The Falmer build it and they will come myth

[algie]

No. We need gates of about 12,000 to generate enough income for the Stadium Business Plan to work. That means 12,000 will leave the Club with enough money to pay off the loans AND run the Club properly.

But running the Club properly includes ensuring that the wage bill isn't stupid and that we live within our overall income.

The delay to Falmer is, of course, pushing costs up. It may well be that the target gate will need to be higher than the original projections allowed for.

Cheers for clearing that up

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I'd say Plymouth is a more working class city - plus less Cockneys living there.

To counterbalance that, we've got a more populous catchment area than they have.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

To counterbalance that, we've got a more populous catchment area than they have.

As Lord B says we have a more populous catchment area:

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/1991_ua_top50.asp

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/brighton_urban_area.asp

That doesn't include Eastbourne, Lewes, Haywards Heath, Hastings, Burgess Hill etc etc.

 

[dougdeep]

Gates have more than doubled at some clubs that got new grounds, so it's not impossible.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Gates have more than doubled at some clubs that got new grounds, so it's not impossible.

And if click on the top link in the post above you will see the potential in this area for the Albion.
This urban area is the twelfth biggest in England, bigger than the Sheffield Urban Area, and they have two football clubs!

 

[DJ Leon]

 

[ditchy]

I have been a few times - but i don't like watching football in a half empty stadium - depressing -

Thought that would have been right up your street !

 

[Commander]

As i've said people wil judge the Albion on results and if the ticket policy is still a hassle e.g not paying on gate i can't see crowds getting much better unless results do

I don't understand this rubbish about not being able to pay on the gate being a hassle. I asked my mate at midday on Saturday whether he fancied coming to the Milwall game, he said yes, spent 20 seconds putting his card details in on the website, and then collected the tickets at Withdean at 2:45. Where is the hassle in that?

 

[graz126]

i think goring gull is really stateing what other people dare not to believe. which possibly has a large element of truth in it. despite that of course we still want falmer. the club can start trying to rebuild then. as withdean is slowly but surely killing the club. the truth is even when we get falmer it will still be a long time before the club can rebuild. nobody is expecting miracles. just a ground would do for now.

 

[Rougvie]

In this divison we would get a few thousand more, in the CCC we would get about 13,000.

I suppose we have to stick to 23,000, but with the decline in interest in Football outside the prem it makes you wonder if all these thousands of stay away fans really will want to sit in a half empty atmosphereless arena.

 

[Dave the OAP]

To counterbalance that, we've got a more populous catchment area than they have.

BUT


Plymouth have no real competition for gates though do they?...Exeter/Torquay


Whereas you only have to get the train to London at weekends to see how many people travel to London and the area to watch football.

I didnt realise how many Tottenham fans there were in Brighton until we played spurs in teh cup and the trains were packed with yiddos. Ditto Arsenal, Chelsea, West ham etc etc.

 

[Seagullible]

Can someone please explain why and where all these extra thousand sof fans will come from when Falmer is built if we are still doing poorly on the field.

I saw an obscene post on here earlier caliming we would be getting 18k a week when it's built maybe first few game sor so - but if the team are losing people still won't go - even in better facilities - whatever people say they won't be cheaper to attend than Withdean - so if we are still bottom of league one why will people come?

As i've said people wil judge the Albion on results and if the ticket policy is still a hassle e.g not paying on gate i can't see crowds getting much better unless results do - and if crowds don't get better we'll have no more cash potentially less with a massive debt over our heads. The playing side must be financed and soon.

All the tripe of big invetsors why would a big investor want a poor league one side when there are plenty of championship premier sides available?

Hardly obscene if you ask me. your twatish non-support is much more obscene. I stand by my beliefe that we will be getting that sort of attendance if the club is heading in the right direction and especially in the first couple of seasons as people are keep to go to a new ground (including away supporters who will definately bring more. Please stop being such a misery guts and support the club or join LDC and try to bring it down

 

[wigman]

BUT


Plymouth have no real competition for gates though do they?...Exeter/Torquay


Whereas you only have to get the train to London at weekends to see how many people travel to London and the area to watch football.

I didnt realise how many Tottenham fans there were in Brighton until we played spurs in teh cup and the trains were packed with yiddos. Ditto Arsenal, Chelsea, West ham etc etc.

the trains were full of opposing fans because the product we offer (withdean.div1,crap team)are not worth the money. you can get into fulham for under 30 quid and with a roof and too see quality opposition. it proved a point when we got west ham in the cup.15 thousand brighton fans wanting tickets for an away fixture!

 

[Dave the OAP]

the trains were full of opposing fans because the product we offer (withdean.div1,crap team)are not worth the money. you can get into fulham for under 30 quid and with a roof and too see quality opposition. it proved a point when we got west ham in the cup.15 thousand brighton fans wanting tickets for an away fixture!

which is the chicken and egg situation.

15,000 wanted tickets for the big game. When we played west Ham 2 years ago, we took 3-4000 odd.


people will always come out for the "big cup games"

 

[Goring Gull]

On the subject of the London clubs pulling power -

A most disturbing discovery

I had a bad experience earlier today - spoke to one on my mates , a mate who supported the Albion at the goldstone and on many away trips - he's moved to London and i was shocked to discover he's been watching Fulham - quite a lot! In fact he said.

" i'd rather watch Fulham these days at least it's top level football and you get to see some top players the cost is not disimilar to Withdean but i feel i get moore value for money!"

Needless to say i was not impressed, wether he comes back when we get Falmer is another matter - will he give up Prem football?

I doubt he's the only one either.

 

[Dave the OAP]

guy we travel on the train with.

was a season ticket holder at the Goldstone, think he went a couple of times to Gills, fell out of love with Brighton, now is a West ham Season Ticket holder ( it was his second team) .....think he takes his boy there too!

Guy across the road was a executive club member for many years, spent thousands on the albion, sponsorship etc etc....doesnt go any more. I took him a year or two ago, he thanked me but has not asked to back again. Found out yesterday he now goes to Arsenal and is on their executive whatsis and spends thousands on them.

we have lost a hell of a lot of goodwill and getting them back is going to be the trick...perhaps we dont want to, just encourage the youngsters to go and bring their parents.

I dont envy our marketting dept at all.

 

[Yorkie]

I tell you what. Why don't we all just chuck in the towel now?
What's the point in going on?

 

[Titanic]

I dont envy our marketting dept at all.

Not that I know anything about marketting, it is a job I would love!

Obviously, the higher standard of football we are in when we move to Falmer, the easier it will be to get the loaded corporate types to buy the executive packages etc...

Seems to me, we should be aiming to be in the Championship for the 1st season... which makes survival in League One important this year, and promotion the target for next year or 2 years time.

 

[Goring Gull]

Hav eto admit i'v ewatched Huddersfield a fair few times - next door nieghboiur and his daughter go if she can't make it i'll often go along on the free ticket - to be honest i probably know more about the current situation at town than i do at the Albion - Don't think they would ever become my first team but say they made the prem i may well get a season ticket if only to see top level football and the best teams.

If Leed swere still top flight i'd be tempted over there from time too time. You can see how easily the likes of Chelsea, Spurs, The arse, hammers etc pick up these fans.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

i'm going to watch newcastle tomorrow


shame on me