[Albion] Adding a STH

[Is it PotG?]

I was fairly shocked when I found out the capacity of the Amex and the very limited opportunity to expand the ground. If we got to the PL, the current capacity was never going to be enough. And so it came to pass.

The ground capacity is about right imho. We JUST ABOUT sell out.

 

[Rodney Thomas]

The outcome to these 22 pages is that my son is going to get Jack a Young Seagulls Plus membership.

So you are giving up 'the struggle' BG? Emmeline Pankhurst will be turning in her grave!

 

[Buzzer]

So you are giving up 'the struggle' BG? Emmeline Pankhurst will be turning in her grave!

People might not be aware but Pankhurst is a Sussex surname and true to their roots they followed our motto 'we wunt be druv'. Don't give up BG!

 

[Easy 10]

I do feel for those in BG's position though as many on the waiting list now will be JCLs who have jumped aboard the PL bandwagon, rather than fourth, fifth (or even more) generation fans from a diehard BHAFC supporting family. But there is no way to sort the wheat from the chaff unfortunately.

I was fairly shocked when I found out the capacity of the Amex and the very limited opportunity to expand the ground. If we got to the PL, the current capacity was never going to be enough. And so it came to pass.

Rubbish.

We're riding on the crest of a wave at the moment, but the good times don't last forever. At some point there will be a slump, we may get relegated, interest can wain. I'd MUCH rather have a 30k stadium rammed to the rafters every week, or close to capacity, than have large swathes of empty seats and blocks all over the place when the less glamorous games come along, or less glamorous times. 30k is just about right, we're BHA, not a Man U or a Spurs.

 

[Munkfish]

Rubbish.

We're riding on the crest of a wave at the moment, but the good times don't last forever. At some point there will be a slump, we may get relegated, interest can wain. I'd MUCH rather have a 30k stadium rammed to the rafters every week, or close to capacity, than have large swathes of empty seats and blocks all over the place when the less glamorous games come along, or less glamorous times. 30k is just about right, we're BHA, not a Man U or a Spurs.

5 or 6 years doing little in the Prem, attendences will fall as too will away figures, Saints only take 1500, to most games north of London, WBA are similar and rarely sell out their allocations, No doubt our figures will fall too.

 

[Return of the Rev]

On a wider note, I do agree with [MENTION=12634]Return of the Rev[/MENTION] that youngsters who are STHs in the Family Stand need priority treatment when its their time to move and it's good that the club have an U21 pricing for them.

Another point that ROTR has made in the past that is very valid is that the club should try to encourage seat swaps so that fans can sit next to their mates. I like his idea of a part of the ground solely put aside for the U21s. It would help create another little clique within the ground along with NSK, WSL fans in the South (and I say that with the best of intentions) and it all adds to the match day experience for all of us.

 

[Weststander]

Rubbish.

We're riding on the crest of a wave at the moment, but the good times don't last forever. At some point there will be a slump, we may get relegated, interest can wain. I'd MUCH rather have a 30k stadium rammed to the rafters every week, or close to capacity, than have large swathes of empty seats and blocks all over the place when the less glamorous games come along, or less glamorous times. 30k is just about right, we're BHA, not a Man U or a Spurs.

Agree with that, at the moment. 30,750 seats, all quality, is fantastic. Beyond fans wildest dreams.

But should the Albion establish themselves as PL, as say Stains, for our huge catchment area and rapidly growing support, the stadium capacity may have to be looked at.


Away support - I agree with the posters who said we won't keep taking 3,000 away in future PL seasons (if we stay up). Too costly and time consuming, plus it's the novelty factor in season one.

 

[dazzer6666]

Agree with that, at the moment. 30,750 seats, all quality, is fantastic. Beyond fans wildest dreams.

But should the Albion establish themselves as PL, as say Stains, for our huge catchment area and rapidly growing support, the stadium capacity may have to be looked at.

Understand from previous multiple threads on here that it can't be. Would need a new design and build completely.

30k suits us for now. Would hate to be in a soulless Emirates or LS type place full of empty seats or tourists.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

 

[Return of the Rev]

Understand from previous multiple threads on here that it can't be. Would need a new design and build completely.

30k suits us for now. Would hate to be in a soulless Emirates or LS type place full of empty seats or tourists.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

A long way for the amex to emirates! A north stand with 5000 extra seats/safe standing would be intresting

 

[Buzzer]

Understand from previous multiple threads on here that it can't be. Would need a new design and build completely.

30k suits us for now. Would hate to be in a soulless Emirates or LS type place full of empty seats or tourists.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

When we played Leicester in the Championship a few seasons back I got talking to a couple of their fans and they both said that they wished their ground was slightly smaller. They were getting crowds of 25k in their 35k stadium and both said how much of a detrimental effect having so many empty seats in a ground had on a match. Christ knows how bad it must be for Middlesbrough fans. I went up there for a game just before Christmas one year and there must have only been about 20,000 of us in that huge stadium. It was horrible.

You and Easy10 have it right. The Amex is the perfect size for us.

 

[Easy 10]

5 or 6 years doing little in the Prem, attendences will fall as too will away figures, Saints only take 1500, to most games north of London, WBA are similar and rarely sell out their allocations, No doubt our figures will fall too.

Exactly. We're "peaking" at the moment. Its our first time playing at this level in 30-odd years, so the clamour for tickets is unprecedented. And for visits from the Big 6 we could probably sell 35-40k. But that doesn't mean our stadium should be built to cater for those occasions, because that's exactly what they are - occasions.

I'd much rather have our current scenario where the stadium is full, or close to full for most home games as it will be this season.

 

[Munkfish]

When we played Leicester in the Championship a few seasons back I got talking to a couple of their fans and they both said that they wished their ground was slightly smaller. They were getting crowds of 25k in their 35k stadium and both said how much of a detrimental effect having so many empty seats in a ground had on a match. Christ knows how bad it must be for Middlesbrough fans. I went up there for a game just before Christmas one year and there must have only been about 20,000 of us in that huge stadium. It was horrible.

You and Easy10 have it right. The Amex is the perfect size for us.

100% Having a bigger stadium only really allows for day trippers and half arsed fans which will water down the atmosphere.

Granted it Will be hard for younger fans to sit with parents as they get older, but get them in the waiting list now, not when they are ready. As for other fans there seems to be plenty of chances to get tickets on a match by match basis that doesnt stop new people coming along and attending, just needs a bit of planning like going to a gig, or any other other sporting event.

 

[Return of the Rev]

When we played Leicester in the Championship a few seasons back I got talking to a couple of their fans and they both said that they wished their ground was slightly smaller. They were getting crowds of 25k in their 35k stadium and both said how much of a detrimental effect having so many empty seats in a ground had on a match. Christ knows how bad it must be for Middlesbrough fans. I went up there for a game just before Christmas one year and there must have only been about 20,000 of us in that huge stadium. It was horrible.

You and Easy10 have it right. The Amex is the perfect size for us.

It keeps the fans on thier toes and the supply and demand balance should give the club the upper hand on pricing etc. All seems about right for ticket costs/crowd size/travel and debut season in the prem. Things can change and in football they will,would have liked a capacity of 37,000 just to break the record but the infrastructure would need upgrading.

 

[Badger]

Exactly. We're "peaking" at the moment. Its our first time playing at this level in 30-odd years, so the clamour for tickets is unprecedented. And for visits from the Big 6 we could probably sell 35-40k. But that doesn't mean our stadium should be built to cater for those occasions, because that's exactly what they are - occasions.

I'd much rather have our current scenario where the stadium is full, or close to full for most home games as it will be this season.

The simple solution is to keep a few folding GUEST CHAIRS in a cupboard at The Amex. Whenever there's an occasion and a few extra people turn up, just pop out the guest chairs and maybe a few beanbags to accommodate everyone.

 

[Easy 10]

It keeps the fans on thier toes and the supply and demand balance should give the club the upper hand on pricing etc. All seems about right for ticket costs/crowd size/travel and debut season in the prem. Things can change and in football they will,would have liked a capacity of 37,000 just to break the record but the infrastructure would need upgrading.

That's one HELL of an outlay on an infrastructure upgrade "just to break the record".

The entire stadium would practically need dismantling and rebuilding. I suppose we'd have to head back to Gillingham for a year or two while they sorted that out.

 

[seagulls4ever]

Understand from previous multiple threads on here that it can't be. Would need a new design and build completely.

30k suits us for now. Would hate to be in a soulless Emirates or LS type place full of empty seats or tourists.

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According to Natterjack, who was a project manager when the stadium was being built, it can be expanded to 35K. Whether that would involve moving the seats closer together or something, I don't know. More recent suggestions from Barber indicate there may be scope to add a few more seats here and there, but not a lot.

 

[Easy 10]

According to Natterjack, who was a project manager when the stadium was being built, it can be expanded to 35K. Whether that would involve moving the seats closer together or something, I don't know. More recent suggestions from Barber indicate there may be scope to add a few more seats here and there, but not a lot.

I just don't see where an extra 4,000-5,000 seats could possibly be plumbed in, and I don't see them ripping out the existing 30,000 seats and compromising on the comfort to "squeeze us up". The stadium has had its planned expansion with the 2nd tier on the East and the corners being filled. The concourses and exits were designed and built to cater for the current capacity, and the club have said as much on several occasions when this question gets asked.

It would take a major structural upheaval (and HUGE costs). Not gonna happen IMO.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I just don't see where an extra 4,000-5,000 seats could possibly be plumbed in, and I don't see them ripping out the existing 30,000 seats and compromising on the comfort to "squeeze us up". The stadium has had its planned expansion with the 2nd tier on the East and the corners being filled. The concourses and exits were designed and built to cater for the current capacity, and the club have said as much on several occasions when this question gets asked.

It would take a major structural upheaval (and HUGE costs). Not gonna happen IMO.

I tend to agree, If you take the principle of the new South East TV studio, I think it has 5 rows of seats cantilevered over the stand below, and a rough estimate I would say you could get a further 7 rows if the studio wasn't there and the seats continued back (I think there is enough height). If this extended across the entire South Stand, you would lose some existing seats, but that could be say 150 seats per row, so you might add 1000 seats at most for a huge amount of work. If each seat earned you £50 per match (inc. beverages bought etc.) then each season, each seat would earn you £1000, so the extension x1000 seats would = £1m per year. No idea how access could work etc. no concourse, toilets, all for 1000 extra seats...

 

[BNthree]

To add more seats they'd need to lose other areas, such as the offices upstairs in the North Stand or the corporate areas upstairs in the South Stand. NE corner could have similar to the SE corner and have more fitted in too.

 

[seagulls4ever]

I just don't see where an extra 4,000-5,000 seats could possibly be plumbed in, and I don't see them ripping out the existing 30,000 seats and compromising on the comfort to "squeeze us up". The stadium has had its planned expansion with the 2nd tier on the East and the corners being filled. The concourses and exits were designed and built to cater for the current capacity, and the club have said as much on several occasions when this question gets asked.

It would take a major structural upheaval (and HUGE costs). Not gonna happen IMO.

It doesn't look like it would be easy to add more seats to me either - I'm just passing on what Natterjack said many years ago when the stadium was being built (before he was told off by the club for revealing too much information about the stadium). When I mentioned this in another thread several months ago, he also 'liked' that post, which gives me a smidgen of hope! His original suggestion was that the stadium could be expanded to 35K without major structural changes.