AMEX expansion - there must be a plan hidden away somewhere......

[Weststander]

Bit disappointing- if there was any expansion it should be to seating, the North is the only atmospheric area in the ground.

I think you’ll find that the ESL from 75 minutes generates the most atmosphere.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I think you’ll find that the ESL from 75 minutes generates the most atmosphere.

Yes, the noise the early leavers make as they exit the stadium can be truly deafening. I can hear them in the WSL.

 

[Weststander]

Yes, the noise the early leavers make as they exit the stadium can be truly deafening. I can hear them in the WSL.

Must be a great atmosphere down Falmer Station from 75 minutes.

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

I don't think we need any more. We only just sold out against palace and - with the cyclical nature of football - are sure to be in the lower leagues again.

That said, when football progresses far enough to allow terracing, the North stand capacity will double.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Why do we want to increase the ground size? Atmosphere or to accommodate more people.

I buy the atmosphere one and think safe standing factored to be 1.5 in both north & south would add 3K at least , not sure what payback time would be to do this .

However I would be interested to see what the real demand is , yes we sell out and have a season ticket list but how many people can't get tickets is it 10s, 100s 000s. There are usually a 1000 spare seats at each game , yes sold but still empty. Better management of that space might help alleviate that.

 

[Albion Robster]

Anyone know how many fans are sitting on the season ticket waiting list?
I guess that gives a good indication of current demand for match day seats....

 

[Nixonator]

I don't think we need any more. We only just sold out against palace and - with the cyclical nature of football - are sure to be in the lower leagues again.

That said, when football progresses far enough to allow terracing, the North stand capacity will double.

Wasn't that due to a massive amount of segregation? It's been commonly our lowest attendance figure in the PL because of this.

Why do we want to increase the ground size? Atmosphere or to accommodate more people.

I buy the atmosphere one and think safe standing factored to be 1.5 in both north & south would add 3K at least , not sure what payback time would be to do this .

However I would be interested to see what the real demand is , yes we sell out and have a season ticket list but how many people can't get tickets is it 10s, 100s 000s. There are usually a 1000 spare seats at each game , yes sold but still empty. Better management of that space might help alleviate that.

All stadiums have around 7-10% averaged non attendance. That's a separate issue to prior demand.

And yes, I'd love for the North to be expanded (somehow) or a 1:1.5 ratio of safe standing when the ruling is changed, and it will be. Disappointing thing is that they were talking about a 1:1 ratio last I heard anything about it.

 

[goldstoneseagull]

Anyone know how many fans are sitting on the season ticket waiting list?
I guess that gives a good indication of current demand for match day seats....

I would imagine its circa 6-8k but being a member essentially provides an automatic place on the waiting list, so not really indicative of a true figure.

I would say out of those 6-8k, only half would take a season ticket, so I don't think there is any great need for an increase in capacity, though it would be great if the North was larger atmosphere wise.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Anyone know how many fans are sitting on the season ticket waiting list?
I guess that gives a good indication of current demand for match day seats....

C6,000


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[supaseagull]

I don't think we need any more. We only just sold out against palace and - with the cyclical nature of football - are sure to be in the lower leagues again.

That said, when football progresses far enough to allow terracing, the North stand capacity will double.

I remember critics of the stadium itself before it was built questioned the attendance given we rarely hit maximum capacity at Withdean. How wrong they were and I think that if we were able to put another 8k on the current capacity, we would fill it for a large number of matches.


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[Not Andy Naylor]

I don't think we need any more. We only just sold out against palace and - with the cyclical nature of football - are sure to be in the lower leagues again.

That said, when football progresses far enough to allow terracing, the North stand capacity will double.

Safe standing areas are planned to accommodate the same number as the equivalent seated areas, so at the moment it won't make any difference.

 

[Weststander]

Wasn't that due to a massive amount of segregation? It's been commonly our lowest attendance figure in the PL because of this.



All stadiums have around 7-10% averaged non attendance. That's a separate issue to prior demand.

And yes, I'd love for the North to be expanded (somehow) or a 1:1.5 ratio of safe standing when the ruling is changed, and it will be. Disappointing thing is that they were talking about a 1:1 ratio last I heard anything about it.

Celtic and Spurs, with council H&S input, went for the 1:1 ratio railed seating. Whereas some new rugby league stadia went for the higher ratio, as with several Bundesliga stadia. Football fans in this country are treated cynically.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Better management of that space might help alleviate that.

How can you better manage people deciding at the last minute that they can/can't make a game? Several times at out time at the Amex, I or one of my sons, have made last minute decisions due to either illness or work or family reasons. I would suggest every large event has a similar number of no-shows.

 

[Wardy's twin]

All stadiums have around 7-10% averaged non attendance. That's a separate issue to prior demand.

i don't dispute this but wonder if it could be managed better .... if someone regularly does not attend e.g. 5 times a season could they be invited to put their ticket on the exchange... might not work but if we have 5k of supporters not seeing games then we need to encourage them by working for them to get tickets. Say we are 10% down each game then we could help boost match day revenue by having these people attend and spend....

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

Yes, but I'm hoping in time we'll move on and introduce something less restrictive.

 

[Bodian]

Safe standing areas are planned to accommodate the same number as the equivalent seated areas, so at the moment it won't make any difference.

But, the seats and spacing at the Amex are quite generous. If no-one actually sits in the NS seats (especially if it becomes safe standing), then they could be smaller and closer together. So, even if it were 1:1, the capacity could be increased with some expenditure. Actually, if they really wanted to go for it, could they make a steeper stand there without changing the footprint? - which would also increase the number of rows, and make it look deeper. That would increase the potential for atmosphere as well.

 

[Weststander]

But, the seats and spacing at the Amex are quite generous. If no-one actually sits in the NS seats (especially if it becomes safe standing), then they could be smaller and closer together. So, even if it were 1:1, the capacity could be increased with some expenditure. Actually, if they really wanted to go for it, could they make a steeper stand there without changing the footprint? - which would also increase the number of rows, and make it look deeper. That would increase the potential for atmosphere as well.

It’s a councils and H&S thing, obsessive with no risk.

Plus can you imagine BHCC’s reaction to a travel plan for x thousand more punters?

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

i don't dispute this but wonder if it could be managed better .... if someone regularly does not attend e.g. 5 times a season could they be invited to put their ticket on the exchange... might not work but if we have 5k of supporters not seeing games then we need to encourage them by working for them to get tickets. Say we are 10% down each game then we could help boost match day revenue by having these people attend and spend....

At the end of the day, it's their ticket, they can do what they like with it as long as they pay for it.

 

[dazzer6666]

But, the seats and spacing at the Amex are quite generous. If no-one actually sits in the NS seats (especially if it becomes safe standing), then they could be smaller and closer together. So, even if it were 1:1, the capacity could be increased with some expenditure. Actually, if they really wanted to go for it, could they make a steeper stand there without changing the footprint? - which would also increase the number of rows, and make it look deeper. That would increase the potential for atmosphere as well.

Concourse, loos etc couldn’t cope with that kind of increase without significant expansion.

 

[Uter]

That would pretty much be a 'no' then.

I wouldn't quite go that far. Having longer platforms at Falmer would give Southern some operational flexibility. For instance, on Sundays, when half the number of trains are timetabled than the rest of the week and extra staff might be difficult to obtain it might be more cost effective to run 12 car trains as opposed to additional trains. The extra dwell time at short platforms isn't so much of an issue when fewer trains are running.

Another consideration is what will happen to the 3 car units that generally work the Coastway routes when the franchise is up in the next couple of years. IIRC they date from the mid-70s and are the oldest mainline trains in operation. They might get a refurb, but are far more likely to be scrapped, in which case the next incumbent will either have to order new trains or source some hand-me-downs.

South West Trains have 30 5-car trains that are only a couple of years old, but are being replaced in the next year or two. They currently have no home to go to. IMO they would be a good fit for the Coastway routes. They are configured for metro operation and hence have a greater capacity than the current 3-car units (800 v 300). They can also be coupled together to form 10-car trains which have a capacity of 1600. Probably won't happen, but it would like it to.