North Stand expansion - seating, ticketing etc

[jrb]

The standing at the north stand also goes down the sides ? It still would be really loud if we had a minimum of 3000 singers in there ?

It does. Which means the safe standing singers are split up, and pushed to the back and sides of the stands, when they should all be together across the tier.

There’s no way City wanted to accommodate 3000 singers across the tier from the back to the upper middle of the tier. The upper middle seats are some of the best seats, and best priced seats. Hence why the safe standing seats have been limited to 14 rows from the back, and pushed out to the less attractive and cheaper side seats. There’s always a financial reason why City do these things, and make these decisions. The (upper) side seats will also be harder to shift on a match day.

 

[Coatigan]

Can you honestly see the club adding a further 1000 safe standing seats at the end of the season if the initial 3000 safe standing seats sell out?

As I’ve said previously, we will never know if the 3000 safe standing seats have sold out completely or not. The club won’t release that information.

We don’t know if all the safe standing seats are Flexi Gold season tickets, or a mixture of Flexi Gold season tickets and match day tickets. If they are a mixture of Flexi Gold season tickets and match day tickets, the safe standing seats will never sell out on a regular basis, especially not for the lesser home games, so there will never be a need for an extra 1000 safe standing seats.

I made the point that they 'can' rather than would or wouldn't. Honest answer to would they? Probably not!

Very few people, including you at the time, thought they would get Any standing spaces, a few months ago. We had this same discussion mate, you said something along the lines of can you really see them putting in standing seats while it has all been approved etc. Then we got 3000.

We might get more, who knows, we might lose some or all.

All I was pointing out was that just because there are seats there now doesn't mean nothing can happen in the future, if the club think the demand is there (however they actually go about determining that).

 

[pride in battle]

It does. Which means the safe standing singers are split up, and pushed to the back and sides of the stands, when they should all be together across the tier.

There’s no way City wanted to accommodate 3000 singers across the tier from the back to the upper middle of the tier. The upper middle seats are some of the best seats, and best priced seats. Hence why the safe standing seats have been limited to 14 rows from the back, and pushed out to the less attractive and cheaper side seats. There’s always a financial reason why City do these things, and make these decisions.

I just think you have a grudge with everything City do mate, nothing is positive...

 

[bluekeith]

Not all the new Flexi holder's will want to stand if they are getting there kids tickets. If you have young kids you want a seat

 

[jrb]

Totally agree, I’m clinging on to the fact they want to get it absolutely spot on, including price etc before submitting an idea to 1894 and those that want to relocate, my guess is they will fall short in some areas but there might just be enough of a tempter. There’s thousands of frustrated singers around the stadium to, I hope those people see this as an open goal to get involved

The club could have worked with 1894, the other fans groups, and with the fans via the OS on NSL2 redevelopment from day one. The club hasn’t. Decision have been made and taken solely by the club. Everything has been kept secret. We have been fed tidbits every now and again by the club throughout the North stand proposal and development. And told this is what is happening, like it or not.

 

[Coatigan]

Meanwhile how’s the build going. Yawn.

The hotel terrace roof step junctions are still a mess mate!

 

[Centurions]

Not all the new Flexi holder's will want to stand if they are getting there kids tickets. If you have young kids you want a seat

The new 4,000+ Flexi tickets are for anywhere available in the stadium, they're not restricted to the new expansion.

 

[jrb]

I just think you have a grudge with everything City do mate, nothing is positive...

Not at all.

I’m being honest.

Like everyone else, including you, I wanted, and still want, the new North stand to be a proper home end.

We all had an idea of what a proper home end could be and would be like. We all wanted a proper home end for the fans to create a better and louder atmosphere inside the Etihad.

I wanted the club to work with the fans to make that happen, and bring that about from day one.

Yes, we have a home end of sorts.

But to me and others, the new home end is a complete mish-mash of ideas, which doesn’t serve any real purpose, bar increasing match day revenues. It’s a bit of everything put together by the club.

That’s just my opinion.

It doesn’t mean I ‘m right.

I really, really do want the new NSL2 to work, and to be a proper home end, which creates a better atmosphere inside the Etihad.

Only time will tell if that happens.

 

[Centurions]

I just think you have a grudge with everything City do mate, nothing is positive...

At least he's not banging on about there being corporate seats as some still are...

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

Not at all.

I’m being honest.

Like everyone else, including you, I wanted, and still want, the new North stand to be a proper home end.

We all had an idea of what a proper home end could be and would be like. We all wanted a proper home end for the fans to create a better and louder atmosphere inside the Etihad.

I wanted the club to work with the fans to make that happen, and bring that about from day one.

Yes, we have a home end of sorts.

But to me and others, the new home end is a complete mish-mash of ideas, which doesn’t serve any real purpose, bar increasing match day revenues. It’s a bit of everything put together by the club.

That’s just my opinion.

It doesn’t mean I ‘m right.

I really, really do want the new NSL2 to work, and to be a proper home end, which creates a better atmosphere inside the Etihad.

Only time will tell if that happens.

I’m not sure you could have a proper home end and a family stand in the same stand
Both conflicting match day experiences
Probably why it’s a mixture of ideas
Who knows

 

[There is a Light]

Moving to the north stand when fans are being displaced is basically jumping in someone’s grave.

Club don’t give a fuck- even about their own fan advisory board Citymatters who were no doubt thrown under the bus again.

The singing areas in south have been diluted by the restrictions but also by forcing people to sell back to the club it goes to a tourist, it goes to a ticket resale site and someone who doesn’t sing.

The North Stand plans don’t offer any proper season tickets and less than half the capacity of the new stand will be flexi too - it’s 4000 flexi across the ground in total - so the majority of people in the new stand will be pay on the day match by match.

The likes of pride in battle on here need to wake up and smell the coffee.

We wanted a proper end over a decade ago and club fucked that up as well. Wouldn’t move the away fans.

Blame lies with club and they don’t want legacy fans.

 

[jrb]

I’m not sure you could have a proper home end and a family stand in the same stand
Both conflicting match day experiences
Probably why it’s a mixture of ideas
Who knows

The club trialed a family stand on NSL1 for quite a few seasons with various adult restrictions to access it. I stand corrected on that. Is it no longer a family stand? Is it open to individual adults again?

 

[jrb]

Moving to the north stand when fans are being displaced is basically jumping in someone’s grave.

Club don’t give a fuck- even about their own fan advisory board Citymatters who were no doubt thrown under the bus again.

The singing areas in south have been diluted by the restrictions but also by forcing people to sell back to the club it goes to a tourist, it goes to a ticket resale site and someone who doesn’t sing.

The North Stand plans don’t offer any proper season tickets and less than half the capacity of the new stand will be flexi too - it’s 4000 flexi across the ground in total - so the majority of people in the new stand will be pay on the day match by match.

The likes of pride in battle on here need to wake up and smell the coffee.

We wanted a proper end over a decade ago and club fucked that up as well. Wouldn’t move the away fans.

Blame lies with club and they don’t want legacy fans.

So the 4000 Flexi-Gold season tickets are across the ground and not just for NSL2. Wow!

 

[Coatigan]

I think it is worth not going over trodden ground again, with things that haven't changed with today's statement.

And focusing discussions on those that have, or may have (if we can actually figure them out).

- 4000 new season tickets (flexi) - good.
- 2000 dedicated to youth - great.
- 3000 standing rails, no change, the potential for more reiterated - same

- some seat holders may need to move - bad. Whether the alternative offerings are suitable, up to those affected to decide really.
- the reason for the need to move - unclear to confusing as fuck
- previously unmentioned 500 capacity bar in the city square - mibbys bad, mibbys no bad. Might be additional hospitality/premium, might not. Confusing.
- GA+, imo no change whatsoever, despite the odd interpretation otherwise, based on fact those seats havent been noted as moving. But the overall description of the Cross Bar (nobody had commented on the name yet) and location suggests no change

 

[skillman]

Great chance, 2000 tickets ring fenced for junior blues, if he’s not got a membership you’ll need to get him one now, criteria for new Flexi’s is 35 home games over last 3 years, but there’ll be a junior pull through for STH. Some people will piss & moan, but we are where we are, get the membership, you’ll have a great chance of a flexi, which will lead to a full ST eventually, they’re easy to manage

So my little one has had to attend 35 games over the past 3 years or I have? He’s been sitting on my knee since December 2024 so not an ‘official’ ticket so to speak.

 

[Coatigan]

So the 4000 Flexi-Gold season tickets are across the ground and not just NSL2. Wow!

Tbf that take from @Centurions surprised me, I had read it as within the NS. But I don't have it to hand, would need to check.

Edit, it does indeed say 'stadium wide'.

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

The club trialed a family stand on NSL1 for quite a few seasons with various adult restrictions to access it. I stand corrected on that. Is it no longer a family stand? Is it open to individual adults again?

But doesn’t the north stand currently have loads of people still in it who went there when it was a family stand ?
If that’s the case I can’t think of anything worse
Putting the South stand singers and the remaining family stand people all together
I can see the advantages ( from club point of view) having corporate in the stand with the hotel shops museum etc attached to the stand
Whatever happens there will be people who will be unhappy with the result

 

[jrb]

Has the further info dropped yet from the club?

 

[M18CTID]

So the 4000 Flexi-Gold season tickets are across the ground and not just for NSL2. Wow!

Yep:

“And following further consultation with City Matters, we are pleased to confirm that we will release more than 4000 new Flexi Season Tickets stadium-wide ahead of the 2026/27 season.”

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

City website currently shows the bottom of the north stand as a family stand