Get These Extra 2000 Seats In. THEN Ask Us For Money!

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

This is one area that the club and the council between them have been disgracefully negligent in, no matter what spin is put on it. It's been dragging on for the best part of two years now. Absolutely no excuse other than institutionalised inertia.

I suggested somewhere on one of the other money-spinning threads that NSC could initiate an 'Adopt a Seat' scheme. Individuals pledge to pay for the installation of one or more seats, thereby sparing the club any initial outlay. Hell, we could no doubt shell out for the extra stewarding while we're at it. Then the club benefit every single time somebody buys a ticket to sit in one of these seats.

To put it into perspective against us being asked to shell out £100 - £250:

2000 extra seats sold at £20 for, say, the visit of West Ham = £40,000 income.

Which is the equivalent of:

160 people paying £250 into the fund

or

400 people paying £100 into the fund


High time the club and the council got their fingers out over this one.

 

[TrevorDove]

Absolutely spot on, the issue has dragged on and on and we are missing out on vital revenue whilst it continues.

Surely if we are that much in the brown stuff we would be doing everything in our powers (and the council) to get this additional park and ride site.

If all effort has gone into Falmer and current set up does not have the time to deal with this then outsource the job - I'm not a businessman but I'm sure that it wouldn't take long for the investment to be returned.

 

[beorhthelm]

1) increasing the capacity of Withdean would show it to ba more viable re the Falmer application (at least thats my theory, no-one has disproved it)

2) nowhere for park and ride to accomodate extra 2000 fans. you cant just conjure up (at least) 500-750 parking places from nowhere.

3) political makeup of the council means that the club has decided to concentrate on fighting the bigger battle rather than divert time and energy onto this skirmish, potential risking the goodwill of many councillors.

4) 40K minus extra stewards, and rent of additional seating probaly means that its not worth it, given the above factors.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

1) increasing the capacity of Withdean would show it to ba more viable re the Falmer application (at least thats my theory, no-one has disproved it)

2) nowhere for park and ride to accomodate extra 2000 fans. you cant just conjure up (at least) 500-750 parking places from nowhere.

3) political makeup of the council means that the club has decided to concentrate on fighting the bigger battle rather than divert time and energy onto this skirmish, potential risking the goodwill of many councillors.

4) 40K minus extra stewards, and rent of additional seating probaly means that its not worth it, given the above factors.

'Insider' as of a week ago on the Ask The club forum reckons the club are still trying to get the seats:

From Ask The Club forum re: extra 2000 seats

Unless of course circumstances have changed since last week...

 

[Don Tmatter]

Would we sell out the extra 2000 seats every game? we're struggling to fill the seats at the moment and if we didn't that would be more ammunition for the Falmer Nimbys

 

[TrevorDove]

4) 40K minus extra stewards, and rent of additional seating probaly means that its not worth it, given the above factors.

In reality we will probably raise about £100k from the plea for money - I cannot see even if the new seats raise this amount of money again for the club it can not be deemed as a priority.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Would we sell out the extra 2000 seats every game? we're struggling to fill the seats at the moment and if we didn't that would be more ammunition for the Falmer Nimbys

More ammunition than that front page headline in The Argus today? Lot of attractive games coming up, there's talk of Wolves selling out tomorrow night, the team are playing increasingly attractive football. There's absolutely no reason why the club should not be pressing for those seats to be put in. Or, if they're not willing to do their utmost on that front to increase revenue, then they've got no right asking the fans to stick their hands ever deeper into their pockets.

 

[ditchy]

dont think the extra seats help... there arnt that many more people willing to sit in the rain week in week out ..unless the odd one off game

 

[Mr Popkins]

Would we sell out the extra 2000 seats every game? we're struggling to fill the seats at the moment and if we didn't that would be more ammunition for the Falmer Nimbys

spot on!!!

we would not sell out! , as I have stated b4 ,we are not a big a club as people make out at the moment

the extra seats would be for fair wheather fans and lets face it ,the pospect of paying £22 to sit in the open in a shitty ground can you really see them being filled?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

spot on!!!

we would not sell out! , as I have stated b4 ,we are not a big a club as people make out at the moment

the extra seats would be for fair wheather fans and lets face it ,the pospect of paying £22 to sit in the open in a shitty ground can you really see them being filled?

Fair enough. Then we're asking 5000 core fans to raise 2.5 million quid. Five hundred quid each?

 

[Seagull73]

More ammunition than that front page headline in The Argus today? Lot of attractive games coming up, there's talk of Wolves selling out tomorrow night, the team are playing increasingly attractive football. There's absolutely no reason why the club should not be pressing for those seats to be put in. Or, if they're not willing to do their utmost on that front to increase revenue, then they've got no right asking the fans to stick their hands ever deeper into their pockets.

They've got every right to ask what the hell they like. It's up to us whether or not we want to take them up on it. Nobody is holding a gun to anybodies head, but have you considered the fact that first the seats have got be paid for? We probably wouldn't realise any profit from putting up new seats until next season anyway.

I have to admit, I don't have the spare cash to put any money in at the moment, but I can't understand why some people are getting so offended by the fact that the club have asked for some help.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

have you considered the fact that first the seats have got be paid for?

Er, yes, I was considering that very thing in my post at the very top of this thread. Please read it.

 

[The Large One]

This is one area that the club and the council between them have been disgracefully negligent in, no matter what spin is put on it. It's been dragging on for the best part of two years now. Absolutely no excuse other than institutionalised inertia.

Sorry Tom, but you're wide of the mark here. The club, whenever it has the opportunity, has been pressing for the park & ride very hard. The issue of the seats themselves is - well - not an issue. Permission has been granted.

The club, however, has been VERY heavily sidetracked with the Falmer issue - especially since Hoile's joke report came out in February. That takes up an awful lot of resources - financial, human and time. The club is looking at alternative sites for the P & R, and is hitting a brick wall in many places (although we hope the buses won't). The club IS trying for the seats - every day. Unlucky, unfortunate or even looking in the wrong place - maybe, but negligent and inert - no way.

I am afraid (do correct me if you think I am wrong, Tom - and I will apologise if I am) that you appear to have given in to the sense of frustration that we are ALL feeling about almost every facet of off-field activity associated with the club at present.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Re: Re: Get These Extra 2000 Seats In. THEN Ask Us For Money!

I am afraid (do correct me if you think I am wrong, Tom - and I will apologise if I am) that you appear to have given in to the sense of frustration that we are ALL feeling about almost every facet of off-field activity associated with the club at present.

No need to apologise TLO - you got me bang to rights there

 

[Turkey]

I don't see the point in getting these extra seats right now to be honest.

We can't sell out the current capacity.

The extra seats wont make us any money for some time.

They would set us back a lot of money and it would take some time to make that back through ticket sales.

Even longer if we can't sell the tickets!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

give the new 2000 seats to away fans

 

[SussexHoop]

give the new 2000 seats to away fans

Absolutely! There are a lot of clubs in this division who could sell those tickets so not only do you get additional income but it's coming from the supporters of other clubs

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

qpr, no offence are along with us are one of the small sides in this league at the moment and they would bring down 2000 so most clubs will

 

[The Large One]

I think that the new seats - mainly for away fans - are required. There are many clubs who do bring down a lot of support. Plus there are other clubs who have been to Withdean already, and might appreciate the better view that they would be given.

 

[Turkey]

If you give 2,000 to away fans then we have another 750 to sell.

A lot of clubs don't fill the current away end though.

I want extra seats and more money but we could do with selling out what we've got already!