Cardiff Blues to return to the Arms Park

First topic message reminder :

http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10335~2763805,00.html

Been made official. Paid to get out of it from what it reads but good to be back and no doubt interest will perk back up.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

wales606 wrote:

Yep, the Blues only kept up the minimum maintaince while they were at CCS, so there will be a lot of work to do before next season.

It will be interesting to see how many season tickets are sold next week. A lot more than last year I will bet.

This matter was always mentioned at the CAC AGMs I attended. Even when they were still playing at CAP things weren't getting done or fixed etc.

Yep, its going to cost a bit I imagine. Still not 700K a year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17999710

Just incase anyone wants to see a video report from the BBC.

wales606 wrote:

Neil, yep. He certainly knows about the politics involved.

He's a wealth of info and it really is quite astonishing to learn about what has been going on at Cardiff over many years.
Madness I would call it and what they are planning to do with CAP now is what should have been done at least 10 years ago.

Neil does seem to be a fountain of knowledge!

wales606 wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

wales606 wrote:

Yep, the Blues only kept up the minimum maintaince while they were at CCS, so there will be a lot of work to do before next season.

It will be interesting to see how many season tickets are sold next week. A lot more than last year I will bet.

This matter was always mentioned at the CAC AGMs I attended. Even when they were still playing at CAP things weren't getting done or fixed etc.

Yep, its going to cost a bit I imagine. Still not 700K a year.

It'll be nowhere near that figure for a simple refurb or fit out of the areas mentioned and I don't think they'll be major construction work planned, not for this summer anyway.

Coleman wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17999710

Just incase anyone wants to see a video report from the BBC.

Cardiff City playing in red?
The world has gone mad.

Feel sorry for the football lot if i'm honest, but for a club that seems to always be in financial trouble £100m is hard to say no to. On topic, so glad we're back at the Arms. I didnt get the most out of my season ticket this year, even though it was only £70. Cheeky of them to up the price of student season tickets by a tenner. How will i live?

Coleman wrote:Feel sorry for the football lot if i'm honest, but for a club that seems to always be in financial trouble £100m is hard to say no to. On topic, so glad we're back at the Arms. I didnt get the most out of my season ticket this year, even though it was only £70. Cheeky of them to up the price of student season tickets by a tenner. How will i live?

Im sure the Bluebirds fans will get behind the Redbirds when they are given a small fortune to buy players to finally reach the Premiership.

Dragons mate! They're gonna be the Dragons! Didnt they pinch the Dragons Chief Executive? Now the name!

As someone Cardiff born and bred, who started watching Cardiff RFC in the mid-1950s, I'm delighted that first-class rugby is returning to the city centre. At least, I hope it will be first-class after this season and all the players leaving!

Ive stayed away now for a few seasons, but I'll be back in numbers no matter how much guff we have on the park, hell I'd go to support a team of 15 Parks play in blue...

Notice I can joke now he's a gonner!

I can't help thinking that the Blues returning to the Arms Park is a concession on their part to get a bigger slice of the WRU pie, possibly at the Dragons' expense (expense being a pertinent word, seeing at the Dragons have been balancing their books and the Blues have been spending money they don't have). If the Dragons get punished for running themselves properly and the Blues rewarded for being profligate, I'll be livid.

Great news for you - return to spiritual home and all that stuff. I hope the fans respond and you get the place rocking.....

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I can't help thinking that the Blues returning to the Arms Park is a concession on their part to get a bigger slice of the WRU pie, possibly at the Dragons' expense (expense being a pertinent word, seeing at the Dragons have been balancing their books and the Blues have been spending money they don't have). If the Dragons get punished for running themselves properly and the Blues rewarded for being profligate, I'll be livid.

The Blues return to the CAP has nothing to do with any WRU decision. It is because the region is going bust if they stay and there ENTIRE fanbase have been demanding they return there because it is very affordable, very convenient and generates a good atmosphere.

How can you say it has 'nothing to do with any WRU decision' when the WRU hasn't announced anything yet?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:How can you say it has 'nothing to do with any WRU decision' when the WRU hasn't announced anything yet?

Because this move has nothing to do with the WRU - it is because of the Blues going broke.

Didn't they pay Cardiff City to get out of their agreement? Where did they find the money for that?

they payed 0!!!

So "satisfactory financial terms" means they paid Cardiff City nothing?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:So "satisfactory financial terms" means they paid Cardiff City nothing?

Doesn't seem very satisfactory does it? At least from a Bluebirds point of view when they're trying to get as much money as possible together as their squad keeps chocking

Well the Bluebirds have recently received big financial boost and are considering spending a fortune on re branding. They also whinged all last season about the state of the pitch due to the rugby, and hold all the rights to the food/drink sales etc...

The Blues bring nobody to the stadium so provide no extra income, and with the downturn of the Blues crowds etc a cloud has appeared above the stadium.

It is in City's best interest to allow the Blues out asap, and although the Blues owe something like 9 million in terms of rent over the next few hundred years, the 'payoff' or deal to out was particularly minimal!!!

thebluesmancometh wrote:Well the Bluebirds have recently received big financial boost and are considering spending a fortune on re branding. They also whinged all last season about the state of the pitch due to the rugby, and hold all the rights to the food/drink sales etc...

The Blues bring nobody to the stadium so provide no extra income, and with the downturn of the Blues crowds etc a cloud has appeared above the stadium.

It is in City's best interest to allow the Blues out asap, and although the Blues owe something like 9 million in terms of rent over the next few hundred years, the 'payoff' or deal to out was particularly minimal!!!

The Bluebirds will only get that windfall £100M if they totally rebrand and market themselves aggressively in Asia (to bring the money back in), right now they need money to rebuild (again) their squad and to build up money for when they hit the Premier League as they'll need even more cash.

So having a tenant paying a large rent on the weeks the stadiums not being used (by the Bluebirds) seems to be a great idea - much better than letting the Blues out of the agreement for no money when they could get them to pay up at the very least a few hundred thousand

They will have paid them something. The question is where they've found the money.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:They will have paid them something. The question is where they've found the money.

Prob from the owner everyone loves to hate - Peter Pies - which begs the question how are they going to pay back all the money owed to Peter...

Either that or the WRU are bailing them out and someone else is going to lose out as a result.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:They will have paid them something. The question is where they've found the money.

They don't have any money and have not paid any.

The Bluebirds wanted the Blues gone to rebrand the club and the Malysian investors agreed to let the Blues leave as long as they pay off their current debt to CCFC.

The Blues paid 0.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Either that or the WRU are bailing them out and someone else is going to lose out as a result.

WHAT???

The WRU are completely seperate from Cardiff Blues and will have given no money to "bail them out".

I did here that the WRU were taking an interest and may have been involved in negotiations, but they certainly did not fund the move.

The WRU have given them 0.

The Blues have paid 0.

Smirnoff, If the Blues stayed they go out of business, if that happens city will get the blame and the club would get a real load of abuse. They cannot afford any bad press while the malaysions are interested.

thebluesmancometh wrote:The WRU have given them 0.

The Blues have paid 0.

Are those facts?

thebluesmancometh wrote:The WRU have given them 0.

The Blues have paid 0.

Smirnoff, If the Blues stayed they go out of business, if that happens city will get the blame and the club would get a real load of abuse. They cannot afford any bad press while the malaysions are interested.

I severely doubt that 1. Cardiff FC will be blamed if the Cardiff Blues go bust (that would be their managements problem and not enough fans turning up) and 2. That Cardiff FC would care about angry rugby fans in the face of a great deal of money which could help improve their business.

Also it seems strange that the Bluebirds just terminated the agreement for nothing and then stated that a 'satifactory financial agreement' had been met, particularly at a time when the Bluebirds need as much money as possible

On the verge of 100million investment for rebranding and improvements, and at the malaysions bec and call??

It's amazing what people will do to get that carrot...

Anyway argue all you like, there is a debt repayed to city by the Blues, and they were released from the contract for 0.

I'll ask again, is it a fact that the Blues paid Cardiff City nothing, or are you just saying so?

How much is the debt?

Smirnoffpriest wrote:How much is the debt?

Around 2.5mil...well, thats the lose from this year I believe.

Accounts haven't been officially published yet.

I would have thought that getting out of the lease agreement for free would be a 'satisfactory financial agreement'.....at least for the Blues.

Maybe the Malaysian deal hinged on having sole use of the ground - I know it's not rugby related but is it true that the Malaysians want to change Cardiff City's kit to red ?

It's a fait accompli.

Not just kit colour change Irish, theres a huge offer for a whole new rebranding structure. That is one hell of a carrot to turn the head away from a possible few hundred k owed!!!

yeah, change the colours and badge in return for £100million training facilities and a 'bumper' transfer budget.

But, again, this is Cardiff City and no doubt in 3 days Sam Hamman will be back in charge

wales606 wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:How much is the debt?

Around 2.5mil...well, thats the lose from this year I believe.

Accounts haven't been officially published yet.

But if it's a £2.5m loss from this year (which isn't good) then you'd surely imagine that Peter Thomas was owed money from previous years particularly when they moved to the CCS and had all those expensive NWQ players.

There was only 1 expensive NWQ player!

The others were signed very very reasonably!

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Well the Bluebirds have recently received big financial boost and are considering spending a fortune on re branding. They also whinged all last season about the state of the pitch due to the rugby, and hold all the rights to the food/drink sales etc...

The Blues bring nobody to the stadium so provide no extra income, and with the downturn of the Blues crowds etc a cloud has appeared above the stadium.

It is in City's best interest to allow the Blues out asap, and although the Blues owe something like 9 million in terms of rent over the next few hundred years, the 'payoff' or deal to out was particularly minimal!!!

The Bluebirds will only get that windfall £100M if they totally rebrand and market themselves aggressively in Asia (to bring the money back in), right now they need money to rebuild (again) their squad and to build up money for when they hit the Premier League as they'll need even more cash.

So having a tenant paying a large rent on the weeks the stadiums not being used (by the Bluebirds) seems to be a great idea - much better than letting the Blues out of the agreement for no money when they could get them to pay up at the very least a few hundred thousand

The whole re-branding thing couldn't happen while the blues are there apparently so it suits them big time to oust the Blues. Plus they get a better pitch to play on as it can recover better without a game each week especially when one of those is rugby.

They have I understand only paid the amount due up until the end of the month and then that is it.

Good deal for both really.

News today is that the Bluebirds rebranding is off because of the supporters rejection of the proposal.

Now the Blubirds dont get to pick up £100M and you have to wonder how long the Malasians will stay at Cardiff City?

Great result for the Blues though and just as well they accepted the deal quickly!

Seagultaf wrote:News today is that the Bluebirds rebranding is off because of the supporters rejection of the proposal.

Now the Blubirds dont get to pick up £100M and you have to wonder how long the Malasians will stay at Cardiff City?

Great result for the Blues though and just as well they accepted the deal quickly!

How quickly the fate of the rugby and football teams seems to have turned, in a week!

Blues get rid of a millstone around their neck and get to go home and it now looks like the Bluebirds could be in trouble. £70m in debt and losing a £1m per month.

Yes, it looks like the CCFC fans got a pyrric victory. Apparently the owner was shocked by the reaction of the fans to the suggested change of strip. They could've just lost £100million investment for their club. Anyway, that's roundball...different business....

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

wales606 wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:How much is the debt?

Around 2.5mil...well, thats the lose from this year I believe.

Accounts haven't been officially published yet.

But if it's a £2.5m loss from this year (which isn't good) then you'd surely imagine that Peter Thomas was owed money from previous years particularly when they moved to the CCS and had all those expensive NWQ players.

Yes.
Cardiff RFC are around £6m in debt, easy.

Just like a lot of Blues supporters, I am glad Blues are back in the city centre. I never understood the move in the first place. Arms Park in right in the middle of everything, the exact same thing which makes the Millenium Stadium so great. But does anyone know if any improvements to Arms Park are planned?

its the right move, its a shame its taken them this long to realise.

Still, with Phil coming on as the new DoR, the blues back at the arms park, a front row on their way (the average-mercenary-will hold up the scrum-type front row) at least the blues are looking at having 3 things they didn't this season.

1. Direction - in their rugby, Phil has shown what he can do with young players in development.

2. Home advantage - The armspark has a fantastic atmosphere and hopefully we should see the return of a number of fans from all quarters....

3. A decent tight 5 - fingers crossed, and as long as they can provide a decent platform for the back row and back line, the Blues can do damage enough to beat anyone.

Its not great, but I'm a lot less gloomy than 4 weeks ago.

Comfort wrote:its the right move, its a shame its taken them this long to realise.

Still, with Phil coming on as the new DoR, the blues back at the arms park, a front row on their way (the average-mercenary-will hold up the scrum-type front row) at least the blues are looking at having 3 things they didn't this season.

Good god, I hope so.

If only we still had Laulaula... :/

it can't be worse than this season? right?

Comfort wrote:it can't be worse than this season? right?

Good point, though there won't be Gethin Jenkins at LHP, or John Yapp on the bench. Just Campese and Hobbs.