What's the obsession with sitting on the halfway line?

[Billy the Fish]

Since tickets went onsale I've heard people describe the seats in the middle blocks as the "good seats" and seats everywhere else as the "bad seats".
When I was booking my ticket I had a chat with the girl about where the biggest demand was, and she told me of a group who went in the first week of February and were pissed off because they couldn't get in the front two rows of the west upper on the halfway line. She offered them 5 or 6 rows back in block C but they were no good apparently.

When you think about it logically it makes very little difference for evey block, except mabye for thos in the extreme corners.
The pitch is 105 yards long so if you're on the halfway line (i'm ignoring the height and depth for this example, assume it's the same for both seats) the furthest you'll be looking is 52.5 yards if the ball's at either end.
A person sitting in B block will have roughly 30 extra yards to see the ball at it's furthest point, and block A an extra 50.

I'll accept that Block A could make a tangable difference for some if the ball is at the far end, but for people who think having to make their eyes see an extra 30 yards away is really bad I'd suggest a trip to the opticians is more important than a seat on the halfway line.

Can someone who thinks like this please explain it to me?

I've nicked Notters' block layout to help illustrate my point.

View attachment blocks.bmp

 

[Titanic]

The picture labels the entrances.... which are actually A-D and F-I, there is no entrance E.

 

[Mackenzie]

If its good enough for the Queen.....

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

If you have a choice then it's natural to want to be central. I can't say I'd ever be annoyed at sitting in B-G on that photo. You'd quickly get used to having a closer view of Brighton attacks one half and defending the other.

 

[beorhthelm]

i can see that its prefered due to seeing most. its also as pointed out partly down to TV viewers just expecting it. but i wouldnt mind any of the middle 3 blocks, see pretty much the same.

I actually think the block B is probably the most interesting as you get to see most action closer and make your own call on offsides. as long as they're your end.

real fans of course will be found in the ends behind the goals.

 

[RexCathedra]

Higher -- and in most cases much higher -- ticket prices for 50-yard-line seats for American football antedate television. Scalpers were charging 'a dollar a yard' for big NYC game tickets back in the '20s

 

[Notters]

The picture labels the entrances.... which are actually A-D and F-I, there is no entrance E.

No, it's blocks and there is no F cos I'm sitting in E. I did the above before I knew. Entrances correspond to blocks as they do at withdean.

 

[Titanic]

No, it's blocks and there is no F cos I'm sitting in E. I did the above before I knew. Entrances correspond to blocks as they do at withdean.

On the stadium explorer website.... concourse view.... west stand upper... entrance D is labelled 85-107, and entrance F is labelled 118-140. There is no entrance E that I can find.

Brighton Hove Albion - Community Stadium Explorer

How queer!?

 

[Westdene Wonder]

The highest priced seats are in the middle of the pitch because it gives an equal view of each end, it follows that the cheapest seats are behind the goals which give a poor view of whats going on at the other end of the pitch.

 

[Storer68]

Cheap prices have always been traditionally in the popu;ar stands behind the goals. These used to be large banks of terracing which people would stand on to watch the game, and these became the "popular " ends (The Kop, the Streford End, the North stand etc)ends. It followed that seated areas were more expensive as the capacity was strictly limited,and the facilities were the best in the ground (anyone recall the stench from the N.Stand bogs at half time ate the Goldstone!).

also stadium design in the past could not cope with the concepts of sightlines and simply built seats on steps, which was fine for the middle but a bit rubbish for those at the end.

BTW no one is sitting "on the halfway line". We will be sitting above the halfway line

 

[drew]

i can see that its prefered due to seeing most. its also as pointed out partly down to TV viewers just expecting it. but i wouldnt mind any of the middle 3 blocks, see pretty much the same.

I actually think the block B is probably the most interesting as you get to see most action closer and make your own call on offsides. as long as they're your end.

real fans of course will be found in the ends behind the goals.

Isn't that the point though, as long as it is at your end! Besides, I sit in D block at Withdean and there are many people around me who challenge close offside calls in the west end of the pitch!!! I would have preferred seats on the half way line at the front of the west upper but I'm not suicidal because I didn't get them. I'm happy eight rows back in block C.

 

[Easy 10]

I like being closer to one goal than the other, it gives me something to look forward to when we're playing towards "my end". I'm in block D at Withdean, and I'll be in Block C in the WSU (4 rows from the front), which looks like being between the halfway line and the penalty area.

Perfect.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

I'm in the North and with my abysmal eyesight, when we're attacking the South goal I might as well have my back turned, Poznan-style. So I'd rather be pitchside in the middle somewhere but hey ho, atmosphere over view for me.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Im sitting toward the NS, but some people may like to sit in the middle to get a good persepctive of the game? Runs being made etc?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

People have become acclimatised to watching football from the perspective of the TV cameras and as a result consider this the best view, I suppose.

And they are WRONG.

When football was invented, the players were made to look forwards towards the goal at the far end of the pitch. If that's good enough for the players, it's good enough for me.

North Stand it is, then.

 

[kevo]

I can understand why people want to be on the halfway line, but personally I like to be able to see one goal really well. As long as I can roughly make out what is happening at the other end, then that's fine.

 

[Buzzer]

real fans of course will be found in the ends behind the goals.

Seeing as most people on priority 1,2 or 3 have chosen West Upper that rather blows your moronic fishing comment out the water.

I've got an 11 year old son who lives eats and sleeps Brighton, literally - he sleeps in his Albion top when he can get away with it. I'd love to watch you try and tell him he's not a 'real' fan.

 

[Turkey]

Seeing as most people on priority 1,2 or 3 have chosen West Upper that rather blows your moronic fishing comment out the water.

I've got an 11 year old son who lives eats and sleeps Brighton, literally - he sleeps in his Albion top when he can get away with it. I'd love to watch you try and tell him he's not a 'real' fan.

Err, I think he was taking the piss out of those behind the goal...

 

[Brovion]

I can understand why people want to be on the halfway line, but personally I like to be able to see one goal really well. As long as I can roughly make out what is happening at the other end, then that's fine.

I must admit I'm the same. I like to watch football from behind the goal at almost pitch level as opposed to the 'television' view of high up on the half-way line. It's a swings and roundabouts thing, you do lose a bit when the ball's at the other end - but it's more than compensated for when your team scores in front of you.