Sunday's NOTW re Stadium expansion ...

[cheadlehulme-blue]

unless the ticket prices have a huge decrease in prices i cant see us filling the ground if it was 70,000

hamburg was a fiver and look we sold 18,000 tickets in like two hours there is your extra fans

can any genuine city fan really say they want to see hoards of coaches full of glory hunting irish and londoners i certainly dont

thats one of the reasons i hate utd theres barely any locals that go. if the club ends up like utd we will lose the local connection and our mancunian soul

JUST MY OPINION

 

[city stew]

When we went down to div 2 my school got 200 tickets every other game so that kids could go and watch games, I think if we do (It's a big IF ) make the ground 75000 then I can see something like this happening , hit the schools hard and the next generation of fans will be mostly ours !! Just a thought

 

[DontLookBackInAnger]

There is another factor to consider, the more we can hold down our prices and add tickets the more it fucks the rags because they sure as hell can't and many of the company box things are for companies that really don't give a shit who's playing just that they cam impress clients.

 

[*singingtheblues*]

I hope that's just more of the usual nonsense from the NOTW.

We really don't need to increase the capacity, it's completely unnecessary.

We can already squeeze in more than Liverpool and Chelsea.

Any increase in capacity would purely be for the novelty of it, we simply just don't have the fanbase to regularly fill anything above 50,000.

Even the previously mooted 60,000 is unrealistic, just 4 years ago we had an average turnout of 40,000. Is it realistic to assume that we'll have 20,000 extra regular match-goers than we did 4 years ago?

Where would these people come from?

And would you want to be sat next to one of them with their digital camera flashing away while dressed head to toe in official club merchandise?

All jokes aside, and increase in capacity would achieve nothing more than further dampening the atmosphere while adding an additional spectacle of thousands of empty blue seats.

And 70,000 plus?

Utterly ridiculous.

Ticket prices are going up, and regardless of what some people would have you believe we wouldn't be giving them away for nothing should we see an increase in capacity, probably the opposite once you consider the recent trend, and that's even excluding the cost of the rumoured expansion.

An increase in capacity would be ill-advised, and a significant increase would be nothing short of a disaster.

We average 45,000 at the moment, and that's after 34 years without winning anything. Do you not think we could conjur up 15,000 extra bodies once we start winning things?

The rags went from 35,000 to 75,000 in the space of just over ten years... are you suggesting we couldn't do that?

And if so, why not..?

Let's be completely realistic here.

The Scum have always had a bigger fanbase than us, certainly in my lifetime at least.

And that's nothing to be ashamed of, there are obvious reasons for that.

The problem is, a lot of blues are guilty of comparing us to The Scum on a regular basis.

Why do we have to have a bigger ground than them?

Why do we have to be bigger than them?

Can't we just be a successful club in our own right?

I've always been proud of the fact that we've had (as far as I'm concerned) a much more loyal, universally admired fanbase. We've been through a lot, and we've suffered more than most fans in the top flight will ever have to. We're respected, and beneath all the rival fans' bitterness and jealousy, they know we, as fans deserve all the success we potentially get.

But I fear with our current trend in increasing ticket prices, talk of extending the stadium, talk of balancing the books (at least from fans attempting to justify some changes), plans to make the majority of level 2 corporate... that the core of our support will be diluted and gradually priced out of attending, just as happened with The Scum.

Could we fill a ground with a capacity of 70,000 after ten years of success?

Maybe.

Would we still be City?

Certainly not.

We'd be unrecognisable, and not due to actually being a successful side, but we'd have sold out.

We'd have become everything we used to mock The Scum for, everything we used to despise, we wouldn't be the club I fell in love with.

And I reiterate, that wouldn't be due to us being successful, I want a trip to Wembley more than any of us.

My qualms lie with the way we use that success. City could push for expansion after expansion with vastly increased ticket prices year after year, they could continue with plans to vastly extend corporate areas within the ground, and the could continue to attempt to pamper the irregular attendees while taking the regulars for granted.

Is the attendance really the be all, and end all?

Quality over quantity.

It'll be interesting to see how the club handle any potential success; will we be valued as the people who propped up this club through years of shite, fans who attended regardless of results?

Or will we be overlooked, priced-out, and forgotten once there are thousands and thousands of more people calling themselves City 'fans', who conveniently are able to afford the clubs 'matchday experience'?

Some clubs choose to exploit their fans once they become successful, I'd like to think we're better than that.

Especially since we're in the unique position of it being not being necessary, quite the opposite in fact.

And to bring this drone of a rant to a conclusion...

We should be proud of being Manchester City F.C, comparisons to The Scum only highlight our own insecurities.

Fuck them.

We're all proud to be blue, anything less is blasphemy.

 

[cheadlehulme-blue]

We average 45,000 at the moment, and that's after 34 years without winning anything. Do you not think we could conjur up 15,000 extra bodies once we start winning things?

The rags went from 35,000 to 75,000 in the space of just over ten years... are you suggesting we couldn't do that?

And if so, why not..?

Let's be completely realistic here.

The Scum have always had a bigger fanbase than us, certainly in my lifetime at least.

And that's nothing to be ashamed of, there are obvious reasons for that.

The problem is, a lot of blues are guilty of comparing us to The Scum on a regular basis.

Why do we have to have a bigger ground than them?

Why do we have to be bigger than them?

Can't we just be a successful club in our own right?

I've always been proud of the fact that we've had (as far as I'm concerned) a much more loyal, universally admired fanbase. We've been through a lot, and we've suffered more than most fans in the top flight will ever have to. We're respected, and beneath all the rival fans' bitterness and jealousy, they know we, as fans deserve all the success we potentially get.

But I fear with our current trend in increasing ticket prices, talk of extending the stadium, talk of balancing the books (at least from fans attempting to justify some changes), plans to make the majority of level 2 corporate... that the core of our support will be diluted and gradually priced out of attending, just as happened with The Scum.

Could we fill a ground with a capacity of 70,000 after ten years of success?

Maybe.

Would we still be City?

Certainly not.

We'd be unrecognisable, and not due to actually being a successful side, but we'd have sold out.

We'd have become everything we used to mock The Scum for, everything we used to despise, we wouldn't be the club I fell in love with.

And I reiterate, that wouldn't be due to us being successful, I want a trip to Wembley more than any of us.

My qualms lie with the way we use that success. City could push for expansion after expansion with vastly increased ticket prices year after year, they could continue with plans to vastly extend corporate areas within the ground, and the could continue to attempt to pamper the irregular attendees while taking the regulars for granted.

Is the attendance really the be all, and end all?

Quality over quantity.

It'll be interesting to see how the club handle any potential success; will we be valued as the people who propped up this club through years of shite, fans who attended regardless of results?

Or will we be overlooked, priced-out, and forgotten once there are thousands and thousands of more people calling themselves City 'fans', who conveniently are able to afford the clubs 'matchday experience'?

Some clubs choose to exploit their fans once they become successful, I'd like to think we're better than that.

Especially since we're in the unique position of it being not being necessary, quite the opposite in fact.

And to bring this drone of a rant to a conclusion...

We should be proud of being Manchester City F.C, comparisons to The Scum only highlight our own insecurities.

Fuck them.

We're all proud to be blue, anything less is blasphemy.

bravo good post if we did end up like united i just dont know how I could support us anymore they sum up everything i hate about the money aspect of the game barely any locals it wouldnt feel like city anymore if it happened to us

 

[hgblue]

I hope those who are arguing we shouldn't increase capacity are happy to pay a lot more to watch the blues. If we do start winning things then the sold out signs are going to be going up for almost every game, and the laws of supply and demand dictate that the club can bump the prices up. Pointless going through all the expense and disruption to add a few thousand to the capacity, so I hope the club really push the boat out. Over capacity is a much better option than under capacity for everyone involved imo, and we need to be generating much more revenue when the financial 'fair play' rules come in. The only way we can do that is to get more bums on seats, or to seriously increase prices.

 

[Soulboy]

We average 45,000 at the moment, and that's after 34 years without winning anything. Do you not think we could conjur up 15,000 extra bodies once we start winning things?

The rags went from 35,000 to 75,000 in the space of just over ten years... are you suggesting we couldn't do that?

And if so, why not..?

Let's be completely realistic here.

The Scum have always had a bigger fanbase than us, certainly in my lifetime at least.

And that's nothing to be ashamed of, there are obvious reasons for that.

The problem is, a lot of blues are guilty of comparing us to The Scum on a regular basis.

Why do we have to have a bigger ground than them?

Why do we have to be bigger than them?

Can't we just be a successful club in our own right?

I've always been proud of the fact that we've had (as far as I'm concerned) a much more loyal, universally admired fanbase. We've been through a lot, and we've suffered more than most fans in the top flight will ever have to. We're respected, and beneath all the rival fans' bitterness and jealousy, they know we, as fans deserve all the success we potentially get.

But I fear with our current trend in increasing ticket prices, talk of extending the stadium, talk of balancing the books (at least from fans attempting to justify some changes), plans to make the majority of level 2 corporate... that the core of our support will be diluted and gradually priced out of attending, just as happened with The Scum.

Could we fill a ground with a capacity of 70,000 after ten years of success?

Maybe.

Would we still be City?

Certainly not.

We'd be unrecognisable, and not due to actually being a successful side, but we'd have sold out.

We'd have become everything we used to mock The Scum for, everything we used to despise, we wouldn't be the club I fell in love with.

And I reiterate, that wouldn't be due to us being successful, I want a trip to Wembley more than any of us.

My qualms lie with the way we use that success. City could push for expansion after expansion with vastly increased ticket prices year after year, they could continue with plans to vastly extend corporate areas within the ground, and the could continue to attempt to pamper the irregular attendees while taking the regulars for granted.

Is the attendance really the be all, and end all?

Quality over quantity.

It'll be interesting to see how the club handle any potential success; will we be valued as the people who propped up this club through years of shite, fans who attended regardless of results?

Or will we be overlooked, priced-out, and forgotten once there are thousands and thousands of more people calling themselves City 'fans', who conveniently are able to afford the clubs 'matchday experience'?

Some clubs choose to exploit their fans once they become successful, I'd like to think we're better than that.

Especially since we're in the unique position of it being not being necessary, quite the opposite in fact.

And to bring this drone of a rant to a conclusion...

We should be proud of being Manchester City F.C, comparisons to The Scum only highlight our own insecurities.

Fuck them.

We're all proud to be blue, anything less is blasphemy.

While you seem desperate to keep City somewhat exclusive and stay at a maximum of 47,000, I'll let you into a little secret of mine...

When I was a kid, growing up watching City, I regularly, and I mean REGULARLY, watched them in a stadium holding in excess of 63,000.

Yep, that's right. Over 40 years ago we actrually had MORE people who could come and watch us and, you know what, I never once thought that it diminished the quality of the City support.

Reading your post it comes across that you are still young, and are stuck in the Liddle Cideh mode where you don't realise the history of the club and that at one time we were even more MASSIVE than the rags!

It's true. And all I'm asking from you is to tell me why it can't get back like that again?

 

[ancoats]

if and when we do build a bigger ground to 65.000

what are we going to do with low gates for a season we could be down to 30.000 a game even lower if we have to put more seat in the colin bell stand

i was talking about this the other week about having 2 grounds
and have a new ground on the site of the aston new road side
that way we could keep the coms for our cups games youth team and 2nd team even have the ground for a rugby team like sale sharks

or the other way is to ground share with utd for a season

I might be wrong but I think our lowest gate at Eastlands for a league game is around 38,000 and after scoring 10 goals at home in a season thats pretty good!

not saying we are going to get gates of 30.000
but if they are to build at the coms they will have to cut the gate coz of work that will be on going for a season like when at maine road with the kippax stand being built in the season

 

[Blue Train]

Cheap tickets means more people through the gate. More people who will then spend lots of money in City Square and the club shop. I'm sure as canny businessmen, our owners realise that once people have committed to the 'matchgoing experience' on a cut-price deal, they will then spend more than they would have at the original price.

And, actually, I don't give a shit if we're suddenly flooded with gloryhunters. We have the crowds we have now because we've been shit for an entire generation. And an entire generation of City fans, deep down, prefer being shit to being successful. I don't want to be everyone's second favourite fuck-up any more. More success means bigger crowds. Live with it.

 

[mcfc1996]

Whether we like it or not if City are to become a succesfull self-suffient club we will need to expand our fan base. Why do you think we toured to US? I would get used to the fan from outside Manchester because that is what the club are trying to appeal to. They have most of us, we went when we were in the 3rd Div so there is very little chance of us not turning up now we have a chance of winning something. So say hello to Dagenham Dave or Brighton Barry or Chinese Clive or American Alan cos they are coming to a seat near you.