The sol improvements



Reclining seats would be nice...imagine the fights.
Also, get rid of that manky knock off latticework in 'The Roker End'

Really? I love it, me. Most fans I know also think it looks mint. Gives it a bit identity.
Alas, I think the renaming of the end was a bit anticlimactic. Methven was desperately pushing it, then didn’t follow through in putting a sign up or owt.
Possibly it’ll be worth revisiting again sometime.
Hopefully the new set up will follow through with things, rather than just lie about doing anything.
 
I'm not sure how practical this would be to do at the SoL, but I've always thought there should be a perimeter before you go into the stadium itself, and the turnstiles should be at this extra perimeter rather than the stadium. Then inside that perimeter you could have seating, food and drink kiosks, etc. So basically making the areas outside the stadium a big fan zone, and putting the turnstiles at the entry to the fan zone. Probably not very appealing in the north east winter, but at least some of it could be covered/indoors. Would surely help to get people into the ground earlier and more staggered (so smaller queues), and spending money inside.
And this is the kind of thinking we need!

I would like to see burger vans and independent local companies competing on price and quality too. One catering company exploiting cheap staff, using cheap crap and selling at a massively inflated price is certainly not the way to go. The company could lease the space for a reasonable fee. Probably too late for this bit now though with the contract signed up.
 
For the last 20 years it’s been too nice and shiny a place for opposition players staff and fans to come. Especially at the lower levels, they all go on about how it’s a great place to come and play.

It needs to be a very intimidating place for them to come. So very loud, noisy music pre-match, not pop shite, pyrotechnics, flags and welcome to hell painted on the east stand.
 
Have an area outside the turnstiles fenced so at half time the big doors can be opened and people can go out for a smoke and stand with a pint. Allow food and beer outlets to operate here as well if allowed (outside the stadium so perhaps not in breach of the catering contract?) and maybe provide some form of cover in the colder months. They have an uncovered area like this in the away end at West Brom and it relieves the pressure from the concourse.

Make all kiosks cashless and contactless. Payments can be made by either debit/credit or season card which can be loaded via the club website.
I think KLD is probably the only club owner around born after the internet was truly up n running. He’s grown up expecting innovation to be the norm. I think safc will be early adopters from now on. Championship/Football manager also existed before he was born anarl...... ;)
 
I really like idea of fencing/bricking off around the stadium and moving the turnstiles further out.

Make it like a market/carnival atmosphere. Could have live entertainment, big screens up. I like the idea of a few food stalls as well, offering actual decent scran rather than hotdogs and burgers.

Obviously you'd want most of it covered up cos itl be bloody baltic most of the time.

A club like Sunderland is never going to get much merchandise income, or sponsorship. We need to be creative with generating revenue. Something like the above should help, and sets us apart as well. Means the missus who doesn't even lole footy is more likely to come, kids will love it.
 
I'm not sure how practical this would be to do at the SoL, but I've always thought there should be a perimeter before you go into the stadium itself, and the turnstiles should be at this extra perimeter rather than the stadium. Then inside that perimeter you could have seating, food and drink kiosks, etc. So basically making the areas outside the stadium a big fan zone, and putting the turnstiles at the entry to the fan zone. Probably not very appealing in the north east winter, but at least some of it could be covered/indoors. Would surely help to get people into the ground earlier and more staggered (so smaller queues), and spending money inside.
Lots of German grounds are like this
 
For the last 20 years it’s been too nice and shiny a place for opposition players staff and fans to come. Especially at the lower levels, they all go on about how it’s a great place to come and play.

It needs to be a very intimidating place for them to come. So very loud, noisy music pre-match, not pop shite, pyrotechnics, flags and welcome to hell painted on the east stand.

I think the “Welcome to Hell” will lose it’s affect when the opposition only have to deal with a few mild ‘red n white army’ chants from one end of the stadium and a few seaguls
 
For the last 20 years it’s been too nice and shiny a place for opposition players staff and fans to come. Especially at the lower levels, they all go on about how it’s a great place to come and play.

It needs to be a very intimidating place for them to come. So very loud, noisy music pre-match, not pop shite, pyrotechnics, flags and welcome to hell painted on the east stand.
Intimidation will come with a winning, committed team full of professionalism, character and desire a la large chunks of the Reid and Keane era and the amazing late season run ins under Poyet and Allardyce.

Get a good side on the pitch so that when people wake up on a match day morning, they're clamming to get out early with their families/mates to go for a few drinks and are genuinely looking forward to watching the lads play, as opposed to traipsing along and just attending almost as a sense of duty.

Decent team=no gimmicks needed.
 
I really like idea of fencing/bricking off around the stadium and moving the turnstiles further out.

Make it like a market/carnival atmosphere. Could have live entertainment, big screens up. I like the idea of a few food stalls as well, offering actual decent scran rather than hotdogs and burgers.

Obviously you'd want most of it covered up cos itl be bloody baltic most of the time.

A club like Sunderland is never going to get much merchandise income, or sponsorship. We need to be creative with generating revenue. Something like the above should help, and sets us apart as well. Means the missus who doesn't even lole footy is more likely to come, kids will love it.
Strippers, burgers and free bread is what the plebs demand!
 
I really like idea of fencing/bricking off around the stadium and moving the turnstiles further out.

Make it like a market/carnival atmosphere. Could have live entertainment, big screens up. I like the idea of a few food stalls as well, offering actual decent scran rather than hotdogs and burgers.

Obviously you'd want most of it covered up cos itl be bloody baltic most of the time.

A club like Sunderland is never going to get much merchandise income, or sponsorship. We need to be creative with generating revenue. Something like the above should help, and sets us apart as well. Means the missus who doesn't even lole footy is more likely to come, kids will love it.
Exactly right. Not everyone likes to watch the footie. Would be less likely to feel like they are being dragged to the match if it’s a social thing in a nice setting.
 
Shame about them renewing for another 5 years with Molson Coors (after saying they wouldn’t and saying this would be one of the easiest things to sort out) as it means pints of pisswater and scolding hot pies for another 5 years served by acne ridden halfwits. Basically ruining any chance of improvements on the concourses for the foreseeable.
Even the pies are giving the fans grief
I really like idea of fencing/bricking off around the stadium and moving the turnstiles further out.

Make it like a market/carnival atmosphere. Could have live entertainment, big screens up. I like the idea of a few food stalls as well, offering actual decent scran rather than hotdogs and burgers.

Obviously you'd want most of it covered up cos itl be bloody baltic most of the time.

A club like Sunderland is never going to get much merchandise income, or sponsorship. We need to be creative with generating revenue. Something like the above should help, and sets us apart as well. Means the missus who doesn't even lole footy is more likely to come, kids will love it.
Arsenal have bogs outside for when you are hanging around the "cheaper" burger vans. Nice touch I thought when you have to queue with 6 pints in your bladder.
 
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For the last 20 years it’s been too nice and shiny a place for opposition players staff and fans to come. Especially at the lower levels, they all go on about how it’s a great place to come and play.

It needs to be a very intimidating place for them to come. So very loud, noisy music pre-match, not pop shite, pyrotechnics, flags and welcome to hell painted on the east stand.
This!
Not it wouldn't. Stop being stupid.
Why stupid ? Other stadiums have retractable roofs.
 
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