Key information about Ricoh Arena

Ricoh Arena was built in 2005 and used to be the home of Coventry City until they were forced out prior to the beginning of the 2019/20 season. The ground is located in the city of Coventry and is now being used by Wasps rugby union club.

Its current capacity is 32,609 and it has a pitch that measures 105m by 68m. The surface of the pitch is covered with natural grass and it has undersoil heating installed with no running track surrounding it.

The record attendance of 32,019 fans at Ricoh Arena was actually set in a rugby clash between the Wasps and Leicester Tigers on 9 May 2015.

A history of Ricoh Arena

The history of Ricoh Arena is quite interesting to say the least. The decision to move Coventry City from their previous ground, Highfield Road, to a new stadium was made back in 1997 by the club's former chairman Bryan Richardson. The club needed a bigger venue for their games and a ground that would be more accessible to the fans.

Even though the initial plan was to have it finished by the time the 2000/01 season kicked off, the actual construction was about four years late and Ricoh Arena wouldn’t be opened until as late as 2005. Similarly, those plans were far more ambitious at first but following the club’s relegation from the Premiership and a number of financiers and contractors withdrawing from the deal, among other things, the project was significantly downsized in the end.

But even more problems occurred as the grand opening was slowly but surely in sight. Jaguar was supposed to be the stadium’s official sponsor and in 2004, 12 months before the ground’s opening, that was also confirmed. However, Jaguar would opt out of the deal soon afterwards and a deal with Ricoh would be struck instead.

Upon Ricoh Arena’s completion, the first game to be played there was Coventry’s clash against Queens Park Rangers on 20 August 2005 and 23,012 fans witnessed the home side stroll to a 3-0 victory. Interestingly, the grand opening ceremony wouldn’t be held until 24 February 2007, by which time it had already hosted England’s U21 game against Germany as well as a whole campaign of Coventry City matches.

At first, life was good at Ricoh Arena and Coventry even enjoyed their peak attendance during the FA Cup quarter-final clash against Chelsea when around 31,407 supporters were in the stand. But then, the rent disputes started.

In 2012, the club’s owners became engaged in a dispute with ACL over the rent arrangement and a lack of access to matchday revenue, which would, after several point deductions and penalties, ultimately result in Coventry moving out of the Ricoh Arena in 2013.

During those trying times, they played their home games at Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium until, in 2014, a two-year deal to bring Coventry City back to the Ricoh Arena was agreed between the owners and ACL. The deal was later extended until 2019 before another dispute prior to the 2019/20 campaign meant the club would vacate the ground indefinitely, this time seeking tenancy at Birmingham City's St Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium.

Now, the Ricoh Arena belongs solely to the Wasps rugby union club who first moved in back in 2014.

Tickets to watch Coventry City at Ricoh Arena (relocated to St Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium)

With Coventry City not playing at Ricoh Arena anymore, their home games can now be seen at St Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium instead. All the tickets are still available for purchase on their official website.

The price for all adult tickets are £20, concessions £15, Under 18s £10, while JSB Under 13s can get a free ticket to any league game if they are there with an adult. JSB Under 16s tickets can be bought for only £5.

https://www.ccfc.co.uk/ - Official website of Coventry City

https://www.ccfc.co.uk/tickets/ - Coventry City Ticket Office