Ground extentions/Renovations

[Igor]

Why not ballot all the Kop season ticket holders to see if they would be prepared to watch a whole or part season without a roof. I’m sure a lot of the building work could be done behind, then remove the roof say after Christmas then finish off in the following close season.
The safe standing area at the front would be a fantastic idea. BTW I’m in the SS so doesn’t affect me really.

 

[Sheffsteel]

And I’ve explained the reasoning before why a rebuild would be preferable. I’ve also said that if we followed the sort of logic you state we’d have never built any of the last stands, or would never build anything fully new ever again. I do get that it would be much cheaper and much easier to do the bolt-on for the Kop. I just think it’s an enormous missed opportunity to do something far better and far more long-lasting. The fact the bolt-on gradient would be different to the main Kop gives a bit of an indication of the issues with the current one. A compromise would be to re-layer the current surface to adjust the gradient to make it steeper and reduce the visibility issue, then allowing the bolt on at the back to be a seamless extension.

We may as well just not build anything ever again though.

Agree a total rebuild is preferable, in an ideal world i’d prefer it to happen too
If I was playing Football manager I would definitely do it, probably knock down the other stands and twist the pitch 90 degrees.
But in the real world business logic suggests it can’t be done.

Even your compromise solution is, by making the rake steeper, that means a reduction in capacity which leads to a reduction in income.
Really can’t imagine any businessman willing to invest their money to reduce turnover and profit.

The new design improves almost everything that us fans want, there’s hardly any disruption and the costs remain low.
If the owners did a full rebuild putting the facilities in line with the South stand and corner stand they will likely increase the prices to match them.
I think it’s really important to have an area where we offer cheaper/ budget seats so those with struggling finances can still attend live games.

 

[FallowfieldBlade]

With our joint owners in Court, and the general consensus that neither have a pot to piss in PL wise, talk of a US hedge fund that we have very little knowledge of and unnamed “Chinese” investors, where do people think the funds will come from for major developments at this moment in time?

Probably the 200 million pounds that we just got the other week from getting promoted

 

[Sheffsteel]

The lower section of the kop would be ideal for rail seating
( standing ) which will be allowed in the near future I'm sure.The top half and the bolt on new section could be done with minimal effect on the capacity. The roof obviously has to come off, all this could be done in sections so as to minimise the effect on the overall capacity but when done would bring it up to modern day standards.
I'm no retired builder or architect but it sounds reasonable to me.
I await with bated breath to be shot down !! !!

McCabe said the roof could be taken off during the 2nd close season when most of the extension has been finished, so no disruption.
The bolt on seating and concourse areas would be built behind the current Kop during 1 full playing season plus the previous close season, minimal disruption, apparently some of the seats right at the back would be netted off during the playing season.

 

[gaffablade]

No Un-essential ground work until we have been in PL for 3 seasons.

Plough all cash into players

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Even your compromise solution is, by making the rake steeper, that means a reduction in capacity which leads to a reduction in income.
Really can’t imagine any businessman willing to invest their money to reduce turnover and profit.

So why the steeper incline for the bolt on compared to the rest of the stand? Shouldn’t it be the same in order to maximise the seating number and resultant profit? I can’t imagine businessmen have planned this who are willing to reduce their potential turnover – an absolute outrage.

 

[Blade56]

With our joint owners in Court, and the general consensus that neither have a pot to piss in PL wise, talk of a US hedge fund that we have very little knowledge of and unnamed “Chinese” investors, where do people think the funds will come from for major developments at this moment in time?

Totally with you on this ST. Can’t in all honesty believe that either of the owners or the board have any intention in ground development other than the minimum required by the PL.

 

[Dnblade]

We might as well slum it for a season at the Sty... It would be hilarious if we got bigger crowds than them in their own rustbucket and average 30k, which they haven't managed since the cushion throwing days of the mid 60's...we could have further fun if they have to play us away in their own ground... We could give them the upper tier of the Leppings Lane to take the piss a bit more, and for further amusement...they'd hate all that beyond belief.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

I think we should build a new out of town stadium to accommodate us whilst BDTBL is being spun round 90°, the kop is rebuilt and extended, the South stand is knocked down and rebuilt further into the car park to accommodate the newly orientated pitch, a second tier should be built on to the JSS, and the Bramall Lane end should be rebuilt over the road.
Then, and this is the far fetched bit, we sell our temporary out of town home to the pigs for a massive profit which would pay for the BL renovations.

I'm available to project manage all this for a modest fee

My dad who’s in his late eighties has said many times over the years that rotating the pitch and building around making the best use of the land we have/had available was what we should have done.

Once the South Stand was built, it limited our potential growth by a massive amount as it limited any potential capacity.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

Have you noticed Tottenham haven't spent a penny on players for the past two seasons? And coincidentally it coincides with their new stadium being built...

To be honest I wouldn't want to risk building a stadium or improving it until we are well out of the way from relegation threat at PL level (some where around Watford/Newcastle/Everton level). It would take a huge dint from our finances and could threaten the club competing on the football field.

I wonder why Bournemouth (11k capacity) haven't already? It's because they are well aware of the financial implications of building a stadium, and this could threaten their PL status, even though they are in desperate need of a new ground and arguably they are a well established PL team.

Remember, BDTBL will be the 12th biggest PL ground next season

12th biggest capacity but with a fanbase that could realistically fill a 37000 minimum stadium given a successful club.

 

[gavtheblade]

Let's see where we are in 5 years time eh.
Give the outer shell a good spruce up and get the money spent on 4 or 5 quality players.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Probably the 200 million pounds that we just got the other week from getting promoted

Any advance on £200m anyone?

 

[FallowfieldBlade]

Any advance on £200m anyone?

Well we will

 

[stringjunior]

Any advance on £200m anyone?

I'll give you 300m. Minimum. Fact

 

[Sean Thornton]

Well we will

Do you propose spending no real money on players and doing up the ground or borrowing the money, going into debt, based on future PL income which may or may not hit the bank?

We aren’t Man. United or Liverpool. We don’t have £100m to spend on the ground unless some genuine financial big hitters by the club.

 

[FallowfieldBlade]

Wo

Do you propose spending no real money on players and doing up the ground or borrowing the money, going into debt, based on future PL income which may or may not hit the bank?

We aren’t Man. United or Liverpool. We don’t have £100m to spend on the ground unless some genuine financial big hitters by the club.

Would it cost 100 million to do the kop i dont know obviously if it would cost that much of course not

If it was to cost say 20/30 million and we managed to stay up then yes why wouldnt we do the kop up

 

[bromtom]

Wo

Would it cost 100 million to do the kop i dont know obviously if it would cost that much of course not

If it was to cost say 20/30 million and we managed to stay up then yes why wouldnt we do the kop up

Bit risky that though, like getting a new car on finance because you've had a successful job interview.

I'm a fully paid up member of the ground improvements fan club but I'd happily knock the Kop down and replace it with a park bench and some second hand patio furniture if it meant we'd be an established top 10 team.

 

[FallowfieldBlade]

Bit risky that though, like getting a new car on finance because you've had a successful job interview.

I'm a fully paid up member of the ground improvements fan club but I'd happily knock the Kop down and replace it with a park bench and some second hand patio furniture if it meant we'd be an established top 10 team.

No its not risky were getting 200 million its much less risky than spending 20 million on player

 

[Sean Thornton]

Wo

Would it cost 100 million to do the kop i dont know obviously if it would cost that much of course not

If it was to cost say 20/30 million and we managed to stay up then yes why wouldnt we do the kop up

I was thinking about the redevelopment in total rather than just the Kop but I’d want to be established more than a couple of seasons - and that will only happen with player investment - before committing to huge spending on the ground. The plans in existence aren’t for the present owners to develop. They’re for new investors, assuming they have enough money to spend on both.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Would it cost 100 million to do the kop i dont know obviously if it would cost that much of course not

If it was to cost say 20/30 million and we managed to stay up then yes why wouldnt we do the kop up

It cost Brighton just under £70m to do the entire Amex in 2011.

Mainz did the whole Opel (then Coface) Arena for £38m the same year – a bigger stadium that has a similar capacity to us (34,000).

It’s a shame we haven’t got a co-owner that has contacts in the property world though to help get us a good deal...

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Starting a new stadium is different to redoing a old one.

Liverpool's bolting on of 5000 seats to their stand is not that different to what the plan is for the south stand. That cost £117 million.

 

[Original United]

Starting a new stadium is different to redoing a old one.

Liverpool's bolting on of 5000 seats to their stand is not that different to what the plan is for the south stand. That cost £117 million.

They had to buy all of the surrounding houses though...……….that's an extra £82 on the bill

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Starting a new stadium is different to redoing a old one.

Liverpool's bolting on of 5000 seats to their stand is not that different to what the plan is for the south stand. That cost £117 million.

I take your point on the cheaper-to-do-a-new-stadium issue, though I doubt the Kop figure wouldn’t be anywhere near the figure you just mentioned. My point is there’s value to be had (without it being a bit disappointing and not dealing with some of the existing issues).

 

[Hillsboro Blade]

Kop first for me to be redeveloped

We don't need to move to a new stadium. BL is fine

The one thing that does let the area down tho, is the dwindling number of car parks. It gets worse every season and continues to do so

Counsel needs to step up to the plate

I wouldn’t hold your breath mate with regards to Sheffield Council. Those useless cunts are about as much use as a hat rack to a reindeer.

 

[Hillsboro Blade]

They had to buy all of the surrounding houses though...……….that's an extra £82 on the bill

Fucking Liverpool, that many boarded up windows the window cleaner uses a fucking sander.

 

[blade67]

The plan should be as follows.

South stand - build an extension behind the current structure and add loads more hospitality along the way.add 3000 to capacity.


Next the Kop - hybrid do up with top 1/2 closed for a season and bottom half left alone. Top half season tickets scattered in new south stand a d BL upper tier.

Add bottom concourse, hospitality section and top tier concourse. . Add 3500 seats and more hospitality. 39,500 seats. Loads more hospitality. It's a premier league ground.

 

[haich1889]

The OP was created when we sold out all available season tickets & many people disappointed meaning we could have possibly sold a couple of thousand more. Also extra match day revenue will be minimal.
It's a dilemma which has been created not only by promotion but undoubtedly by the style of football with which promotion was achieved. The last two promotions were achieved under the more 'agricultural' styles of Warnock & Bassett & there was never the same clamour for tickets as this year. Basically it's a tough decision. Every match will be sold out & there will be lost revenue every week. If we only stay up one season this loss will not hurt a deal but if one season turns into three or four then the damage could substantial.

So: sustain short term loss by building early & gamble on long term gain if we retain Premiership status
OR
Delay building for years & gamble on long term financial losses in revenue + miss out on attracting new supporters through the turnstiles??

By the way, I don't have an answer.

 

[penthouseblade]

It cost Brighton just under £70m to do the entire Amex in 2011.

Mainz did the whole Opel (then Coface) Arena for £38m the same year – a bigger stadium that has a similar capacity to us (34,000).

It’s a shame we haven’t got a co-owner that has contacts in the property world though to help get us a good deal...

Stevenage Borough are opening a new stand next season for 1,428 spectators at a cost of £1m. That works out at £700 per seat. I would assume, rightly or wrongly, that our new Kop would have more/better facilities and so the cost per seat would be more? I'm sure I read somewhere that the average cost is around £1,000 per seat for a new stand, so let's say £1,200 per seat for a 13,200 capacity Kop (the existing 10k plus the extra 3,200). That would be £15.8m. That's a lot less than I thought it might be, GERRITBUILT!!

 

[bromtom]

Stevenage Borough are opening a new stand next season for 1,428 spectators at a cost of £1m. That works out at £700 per seat. I would assume, rightly or wrongly, that our new Kop would have more/better facilities and so the cost per seat would be more? I'm sure I read somewhere that the average cost is around £1,000 per seat for a new stand, so let's say £1,200 per seat for a 13,200 capacity Kop (the existing 10k plus the extra 3,200). That would be £15.8m. That's a lot less than I thought it might be, GERRITBUILT!!

Push the boat out, make it £20m and have haemorrhoid cushions on every seat and a rotisserie chicken shop on the concourse.

 

[Topplayersleave]

They had to buy all of the surrounding houses though...……….that's an extra £82 on the bill

That's about £81 more than those on John Street would cost