Hypothetical question regarding the Amex and season ticket sales.

[The Grockle]

With selling out the full 15,500 season tickets and executive seats looking more and more likely, it has to be said it's an incredible effort from the club and fans in insuring a near full house at every home game next season.

Obviously our style of play and change in fortunes on the pitch has played a massive part in this revolution but I can't help but feel a large part of the interest has been stired by the fact the Amex is a top class facility, a cut above most of it's counterparts.

My question is, had we gone down the Colchester or Shrewsbury route and built a functional but un-inspiring ground with a reltively un-ambitious capacity, do you think there would have been the same amount of interest?

 

[Easy 10]

Interesting question, and I would have to say, I think NOT.

That stadium is its own advert. Its is a stunning sight when you drive along the A27, even more so coming up over the hill from Woodingdean - the WOW-factor is immense.

If we'd gone for a bric-a-brac bog-standard flatpack 4 sided B&Q with the roof off jobbie, we'd perhaps have got 10k in STH's, thanks to Gus and the current team. But I don't think we'd have anywhere near the number of newbies flocking and committing to season tickets if it wasn't for the fact we will be playing in such a fabulous arena.

The whole thing just screams "HERE COMES THE BIG TIME"

 

[The Grockle]

Interesting question, and I would have to say, I think NOT.

That stadium is its own advert. Its is a stunning sight when you drive along the A27, even more so coming up over the hill from Woodingdean - the WOW-factor is immense.

If we'd gone for a bric-a-brac bog-standard flatpack 4 sided B&Q with the roof off jobbie, we'd perhaps have got 10k in STH's, thanks to Gus and the current team. But I don't think we'd have anywhere near the number of newbies flocking and committing to season tickets if it wasn't for the fact we will be playing in such a fabulous arena.

The whole thing just screams "HERE COMES THE BIG TIME"

Have to agree with you there, especially with the point about it's impact from the A27. At least a dozen people have made positive comments to me after seeing it when driving past, it's a massive statement of intent imo.

 

[hillbilly]

Firstly I would say no.

Without pointing the obvious that whilst we are a football club, we need to make as much money as possible, and the big bucks come from the Corporate guys. The Amex is an easy sell to local businesses for their corporate entertaining, and has created excitement even with the very causal football fans.

As said by many on numerous occasions, we are fortunate to have a forward thinking chairman, who has paid for a forward thinking football stadium.

 

[wigman]

Interesting question, and I would have to say, I think NOT.

That stadium is its own advert. Its is a stunning sight when you drive along the A27, even more so coming up over the hill from Woodingdean - the WOW-factor is immense.

If we'd gone for a bric-a-brac bog-standard flatpack 4 sided B&Q with the roof off jobbie, we'd perhaps have got 10k in STH's, thanks to Gus and the current team. But I don't think we'd have anywhere near the number of newbies flocking and committing to season tickets if it wasn't for the fact we will be playing in such a fabulous arena.

The whole thing just screams "HERE COMES THE BIG TIME"

Quality response.

 

[seagullwedgee]

Yes it's a nice stadium, but I don't believe for one minute that more people have decided to part with £400 because it's a nice piece of architecture. It is all to do with football, quality and potential. Nothing else.

 

[Easy 10]

Yes it's a nice stadium, but I don't believe for one minute that more people have decided to part with £400 because it's a nice piece of architecture. It is all to do with football, quality and potential. Nothing else.

Current Albion fans and diehards maybe. I'd watch us play in a cesspool (or even Gillingham).
But new fans ? Not a chance. There is NO WAY we'd have sold this many season tickets to new fans if it wasn't for the fact the stadium is so impressive and iconic. It cannot be overstated how much that has played a part in the upsurge in interest in this club.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I'd be interested to know what percentage of those that have bought ST's have gone for the monthly interest-free DD option. I suspect it is a relatively high percentage. Most fans going to regular home games would pay more on a game by game basis but in the past they may not have been able to stump up the lump sum needed for a ST. Now they can. I think this is a good part of the reason whey we have sold so many.

It will also be interesting to see how many DD's get canceled if we turn out to be crap next season!

 

[Driver8]

I'm not joking in saying I hope it's big enough. Even with the corners /second tier etc we are still looking at a stadium that could not have accommodated some of our crowds in the seventies and if we do kick on from here who knows what sort of attendance we could manage. Sussex is a lot more crowded than it was 30 years ago

 

[Easy 10]

Quality response.

Ta

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

I'd agree with the team and manager being the biggest factor. Any new stadium with a roof would be a step up from Withdean for the fans, it's Poyet and the quality and success of the team that is attracting the high number of STH. In my opinion like.

 

[Easy 10]

I'm not joking in saying I hope it's big enough. Even with the corners /second tier etc we are still looking at a stadium that could not have accommodated some of our crowds in the seventies and if we do kick on from here who knows what sort of attendance we could manage. Sussex is a lot more crowded than it was 30 years ago

I think its a case of lets walk before we can run.
I'd rather have a stadium thats not big enough TBH. At least that way demand will always be massive and it'll be packed to the rafters, rather than than a vast soulless half-empty bowl.

 

[Easy 10]

15,500 + 2,500 corporates if we had one of these ?

mmmmm...nah.

 

[Driver8]

I think its a case of lets walk before we can run.
I'd rather have a stadium thats not big enough TBH. At least that way demand will always be massive and it'll be packed to the rafters, rather than than a vast soulless half-empty bowl.

I agree but we don't seem to have left any room to manoeuvre beyond the corners/second tier should it ever be needed.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

Maybe Easy, but if we have a proper shit season next year, Poyet leaves, we get relegated for example, will be sell out because it's a nice ground? The quality of the stadium helps massively, but I still think the quality and success of the team is the biggest factor

 

[Easy 10]

I agree but we don't seem to have left any room to manoeuvre beyond the corners/second tier should it ever be needed.

That would be 30k though, thats more than several established Premier League clubs get already. Lets not get TOO carried away.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'd be interested to know what percentage of those that have bought ST's have gone for the monthly interest-free DD option. I suspect it is a relatively high percentage. Most fans going to regular home games would pay more on a game by game basis but in the past they may not have been able to stump up the lump sum needed for a ST. Now they can. I think this is a good part of the reason whey we have sold so many.

It will also be interesting to see how many DD's get canceled if we turn out to be crap next season!

Good call, I think the monthly DD has played a big part. But, it's the all over package ultimately: brilliant state-of-the-art stadium, successful team playing with style, monthly DD and forward thinking and professional management from Tony Bloom down.

 

[Easy 10]

Maybe Easy, but if we have a proper shit season next year, Poyet leaves, we get relegated for example, will be sell out because it's a nice ground? The quality of the stadium helps massively, but I still think the quality and success of the team is the biggest factor

What occurs on the pitch is still of course the most important factor, and there is a hardcore support which will always go regardless.
I still have no doubt in my mind though that if we'd have gone cheapo and done a Colchester, whatever the team was doing on the pitch, you could slice a good 30% off the newbies we are now attracting. The stadium is inspiring, it generates its own interest, it makes people want to be a part. That just would not happen with a dull 15k flatpack jobbie.

 

[grummitts gloves]

I go past the New Den most days on the train and have often wandered what Millwall fans would think comparing their stadium with ours. The Amex already makes quite a few fairly new grounds look outdated. As for Colchester's effort. It is shite.

 

[Napper]

Millwalls stadium is decent !

Colchester is a probably the lowest of the the new ones. If we built something similar then no

Chesterfields is ok though for a "basic" ground and if we did a bigger version of this then I reckon there would still be a massive buzz but prob less demand

Even the bowls which while uninspiring still tick alot of box's and if we had say a smaller St Marys , compared to Withdean I think people still would of been going mad for it.