Doncaster FC introduce unreserved seating to improve atmosphere

[chaileyjem]

Next season the Polypipe South Stand will become an unreserved seating section.
Rovers took the decision to make the area unreserved after various meetings with the Rovers Fan Panel (which represents all of our supporter groups) who agreed that it would help create a better atmosphere at Keepmoat Stadium.

"The Club has taken consultation with its supporters seriously since In Rovers We Trust began in early 2012. While results and league position have varied dramatically over this period, supporters have made it clear that the club’s biggest priority should be improving the atmosphere within the stadium, as that will create a better experience, encourage ‘lost’ fans to return and help to construct Fortress Keepmoat!

“In recent weeks we’ve worked closely with a group of core Rovers fans to look into this. We agreed that the creation of a home end was vital and we also agreed that in order to maximise attendance we’d need to restore some of the ‘freedoms’ associated with the way things used to be at Belle Vue. This is why having cash turnstiles and an area of unreserved seating has been introduced as part of the plan.

via
http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/south-stand-unreserved-seating-2203018.aspx

Should there be an unreserved North Stand ?

 

[Brian Fantana]

No.

If the club were going to do it, they should have done so from the moment that we moved into the Amex.

The complex loyalty issue with priority periods for choosing seats when the stadium first opened would make it a bit unfair to force people to move from the locations that they specifically chose, IMHO.

 

[spence]

What about people who brought a private seat thingy for £500?

 

[Eggman]

Polypipe South Stand. *chortle*

 

[Hotchilidog]

I'd say yes the North Stand (or at least the central blocks) should be unreserved. Given that at the moment it is nowhere near full, making the necessary reduction in capacity would not affect revenue too much. This move should however enable the singers to congregate in the same area to increase unity and volume.

Of course I say this as WSU STH, I'd be interested to hear the views of those who are North Stand regulars and STH's.

 

[spence]

They should make the SW corner unreserved seating. That's the best place

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Are you allowed to just go and do that in The Championship? Doubt it. Be interesting to see if they did come back up.

 

[Brian Fantana]

They should make the SW corner unreserved seating. That's the best place

Would be a better idea, IMHO. Right next to the away fans, so would improve the atmosphere.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

...

 

[spence]

I'd say yes the North Stand (or at least the central blocks) should be unreserved. Given that at the moment it is nowhere near full, making the necessary reduction in capacity would not affect revenue too much. This move should however enable the singers to congregate in the same area to increase unity and volume.

Of course I say this as WSU STH, I'd be interested to hear the views of those who are North Stand regulars and STH's.

Had the same seat since the Amex was opened. Would happily give it up for this idea.

 

[Brian Fantana]

Had the same seat since the Amex was opened. Would happily give it up for this idea.

I've had the same seat since the Amex opened and WOULDN'T happily give up my seat for this idea.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Yes.

When we moved into the Amex, the Club tried to encourage an "atmosphere" in the North Stand, by half-allowing standing in the back four rows, but this has patently not worked.

Most people in the North Stand chose that stand in the hope that the atmosphere around them would be rocking. It isn't. Trying something to remedy the situation is more important than worrying about the alleged importance of particular seats.

 

[8ace]

Easy to do if your ground is less than half full every week.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

What about people who brought a private seat thingy for £500?

Those seem like a distant memory now. The original presentation pack had a mock-up of a dedicated web page where private seat licences could be bought and sold to the highest bidder. Wonder if that ever happened? Seem to recall not many people falling for the hard sell at the time.

 

[studio150]

What do you do pre game? Get there early to nap a good seat or stay on the concourse having a drink and watching the lunch time game and then join the scramble to get a seat just before kick off. Only to discover lots of coats and bags on seats reserving them.

 

[rippleman]

Yes - of course. There is no doubt that the NS atmosphere would be improved. Not as much as safe-standing of course!

The atmosphere will only be improved by bringing all the singers together and telling the stewards to lighten up a bit.

But Barber has consistently been resistant to -any- suggestions for safe standing etc and whilst that intransigent attitude prevails, the atmosphere will remain unchanged.

 

[Notters]

Seem to recall it is only allowed if stand will be <60% full? (maybe a slightly different figure).
Therefore it would a) not be allowed for most matches at the Amex and b) preclude the sale of tickets on the day to prevent the attendance going over that %.

 

[DTES]

Had the same seat since the Amex was opened. Would happily give it up for this idea.

I've had the same seat since the Amex opened and WOULDN'T happily give up my seat for this idea.

I'm a North Stander, and my views keep changing. My problem isn't the seat itself - it's the group I sit near. There's a good group of us (who don't know each other outside football) who all get on really well and would want to stay together at each match. If the seating is unreserved, the only way to keep the whole group together is get there early enough that there's space together - and given that some of the group travel all the way from Somerset for each match, it's really not guaranteed.

On the other hand, I do want a stand with a rocking atmosphere.

It's tricky...

 

[Brian Fantana]

.



I'm a North Stander, and my views keep changing. My problem isn't the seat itself - it's the group I sit near. There's a good group of us (who don't know each other outside football) who all get on really well and would want to stay together at each match. If the seating is unreserved, the only way to keep the whole group together is get there early enough that there's space together - and given that some of the group travel all the way from Somerset for each match, it's really not guaranteed.

On the other hand, I do want a stand with a rocking atmosphere.

It's tricky...

I'm in exactly the same position.

Everyone in our group arrives at a slightly different time, including a couple who get there just before kick off.

 

[The Legend that IS Lawro]

What do you do pre game? Get there early to nap a good seat or stay on the concourse having a drink and watching the lunch time game and then join the scramble to get a seat just before kick off. Only to discover lots of coats and bags on seats reserving them.

Also would there not be 'situations' where one person would be saving say 11 seats and saying to arrivals "Sorry, you can't sit there, people coming"? Might cause a couple of issues.