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Let's talk capacity at St. Mary's

milton_saint

By milton_saint,
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milton_saint

milton_saint

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Official Attendance today was 29, 604. This is 3085 short of the capacity: 32 689. But, there were great swathes of empty seats in Northern and Itchen.

 

I for one wanted to attend today but I wasn't sure whether they would be selling any on the door today. The official saints article "Don't Miss a Minute" http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/dont-miss-a-minute-331632.aspx - gave the impression it would be a sell-out and certainly didn't encourage anyone to turn up to buy a ticket.

 

I tried to get a ticket online but i don't yet have "customer number" and it is not possible to get a customer number at the moment because the club says on its ticketing page - https://southamptonfc.pvxgateway.com/account/login - "Due to the expected high demand for Manchester United tickets, this facility [for registration] is currently turned off. This match is only available to those who are on our database, all of whom have been allocated a customer number on the system."

 

That just sends a huge middle finger to anyone that is isn't registered.

 

I think it's a big shame for the team, and everyone that today wasn't a sell-out. Clearly next week against Manure will be a different story. But I still think the Club should be making every effort to get it packed to the gunwales to quote Seb Coe. We need capacity crowds.

 

[And just to head off this argument: it shouldn't matter if the fans are plastic or whatever - if they come to pay money to watch saints (and scream their hearts out as well), then surely that's in the interest of us all. Besides, it's not as if the hardcore, bitterly, loyal saints fans were making any noise today. You could hear a pin drop at loads of times. As poor as our performance was, we as fans need to take responsibility for our lacklustre effort. Back in the big time? You wouldn't know as it doesn't sound like we are shouting about it.]

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Pretty poor attendance figure, all things considered. First game back in the PL, feelgood factor all around, Saturday 3pm kick off. And we couldn't make 30,000. Disappointing to say the least.

 

Wigan returned around 1,500 tickets, which obviously went to Saints to put on sale with at least a week to go until the game. As it was, we wouldn't have sold out just the regular number of home seats when the away side take their full allocation.

 

A lack of external marketing doesn't help the club; the only medium advertising the fact there are tickets remaining is the OS, and non-diehard fans don't go there very often. The lack of external marketing in the local papers and on local radio is surely a factor in this. But maybe some just have to face facts that filling a 32,689 capacity stadium is a hell of achievement for a club our size, and we should look to do that consistently before lustily looking to the stars for somewhere bigger.

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Torres

Torres

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Nonsense.

 

Why? Seems spot on to me. Had Wigan sold 3000 and we has the same number of home fans, nobody would have batted an eyelid.

 

As it is, I am surprised that there weren't more home fans there today even though early season summer attendances do tend to be a little lower.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Why? Seems spot on to me. Had Wigan sold 3000 and we has the same number of home fans, nobody would have batted an eyelid.

 

As it is, I am surprised that there weren't more home fans there today even though early season summer attendances do tend to be a little lower.

Personal opinion, but even against Wigan I was expecting more. We didn't sell out the home allocation after 7 years of people talking about being back in the top division. Games against Man United etc are a given for a sellout (though I'm still interested to see what the corporate area sales will be like).

 

If this game was in the middle of the season I'd have been slightly disappointed with the attendance but not too bothered. Coming in the first home game and on such a wave of euphoria, I think it was pretty disappointing.

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Matthew Le God

Matthew Le God

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goes to show what our hardcore prem support is though

 

Given it was probably against the least attractive opponent and still during holiday season I fail to see what is wrong with 29,604. As I said, if Wigan had brought 3,000 rather that what "700?" the attendance would have been circa 31,000 and no-one would raise an eyebrow. Well Turkish, Kraken etc might...

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Thedelldays

Thedelldays

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Given it was probably against the least attractive opponent and still during holiday season I fail to see what is wrong with 29,604. As I said, if Wigan had brought 3,000 rather that what "700?" the attendance would have been circa 31,000 and no-one would raise an eyebrow. Well Turkish, Kraken etc might...

does that mean if we had 10,000 extra seats, the away section will be 8k+

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Matthew Le God

Matthew Le God

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does that mean if we had 10,000 extra seats, the away section will be 8k+

 

A 29,604 attendance would have looked brilliant in a 50,000 seater stadium.

 

A bizarre line of enquiry/logic from both of you.

 

It shows as a newly promoted team, with a relatively weak squad Saints can attract circa 29,000 fans against a weak Prem team. For a large number of games this season many people will be left disappointed.

 

If 29,000 Saints fans want to goto the Wigan game, do you honestly believe the 29,000 Saints fans with tickets for the Man Utd game is all there is wanting to goto that game? Wigan is the low mark, Man Utd the high mark but the 29,000 seats in the home end restrict home attendances to the same amount.

 

Plus consider any stadium expansion would be done to support/help achieve a higher level of product/players on the pitch. At the moment we are the relegation favourites. Give it a few years and if we are mid table/upper half the matchgoing fanbase for games vs Wigan will grow.

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CB Fry

CB Fry

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A bizarre line of enquiry/logic from both of you.

 

It shows as a newly promoted team, with a relatively weak squad Saints can attract circa 29,000 fans against a weak Prem team. For a large number of games this season many people will be left disappointed.

 

If 29,000 Saints fans want to goto the Wigan game, do you honestly believe the 29,000 Saints fans with tickets for the Man Utd game is all there is wanting to goto that game? Wigan is the low mark, Man Utd the high mark but the 29,000 seats in the home end restrict home attendances to the same amount.

 

Plus consider any stadium expansion would be done to support/help achieve a higher level of product/players on the pitch. At the moment we are the relegation favourites. Give it a few years and if we are mid table/upper half the matchgoing fanbase for games vs Wigan will grow.

 

That's funny because you used to stuff about how we have "maxed out" the stadium already. ie now.

 

And how, even in the Lowe days it was very difficult to get tickets.

 

Remarkable change of tune now. Well done.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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That's funny because you used to stuff about how we have "maxed out" the stadium already. ie now.

 

And how, even in the Lowe days it was very difficult to get tickets.

 

Remarkable change of tune now. Well done.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2

 

I'm quite staggered by the seeming change in opinion/benchmarks (which will clearly be denied).

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hypochondriac

hypochondriac

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Given it was probably against the least attractive opponent and still during holiday season I fail to see what is wrong with 29,604. As I said, if Wigan had brought 3,000 rather that what "700?" the attendance would have been circa 31,000 and no-one would raise an eyebrow. Well Turkish, Kraken etc might...

 

The first home game of the season playing in the premier league for the first time in seven years.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Block 3 was apparently 'sold out' yet there were tons of empty seats at the back. What the f*ck was that all about?

 

Also, the stewards in the Itchen North appear to want to be little Nazi's this season.

 

Blocks 1 2 and 3 all sold out, apparently. Yet huge gaps in there, not just 1 or 2 seats here or there who hadn't bothered to show up. Same in the Chapel down the front. Very bizarre.

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Griffo

Griffo

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Perhaps the same thing that happens at the Emirates? Bank holiday weekend in school holidays, people don't turn up and don't give tickets to friends/family.

 

No. I'm talking about a good 100 seats, not a few here and there. The back few rows were virtually empty yet the online ticketing website showed the block unavailable for season ticket purchases and matchday purchases.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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No. I'm talking about a good 100 seats, not a few here and there. The back few rows were virtually empty yet the online ticketing website showed the block unavailable for season ticket purchases and matchday purchases.

 

As I said, it wasn't just those blocks. Throughout the ground there were swathes of empty seats, despite showing as completely sold out online. I'd be surprised if the attendance figure published was the actual amount of punters throught the gates, even BBC commented that the match was "sparcely attended". Most bizarre.

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Frank's cousin

Frank's cousin

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...helmets on as this always seems to get nasty... yawn....

 

But a quick question to Fry, Turks, etc - we get your point - you have made it as clear as you possibly can, albeit laced with the usual sarcasm etc. You do not believe we have the demand blah blah... but can you expalin why you are SO against others talking about the merits or otherise of it or of ideas or hypothetical situations where it might be an option?

 

You seem determined to try and ridicule anyone who is interested in that topic - Which I assumed was because you were sort of worried that fans of other clubs might think we are all 'mongs' (sic) - something that seems to concern Turks especially (and something most people grow out of when they leave their teens) - You are entitles to your opinion and we all get it rammed down out throats whenever it comes up, but if it upsets you so much when its discussed, why not ignore it? By not it gives teh impression that you are desperate for the attention.....

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Frank's cousin

Frank's cousin

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Yet another FC lecture about how the rest of us shouldn't comment on things. But you keep commenting General Franco. You're allowed.

 

Maybe if you had listened to a few more 'lectures as a child', you might not have turned out to be such a pillock. What is it with you? Comment is one thing, but you dont 'comment', you attempt 'ridicule' - does it make you feel all big and important?

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Frank, you're missing the point. Myself and many others have never, ever dismissed the possibility of expanding. In the future, when its proven we should do so, when current capacity is nowhere near big enough. Not build it now/next year, and then create new pricing structures to fill it. That's been shouted down by "Dell-sized mentality" accusations from various corners, so its no use playing the abuse card, that's gone both ways.

 

I know that I've previously posted on a number of occasions before that we should look at attendances over 2 or 3 years in the Premier League and make a decision on expansion from that, and been shouted down for it. "That's too late, why wait that long, we've got historical data", all of that. That's why this debate is ongoing.

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Frank's cousin

Frank's cousin

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Frank, you're missing the point. Myself and many others have never, ever dismissed the possibility of expanding. In the future, when its proven we should do so, when current capacity is nowhere near big enough. Not build it now/next year, and then create new pricing structures to fill it. That's been shouted down by "Dell-sized mentality" accusations from various corners, so its no use playing the abuse card, that's gone both ways.

 

I know that I've previously posted on a number of occasions before that we should look at attendances over 2 or 3 years in the Premier League and make a decision on expansion from that, and been shouted down for it. "That's too late, why wait that long, we've got historical data", all of that. That's why this debate is ongoing.

 

Agreed you have but you have also made your comments with good grace and usually in fair and rational way - I am not defending those on the other side of the debate if they try and 'shout down' etc, but having read these fractured threads from the start I am pretty certain about where the shiedt started... just dont get the need for it.

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sfc1976

sfc1976

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Nothing 'hypothetical' about not selling out for our first home game back in the prem really, it was there for all to see. If the demand was there we would of. It wasn't, so we didn't. Given that it was Wigan, these kind of games should serve as a benchmark against which to judge the case for expansion. If there were a case we would be selling out such games mid-season. The fact we couldn't do that on opening day after our absence from the division makes the case exceedingly weak.

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Griffo

Griffo

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Nothing 'hypothetical' about not selling out for our first home game back in the prem really, it was there for all to see. If the demand was there we would of. It wasn't, so we didn't. Given that it was Wigan, these kind of games should serve as a benchmark against which to judge the case for expansion. If there were a case we would be selling out such games mid-season. The fact we couldn't do that on opening day after our absence from the division makes the case exceedingly weak.

 

Spot on.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Nothing 'hypothetical' about not selling out for our first home game back in the prem really, it was there for all to see. If the demand was there we would of. It wasn't, so we didn't. Given that it was Wigan, these kind of games should serve as a benchmark against which to judge the case for expansion. If there were a case we would be selling out such games mid-season. The fact we couldn't do that on opening day after our absence from the division makes the case exceedingly weak.

Amen to that.

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CB Fry

CB Fry

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Maybe if you had listened to a few more 'lectures as a child'' date=' you might not have turned out to be such a pillock. What is it with you? Comment is one thing, but you dont 'comment', you attempt 'ridicule' - does it make you feel all big and important?[/quote']

 

 

 

Why on earth would taking the mick out of you make me feel big and important. For one it's shooting fish in a barrel. And two anyone commenting on a message board on a Saturday night is neither big or important.

 

Except the Bologna chairman of course. He's always on here. Ask ART.

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Frank's cousin

Frank's cousin

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Nothing 'hypothetical' about not selling out for our first home game back in the prem really, it was there for all to see. If the demand was there we would of. It wasn't, so we didn't. Given that it was Wigan, these kind of games should serve as a benchmark against which to judge the case for expansion. If there were a case we would be selling out such games mid-season. The fact we couldn't do that on opening day after our absence from the division makes the case exceedingly weak.

 

Get what you are saying - but depends on how you want to spin it - do you make the call on lowest gate or on the highest possible for the most attractive games? I know some think expansion is only necessary if we could sell out every game at 40k or whatever, but the flip side is that you judge it on whether you can make more money than is possible now, because you think you may sell 40K + for 40-50% of games (taking into account the cost of the build etc) Or do some woory about how it looks if we only had 30k in a 43k stadium for 9 of the 18 home games? End of day, NC will decide when he thinks there is money in it over the course of a season

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Posted (edited)
Get what you are saying - but depends on how you want to spin it - do you make the call on lowest gate or on the highest possible for the most attractive games? I know some think expansion is only necessary if we could sell out every game at 40k or whatever' date=' but the flip side is that you judge it on whether you can make more money than is possible now, because you think you may sell 40K + for 40-50% of games (taking into account the cost of the build etc) Or do some woory about how it looks if we only had 30k in a 43k stadium for 9 of the 18 home games? End of day, NC will decide when he thinks there is money in it over the course of a season[/quote']

 

St Mary's was built with the fact that games would sell at different levels. Lets take Cat A, Cat B and Cat C as the levels, there will likely be different numbers ascending to the more popular games (ie the likes of Man United, Arsenal etc). At the moment we can say that 32,689 is perfectly adequate (with room to spare) for Cat C games. For Cat A games we've sold out for Man United, so the capacity clearly isn't enough. The question to be determined is; how many more tickets could we sell? There's all sorts of ways of doing it I guess, and all sorts of ways that the club will analyse the results. Including the corporate areas, of course they can't be ignored.

 

That's why this type of thread will run and run. Surely all of us hope that we'll prove we need a bigger stadium; by how much has always been the question. I for one will be taking an interest in our attendances, and how quickly we sell out home games, because I think there's been some twaddle talked by a supposed statistical expert and his ilk in the past.

Edited by The Kraken
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Frank's cousin

Frank's cousin

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St Mary's was built with the fact that games would sell at different levels. Lets take Cat A, Cat B and Cat C as the levels, there will likely be different numbers ascending to the more popular games (ie the likes of Man United, Arsenal etc). At the moment we can say that 32,689 is perfectly adequate (with room to spare) for Cat C games. For Cat A games we've sold out for Man United, so the capacity clearly isn't enough. The question to be determined is; how many more tickets could we sell? There's all sorts of ways of doing it I guess, and all sorts of ways that the club will analyse the results. Including the corporate areas, of course they can't be ignored.

 

That's why this type of thread will run and run. Surely all of us hope that we'll prove we need a bigger stadium; by how much has always been the question. I for one will be taking an interest in our attendances, and how quickly we sell out home games, because I think there's been some twaddle talked by a supposed statistical expert and his ilk in the past.

 

And there is nothing in your post I would not agree with - but I do think there are ways of increasing demand and access to a broader sphere of potential support.... but I kinda done that to death :scared:

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