Birmingham City choose Mace for stadium stand construction job

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Birmingham City stand redevelopment
Image credit: Birmingham City FC

Birmingham City Football Club have announced that international consultancy and construction company, Mace, has been appointed as Construction Manager with immediate effect.

The project that the club have been working on was the stadium’s Tilton and Kop stands that have been partially shut since 2020 due to asbestos damage. Due to finance issues from both the club and the previous contractor Buckingham Group, this construction work is still in progress.

This change to Mace as manager is a required change for Birmingham City to make, because Buckingham Contracting Group collapsed into administration which put the whole project on hold and with an uncertain future.

The completion of this project will be a huge welcome boost for the club as the Lower Tilton safe standing area will be home to more than 3,000 Blues fans and The Kop Lower Stand will accommodate an additional 3,600 fans. The capacity of St. Andrew’s Stadium will be close to 30,000 after completion.

Birmingham City Chief Executive Officer Garry Cook explained the decision to appoint Mace in a club press release.

“On behalf of all Blues fans I would like to thank the Mace team for stepping forward and helping us in our time of need. By appointing Mace to the construction management role we have ensured we will be in a position to achieve our goal of having close to 30,000 Blues fans, in person at St. Andrew’s, supporting the team later this autumn,” he explained via press release.

“Sub-contractors who have worked so hard to get us to this point will now have the opportunity to finish the work they have started. More than 50% of our sub-contractors live in and around Birmingham so it is important that we have been able to get them back to work so quickly,

“I would like to thank the Buckingham Group team members for their commitment and passion to the Birmingham City project. They are professionals who find themselves in a challenging situation. Our hope is that they all find new and rewarding opportunities in the very near future.”

Mace Consult Dan Easthope discussed what the plan was for Mace in the upcoming weeks, adding via Birmingham City press release:

“Over the coming weeks, Mace will be drawing on our global expertise in stadium and venue delivery, working closely with Birmingham City Football Club and all of the suppliers currently supporting the project to ensure that the remaining work can continue with the minimum of disruption.” he said.

“Although the circumstances are unfortunate, we’re pleased that Birmingham City have put their faith in us. We’re confident that we have the right team in place to deliver the outstanding work in a timely manner and ensure that as many fans as possible will be able to support the Club at St. Andrew’s this autumn.”

Work on the lower Tilton and Kop Stands had been due to be complete by September 15, however this was not possible due to the recent circumstances. The project is now expected to be completed before the end of November 2023.

In this new era under American owners, Birmingham City are pushing up the table in the Championship and moving in the right direction off the field with the completion of this stand construction.

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Labor announces campaign promise for Football facility upgrades in Hepburn Shire

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Soccer Facilities Set for $1.2 Million Upgrade in Hepburn Shire
Image Credit: Poppy Pix/ Shutterstock

The growing participation of women and girls in soccer throughout the Hepburn Shire is set to receive a significant boost, with two local facilities earmarked for major upgrades.

Member for Ballarat Catherine King announced the funding commitment which targets Victoria Park in Daylesford and the Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve in Creswick.

This funding is totalled at $1.2 million should the Federal Labor Government secure re-election on May 3. These upgrades address critical infrastructure shortfalls that have hindered growth in female participation.

Labor Federal MP Catherine King, who has held the Labor ‘stronghold’ seat since the 2022 election has been vocal in her support for women’s football and the struggles faced.

“The current situation where women and girls are forced to use men’s changerooms, cars or old sheds for match preparation is simply not acceptable in modern sport,” King commented via The Ballarat Times.

“These clubs have created welcoming environments that women and girls want to be part of, and these upgrades will provide the facilities they deserve.”

The Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club, which currently supports approximately 150 players including 40 female participants, has been forced to implement membership caps due to inadequate pitch capacity.

The proposed reconfiguration at Victoria Park will deliver two senior-sized pitches, accommodating the surge in junior and women’s participation.

Meanwhile, at the Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve, funding will enable the construction of additional female-friendly changing facilities for both players and officials.

The commitment reflects the changing landscape of Australian soccer, with female participation rates continuing to climb nationwide.

Local sporting administrators have welcomed the announcement, noting that inadequate facilities have long been identified as a significant barrier to growing female participation in grassroots sport.

These election commitments would be delivered in accordance with Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles should the Albanese Government secure another term.

The need for development of local facilities has become more evident and pressing. Most amateur clubs primary funding for upgrades is through government grants.

Sport is such an integral part of the Australian landscape and the need for fair opportunity for women gains momentum, promises like this hold great hope for people and lasting positive impacts.

As the most played sport in the state and Australia, especially among women, its positive to hear that, like other codes football is getting the recognition and support it deserves.

DAZN turns down LFP proposal to end Ligue 1 broadcasting deal

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Image credit: DAZN

Broadcaster DAZN has rejected a proposal brought forward by the French Professional Football League (LFP) to terminate its five-year broadcasting deal for Ligue 1 after one season.

The sports streaming platform originally signed a five-year deal worth AUD $715 million (€400 million) a year to broadcast eight out of the nine Ligue 1 matches each week.

But with fewer subscribers than expected — reportedly only around 500,000, far below the 1.5 million needed to break even, the company has been pushing to renegotiate the deal.

In February, DAZN held back half of a AUD $125 million (€70 million) payment, accusing the LFP of not doing enough to fight piracy.

It also criticised the league and clubs for not promoting its broadcasts or collaborating on content.

The LFP responded by taking legal action, and DAZN eventually made the payment by the end of the month.

In March, both sides entered mediation to reach a compromise.

According to several reports, the proposed solution would have DAZN pay the league AUD$250 million (€140 million) — covering the full amount owed for this season — plus up to AUD$223.6 million (€125 million) in compensation for next season.

After that, the deal will officially end at the close of the current season.

This week, Ligue 1 clubs voted in favour of the proposal but DAZN has now rejected it, paving the way for possible legal action.

As a result, the LFP released a statement regarding DAZN’s rejection of the proposal.

“LFP Media notes the failure of the mediation initiated at the beginning of March 2025,” they said in a press release.

“The contract binding the parties remains in force and LFP Media expects its partner to fully fulfil all of its obligations in this regard.”

Before the mediation process began, DAZN had demanded AUD $1.025 billion (€573 million) in compensation from the LFP, accusing the league of not living up to its end of the deal.

In response to the LFP, DAZN released its own statement.

“After four months of discussions — including six weeks of mediation — initiated in good faith by DAZN and involving several proposals, the mediation unfortunately did not succeed in sufficiently bridging the gap between the parties,” they said following the LFP’s statement.

“It has therefore not been possible at this stage to reach an agreement for an amicable resolution of the situation.”

DAZN’s rejection of the deal has effectively ended the mediation process, with negotiations between the streaming service and the LFP now finished.

However, reports from France indicate that the two sides are expected to meet again on April 30th, the deadline for DAZN’s next payment for the current season.

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