Safe Standing at the AMEX: Yes or No?

[Bakes93]

100% would create a much better atmosphere

 

[teaboy]

That's a poor response Beach Hut - at least back up your opinion with a fact. Why don't you want it?

I am of not actually caring however in the sanitised world of the Amex you will not get it so just live with it.

The club has changed and will continue to change even more and I am quite sure when the Amex was built there was never any view on safe standing and given the current owner and chief Executive it simply will not happen.

as for Richard Hebbard, thanks I do not wear a syrup so no I am not.

I agree that it won't happen at the Amex. However, the club's position is that safe standing has no place in football anywhere. Not this country, not Germany. This is what you seem to aligned yourself with, and the part people are taking issue with. Do you think that safe standing has a place in football anywhere? If not, why not? Bear in mind that it would be a choice of the individual fan to stand in such areas, or to sit in traditional seating areas, and a choice that everyone is free to make.

 

[Hamilton]

As you can see from my name I'm a Cologne supporter, but I do have a soft spot for Brighton as it's the club most of my family supports. Living in Germany and going to matches means that I have stood in various safe standing and also terraced ends. The option that is being discused in Britain in the option of safe standing like in Hannover (http://www.stadionwelt.de/sw_stadien/fotos/stadionguides/deutschland/awd_arena/blick/blick_10.jpg) or Bremen (http://www.stadionwelt.de/sw_stadien/fotos/stadionguides/deutschland/weserstadion/innen/innen_17.jpeg). The idea is that the seats can be folded down for international games and are folded up otherwise allowing for two people to stand in the place of one seat. That way it's also very easy to state how many people can be inside to standing area of the ground. In most grounds there are still terraced areas (like in Cologne: http://www.stadionwelt.de/sw_stadien/fotos/stadionguides/deutschland/rheinenergiestadion/sued/sued_02.jpg) which are also very safe. Unlike in the old days there are walkways through the stands so that in the case of an emergency people can still quickly get to the exit. That also means that there's no crushing. The safety argument just doesn't make sense if you've got an up to date ground. Also (and this is my main point) the age of match going fans in Britain has increased due to high ticket prices and clubs are in danger of loosing a generation of fans. Safe standing would a) lead to a better atmosphere, b) more socially sustainable ticket prices and c) higher income for clubs as more people would be in the ground to spend money on food, drinks and merchandise while one could easily take half the price of a seat in a standing area of the ground.

I think this point is critical. There is a legacy issue here whereby we risk alienating a generation. Not on that, those that are marginalised by low income are also denied a chance to support their local team. Clubs are always quick to point out how the football team is a source of civic pride, but that's a hard case to argue if a significant proportion of people are denied the ability to see their team. We are seeing this changing nature of support everywhere we go. Go to Anfield. When I used to go there the Kop was full of all classes. I'll bet that many low income families that may have once gone there now never set foot in the place.

I read Paul Barber's response and it was entirely fair. He is right in what he says as things currently stand. And it was great to see that word "currently."

What I would like to hear from the club is their commitment to support any national review of safety inside grounds and the implications this has for safe standing. I think ours is a club that should support reasonable and safe solutions for watching football if they are to the benefit of all football fans no matter where they are. Why should BHAFC not take a campaigning support role even if we know that it may be impossible to implement safe standing immediately.

Taking a look at regulations that surround exits and gangways for example may lead to the identification of ways in which safe standing can be introduced. It's never a case of it being an impossible task, it's about whether the root causes can be addressed in order to make changes. If the safety concerns can be addressed it can be implemented.

 

[portslade seagull]

Safe standing all the time for me

 

[Ian Bairds Fist]

Brighton To Safe Standing | Twohundredpercent

BTW, this is the frightenting, non-inclusive, violent spectre of which your club is so afraid: Picasa Web Albums - jon.darch - Kids and fami... BEWARE - shocking photos of Peterborough hooligans in 2012! Thank goodness this will be banned as of May next year (if Posh stay up)!

 

[drew]

BTW, this is the frightenting, non-inclusive, violent spectre of which your club is so afraid: Picasa Web Albums - jon.darch - Kids and fami... BEWARE - shocking photos of Peterborough hooligans in 2012! Thank goodness this will be banned as of May next year (if Posh stay up)!

One can only presume that the article was written before seeing the response from Paul Barber.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Absolutely yes. If it is good for the Germans, it will be good for us.

 

[British Grenadier]

1) Can someone point me in the direction of Paul Barber's response please?

2) I would be happy to pay exactly the same to stand in a safe standing area as I currently pay to "sit" in my seat* in the North stand.



* I think I've sat in it twice.

 

[Acker79]

1) Can someone point me in the direction of Paul Barber's response please?

Safe standing: a response from Paul Barber

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I am in favour of a safe standing area somewhere in the stadium but wouldn't want to be in it myself. Unfortunately I was behind Mr Tall at Charlton, and couldn't see much of the near goal - would be awful to be stuck behind someone tall every match due to your allocated standing space.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Of course it is a Yes.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

The club won't introduce it all the time we are doing well though because it would essentially mean getting less money per head in ticket sales. All very well saying people would pay the same if they could stand, but that ignores a big plus of the idea in that it would make matches more affordable.

 

[countryman]

The club won't introduce it all the time we are doing well though because it would essentially mean getting less money per head in ticket sales. All very well saying people would pay the same if they could stand, but that ignores a big plus of the idea in that it would make matches more affordable.

There would be enough people willing to go in that section at the same price as most people in the north want to stand now and pay those prices now. There is just no reasonable argument against safe standing, even if Mr Barber can dress them up.

 

[Mayfair Seagull]

There would be enough people willing to go in that section at the same price as most people in the north want to stand now and pay those prices now. There is just no reasonable argument against safe standing, even if Mr Barber can dress them up.

Exactly.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

There would be enough people willing to go in that section at the same price as most people in the north want to stand now and pay those prices now. There is just no reasonable argument against safe standing, even if Mr Barber can dress them up.

I appreciate that, the point I was making above was that one of the main points of having safe standing is you can make tickets cheaper and more affordable. If you end up charging the same amount as it is now it just sort of defeats the object.

 

[countryman]

I appreciate that, the point I was making above was that one of the main points of having safe standing is you can make tickets cheaper and more affordable. If you end up charging the same amount as it is now it just sort of defeats the object.

That is just a possible bonus. The reason the majority of fans want it is because they want the option to stand at a football match.

 

[xollob]

Give us safe standing at Amex North Stand and put £50 on a season ticket until it's paid for itself !!

I say let the fans pay because otherwise it'd come out of a budget, maybe players budget etc and we want Gus to have all the cash he can.

£2 a match is worth it for the scalp hungry stewards to back off those just trying to support the lads,

 

[xollob]

Originally Posted by Walt Jabsco
appreciate that, the point I was making above was that one of the main points of having safe standing is you can make tickets cheaper and more affordable. If you end up charging the same amount as it is now it just sort of defeats the object.

That is just a possible bonus. The reason the majority of fans want it is because they want the option to stand at a football match.

lets face it what business would spend maybe hundred thousand to bring in LESS REVENUE It must be self funding IMO

 

[Captain Sensible]

It's safe, the Germans do it. Why not?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The campaign for safe standing is obviously becoming more mainstream - there's just been a very 'pro' feature about the issue on this morning's 'Breakfast' on BBC. Clearly this is an issue with legs, and WILL happen at selected grounds soon. I would imagine that nearly all grounds will have safe standing sections within 10 years.