FA confirm offer to buy Wembley Stadium
Thu Apr 26, 2018 02:43:pm Sports
3.5K By Obiaks Blog
The Football Association (FA) of England has announced it has received an offer to buy Wembley Stadium, with the NFL backing Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan as the potential new owner.
The FA said in a statement: "We can confirm that the FA has received an offer to buy Wembley Stadium."
The NFL said in a statement: "We are very happy for Shad Khan and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"The potential purchase of Wembley Stadium is a further powerful sign of their commitment to the UK and their vision to help us grow the sport.
"Having stadium options in London has always been critical to the NFL and, in tandem with our 10-year partnership with Tottenham Hotspur, this new relationship would allow for even greater flexibility in scheduling future NFL games in London."
The London Evening Standard reported that a £500 million bid was being put before the full FA board on Thursday and that an outline agreement between Khan and FA chief executive Martin Glenn is already in place.
In a statement on Fulham's website Khan outlined why the offer is in the interest of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the England national team.
"It was revealed today that I have made an offer to purchase Wembley Stadium from The Football Association. To everyone in the Fulham Family, I wanted you to be among the first to hear the news, directly from me, and share a bit of background," he wrote.
"As you likely know, in addition to the privilege of serving as chairman of Fulham Football Club, I am also owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League in the U.S. The Jaguars have played regular season home games at Wembley Stadium in each of the past five NFL seasons and will continue to do so at least through the 2020 season.
"The games the Jaguars play at Wembley are essential to the financial stability of the Jaguars in Jacksonville, which is one of the smallest markets in the NFL. If my ownership interests were to include Wembley Stadium, it would protect the Jaguars' position in London at a time when other NFL teams are understandably becoming more interested in this great city. And the stronger the Jaguars are in London, the more stable and promising the Jaguars' future will be in Jacksonville.
"As important, Wembley Stadium would return to private ownership and The Football Association would be able to focus on its core mission of developing players with the best player developers and facilities anywhere in the game, thanks in part to the vast financial benefit that would result from the transaction.
"I trust many if not most of you are also supporters of the England national teams, so I hope you welcome the potential of this becoming a reality. Always know Wembley would be home to the England national teams, and that we would strive every day of the year to be the best possible steward for a venue that is iconic and beloved here and throughout the world.
"No matter what the outcome of our offer may be, I want to emphatically state to you that none of this will have any effect on my commitment to your club."
It also reports that the money raised would be ring-fenced for investment in grass-roots programmes.
The stadium opened in 2007 and has an official capacity of 90,000.
ESPN
The FA said in a statement: "We can confirm that the FA has received an offer to buy Wembley Stadium."
The NFL said in a statement: "We are very happy for Shad Khan and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"The potential purchase of Wembley Stadium is a further powerful sign of their commitment to the UK and their vision to help us grow the sport.
"Having stadium options in London has always been critical to the NFL and, in tandem with our 10-year partnership with Tottenham Hotspur, this new relationship would allow for even greater flexibility in scheduling future NFL games in London."
The London Evening Standard reported that a £500 million bid was being put before the full FA board on Thursday and that an outline agreement between Khan and FA chief executive Martin Glenn is already in place.
In a statement on Fulham's website Khan outlined why the offer is in the interest of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the England national team.
"It was revealed today that I have made an offer to purchase Wembley Stadium from The Football Association. To everyone in the Fulham Family, I wanted you to be among the first to hear the news, directly from me, and share a bit of background," he wrote.
"As you likely know, in addition to the privilege of serving as chairman of Fulham Football Club, I am also owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League in the U.S. The Jaguars have played regular season home games at Wembley Stadium in each of the past five NFL seasons and will continue to do so at least through the 2020 season.
"The games the Jaguars play at Wembley are essential to the financial stability of the Jaguars in Jacksonville, which is one of the smallest markets in the NFL. If my ownership interests were to include Wembley Stadium, it would protect the Jaguars' position in London at a time when other NFL teams are understandably becoming more interested in this great city. And the stronger the Jaguars are in London, the more stable and promising the Jaguars' future will be in Jacksonville.
"As important, Wembley Stadium would return to private ownership and The Football Association would be able to focus on its core mission of developing players with the best player developers and facilities anywhere in the game, thanks in part to the vast financial benefit that would result from the transaction.
"I trust many if not most of you are also supporters of the England national teams, so I hope you welcome the potential of this becoming a reality. Always know Wembley would be home to the England national teams, and that we would strive every day of the year to be the best possible steward for a venue that is iconic and beloved here and throughout the world.
"No matter what the outcome of our offer may be, I want to emphatically state to you that none of this will have any effect on my commitment to your club."
It also reports that the money raised would be ring-fenced for investment in grass-roots programmes.
The stadium opened in 2007 and has an official capacity of 90,000.
ESPN
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