CCFC can confirm that following positive negotiations and in the best interests of all concerned, an agreement has been reached to allow Cardiff Blues to terminate their lease at CCS on 1 June 2012. This will see Cardiff Blues' move back to Cardiff Arms Park over the summer in readiness for the 2012/13 football season, and will allow significant branding to take place at CCS during the same time as it now becomes home solely to the football club. Of the agreement, Cardiff City Chief Executive Alan Whiteley said, "This is a decision that will allow Cardiff City Football Club to take positive steps forward in terms of celebrating the stadium as the sole home of the football club, while also assisting Cardiff Blues to maintain their future stability. "It's with the full support of our Malaysian investors that this agreement could be reached and facilitated. Satisfactory financial terms have been reached with the Cardiff Blues to allow their exit, which coupled with the Premier League aspirations of this football club and a need therefore to be in sole control of our stadium, makes this a good solution for both sides. It also provides the ability and impetus for us to fully brand CCS, celebrating our history and heritage across concourses and other supporter areas, which I am sure all our fans will welcome and embrace. "We wish Cardiff Blues every success back at the Arms Park and thank them for their openness during negotiations. The agreement will still provide the Blues with the opportunity to play occasional higher profile games at the stadium in consultation with Cardiff City Football Club. We now turn our focus to a comprehensive review of all football club operations, as is the case every close season, from which we can look forward to the new season with renewed confidence."
Interesting. It was obviously not detrimental financially and there must have been some recompense for breaking the agreement early. A win for the football, though a worry for the rugby. Things not going well for the regions (yes, I know most of you are't interested in rugby, but I am ). Is this the news alluded to yesterday, or is there more to come?
Well, the only thing that could have topped that info would have been to have got through to Wembley yesterday.
Okay, so that was the financial announcement. Interesting comments on branding of the stadium but I can't see changes along the lines mooted yesterday. Guys, lets look on the bright side in addition to the lump of cash they must have paid us for exiting the lease 17 years early. Our pitch was much improved this season. With the egg chasers gone we can move on to have one of the best pitches in football. The club shop will be all ours - no egg chasing kit being sold. The branding in the grandstand and hospitality areas will be all ours. Perhaps there is also the opportunity of stadium naming rights being up for grabs to release cash to get rid of much of the Langstone debt? I imagine this was always a sticky area while the Blues were tenants.
Don't know Blue. It does seem the idea of branding the stadium does not move far away from re-branding. Until i see it from the club, I won't believe it, but there seems to be a lot more in this Cardiff Dragons rumour than I first thought. If it is true, it will be the first mistake the owners have made. I can't see the supporters trust taken this laying down and it will cause division in the club. Still, need something from the club before jumping to conclusions I guess. Removing all debt, and putting in a massive investment versus keeping the blue and the Bluebird.......very hard to call. My heart and my head say different things, but my heart wins!! It's not the kit, more the change from Bluebirds to Dragons.
I've got a very funny feeling that this announcement is just the first in a series of major reforms at the club. The entirety of the content of that post on CCMB yesterday should be taken with a huge pinch of salt, but I think this year we will see some massive steps to eliminate debt and consolidate the club that will involve structural changes director/shareholder wise. Maybe even "structural changes" regarding the stadium - and I don't mean the colour!! With the Guy/Hall loans gone and the Sam/Langstone saga sorted, VT and his associates will be far more comfortable - and so should we.
What's going on with all this re-branding nonsense? Just been reading about it on the Cardiff City Forum website. Taking away the bluebirds name, changing the kit and stadium colour scheme to red?? Is this all one big rumour or not? I for one would be very disappointed if they changed the name from bluebirds to dragons!
Sparkey, I do agree wholeheartedly. The thing that makes it plausible is the Dragon. A Dragon logo would be hugely recognisable in the Asian market. It would be considered very cool to Asian football followers. Red obviously to match a fire breathing red Asian dragon. So, yeah, I will totally wait for the club, but as I said, there does seem to be more legs in this rumour than I first thought.
Not too sure remote. I know they've been enjoying it in the few games they've played at the Arms Park and actually brought in bigger crowds and generated a better atmosphere. Maybe it's just what they need.
impetus for us to fully brand CCS, celebrating our history and heritage across concourses and other supporter areas To me that means that all Cardiff Blues brands will be gone and used by Cardiff City our history & heritage could mean things like "the Phil Dwyer bar" in one of the concourses. I don't think this Cardiff Dragons think is a starter or Red shirts unless its the away strip. I wonder if it's come from the SAM lovers on another board.
It is the guy Thames Valley: Don't know him as I don't follow that board "They are the facts. You want to know where I got the information. I am protecting my sources. If you don't believe it, then so be it, but as I said in a previous thread somewhere, I'm not in the business of winding people up for no reason."
Just heard that each home game next year will be split into 3x30 min segments and the 'Goalie When' rule will be introduced, jumpers for goal posts and if we're not winning with 10 mins left, Malky will take his ball home.
Got Chelski vs Liverpool on in the background. Good to see our old keeper doing so well for a team in blue.
