“Coventry City Football Club will now be run as a business” said Daniel Gidney when he met with members from the Sky Blue Trust  yesterday as they sought to find answers to the rumours about the changes current taking place at Coventry City Football Club.

A co-operative contract has been signed by the two businesses (Arena Coventry Limited and Sky Blue Sports and Leisure ltd) which means that all employees now work for one common purpose - to ensure the Ricoh Arena complex including the football club is successful so that people enjoy their experience and make a return visit. The football club will, at some time in the future, now receive a share in match-day revenue. 

The blame culture between the two companies, that so many supporters experienced, will no longer be practiced and while there will not be a “customer services” department each Director will take responsibility for any complaints or queries received by visitors to the complex. 

The major concern supporters have had over recent weeks is the rumoured closure of the ticket office and the potential outsourcing of ticket sales to Ticketmaster. Daniel Gidney assured that a walk-up style box office will remain, but are looking at outsourcing all telephone sales so that supporters can purchase tickets 24 hours a day 7 days a week and will be able to purchase all Ricoh Arena event tickets from the Ticket Office, the telephone and website.   

The Press and PR department will not be transferring to Advent Communications but as they are contracted to ACL they will be working more closely with CCFC’s Press and PR department although how this will work is still being discussed. 

While the fan may now be seen as a customer, Mr Gidney stressed they will be at the heart of decisions made by the new structure and backed this up with the promise of regular meetings with the Sky Blue Trust to enable supporters to voice their concerns and queries.