Does your club own or rent your ground and do they share it with the local soccer team, or indeed any other sport ? I have endeavoured to discover via fan forums, councils and other authorities who exactly own what in Super League. I would have liked to have researched Championship teams but time was a consideration. Perhaps fans from outside S.L. could provide relevant information if known please. Prior to the pandemic there were possibly arguments both for and against renting rather than owning but two years on, and hopefully slowly getting back to more 'normal' conditions it appears to me that owning has proved far more favourable than being a renter for many reasons, not least because AFAIK rent was paid at many of these clubs whether games were played or not and consequently some clubs will be posting large losses and there will be some very worried Chairman. Am i correct that Saints, Warrington, Leeds, Hull KR, Wakefield and Castleford own their own stadiums or at least own the vast % thereof. ? Rugby League fans will be aware of the sorry plight of Salford who by the beginning of 2023 will be turfed out their AJ Bell stadium which has proven to large and expensive for their support base. Wigan appear to only own 15% of the stadium, albeit they have a 50 year lease, with Wigan Athletic owning 85%. Huddersfield show Kirkless Council own 40%, Huddersfield town 40% with the Giants owning the remaining 20%. Hull FC ownership is 100% with HCC but the SMC have 100% running/decision making at the MKM and this is owned by Hull city
Viewing the plans of both Wakefield and Castleford it appears both these grounds will be updated with council money. Is this money a loan or other and if a loan, when is it repayable.? Hull KR appear to be a better position than most and with purchasing their stadium and a lot of the surrounding area their plans to redevelop the stadium appear very impressive both in the short and the long term. The situation for both French teams (and indeed the majority of all sports abroad) seem very different to UK because most grounds are owned by the municipalities and sharing grounds with other teams more normal. It will be interesting to read the accounts of several S.L. teams when published to understand which clubs have suffered the most during the last two years because going forward it will be essential clubs cut the cloth to meet demands.
REVENUE wrote: I would have liked to have researched Championship teams but time was a consideration. Perhaps fans from outside S.L. could provide relevant information if known please. .
Featherstone own their own ground plus a significant amount of acres (can't remember the exact figure) of the surrounding land.
Think there are other Championship clubs that own their own ground (Batley and Dewsbury come to mind).
REVENUE wrote:Prior to the pandemic there were possibly arguments both for and against renting rather than owning but two years on, and hopefully slowly getting back to more 'normal' conditions it appears to me that owning has proved far more favourable than being a renter for many reasons, not least because AFAIK rent was paid at many of these clubs whether games were played or not and consequently some clubs will be posting large losses and there will be some very worried Chairman.
I think some Halifax fans (Greg Florimo's Boots probably being one of them on these pages) posted that Fax, who play at council-owned The Shay, did quite well during the pandemic because of the furlough scheme and having few outgoings because they didn't have a ground to upkeep, presumably this means they are on a pay-as-you-play kind of scheme although Halifax fans will be better able to inform you about that. They certainly made a few eyecatching signings in the off-season.
Joined: Apr 02 2004 Posts: 1276 Location: Not there
The Phantom Horseman wrote:Featherstone own their own ground plus a significant amount of acres (can't remember the exact figure) of the surrounding land.
Think there are other Championship clubs that own their own ground (Batley and Dewsbury come to mind).
Not sure of the total area (have seen anything from 15-19 acres quoted) but Fev have 10 acres of 'unused' land that they are looking to develop to provide an ongoing income.
Joined: Jan 28 2005 Posts: 3098 Location: advertising my villa
Castleford money is not a loan. Its a grant so they will still own the stadium and training pitch which if they follow through with the new training facility as well as new seating, new boxes, 4 changing rooms and a big clean up everywhere else it should be up to Superleague standard.
Cas also have money set aside to add to the 2 million grant to help it happen so let's hope they follow through.
My understanding... (I’m a trinity fan and ex wakey resident now living in Australia) Trinity bought back the ground from the crime syndicate along with the area previously containing the Wakefield theatre club and latterly super bowl... they also had an unfulfilled/ dishonoured agreement with a developer to build a new stadium near the M1 at Newmarket... to get their hands on the land promised for a new stadium the developer agreed a funding package to partly redevelop Belle Vue in exchange for the planning rights for the stadium site.
The council also agreed a sustainability grant to all three clubs in the council area
For Trinity that means a 10m (plus) fund to redevelop the stadium... assuming the developer has no legal loopholes to jump through this time that means work starting around Easter and will be finished in time for the clubs 150th anniversary celebrations in 2023
Trinity do and will hold total ownership of the stadium and associated facilities
cas all the way wrote:Castleford money is not a loan. Its a grant so they will still own the stadium and training pitch which if they follow through with the new training facility as well as new seating, new boxes, 4 changing rooms and a big clean up everywhere else it should be up to Superleague standard.
Cas also have money set aside to add to the 2 million grant to help it happen so let's hope they follow through.
The Phantom Horseman wrote:I think some Halifax fans (Greg Florimo's Boots probably being one of them on these pages) posted that Fax, who play at council-owned The Shay, did quite well during the pandemic because of the furlough scheme and having few outgoings because they didn't have a ground to upkeep, presumably this means they are on a pay-as-you-play kind of scheme although Halifax fans will be better able to inform you about that. They certainly made a few eyecatching signings in the off-season.
and yet it it was reported yesterday that the Halifax football and rugby sides are in a row over the pitch with the rugby side playing and the football game having to be called off (i understand the football side are in contention for promotion)
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