Stadium and facilities redevelopment post KMC

[Bruce Wayne]

Only for those McCabe plans that have been approved, no knocking down the Kop etc.

It's a start

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Fair enough Farting Bob.
Im often in 2 minds regards these stadium discusioms.
I’d love us to be really ambitious and our owner to gift us a new stadium as a vanity project just to impress his pals back in Saudi Arabia.

I could pretend I’m playing Sims or Football manager I’d turn the stadium 90 degrees and totally rebuild each stand 1 by 1 making a 60,000 stadium
Then I wake up and try to face realities of the business world....everything must have a clear convincing business plan....preferably with supporting evidence.

That would be great if we didn’t have to worry about anything, or if we had an owner who had that kind of money and that level of ego.
We definitely don’t have the former, and I doubt we have the latter.
No harm in indulging dreams or fantasies but it’s just not going to happen in reality.
I’d love to attend a match in this league with 45,000 Blades at Bramall Lane in the heart of the city, and if that means the toilets have to be a bit shit in the Kop while it’s done then so be it.
I quite like that all our stands aren’t the same, that they don’t match, it’s because they aren’t.
I would hate to have an identikit ground where everything is the same. I’d like 4 stands all expanded and containing the facilities they need with plenty of exec boxes away from the Kop. I want us to slowly develop into something much larger than we are now, whereby we can really start to compete in the top half of this league.

 

[blade_ben]

Whose to say the Prince ain’t gonna get a Middle East property giant like EMAAR to do the building work with stadium naming rights?! Just an idea

 

[bromtom]

Whose to say the Prince ain’t gonna get a Middle East property giant like EMAAR to do the building work with stadium naming rights?! Just an idea

The EMAAR just poppin daan Lane to watch United, I'll be back fer tea stand

 

[Sean Thornton]

So why did they have empty seats for 19 years

which years were they?

 

[blade_ben]

The EMAAR just poppin daan Lane to watch United, I'll be back fer tea stand

Was just an idea

 

[Working Class Hero]

The kop extension provides everything that we all want doesn't it? The pillars removed, extra capacity, an enclosed concourse and additional facilities.

What would the astronomical cost of rebuilding it achieve other than a bit of extra leg room for 2/3 of the seats and probably a smaller capacity?

The extension route makes perfect sense.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

What is "going forward" in your eyes then?

As I’ve just said, by not extending the current Kop structure as it is. But if you’re really all sentimental about the Kop in its current form.. keep it but don’t extend it. Build the extra 3.5k as another tier with a steeper take......similar to the Holt end at Villa.
I’d sooner wait until we can afford to do the job properly than attach a new carbuncle to the existing one.

 

[More Bladier than thou]

Whatever we do, just give us some safe standing.......

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Don't fall for the bait PeterNdlovu081 will always talk us down if he can.

Season tickets are not capacity.

The Barnsley, Rotherham and Man Utd fans that come to watch us play Liverpool won't be at the Lane when we play West Brom.

Build it and I guarantee you they won't come.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Season tickets are not capacity.

The Barnsley, Rotherham and Man Utd fans that come to watch us play Liverpool won't be at the Lane when we play West Brom.

Build it and I guarantee you they won't come.

My mate is a Rotherham fan. He went to the ticket office to buy a ticket for the Liverpool game and was refused.
He even offered to pay for a membership but was still refused...they said he must prove he’s attended previous Bramall Lane matches.
He told me someone in front of him was also refused a ticket.

That was the whole issue last season......neutrals, students, family members of `Blades, casual/ potential future Blades
were alll effectively banned last season.....only genuine hardcore Blades were allowed tickets.
although for matches where there was a low number of away fans....I heard that the ticket office would occasionally show discretion and sell without a ticket history.
It was all ad-hoc and changeable with nothing official...that’s no way to sell the last remaining tickets.

 

[S64 Blade]

Season tickets are not capacity.

The Barnsley, Rotherham and Man Utd fans that come to watch us play Liverpool won't be at the Lane when we play West Brom.

Build it and I guarantee you they won't come.

We got a larger attendance against Brighton at home last season, than Liverpool, with fewer away fans.

 

[Sheffsteel]

We got a larger attendance against Brighton at home last season, than Liverpool, with fewer away fans.

Also when we played bottom of the league Norwich City it was an official sell out to home fans.
Even all the restricted view tickets were sold.

 

[S64 Blade]

Also when we played bottom of the league Norwich City it was an official sell out to home fans.
Even all the restricted view tickets were sold.

Bournemouth too.

 

[LONDON_BLADE]

It seems there are a few streams of opinion, in the main...

1. Do nothing, focus on the team.
2. Go for the bolt on option(s).
3. Re-design.

I'm firmly option 3, id love to see us have at least one 'signature' stand that we can be identified with, but I do see others posters opinions for the other options; which are all good points and should be considered. Though where I see 1 and 2 fail is the lack of forward thinking.
We are adding to a greater development problem in the future, yet more short-termist fixes. These plans would most likely would lead to moving away from BDTBL as it would be a commercial nightmare to do it with the addition of the sticking plasters.
We may have to take a hit in our generation of fans to make it better for the future generation and increase the chance of remaining at our true home.

I understand how fans are reacting to this post, those who saw the hit we took when the South Stand was done; it should serve as a lesson... but not one which paralyses us. I worry we will be left behind on the stadia front, look around at other Prem clubs, they are all taking a punt on their stadia.
Like the first team, dont stand still!

 

[Worksop II]

I want one of these

 

[Kanye]

I want one of these

View attachment 91528

View attachment 91529

I just threw up I'm my mouth. Imagine trying to watch the game with constant adverts and graphics on than monstrosity.

 

[Rochdaleblade]

How many home games last year went to general sale? My Father in Law likes to attend Blades games but has hardly any points. I am a former season ticket holder so I have enough points to get a ticket for myself but have to wait for them to go on general sale to get two together.

 

[Sheffsteel]

How many home games last year went to general sale? My Father in Law likes to attend Blades games but has hardly any points. I am a former season ticket holder so I have enough points to get a ticket for myself but have to wait for them to go on general sale to get two together.

I believe loads of matches went to general sale but it was always in the final week often but not always with (membership points) conditions, restricted view and often single seats. Other clubs (like Leicester) put their tickets on sale 2 months before the matches,....and had a sliding scale of eligibility.
The final ticket sales for Leicester have basically no conditions and are easy to buy.

Its no good Sheff Utd easing ticket restrictions 5 days before a match because neutrals, students, family members will have already made alternative arrangements
and there’s also the issue of guests/ potential Blades aren’t likely to attend if they are sat on their own in a totally different stand.

 

[kevreedy]

We all know that the kop needs development. however, it must be a rebuild not expanding because the rake is very poor.
I stopped going on the kop because all I could see was the back of the people's neck.get rid of the spoil heap behind the kop etc.
Have a two-tiered kop with exec boxes in the middle, capacity 20,000. underneath the kop, could be a car park. walkways onto John Sreet.
Cherry Street. if fans can,t go to matches for a long time. can it be built as soon as possible.or is planning permission needed?.
Time will tell. might not happen would be great though.

 

[JJBlade]

I agree, I struggle to get tickets at the moment as I don’t live close enough for a season ticket, so find myself as a floating supporter who can only go to the odd game, how many of us are there
If I knew on a regular basis I could get tickets I would come a lot more
As you’ve said build it and they will come
Also don’t forget about how many students fill Sheffield and surrounding cities

Our student population is similar to other cities though

My cousin from Ireland came to visit us in December, he is a Newcastle fan.

For six months he pestered me to try to get him a ticket for the game at Bramall Lane against the Geordies, and for six months I tried.

In the end we walked into the ticket office, spun them a load of crap that my cousin who lived abroad had arrived back in Sheffield for a few days and wanted a ticket.

After being passed over to the head honcho, the big man who decides who gets tickets and who doesn't, and after going through an interrogation that the CIA would have been proud of they let us have a ticket.

I have no problem with the questions they asked us because security is the most vital thing, but the reason he endured it was because he really, really, really wanted to watch the game.

Most people unknown to the club will not go to this amount of trouble

Fans who are known to the club should be able to purchase more than one if they can tell the club who it is for and have permission to leave the other person's details on the clubs database.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Given that we're a two team city, that we're currently in pole position, and that Wednesday have the appearance of a club without a clue let alone a plan to progress, presumably our presence in the Prem will contribute to our status as Sheffield's more fashionable team, and presumably, over time, our fan base will grow while their's will diminish amongst a new wave of supporters who would prefer to see the Blades playing against teams with world class players rather than a club whose expectations will not compare with ours.......I know there are no guarantees, but unless you have ambition and a willingness to progress all we'll ever do is discuss what might be. I don't want us to enter into plans that involve financial commitments that cripple us, but I hope a considered approach to what could happen will be top of our list of plans for the club in the near future.

Unless we remain ambitious we'll go backwards, but it requires a great deal of thought in order to attract players, better sponsors, and potentially wealthier board members than we currently have. Considering Wilder's thoughts about priorities, well ongoing strengthening and improvement of our playing stock, added to which far better training facilities as Wilder has stressed that this is where the hard work happens that makes the players improve individually and collectively. I'm not suggesting that ground improvements are low priorities, so it needs a wiser head than mine to analyse what all of this will cost and whether we're in the shape to invest where necessary. I think this is referred to as 'future-proofing', but as I've emphasised, it requires an experienced and knowledgeable background to ensure that we grow in line with our ambitions and aspirations.

There's certainly a positive vibe about the Blades at the moment, but the trick is how we maintain this feeling of positive thinking. Assuming we continue to improve, assuming there's no lack of desire, who knows how the team and ground will look in future? Of course, well laid plans can sometimes go adrift due to a lack of focus, but since when did this type of analysis find fulfilment unless there's a collective will to move forward as one? Personally I'm looking forward to what happens, both on and off the pitch, but I'm a Blade so there's bound to be a cynical voice reminding me that at the eleventh hour we might find a way to implode. I know that's based on past history, so forgive the note of negativity. Given what's happened since Wilder was appointed I'm still in a slight haze about what's happened to the Blades.

The one thing I'd like to finish with is that this is the finest moment I've had in supporting this club. I hope that there's a shared desire to continue our success, we deserve what's come our way, so let's see what can be achieved if everyone follows the same intelligent approach to making things happen. UTB!

 

[Sheffsteel]

Fans who are known to the club should be able to purchase more than one if they can tell the club who it is for and have permission to leave the other person's details on the clubs database.

That‘s how Leicester City sell their tickets and I would imagine most clubs have that policy.

An individual can’t just rock up and buy a ticket if you’ve never previously been on the SUFC database....because you could end up with a substantial number of away fans in the home ends. However a season tIckes holder is allowed to buy additional tickets on the proviso that if they sell them on to away fans they will receive a stadium ban. Treating season ticket holders like grown up seems fair....there’s cctv in the stadium so every ticket becomes traceable.

 

[bladesmanluke]

We're not Manchester United or Liverpool.

What's the point of spending a fortune on expanding Bramall Lane when we could realistically be back in League One in a few seasons?

Jesus Christ you're right.

While we're at it, I'd suggest we stop spending a fortune on premier league players because realistically, we could be back in league one in a few seasons and then we won't have that money anymore and oh fuck has anybody seen my helmet?

 

[Stevo71]

Whatever we do, just give us some safe standing.......
[/QUOTE]
No thanks! What is the point of safe standing when people stand anyway?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

No thanks! What is the point of safe standing when people stand anyway?

Because currently it's not safe?

 

[Stevo71]

Because currently it's not safe?

Really? And who's there to force everybody to sit down?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Really? And who's there to force everybody to sit down?

So what's your point? I said standing in an all seater area is not as safe as standing in a safe standing area.

 

[Stevo71]

So what's your point? I said standing in an all seater area is not as safe as standing in a safe standing area.

You tell me what's not safe about standing!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You tell me what's not safe about standing!

I have seen many people go arse over tit when we score, I for one have done my ankle being pushed over the seat in front of me from behind.

PS I still do it though