SoL To Undergo Multi-Million-Pound Investment Programme

[Sea to Shining Sea]

That makes complete sense if we were to always stay in the championship!Im not saying expand but to deliberately reduce the capacity to 45000 just to satisfy the sad souls who have a fear of empty seats makes no financial sense ..the seats are paid for and you would be reducing the possibility of extra income !Businesses need to plan for growth or stagnate and your thinking is small minded and makes no financial sense!

There’s a really good financial reason to do it. It’s nowt to do with empty seat sensitivity; that never bothers me.

The financial argument is that there is little room for corporate expansion with the SoL as it is. A redevelopment to increase that might mean reduction of ordinary seats but it would increase revenues. The way the game is going (especially top flight) means there’s more demand for corporate than ever before.

It’d also improve our chances of securing future high revenue concerts and events again boosting the coffers.

It would make no financial sense to have demand but limited supply for corporate and less demand for non-corporate with over supply

 

[Roid]

There’s a really good financial reason to do it. It’s nowt to do with empty seat sensitivity; that never bothers me.

The financial argument is that there is little room for corporate expansion with the SoL as it is. A redevelopment to increase that might mean reduction of ordinary seats but it would increase revenues. The way the game is going (especially top flight) means there’s more demand for corporate than ever before.

It’d also improve our chances of securing future high revenue concerts and events again boosting the coffers.

It would make no financial sense to have demand but limited supply for corporate and less demand for non-corporate with over supply

This. The fact that clubs are happier than ever to advertise to, and accommodate, away fans into the corporate seats is telling. A lot of money to be made.

 

[oddbod]

There’s a really good financial reason to do it. It’s nowt to do with empty seat sensitivity; that never bothers me.

The financial argument is that there is little room for corporate expansion with the SoL as it is. A redevelopment to increase that might mean reduction of ordinary seats but it would increase revenues. The way the game is going (especially top flight) means there’s more demand for corporate than ever before.

It’d also improve our chances of securing future high revenue concerts and events again boosting the coffers.

It would make no financial sense to have demand but limited supply for corporate and less demand for non-corporate with over supply

The demand for both corporate and normal seats is dependant on the product on show and the level success the club is having!The club needs to have a business plan that looks for growth and at the future and its my opinion they need to invest heavily in purpose built corporate facilities that are gold standard but dont destroy the aesthetics of the ground rather than trying to shoe in some boxes cheaply to make a peace meal improvement hat will look shyte.If the skunks ever get to build their oasis of death the sol is going to look like a makeshift tent in a cheap market in comparison!the club needs to think bigger and invest significantly in the future.

 

[Sea to Shining Sea]

The demand for both corporate and normal seats is dependant on the product on show and the level success the club is having!The club needs to have a business plan that looks for growth and at the future and its my opinion they need to invest heavily in purpose built corporate facilities that are gold standard but dont destroy the aesthetics of the ground rather than trying to shoe in some boxes cheaply to make a peace meal improvement hat will look shyte.If the skunks ever get to build their oasis of death the sol is going to look like a makeshift tent in a cheap market in comparison!the club needs to think bigger and invest significantly in the future.

I wholeheartedly agree. I think the east and south stand need modernising but properly.

I genuinely can’t see it happening. Possibly not in my lifetime

 

[Weststand]

A reduction to 45k would be fine I think. We rarely get above that.

By saying that it would be the club been content with championship football....

We rarely get above that because we've been out the premier for close to 10 years, football support has grown in every club in the last 10 years also - its as popular as it ever has been so getting back in the premier would sell the stadium out, there is no way you could even think of reducing capacity if we ever want to compete

 

[jarrowdiamond]

A reduction to 45k would be fine I think. We rarely get above that.

45k is the max now anyway with all the stupid segregation

 

[DonaldDownTheWing]

By saying that it would be the club been content with championship football....

We rarely get above that because we've been out the premier for close to 10 years, football support has grown in every club in the last 10 years also - its as popular as it ever has been so getting back in the premier would sell the stadium out, there is no way you could even think of reducing capacity if we ever want to compete

Even in the PL days we rarely got over 45k tbf. Our corporate offering is sold out most weeks and corporate is where the club makes the most money to help PSR.

 

[Weststand]

Even in the PL days we rarely got over 45k tbf. Our corporate offering is sold out most weeks and corporate is where the club makes the most money to help PSR.

Knew you were going to come back with the premier league not sold out bit - thats why I noted that football has grown massively in them years since we were last there...even our support in these dark last 10 years or so. There is no way we can reduce the stadium capacity in any shape or form - the City is growing at a phenomenal rate, this needs to be mirrored in all areas including the football club

 

[Sgt Pepper]

Knew you were going to come back with the premier league not sold out bit - thats why I noted that football has grown massively in them years since we were last there...even our support in these dark last 10 years or so. There is no way we can reduce the stadium capacity in any shape or form - the City is growing at a phenomenal rate, this needs to be mirrored in all areas including the football club

Well we certainly don’t need extend, not until the part timers who will break the bank for a Wembley trip or decide they can’t be arsed to turn up for midweeks start going anyway. About 42k is right for us, and it’s phenomenal we get anywhere near that after recent years. I honestly don’t think another club in this country would in the same circumstances or recent history.

 

[Weststand]

Well we certainly don’t need extend, not until the part timers who will break the bank for a Wembley trip or decide they can’t be arsed to turn up for midweeks start going anyway. About 42k is right for us, and it’s phenomenal we get anywhere near that after recent years. I honestly don’t think another club in this country would in the same circumstances or recent history.

yep, no demand for extension of seating as we stand now, 10 years out of the prem and averaging just over 40k. But you cannot sit on your hands..people might say get back in the prem and see how it goes for 5 years to see if theres a demand to stick another 5-10k on it but theres another argument to say lets get plans in now and keep up with the rest of them. when built the SOL was 3/4 biggest in england, now its 9/10 biggest....weve been left behind in a way

 

[Sgt Pepper]

yep, no demand for extension of seating as we stand now, 10 years out of the prem and averaging just over 40k. But you cannot sit on your hands..people might say get back in the prem and see how it goes for 5 years to see if theres a demand to stick another 5-10k on it but theres another argument to say lets get plans in now and keep up with the rest of them. when built the SOL was 3/4 biggest in england, now its 9/10 biggest....weve been left behind in a way

I still wouldn’t extend even if another 5 years or so went so well we could even think of extending. Create a supply and demand and have it packed out every week, rather than the culture we have now where it’s pretty much always known there are seats if someone wants one. Capacity now is more than enough for what we need. There isn’t a ground in the world that has any sort of good atmosphere when it’s over 40k anyway, the additional people in grounds 45-50k+ especially in the Premier League are usually either tourists, day trippers or one of those sorts that add nowt anyway and wouldn’t be seen for dead if we got relegated again.

 

[Weststand]

I still wouldn’t extend even if another 5 years or so went so well we could even think of extending. Create a supply and demand and have it packed out every week, rather than the culture we have now where it’s pretty much always known there are seats if someone wants one. Capacity now is more than enough for what we need. There isn’t a ground in the world that has any sort of good atmosphere when it’s over 40k anyway, the additional people in grounds 45-50k+ especially in the Premier League are usually either tourists, day trippers or one of those sorts that add nowt anyway and wouldn’t be seen for dead if we got relegated again.

not just about football though these days - again youre saying capacity now is more than enough (which is right) but we are in the championship with 4 years of league 1 behind us..2 years of finishing 7th and the stadium was full, what if europe and a cup win was to come? look at making the facilities bigger and better after the event? Its a rock and a hard place for me, prepare for premier league top 10 finishes with a 10 year plan or see if we get there first and then upgrade, premier league brings vast publicity and money which we haven't got now only in the owners pockets which they seem pretty reluctant to dip into

 

[AndrewP]

A reduction to 45k would be fine I think. We rarely get above that.

We would if we were in the top fight and not battling relegation for a change.

 

[oddbod]

I wholeheartedly agree. I think the east and south stand need modernising but properly.

I genuinely can’t see it happening. Possibly not in my lifetime

Its a sobering thought but if i live to the age my mother was when she died at 77(da died at 67)ive only got if im lucky 13 years left and so i doubt it will happen in my lifetime!. Im convinced it would not happen under our present owners but i must admit i do get the odd thing wrong once in a decade or so that is !

 

[Sgt Pepper]

not just about football though these days - again youre saying capacity now is more than enough (which is right) but we are in the championship with 4 years of league 1 behind us..2 years of finishing 7th and the stadium was full, what if europe and a cup win was to come? look at making the facilities bigger and better after the event? Its a rock and a hard place for me, prepare for premier league top 10 finishes with a 10 year plan or see if we get there first and then upgrade, premier league brings vast publicity and money which we haven't got now only in the owners pockets which they seem pretty reluctant to dip into

Again, I wouldn’t change a thing capacity wise except maybe look at how we can increase the corporate and commercial side of the club. Whether that be through more boxes or something. I’d much rather have a 45k packed ground with proper supporters and a good corporate offering than 60k diluted with a load of part timers who’d be off like a shot at the first sign of trouble and leave us with thousands of empty seats.

 

[Weststand]

Again, I wouldn’t change a thing capacity wise except maybe look at how we can increase the corporate and commercial side of the club. Whether that be through more boxes or something. I’d much rather have a 45k packed ground with proper supporters and a good corporate offering than 60k diluted with a load of part timers who’d be off like a shot at the first sign of trouble and leave us with thousands of empty seats.

If that happened to liverpool, manu, newcastle, spurs, arsenal, man city, west ham - they have just the same diluted day tripper glory fans - no chance any of those would fill 60 - 70k stadium fighting relegation and been demoted to league 1 for 4 seasons, we are no different only they are there in the top flight and have their infrastucture in place

 

[Julio Mackemo]

A reduction to 45k would be fine I think. We rarely get above that.

In the championship

 

[fixxxer]

Just glad this discussion has finally got away from people confusing "expanding" in order to accommodate better more/improved corporate facilities and the concourses for us plebs than just jumping to "we dinnit need more seats, man!"

 

[Julio Mackemo]

yep, no demand for extension of seating as we stand now, 10 years out of the prem and averaging just over 40k. But you cannot sit on your hands..people might say get back in the prem and see how it goes for 5 years to see if theres a demand to stick another 5-10k on it but theres another argument to say lets get plans in now and keep up with the rest of them. when built the SOL was 3/4 biggest in england, now its 9/10 biggest....weve been left behind in a way

If we go up in the next few years, they'll give it a couple of seasons and if we are getting full houses, they'll add the tier on the south stand. To go to 55k.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

If that happened to liverpool, manu, newcastle, spurs, arsenal, man city, west ham - they have just the same diluted day tripper glory fans - no chance any of those would fill 60 - 70k stadium fighting relegation and been demoted to league 1 for 4 seasons, we are no different only they are there in the top flight and have their infrastucture in place

Agree mate they do. Mags are going absolutely leet at the minute about what their fanbase has become, home and away - and it’s hilarious. Only thing I would slightly disagree on is on us being any different. I honestly don’t think any of them would get the crowds we have if their history mirrored ours. We get mocked for empty seats and I do think we’re somewhat at a ceiling with the crowds we do get so on that basis yes the ground can appear too big by a few thousand, but there isn’t a club in the country imo would get the crowds we do after the decades and recent years we’ve had. Which is what makes me even more want to limit capacity in any future hypothetical scenario to what we have already got so we keep it for the people, so to speak.

If we go up in the next few years, they'll give it a couple of seasons and if we are getting full houses, they'll add the tier on the south stand. To go to 55k.

Wouldn’t fill it and at the first sign of trouble any newcomers would be gone again so the ground would have more empty seats.