I heard and think it's been in the press he wants rid of latics

Hope we get the ground be so awesome

I don't think he will buy the ground.

If he does it will be as a massive fan and not a business man. It cost 25million to build and would probably cost more than that to buy off Whelan. Will it give him that sort of return if he buys it?

I'd be amazed if Lenagan was able to pull this off - it would certainly be the final nail in the coffin of the Wigan turning blue myth.

Nobody more than me would love for to this happen...........


..........but I just can't see it..!!

Would love to be proven wrong though please IFL.

If Whelan is keen to sell the Latics - then why would he look to sell the ground to Lenegan?

From a business point of view it makes zero sense, and one thing you can't accuse Whelan of is being a bad businessman. Add in the fact Premier League rules state the Latics must have primacy of tenancy (awaits the "they won't be in it next season" remarks that have been made every year for the last 6 years) and you've got a rumour that makes no sense whatsoever.

They would be primary tennant, wigan rugby would be owners, latics tennants

So no different to now but we'd pay £millions for the privilege.

And this would be attractive to Lenegan how?

Whelan can sell the stadium and wipe out a large chunk of Latics' debt (his interest free loan). He might feel that a debt-free club playing at a low-rent stadium is a more attractive buy than a club owing millions (to him!) and the millstone costs of running a stadium. He gets his investment back and leaves the club "debt free", just like he did with Orrrell RUFC!! Big Dave always plays his cards close to his chest



Maybe IL thinks he can run the stadium as a commercial success? He is trying to buy the stadium for the club at Oxford United, albeit on a smaller scale.

A wild guess would be that the DW would cost anything between £15m-£20m to buy, maybe more/maybe less. From a commercial point of view the numbers would just not stack up for Lenegan given it costs us less than £200k a season to rent the place.

Add in the fact the prospective buyer for Latics would then have nothing to show for their purchase apart from a number of championship level players and a manager out of his depth and therefore "it's a no from me".

He would be getting rent off latics plus all the money from the bars and food areas

Not a clue how much a year it would be but i bet it would be a nice chunk

Owning the stadium also means a whole load of costs involved as well that we don't currently pay for and would be a hell of a lot more than the rent we currently pay:

Heat
Light
Water
Stewarding
Ticket office
other staff costs
Business rates
Groundsmen
Stadium repair and maintenance
Cleaning
Pitch repair maintenance (including the annual £100k pitch replacement)
the lists goes on and on and on.

Add the the fact we'd still be in the same situation with arranging our games around the Latics if they stay in the Premiership, the initial multi-million pound outlay
for Lenegan to maybe make a small profit each year and the fact it would considerably reduce the attractiveness for anyone to buy the Latics (if there's any in the first place) and it makes a rumour that has zero hold on reality.

I do feel that shared ownership will be the way forward.

33.3% Latics
33.3% Wigan RL
33.3% Council


IIRC - This was Whelan's original intention a few years ago, a gift to the 'people of Wigan'. Will try and look for the article online.

That is the best option surely.

If IL was to buy the stadium though he would be an instant legend!

For buying a stadium?
Would he balls

Whelan doesn't own all of it does he?

I cant argue with that

How many other SL clubs have to foot the bill for their stadium running costs?

Most of them i'd guess. Hull FC and Crusaders share with footy teams like us but all the other teams run their own ground as far as I'm aware. Not sure what the Leeds situation is they share with the Yawnion team and back onto the cricket club. Don't forget that newer stadiums like the DW, the HJ and such make money thyrough other avenues by having executive lounges and function rooms. I'll bet Whelan makes a mint when they have the darts and boxing at the DW

Probably none that'll suddenly need to find £10m, £15m or £20m for the privilege.

The boxing is generally in the sports hall (certainly the Sky shows) and so DW makes nowt, it goes into Wigan leisure and Culture Trust's pockets

I'll bet Whelan makes a mint when they have the darts and boxing at the DW

I dont recall the DW staging the darts as its normally the north west champs which is staged across at robin pk arena

Rumour has it that Matt King has left Warrington.

Saw that before, it looks like a wind up to me.

True

hope he has left though.

He came good for them, but it seemed to take a while.

When Wigan supposedly pulled out of the bidding war at £200,000 or whatever it was, I remember thinking he'd have to be a Barrett-esque signing (at least), to be worth any more than that. Good as he became, he hasn't been that.