North Stand expansion - seating, ticketing etc

[wearethesouthstand]

Out of interest, had you been 'invited' before the plans had been approved by the council, what changes to the design would you have asked to see?

It is moot, but I am interested all the same.

Moot, because there was in fact a fairly extensive consultation process carried out before submitting the application, never mind having it being approved, lt was open to anyone and everyone including fans, fan reps, etc.

Forgive me for going over old ground on this one, but as the thread has been split now and you may not have been part of the discussion circa a year ago, I'll briefly summarise.

The first round was between December 22 and january 23 on basic ideas and feasibility studies. The second round in march 23 on concept proposals. There were three public events, 9th, 13th, 15th of march. And a drop-in exhibition available at the stadium all month. There was a live website the whole time where people could give feedback. And forms and where they could be sent to.

There is a 112 page report, on all the different ways it was advertised, who it reached, how feedback was gathered, all the parties that contributed including the wider community, and what that feedback was. By fans, anongst that. Specific quotes, and points included too.

Yes, it is a tickbox excersise. Not going to argue that. But it is a legislative requirement as well, and as such it has to he comprehensive, and transparent. And generally speaking, truthful, as the consultants producing these have to be professional and have their own reputation to uphold.

So to say you were only consulted 9 months after it was approved, as some type of high ground that the club aren't engaging, is a bit off. Individually, maybe, but as part of a wider fan base, that engagement was there, it wasn't a secret. It can't be, by law (planning law, but still law), for this class of development. Claiming otherwise is a distraction and shifts perception somewhat in the club's favour.

All this, on the design of the stand itself, not the pricing structure etc, which I do agree needs more clarity, although when that will come is up for grabs.

April 2024 that’s nothing to do with high ground it’s spelling out facts just so people understand what has happened and can keep their expectations around what’s possible with the club in check

The public events were for local residents many of whom had worries about parking at the co op arena.

Whatever was raised at those meetings the plans still went in and were approved immediately

Maybe OSC or CM had some prior discussions? Who knows. Like we say we had one guy there CM 12.

CM would the club’s first point of call to open out discussions and first meeting on it was without 1894.

They are the main fan advisory board remember our main job is to do displays

 

[jrb]

If United can work with their fan groups to create a better atmosphere at OT, why can’t City work with our fan groups and fans to create a better atmosphere at the Etihad, starting with the new North stand home end and NSL2?

Manchester United plan to replace the executive seating area in the Stretford End with general admission season tickets at the conclusion of the 2023/24 season, following constructive consultation with the club’s Fans’ Advisory Board.

Following requests from fans, the club worked with its Fans’ Advisory Board to review the presence of executive seating within the Stretford End in support of successful ongoing efforts to enhance the Old Trafford atmosphere. It has now been agreed that all the seating in the Stretford End will be returned to general admission for the start of the 2024/25 season.

Rick McGagh, Head of Fan Engagement at Manchester United, said:

“Fans and fan groups including MUST and TRA have long campaigned for us to remove the executive seats from the heart of the Stretford End and to make them standard tickets and therefore more accessible to all fans.

“We have listened and agree that as many fans as possible should have the chance to be a Stretford Ender. We have worked with our Fans’ Advisory Board in recent months to make this happen and we are all looking forward to an even louder Stretford End from August 2024.”

 

[Coatigan]

April 2024 that’s nothing to do with high ground it’s spelling out facts just so people understand what has happened and can keep their expectations around what’s possible with the club in check

That's not a fact though. See previous post, the process was open to anyone for months before the application went in.

The public events were for local residents many of whom had worries about parking at the co op arena.

Again not true, they were but a teeny tiny small part of it. It was also open to fans and groups, advertised to them, and a lot of the feedback documented is from them.

Whatever was raised at those meetings the plans still went in and were approved immediately

The plans were registered on 18th of April and were approved on the 24th of October. 6 months. That's not 'immediately' to me, but maybe all relative. It is pretty fast for this scale tbf, but bear in mind the club and the design team met with the planners every fortnight for about 6 months prior.

Maybe OSC or CM had some prior discussions? Who knows. Like we say we had one guy there CM 12.

They did. I agree it is a shame you had the one there and they had lots and prior engagement, but looks like the club saw the members of 1894 as any other fans in that process, rather than a specific group to consult independently.

CM would the club’s first point of call to open out discussions and first meeting on it was without 1894.

They are the main fan advisory board remember our main job is to do displays

Yeah fair enough.

I agree, where things are and going forward the more direct engagement between you and the club the better.

But the implied secrecy thing, doesn't stack. It might seem insignificant, but it is a fine line sometimes and being factual without exaggeration and appearing reasonable sometimes goes a long way.

Out of interst have you guys written to the club privately, beyond the statements on facebook, on this?

 

[M23 Citizen]

I think too much democracy is overrated. Look at the meltdown at FCUM, when they couldn’t agree the choice of soup for the homeless!

1894 have made plenty of good suggestions to City apart from demanding to know the seat prices for three years. As others have said, the Club committing for affordable tickets (maybe outside the likely 5 rows of premium seats) would be enough for now. Ideally there wouldn’t be any premium seats there.

Maybe 1894 could try to renegage with City. I don’t really like this impression that fans groups are going to sit on the sidelines marking the club’s homework, but maybe that’s just me.

As other posters have said, the more the new expanded stand is marketed as the atmosphere / vocal fans end, the greater the prospect of getting more singers in there. Especially if most of the seats are affordable.

They work for us. Too right we appraise them!

Those working at the club, and even those who own the shares of the club, at the moment are just short-term employees or shareholders of a club that exists for the history and culture of this city and its citizens.

In a generation’s time when all these people at City are only a distant memory, the stadium will still be in Manchester and frequented by the Manchester people and City fans from elsewhere.

What they need to do is provide a stadium that’s best for those people both now and in generations to come, and not for any kind of short-termism so they can hit their targets and get their bonuses each year.

 

[supercity88]

Its still early days yet, come on

It is, and I explained why I think they're waiting to release more information.

But when do they expect there to be more demand for rail seating, and will that be in time to install it? Should they release favourable pricing then there will be a pile in for tickets. Doesn't take months to coordinate a group of vocal supporters moving into it really. And it could just be that random groups not affiliated with 1894 go for it and the atmosphere is generated anyway.

 

[Coatigan]

@wearethesouthstand

Just for your own interest, maybe. Here are a few extracts from the pac report, showing some of the figures of attendance and representation. Will do over two posts to attach a few snippets.




As you can see the majority of the 4.5k that attended and gave feedback, were City fans. Not just some local residents worried about parking.


That's who was targeted from the club side, and below is generally how. There is more but that's the most relevant.

 

[Coatigan]

And here is some of the feedback received, in snippets that deals in particular with atmosphere, rail seating, etc.





It was clearly an item that was discussed with fans before the application went in.

Not that, as I said before, it is that relevant a point anyway that the club onlu consulted fans after it had all been approved.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

1894 have been taking some criticism on here, so I just want to say that's brilliant work for that banner.

 

[M23 Citizen]

It is, and I explained why I think they're waiting to release more information.

But when do they expect there to be more demand for rail seating, and will that be in time to install it? Should they release favourable pricing then there will be a pile in for tickets. Doesn't take months to coordinate a group of vocal supporters moving into it really. And it could just be that random groups not affiliated with 1894 go for it and the atmosphere is generated anyway.

That’s me and my group. Just a group of mates not affiliated with anyone else.

There was even a buzz amongst friends of mine who aren’t season ticket holders about this being a big atmosphere stand. These lads have either fallen away from being season ticket holders over the years due to price rises or have never been season ticket holders but go to half a dozen games a season (mainly FA Cup games) and they have said they’d come back as or become season ticket holders in a proper big atmosphere stand if it was priced well, with all of us grouped together.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

They work for us. Too right we appraise them!

Those working at the club, and even those who own the shares of the club, at the moment are just short-term employees or shareholders of a club that exists for the history and culture of this city and its citizens.

In a generation’s time when all these people at City are only a distant memory, the stadium will still be in Manchester and frequented by the Manchester people and City fans from elsewhere.

What they need to do is provide a stadium that’s best for those people both now and in generations to come, and not for any kind of short-termism so they can hit their targets and get their bonuses each year.

The best way of achieving those goals IMHO is working with the Club to achieve them. That might not be possible of course. Hopefully the Club recognise the true value of working with 1894.

I also think we do what we can to help each other. I know that’s a point I regularly make on here. South Stand L1 is currently one of our main singing areas (stating the obvious) and I’ve made sure 2 South Stand Level 1 tickets were resold to Blues, on a budget, for £25 each.

I’m not a big fan of our Execs either but they are tasked with increasing revenue, in the short, medium and long tern. That said, people whose views I respect on here have spoken highly of Danny Wilson so I take their views on board.