Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Thread

[ped]

My thoughts exactly, the nearest we have come close to competing with rags on attendances was in the early seventies before Peter Swales cocked things up, we only truly recovered from this when the Shiek bought the club. People are paronode about the rags and empty seats when the new stand is built and the capacity is around 61k if weaverage between 58 to 60k I thinks it's a great effort and attendances will only improve more with continued success. Also for those still obsessed with the rags Check with GMP who are supplied will accurate figures and The full houses posted in the press are not accurate their true attendances are regularly below this for midweek and cup games, but they like to keep myth alive that they sell out every week for every game.

not true ,we surpassed their attendence

My thoughts exactly, the nearest we have come close to competing with rags on attendances was in the early seventies before Peter Swales cocked things up, we only truly recovered from this when the Shiek bought the club. People are paronode about the rags and empty seats when the new stand is built and the capacity is around 61k if weaverage between 58 to 60k I thinks it's a great effort and attendances will only improve more with continued success. Also for those still obsessed with the rags Check with GMP who are supplied will accurate figures and The full houses posted in the press are not accurate their true attendances are regularly below this for midweek and cup games, but they like to keep myth alive that they sell out every week for every game.

why do the 70s count and the 50 years pre war not ,just saying as many united fans love to start their attendence history in 1948 , funny that

 

[gkmcfc]

It's a good subject. But we're going around in circles. Yes, we do suffer from empty seats. But we still average over 50,000+ every home match.

Even though the Rags know that, and if they were honest, they would admit that is a good average attendance. But, the empty seat jibe is their latest weapon, and the only real weapon they have left to beat us with. As such they won't let up on it now.(wait until the derby)

That aside, as a club we should continue with the stadium expansion, regardless of empty seats and continued Emptyhad jibes.The demand is there for extra correctly priced season tickets. 1000's of them.

We have lost nearly 3 generations of support to the Rags via the Fergie years. That takes some catching up and rebuilding to do. Rome wasn't built in a day, but via our owners and continued success on the pitch, we will continue to build our support and attract the next generations to City instead of them going to United.

So true and easy to underestimate how much we lost to them. It's already changing though. A generation of success we've never really seen will see the balance redressed. As you say it will take time though!

 

[gkmcfc]

The empty seat jibes from the rags are born out of fear. They desperately don't won't us to keep expanding. They know that we went 35 years without a trophy and yet 5 years later we are already averaging 54,000. They know that the majority of this match day support lives within a 15 mile radius of Piccadilly. They know that we're selling cheap season tickets to families, who can't attend every match, to attract the next generation, in the local area, to our club. They know we've barely scratched the surface in out of town and overseas tourist type support. They know we got 40,000 for the deadest of dead rubbers in the CL qualifier.They know that our cup schemes are optional. They know that this season we could sellout a 60,000 stadium on at least half a dozen occasions and could average 57-58,000 for PL fixtures if we had space. They know that we're growing rapidly from a high base level of support that stuck with us through the decades of dross. They are afraid, very afraid.

Two tiers? Three tiers? Who cares? Just get the bloody thing built.

Amen

 

[Jacko1956]

not true ,we surpassed their attendence
why do the 70s count and the 50 years pre war not ,just saying as many united fans love to start their attendence history in 1948 , funny that[/QUO

not true ,we surpassed their attendence

why do the 70s count and the 50 years pre war not ,just saying as many united fans love to start their attendence history in 1948 , funny that

Good point, City were the main team until the mid fiftys but only making the point in my era supporting the blues. Football was very different then my dad would go to watch City one week then the rags the next, it's quite possible they might not even exist if we're didn't let them share our ground post war as I'm reliable told they didn't have pot to piss in then. Hey Munich sympathy world wide and the rest is history unfortunately, but we were so badly run late fifties till the Mercer Allison era we didn't help the situation but better being a football club rather than an institution where ever the road takes you.

 

[BlueAnorak]

The attendance for the 3rd to last game last season was shocking...

 

[blue dallas]

You used to count trophies
Now you count empty seats !

That's my reply to the insects when they try coming it .

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

I think it will be three tiers as well.

The empty space taken up in the South Stand by the Legends Lounge & 93:20 will probably be used for a new ticket office, club shop, museum etc.

Did we do the stands the right way round?

Maybe it would have been better if all the corporate was in the North Stand, opposite from the away fans and in with the families. We actually lost the Legends Lounge to Everton in the LC semi due to them having all the 2nd & 3rd tiers.

Having said that, it is definitely makes more sense to have things like a ticket office, museum, club shop at the north end, so swings and roundabouts I guess.

Once the north end is done we just need to make the South Stand bottom tier safe standing (after permission!) and we'll be sorted!

Don't think you will get the main shop and ticket office inside a stadium that is not accessible except on a match day?not sure 100,s of people marching along the concourse before games from the south stand and other tiers is the best idea ,a museum to visit on the stadium tour yes but shop and ticket office no

 

[Neville Kneville]

You used to count trophies
Now you count empty seats !

That's my reply to the insects when they try coming it .

Like

 

[Gordyola]

Seats may not be occupied but in the main are paid for, for various reasons the ticket holder hasn't made it. If we don't increase capacity we effectively putting a limit on our fan base and their ability to attend games. It's a fact that the average age of an attending PL fan is increasing, so we must do everything possible to encourage younger fans to attend. As long as there are not too many empty unsold seats its not a huge issue as it gives the occasional fan the chance to attend. We need to extend the north stand and include safe standing and also a section for unreserved seating, this will help when friends want to attend with regular match going fans enabling them to seat together. We also must make it easier to buy last minute tickets online and onsite without huge queues maybe a turnstiles that you pay at on entry.

 

[Why Always Ste]

Makes me think back to those bleak thoughts when were at Wembley 2-0 down against Gillingham wondering how we could muster up the courage to go on again for another season. For 20 years between 1978 and 1998 it was incredibly difficult. 4 weekends after 5 ruined. Despair of relegation. Habitual humiliation in the FA Cup. Very little hope, just sheer bloody mindedness and somehow it's morphed into all this.

There used to be a radio presenter, when radio did really mean something, who used to call Manchester City God's own club. I've always thought this club and its supporters were special. And I am still very proud of our supporters. One of my favourite memories was the first game in the old Division 3 at Maine Rd. I think we played Blackpool and won 3-2. We'd been relegated the season before. Kinkladze had gone. We were at our lowest ebb. We'd always had the fans behind us, but these were the days before the Internet when the Pink, a snatched glance at the Manchester Evening news hoardings outside the newsagent, from the bus was finger on the pulse. Later came the Clubcall headlines on Teletext. You had no idea about ticket sales and whether this was going to be too much for City fans, so it was with huge pride that I took my seat on the Kippax and looked around that day at a full house at Maine Rd in the old 3rd division. We had survived. We'd not quite reached the bottom, but it wasn't far away.

I wonder where we're going next.

Fuckin hell Marvin, had me in tears reading that :(

 

[Gordyola]

Makes me think back to those bleak thoughts when were at Wembley 2-0 down against Gillingham wondering how we could muster up the courage to go on again for another season. For 20 years between 1978 and 1998 it was incredibly difficult. 4 weekends after 5 ruined. Despair of relegation. Habitual humiliation in the FA Cup. Very little hope, just sheer bloody mindedness and somehow it's morphed into all this.

There used to be a radio presenter, when radio did really mean something, who used to call Manchester City God's own club. I've always thought this club and its supporters were special. And I am still very proud of our supporters. One of my favourite memories was the first game in the old Division 3 at Maine Rd. I think we played Blackpool and won 3-2. We'd been relegated the season before. Kinkladze had gone. We were at our lowest ebb. We'd always had the fans behind us, but these were the days before the Internet when the Pink, a snatched glance at the Manchester Evening news hoardings outside the newsagent, from the bus was finger on the pulse. Later came the Clubcall headlines on Teletext. You had no idea about ticket sales and whether this was going to be too much for City fans, so it was with huge pride that I took my seat on the Kippax and looked around that day at a full house at Maine Rd in the old 3rd division. We had survived. We'd not quite reached the bottom, but it wasn't far away.

I wonder where we're going next.

"God's own club" that will be Jimmy Wagg

 

[fbloke]

There's not doubt that the next phase of the ground development is imminent as Worsley and others have impeccable insight in that regard.

The wider developments seem to have stalled though, and those challenges are going to be far more difficult to overcome than the filling the extra seats.

I was lucky enough to get a tour around the CFA a while back and the quality of everything was incredible so when people talk about the poor finish and maintenance of the stadium it creates a confusing picture of where priorities lie.

I was blown away with the size and scale of the campus developments when I saw them a few years ago but now I wonder if the lack of infrastructure, and the sheer scope of what was in play back then has stumped ADUG. Have they bitten off more than they could chew?

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I spoke to my source last night who said it was happening and was a dumbed down version of the South stand. He was slightly dumb himself so i have had to interpret some of what he said myself. I get the distinct impression it is going to be two tiers build top down with a steeper rake of the family stand second tier joining the new tier being built above with no corporate boxes at that end at all.

so like this then ?. I'm hoping its not the same as the south stand, less corporate would be great and a stand with its own unique look would be good.

Wow, that looks brilliant, I actually got a flutter in the belly when I saw that pic!

Let's get the singing section away from being trapped between the away fans and the Colin Bell in that little tier in SSL1 and move to the front of the second tier in the North Stand.

We can finally have a proper vocal stand!

 

[HelloCity]

Don't think you will get the main shop and ticket office inside a stadium that is not accessible except on a match day?not sure 100,s of people marching along the concourse before games from the south stand and other tiers is the best idea ,a museum to visit on the stadium tour yes but shop and ticket office no

That's exactly the set up United have and their shop is a lot bigger than ours.

You wouldn't be able to get to the concourse because it would be its own walled off building housed within the front of the stand.

Not sure you're thinking along the right lines here.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

At the risk of being berated why would we extend the North Stand at the moment ? we need a full ground with atmosphere not loads of empty seats. We have Pep now so that would give us a bigger draw but shouldn't we do it organically when we have the need for it.

If any game ever sells out that means even more tickets could have been sold therefore the stadium wasn't big enough for that game. Even if that only happens half a dozen times a season, or it happens every game, it still means the capacity should be expanded for all the games that can sell more.

Look at the capacities of Madrid and Barcelona's grounds, look at their average attendances and look at their biggest gates. They have their capacities for the biggest gates not the average attendances (which are way down on the capacity).

Empty seats, or more room on a terrace, has always existed at all clubs from the start of football. It's only Rags in the last decade who seem to care about that and think it's something to ridicule.

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

That's exactly the set up United have and their shop is a lot bigger than ours.

You wouldn't be able to get to the concourse because it would be its own walled off building housed within the front of the stand.

Not sure you're thinking along the right lines here.

I thought the suggestion was to put the shop and ticket office in the space the expansion would create 2/3 tier as there was no corporate ?

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Apparently our bid has been discussed with the Government since before Gideon upped sticks and we waited until close to the time to make it public. It'll be very interesting to see how it pans out.

Expo 2015 in Milan had 22 million visitors, Expo 2010 in Shanghai had 73 million visitors, Expo 2005 in Nagoya had 22 million visitors... If it happens it will be the largest event the UK has ever hosted, so the transport network in East Manchester would need a decent transportation upgrade.

An underground would be ideal for our conurbation of what may approach 3m soon. There's currently too much transport on roads that can't support it.

 

[HelloCity]

I thought the suggestion was to put the shop and ticket office in the space the expansion would create 2/3 tier as there was no corporate ?
If not surly they couldn't go in level one as this wouldn't alter

There is space over 3 levels. This space can be walled off to create a 3 story building within the stand itself.

There is a lot of 'dead' space on level one of the new South Stand. Basically from the back wall of the original stand to the back wall of the new stand. They've used it to create a huge square to open up the concourse but no one ever uses it.

The store could be on level 1 & 2 including taking up room where the 93:20 bar would be and there could be a museum overlooking the pitch where the Legends Lounge is.

Think we have several ticket offices at the moment. The main one on the exterior of the North Stand, one in the 2nd floor of the club shop and a smaller match day one on the corner of the new South Stand. Will be interesting to see where the main ticket office ends up during re-development.

 

[DiscoSteve]

^^^^ all those potential spaces are on the pictures I posted up earlier in the thread

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

There is space over 3 levels. This space can be walled off to create a 3 story building within the stand itself.

There is a lot of 'dead' space on level one of the new South Stand. Basically from the back wall of the original stand to the back wall of the new stand. They've used it to create a huge square to open up the concourse but no one ever uses it.

The store could be on level 1 & 2 including taking up room where the 93:20 bar would be and there could be a museum overlooking the pitch where the Legends Lounge is.

Think we have several ticket offices at the moment. The main one on the exterior of the North Stand, one in the 2nd floor of the club shop and a smaller match day one on the corner of the new South Stand. Will be interesting to see where the main ticket office ends up during re-development.

Sorry not thinking straight for some reason got it in my head level one base wouldn't expand,doh.
In my defence haven't been in the south stand since its been done,must walk round next home game.