Q for STH, will raising the capacity of the stadium to 30,000........

[shaun_rc]

As I understand it the theory goes as follows:

If you have more demand for match day tickets than seats then people are more likely to buy season tickets to assure themselves of a seat when/if they want to go. Looks like this is the case at the moment.

However, if you add 8,000 more seats, we're unlikely to sell out for all but the biggest games. So people who bought season tickets purely to ensure a seat for matches they fancied may not then renew because they are confident they can get a seat for any game they fancy.

So the effect of adding more seats could easilybe that season ticket sales fall.

As for the missing 10%. The above could be part of that - you can see how a less than die-hard fan could miss two or three games a season - and that gives us the missing 10% immediately. Different people, perfectly valid reasons, niot passing on their ticket. 10% seats empty.

This. I also think the travel situation may put some people off renewing next season. Every time the travel is mentioned, some smug people start talking about how "easy it is for them". There is a problem, and a lot of posters on here do not understand what it is to not be a die hard fan of the Albion but to have bought a season ticket. These people are going to be thinking "I can't be bothered to queue like this to get home".

I think extending the ground now could well be a mistake. Even at the Goldstone in the old First Division, our crowds weren't that much different to now - lower even, after the novelty had worn off. With 30,000, it'll so easy to get tickets, people will start picking and choosing, which itself could make the attendance fall. They need to think carefully about this, not just get carried away with the current euphoria.

 

[patchamalbion]

if we increase to 30,000 i'm not sure we'd see any proper sell outs and living 170 miles away yes i would probably get rid of my ST and just buy for the games i come down for. Depends what the points system is next season as well. will ST holders who re-new get extra points or is that it now??

i dont really want 30000 to be honest as i feel that if we're plodding along mid-table champs we will get 22-24000 per game and seeing empty seats will lose a lot of the appeal for me. i can see a tuesday night next season at home to Burnley attracting 17-18000 and it will feel like the Ricoh!!

 

[Bozza]

what block you in, boz?

North of centre - G164-165.

 

[BHAFC_Pandapops]

North of centre - G164-165.

ah, im im i

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

i dont really want 30000 to be honest as i feel that if we're plodding along mid-table champs we will get 22-24000 per game and seeing empty seats will lose a lot of the appeal for me. i can see a tuesday night next season at home to Burnley attracting 17-18000 and it will feel like the Ricoh!!

From an asthetic point of view we need that second tier on the East to stop the stadium looking so 'unbalanced.'

 

[gazingdown]

ST will be seen as a way of reserving the better seats in the ground. Currently, due to demand, people buy them simply to ensure they see every game.

I expect some ST holders on the edge of the stands (near the corners) may either a) just buy individually or b) buy tickets in a central(ish) block in the east stand upper.

I expect ST holders to go UP (there's plenty of seats in ESU that will be high demand) but obviously there will be more on general sale. They'll be less sold but empty seats (these people will probably just buy individual game tickets as they don't need to have a reserved ST).

If in the CS next year I expect we'll have 22/23k, 27/28k for big games. Get ManU/Liverpool/etc. in the FA Cup and then a sell out. However, if we have a bad run in the CS then we'll be on about what we get now (19k or so).

As for "empty" seats/overcapacity, within reason I'd rather that then missing parts of the ground that we have now! We can always cover up corners/sell advertising etc. for smaller games.

Anyway, bring it on, I can't wait to see the place "finished". It'll look fantastic.

 

[levski seagull]

i think a lot of sth's might have a shock if they give up their season tickets and start paying on the gate, yesterday me and my boy used my mates season tickets (£25 for the pair of us), to get a similar ticket (wsu) just for me is £32 plus the hassle of trying to get through to the ticket office/ spending ages on the website etc...If i had a sth i'd stick with it.

 

[00snook]

Nothing, NOTHING will stop or deter me from renewing my ST.

 

[Icy Gull]

Interesting that the vast majority will renew regardless but those that post on here are fanatics rather than fair weather and I'm sure plenty will ditch their season tickets if they think it'll be easy to get a ticket.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

If in the CS next year I expect we'll have 22/23k, 27/28k for big games. Get ManU/Liverpool/etc. in the FA Cup and then a sell out. However, if we have a bad run in the CS then we'll be on about what we get now (19k or so).

As for "empty" seats/overcapacity, within reason I'd rather that then missing parts of the ground that we have now! We can always cover up corners/sell advertising etc. for smaller games.

Anyway, bring it on, I can't wait to see the place "finished". It'll look fantastic.

Spot on with all of that.

 

[The Grockle]

From an asthetic point of view we need that second tier on the East to stop the stadium looking so 'unbalanced.'

I agree. Also if we have trouble selling it out, it could just be closed off completely.
I must admit I thought the club might be getting ideas above their station when expansion was being talked about before a ball had been kicked but now we have showed there is massive interest in football at the Amex, i'd be a little disapointed if expansion didn't happen. If/when our crowds drop, they'll be plenty of clubs that would fill the east upper with away fans and if those fans are even half as vocal as Liverpool, Leeds and Palace this season, I reckon the atmosphere could rival any stadium in the land.

 

[Billy the Fish]

That would be my view too, but it does seem odd that if the ground is officially 'full' each match, and taking away attendances as as average of 1,500, so there are 700 seats free in the away end, then there must be about 1,800 STH who are NOT attending on a regular basis, and who perhaps only originally bought a ST because they wanted to attend a few matches.

As 8ace has already said, I'm sure there must be a good few hundred comps that are making the figures look worse than they are.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Do NOT underestimate the stickiness of the DD strategy..most will now have as just another amount between gas & leccy and the attrition factor will be far far less than £500 bills hitting the doormat..expand & they will come, we don't even need to advertise currently

 

[Billy the Fish]

I agree. Also if we have trouble selling it out, it could just be closed off completely.

Wouldn't happen. gazingdown had it right, when they put in the east upper that will become full of STH and 1901 because they will be some of the best seats in the house.

I'm sure current STH will get first dibs at those seats, freeing up the less desirable seats in other parts of the ground for general sales. We'll then be in a position where people won't give up their ST because they hold the better seats.

 

[The Grockle]

Wouldn't happen. gazingdown had it right, when they put in the east upper that will become full of STH and 1901 because they will be some of the best seats in the house.

I'm sure current STH will get first dibs at those seats, freeing up the less desirable seats in other parts of the ground for general sales. We'll then be in a position where people won't give up their ST because they hold the better seats.

Yeah i guess you're right, i've never seen the view from WU but i'd imagine its fantastic and the East will be no different.

However many are sold i'd much rather see 5-10 thousand empty seats than all that concrete, at the moment it feels like having a bentley with half the dashboard missing.

 

[Working class pride]

At the moment, you need a season ticket or buy a ticket a couple of weeks in advance to get in. All that is great but people like myself that only want to go every month or so on a casual basis can't get in. As such, raising it to 30,000 may help people like myself, although I understand they have a waiting list for the new seats anyway and so maybe not. All good for the club tho'.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

A 2nd tier on the East would give a fantastic view,the same as the 1901.I wonder how much it will cost in there?

 

[clapham_gull]

I don't really like the stadium (boo, hoo) getting there, getting back and the cramped concourse.

BUT ! I bloody love my seat. My favoured penalty box position and front row WSU.

Oh it's right next to the exit too. It's also one of the cheap seats. Pound for pound, I think I've got the best seat in the house.

 

[Braders]

The only thing that would mack me off with the Albion experience is if it gets harder to get home after the game due to the capacity going up


I will renew mind.

 

[16bha]

My answer wasnt listed. I'm going to renew but want to move to the Upper East Stand