How long Coventry City have got to fix CBS Arena issue before EFL dish out fine | OneFootball

Coventry City could receive a large fine from the EFL if they do not secure a long-term agreement for the CBS Arena by early August.

Coventry City could be hit with a significant fine by the EFL if they do not reach a long-term agreement for the use of the CBS Arena by the 12th August.

According to Coventry Live, the EFL have approved a new rule which will see clubs given a fine if they do not have a tenancy agreement at their home ground that lasts for at least 10 years, meaning Coventry will need to work quickly to secure a deal with Mike Ashley's Frasers Group, who own the stadium.

Coventry have had a complicated history with the CBS Arena, and previous issues have meant they have been forced to play home games at Northampton Town's Sixfields and Birmingham City's St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, but they have remained at their current stadium since returning in 2021.

It has not all been plain sailing though, with the Frasers Group issuing the Sky Blues with an eviction notice in December 2022, but the situation was resolved in April 2023 after the club agreed a deal to continue playing their games at the stadium for the next five years.

However, under the new EFL regulations, that short-term contract will no longer be sufficient, and Coventry will have until seven working days into the new season to finalise a fresh agreement, otherwise they could face punishment.

Coventry City given EFL deadline to resolve Mike Ashley, CBS Arena issue

Under the rules agreed at the EFL's Annual General Meeting last week, Championship clubs will be fined £10,000 if they do not have at least a 10-year stadium agreement in place by the August deadline, with League One clubs receiving a £5,000 penalty and League Two clubs being hit with a £2,500 sanction.

However, those are only the fines for the first season in breach, and should the issue persist, clubs will be hit with a fine worth double the amount of the previous year for every subsequent season, while if the stadium lease expires before the end of the current season, a club could potentially be expelled from the EFL.

It seems Coventry owner Doug King was aware of the potential consequences of failing to reach a longer-term agreement for the use of the CBS Arena as he stated in April that he was determined to avoid a fine, but he hinted that negotiations with the Frasers Group were proving to be challenging.

"Everyone is aware of the situation. I think things take time, discussions are always happening and it’s obviously always on my mind because I don’t want a fine for the football club. I don’t think anyone wants that," King told Coventry Live.

"But look, we’re commercial parties. This is not a charitable situation. We’re both commercial entities and we have to reach agreements to work for both parties."

The club made a £25 million bid to buy the CBS Arena shortly after King's takeover was agreed, and when asked if he is still keen to purchase the stadium, the Sky Blues chief said: "Yes, I think so. If you recall back in November 2022 we tried to do that so look, it should never have been moved away long-term from the football club, in my view. Umm, that was a mistake.

"I know the reasons why that happened but it was a mistake and yeah, obviously my goal is to get it together somehow."

After a stunning rise up the table in the second half of the campaign under Frank Lampard, Coventry finished fifth in the Championship last season, but they missed out on promotion as they were knocked out of the play-offs in agonising fashion by Dan Ballard's 122nd-minute winner for Sunderland in their semi-final second leg at the Stadium of Light.

Coventry City supporters will trust Doug King to sort CBS Arena problem

While promotion to the Premier League has remained elusive for Coventry, they have been a club on an upward trajectory since King's takeover two-and-a-half years ago, and they are undoubtedly in a stronger position off the pitch now than they were under previous owners SISU.

The tenancy of the CBS Arena has been a long-term issue for the Sky Blues, but King has reiterated his commitment to bringing the stadium and the club back under the same ownership, and supporters will be optimistic that he can reach an agreement with Ashley and the Frasers Group.

With a five-year deal currently in place, Coventry are no longer facing the threat of being evicted from their home ground, but with hefty fines potentially on the horizon if a longer-term contract is not secured, which could eat into the club's transfer and wage budget, King will be hoping to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.