BBC article

Interesting piece. My limited understanding of our payments to Kassam were £1m per year for rent and service charge to Firoka combined. So it would be misleading for Kassam to simply say the rent is only £350,000 per year?
The problem is I can’t remember where I obtained that information. Hopefully someone can confirm or correct that.
 
Oslernorth said:
Interesting piece. My limited understanding of our payments to Kassam were £1m per year for rent and service charge to Firoka combined. So it would be misleading for Kassam to simply say the rent is only £350,000 per year?
The problem is I can’t remember where I obtained that information. Hopefully someone can confirm or correct that.
Click to expand...
Interesting article (although there are a couple of inaccuracies), and interesting timing.

Kassam's quote about the rent, and people talking out of their backsides, is typical Kassam bluster.

Over the last five years, the total costs of the stadium (rent, service charges, maintenance! etc) paid by the club are over £6m, meaning an average of approx £1.25m a year. Of this stadium rent alone is over £2.5m, and averages over £500,000 per year. Add to this the ridiculous service charges to Firoka the club has been locked into, and it's pretty clear that, as usual, there's only one person talking out of his backside, and that's Kassam.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the sooner we're away from that place, and the parasite that owns it, the better.
 
What’s your thoughts on the timing of the article?

Do you think it was released with any intention of things happening soon?
 
Bacon said:
What’s your thoughts on the timing of the article?

Do you think it was released with any intention of things happening soon?
Click to expand...
It's not just the timing that intrigues. The BBC local news site barely ever mentions OUFC in terms of sport (Hampshire, for example, covers Pompey, Eastleigh and Aldershot on a regular basis)
The story itself is just a rehash of previous articles but, put together, it does go some way to put some factual basis to the need for a new stadium. It covers all the sites previously looked at, prior to Grenoble Road. This should dampen the arguments from those who claim that there exist other locations more suitable than Stratfield Brake.
As @Colin B mentions, the figure quoted (by Kassam?) for the costs at Grenoble Road are way off and probably date from one of the original articles used in a cut and paste job here. However, the context is good and informative for those who were less well informed.
Expect something on the finance and background of the board next.

Somebody is pulling some strings somewhere?
 
As an add on to the above, there are many links included in the article which open up Oxford Mail articles from various dates. More background and information for those bothered to "click".
Some go so far as to show a certain Mr Kassam in a less than favourable light - oh dear!
 
Knowing what we pay to Kassam each annum is an interesting question. It depends on exactly what you include in the charge. Rent will be one figure and service charge maintenance etc will be another and will go to Firoka. I can see how and why FK has spun that sum to make the club look like they're plucking figures from thin air. He knows exactly what goes to him and his companies.

Maybe one of the quoted parties from John from @T'Manor Podcast or @Paul P / @OxVox would be willing to reveal why the BBC got in touch and what was said to them to put the article together. It's curious timing bearing in mind it's been a quiet couple of weeks on the new stadium front.
 
Over the last few months there have been numerous articles about Oxford United in the nationals. We have been playing great football at times, and our goal scoring record and total goals in games will bring some attention our way, but there does appear to be a more orchestrated media approach.

It seems like an understated but effective PR campaign by the board, and who can blame them. Success will be linked to an increased profile for the club both locally and on a much wider scale.

As mentioned above, the timing is unlikely to be a coincidence and is hopefully a sign that things are beginning to fall into place.
 
Totally outrageous for Kassam to be charging what he is for the use of the stadium with little in return towards the upkeep.
Definitely interesting timing if this BBC article and possibly to favour OUFC as I doubt whether there is a sinister reason for it the article being made.
So onwards and upwards C O Y Y
 
Whoever sold in this story and managed to get the BBC to equate the Kassam to a curse in their headline and opening paras: chef’s kiss.
 
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Another interesting line from whoever wrote the article:
By September 2018, Mr Kassam said the fraught relationship with club's then owner - and current board member - Sumrith "Tiger" Thanakarnjanasuth was at an "all-time low" because of disagreements over payments due for the stadium's use.
Anyone else spot the nuance? Confirmation of Tiger's position with the club, should anyone still have doubts!
 
Manorlounger said:
This story is now carrying the writers name: Nathan Briant - one time Ox Mail and now BBC South journalist. Turns out he is a Walsall FC fan.
Click to expand...

At the Oxford Mail, he was a well-informed local democracy reporter who got the brief and covered matters concerning Grenoble Road and SODC’s run-in with the Government.

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Government blocks council from making decision on controversial plan

THE GOVERNMENT has told an Oxfordshire council that it could take over the running of its controversial homes plan hours before the authority was…
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Shows that the BBC consider this a significant development which has everything going for it and could massively boost the county.

It’s not being covered by the sports pages - this is being done properly.
 
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