Joy Seppala: Coventry City owner says club 'firmly committed' to new stadium

Coventry City are fourth in the Championship, having been promoted in 2019-20

Coventry City owner Joy Seppala says the club is "firmly committed" to a new stadium as they aim for "hopefully the Premier League and beyond".

The Championship side has not owned its own ground since leaving Highfield Road in 2005 and has returned to the Wasps-owned Coventry Building Society Arena.

There are plans for a stadium on land owned by the University of Warwick.

"We need our own stadium - we need revenues 365 days a year as an aspiring football club," Seppala said.

She told BBC Midlands Today: "Quite frankly I think that Covid has demonstrated to the rest of the sporting and football world what we as a football club have experienced for many years, which is not having our matchday revenues."

In her first BBC interview since Sisu took over the club in 2007, Seppala said they are "very grateful" to rugby union side Wasps - who in March agreed a 10-year contract for the Sky Blues to play at their ground - ending a two-year groundsharing spell at Birmingham City.

She added: "It is nice to be back in Coventry, the support has been tremendous and the performances have been tremendous and I think that it's really meant a lot to the football club."

Seppala has been working with Stuart Croft, vice-chancellor of the University of Warwick, on plans for Coventry to relocate to the south-west edge of the city and build on land owned by the university.

"That's a really detailed conversation that we're doing at the moment and we're hoping to be able to say something more public in the not too distant future," he said.

It is 20 years since Coventry were last in the Premier League. The Sky Blues were relegated in 2001 to end their 34-year stay in English football's top flight.

'It feels like we've entered a new era' - Analysis

BBC CWR reporter Simon Gilbert

There isn't much new information in this interview, but the fact there was an interview at all is significant.

You can count on one hand the number of media interviews Joy Seppala, who heads up hedge fund owners Sisu, has done since taking over the club in 2007.

And this is the first time she's spoken to the BBC.

The timing is interesting. The club are performing better than ever under Sisu's watch - both on and off the pitch.

So it's understandable she might want to adopt a more fan-facing role now.

But there does also seem to be a greater focus on the football than previously. She's attended games, she knows the staff by name - and she seems to have a plan.

The word 'aspiration' was used repeatedly and fans will be excited by mention of the Premier League.

After years of animosity, it feels like we've entered a new era in terms of the relationship between the club's fans and its owner.