North Stand Expansion

[Gone for a Burton]

I totally disagree. I think NSL1 will remain seated and a significant part of NSL2 will be rail seating. That will be the incentive for people to move. There’s no point in building this new stand - in the configuration they have unless you do this. The club will hopefully use the South Stand for day trippers and will want our core vocal support in the North Stand. Our owners are not stupid - improving the stadium atmosphere is actually key to selling expensive corporate/hospitality packages.

Probably not key, but certainly very helpful.

Dining in a beautiful restaurant with lovely food is soulless without an atmosphere and much enhanced with one.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Following the season ticket price hikes I'm intrigued to know how they plan on pricing this as that's key to making it a success. If the don't incentives people to move there as part of a home end then it will fail.

I don't know how many more season tickets they will offer considering they are happy to maximise individual ticket sales for profit, but ideally they get it full of season ticket holders at a decent price and then charge more for matchdah tickets elsewhere instead.

Trying to stay positive, but whilst the overall season ticket costs aren't high compared to our rivals, another hike makes me lose faith they're that bothered about this expansion becoming a home end. I'm not naive, I recognise its about generating revenue but I would still hope the club do recognise they can rinse the rich/JCLs and offset things for the loyal fans.

Pack both ends out first with relocators at 'normal' prices.

Increase the number of 'lowest' priced seats in both ends.

Fill the extra & vacated seats from the season ticket waiting list.

Create a loyalty /priority category for match day ticket buyers,rewarding the regular attendees.

Premium price all 'one off tourist' tickets.

With circa 9200 extra tickets to sell this suggestion probably covers most requirements for most parties.

 

[jrb]

The stand would have been better as a copy of the South Stand if this happened.

What’s the point of an expanded 2nd tier if it’s just normal seating?

I get your point, which is valid.

Like you I would prefer a proper safe standing NSL2 home end, but I think most of us are resigned to that not happening now given what we know and what we've discussed on this thread.

I'm glad the North stand won't mirror the South stand. Esthetically it would look better if both stands mirrored each other, but atmosphere wise the South stand 'as a whole' doesn't work. SSL2's depth is too shallow to create any meaningful noise, regardless of the fans who sit there, including hospitality seats. SSL3 is too high up and too set back above SSL1 and SSL2 to create a real and lasting atmosphere bar for the big games. (when the people up there do create an atmosphere)

 

[jrb]

I totally disagree. I think NSL1 will remain seated and a significant part of NSL2 will be rail seating. That will be the incentive for people to move. There’s no point in building this new stand - in the configuration they have unless you do this. The club will hopefully use the South Stand for day trippers and will want our core vocal support in the North Stand. Our owners are not stupid - improving the stadium atmosphere is actually key to selling expensive corporate/hospitality packages.

Where on NSL2 is safe standing going to be installed?

Where on NSL2 will fans be allowed to stand whislt other fans (want to) sit?

The club won't allow fans to stand across NSL2 whislt other fans want to sit on NSL2. It will be absolute chaos.

The GA+ hospitality section at the front of NSL2 will be seated, if it goes ahead? The ambulant seating, 1 row behind the GA+ hospitality section will go ahead. The middle section of NSL2 will be seated as that's where most of the expensive seats will be outside of the GA+ hospitality section. The top side blocks could accommodate safe standing seats as the don't impact on other seats and on other fans who want to watch the match sat down.

Unless NSL2 is made an official safe standing tier it will be against the law and against stadia regulations for fans to stand on NSL2.

That is already being played at Liverpool with the new Anfield Road stand where threats of bans are being made by LFC because of persistent standing on L2 by Liverpool fans. Level 2 is not safe standing tier.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

Pack both ends out first with relocators at 'normal' prices.

Increase the number of 'lowest' priced seats in both ends.

Fill the extra & vacated seats from the season ticket waiting list.

Create a loyalty /priority category for match day ticket buyers,rewarding the regular attendees.

Premium price all 'one off tourist' tickets.

With circa 9200 extra tickets to sell this suggestion probably covers most requirements for most parties.

The obvious party that it doesn't cover is the club itself.

That is a manifesto / wish list that the 1894 Group would put forward. The evidence of recent years with ongoing increases in SC prices and especially match day pricing shows what the club wants to do in this area. There is zero chance it will be priced like SS3 as it is an enhanced L2. It will be filled with relocations (some forced from expanding hospitality in other L2 areas), a very small number of new SC holders and GA that can be sold at eye watering prices. SS3 opened in 2016 and there has been a sea change in the level of interest since then so there is no need for the club to pitch prices low to fill it.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

The obvious party that it doesn't cover is the club itself.

That is a manifesto / wish list that the 1894 Group would put forward. The evidence of recent years with ongoing increases in SC prices and especially match day pricing shows what the club wants to do in this area. There is zero chance it will be priced like SS3 as it is an enhanced L2. It will be filled with relocations (some forced from expanding hospitality in other L2 areas), a very small number of new SC holders and GA that can be sold at eye watering prices. SS3 opened in 2016 and there has been a sea change in the level of interest since then so there is no need for the club to pitch prices low to fill it.

'Most parties'.....

The club is covered through, directly and indirectly.

9200 additional seats.

Premium prices for 'one off tourist' purchases.

Improved atmosphere = improved matchday experience = more demand etc etc.

Additionally, an improved atmosphere and bigger gates = greater motivation and more victories = more success etc etc.

Success breeds success and more success breeds even more success.

Roll up,Roll up !!

Everyone's a winner babe.

 

[jrb]

I appreciate decisions can be changed by the club even after a PA has been submitted and approved.

The wording in the North stand PA is very specific.

Safe standing on NSL2 and on NSL1 is a 'future option'.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

'Most parties'.....

The club is covered through, directly and indirectly.

9200 additional seats.

Premium prices for 'one off tourist' purchases.

Improved atmosphere = improved matchday experience = more demand etc etc.

Additionally, an improved atmosphere and bigger gates = greater motivation and more victories = more success etc etc.

Success breeds success and more success breeds even more success.

Roll up,Roll up !!

Everyone's a winner babe.

As a concept that's great. I just can't see Soriano et al getting on the Atmosphere Train somehow.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

As a concept that's great. I just can't see Soriano et al getting on the Atmosphere Train somehow.

Are the QSG still about ?

They helped the Krays get on the train......right back to laandaan !!

 

[Coatigan]

Like you I would prefer a proper safe standing NSL2 home end, but I think most of us are resigned to that not happening now given what we know and what we've discussed on this thread.

I am not resigned to it. Not past its first season at least.

I appreciate decisions can be changed by the club even after a PA has been submitted and approved.

The wording in the North stand PA is very specific.

Safe standing on NSL2 and on NSL1 is a 'future option'.

You are right, and I'm pretty sure bluesmith previously mentioned it was seats priced and being built.

But I have seen how quickly this change can happen, at Celtic's stadium for example, once the infrastructure is in place. They didn't even have the infrastructure, they did it through a phased process, part of which never even happened but was enough to enable the change to safe standing, and within a summer it had swapped over for the following season.

None of us know what their long term thinking is, we are all guessing. Maybe they feel the jump to rails for the whole new stand is too sudden, till they fill the seats or get people to move. No idea. But I don't think the option is off the table though, beyond the immediate.