I'm unsure about this.

Latics aren't exactly going to make him lots of money so I think the only reason he may want to buy them would be to have a grasp on the stadium, But I'd be surprised if Whelan was going to give that up. It's possible that they could continue in the Championship without making a loss, but with the crowds latics will get in the Championship I hardly see them making massive profits either. However that all depends on how the club is run. It could be profitable but it wouldn't be easy.

If IL where to buy Latics, and he also got the stadium aswell then I could see why It could be worth while. The Warriors wouldn't need to be paying rent anymore and I guess the running costs of the stadium would be shared equally between both clubs. So in that aspect over the long term it could be a worth while investment. Latics being in the championship, and IL's ownership could probably make it more possible to get more occasional international games etc played at the DW too.

But If he bought Latics and Whelan kept the stadium as His own company, then He's only going to charge both clubs rent and I only see there being one winner in that scenario...

I've no idea how much money Whelan has invested over the years In Latics, but we all know he isn't stupid when it comes to things like this.. Whatever he is upto it will be very favourable for him financially.

It all depends if Latics go down. If they do the value of the club will be a lot less than it is now and lets face who else would want to buy them?

I wonder how much Whelan values them at currently?

I doubt that IL will buy Latics and not buy the stadium

I doubt that DW is expecting to do well financially out of Latics. He's sunk a fortune into that club and hasn't done so in the expectation of making a profit. DW, like his counterpart at Bolton Ed Davies, are guys who have burnt a large part of their personal wealth out of love for their football club.

You're Wigan Athletic - you'll do as you're told.

Nah, happy being king of our own RL castle, with RL memorabilia plastered all around, bars named after RL greats, our own RL beer etc. No seething rage from me, wouldn't swap positions for all the tea in china.

I'm not saying it's a better stadium than the DW, but it's more of a RL stadium. IMO of course, I'm sure Wigan fans are equally chuffed with what is a cracking stadium in the DW. We have no need for a 25k stadium though - for us, bigger wouldn't mean better.

As for St Helens Town, we don't talk about them because they couldn't be any more irrelevant if they tried.

Got to be honest and say as a rugby league facility Saints looks top draw and I'd rather play in a stadium like that anyday then one like the DW.

Obviously we'd need it on a larger scale though!

When r the blue seats coming out
and the big IL letters going in?

How many clubs in the premiership and championship are run on a sustainable basis? I think Latics would be in the lower divisions and maybe even the lower leagues pretty quick.



I don't think you could assume equal priority. It is always us who change fixture dates at the moment and while Latics not being a premiership club [icould[/i change that I don't think it is certain. IL would still want Latics to be as successful as the budget allowed which would surely mean if they had a Saturday game we do not play Friday to cut the pitch up just as it does now.



I still do not think ownership is going to be any better than leasing especially given the terms we have that are supposed to be dirt cheap. I'd expect us to still lease it from a holding company and IL may well want the RL club to pay more when the money would in fact be being paid to one of his companies as opposed to a company owned by Dave Whelan.

I'm still racking mi' brains to figure out where dave's very bestist new mate ainscough fits into things.

I think Latics "true" league position would probably be in the 1st division, possibly the 2nd. If they went bust I think there's a risk they could fall down through the leagues into part-time territory.



Hull City and Hull FC seem to manage things. Not sure whether the football club gets priority, but they don't seem to have problems in the way that we do.



I'm far from convinced that we get a good deal. Wigan RL's revenue looks very low to me for a club with 16k average attendances, I'm not sure we have been given the full picture.

I think you know what I was referring to.

Its pretty simply really. IL Buys latics and moves them from the DW and in to orrell, providing the warriors with the DW. LOL

The reality is that the vast majority of Premier league clubs are not run on a "profitable" basis.

If IL, or anyone for that matter, were to adopt this approach, the Latics would be in Division 2 within 2 years.