Its pointless to compare watching football now with what things were like in the Goldstone days because things have changed so much (e.g. Premier League, Sky, foreign players, all seater stadia, season tickets vs potg etc etc etc). The one thing that hasn't changed is that the key to getting bums on seats is success on the pitch and if this can be maintained, say consistently to mid-Prem level, there's no reason why attendances at the Amex can't continue to be between 80 - 95% of capacity, whatever that is. I believe the capacity can be increased by placing the seats closer together and that may be the final call if and when needed. For now, 30,000 is fine because, amongst other things it reflects where we are as a club at the moment, it makes a full stadium easier to achieve and it stimulates demand if seats are hard to come by for popular games.
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Is the Amex big enough?
- Thread starter Working class pride
- Start date
Uter
Well-known member
Times move on. Looking at the past can be a reasonable guide to what can happen in the future, but I don't think we should be a slave to it.
I think it's perfectly possible that we could, in the near future, achieve much bigger crowds than 30,000 on a regular basis if we had a stadium large enough and continue to play at a high level.
By continuing our strategy of nurturing young supporters, attracting families, always striving to have the best facilities and developing our fan base in areas where we have not traditionally enjoyed much support (i.e. in adjoining counties) we can further increase our fan base.
There are external factors in our favour too. The census in 1981, when we were in Division 1, showed that Sussex had a population of 1,291,140. Last year's census had a figure of 1,607,000. An increase of nearly 25%, or 315,000. This is likely to continue rising steadily. More people = more supporters. Generally, over time, investment in transport also means that attracting supporters from further afield becomes easier.
Yes there is a risk that relegation could mean a half empty stadium, but that is true for anyone. I don't think it should be used as a reason to limit our ambition.
I think it's perfectly possible that we could, in the near future, achieve much bigger crowds than 30,000 on a regular basis if we had a stadium large enough and continue to play at a high level.
By continuing our strategy of nurturing young supporters, attracting families, always striving to have the best facilities and developing our fan base in areas where we have not traditionally enjoyed much support (i.e. in adjoining counties) we can further increase our fan base.
There are external factors in our favour too. The census in 1981, when we were in Division 1, showed that Sussex had a population of 1,291,140. Last year's census had a figure of 1,607,000. An increase of nearly 25%, or 315,000. This is likely to continue rising steadily. More people = more supporters. Generally, over time, investment in transport also means that attracting supporters from further afield becomes easier.
Yes there is a risk that relegation could mean a half empty stadium, but that is true for anyone. I don't think it should be used as a reason to limit our ambition.
Seagull58
In the Algarve
We got 30,000+ a few times in the 70's. I think you could count them on the fingers of two hands. We weren't getting 30,000 every other week.
mikeyjh
Well-known member
Sure someone's already used the phrase 'run before you can walk' - I'm not sure how 1 season averaging around 20,000 suggests you need to expand a 30,000 seater stadium?? If you want to use Derby as an example, for a couple of seasons including our magnificent 2007/2008 season, we sold out > 33,000 week in week out, there was clamour to expand (PPS designed to expand to 45,000 ish). By last season we were back down to 27,000 with a handful of sellouts in a season. A larger stadium is more expensive to run, and won't be full very often, think of it that way....
Uter
Well-known member
I am not sure anyone is suggesting we should expand it before we see if we can fill a 30,000 stadium on a regular basis. I think the point is everyone's expectations have been vastly exceeded in terms of support and it's reasonable to wonder what our limits are if we do continue to sell out after the stadium has been expanded. If I were running the club I'd certainly be planning for the possibility that 30,750 might not satiate demand.
somerset
New member
I believe it will have to, we have been told in the past that there isn't scope to go beyond without a complete redesign and rebuild........ it will be enough.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
i get what you're saying but how many of the 310k population increase in the last 10 years are births and not just migration? Minus the amount born to chelsea or Arsenal fans and there's very little BHAFC potential supporters of that 310k.
You mention families, but increasing prices that we are seeing in a number of threads on here, stop families going. Its much cheaper to sit your family at home to watch a match than take them all to football for a £100+ day out. So its all about what happens on the pitch. Lets be honest, there is a level of novelty about the club at the moment so when thats gone, its all about good football. If we have Gus, attractive football and a successful team, then we'll still pack em in, but there are limits. Just look at the amount of tickets still available for our first 2 matches.
They are already working on that second option! £41 to watch the Albion v BARNSLEY, wonder what it will be to watch them play some of the big clubs should we be promoted.
There is a case however for variable pricing dependent upon the opposition, shirley?
Uter
Well-known member
I don't think it's especially relevant what the drivers of population growth are. My father was a Charlton supporter until he moved to Brighton in 1958 and then he switched to watching Brighton. People can and do change allegiances. And even if the parents don't change children are fickle. Get it right for them and they will support us regardless of whom their parents support.
There is no way on earth that an increase population of that magnitude isn't a significant factor in determining our support. It is a colossal rise. You can't dismiss it and say it has no bearing. It is very relevant.
Mileoakman
Well-known member
Mind you if they ever revoke the 'all seating stadia' rule, (which I thought was being discussed a while back), then with the seats out of the North and South stands you could probably get 35000+. Instant increase at minimal cost.
Hove Seagull
Well-known member
I think you'll find that it's Elphick's Elevation!
It's going to be almost impossible to extend the seating capacity beyond 30,750. Some have spoken of raising the East Stand roof or something - I think that looks unlikely, as it is the roof and the two arches that are keeping the whole stadium upright.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
German standing areas are made so that they occupy almost the same space as seats. The reason being that each standing area (as in individual area) has its own fold down seat. So that it complys with Champions League. So you might get an extra 1000 in if both ends behind the goal went controlled standing zones but not much more than that I wouldn't think.
Weststander
Well-known member
Surely a wind-up.
How many Arsenal supporters were around South of the Thames- pre George Graham,
and how many Chelski fans in Sussex pre-Bates nearly bankrupting the club during the Hoddle-Vialli-Gullit-Makelele era, to giving them some £-based success?
Very very few.
Point being .... the Albion if run correctly can tap into the massive Sussex population, with success on the pitch, reasonable pricing, good PR, and working the fringes of the marketplace further out in Sussex. Arsenal & Chelski's fans bases grew only once they starting winning regularly and competing, leading to some kids choosing them (and so not always LFC and ManU), and some adults jumping ship from other clubs (reflected glory).
Weststander
Well-known member
The ES Arch is not supporting the WS in any way, or ES lower tier.
In the long term, an expansion would surely mean dismantling the ES arch and its contrete anchors, to expand the ES upwards, and that might mean the end stands can be increased too.
Very expensive, but that might be 10 years away when we are owned by the Saudi royal family.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
You can't dismiss the lure of Big club syndrome, we all remember kids at school supporting Man U because of their dad. Some still ask 'what division are Brighton in?'. You are correct though with your analysis of the club tapping into the community but haven't they done that already? 23k STH's who would have believed that 2 years ago? Yet it seems that incorrectly pricing matchday tickets and already having so many ST's sold, that there is little demand for more tickets at the moment. Look at the ticketing system yourself. The only way BHAFC can get more supporters (as in bigger attendances) from this point on is to get into the Prem. Or make matchday tickets more attractive with offers and schools etc.
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