Do Brighton really need to increase the capacity of the Amex?

[00snook]

Will be needed in the Prem without doubt, which is clearly where we are heading to

 

[StillHateBellotti]

You can already upgrade a childrens season ticket to an Adult if the child can not attend! I have done it whwilst my daughter has been away. I will do it aswell for the big games as i don't think it will be an appropriate place for a 12 year old girl especially hearing some of the 10 year old sitting behind us in the north stand! I would not want her standing waiting ages for a train with Palace milling around! its up to th eseaosn ticket holder really.

I do agree that no seat should be left empty, thats a bit tame as you would always find people to give them away to! It the thing about handing over a plastic season ticket instead of a paper ticket i suppose!

 

[little al]

'cant even fill' I think that's a bit unfair, considering for home league games so far, all home tickets have been sold - its up to season ticket holders to turn up though.

What worries me is that for these high profile games, leeds, palace, west ham etc, the crows will fall as there are a considerable number of child season tickets, and i cant imagine every parent wanting to take their child to an evening game, on a school night, with the posibility of mixing with those fans after the game.

Season tickets are counted in the attendance even if they don't turn up.

At Palace, child season tickets can beused by adulds at no extra charge. Might be something your lot can look at.

 

[little al]

Just read the post above my last one, seems you have the same child/adult season ticket deal for night games.

 

[Storer 68]

'cant even fill' I think that's a bit unfair, considering for home league games so far, all home tickets have been sold - its up to season ticket holders to turn up though.

I'd love to know how the club compiles it figures. Last weekend there were a large amount of empty seats in The west stand lower. I don't believe they were all season ticket holder's seats due to their location unless it was one very large family or a large company/ office day out. Even at The Withdean we were led to believe certain games were sell outs when there were clearly empty seats. please don't think I'm moaning, just raising a question. Can't wait for tonight's game so I'm leaving now to by my stripes.
Lots of love
PSB

They know cos they sell the tickets. and they count the number of people entering the stand - they have to for safety reasons to avoid overcrowding after Hillsborough. and there have to be a certian number of spare seats available to deal with emergencies etc. can't remember how many but its a fair few

And people do buy tickets and then don't turn up, for whatever reason,

 

[Wilko]

At Palace, child season tickets can beused by adulds at no extra charge. Might be something your lot can look at.

So, what is to stop you buying a childs season ticket and using yourself all season then?

 

[Storer 68]

We sold out our season tickets and there's a waiting list for more. Wait until mid-September when the majority of season ticket holders will be back from holidays, etc... and we will see the gates rise. I can't see many tickets going spare after that.

Providing we have a decent season (around mid table), we could easily make 26-27k per game next season, maybe more. IF we have a fantastic season (promotion or a near-miss) we would sell out 30k (the home seats anyway) almost every game.

We gained a lot of interest from new fans & old fans when the stadium was built, however, so many people I know are taking interest in us this season because the following things are getting us noticed; the way we play, the players we are signing (especially CMS), Gus Poyet & our good start in the league. Those things, in addition to the fact that we are in the Championship & getting more TV and radio time, have propelled us to the forefront of people's minds who would never have considered going to see Brighton play regularly. I can only see our fan base growing.

...

 

[sully]

Planning permissions usually state the work must be STARTED within 3 years and COMPLETED within 5. I guess that would mean that we could do one corner at a time and the east stand upper over a period of 5 years, as the work will have technically started.


On the overall thrust of the thread, I was stunned the other day when one of my nephews who I thought had no interest whatsoever in football told me he was planning to go to a game. It's the sense that he's missing out on something that's drawing him in, as so many people are raving about everything to do with the club at the moment.

 

[little al]

So, what is to stop you buying a childs season ticket and using yourself all season then?

Only valid for evening games.

 

[Sompting_Seagull]

'cant even fill' I think that's a bit unfair, considering for home league games so far, all home tickets have been sold - its up to season ticket holders to turn up though.

I'd love to know how the club compiles it figures. Last weekend there were a large amount of empty seats in The west stand lower. I don't believe they were all season ticket holder's seats due to their location unless it was one very large family or a large company/ office day out. Even at The Withdean we were led to believe certain games were sell outs when there were clearly empty seats. please don't think I'm moaning, just raising a question. Can't wait for tonight's game so I'm leaving now to by my stripes.
Lots of love
PSB

Those empty seats in WSL were for AMEX employees, the good for nothing no shows.

 

[Pavilionaire]

On balance I believe the club should expand the capacity.

Look at Bolton Wanderers - capacity around the 29,000 mark with average attendance c. 23K - even though there's only 140K people in the city and 260K in the wider metropolitan area. Albion's catchment area and potential fanbase is bigger, more affluent and the place is more desirable to live in.

If the Prem was done purely on stadium capacity then 20th spot would be filled by Leicester with 32K capacity.

We're currently 42nd so Championship relegation in terms of capacity. 30,000 would put us joint 24th.

Clubs with 20K capacity tend to enjoy their one season in the Prem as a novelty, then f*** off back to obscurity.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Apart from a limited number of games is it really necessary to increase the capacity to 30,000. Can't even fill 22,500.

Where to start?

 

[WallyBanana]

You can already upgrade a childrens season ticket to an Adult if the child can not attend! I have done it whwilst my daughter has been away. I will do it aswell for the big games as i don't think it will be an appropriate place for a 12 year old girl especially hearing some of the 10 year old sitting behind us in the north stand! I would not want her standing waiting ages for a train with Palace milling around! its up to th eseaosn ticket holder really.

I do agree that no seat should be left empty, thats a bit tame as you would always find people to give them away to! It the thing about handing over a plastic season ticket instead of a paper ticket i suppose!

If you're in the Family Stand you can only upgrade a childs season ticket to an adult one if they can seat you somewhere else in the stadium. If they can't upgrade and move you then they are willing to let the seat sit empty rather than let someone else use it.

 

[garethjamesuk]

Season tickets are counted in the attendance even if they don't turn up.

At Palace, child season tickets can beused by adulds at no extra charge. Might be something your lot can look at.

Supposedly not, the attendence is on how many people process tickets via the turnstiles not how many tickets have been sold for the game

 

[Gritt23]

It's a bit of future-proofing innit.

While the euphoria is such that we can possibly get this approved and built, lets do it. What harm is done by having a few empty seats for a while (if we do have). It's not as if we can have a great run at the end of a season, get promotion and then get the expansion done in time for the following season. No, let's do it now, so that we have it in place for when we need it, whether that's a season or two in the Premiership somewhere down the line, or even for some big Cup games, or play-offs etc.

There is such a long lead time to do this, I think we're right to be looking at doing it now, even if we spend a season or two in a 30,000 stadium, getting crwods of 20,000.

 

[whitelion]

Season tickets are counted in the attendance even if they don't turn up.

I wouldn't think that's the case. I'm sure on the Health & Safety issue the club have to be aware of who is actually in the stadium. The swipe system of season tickets and those sold to non-season (but registered) ticket holders provides not only the 'attendance' but information regarding who is in the stadium at any one time.

I don't know how it works for away supporters though.

 

[Notters]

Season tickets are counted in the attendance even if they don't turn up.

Only at Plastic clubs like MK Dongs.

 

[Hunting 784561]

Of course we will need a minimum of 30,000 for the Premiership.

Think of all those other club's supporters who will want to buy a season ticket

 

[B.W.]

It's a bit of future-proofing innit.

While the euphoria is such that we can possibly get this approved and built, lets do it. What harm is done by having a few empty seats for a while (if we do have). It's not as if we can have a great run at the end of a season, get promotion and then get the expansion done in time for the following season. No, let's do it now, so that we have it in place for when we need it, whether that's a season or two in the Premiership somewhere down the line, or even for some big Cup games, or play-offs etc.

There is such a long lead time to do this, I think we're right to be looking at doing it now, even if we spend a season or two in a 30,000 stadium, getting crwods of 20,000.

100% agreed... Reading hesitated: result = no expansion of Mad Stad (at least up until now)

 

[Notters]

100% agreed... Reading hesitated: result = no expansion of Mad Stad (at least up until now)

But they do have planning permission:

The Club have received planning permission to increase the capacity of the stadium to 38,000. This would involve further extending three sides of the stadium (the West Stand would remain as it is) and replacing the roof and would take around three years to complete. This would be achieved by first by increasing the size of the East Stand, adding around 7,000 additional seats. The following Summer the North Stand would be extended adding another 3,500 seats and a year later a similar construction would happen at the South end of the stadium. However, it is unclear when work will commence.