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SOL expansion

There is a lot of frustration for many of our supporters with the way the pricing and ticketing has gone with the new stadium so far. There are thousands on the waiting list and Everton have basically forced all non-season ticket holders who want a ticket to purchase a membership for either £35 or £60 (but the £35 one will always lose out for tickets to the £60 one as far as I am aware). This is simply to go in to a ballot where they may or may not be successful in getting a ticket each time.

Brighton was announced as a "sell out" by the club, as was last night vs Mansfield (who also brought an excellent 6K following) and yet the attendance for Brighton was 1000 short of capacity with small blocks of empty seats in certain sections and last night had the same situation, with an attendance of 48,583 - capacity is 52,769.

It's not clear why these little sections of empty areas are happening but it's likely to do with the extortionate package options that Everton have sold on to other companies that are not selling. Rightly the fans aren't happy as people are desperate to go, Everton are announcing sell outs and it seems at this rate that we will never be able to get a capacity crowd as it stands. There was also a massive area for segregation last night which seemed excessive and some are saying could be related to how the home and away fans would mix on the concourse for Cup games.

Brace yourselves for disappointing things like this with fan exploitation if you do end up expanding and the owners want to boost revenue without care for loyal supporters.
Interesting stuff and I can appreciate the frustration. But speaking generally, driving prices higher is arguably more likely if there is a smaller capacity. Excess demand pushes prices higher, excess capacity should keep prices lower. From a fans' perspective, if prices are too high and seats are empty, it should drive clubs to stop price increases, if anything. It's another reason to support expansion, arguably.
 

Interesting stuff and I can appreciate the frustration. But speaking generally, driving prices higher is arguably more likely if there is a smaller capacity. Excess demand pushes prices higher, excess capacity should keep prices lower. From a fans' perspective, if prices are too high and seats are empty, it should drive clubs to stop price increases, if anything. It's another reason to support expansion, arguably.
It's the exact reason why Murray wanted the big stadium isn't it, so any fan can go to the game. Those who moan about the empty seats at the SOL (cos they look crap on TV or the mags take the piss) don't realise that if it was still 42k that in the PL then we'd be paying near what the likes of the mags pay. There certainly wouldn't be the generous concessions we have all around the ground we've enjoyed for years and allowed kids to start going at young ages to get hooked and get the next generation of fans going regularly.

Post war to the 70s Roker Parks crowd would fluctuate wildly from 20,000 to 60,000 and I bet nobody was moaning on about empty spaces. If we had a 100,000 stadium then the crowds would fluctuate wildly regardless.

It's when clubs have restricted capacity they take the piss and milk fans. You only have to look at Leeds as an example as they generate £30m revenue from 35,000 fans (they restrict ST sales and sell higher match days) and the same for Southampton/Brighton/Fulham as they all generate a lot more revenue than we do from far more fans.

What would fans prefer? Smaller crowds but many fans missing out or being priced out or just about any fan being able to go to the match to watch them play thanks to the bigger capacity and reasonable ticket prices?
 
There is a lot of frustration for many of our supporters with the way the pricing and ticketing has gone with the new stadium so far. There are thousands on the waiting list and Everton have basically forced all non-season ticket holders who want a ticket to purchase a membership for either £35 or £60 (but the £35 one will always lose out for tickets to the £60 one as far as I am aware). This is simply to go in to a ballot where they may or may not be successful in getting a ticket each time.

Brighton was announced as a "sell out" by the club, as was last night vs Mansfield (who also brought an excellent 6K following) and yet the attendance for Brighton was 1000 short of capacity with small blocks of empty seats in certain sections and last night had the same situation, with an attendance of 48,583 - capacity is 52,769.

It's not clear why these little sections of empty areas are happening but it's likely to do with the extortionate package options that Everton have sold on to other companies that are not selling. Rightly the fans aren't happy as people are desperate to go, Everton are announcing sell outs and it seems at this rate that we will never be able to get a capacity crowd as it stands. There was also a massive area for segregation last night which seemed excessive and some are saying could be related to how the home and away fans would mix on the concourse for Cup games.

Brace yourselves for disappointing things like this with fan exploitation if you do end up expanding and the owners want to boost revenue without care for loyal supporters.
We’re already seeing it on a smaller scale. We have seats at £180 which have failed to sell for the next match - all you get for that is access to a bar and a pie as well as a padded seat. Also the £570 tickets aren’t shifting which is the Michelin starred chef venture. I think our problem at the moment is there is no decent lower range hospitality options at a reasonable price.

I did notice on the video of your first game posted by Fusion Josh, where there were empty seats directly behind him in the hospitality section. I bet there were loads who would’ve given their right arm for one of those seats at a decent price.
 
For me the highest priority thing the club can do outside of the playing side is captivating new young supporters who we can hopefully convince to become lifetime fans.

That and heating the food a bit more!
That's your highest priority yet you don't want to expand? If we are selling out then that means 2 things, ticket price increase and concession area reductions. You only have to look at other clubs to see this. We have concessions available in most of the ground, whereas some clubs only have 1 stand or a few sections with significant concession prices.

We aren't selling out yet in the last 2 seasons, they've already dropped the U16 band to U14, removed the U14 completely from the centre of the East Stand and significantly increased the U14 prices and chances are there will be more changes next season. Yet even now we've seen fans comment on the potential price rise next season (based on new prices this year being next year's renewal) as that may price some out and stop them taking the bairns.

If the club prices bairns out (or restricts concession areas) then in the next 10 years you will have lost some of the generation of fans who go to games because they grew up with it and went with family/friends etc. Instead they've done summit else instead and the thought of paying higher prices to start going regularly isn't as appealing to them as someone whose gone for years and got hooked for life.

That's why we've been getting high crowds even in League One as kids concessions have been cheap and some have grown up and would go even if we went down into the Conference League.

We’re already seeing it on a smaller scale. We have seats at £180 which have failed to sell for the next match - all you get for that is access to a bar and a pie as well as a padded seat. Also the £570 tickets aren’t shifting which is the Michelin starred chef venture. I think our problem at the moment is there is no decent lower range hospitality options at a reasonable price.

I did notice on the video of your first game posted by Fusion Josh, where there were empty seats directly behind him in the hospitality section. I bet there were loads who would’ve given their right arm for one of those seats at a decent price.
Rather than charge top dollar not knowing if they'd sell. They should have just offered it all as 'introductory price' that would be increased next season. Now they've got empty seats that may well have sold if they'd been reasonable and possibly generated more revenue overall.
 
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Atletico's new ground has a 70k capacity but is only filled versus Real Madrid, other games it is regularly 10-15k under capacity
DateOpponentAttendance
Sun 25 Aug 2024 60,414
Wed 28 Aug 2024 56,669
Sun 15 Sep 2024 61,752
Thu 19 Sep 202457,858
Sun 29 Sep 202470,112
Sun 20 Oct 202460,122
Wed 23 Oct 202461,197
Sun 3 Nov 202456,610
Sat 23 Nov 202458,910
Sun 8 Dec 202460,065
Wed 11 Dec 202459,134
Sun 15 Dec 202460,169
Sun 12 Jan 202564,801
Tue 21 Jan 202566,820
Sat 25 Jan 202563,596
Same as San siro etc.

Only seems to be a UK thing
 
We’re already seeing it on a smaller scale. We have seats at £180 which have failed to sell for the next match - all you get for that is access to a bar and a pie as well as a padded seat. Also the £570 tickets aren’t shifting which is the Michelin starred chef venture. I think our problem at the moment is there is no decent lower range hospitality options at a reasonable price.

I did notice on the video of your first game posted by Fusion Josh, where there were empty seats directly behind him in the hospitality section. I bet there were loads who would’ve given their right arm for one of those seats at a decent price.
They are shifting.

There’s still some seats available but you’re portraying it being empty.

Majority of hospitality is sold out
 
Here's something to consider also. We stopped selling Season Tickets at 38,000 forcing many to have to buy match day tickets. This means if they wanted to attend every game it would cost far more, especially with kids.

Having a bigger capacity means more ST availability so would mean more of those match day ticketers getting a ST instead and being able to attend more games. I hope I explained that well enough as I know what I mean, I just can't think how to word it 🤪
 
We’re already seeing it on a smaller scale. We have seats at £180 which have failed to sell for the next match - all you get for that is access to a bar and a pie as well as a padded seat. Also the £570 tickets aren’t shifting which is the Michelin starred chef venture. I think our problem at the moment is there is no decent lower range hospitality options at a reasonable price.

I did notice on the video of your first game posted by Fusion Josh, where there were empty seats directly behind him in the hospitality section. I bet there were loads who would’ve given their right arm for one of those seats at a decent price.
There are not enough people within our catchment area who can afford those prices, unlike the London clubs. Our revenue will always be limited. Probably Fulham, who get 18,000 less than us, will generate more income from league games, if counting everything from season tickets to match day spend.
 
They are shifting.

There’s still some seats available but you’re portraying it being empty.

Majority of hospitality is sold out
I didn’t say that at all. There are still about 100 tickets on sale at £180 where you get a pie and a padded seat. Do you think it’s good value for money?
 
I didn’t say that at all. There are still about 100 tickets on sale at £180 where you get a pie and a padded seat. Do you think it’s good value for money?
That’s your opinion on value. I wouldn’t pay it. It’s not aimed at me. But plenty will.

I’m not sure why it has to sell out for it to be making the club money or be a success.

Vast majority of hospitality is sold out.
People being bothered about empty seats.
 
He said from the very start he wanted to expand the stadium. There is too much noise for it not to be happening. They know we could sell at least another 5000 seats for floating fans. I would love to be in a really big crowd at Sunderland. Like my dad witnessed in the 50s and 60s
The huge difference back then was the crowds fluctuated wildly. We could get 50,000 one game and yet 20,000 the next game.

We had 41 league games higher than 50,000 in the 50s (27 times) & 60s (14 times). I did a chart a while ago showing the whole post war attendances but I've cropped the 50s & 60s below. You can see the peaks but then the lows as the attendances were all over the place. I bet there was huge debate in the pubs back then about the empty seats and glory seekers 🤪

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It could well be like the Atletico Madrid attendance like @ErichZann posted HERE but the huge difference is, there's no fans unable to get a tickets due to lack of supply or fans then having to pay higher match tickets. Do Atletico bring up the subject of empty seats and be bothered about it showing on TV as much as we do? I think it's as @Blyth mentioned, a UK thing.

The truth is there's no perfect number for capacity and even now if we had a 63,000 capacity attendances would fluctuate. That could be due to opposition, league position but one of the main factors would be price. If we didn't sell enough then drop the ticket prices, especially for young bairns up to U22s. We'd soon find out the true limit of fans who want to go to the match.

The big difference being young fans growing up and going to the game and getting SAFC under their skin and becoming hooked 😎 Also bear in mind, it's not all about match day revenue as due to having more fans being able to go to games, means those fans would be more likely to buy merchandise and other stuff that would mean more money for the club in some way.
 
The huge difference back then was the crowds fluctuated wildly. We could get 50,000 one game and yet 20,000 the next game.

We had 41 league games higher than 50,000 in the 50s (27 times) & 60s (14 times). I did a chart a while ago showing the whole post war attendances but I've cropped the 50s & 60s below. You can see the peaks but then the lows as the attendances were all over the place. I bet there was huge debate in the pubs back then about the empty seats and glory seekers 🤪

Logon or register to see this image


It could well be like the Atletico Madrid attendance like @ErichZann posted HERE but the huge difference is, there's no fans unable to get a tickets due to lack of supply or fans then having to pay higher match tickets. Do Atletico bring up the subject of empty seats and be bothered about it showing on TV as much as we do? I think it's as @Blyth mentioned, a UK thing.

The truth is there's no perfect number for capacity and even now if we had a 63,000 capacity attendances would fluctuate. That could be due to opposition, league position but one of the main factors would be price. If we didn't sell enough then drop the ticket prices, especially for young bairns up to U22s. We'd soon find out the true limit of fans who want to go to the match.

The big difference being young fans growing up and going to the game and getting SAFC under their skin and becoming hooked 😎 Also bear in mind, it's not all about match day revenue as due to having more fans being able to go to games, means those fans would be more likely to buy merchandise and other stuff that would mean more money for the club in some way.
Seats?
 
I really don't understand why people are talking about Athletico Madrid, they're a champions league football team in a capital city.

We're a little club in the North East of England with what's likely the best result this season is not getting relegated, in comparison, and that's not being harsh either it's just reality.
 
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I really don't understand why people are talking about Athletico Madrid, they're a champions league football team in a capital city.

We're a little club in the North East of England with what's likely the best result this season is not getting relegated, in comparison, and that's not being harsh either it's just reality.
Because if their average can be 10k below capacity then ours can be too. It'll be full for big games
 
Because if their average can be 10k below capacity then ours can be too. It'll be full for big games

Bar 1 game, we're also 6k under capacity aswell.

If we start playing crap and are relegated it'll soon be back there aswell.

Maybe, just maybe it's a better idea to become a solid Premier League team before jumping the gun...

A more sensible way would be to have a waiting list and if there's 10k people or so in a list then do the extension imo. Athletico in comparison are at the top of their game.
 
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Bar 1 game, we're also 6k under capacity aswell.

If we start playing crap and are relegated it'll soon be back there aswell.

Maybe, just maybe it's a better idea to become a solid Premier League team before jumping the gun...

A more sensible way would be to have a waiting list and if there's 10k people or so in a list then do the extension imo. Athletico in comparison are at the top of their game.
I’m old enough to remember atletico Madrid getting relegated
 
If an extended south stand isn’t going to be as big as originally planned, I wonder if they’re thinking about extending the executive boxes along the full width of the stand when the full extension is built. The concrete balconies project out in the west and corners by about 5 rows so those seats would be lost at the back of the south. I think the main goal of the north was to add capacity, whereas any south extension will be corporate heavy imo.
 
We’re already seeing it on a smaller scale. We have seats at £180 which have failed to sell for the next match - all you get for that is access to a bar and a pie as well as a padded seat. Also the £570 tickets aren’t shifting which is the Michelin starred chef venture. I think our problem at the moment is there is no decent lower range hospitality options at a reasonable price.

I did notice on the video of your first game posted by Fusion Josh, where there were empty seats directly behind him in the hospitality section. I bet there were loads who would’ve given their right arm for one of those seats at a decent price.
And worse still, those £180 tickets are £300 for some games and the others become £800 - for one game. Mental really.

Empty seats and locked out fans who stuck with the club through League 1.
 
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