Mendoza
NSC's Most Stalked
Arsenal's attendance is without fail always just over 60,000 even with visible empty seats galore
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Do Brighton really need to increase the capacity of the Amex?
- Thread starter public school boy
- Start date
Arsenal's attendance is without fail always just over 60,000 even with visible empty seats galore
Seagull over Canaryland
Well-known member
Firstly we haven't had a capacity crowd yet because the away fans haven't filled the South Stand. Secondly there appeared to be some decent gaps in the Club's own guest / complimentary seating area. Maybe the Club could release a chunk of these for general sale if it knows there won't be demand from it's guests?
With regard to increasing capacity I would go for it. The building structure is already there and presumably Tony Bloom still has the budget available to complete the stadium. All the other positive circumstances around the Club would support this. We may not fill 30k every week but will have the capability to accomodate bigger crowds (including away fans) when demand requires it. Imagine having a good cup run and home games against top Prem opposition (especially London clubs) that could sell another 5k. We will then have the stadium ready to take advantage if we make it into the Prem, rather than have to do it retrospectively.
I would strongly hope that the Club is already working behind the scenes with its partners to iron out the initial transport issues and to have an enhanced transport plan to support a 30k capacity. I cannot believe that TB and MP will have spent the money on building a potential 30k stadium and not anticipated the transport implications. The pros and cons of the Falmer area were fairly obvious and not rocket science, even before the stadium was built. So I wonder if they are waiting for a couple of capacity crowds to fully highlight any further practical issues so they can agree options with their partners and to accomodate these in the planning application?
I look at examples among similar sized clubs like Norwich who have steadily increased numbers of STH's and gradually increased the size of the ground to accomodate this. Ok they have had to adapt an existing ground but as a result they have a very high % seat occupancy and still have a waiting list for STHs. They have also incorporated a hotel and commercial offices into their newer stands (bit classier than a Sainsburys) at Carrow Road which also makes the expansion more viable. Interesting recent article in the local media about the value of adjoining property prices escalating because of the feel good factor around a successful footie club in turn generating further developments such as apartments, entertainments and shops. OK Carrow Road is closer to the City centre and probably better scope than Falmer but it is now the hub of a huge and vibrant area with enhanced transport links. I wonder if Tony Bloom has thoughts for other business opportunities in the Falmer / Universities area?
Meanwhile I think 30k is a good maximum for us, allowing room for sensible growth in crowds. Anything bigger than that would look silly with only 20k rattling around in it.
With regard to increasing capacity I would go for it. The building structure is already there and presumably Tony Bloom still has the budget available to complete the stadium. All the other positive circumstances around the Club would support this. We may not fill 30k every week but will have the capability to accomodate bigger crowds (including away fans) when demand requires it. Imagine having a good cup run and home games against top Prem opposition (especially London clubs) that could sell another 5k. We will then have the stadium ready to take advantage if we make it into the Prem, rather than have to do it retrospectively.
I would strongly hope that the Club is already working behind the scenes with its partners to iron out the initial transport issues and to have an enhanced transport plan to support a 30k capacity. I cannot believe that TB and MP will have spent the money on building a potential 30k stadium and not anticipated the transport implications. The pros and cons of the Falmer area were fairly obvious and not rocket science, even before the stadium was built. So I wonder if they are waiting for a couple of capacity crowds to fully highlight any further practical issues so they can agree options with their partners and to accomodate these in the planning application?
I look at examples among similar sized clubs like Norwich who have steadily increased numbers of STH's and gradually increased the size of the ground to accomodate this. Ok they have had to adapt an existing ground but as a result they have a very high % seat occupancy and still have a waiting list for STHs. They have also incorporated a hotel and commercial offices into their newer stands (bit classier than a Sainsburys) at Carrow Road which also makes the expansion more viable. Interesting recent article in the local media about the value of adjoining property prices escalating because of the feel good factor around a successful footie club in turn generating further developments such as apartments, entertainments and shops. OK Carrow Road is closer to the City centre and probably better scope than Falmer but it is now the hub of a huge and vibrant area with enhanced transport links. I wonder if Tony Bloom has thoughts for other business opportunities in the Falmer / Universities area?
Meanwhile I think 30k is a good maximum for us, allowing room for sensible growth in crowds. Anything bigger than that would look silly with only 20k rattling around in it.
That's true. Arsenal have a very 'creative' approach to their attendance figures.
funnily enough i was talking to someone about this who is a gooner and he tried to get a ticket for Liverpool game but it was sold out. The capacity is 60432 and saturday's gate was given as 60090, but anyone watching could see there were a lot more than 300 seats empty. He reckons they 'always' give the gate figure as number of ST's + match tickets sold + away fans, i.e. any STH not turning up still get's counted. Very creative......
He reckon's that also standard practice when it pisses hard at Arsenal is to try & move from the front to another drier seat. Now on the basis that its sold out & there aren't any other seats you couldn't move could you, but all those empty seats were in the front getting wet so they must have moved somewhere.........
Gotcha. Actually, you are right, that is a very good idea.
JJ McClure
Go Jags
I quite like that idea. Get planning permission in place, do one or two of the corners in the summer, test the water and see how crowds and travel arrangements go and then add a bit more. Would help spread the costs too. The only reason I see they'd go for the whole lot at once would the massive IF we got to the premier league.
Some clubs count season tix as part of the official gate, others don't. Another club who have always done so is Charlton. The number of times they announce a respectable gate when it is clear they are drawing flies defies belief. I always assume their season tix are dirt cheap with the number of people not bothering to go.
Others don't do this though - and we are clearly one of them. We had under 19,500 on Saturday, which is probably right when you consider the 1000 spare seats in the away end, and the missing STHs. Yet the game was officially sold out from Tuesday or Wednesday. i.e. you could not phone the club and buy a ticket, there were none left.
Others don't do this though - and we are clearly one of them. We had under 19,500 on Saturday, which is probably right when you consider the 1000 spare seats in the away end, and the missing STHs. Yet the game was officially sold out from Tuesday or Wednesday. i.e. you could not phone the club and buy a ticket, there were none left.
Barrel of Fun
Abort, retry, fail
If it allows us to host international games and so on, then go for it. Even of we don't necessarily need an increased capacity straight away. One does not build a hotel to cater for the quiet season.
I don't see why we couldn't have seats in the corners but cover them in a tarpaulin if unused.
I don't see why we couldn't have seats in the corners but cover them in a tarpaulin if unused.
Falmerfourtickets
Active member
- Dec 14, 2010
- 227
Again build it or them and they will come
There is the potential issue that if people perceive seats as being easy to get on a match by match basis, then we'll sell a lot less season tickets. This was an issue at Sunderland IIRC.
Insel affe
HellBilly
I was lucky enough to do some work at the stadium for a main contractor and was informed on site by a bigwig that the upper east is priority completion. It is a no brainer to be honest why apply if you are not going to do it complete. We must finish the stadium to carry on our forward momentum to match our chairmans ambition for our club.....
Onwards and upwards !!!
Cheeky Monkey
Well-known member
- Jul 17, 2003
- 23,874
Exactly. And bollogs to all this talk of filling in the corners first - the East upper is the priority so that the ground looks a bit more 'balanced'
Pevenseagull
meh
- Jul 20, 2003
- 20,685
We need a ground at least 3/4 the size of Juventus (40,000) they get Notts County* to open the ground we get Spurs, ergo we are bigger
*I Know
*I Know
Bob!
Coffee Buyer
- Jul 5, 2003
- 11,633
Yeah but....
The corners could be done during the Season (even if only one or two of them) to get extra revenue this season
Insel affe
HellBilly
Not possible during the season health and safety reasons. It may look like there would not be much work to do, but they would need further access into the areas already occupied by seats for towers, scaffolds etc. however the east stand is further on and just requires bolts and sheets then seats as all the preliminary main construction poles and supports are in place.
sir albion
New member
Actually when it kicked off the ground was full,then it started to pi$$ down and obviously everyone moved out of the rain.
On topic
Christ another stupid negative thread unreal
The ground is sold out basically for home fans and we have a waiting list,so yes of cause we need to expand.Many thought we would average 14k this season which was laughable and yes that was soon banished into the mist,people are forgetting that we,ve not actually dipped into our huge catchment area yet so thats to come once we expand or do we still need to dip into that after expansion?
Wether people turn up or not its irrelevant as they,ve paid end of,the capacity is 22,500 and we will never get 22,500 for many reasons,the best i can see is 22,100 odd as numerous tickets are kept by for certain things and some fans can't make it.
Im 100% sure that we would have a few 30k's this season if it was bigger,so lets crack on and get these extra seats in
Cheeky Monkey
Well-known member
- Jul 17, 2003
- 23,874
If you don't have a ground that can compete at the very top level in terms of crowds then you are not going to attract players whose ambition is to play at the very top level. A 22.5k ground would be 'okay' for a club looking to be a mid-table Championship outfit and nothing more. Our ambition is greater than that and 30k should just about see us there.
EastbourneGull
New member
- Oct 1, 2008
- 427
I was told that the infrastructure already in place will enable the whole lot to be completed in 12 weeks. It's a mouthwatering thought...the return of the webcam and Sir Jack Straw next summer.