peter.evans said:
Cibaman, I don't see what the problem is with having a 60k stadium or whatever. What is wrong with a crowd, for example, of 52k in a 60 k capacity if it means 4000 more get in every game ? Surely we all remember the Maine Rd 'glory days' when we only used to fill the stadium twice a season for the derby and the occasional big game ! We used to get 30-35 k in a 50 odd thousand capacity stadium but there wasn't the hang up that some people on here seem to have that we MUST sell every seat every week. Look at Italy, the so called big clubs regularly play to half empty stadiums. Who cares !
The club are trying to build up the image of the club abroad. That might not appeal to many of our hard core traditional fans, but in future a huge chunk of our income will come from overseas. Until recently we were not that well known abroad, certainly not compared to United, Liverpool or Chelsea.
Creating an image of City as a "hot ticket" is an important part of the strategy. Full houses emphasise that, empty seats don't. If you're selling corn flakes then failing meet demand is criminal. But if you're buiding a fashionable brand then having some excess demand isn't a bad thing, at least in the short term.
I know in some countries gates are much more variable, supporters traditionally pick and chose their matches. But that it isn't the norm in England.
Have you seen and heard the amount of advertising that United are doing just now? I've heard numerous radio ads this week for their game against West Ham. The cost of those ads must be far greater than the income that they will bring in. But United know that the sight of empty seats at OT would be hugely detrimental to their image abroad. They cant afford to let that happen.
It may be shallow, but we'll sell more shirts in Japan if they see an image of a packed Etihad with 47,000 in it than a 60,000 seater stadium with 52,000 in it.
