Anindya Bakrie

bazzer9461 said:
If we could force Kassam to sell at a decent price then we have the ground and if the billionaires decide to develope the ground 4 sides and spruce up the exterior as well as the interior and eradicate everything that bears some resemblance to Kassam then we would have a decent and appealing ground.
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There is an agreed price on the stadium that is chump change to some of our new board members. If they wanted the current stadium, they would buy it. They won’t because they want a new development with lots of extra things around it.

They have zero interest in ever buying the Kassam Stadium.
 
RyanioBirdio said:
There is an agreed price on the stadium that is chump change to some of our new board members. If they wanted the current stadium, they would buy it. They won’t because they want a new development with lots of extra things around it.

They have zero interest in ever buying the Kassam Stadium.
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But and it is a but where?
The size of the stadium the extras the infrastructure? Where?
 
I have often wondered if the arbitration process is really an attempt to prove that Kassam has invalidated the license agreement and therefore wriggle us out of our tennacy obligations early?

The benefits of us staying where we are as far as I can see is that we will always have a guaranteed home in Oxford to fulfill our fixtures as long as we pay the rent. The stadium has may possibilities to make it a decent ground that we could be proud of and is not going to stop us climbing the leagues if the finance is really there to do so.
 
bazzer9461 said:
But and it is a but where?
The size of the stadium the extras the infrastructure? Where?
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That’s what they’re trying to establish themselves. But they have no interest in buying the existing stadium. Otherwise they would just trigger the clause and pay the cash. They’re rich enough to not bat an eyelid at it, but there’s no recoup in it. We have property developers on board, who are looking to do exactly that
 
RyanioBirdio said:
There is an agreed price on the stadium that is chump change to some of our new board members. If they wanted the current stadium, they would buy it. They won’t because they want a new development with lots of extra things around it.

They have zero interest in ever buying the Kassam Stadium.
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I am not sure that is true?
There WAS an agreed price on the stadium but that timescale expired I believe.
 
Foley said:
I am not sure that is true?
There WAS an agreed price on the stadium but that timescale expired I believe.
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Even if it has, and I’m really not sure that’s the case (if it’s true then fair enough), the fact remains that they have no interest in the current site. They’ve made that perfectly clear in their actions and it would still be cheaper than any other option by some distance. If they wanted this stadium, they could buy it. But they don’t, and won’t, because it’s boxed in by other businesses Kassam still has a hold of, and it always will be.

There’s no money in buying this stadium at any price, because there’s no development available and no recoup on the ground itself. So these present people will never, ever buy it. That’s something surely everybody can see is the case.

Where and what these apparent other options are is what we’re all waiting to know...
 
RyanioBirdio said:
There is an agreed price on the stadium that is chump change to some of our new board members. If they wanted the current stadium, they would buy it. They won’t because they want a new development with lots of extra things around it.

They have zero interest in ever buying the Kassam Stadium.
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More like Kassam will NEVER sell the ground, that is blatantly obvious and surprised many can’t see that.
 
Kassam continues to move the goal posts and does nothing to help the club move forward. He set a price, then when DE was interested he said he wouldn't sell to an individual. Then when a community bid was being looked at, he distanced himself from a deal. I'm sure if he was offered the rumoured £13m now, it would suddenly become £20m or more just to P**s us about.

I have no doubt that we are looking elsewhere anyway, but Kassam continues to be a t**t and I can't wait for the day we finally turn our back on him for good.
 
Pete Burrett said:
It is probably a sad truth that Kassam will only do something that might assist the club if it also assists him. I'm thinking of land development deals for the stadium and surround.

Any such agreement still requires someone from OUFC to deal with him, and deal with him in a business-like, diplomatic way, rather than trying to threaten him in a bombastic way, which will never work.

I get that being abusive about him might help some blow off steam, but it will achieve nothing for the good of OUFC, which I would have thought should be our primary aim.

Never say never. If there's a 1% chance that remaining 'nice' with Firoz will help us, let's do it, especially as being nasty will not help at all.
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Be nice to him until be get what we want, then treat him with contempt forever after!
 
LondonRoader said:
I think you have to ask that question to the owners, there is no definite benefit from moving unless you know the deal involved.
Catch 22
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I thought it was our only option? Well that was what I was led to believe only a few months ago.
 
Doubt there's any benefit from the club in moving; will still be the tenant of a potentially hostile landlord - only difference is now it'll not be a slum landlord, rather a fake tiger and a mine-owner. And a less accessible ground on an out of city mall with a TGI Fridays and Wetherspoons to drink P**s in.
 
PC said:
Doubt there's any benefit from the club in moving; will still be the tenant of a potentially hostile landlord - only difference is now it'll not be a slum landlord, rather a fake tiger and a mine-owner. And a less accessible ground on an out of city mall with a TGI Fridays and Wetherspoons to drink P**s in.
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I know what you mean and tend to agree with you, but it might have four sides, thus feeling warmer/not a wind tunnel.

On that, what would make a new ground/Kassam feel like home?
 
PC said:
Doubt there's any benefit from the club in moving; will still be the tenant of a potentially hostile landlord - only difference is now it'll not be a slum landlord, rather a fake tiger and a mine-owner. And a less accessible ground on an out of city mall with a TGI Fridays and Wetherspoons to drink P**s in.
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Such negativity.

It could be a Nandos.
 
Standing, front of terracing 10 feet from the pitch on all sides. Low roofs. Max 15k capacity.

A couple three low dives to which nice people feared to tread within 10 minutes walk. A street market that sold street food (Asian, West Indian, proper dogs & burgers) in the car park. Hostility towards people in red trousers, Barber wearers. Smoking permitted throughout.

We could call it the "Moon under the water" stadium.
 
Just out of interest, and this is a genuine question as I have know idea and am too lazy to do the research, how many clubs do actually own their own stadiums now?

How about Reading, MK Dons, Brighton for example? Even Tottenham, will their new stadium be owned by the club or the investors who own the club?

The club owning their own ground seems an outdated concept now and doesn’t necessarily need to be considered a concerning or worrying situation.

It depends on the type of owners of course, and that’s still the massive question, we all as OUFC supporters, have..
 
RyanioBirdio said:
There is an agreed price on the stadium that is chump change to some of our new board members. If they wanted the current stadium, they would buy it. They won’t because they want a new development with lots of extra things around it.

They have zero interest in ever buying the Kassam Stadium.
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Good
 
Pete Burrett said:
In respect of MK Dons, Pete Winkelman is Chairman and, I believe, majority shareholder, so it's effectively 'his club'. (This was certainly the case a few years ago, but might have changed).

When he moved (stole, whatever, let's not get into that) Wimbledon FC and moved them to MK, his interest was not his new train set, or doing something good for MK, or caring about football in general.

He saw business opportunities. Stadium:MK is a fantastic arena, but wouldn't pay it's way on MK Dons fans attendance alone. Hilton DoubleTree rent their space off Winkelman, England & Northampton rugby play certain matches there, concerts and miscellaneous events all bring in cash. Most beneficial to Winkelman though, is the large retail and catering development attached to the stadium. Multi-screen cinema, seven or so chain restaurants, Marks & Spencer plus a dozen other stores all add to the coffers.

So MK Dons / Winkelman own their own stadium and have developed around it, and that's how a town with no football tradition and precious few bums on seats can afford to retain a club there.
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And I'm sure that this would be the model for any future development at Oxford and one that I'd personally welcome. We may still rent the ground, but the additional income streams would allow us to pay far less than we currently do. Plus the opportunity of 5-10,000 fans turning up every fortnight will mean that any restaurants/bars will be happy to keep us there. Aside of wealthy fans taking over I'm not sure there are any better options right now.
 
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