A club in England’s second-highest level of professional soccer no longer has a home.
Coventry City FC has received an eviction notice from the new owners of Coventry Building Society Arena, which has been the team’s home since 2005. The Sky Blues, members of the English Football League Championship, were asked to leave after it refused a “less favorable” lease offer from Frasers Group.
Frasers Group — a British retail and sports company owned by former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley — took over the lease at CBS Arena in November for $21 million. The transaction included the business and assets of the stadium’s operators Arena Coventry Limited, Arena Coventry (2006), and IEC Experience Limited.
- Coventry City is owned by London-based investment firm SISU Capital Ltd.
- The club has an existing license to play at CBS Arena through 2031.
- CBS Arena, capacity of 32,600, previously hosted Olympic events.
- The Sky Blues are scheduled to play Swansea AFC at home on Dec. 17.
The English Football League Championship is the highest division of the English Football League and is second overall in the English football league system, following the Premier League.
New Club Owner
In November, SISU agreed to sell an 85% stake in Coventry City to Yelo Enterprises CEO Doug King for an undisclosed amount. The deal will clear all debt for the club. King attempted to delay court proceedings for Frasers Group’s lease purchase but was unsuccessful.
King had planned to submit a $30.4 million counteroffer.
