[Albion] 16th best Premier League stadium?

[MattBackHome]

Each stadium is ranked in four categories. The Amex ranks as follows:

Atmosphere: 19th. Only Bournemouth is considered worse.
Experience: 8th
Location, which also encompasses transport: 19th. Only Palace is considered worse.
Design: 12th

Genuinely reckon that's about right

 

[GoingUp]

Design wise its got to be up near the top surely? Wasn't it the same architech that built The Emirates?

Certainly looks like a mini Emirates but most new staduims look the same tbh

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Having read the article, I can't complain with the assessment.
It isn't a disparaging view of our ground, just an acknowledgement of the limitations which cannot be overcome.

Travel links are crap and Goal stands are too small to generate an atmosphere.


I still love the place.

 

[chickens]

I meant the paper not you!

It’s quite alright, I’m terribly thin-skinned in the mornings.

 

[PeterT]

Atmosphere - put safe standing in the North Stand or add another tier (it must be possible somehow). If the home end is the smallest stand for home fans in the ground, the atmosphere suffers.

It depends what you are looking for - I’d say it’s possibly the most comfortable ground I have been to (and I’ve been to well over 200) but comfort and an early dart for the train doesn’t = atmosphere. I think having a more sanitised ‘family’ and corporate atmosphere was built into the design of the stadium, which has pluses and minuses as a result.

 

[amexer]

Hopefully the club will get on with some urgency to improve outside facilities but apart from that the actual stadium is great. I have not been to all PL grounds but could understand if we were placed 20th for location. It is an absolute pain to get to and from which is not the clubs fault.. Each game have to decide whether to use the train or get to P&R an hour and a half before game. Both of these can mean queuing for an hour after game with no shelter. Can also use Seagull Travel but that adds £40 plus to our day.
Hopefully I am wrong but with the lack of comment from PB to show they have sympathy and want to try and improve does make many of us think they dont care when tickets for every game sell out.

 

[jamie-oh]

I was distinctly impressed by the Amex on sunday, as the seats in the east lower were all toasted by the sun and warmed delightfully for our buttocks at 4pm kick off time as the sun disappeared over the roof and it all got a bit nippy. Exemplary organisation by the Albion and i for one am very grateful.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Dare one suggest some of these ratings might be intentionally controversial in order to drive "traffic"?

I honestly don’t think they’re that controversial. I would have had Palace higher, Brentford lower. They admit themselves in the introduction that there’s no right and wrong.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Design 12th
KSS Group OUT !!!!

The AMEX is certainly one of the best looking football stadia in the Country.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Whatever happened to Krispies ?!?!

He became an old married man with lots of kids.

 

[Dr Q]

I only scanned bits of the article, and I'll respect The Athletic's paywall by not copying and pasting stuff here, but it made mention of it being tricky to park near Selhurst Park. So, maybe the location assessment was a bit driver-centric.

The author, BTW, is a Norwich fan.

Bloody carrot muncher is probably more interested in where he can park his horse and cart!

 

[Dibdab]

Atmosphere - put safe standing in the North Stand

Ive not encountered a single stadium where safe standing has aided the atmosphere.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Bloody carrot muncher is probably more interested in where he can park his horse and cart!

I don't think Sussex is much less.rustic!

 

[Greg Bobkin]

My mate's written the odd report in his time and he reckons this one is shitehouse.

 

[kevo]

Trying to take the blue and white blinkers off.

The Amex is probably the best stadium I’ve visited in this league for leg room and sight lines except Tottenham. The atmosphere is comfortably mid table. One of the best on one off occasions (Sheff Weds, Chelsea, Athens) but often quiet, reactive and with either side of the north stand having a Willy waving contest instead of backing the team.

It’s let down by the catering and the awful travel, both of which are relegation fodder.

As a home stadium I’d rather have it than any of the now falling down Archibald Leitch stadia with their poor visibility and non existent leg room and concourses. Those stadia do have a lot of “soul” and history though so the ranking of them would be entirely subjective.

By catering do you mean the food or the service? I don't think I've been to an away match recently where it hasn't been almost impossible to get served - so the Amex no different in that respect. And the food compares very well to other clubs' offerings (compare Piglets' pies to the horrible Gingsters on offer at most grounds).

 

[Superphil]

The article actually references the lack of stand size behind each of the goals.
The north generally drive the atmosphere and it’s improved in the north west corner and also west upper but it’s not just their responsibility, it falls on all c29k home fans

Time for a podium in the centre of the NS and one of these perhaps?

 

[RandyWanger]

Time for a podium in the centre of the NS and one of these perhaps?
View attachment 168195

YES, Very much THIS!

 

[Guinness Boy]

By catering do you mean the food or the service? I don't think I've been to an away match recently where it hasn't been almost impossible to get served - so the Amex no different in that respect. And the food compares very well to other clubs' offerings (compare Piglets' pies to the horrible Gingsters on offer at most grounds).

Both, but let’s look at Wolves. The away concourse is narrow and has more ‘lager and cheap pie’ options but it was easy to get served.

However, their fanzone is 100% better than ours with more food and drink options and cheaper.

Like almost all other grounds they also have burger vans on the walk to the ground too. This is also where Spurs are great - good catering in ground but also fantastic burger vans and jerk chicken bbq on the way in,

This season we’ve seen half bar closures in the west lower after games and the beer machines abandoned by the people supposedly there to hand out beer cups.

 

[BrightonCottager]

I'm a big fan of old stadia. Yes, they're uncomfortable but I find them (warning, Pseuds Corner alert) deeply emotional experiences when you can connect with the ghosts of the past.

(For me), it's this. I tolerate the lack of legroom, hard wooden seat and pillar obscuring my view of the penalty spot because I'm in the same stand that my dad, his dad and possibly his dad sat in. Plus I like the people sitting around me.

Incidentally, where is Craven Cottage in this league table, please? The catering is appalling (no Victoria Sponge ffs) and toilet facilities (except in my stand) are overcrowded.

 

[Badger Boy]

Absolutely desperate for clicks.

Nah, Bozza didn't start this one!