NSWE Investment

[DB]

The only thing that really makes sense that I can see in terms of Atairos is a new stadium that is part of a wider mixed use development that includes retail, leisure and residential. I can't see what else would provide them with a return on their investment, other than a possible sale of the club, but if Nas and Wes were considering that, I don't understand why they'd need investment from Atairos whose speciality is development.

Indeed, it all looks really strange - as if the only realistic explanation for their increased involvement is the one thing the club have specifically ruled out, ie stadium move.

Heck ruled out a stadium move; maybe it was simply expedient at the time of his comment. Like others, I think a stadium move seems most obvious right now.

Or a full scale redevelopment of Villa Park, the transport infrastructure and the environs.

Hopefully this.
Just where to play while it’s being built…

[Ads]

3 hands doesn't work when it's Tony Xia and his money sourced from God knows where, with ambitions of Theme Parks. Bit different when it's the Comcast boys and all their billions upon billions.

[algy]

The only thing that really makes sense that I can see in terms of Atairos is a new stadium that is part of a wider mixed use development that includes retail, leisure and residential. I can't see what else would provide them with a return on their investment, other than a possible sale of the club, but if Nas and Wes were considering that, I don't understand why they'd need investment from Atairos whose speciality is development.

Indeed, it all looks really strange - as if the only realistic explanation for their increased involvement is the one thing the club have specifically ruled out, ie stadium move.

Heck ruled out a stadium move; maybe it was simply expedient at the time of his comment. Like others, I think a stadium move seems most obvious right now.

Or a full scale redevelopment of Villa Park, the transport infrastructure and the environs.

I think this is more likely TBH.  It's not like B6 would be especially valuable, to the point where it made sense to sell that land to fund buying some land elsewhere.  It wouldn't surprise me if it were more cost-effective to work with what the club already has (plus anything we can acquire nearby).

[Steve67]

Daft question time, is this anything to do with what might come out of the Manchester City versus Premier League sponsorship issue? If Atairos are allowed to sponsor Villa Park or suchlike?

[Demitri_C]

Would people prefer renaming villa park or moving  if those were two options for extra finance?

[paul_e]

Would people prefer renaming villa park or moving  if those were two options for extra finance?

Personally I don't mind either way. Villa Park is great and I have some great memories, despite not having had a season ticket for a long time now, but it's also in a weird position of being horribly out of date for a modern stadium and also having no part of it other than the bit we were all happy to see knocked down be more than 30 years old. 3/4s of the ground was built on the cheap in a perfect reflection of the massive under-investment that defined the club in the 90s and early 2000s, I don't mourn Doug and I'd find it hard to mourn his legacy.

On the flipside, having Adidas Stadium at Villa Park announced at the start of every game a massive Adidas sign on the roof wouldn't bother me at all. We've already started down that route with their logo everywhere so the ground is sponsored by stealth anyway and barely anyone even noticed.

[Gareth]

The expansion could have started next season as i understand where they were coming from having a expansion during our first CL season. It wouldn't have made sense to have a reduced capacity this year but next year it would have. So i think ruling it out completely was a error.

They could have expanded to 48500 for time being see if we sell out then slowly expltend further in next few seasons

Guess that spending many many millions for 6000 extra seats doesn’t make business sense to them.  If we are staying put then need 10k+ more seats and future proof dev by doing both the north and the Witton

[pauliewalnuts]

There must be a compelling reason for NSWE to accept the extra investment, too, and I am not sure it is the money that is swinging it, in fact, I am pretty sure it is not that. They might want to spread the cost a little but to the extent of having a third, equal partner?

There has got to be some sort of strategic element to it, and it has to be structural and hard hitting, it won't be anything to do with being able to sell naming rights or that sort of thing, it must surely be that there's a bigger picture Comcast want in to, AND that thing has to be something big enough to warrant Wes and Nas being prepared to give up more shares for.

[tomd2103]

Would people prefer renaming villa park or moving  if those were two options for extra finance?

If the financial benefits were substantial then I would be open to renaming, but only if Villa Park stayed in the name.  The Oval cricket ground is now named The Kia Oval, but most people still refer to it by it's original name. 

If there were massive financial benefits in renaming it say to Adidas Villa Park, then maybe.  If it was a total name change to The Adidas Stadium, then I'd not be sure about that at all. 

[purpletrousers]

Well he said "in my lifetime" he can't see us moving from VP in that interview with Gabby a few months ago. Maybe he meant "in my Villa-career". I mean he's not going to care too much about us when he leaves.

Yeah I read it as not on my watch (i.e. not any time soon.)
Once he's got his big bonus and sailed off into the sunset, it won't really matter what he said.
I appreciate the disagreement with taking people out of their homes, and at risk of the ultimate Nimbyism, I wonder how locals would feel about massive investment in and redevelopment of the area.

I moved to a newbuild estate on edge of the light industrial wasteland that was Hackney Wick before the Olympic Park was a twinkle in anyone's eye, and it's fascinating to have seen all the changes. And then £sold up.

I guess that would be my preferred option. But as has been said...

Hopefully this.
Just where to play while it’s being built…

[Percy McCarthy]

Would people prefer renaming villa park or moving  if those were two options for extra finance?

I think people vastly over-estimate the potential value of naming rights.

[cdbearsfan]

Yeah, it's only worth serious money if you move ground. Not that I want to.

[Demitri_C]

Would people prefer renaming villa park or moving  if those were two options for extra finance?

I think people vastly over-estimate the potential value of naming rights.

Some good points from paul and tomd. For me i dont live in Birmingham so  moving from villa park wouldnt have that much of a impact for me. But i completely would understand for those that have been season ticket holders and that live in Birmingham to object to a move.

I think i would be ok with a name change as we will still call it villa park no matter what but if a expansion could also happen here i think better option of two.

[tomd2103]

Would people prefer renaming villa park or moving  if those were two options for extra finance?

I think people vastly over-estimate the potential value of naming rights.

I may have misunderstood it, but wasn't one of the issues with Man City was that they were vastly over inflating the naming rights deal?

When the Milennium Stadium in Cardiff was re-named a few years ago, I think the naming rights deal with Principality was something like £15m over ten years.

[aj2k77]

I think Man Cities was £400m over 10 years. That's a Douglas Luiz not sold every season.