Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Thread

[Lee the Blue]

Pleasing news. Once the North Stand is done the ground will look even and 62k seats means we can hopefully knock out cheap tickets in the third tiers as well - get bums on seats and capture a generation of fans replacing those lost by Swales and the clubs mismanagement from the late 70s until 2008.

As for whether itll be full every week - who gives a stuff? Barca isn't full every week, neither is Real, neither is AC or Inter; the fact that some seem obsessed with our attendances shows how desperate they have become.

 

[bluemoon98]

Ties in with what I have been told. Enabling works starting in April through.

Wouldn't capacity be down if works are being done April and during the process (start of season)

 

[casualdeyna]

Enabling works shouldn't affect attendance as I'm pretty sure it's just stuff outside the ground to enable work to commence whenever it is due to without delay. So may prepare a bit of foundation work etc. so there may be boards up around the entrances to NS and they did with SS, maybe even a bit in the concourse but doubt we will see anything affecting the seating with enabling works.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Is it me or could we do with dropping the pitch down a meter or so to improve the view in the lower tier or would that affect the upper tiers? Just seems an easy way to improve the feel of the place!

 

[squirtyflower]

Is it me or could we do with dropping the pitch down a meter or so to improve the view in the lower tier or would that affect the upper tiers? Just seems an easy way to improve the feel of the place!

I think it's something like 10m below ground level already and dropping it further would interfere with the water table making the ground waterlogged, I seem to remember

 

[coleridge]

They can make it bigger - once the roof is off the East and West - the catenary system is not in the way so the south stand 3rd tier can actually be expanded so it is wider. Our ground has the potential to hold low 80,000s I am told if fully developed.

So was I, mate, and by construction professionals from our glorious city.
80k+ is apparently possible and fits in with the original ADUG goal of being bigger than OT. Time will tell.

 

[blueloon]

After the proposed work is completed on the north stand is there really a need to increase the size of the stadium on the east and west side further? Still don't understand the obsession with being bigger than Old Trafford. Surely the club focus needs to be on the development of the area around the stadium especially if the owners are hoping to make East Manchester a seven day a week tourist attraction...

 

[unexpected item]

Piece in today's Guardian about UAE's relationship with the UK over the Muslim Brotherhood's presence in the UK. Posting this in here as the Guardian claims to have seen documents where, amongst other things (trade, military cooperation etc) inward investment to the UK may have been at risk if Cameron failed to act. As we are beneficiaries of some of that inward investment, it's worth a read.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...down-on-muslim-brotherhood-or-lose-arms-deals

 

[mcfcinprague]

Piece in today's Guardian about UAE's relationship with the UK over the Muslim Brotherhood's presence in the UK. Posting this in here as the Guardian claims to have seen documents where, amongst other things (trade, military cooperation etc) inward investment to the UK may have been at risk if Cameron failed to act. As we are beneficiaries of some of that inward investment, it's worth a read.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...down-on-muslim-brotherhood-or-lose-arms-deals

8 pages on this in Off Topic

 

[Marvin]

I think it's something like 10m below ground level already and dropping it further would interfere with the water table making the ground waterlogged, I seem to remember

I doubt the water table is anywhere near as the ground is on a hill. I think there's a lot of piping and wiring under the pitch though so if they lowered it, all that would be have to relaid. I think I've read something to that effect on here before

 

[babua_blue]

The exterior of the expanded stand looks like an unfinished product . Are we going to cover it with blue lights , screens or will it remain like this until other three stands are redeveloped and then we come up with some cladding like Alianz Arena ? Any idea ?

 

[john@staustell]

After the proposed work is completed on the north stand is there really a need to increase the size of the stadium on the east and west side further? Still don't understand the obsession with being bigger than Old Trafford. Surely the club focus needs to be on the development of the area around the stadium especially if the owners are hoping to make East Manchester a seven day a week tourist attraction...

It's about longer term vision, not one upmanship.

 

[blueloon]

Let's take it one step at a time. If we are all honest 62,000 is well enough seats both in the mid to long term. Why are people wanting a big stadium with a shit atmosphere like Old Trafford. I cannot think of anything worse then seeing a silly amount of empty seats at the majority of our home games.

 

[ped]

Let's take it one step at a time. If we are all honest 62,000 is well enough seats both in the mid to long term. Why are people wanting a big stadium with a shit atmosphere like Old Trafford. I cannot think of anything worse then seeing a silly amount of empty seats at the majority of our home games.

dont worry my little cocky red sparrow,were heading for 80 ,000

 

[SiMCFC]

Let's take it one step at a time. If we are all honest 62,000 is well enough seats both in the mid to long term. Why are people wanting a big stadium with a shit atmosphere like Old Trafford. I cannot think of anything worse then seeing a silly amount of empty seats at the majority of our home games.

Who cares about empty seats? Are you reporting back to sadcafe?

 

[PrestwichPeteMcfc]

Liverpool game sold out 3 weeks in advance at £58 a ticket, and we sell a large proportion of our tickets in the last week of sale. Will be the same for United, Arsenal and probably for the last home game of the season. Despite occasional empty seats, we're already missing out on millions of pounds worth of revenue each because our stadium is too small. I think by the time we've expanded to £62k, demand will have caught up (like it did with the south stand expansion). Build it and they will come

 

[blueloon]

Who cares about empty seats? Are you reporting back to sadcafe?

No, I'm happy to report I'm a blue offering an opinion.

 

[SiMCFC]

No, I'm happy to report I'm a blue offering an opinion.

Does it genuinely concern you? Most fans I know really couldn't care less so I always think it is funny when people worry so much about 'empty seats'

 

[blueloon]

Liverpool game sold out 3 weeks in advance at £58 a ticket, and we sell a large proportion of our tickets in the last week of sale. Will be the same for United, Arsenal and probably for the last home game of the season. Despite occasional empty seats, we're already missing out on millions of pounds worth of revenue each because our stadium is too small. I think by the time we've expanded to £62k, demand will have caught up (like it did with the south stand expansion). Build it and they will come

I hope that is the case, but I believe the club will be cautious in doing this until they are convinced that after development of the north stand our crowds are consistently hitting the top end of the 62,000 figure. The biggest concern I have if we do reach 80,000 seat capacity is the affect it will have on the atmosphere at the stadium. That is why, I said it is best to take things one step at a time...

 

[blueloon]

Does it genuinely concern you? Most fans I know really couldn't care less so I always think it is funny when people worry so much about 'empty seats'

It does if it affects the atmosphere. Anyway, the thing that is going to impact this is success on the pitch. If we continue winning and growing the brand, my concerns are likely to be unfounded. Let's hope they are, for me success on the pitch is the most important thing. The rest will take of itself...