[Albion] The Ambition to being Top 10 club.

[blue-shifted]

But why am I 'lucky' to have 'managed to be a STH'? Along with about 6,000 others, I was offered early choice on a ST at the Amex, on account of having held a ST for a decade at Withdean. Were we 'lucky' to have been afforded that opportunity, as well?[/QUOTE]

You're lucky in the sense that you were old enough to have been going for all that time.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm trying to figure out what you are implying; the West Ham match appears to be sold out on the official ticket site, and this is still the school summer holidays. The Man.City attendance was 30,662 (sell out due to segregation needs) despite a succession of terrible results at home, and our average was 30,462. We have 8,000 on the season ticket waiting list.

It's a fair distance away from being sold out, remember the club doesn't take kindly to 'fake news' that takes money straight out of it's pocket.

With an 8,000 long list of people saying they'll be at the ground week in week out don't you think it's a little odd the game ISN'T sold out?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Ok I STAND CORRECTED oh wise one.
I was just commenting on the fact of us not running before walking.....

Chill. Just pointing out that Bloom meant what he said, and it isn't just about people getting carried away.

If I were indeed WISE, then I wouldn't have agreed to play cricket tonight, having played cricket Sunday, and football last night, and be sat here now wondering just how sore everything is going to be tomorrow.

 

[blue-shifted]

Plenty of seats available for Saturday's game, even without the ticket exchange being opened.

Best sell out the first game of the season under a new manager after an impressive 0-3 win before adding another 20,000 seats.

You could get tickets for most of the games at Withdean and I heard this used a lot as a justification not to build at Falmer. People don't want to sit on their own at a game and there's only singles available (for approx £50). Crucially people need to know they can come and that it's easy. Having a load of spare seats would allow us to advertise. We could have billboards up all over town with details of the upcoming games. We could average a lot more than we currently do.

 

[Brovion]

Yes, to the tune of £100m+ (and 'the widest ranging sponsorship arrangement in world sport' apparently).
The deal is a TWELVE year deal though, so the figures are really not very big, in PL terms

Cheers, yeah, I did miss that somehow. As you say over 12 years it's not earth-shattering, but not to be sneezed at either. Don't think a club our size cold realistically expect better.

 

[Wozza]

I wasn't aware of this plan from the club. What it 'premium seating' ? The seats in the North East are already in place, the club cannot reconfigure the pitch of the seat. Are you saying the NE corner get access to hospitality as per of their match day package? Just curious to know how the club can make more money from this area of the ground.

Yes, according to plans, leaked a while ago, the club is supposedly looking at additional hospitality places above the existing seating in the north stand - like the south end.

No way of knowing if still planned - or even genuine - but 50 hospitality places much more likely than, say, 500 new ordinary seats.

Telling, I think, that PB directly ruled out a new 'tier' on the North Stand.

 

[spence]

Cheers, yeah, I did miss that somehow. As you say over 12 years it's not earth-shattering, but not to be sneezed at either. Don't think a club our size cold realistically expect better.

We were getting around 1.5 million a year. Now about 8 million a year

 

[AmexRuislip]

Chill. Just pointing out that Bloom meant what he said, and it isn't just about people getting carried away.

If I were indeed WISE, then I wouldn't have agreed to play cricket tonight, having played cricket Sunday, and football last night, and be sat here now wondering just how sore everything is going to be tomorrow.

Hey Mr HKFC, I am chilled, just my dry SOH

Your sore bits are probably for another thread, should you wish to start one on the subject.
Perhaps entitled 'Tomorrows just another Kraay'

 

[CheeseRolls]

Make the experience more entertaining by having the stadium revolve around the pitch. Each row slowly turning a different direction to the next making sure you are back in your area by the end of halves.

Imagine the amount of friends you'll make in the row in front.

The Colosseum had a raise-able floor. If the Ancient Romans could do it, Tony Bloom just needs to get his finger out. Low pitch for the Champions League, high pitch for the Carabao Cup preliminary rounds. They could even double up and put something dull on downstairs like tennis, there might be a few dullards would rather watch masters tennis, than the former Rumbelows Cup.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

You're lucky in the sense that you were old enough to have been going for all that time.

Oh hell yes. I'm so lucky to be OLD.

 

[The Grockle]

I obviously have no inside knowledge but when the club refer to adding some extra seats they are referring to small areas of seatings dotted around a few voids. I imagine this would be maximum 1000-2000 seats.

They could probably add some additional rows to the north stand behind the wall bu the costs and disruption wouldn't really be worth it.

 

[Wozza]

Yes, to the tune of £100m+ (and 'the widest ranging sponsorship arrangement in world sport' apparently).
The deal is a TWELVE year deal though, so the figures are really not very big, in PL terms

They'll look big(ger) when the government bans betting companies from football sponsorship.

 

[Stat Brother]

You could get tickets for most of the games at Withdean and I heard this used a lot as a justification not to build at Falmer. People don't want to sit on their own at a game and there's only singles available (for approx £50). Crucially people need to know they can come and that it's easy. Having a load of spare seats would allow us to advertise. We could have billboards up all over town with details of the upcoming games. We could average a lot more than we currently do.

Over the weekend there were pairs available in the East at £35.
There are currently pairs available in the West at £42.
There are also rows available in W1D (Potter's view) for £52.

Stating that a game has sold out when it patently hasn't is rather silly.
Stating there are no pairs when there are plenty is rather silly.
Stating 'fact' when the truth is there for all to see is rather silly.

Again I ask if 8,000 extra people are desperate to come, I'll hazard a guess they are fully aware of how to buy tickets and yet haven't, why not?

Making the sudden clamour for 50,000 seats a bit of a moot point, when the club can't sell 30,000.


Oh gosh so sorry I thought I was having a 'back and forth' with oneillco.

I'm so sorry for my mistake.

 

[Albumen]

It's a fair distance away from being sold out, remember the club doesn't take kindly to 'fake news' that takes money straight out of it's pocket.

With an 8,000 long list of people saying they'll be at the ground week in week out don't you think it's a little odd the game ISN'T sold out?

is on holiday.

 

[blue-shifted]

Oh hell yes. I'm so lucky to be OLD.

It means there's plenty of young people, between say 15 and 30 who want to come who can't come along and this concerns me. How long till they drift away to another team or another hobby.

Yes there are individual tickets available, but they are bloody expensive. I'm going to guess when you started going, it was easy, you could go with your mates or family, sit or stand with your mates or family and it didn't cost your monthly disposable income.

 

[Stat Brother]

It means there's plenty of young people, between say 15 and 30 who want to come who can't come along and this concerns me. How long till they drift away to another team or another hobby.

Yes there are individual tickets available, but they are bloody expensive. I'm going to guess when you started going, it was easy, you could go with your mates or family, sit or stand with your mates or family and it didn't cost your monthly disposable income.

Lil Miss reneged on her season ticket this year, but I kept her as a member.
She's coming on Saturday as an under 18's member for £18.00.

 

[Triggaaar]

You are massively underestimating the impact of both being in the Premier League and also having a massive stadium.

Maybe, I'm only guessing here.

Firstly, if we were in the Premier League for another 10 years, particularly as a top 10 team, we could easily fill a 50,000 stadium...

Well we're not a top 10 club now, we're a bottom few club. Tony's goal is to become a top 10 club, and that could take years. If we manage it, your 10 years as a top ten team starts then. Then we'll see I guess.

Secondly, the financial differences might be dwarfed by TV money, but there is a reason top clubs need top stadia.... the differences in match day incomes between clubs with smaller stadia compared to bigger stadia is huge. Tens of millions per season.

Makes sense if we could fill it, but even if we make top 10 (which would be amazing), would the non-traditional public see that as impressive enough to start coming?

 

[Easy 10]

You are massively underestimating the impact of both being in the Premier League and also having a massive stadium.

Firstly, if we were in the Premier League for another 10 years, particularly as a top 10 team, we could easily fill a 50,000 stadium... Same applies to other clubs without such a huge catchment such as ours.

Secondly, the financial differences might be dwarfed by TV money, but there is a reason top clubs need top stadia.... the differences in match day incomes between clubs with smaller stadia compared to bigger stadia is huge. Tens of millions per season.

We wouldn't "easily fill a 50,000 stadium", that is a nonsensical statement and fanciful tosh, even if we were battling for 9th or 10th (ie midtable). We might occasionally get towards that when Man Utd or Liverpool are in town and all the plastics come flocking. But the notion that BHA v Burnley or BHA v Leicester would routinely play out in front of 50k is utter bobbins.

We'd be stuck rattling around in a stadium far too large for our needs, with yawning gaps in the stands all over the shop. Far better to have the stadium packed to the rafters week in, week out regardless of the opposition. As it is now.

 

[blue-shifted]

Could we fill, say 50,000 in the Prem? Yes, with sensible pricing and marketing.

Could we fill 50K when we're next rubbish? No

So it's a gamble then? Yes

Does our chairmen like to gamble? You could say that

Is club size and worldwide marketability in part due to the number of fans? Yes. It would be easier to market Southampton than Bournemouth

Would extending the stadium in such a way be quick and easy? No

But is it possible? Yes

What would the queues after the game be like? errr

How long would such an undertaking take? Probably at least a year

What would we do on the mean time? Play in a reduced capacity stadium

What would the displaced fans think about this? Probably they will just be fine

How much would it cost? Probably the same cost as building it in the first place, towards £100m

How much can we project that we'll receive in income in the next 10 years? Depends, if we stay up. If we do so, it could be £2,000m. If we crash and burn down the leagues, a fraction of this

Should we do it then? Ahh what the hell

 

[banjo]

We’re more massive than massive. So yes.