It's reported in this mornings MEN that Sale are looking for somewhere else to play, as things just haven't worked out at the AJ Bell.

What are the financial implications of the Sharks moving? I'm assuming it's a good thing for us?

Well I assume Marwan could hold a gun to the SM heads if the sharks go as we'll be there only tenant, Koukash could finally get his hands on the stadium weather it would be the councils half or the whole lot.

May not be for Salford Council.
If Sale leave, the political wrangling will be interesting and could involve Peel buying out Salford borough's share at a low price.

Can only be good whatever the outcome.

If they get the improvement they are seeking then it also improves for us.

If they do walk away I'm sure that would be a wake up call the Stadium management couldn't ignore and would give Marwan more leverage in his hopes for the site.

Sale signed a 25 yr lease.
I seem to remember their 1st opt out window was only after 5 yrs.. it'll cost 'em if they looking to jump after only 2.

they may have to prove a breach of contract if they believe the SMC hasn't held up parts of the agreement ,
I dare say ' access' will be the soft underbelly.

I do agree , with AJ Bell signing a 10 yr naming agreement ,the political fallout from building the place & Azure looking to recoup the contract they made for catering with 1 less tenant, a financially astute owner may be able to make something of this.

on the bright side we may even get our shop back ...

Sale moving out would be very bad news.
Leave prejudice behind.
If the stadium has multiple tenants,it helps with costs,infrastructure,food concessions etc

It has plus and minus points.

It means that Sale will no longer be lording it up as the self-titled main tenant and the shop will go back to being ours. On the other hand, costs, rent etc will rise for us. I'm no business man, so have no idea if it would be a good thing for Marwan in his hunt for ownership. I daresay it gives him more leverage because if he threatens to move away, as he's hinted at, they'd be left with no tenants.

It all seems like empty threats to me. The commercial impact on them would be huge, as has been said they signed a 25 year lease and sold the naming rights to the stadium too.

There was a report in the Comic in the last week or so saying that Sale were (quite rightly) livid about the traffic light system on the approach to the ground. Might have been last weekend where they had a European game and had assurances that the lights would be taken down and the road fully re opened but someone 'forgot' to do so.

Can see that it would give the Doc the whip hand in his efforts to buy the stadium but would he want to buy it still? having two tenants in situ makes the stadium at least viable, but surely just Salford then it is nothing but a huge loss maker.

The best option would be for Sale and Salford to join forces and deliver a joint message to the SMC/Peel/Council that collectively we are not happy with the current situation and then hopefully force them into the kind of action it seems is not currently being taken.

It appears it's a 25 year lease with an opt out after 5 years, so the impact may not be all that great. They will probably lose something on the naming rights, but it may be that their current poor attendances outweighs it. I've had the odd look around the Sale message board this past couple of months, and it seems their attendances are far worse than the quoted 6000 average suggests, with their fans often reckoning the actual attendance is around half to two-thirds of the official attendance. It looks like they're including tickets given away, even if the people don't turn up (and they don't). They're probably including the ghosts too.
I suspect it is just an attempt to get the SMC to improve the 'matchday experience', although it's difficult to see what they could do about the access problems. And, for sale at least, it's the access problems that count. Most of their fans are in the South Manchester/Cheshire area, and getting to the stadium on a Friday night is difficult from there.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... in-6650602 Good to see someone speaking up for the fans and the poor 'matchday experience' at Barton. Or maybe they are being a bit 'Daily Mail,' as one forum poster recently described criticism of the stadiums matchday operations.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... in-6650602 Good to see someone speaking up for the fans and the poor 'matchday experience' at Barton. Or maybe they are being a bit 'Daily Mail,' as one forum poster recently described criticism of the stadiums matchday operations.

Comic report. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... in-6650602 I think this is the incident that might bring all concerns to a head. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... nt-6597008

Comic report. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... in-6650602 I think this is the incident that might bring all concerns to a head. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... nt-6597008

I do like the fact that, since day 1, Salford fans and staff (Koukash included when he came on board) have complained about the stadium and various aspects of it. Then as soon as Sale complain about it, to the point of thinking of leaving, social media is full of Salford fans laughing and telling them "if you don't like it, f**k off." Short memories, some people.

I've often wondered if Kennedy and the Doc might consider a joint bit to buy the stadium?

Not got a clue how it would work but sure two businessmen would be able to thrash out a deal and ensure it was mutually beneficial to both clubs.