[Albion] New fan zone - "The Terrace" [Opening 1/4/25 v Aston Villa]

[Bozza]

So, the band's are upstairs, and Amex cardholders get exclusivity!

For the fans, but only the right ones?

We don't know that yet, hence why I have asked that direct question to the club.

 

[crabface]

I won't be heading there for pre game, why would I sign up for an Amex if I don't need one? They have the 10% discount, for food and drink, no bother with that. Personally when they said they were building a fan zone for people to enter, I was hoping there wouldn't be a restriction to entry for some areas, but it seems there is for some. It should be utilised by all fans all of the time.

What did you expect? The club will try and milk as much money out of everything, if Amex want to sponsor something they will take it.

They dont care if you just want to pop in somewhere for a pint, they have to make it slightly more complicated because it means they get more money as i imagine the sponsorship hasnt come cheap.

 

[Hamilton]

At least we've still got Harvey's on tap downstairs.

It looks pretty impressive. It's sad we've had to give it to a global brewing brand of dubious quality, but that's where the money is.

 

[jackalbion]

What did you expect? The club will try and milk as much money out of everything, if Amex want to sponsor something they will take it.

They dont care if you just want to pop in somewhere for a pint, they have to make it slightly more complicated because it means they get more money as i imagine the sponsorship hasnt come cheap.

I expected they would open the whole thing to all fans, ultimately football is a communal experience, so if you're just going in there while half my mates are elsewhere its not going to get utilised very well, but thats on them I guess.

 

[Stuart Munday]

I'm not sure if we're disucssing the same thing or not.

But from that video - which I'd already watched - the upstairs/balcony/mezzanine looks bigger than the downstairs probably because of all the back-office space taken up downstairs with kitchens and staff areas etc.

Also, as I said above, the stage is also on that level.

So, it would feel a bit lop-sided if the entire upstairs/balcony/mezzanine was for Amex cardholders (+guests), and downstairs was for everyone else, given "everyone else" will be a bigger group than Amex cardholders.

Anyway, I've asked the club the following questions. I'll provide feedback when I get a response:

1.⁠ ⁠Is the entire mezzanine level for Amex cardholders (+guests) or just part of that upper level?

2.⁠ ⁠⁠Of the 1,000 internal capacity, what’s the split between the Amex Clubhouse area and the general admission area?

3.⁠ ⁠⁠The fly-through video shows the stage as being on the mezzanine level - is that in a general admission area, or is it in the Amex Clubhouse area?

Hopefully I will be proved wrong but I think it is the whole upstairs, why would American Express have to send out invitations to utilise the space if it will be a small area, I am sure the whole upstairs would be rammed even if you let in cardholders and 3 guests let alone general fans without a card.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Agree but I still don't agree with the principle of it, this has been built for the benefit of fans, not Amex cardholders. Its a relatively moot point, but I just know from experience at events like British Summer Time in London, that these 'Amex Exclusive queues' and 'Amex Exclusive Areas' just descend into complete farce. With huge queues in the normal queues while 5 or 6 staff stand there staring into space because nobody has an Amex.

Older people would want to sit down but most of the seating appears to be in the Amex zone.

 

[Bozza]

I expected they would open it up to all fans, ultimately football is a communal experience, so if you're just going in there while half my mates are elsewhere its not going to get utilised very well, but thats on them I guess.

Are you intentionally ignoring all my posts that fact it IS open to all fans?

 

[Midget]

Nice of them to name the café after Chelsea, seeing as they paid for it.

 

[ROSM]

I expected they would open it up to all fans, ultimately football is a communal experience, so if you're just going in there while half my mates are elsewhere its not going to get utilised very well, but thats on them I guess.

The downstairs is general admission. I do fear for amex holders having to go downstairs to get their harveys. They might get mugged for their card on the way back up

 

[el punal]

One of the major criticisms of the club is the lack of toilets on the outer concourse - a vital component if you’re knocking back the pints pre-match. Now, with ‘The Terrace’ opening shortly which will obviously have the required number of bogs for those inside. The question is will these facilities be accessible for anyone to use or only for those eating/drinking in The Terrace? Second question - will there be a limit on the numbers wishing to use The Terrace as it seems to be open planned, i.e. stewards controlling admittance like Dick’s Bar as was?

 

[Timbo]

What did you expect? The club will try and milk as much money out of everything, if Amex want to sponsor something they will take it.

They dont care if you just want to pop in somewhere for a pint, they have to make it slightly more complicated because it means they get more money as i imagine the sponsorship hasnt come cheap.

Exactly this. Look at anything that has been improved at the stadium over the years and try and think of something that has improved for the better without an ulterior motive of squeezing more money out of everybody.

It's why were getting more places to spend money but the station is still a disaster waiting to happen. Until the club figure out a way of monetizing a train queue nothing will improve down there. The next development at Falmer Station will probably be a machine that can turn you upside down and shake you.

 

[jackalbion]

Are you intentionally ignoring all my posts that fact it IS open to all fans?

Sorry I meant the special area!

 

[el punal]

Nice of them to name the café after Chelsea, seeing as they paid for it.

Just as well it wasn’t named after Cucurella. I mean having a swift pint in C***s bar doesn’t fill me with joy.

 

[Deadly Danson]

We have some spectacularly miserable and ungrateful posters on here this morning

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

"Zen Street Food – a menu of sandos"

Sandos!? That's me out, what's wrong with a Sandwich?

Cmon fam it’s Bredz now innit

 

[jackalbion]

We have some spectacularly miserable and ungrateful posters on here this morning

I forgot sorry, we are never allowed to criticise anything the club do.

 

[A1X]

For the 1 April matchday, the itinerary is shaping up to look like:

➢ 12noon opening of bars and kitchens

No disrespect to some of our more functioning alcoholics but if you're starting drinking at midday for a 7.45 kick off then I would suggest you might not appreciate the match to the fullest extent as a spectacle

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

So with season ticket cards no longer being the jail house commodity they once were are we going to start seeing Amex cards passed around

 

[jackalbion]

No disrespect to some of our more functioning alcoholics but if you're starting drinking at midday for a 7.45 kick off then I would suggest you might not appreciate the match to the fullest extent as a spectacle

I take that personally

 

[boik]

I forgot sorry, we are never allowed to criticise anything the club do.

But it's not compulsary to go in there. By all means criticise the club when they force you to do something, but this is an optional extra. Don't like it - don't use it.