A party they've been waiting 25 years for is starting in the West Midlands. Coventry City clinched promotion to the English Premier League on Friday with a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers.
The draw means the club, managed by Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, can finish no lower than second, good enough to secure automatic promotion to the top division.
The huge number of Sky Blue fans who had traveled to Ewood Park knowing it could be a night to remember were forced into a nervous silence for much of the second half, with Blackburn taking the lead in the 54th minute thanks to a goal from Ryoya Morishita. But a header by midfielder Bobby Thomas from a set piece in the 85th minute had those fans singing and celebrating.
While not as dominant as some past champions, Coventry has been the class of the league all season, with only eight defeats in 43 matches. Their attack has scored a league-best 85 goals this season, led by U.S. men's national team forward Haji Wright's 16.
Promotion to the Premier League is regarded as one of the most lucrative possible jumps in sports, with the boost in broadcasting rights, sponsorship valuations and ticket sales often estimated to be around £200 million or just more than $270 million.
Two promotion places remain up for grabs ― one an automatic place and the other won through a playoff between teams that finish third through sixth in the table. Ipswich Town sits second with familiar names like Millwall and Wrexham also in contention.
