SAINTS keen on stadium expansion

[Batman]

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/11479816.Saints_keen_on_stadium_expansion/?ref=fbpg

 

at some point in the future...with lots of sell outs

[Patrick Bateman]

Shouldn't the title be; "Saints not keen on stadium expansion unless we sell out every match for a prolonged period"?

 

You should be writing headlines for the Sun.

 

And for what it's worth, I totally agree with this approach - we need to focus on the existing experience, make it more attractive to sell out all areas first.

[Lorne Malvo]

'Saints average home crowd in the Premier League was 30,211. Despite the team’s fine performances and eighth placed finish, that crowd figure was DOWN on the 30,212 average from the 2012/13 season.'

 

 

It went down ONE!

[eelpie]

Saints need to hold future prices if attendances are to grow. At least, look at ways of providing incentives to allay current costs for fans if regular full houses are to be achieved.

[Wes Tender]

'Saints average home crowd in the Premier League was 30,211. Despite the team’s fine performances and eighth placed finish, that crowd figure was DOWN on the 30,212 average from the 2012/13 season.'

 

 

It went down ONE!

 

I'm afraid that I'm responsible for that. My older son moved well out of the area, so I stopped buying a ST for him.

[Sour Mash]

Shouldn't the title be; "Saints not keen on stadium expansion unless we sell out every match for a prolonged period"?

 

You should be writing headlines for the Sun.

 

And for what it's worth, I totally agree with this approach - we need to focus on the existing experience, make it more attractive to sell out all areas first.

 

Exactly, the article basically says we're not keen and we're not going to be expanding, quite rightly unfortunately.

[angelman]

How many seats are wasted for the divider between home and away fans? And last season, away fans seemed often to leave large gaps. I note that there are plenty of empty seats in the Itchen Premium as well as Chapel Stand.

[Batman]

Shouldn't the title be; "Saints not keen on stadium expansion unless we sell out every match for a prolonged period"?

 

You should be writing headlines for the Sun.

 

And for what it's worth, I totally agree with this approach - we need to focus on the existing experience, make it more attractive to sell out all areas first.

I just put what the echo used.

[waylander]

Could really do with a railway platform next to the stadium and run shuttle trains down from the airport.

[SuperSAINT]

This thread won't be complete for me until MLG busts out those expansion pics from that DVD from a few years ago.

[Patrick Bateman]

I just put what the echo used.

 

Good point. Shouldn't they be writing for the Sun

[Sour Mash]

Could really do with a railway platform next to the stadium and run shuttle trains down from the airport.

 

 

What's wrong with Central Station and the trains that run there?

[Matthew Le God]

 

 

 

 

 

 

This thread won't be complete for me until MLG busts out those expansion pics

 

Edited 18 September, 2014 by Matthew Le God

[SuperSAINT]

 

Perfect

[waylander]

What's wrong with Central Station and the trains that run there?

 

Having to pass over the very crowded footbridge, the 20 minute walk.

[S-Clarke]

If we expanded, we'd look as silly as MK Don's! To be honest, I think a 32k stadium is pretty much spot on for a club like us. At this moment in our life span there's no real need to spend money on adding another 10k seats, it all works well as it is.

 

The focus should be on improving transport links/internal facilities and the training facilities - which is what the club seem to be doing, so all good.

[100%Red&White]

Until they find a way to stop fans watching for free at home or in the pub, drop prices and get them back into the habit of going again, then it's probably a long way off.

[Whitey Grandad]

No stadium is ever completely full.

[View From The Top]

They really need to address the issues of pricing for kids over 11. Pricing is obscene at the moment for youngsters.

[Matthew Le God]

No stadium is ever completely full.

 

 

 

Edited 18 September, 2014 by Matthew Le God

[Patrick Bateman]

Having to pass over the very crowded footbridge, the 20 minute walk.

 

Part of the match day experience and fun, surely?

[The Kraken]

Good the hear some clear and rational words from the chairman with sensible benchmarks of how an expansion might happen. Certainly no rush to do it, and only when demand exceeds supply. It might finally put to bed the "build it and they will come" nonsense, but I doubt it.

 

Well done Ralph, further evidence of sensible and sustainable planning from the board.

[Wes Tender]

There has been a significant change in the circumstances during these past few months that at the very least makes stadium expansion a proposition worth investigating. Put aside for a moment the argument that the stadium would have to sell out over several matches for it to be considered and how the increased capacity would then be filled and just look at the financial implications. Lowe's previous studies into the matter had revealed that the cost of adding 5000 extra seats would be between £15/£17.5 million. That would have been a substantial outlay at that time and there was little chance of it being taken seriously.

 

However, events of the past few months have completely changed that aspect of it, at least. We have sold several players for a total of around £100 million and having bought replacements arguably as good or better, we have managed to achieve that leaving a surplus of £30+ million. That is the price of 10,000 extra seats on the stadium, or a sobering thought this, the price of the stadium originally.

 

I'm not entering into the argument of whether we could fill that extra capacity and how to go about it, just merely pointing out that the price of expansion is now the sale value potentially of one decent academy player like Shaw that we have developed into a commodity that a top club desires at current market rates. At the moment, the club possibly has other uses for this Summer's profit on player dealings, but if they have future plans for stadium expansion, then this is how the financial aspects might easily be covered.

[Sour Mash]

Having to pass over the very crowded footbridge, the 20 minute walk.

 

We're not going to spend £15m because you've got a 20minute walk to the train station!!

[saintbob40]

 

 

 

Milwall at it again?

[Batman]

Unless we get to the latter stages of a cup competition or in the highly unlikely race for top 4 towards the end of the season, then the capacity is just about right.

throw in the mental ticket prices and the fact you can easily watch it live online in pretty much HD quality now for about £3 a week

[waylander]

Part of the match day experience and fun, surely?

 

Particularly in the rain

 

Is £15M what it would cost to put in a platform alongside the stadium? What is it platinum plated?

[sadoldgit]

Good the hear some clear and rational words from the chairman with sensible benchmarks of how an expansion might happen. Certainly no rush to do it, and only when demand exceeds supply. It might finally put to bed the "build it and they will come" nonsense, but I doubt it.

 

Well done Ralph, further evidence of sensible and sustainable planning from the board.

 

This is the thing. If we were turning away thousands of season ticket applications every year you could see the point. Realistically how many more could we attract if did expand at our current performance levels? Assuming at some point we get European football how many plastics are out there and would it be viable to expand given that they would disappear the moment we get knocked out. Expand but reduce prices to encourage more through the turnstiles? Could we ever regularly get 35k/40k crowds? Try and build the fan base first, then expand if needed.

[Saint_clark]

Particularly in the rain

 

Is £15M what it would cost to put in a platform alongside the stadium? What is it platinum plated?

 

The walk to the train station is a piece of **** whatever the weather.

[Avenue Saint]

Pricing is too high. Keeping would be attendees away. There is a balance to be had of course....

 

Expansion is possible

[theyin]

18/09/2024 new thread - "Stadium expansion plans - here we go again"

 

Tenner on it

[Mallagroth]

Particularly in the rain

 

Is £15M what it would cost to put in a platform alongside the stadium? What is it platinum plated?

 

Think its a policing issue that stops it from being possible.

[hypochondriac]

Dynamic pricing is the answer.

[Lets B Avenue]

Think its a policing issue that stops it from being possible.

 

Its more to do with the fact that it would not be on the main line. I think a new bridge, nearer the bike sheds, would help a lot.

[Big Bad Bob]

Couldn't they build a platform to the North of the stadium? Somewhere in the region of where the white buildings are now...they could then build concession areas and temp pubs and everything for the discerning rail traveller..

 

[ecuk268]

We're not going to spend £15m because you've got a 20minute walk to the train station!!

 

There is a bus.

[corky morris]

Easier way to get more through the doors is to introduce safe standing!!!!

[sadoldgit]

Is there such a thing though. I have many unhappy memories of standing an terraces in the 70s. I have been in crushes where I have feared for my life. Some people weren't so lucky and never made it out. All seater stadia may not be ideal but are far safer (IMO).

[Big Bad Bob]

Is there such a thing though. I have many unhappy memories of standing an terraces in the 70s. I have been in crushes where I have feared for my life. Some people weren't so lucky and never made it out. All seater stadia may not be ideal but are far safer (IMO).

 

I can't believe that you have missed the discussion of Safe Standing and rail seats :-

 

http://www.fsf.org.uk/campaigns/safe-standing/what-does-safe-standing-look-like/

[Lorne Malvo]

Is there such a thing though. I have many unhappy memories of standing an terraces in the 70s. I have been in crushes where I have feared for my life. Some people weren't so lucky and never made it out. All seater stadia may not be ideal but are far safer (IMO).

 

[saint1977]

I'm not sure pricing is the reason but the ability to be able to stream games online from your living room.

 

This although very valid point from VFTT about pricing for the 11-18 age group. It'll stop a lot of parents on middle incomes being able to send their kids to games on anything other than birthdays etc or treats so I do urge the club to change that for next season. However, I do think the streams really hinder clubs with medium-large fanbases such as ours whereas the top 6 don't get so affected by it.

 

I don't blame people that can't afford to go regularly or live far away watching on a stream because tickets at all levels cost too much (even for the Devon clubs in L2) but it does my head in that you've got so-called 'fans' who live walking or bus ride distance away in pubs watching for free and then spending their ticket money (and more) getting bladdered on Stella/Carling. I'd love to have an ST again and go every game but the petrol cost is a killer so have to ration the games a bit more.

[Lighthouse]

Easier way to get more through the doors is to introduce safe standing!!!!

 

Bingo. If it was up to me, I'd stick the away fans in the Itchen/Northam Corner and make the whole Northam safe standing with cheaper tickets. Would get a bigger crowd into the same area, have a better atmosphere and make the same amount of money.

 

I quite like the idea of the train station. It seems those being unwilling to walk to Central are being branded lazy by some on here but spare a thought for some of our older fans. My grand parents were ST holders until about 5 years ago but got put off by the 20+ minute walk to a suitable car park.

 

A train station could also help to significantly ease traffic. If we had a park and ride by train scheme from SMS going out to places like Eastleigh, Airport, Hedge End and Winchester, it would be a lot quicker than parking in town. 15 minutes after the game you could be out of town and away from the traffic.

[DT]

'Saints average home crowd in the Premier League was 30,211. Despite the team’s fine performances and eighth placed finish, that crowd figure was DOWN on the 30,212 average from the 2012/13 season.'

 

 

It went down ONE!

Pochettino left

[saint1977]

Bingo. If it was up to me, I'd stick the away fans in the Itchen/Northam Corner and make the whole Northam safe standing with cheaper tickets. Would get a bigger crowd into the same area, have a better atmosphere and make the same amount of money.

 

I quite like the idea of the train station. It seems those being unwilling to walk to Central are being branded lazy by some on here but spare a thought for some of our older fans. My grand parents were ST holders until about 5 years ago but got put off by the 20+ minute walk to a suitable car park.

 

A train station could also help to significantly ease traffic. If we had a park and ride by train scheme from SMS going out to places like Eastleigh, Airport, Hedge End and Winchester, it would be a lot quicker than parking in town. 15 minutes after the game you could be out of town and away from the traffic.

 

I'd be happy to see part of one stand (prob N'ham/K'Land corner) with safe standing because it would increase the capacity a bit for clubs without huge outlay and it would mean more people from lower-to-medium incomes could attend, particularly families because the club has to invest in the future generations. Not sure you'd attract the plastics in the pub though watching on streams, 12 pints of Carling is more important.

[September Saint]

At the moment most matches are close to a sell-out and the only tickets left are ones no one is keen on i.e block 13.

This is part of the reason I have a season ticket. As I have to miss 3 to 4 matches a year it more than cancels out the ST discount

If there were, say, an extra 6,000 seats some people like me would come on a match by match basis if good seats were available.

[Saint IQ]

Cheaper match day and season tickets and we could get 40k regularly look at the Arsenal game 5000+ on a tuesday cup game and many have missed out including myself. All about a large proportion of supporters being priced out IMO. If we priced our tickets like germany do we'd be a sell out every week.

Edited 18 September, 2014 by Saint IQ

[Lighthouse]

I'd be happy to see part of one stand (prob N'ham/K'Land corner) with safe standing because it would increase the capacity a bit for clubs without huge outlay and it would mean more people from lower-to-medium incomes could attend, particularly families because the club has to invest in the future generations. Not sure you'd attract the plastics in the pub though watching on streams, 12 pints of Carling is more important.

 

I don't think it's a case of people who go and people who don't. Don't forget 55,000 Saints fans drove to London to watch a game against League 1 Carlise. The numbers are obviously there but people just don't make the effort to go to every game. Most likely because of the cost.

 

I would quite happily see the club spend a couple of million less in the transfer window and use that money to give it a trial run for a season. Standing spaces in the Northam, £15 each all ages.

[Saint IQ]

Oh yeah and safe standing in Northam would be nice

[krissyboy31]

I would think they would want to be part of the Euros bid that is coming up so probably would have to be over 40,000 for that.

[Patrick Bateman]

I don't think it's a case of people who go and people who don't. Don't forget 55,000 Saints fans drove to London to watch a game against League 1 Carlise. The numbers are obviously there but people just don't make the effort to go to every game. Most likely because of the cost.

 

I would quite happily see the club spend a couple of million less in the transfer window and use that money to give it a trial run for a season. Standing spaces in the Northam, £15 each all ages.

 

That's only part of it.

 

I know loads of people who went who never go to a Saints game usually. They went as it was a "big day out" for them and/or for their families. There are an awful lot of people who don't go to many Saints matches and WILL pick and choose due to cost, online streaming, family reasons, work reasons, having other life activities reasons.

 

I genuinely think we don't live in a big enough catchment or city to warrant expanding for some time, until we start winning stuff then all the new fans will emerge.