Latest news with #Knighthead
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Birmingham aim to reach Premier League next year
Birmingham City chairman Tom Wagner says the club are targeting successive promotions and reaching the Premier League next year "is certainly the goal".The League One champions broke the EFL record for most points in a season in 2024-25, and the American businessman told BBC Sport he wants the club to return to the top flight "as quickly as we can".With plans for a new stadium handed a major boost on Tuesday, after the government confirmed investment in local transport links, Wagner believes the Blues will be "highly competitive" in the he says that is because the club's commercial revenues will be "very close to, if not in line with" those of rivals in receipt of parachute payments. Leicester City, Southampton and Ipswich Town will each benefit from almost £50m next season, having been relegated from the Premier spent £25m after dropping down from the Championship last year, and Wagner vowed to be "very active in the transfer market" this summer in a bid to build on the progress under "exceptional" manager Chris added he is open to the idea of clubs playing some cup matches overseas as a means of growing an international fanbase. 'Unique opportunity' A "thrilled" Wagner was speaking after his hopes for a new 62,000-seat stadium to replace St Andrews took a significant step forward, with government funding for a new tramline to a planned £3bn 'Sports Quarter' in the east of the club's owners, US investment firm Knighthead Capital - which Wagner founded - wants to build a 125-acre sports and leisure complex on abandoned land in Bordesley Green, and have been trying to persuade ministers to grant the West Midlands billions of pounds to fund new transport links for the regeneration that has been achieved, he says the aim is for the "transformative" Sports Quarter - which will also include a 20,000-seat arena, hotel and training complex for the club's men's, women's and academy teams - to be open by 2030."We needed the transport links to ensure the site was viable," said Wagner."This will be an entertainment venue unlike many others in the world.""We have a unique opportunity. If you look across western Europe you'd be hard pressed to find another city with that much land available... where a project of this magnitude could be created."This will be a venue that is used 365 days a year, we'll create 8,500 jobs... the goal would be to host a whole range of international events, not solely football but American football, rugby."Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady is a minority owner of Birmingham asked if there was a risk that the new stadium would result in higher ticket prices for supporters, Wagner said: "If you price out the fans that are here you have different people sitting in the stands, you lose the singing, you lose the passion and then you've lost your product."We have to remember this is a club of the people and that means the solution for growing commercial revenue is not solved through ticket prices, it's solved through making a better product."Last year, Birmingham City's former chief executive Garry Cook said it would be "a great idea" if they played a league match against fellow US-owned club Wrexham on American soil."I don't think that it makes sense to do it necessarily with regular-season matches," said asked what he thought about potentially playing some domestic cup matches in the US, he said: "It's something that has to be thought of."When you think about the top-tier clubs in the Premier League, they're competing globally, which means that they have to have global fans and global-scale revenue, and if that means playing some matches overseas to create more following and revenue for the club I think that's a good thing."You have to find a way to do it that doesn't take away from your local community, so it's very much a balancing act. There's a very fine line that needs to be walked there, but I think for the top clubs it's something that has to be seriously considered."Perhaps there's a different tournament, or something that happens that allows for that, maybe at a different point in time in the season. There's a whole series of ways that could be pursued beyond simply the pre-season tours."When asked what assurances he could give to fans concerned about the number of English clubs now controlled by US investors, Wagner said: "The reason Americans are drawn to investing here is because it's English football."If we 'Americanise' it, then it's lost everything that drew people here in the first place."
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
‘A huge step forward' – Championship club get update on new £3billion stadium as incredible concept video is released
FANS are hailing "monumental" progress in a Championship club's £3bililion scheme for a new 60,000-seat stadium and community hub. Advertisement 5 Supporters are even more excited after seeing the new images Credit: Youtube @BCFC 5 The club plan mega transport links Credit: Youtube @BCFC 5 A video gave an insight into the huge complex Credit: Youtube @BCFC 5 Birmingham City minority owner Tom Brady is one of the main people behind a revival on the pitch and spectacular plans off it Credit: Reuters Minority shareholder Brady and Blues' owners Knighthead plan to follow an That was 19 points clear of Ryan Reynolds' Now the club have released a clip with awesome transport links to a futuristic venue likened in the past to a "spaceship". Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL One side of a blue-walled, smoothly-curved stadium is shown, with sweeping views of tree-lined walkways and rail links. One viewer claimed on X: "People will be coming from all corners of the country to take in the view." Another veteran supporter posted: "After 70 years of suffering mainly heartache it's just my luck to be on the downward slope now that #BCFC are finally on the way to the top with the best owners in its 150 year history. "Today's funding confirmation has given me a purpose in life. Thanks TW." Advertisement Most read in Championship Exclusive 5 The sleek design impressed observers Credit: Youtube @BCFC BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Those initials are a reference to Knighthead's co-founder and Blues' chairman Tom Wagner, who has described the go-ahead for travel connections as a "huge step forward for the Sports Quarter". An estimated £2.4bn Government investment in local transport will be used to extend the area's Metro to the proposed new venue. Advertisement Tom Brady tells owner rival Rob Mcelhenney 'shame on you' after giving away his touching gift That's kickstarted the whole £3bn scheme, with the first phase set to be finished by 2029. The club also say "the extension of Birmingham City Centre to East Birmingham will help unlock the future of the development" - including creating around 10,000 jobs. Fans seem thrilled by the transport links. And after seeing the club's video, one supporter wrote: "Love the stadium design as well guys it's gonna look mint." Wagner said: 'The Chancellor's undertaking to upgrade transport links in East Birmingham is a huge step forward for the Sports Quarter. Advertisement "It gives us the springboard we need to advance this transformative project at pace, bringing huge benefits to the people of East Birmingham and the wider region in the shape of jobs and opportunities, as well as economic growth that will be felt across the whole of the UK.' Last month Wagner had also unveiled plans to provide outstanding training facilities for academy players "unlike any other that exists in European football". And Blues' interim CEO Jeremy Dale spoke of "creating jobs, building infrastructure for our local community, and creating a world-class sporting venue that will put Birmingham on the map". The planned stadium would double Birmingham's capacity of 29,409 at St. Andrew's. Advertisement
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
‘A huge step forward' – Championship club get update on new £3billion stadium as incredible concept video is released
FANS are hailing "monumental" progress in a Championship club's £3bililion scheme for a new stadium and community hub. Birmingham City released a concept video of a massive complex - as NFL legend Tom Brady 's dreams in a different version of football moved a step closer to reality. 5 5 5 5 Minority shareholder Brady and Blues' owners Knighthead plan to follow an incredible season on the pitch with jaw-dropping developments off it Birmingham romped back to the second-tier by amassing 111 points as big-spending League One champions. That was 19 points clear of Ryan Reynolds ' Wrexham in second place. Now the club have released a clip with awesome transport links to a futuristic 62,000-seat stadium likened in the past to a "spaceship". One side of a blue-walled, smoothly-curved stadium is shown, with sweeping views of tree-lined walkways and rail links. One viewer claimed on X: "People will be coming from all corners of the country to take in the view." Another veteran supporter posted: "After 70 years of suffering mainly heartache it's just my luck to be on the downward slope now that #BCFC are finally on the way to the top with the best owners in its 150 year history. Today's funding confirmation has given me a purpose in life. Thanks TW." 5 Those initials are a reference to Knighthead's co-founder and Blues' chairman Tom Wagner, who has described the go-ahead for travel connections as a "huge step forward for the Sports Quarter". An estimated £2.4bn Government investment in local transport will be used to extend the area's Metro to the proposed new venue. Tom Brady tells owner rival Rob Mcelhenney 'shame on you' after giving away his touching gift That's kickstarted the whole £3bn scheme, with the first phase set to be finished by 2029. Meanwhile, the club say "the extension of Birmingham City Centre to East Birmingham will help unlock the future of the development" - including creating around 10,000 jobs. Fans seem thrilled by the transport links. And after seeing the club's video, one supporter wrote: "Love the stadium design as well guys it's gonna look mint." Wagner said: 'The Chancellor's undertaking to upgrade transport links in East Birmingham is a huge step forward for the Sports Quarter. "It gives us the springboard we need to advance this transformative project at pace, bringing huge benefits to the people of East Birmingham and the wider region in the shape of jobs and opportunities, as well as economic growth that will be felt across the whole of the UK.' Last month Wagner had also unveiled plans to provide outstanding training facilities for the club's academy players "unlike any other that exists in European football". And Blues' interim CEO Jeremy Dale spoke of "creating jobs, building infrastructure for our local community, and creating a world-class sporting venue that will put Birmingham on the map".
New York Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Birmingham City to have Category One academy status restored
Birmingham City will soon be awarded Category One academy status thanks to a continued push from their U.S. owners Knighthead as they work to restore a youth system that produced Jude Bellingham back to its previous level. The club's academy lost its Category One status in 2022 after being granted an initial 12-month provisional licence. It was revoked by the Professional Game Academy Audit Company (PGAAC) due to a lack of investment from the former owners, Birmingham Sports Holdings Ltd. As part of the latest audit, the PGAAC returned to the Knighthead Performance Centre, formerly known as Wast Hills, to access, amongst other things, the facilities and staffing levels. Birmingham have received a positive update and will be able to start building for the future. Category One status will open the door to the elite domestic leagues and fixtures, and allow the club to continue rebuilding after losing some of their best young players across various age levels to rival clubs. Chairman Tom Wagner previously spoke about improving the academy and pledged to 'help young talent' flourish when Knighthead gained control of the club in 2023. A provisional one-year licence has been granted ahead of another audit next season. Birmingham will play in the Championship during the 2025-26 campaign after winning League One with a record-breaking 111 points in their second season under Knighthead's ownership. The club had been relegated from the Championship the previous season. Real Madrid and England midfielder Bellingham is a product of the Birmingham academy and broke into the first team in 2019, becoming the club's youngest debutant, aged 16 years and 38 days and earning a move to Borussia Dortmund. (Top image of Jude Bellingham at Birmingham City, via James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
BBC News
09-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Fry backs Birmingham to reach Premier League next season
Barry Fry has backed Birmingham City to pull off consecutive promotions and return to the Premier League for the first time since Peterborough United football director watched from the stands as the club he managed to the League Two title and Football League Trophy double in 1995 clinched promotion back to the Championship with a 2-1 win at London his own team's defeat, Fry declared himself delighted at Birmingham's success after a relegation last season had followed years of uncertainty and Blues' dominant season sees them return to the Championship at the first time of asking after new owners Knighthead invested heavily in the squad, and with a new Premier League-standard stadium in the pipeline, just a mile from their current home at St Andrew's, Fry says the revival is ongoing."Birmingham City are the best team in the division by a mile," he said. "They're the richest club, they've got a fanbase that everybody would die for, and they have an owner that gives them financial stability now."The recruitment they've done, especially with their manager Chris Davies, is absolutely top drawer. "I tip them to go again, back-to-back promotions, that's how ambitious they are. The stadium at St Andrew's ain't big enough to get all the Bluenoses in - that's why the owner is building a new one."Knighthead funded a squad thought to be the most expensive in the history of English football's third tier, headed by the three most expensive transfers at that level in striker Jay Stansfield, centre-back Christoph Klarer and attacking midfielder Willum Thor splurge has paid off hugely, with Brum securing promotion with five games to spare and also booking a Wembley date against Peterborough in the final of the EFL Trophy on a shaky start to their tenure, when they sacked John Eustace with Birmingham sixth in the Championship, and appointed Wayne Rooney - who took them to the brink of relegation - Knighthead have won over the fans by backing their commitment with hard who turned 80 this week and is still celebrated by Blues fans, said he was pleased to see the upturn in fortunes at his old said: "I'm so happy for the Bluenoses, because they've been in turmoil for so, so long, not knowing who the owner is, or where their club is going, but they've 'kept right on', as the song says. Brilliant fans."
