Raiders

Having talk with Brent to play in the ice rink site. Need to increase it size


Raiders boss interested in switch to Home Park


PLYMOUTH Raiders are mulling over the possibility of moving to Home Park to play on an ice rink.
They have held talks with Plymouth Argyle, which are still ongoing, and could hinge around chairman James Brent's plans to build the ice-rink at the Pilgrims' stadium.

Raiders' BBL rivals Surrey Heat used an ice rink with a covering when they ventured into Europe in 2007/08.
A similar move in Plymouth would give Raiders far more seating capacity, which would be necessary should the club realise their long-held ambition of entering European competition.
Playing regulations on the continent state that there should be seating for at least 2,500 fans. The Raiders' present home, the Pavilions, has room for close to only 1,500.
Raiders chairman Bob Widdecombe said that the club had to turn away hundreds of fans on one occasion because there simply wasn't room for them.
Raiders fans can buy tickets at the door, but if they have been snapped up via the club's box office or by earlier arrivals, they will not be allowed into the match.
Widdecombe said the Pavilions was an excellent arena, but said: "It's got a capacity of 1,487 and we have been forced to turn fans away.
"For one game last season, we turned away 300 fans, which was a great shame and it's something we are looking at for the future."
Widdecombe said the club did not know what capacity the ice rink at Home Park would have yet, but added: "We've had a couple of meetings with James Brent and we need to discuss what the future is going to be – they've still got to build the ice rink.
"In an ideal world, we could do with an arena with a capacity of 2,000, because if we play in Europe, as we want to do, they're looking at a capacity of 2,000-2,500 fans."
Widdecombe said he wanted the club to become winners on the court, as well as famed for their entertainment during matches and organisation off it.
While Raiders have been a successful franchise since they joined the BBL in 2004/05, they have only landed one trophy.
He said: "We're probably one of the most progressive BBL clubs. We're on a par with (powerhouse) Newcastle and (present champions) Leicester in terms of organisation and better at entertainment than them.
"We have been consistently in the top half of the table and we have built the infrastructure and stability of the club.
"We don't want to be a yo-yo club where we win everything one year and then disappear."
Meanwhile, the University of St Mark and St John have voiced their disappointment at not continuing as Raiders' main sponsor.
Raiders announced a new three-year partnership with Plymouth University on Wednesday.
In a statement, Marjon said: "After supporting Plymouth Raiders for the last three years it is with some sadness that our tenure as the main sponsor has now come to an end.
"We will continue to work closely with Raiders to support their future success and the development of basketball in the city.
"The university has a strong reputation of working collaboratively in the field of sport and will continue to do so in the future for the benefit of Plymouth and the South West region.
"We wish Plymouth Raiders every success in the future."

Oh goodie ! An even smaller ministand for Argyle or just maybe, the WG plans involving Cottage Field etc. are the way forward.

If you're listening Mr Brent, it would shut a lot of us up and you might even get some of us through the turnstyles again with a fit for the future Grandstand.

I don't understand this article.

At no point does it actually mention that Brents Inbetweener Ice Rink will have 1500 seats. Too big for local stuff, too small for National stuff. I thought part of the Brent masterplan was to upgrade and increase the Pavilions capacity anyway?

Perhaps they could shave a bit more off the Ministand budget to make the ice rink bigger.

I'm actually all in favour of building a proper capacity Rink - if there simply has to be one, do it fcukin properly. Get the Raiders there, get an Ice Hockey team in the National Leagues. That would actually be a big tick in the box.

Czarcasm wrote:

I don't understand this article.

At no point does it actually mention that Brents Inbetweener Ice Rink will have 1500 seats. Too big for local stuff, too small for National stuff. I thought part of the Brent masterplan was to upgrade and increase the Pavilions capacity anyway?

Perhaps they could shave a bit more off the Ministand budget to make the ice rink bigger.

I'm actually all in favour of building a proper capacity Rink - if there simply has to be one, do it fcukin properly. Get the Raiders there, get an Ice Hockey team in the National Leagues. That would actually be a big tick in the box.

I think the Pavilion will increase by around 500 standing, Damon is the men to ask


The new rink quote

The arena will have a 60 by 30 metre ice pad for social and competition skating, with facilities for 1,500 spectators and the potential to host major events including figure skating and ice hockey matches.”

Czarcasm wrote:

I don't understand this article.

At no point does it actually mention that Brents Inbetweener Ice Rink will have 1500 seats. Too big for local stuff, too small for National stuff. I thought part of the Brent masterplan was to upgrade and increase the Pavilions capacity anyway?

Perhaps they could shave a bit more off the Ministand budget to make the ice rink bigger.

I'm actually all in favour of building a proper capacity Rink - if there simply has to be one, do it fcukin properly. Get the Raiders there, get an Ice Hockey team in the National Leagues. That would actually be a big tick in the box.

Me too.

Home Park should be a sporting Quarter incorporating a bigger main stand, the life centre, a larger ice rink housing the raiders and an ice hockey team. Given that a hotel would be a sensible move as well as the additional restaurant facilities.

The pavilions area could then be the entertainment sector.

The Council have given Brent £2mil to build the rink

Top class sporting facilities in the park. Cinemas, schools, dentists etc in the city centre.

Do it right, to inspire today and for future generations, or don't do it at all.

TGWU - the Pavilions is losing around £1million per annum. The £2million from the Council was given to keep it going untiul the new Pavilions was ready to go.

A real non-story. European Basketball requirements for 2,500 is not applicable. Whilst at Raiders I negotiated with the European bodies who would happily accept 1,500 (provided all other criteria met, including a Top 2 finish!).

I have not seen any plans for the enlarged Pavilions but I do remember reading somewhere that the new Arena would not be suitable for Basketball (if anyone knows please feel free to enlighten me). Playing on the ice pad could give additional 'ringside seats' - perhaps boosting Raiders capacity to around 1,750. 

But the major point of conversation has to be rent. Plymouth City Council have sponsored Raiders to the tune of around £60k per annum by allowing them to play at the Pavilions RENT FREE. I find it impossible to believe that anyone can have any kind of conversation about a Raiders move to the Pavilions when the operator of the Ice Rink has not yet been appointed. This 'story' is filling space - Raiders Chairman tells reporter I have spoken to JB and we would like more capacity and the Ice could be adapted. More chip wrapper.

If Jimmy B retains ownership of the ice rink the Raiders won't be able to pay the rent, he only does freebies to the chosen few.

I couldn't really give a monkees anyway, i only care about Argyle.

i guess someone has been stealing my ideas didnt i call this months ago?

This is Brent's way of making his ice arena actually make some money and justify its existence imo nothing more its too small to be used for anything of worth ie shows and hockey. It wouldn't be a bad idea for the Raiders to move into it they could call it the raiderdome (trademark oakland raiders before any brenties reads this and plans to steal this idea too)

Several years ago, Robert Hillier (remember him?) and I talked a lot about a home for the Raiders alongside HP - a centre for sporting excellence.

Simple fact is there is no need for a Ice Rink in Central Park - the demand just does not stack up. The Raiders in a purpose built home with a decent capacity makes perfect sense.

As for Cinemas, Dentists, retail units - words fail me.

Concentrate on sporting facilities, entertainment and shops should be where they belong, in the City Centre.

You are approaching this from the wrong angle PP, just get it built and we will worry about the detail later, as for naming how about the White Elephant Arena?

I had high hopes for young Robert.  He had some very interesting ideas that were linked to the consortium that approached Stapleton (I think I'm correct in saying that).  There was an energy and thinking behind that group that had me excited.

Raiderdome is what the Raiders fans call Pavilions now, so no commission for you there Angry.

JB has no interest in operating the Ice Rink - it will go to one of the big boys - Planet Ice perhaps.

Building an Arena next to HP has been on the Agenda of every Board. It was in the plans when I met with the CEO of Hard Rock many moons ago.

Is this going to be dual purpose as a concert venue though Damon, I understood the Pavillions were having an upgrade on that side of things?

The Pavilions will have a refit and enlarged standing areas for concerts. Not sure why but I am sure I read somewhere that it then becomes unsuitable for basketball. It will be concerts at the Pavilions - sport/ice at HP. I don't think they'll want concerts at the Ice Rink as it will eat into the ice skating time too much.

Damon.Lenszner wrote:

Raiderdome is what the Raiders fans call Pavilions now, so no commission for you there Angry.

JB has no interest in operating the Ice Rink - it will go to one of the big boys - Planet Ice perhaps.

Building an Arena next to HP has been on the Agenda of every Board. It was in the plans when I met with the CEO of Hard Rock many moons ago.

im on about official names of the building damon not nicknames.

It would make more sense for brent to just build an arena on the carpark that can home ice hockey/basketball/darts/snooker/corporate functions with a few shops and a bar inside if need be as that would make him money but what do i know

Dump the cinema and enlarge the stand and the ice rink - sports only!! Oh shite, forgot the hotel!!

12,000 seater grandstand and a 4k seater ice rink. That's all we need. Plenty of room for this if the rest of the shite is ditched.

Person Of Interest wrote:

12,000 seater grandstand and a 4k seater ice rink. That's all we need. Plenty of room for this if the rest of the shite is ditched.

We don't need to ditch all of it but the school should go and the grandstand should fill the two corners. 12000 might be a bit too big but 10000 would be ideal. While we're at it shift the cinema into the city centre where it would be both wanted and popular. They could then stick in a mega-Nandos, F&B etc and an enormopub, something like the Wetherspoons by Exeter St David's, and re-route the road. All of a sudden we'd have an expanded stadium that showed some ambition for the future and could be expanded again as required when the time came because the road wouldn't be boxing it in.

The ice rink would then be begging for both the Raiders and an ice hockey franchise and could be used for concerts by relatively small acts, the Pavillions could put on the bigger shows and HP the odd stadium gig. They wouldn't be in competition with each other because they be serving different niches in the market.

We'd get the stadium we want, Brent would get his hotel, the council would get their ice rink, the city centre would be invigorated and not an inch of the park would be touched so even the Friends of Central Park should be happy (or happier anyway).

It's a simple and obvious solution that would meet near universal acclaim with no losers anywhere. It would show empathy, vision and common sense. Probably make even more profit in the longer term too.

Please allow it to happen, Mr Brent, because the plan we have now doesn't fit into anybody's definition of aspirational and if you take away aspiration there's nothing left. Nothing left at all.

And I can't imagine why anybody would want to leave that as their legacy when they just do not have to.

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

Person Of Interest wrote:

12,000 seater grandstand and a 4k seater ice rink. That's all we need. Plenty of room for this if the rest of the shite is ditched.

We don't need to ditch all of it but the school should go and the grandstand should fill the two corners. 12000 might be a bit too big but 10000 would be ideal. While we're at it shift the cinema into the city centre where it would be both wanted and popular. They could then stick in a mega-Nandos, F&B etc and an enormopub, something like the Wetherspoons by Exeter St David's, and re-route the road. All of a sudden we'd have an expanded stadium that showed some ambition for the future and could be expanded again as required when the time came because the road wouldn't be boxing it in.

The ice rink would then be begging for both the Raiders and an ice hockey franchise and could be used for concerts by relatively small acts, the Pavillions could put on the bigger shows and HP the odd stadium gig. They wouldn't be in competition with each other because they be serving different niches in the market.

We'd get the stadium we want, Brent would get his hotel, the council would get their ice rink, the city centre would be invigorated and not an inch of the park would be touched so even the Friends of Central Park should be happy (or happier anyway).

It's a simple and obvious solution that would meet near universal acclaim with no losers anywhere. It would show empathy, vision and common sense. Probably make even more profit in the longer term too.

Please allow it to happen, Mr Brent, because the plan we have now doesn't fit into anybody's definition of aspirational and if you take away aspiration there's nothing left. Nothing left at all.

And I can't imagine why anybody would want to leave that as their legacy when they just do not have to.

No arguments from me there, SFD. What you have described above is pretty much a perfect set-up, imho. So, you know it's got no fecking chance of happening.