[Football] FA receive offer to sell Wembley...

[*Gullsworth*]

The public money should of course be paid back in full plus interest. And definitely no need for a National Stadium at all. We have plenty of grounds that can hold the 30,000 who still bother going to watch England.

Granted attendances are probably on the wain but we would need more than a capacity of 30k? anyone have the attendances of England home games at the rebuilt Wembley?

 

[Official Old Man]

My thoughts.
A few years ago a bunch of old men (no women) decided to rebuild Wembley at a cost of £600 million.
£800 million later they got their stadium but were broke and so had to have lots of matches played there.
Along comes Shahid Khan and offers less than it cost but £500 million cash, these men like the sound of that. "We could pretend it's for grass roots football" they say.
Sold!
They then realise they don't have any offices or a football stadium and so negotiations begin to 'rent back' for £50 million a year Wembley Stadium. To cover these costs all quarter final FA Cup matches must now be played at Wembley.
You just know that's how it will end up.

 

[StonehamPark]

anyone have the attendances of England home games at the rebuilt Wembley?

Approx 76k

 

[AmexRuislip]

Why ?

We don't even need a national stadium. Other countries seem to get by alright without one, and with the superb standard of stadia in this country nowadays, I don't see the point of building another one in the middle of England just to call it the national one.

The England football team should always play their friendlies and qualifiers around the nation IMO, and I don't know anyone who wouldn't be happy to see the FA Cup semi's played at neutral club grounds again.

When you say I watched the Albion at Smelhurst, doesn't have the same ring about it, when you can say Wembley!

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Some things are worth more than money. No from me

Do you write banners for Ipswich Town fans?

 

[Easy 10]

Granted attendances are probably on the wain but we would need more than a capacity of 30k? anyone have the attendances of England home games at the rebuilt Wembley?

Are you kidding ? We get at LEAST double that, mostly 80k. We got 77k for Lithuania last year, and 81k for Malta.

 

[Weststander]

Are you kidding ? We get at LEAST double that, mostly 80k. We got 77k for Lithuania last year, and 81k for Malta.

This.

Facts dispelling nonsense. England games at Wembley have massive support.

 

[GT49er]

if this means that FA Cup semis go back to other stadiums, however small a thing that might be, I'll be pleased

For the cost it always seemed a bit of a white elephant. The FA would be mad not to sell.The bonus being England games moving around and the FA Cup semis going back to how they should always have remained.

Agree about the England games and the semis, but I'd be sad to see the FA Cup Final being played elsewhere - it wouldn't be the same.

 

[Barham's tash]

Any deal that sees establishment of an overseas franchise for any other country’s domestic sport of choice sets a very dangerous precedent.

I’m not anti NFL I just hate the way teams can effectively sack their home city and upsticks if the commercial angle no longer stacks up.

As for the FA selling the family silver like this reeks of desperation. They already know they can’t finance any re-modernisation when the time comes and probably can’t believe this opportunity has presented itself.

Another reason to be thoroughly disappointed and dejected at the state of modern sport in this country.


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[Weststander]

The Government paid for over £100m of the cost of the new Wembley.

Shirley the FA will pay that back out of the sale proceeds?

 

[Invicta]

With the amount of money in English football its pretty sad that they would contemplate selling to a foreign owner. Short term thinking.

 

[Withdean and I]

The public money should of course be paid back in full plus interest. And definitely no need for a National Stadium at all. We have plenty of grounds that can hold the 30,000 who still bother going to watch England.

I was joking about this. Wembley is iconic and always has been and it has always been special to play there. I can’t believe it could even be allowed to be sold. I think we did have a low crowd for an England game of about 40,000 a few years ago but appreciate that’s rare.

 

[clapham_gull]

Any deal that sees establishment of an overseas franchise for any other country’s domestic sport of choice sets a very dangerous precedent.

I’m not anti NFL I just hate the way teams can effectively sack their home city and upsticks if the commercial angle no longer stacks up.

As for the FA selling the family silver like this reeks of desperation. They already know they can’t finance any re-modernisation when the time comes and probably can’t believe this opportunity has presented itself.

Another reason to be thoroughly disappointed and dejected at the state of modern sport in this country.


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The FA didn't own the old Wembley did they ?

They used a Lottery Grant to buy it for 120 million to redevelop so it is hardly the family silver.

I am far from impressed by the new place and isn't something I particular care about.

If they sell (which is probably a good idea) they should pay the money back.

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[Perfidious Albion]

Yes, but it is OUR National stadium... Putting it in the hands of private foreign ownership means we have nothing . The whole point of it was to provide a home for England football, plus cup finals and national events.
£800 mill. won't go far once debts are repayed. What if the old one had been sold off back in the day? There would have been nothing to built the new one on.
Are they saying it was a mistake to rebuild it?
This is like a young couple selling up their house and just renting .. they enjoy the proceeds, while it lasts......
The Government have to get involved, surely they can stop it ?...I hope.

 

[The Birdman]

Sell it and build a brand new Stadium in the Midlands 120,000 stadium with designed for atmosphere.
With High speed rail link and invest in the Northern and Midlands power house.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Yes, but it is OUR National stadium... Putting it in the hands of private foreign ownership means we have nothing . The whole point of it was to provide a home for England football, plus cup finals and national events.
£800 mill. won't go far once debts are repayed. What if the old one had been sold off back in the day? There would have been nothing to built the new one on.
Are they saying it was a mistake to rebuild it?
This is like a young couple selling up their house and just renting .. they enjoy the proceeds, while it lasts......
The Government have to get involved, surely they can stop it ?...I hope.

IMO it was. We don't need a national stadium.

 

[Brovion]

My thoughts.
A few years ago a bunch of old men (no women) decided to rebuild Wembley at a cost of £600 million.
£800 million later they got their stadium but were broke and so had to have lots of matches played there.
Along comes Shahid Khan and offers less than it cost but £500 million cash, these men like the sound of that. "We could pretend it's for grass roots football" they say.
Sold!
They then realise they don't have any offices or a football stadium and so negotiations begin to 'rent back' for £50 million a year Wembley Stadium. To cover these costs all quarter final FA Cup matches must now be played at Wembley.
You just know that's how it will end up.

Don't you just know it? This is the FA trying to strike a deal with an American billionaire businessman. There is only going to be one winner.

(Having said that I'm not opposed to the sale of Wembley per se. I just want the right deal).

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Sell it and build a brand new Stadium in the Midlands 120,000 stadium with designed for atmosphere.
With High speed rail link and invest in the Northern and Midlands power house.

Your first stop Balcombe on the southern line stopper to Birmingham.......................

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Are you kidding ? We get at LEAST double that, mostly 80k. We got 77k for Lithuania last year, and 81k for Malta.

I am in agreement Easy, I was quoting the figure *Withdean and I* jokingly threw in the mix for capacity of alternative venues to hold England games. I would guess we have higher support for friendlies than most footballing nations. For me selling The home of English football to a foreign investor is a bad idea. The money they received would soon disappear and grass roots football would not benefit in the long term.

 

[John Byrnes Mullet]

Should not be allowed to happen. I am sure if an Englishman tried to buy the National Stadium in any other country around the world he would be told were to go. The Stadium was built with tax payers money.