Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Thread

[kippaxkid74]

This picture shows how far away the nearest seats and City fans in East Stand Level 1 will be from the pitch.

Another example of how the Etihads once intimidating stadium layout and atomosphere is constantly being diluted in the quest to increase revenues.

Ended up in that seat in the bottom left corner of the pic for the Everton game, couldn't believe how far they had moved the front row of the East stand back just to get the new pitch side advertising in

I always loved feeling close to the pitch, but am i right in saying it's not that they've moved seats back, just took the front few out? ie people on row J, K, F, etc of the east stand will still be in the same seats and distance from the pitch, it's just those extra front rows they put in a couple of years ago that have gone?

They added rows 1 to 3 in front of row A. So is it just 1 to 3 that have gone, or has A gone and we now start at B?

Having the low metal wall at the front helped it feel close though (my little boy on his first match had some lovely pics stood at the front - now i doubt he'd see over the big black adverts!!), the giant boxed in effect of the advertsing will add to the feeling of being miles away, even if as i said row J (and K, and, F.. etc) haven't actually changed distance from the touchline....

 

[ws01]

When are we getting a lick of the world's best paint and the world's biggest floodlights?

 

[KS55]

Because they don't own it I expect and because the people who make these decisions never experience it as you and I do.

Well they part own it AND it is leasehold, almost certainly with obligations for one party or both to keep in good repair.

 

[Jacko1956]

only a few years ago we spent a fortune putting the extra few rows in. Madness.

Apparently income from the double tier boards is three times that of the seat prices, another sign that money is more important than fans in modern football. When the North Stand is redeveloped the capacity will be around sixty thousand so why reduce capacity before this happens ? Money talks !

 

[Tim of the Oak]

only a few years ago we spent a fortune putting the extra few rows in. Madness.

We didn’t have to pay KDB an extra £100k per week then.

I would have kept the seats. Sadly, we’ve lost a lot of Blues during the pandemic so there will be places for all current match goers in the ground.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Apparently income from the double tier boards is three times that of the seat prices, another sign that money is more important than fans in modern football. When the North Stand is redeveloped the capacity will be around sixty thousand so why reduce capacity before this happens ? Money talks !

Exactly. It’s not really a surprise. Replace thousands of fans with advertising boards, whilst at the same time reducing the atmosphere, but we’ll get a bit more money

 

[Keeper!]

They will have recouped that numerous times over in the first season alone

Make even more from the LED adverts

 

[blueparrot]

Exactly. It’s not really a surprise. Replace thousands of fans with advertising boards, whilst at the same time reducing the atmosphere, but we’ll get a bit more money

It isn’t thousands, and its the seats everyone complained about when they put them in a couple of years ago, they are also the last seats avilable for matchday buyers because we try and get tickets anywhere but those front rows , so they would be the last to be sold for games

 

[Centurions]

It isn’t thousands, and its the seats everyone complained about when they put them in a couple of years ago, they are also the last seats avilable for matchday buyers because we try and get tickets anywhere but those front rows , so they would be the last to be sold for games

Pfft, who cares about actual facts!

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Exactly. It’s not really a surprise. Replace thousands of fans with advertising boards, whilst at the same time reducing the atmosphere, but we’ll get a bit more money

If more people had made an atmosphere and supported the 1884 guys, maybe the seats wouldn’t be getting removed. I’ve been in the middle of SS L1 for several games in recent years and apart from playing the Dipoers and the rags, there would be enough room in there to relocate Blues from the first 3 rows.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

It isn’t thousands, and its the seats everyone complained about when they put them in a couple of years ago, they are also the last seats avilable for matchday buyers because we try and get tickets anywhere but those front rows , so they would be the last to be sold for games

The sad reality is that enough Blues have gone to the Kippax in the Sky (over the last 18 months) to relocate Blues from the first 3 rows without too much trouble. Yes people would have their preferred and cheaper seats but City are easing the pain with matched ticket prices for relocated fans (for a time).

I would have loved the lads who have been in contract negotiations to say I’m happy with my current wages but the fact is our best players want more money. Wages are our biggest expense so that’s the main reason for the bigger advert displays. That and fans demanding Kane or Haaland

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

It isn’t thousands, and its the seats everyone complained about when they put them in a couple of years ago, they are also the last seats avilable for matchday buyers because we try and get tickets anywhere but those front rows , so they would be the last to be sold for games

wasn’t 100% sure on the number, but it’s not a small amount.

you say everyone complained about it? Plenty of people liked those seats. One of the main reasons being that they were cheaper.
I also sat right behind the front rows in the east stand and knew plenty of people who moved there, lots of parents who wanted their kids to be close to the pitch.

it’s another case of forcing people out of their seats to make a bit more money. Same thing has happened elsewhere on the ground.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

wasn’t 100% sure on the number, but it’s not a small amount.

you say everyone complained about it? Plenty of people liked those seats. One of the main reasons being that they were cheaper.
I also sat right behind the front rows in the east stand and knew plenty of people who moved there, lots of parents who wanted their kids to be close to the pitch.

it’s another case of forcing people out of their seats to make a bit more money. Same thing has happened elsewhere on the ground.

Maybe so and I would have preferred the seats to have been kept. That said, we did lose £126mil last year and have just given KDB a £6mil pay rise. We’ve done well in the League and the Champs League but somebody has to take tough decisions to balance the books.

 

[Jacko1956]

The sad reality is that enough Blues have gone to the Kippax in the Sky (over the last 18 months) to relocate Blues from the first 3 rows without too much trouble. Yes people would have their preferred and cheaper seats but City are easing the pain with matched ticket prices for relocated fans (for a time).

I would have loved the lads who have been in contract negotiations to say I’m happy with my current wages but the fact is our best players want more money. Wages are our biggest expense so that’s the main reason for the bigger advert displays. That and fans demanding Kane or Haaland

Not a surprise that this has happened this season due to the loss of revenue over the past season and a half due to covid ! But think extending the North Stand should become a priority now an extra 6k seats then all this moaning about the crap seats the best seats can stop ! Fat chance of that happening with some folk

 

[The perfect fumble]

Well they part own it AND it is leasehold, almost certainly with obligations for one party or both to keep in good repair.

Is that so.

Good repair differs from general tattyness though, I don't think the place is going to fall down but the old gal is not looking her best.

 

[Centurions]

wasn’t 100% sure on the number, but it’s not a small amount.

you say everyone complained about it? Plenty of people liked those seats. One of the main reasons being that they were cheaper.
I also sat right behind the front rows in the east stand and knew plenty of people who moved there, lots of parents who wanted their kids to be close to the pitch.

it’s another case of forcing people out of their seats to make a bit more money. Same thing has happened elsewhere on the ground.

Just circa 1,100 seats removed.

 

[jrb]

130583/DEM/2021 | Prior Approval for the demolition of gasholder and associated redundant infrastructure. | Former Saxon Street Gasworks Saxon Street Manchester

130583/DEM/2021 | Prior Approval for the demolition of gasholder and associated redundant infrastructure. | Former Saxon Street Gasworks Saxon Stre

pa.manchester.gov.uk

 

[Fred_Quimby]

130583/DEM/2021 | Prior Approval for the demolition of gasholder and associated redundant infrastructure. | Former Saxon Street Gasworks Saxon Street Manchester

View attachment 19351

130583/DEM/2021 | Prior Approval for the demolition of gasholder and associated redundant infrastructure. | Former Saxon Street Gasworks Saxon Stre

pa.manchester.gov.uk

We had a gas holder here in Boston demolished a few years ago and, apparently, the ground is highly toxic and it is still being monitored now, probably, 20 years later. Arsenic and cyanide have both been mentioned.

 

[Centurions]

130583/DEM/2021 | Prior Approval for the demolition of gasholder and associated redundant infrastructure. | Former Saxon Street Gasworks Saxon Street Manchester

View attachment 19351

130583/DEM/2021 | Prior Approval for the demolition of gasholder and associated redundant infrastructure. | Former Saxon Street Gasworks Saxon Stre

pa.manchester.gov.uk

That's the one to the West of the Blue carpark, is there any chatter about the one to the North of the carparks? I'm presuming it's still there.

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

Watching it on TV was very distracting, but i guess that is the point....

wonder what it does for the players