North Stand expansion - seating, ticketing etc

[jrb]

Going back to moving the away fans. Hypothetical I know.

I've taken some pictures of the area outside the away end adjacent to the away coach park.

It can be done, current home entrances and exits can be incorporated into additional away entrances and exits outside the ground.

However, there is another issue. The ES spiral would directly overlook and be closer to the outside away area, meaning the spiral would have to be stewarded or barriers would have to be added to the spiral to stop items being thrown at the away fans from the spiral. As well as City fans gathering on the spiral having a go at the away fans.

You'll see what I mean from the pictures.

 

[Luddite_Blue]

With the new North Stand I think City's expectation will be that the main demand for any new season tickets/ flexi gold will be from family groups.

I recall being moved for a cup game with 114 being made available for City fans who were sat down. I found this surprising at the time thinking 90% of the ground is very family friendly and yet still the demand was from families rather than groups of lads (and lasses) in their 20s/30s. There is a thread on here saying in the returned seats from Fulham in SSL3 on Saturday, the majority were sat down despite it being completely filled with rail seats.

There will be some generalisation here but I think with all seater stadiums and reserved seats booked weeks in advance there is just a natural bias towards family groups rather than a group of young lads (and lasses) with it being easier for families to organise and no real need to coordinate payments. If for instance seats were unreserved that may change this bias allowing groups of lads (and lasses) to book as and when (I'm not arguing one way or another here on the merits of unreserved seating).

Additionally I think the flexi gold tickets are more geared to families as well with them generally
being better organised with their finances to always be able to pay for the game 3 weeks before
and a family group is more likely to all be away at the same time and flexi gold means that isn't an issue.

Also with new season tickets having been restricted for a few seasons I think there will be a lot of suppressed demand from parents who are existing season ticket holders with school age children who will see the opening of the new stand as the one opportunity to get their child a season ticket.

I therefore think it's going to be very unlikely that the number of rail seats in the new North Stand will be increased above 3,000.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Going back to moving the away fans. Hypothetical I know.

I've taken some pictures of the area outside the away end adjacent to the away coach park.

It can be done, current home entrances and exits can be incorporated into additional away entrances and exits outside the ground.

However, there is another issue. The ES spiral would directly overlook and be closer to the outside away area, meaning the spiral would have to be stewarded or barriers would have to be added to the spiral to stop items being thrown at the away fans from the spiral. As well as City fans gathering on the spiral having a go at the away fans.

You'll see what I mean from the pictures.

All very low cost capex & do able.

This reorganisation should have its own thread.

It's as valuable a move as any of the others but with bigger benefits at less cost.

 

[Coatigan]

All very low cost capex & do able.

This reorganisation should have its own thread.

It's as valuable a move as any of the others but with bigger benefits at less cost.

Has there ever been any appetite for it whatsoever? Have any of the fan reps or groups ever pushed for it?

 

[jrb]

All very low cost capex & do able.

This reorganisation should have its own thread.

It's as valuable a move as any of the others but with bigger benefits at less cost.

Or, much taller mobile metal barriers that currently separate the home fans from the away fans outside the ground.

As I’ve said previously, with many agreeing, it can be done if the club want to do it, as part of the new North stand seat configuration around the Etihad.

 

[jrb]

Has there ever been any appetite for it whatsoever? Have any of the fan reps or groups ever pushed for it?

No, but I’m sure the City Matters Reps and 1894 could consult the club about it.

As we know, the club, Danny Wilson, etc read this thread, so they will know it’s being discussed, regardless of what their initial reactions to it are.

 

[TheGhost]

Has there ever been any appetite for it whatsoever? Have any of the fan reps or groups ever pushed for it?

There should be a vertical row of single seats in SSL1 & SSL2 to meet the pitch side criteria and the rest of the away fans in SSL3

 

[TheGhost]

With the new North Stand I think City's expectation will be that the main demand for any new season tickets/ flexi gold will be from family groups.

I recall being moved for a cup game with 114 being made available for City fans who were sat down. I found this surprising at the time thinking 90% of the ground is very family friendly and yet still the demand was from families rather than groups of lads (and lasses) in their 20s/30s. There is a thread on here saying in the returned seats from Fulham in SSL3 on Saturday, the majority were sat down despite it being completely filled with rail seats.

There will be some generalisation here but I think with all seater stadiums and reserved seats booked weeks in advance there is just a natural bias towards family groups rather than a group of young lads (and lasses) with it being easier for families to organise and no real need to coordinate payments. If for instance seats were unreserved that may change this bias allowing groups of lads (and lasses) to book as and when (I'm not arguing one way or another here on the merits of unreserved seating).

Additionally I think the flexi gold tickets are more geared to families as well with them generally
being better organised with their finances to always be able to pay for the game 3 weeks before
and a family group is more likely to all be away at the same time and flexi gold means that isn't an issue.

Also with new season tickets having been restricted for a few seasons I think there will be a lot of suppressed demand from parents who are existing season ticket holders with school age children who will see the opening of the new stand as the one opportunity to get their child a season ticket.

I therefore think it's going to be very unlikely that the number of rail seats in the new North Stand will be increased above 3,000.

I noticed in the Fulham game the majority of fans next to where the away fans are in SSL3 (from back almost to the front) stood for most of the game. They should all be rail seating.

 

[Coatigan]

No, but I’m sure the City Matters Reps and 1894 could consult the club about it.

As we know, the club, Danny Wilson, etc read this thread, so they will know it’s being discussed, regardless of what their initial reactions to it are.

Wouldn't they only consult the club if numbers of their members had an appetite for it?

It doesn't seem to be something the club wants. Doesn't seem to be something the supporters particularly want or plare pushing for. Wouldn't really change otherwise.

 

[Luddite_Blue]

I noticed in the Fulham game the majority of fans next to where the away fans are in SSL3 (from back almost to the front) stood for most of the game. They should all be rail seating.

I agree with your views on this. I think with the proposals it will result in 4 different areas where fans sing, none of which will be able to hear each other that well.

After spending 300 million on the stand, once it settles down, I think the outcome will be
that the most vigorous singing area will still be 115 and the area where the sound carries
the most from will still be SSL3.

I think there's a correlation between ticket prices and atmosphere so the best outcome would be putting in rail seats in all of SSL3 and then making provision for those in SSL3 who would be unhappy with this.

Although with the APT result, maybe there can be cheap prices all round!!!!