coming .
“In addition to that, when this stadium was first built, the word ‘arena’ at the end of Butts Park was to signify that it shouldn’t just be for sport.
“We have a couple of music events coming and had a firework display which was great for the community.
“We are also looking at one or two other large events that Coventry will be hosting next year and wish to be part of that.”
Cov’s attendances are soaring
“Our success breeds success and success on the park means we get more people coming to the games.
“Our average gates this year are around 1,650, which is nearly 400 up on last year, so that puts even more pressure on the bars and makes it even harder for people to get a pint, but we are working on that.
“We’ve got new pop-up bars coming in for the Plymouth game for example."
What Tim Fisher has said before
He told a fans meeting in March that the capacity of a redeveloped BPA could be anywhere between 12,000 and 25,000 and the club had investors lined up to fund the plans.
“We weren’t able to close a land deal on our own stadium - full stop.
“But we spent a lot of time working with Coventry Rugby Club to develop a stadium which would be more than ample in terms of capacity.
“It’s the preferred option because it keeps us in the city. We are committed to staying in Coventry.
“The football club is committed to playing in Coventry. Not Northampton, not Nuneaton.
“We need a long-term solution and a short-term solution.
“The long-term solution allows the club to grow because it accesses far more money than it can at the moment.”
What’s the background?
Coventry City’s long-term future in Coventry is in doubt with its agreement to play at the Ricoh Arena due to expire next year.
Earlier in 2016, leaked emails revealed the city council had attempted to insert a clause into the Butts Park Arena lease which would have prevented professional football training or matches taking place at the stadium.
But the council later claimed it was merely fishing for information about the plans for the site by attempting to insert the clause and admitted it could not stop professional football being played there.
A statement later released by council leader George Duggins said: “However, the council does not have any influence over where the club plays or the location of its training academy/training facility. These are matters for the football club to raise with the relevant parties.
“In the event that mediation is successful and/or other plans come to fruition, the council will consider any planning application and/or requests relating to the council as landowner in respect of the football club in accordance with our statutory duties.”
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