At a realistic guess

[ShorehamRevolution]

How much will COVID cost us if let’s say for arguments sake we’re allowed back in the ground in august for the start of the 2021/22 season.
It’ll probably add up to around 25 games that would’ve had virtually a full house plus sales of pints and food. I also presume shirt and merchandise sales have taken a tumble too.
On the flip side policing and stewarding has been nearly non existent so that’s a saving.
I’m sure there’s a lot more other costs so what’s the damage?
With no education in the running of a premier league football club and absolutely no insight into accounts, my guess would be it’ll have cost us around £15-25 million and that’s presuming we’re ALL back in the ground in august.

 

[JJBlade]

Well there are some that blame our impending relegation on it

So, maybe £200 million is nearer the mark

Maybe we fail to get back to the Premier League for 10 -15 years and the cost could be more than a billion.

Depends where we draw the line I suppose

 

[Canterbury Blade]

Lot of debate in other quarters about insurance, with insurers wriggling about COVID coverage. I’ve not heard anything about what if any business continuity insurance we have. Anyone know?

Mind you I’ve never seen a midfielder getting the strop, striker adopting a pseudo gangster/ playboy/ idiot lifestyle, defenders forgetting how to head a ball away from the 6 yard box or strikers not knowing where the barn door is clause in any insurance booklet I’ve read...

 

[Houston_Blade]

We won’t be allowed back in August either, there’ll be restricted numbers for the whole of the year I reckon.

I honestly believe that we’d only be getting between 26k and 28k at the moment as well, some of our fans don’t turn up when we aren’t winning.

 

[BettingBlade]

We won’t be allowed back in August either, there’ll be restricted numbers for the whole of the year I reckon.

I honestly believe that we’d only be getting between 26k and 28k at the moment as well, some of our fans don’t turn up when we aren’t winning.

Depends how far you take that back though. If COVID wasn't a thing, who knows how long that momentum would have carried on for. Seems to me the break in the season has put us back the most rather than just the fans not being there.

Tbh though I don't understand only going when we're winning, especially home games. Mentioned on another thread the other day that there's only been one season that has made me not want to renew my ST and even then I still ended up getting one.

 

[247Blade]

How much will COVID cost us if let’s say for arguments sake we’re allowed back in the ground in august for the start of the 2021/22 season.
It’ll probably add up to around 25 games that would’ve had virtually a full house plus sales of pints and food. I also presume shirt and merchandise sales have taken a tumble too.
On the flip side policing and stewarding has been nearly non existent so that’s a saving.
I’m sure there’s a lot more other costs so what’s the damage?
With no education in the running of a premier league football club and absolutely no insight into accounts, my guess would be it’ll have cost us around £15-25 million and that’s presuming we’re ALL back in the ground in august.

Think you're being a bit optimistic of being back in grounds by August as I don't imagine that happening until everyone has had the ja as to the financial side fans just don't get to know much, couldn't have a guess!

 

[CentralQuay]

More than some sides, less than others.

I think it would be far more damaging if this season is null and voided.
There's an argument that all TV money would have to be returned.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

The money they've missed out on generating due to covid would have either gone into the players pockets / on transfer fees, or if not in that direction it's probably put a hold on the start of work at the new training complex and/or ground improvements.

"I honestly believe that we’d only be getting between 26k and 28k at the moment as well, some of our fans don’t turn up when we aren’t winning."

If there'd been no covid and fans in the ground, we'd have won a lot more and wouldn't be bottom.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Depends how far you take that back though. If COVID wasn't a thing, who knows how long that momentum would have carried on for. Seems to me the break in the season has put us back the most rather than just the fans not being there.

Tbh though I don't understand only going when we're winning, especially home games. Mentioned on another thread the other day that there's only been one season that has made me not want to renew my ST and even then I still ended up getting one.

ST holders turn up, it’s the few thousand floaters that won’t bother. This is always my argument when people bang on about expanding the stadium.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

ST holders turn up, it’s the few thousand floaters that won’t bother. This is always my argument when people bang on about expanding the stadium.

Well we had to stop selling season tickets when they hit 25,000 In order to save some for pay on the day.

So we might have hit 30,000 season tickets if we‘d had a bigger ground plus pay on the day.

But we’ll never know because the ground wasn’t big enough.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Well we had to stop selling season tickets when they hit 25,000 In order to save some for pay on the day.

So we might have hit 30,000 season tickets if we‘d had a bigger ground plus pay on the day.

But we’ll never know because the ground wasn’t big enough.

For the first season back I agree, we could probably sustain 35k. Once the novelty wears off we are a 30k fan base.

 

[JJBlade]

ST holders turn up, it’s the few thousand floaters that won’t bother. This is always my argument when people bang on about expanding the stadium.

Yeah
Like Warnocks relegation season last time, I suppose nobody turned up then either

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

For the first season back I agree, we could probably sustain 35k. Once the novelty wears off we are a 30k fan base.

But surely the argument is we’ll never be anything more than a 30k fanbase because our ground will only hold 30k. Shouldn’t we build a ground just a bit bigger than we need, say 37k?
Then we might be saying we’ll never be anything more than a 35k fanbase.

T

 

[CentralQuay]

But surely the argument is we’ll never be anything more than a 30k fanbase because our ground will only hold 30k. Shouldn’t we build a ground just a bit bigger than we need, say 37k?
Then we might be saying we’ll never be anything more than a 35k fanbase.

T

Size of your ground has almost no relevance financially these days compared to TV money and sponsorships etc.

Bournemouth have outspent most teams in the country despite having a small ground.

 

[Houston_Blade]

But surely the argument is we’ll never be anything more than a 30k fanbase because our ground will only hold 30k. Shouldn’t we build a ground just a bit bigger than we need, say 37k?
Then we might be saying we’ll never be anything more than a 35k fanbase.

T

The opposing argument to that is that I’d like to see it full for a good couple of seasons before I put additional seats in. The last thing I’d want is more away fans in the ground and/or empty seats.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Yeah
Like Warnocks relegation season last time, I suppose nobody turned up then either

We filled it about 4 times all season.

 

[JJBlade]

But surely the argument is we’ll never be anything more than a 30k fanbase because our ground will only hold 30k. Shouldn’t we build a ground just a bit bigger than we need, say 37k?
Then we might be saying we’ll never be anything more than a 35k fanbase.

T

Pointless arguing Fatty, some will never stop slagging our fans off, anybody would think we'd had it good over the last 60 years.

Amazing how:
Brighton can go from 6,000 to 30,000
Watford, never been well supported in their entire history, but could now fill a stadium bigger than Vicarage Road if it was available.
Crystal Palace, another very very averagely supported club, now fill the stadium and could easily get more if the stadium was bigger.
Wigan, getting 20,000 was a pipedream that nobody ever thought was possible, but they did because the circumstances were right.
Reading, traditionally a 3,000 - 5,000 supported club, now get 15,000 and will get 25,000 in the Premier League
Bournemouth another 3,000 - 5,000 club, attendances doubled in the Premier League and if they'd built a 25,000 stadium they'd have filled it.
Southampton can go from a traditionally 15,000 club to 30,000
Leicester the same
Sunderland can go from a club that averaged no more than us to a club that can fill a 48,000 stadium in the right circumstances
Newcastle after 20 years of 13,000 -17,000 now get 50,000

But improvement for us is obviously impossible.

 

[JJBlade]

We filled it about 4 times all season.

Eight attendances over 32,000 that season

If you're going to be picky, here's some news for you. Man Utd have never sold Old Trafford out, never even once. There have been seats empty or people missing for every single game they've played since the stadium was improved.

Anfield holds 54,004 but it has not been full on one single occasion since it was improved, there's always between 600 and 1500 short

However, if they both added another 30,000 seats they'd sell 29,800 of them.
And if they added another 30,000 after that they'd sell another 29,800 of them.

It's got nothing to do with every single seat being sold out every single week, because that will never be allowed ever again.
No stadium runs on absolute capacity anymore, and there are many reasons for this. Sheffield United's reason is not selling two tickets to a known customer.
A new customer, which we have a lot of now that we are in the Premier League isn't going to come and sit on his own, in a crap seat where he can't see. He might put up with a crap seat if he's with his mates, but he's not going to turn up, buy a ticket and sit behind a pole twiddling his thumbs all day.

 

[Numpty's Dusty Ruts.]

Pointless arguing Fatty, some will never stop slagging our fans off, anybody would think we'd had it good over the last 60 years.

Amazing how:
Brighton can go from 6,000 to 30,000
Watford, never been well supported in their entire history, but could now fill a stadium bigger than Vicarage Road if it was available.
Crystal Palace, another very very averagely supported club, now fill the stadium and could easily get more if the stadium was bigger.
Wigan, getting 20,000 was a pipedream that nobody ever thought was possible, but they did because the circumstances were right.
Reading, traditionally a 3,000 - 5,000 supported club, now get 15,000 and will get 25,000 in the Premier League
Bournemouth another 3,000 - 5,000 club, attendances doubled in the Premier League and if they'd built a 25,000 stadium they'd have filled it.
Southampton can go from a traditionally 15,000 club to 30,000
Leicester the same
Sunderland can go from a club that averaged no more than us to a club that can fill a 48,000 stadium in the right circumstances
Newcastle after 20 years of 13,000 -17,000 now get 50,000

But improvement for us is obviously impossible.

Yeah but, we have grown our attendances a lot. So after we get over all this (Covid, being shit this season) there's no reason we can't "kick on ". I was a very "late developer " as far as going to BDTBL is concerned, but when I started, about 25 years ago, with Esteemed Forgeblade, a good attendance was 16000. I shit you not! And I was there with 8964 others for the Port Vale game in late 1999.
Things only started to really change when Mr Warnock appeared and the crowds did seem to grow. I think that after we do get over all this, people may be looking for some fun, entertainment and escapism, and that may be a good time to extend the ground. Read some stuff recently about the world's response to the First World War and the flu pandemic after, which was basically to have fun and live for today. In the 1920's football crowds grew massively because people just wanted that release from a grim time.
This might be bollocks, but you never know!!

 

[Houston_Blade]

Eight attendances over 32,000 that season

If you're going to be picky, here's some news for you. Man Utd have never sold Old Trafford out, never even once. There have been seats empty or people missing for every single game they've played since the stadium was improved.

Anfield holds 54,004 but it has not been full on one single occasion since it was improved, there's always between 600 and 1500 short

However, if they both added another 30,000 seats they'd sell 29,800 of them.
And if they added another 30,000 after that they'd sell another 29,800 of them.

It's got nothing to do with every single seat being sold out every single week, because that will never be allowed ever again.
No stadium runs on absolute capacity anymore, and there are many reasons for this. Sheffield United's reason is not selling two tickets to a known customer.
A new customer, which we have a lot of now that we are in the Premier League isn't going to come and sit on his own, in a crap seat where he can't see. He might put up with a crap seat if he's with his mates, but he's not going to turn up, buy a ticket and sit behind a pole twiddling his thumbs all day.

In a few months we won’t be in the PL anymore so it seems an even dafter idea to me. Average attendance in 2006/7 was 30,684, that’s 2k below the capacity.

It’s obviously something you feel strongly about so knock yourself out if you want to get wound up about it.

I’m all for improving the ground but that can be done without adding empty seats. I really don’t think additional capacity is necessary for a club that hasn’t sold out frequently.

Delusion about fanbase is something that the S6 lot are good at, I prefer being realistic about ours.

 

[JJBlade]

In a few months we won’t be in the PL anymore so it seems an even dafter idea to me. Average attendance in 2006/7 was 30,684, that’s 2k below the capacity.

It’s obviously something you feel strongly about so knock yourself out if you want to get wound up about it.

I’m all for improving the ground but that can be done without adding empty seats. I really don’t think additional capacity is necessary for a club that hasn’t sold out frequently.

Delusion about fanbase is something that the S6 lot are good at, I prefer being realistic about ours.

Fair enough
I'll assume Sheffield United can always improve like other teams have given the right circumstances, and you can do what has been the problem with the entire club for generations and stand still

 

[Houston_Blade]

Fair enough
I'll assume Sheffield United can always improve like other teams have given the right circumstances, and you can do what has been the problem with the entire club for generations and stand still

It’s not my choice, by wanting to invest the money in actual footballers who can make us better and not empty seats doesn’t make me ‘the problem’.

I’d say that the problem is fans thinking that we’re something we’re not.

 

[JJBlade]

Yeah but, we have grown our attendances a lot. So after we get over all this (Covid, being shit this season) there's no reason we can't "kick on ". I was a very "late developer " as far as going to BDTBL is concerned, but when I started, about 25 years ago, with Esteemed Forgeblade, a good attendance was 16000. I shit you not! And I was there with 8964 others for the Port Vale game in late 1999.
Things only started to really change when Mr Warnock appeared and the crowds did seem to grow. I think that after we do get over all this, people may be looking for some fun, entertainment and escapism, and that may be a good time to extend the ground. Read some stuff recently about the world's response to the First World War and the flu pandemic after, which was basically to have fun and live for today. In the 1920's football crowds grew massively because people just wanted that release from a grim time.
This might be bollocks, but you never know!!

We've had some truly awful times mate.
The worst of any club of a reasonable size, and yet our support hasn't looked out of place no matter where we are. In the early days of the Premier League and the seasons prior to it, some of todays best supported clubs in the country were struggling to get 15,000 so our fairly regular 12,000 and 13,000 in Division Two and Division Three was extremely good.

As a 4th Division club in 1981 we got more at Bramall Lane for a night game than there was at Anfield for a European game. And I still to this day say that our attendance that night was fiddled beyond belief because people were still queuing to get in at half time.

 

[JJBlade]

It’s not my choice, by wanting to invest the money in actual footballers who can make us better and not empty seats doesn’t make me ‘the problem’.

I’d say that the problem is fans thinking that we’re something we’re not.

I don't disagree with you
The team is the most important thing rather than stadium improvements or extensions.

My point was that football is in a period now where "If you build it, they will come" and Sheffield United are no exception to this.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I don't disagree with you
The team is the most important thing rather than stadium improvements or extensions.

My point was that football is in a period now where "If you build it, they will come" and Sheffield United are no exception to this.

I respectfully disagree, there are tonnes of teams outside the PL who don’t fill stadiums. We get between 25k-30k of our fans in the ground as a top end Championship team. That won’t go up.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

We get between 25k-30k of our fans in the ground as a top end Championship team. That won’t go up.

There’s been numerous occasions over the years where it’s been shown the ground capacity isn’t big enough but you seem convinced we couldn’t get a bigger fanbase by making the capacity bigger.

I just don’t understand why you’re so convinced we couldn’t benefit from a larger capacity.

We’ll never grow as a club if we believe our limit is 30k.

As mentioned earlier, Southampton now fill a 30k stadium. The Dell used to be a 15k capacity. It’s a good job their owners didn’t think that was their limit.

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

Think you're being a bit optimistic of being back in grounds by August as I don't imagine that happening until everyone has had the ja as to the financial side fans just don't get to know much, couldn't have a guess!

I did say for arguments sake

 

[Houston_Blade]

There’s been numerous occasions over the years where it’s been shown the ground capacity isn’t big enough but you seem convinced we couldn’t get a bigger fanbase by making the capacity bigger.

I just don’t understand why you’re so convinced we couldn’t benefit from a larger capacity.

We’ll never grow as a club if we believe our limit is 30k.

As mentioned earlier, Southampton now fill a 30k stadium. The Dell used to be a 15k capacity. It’s a good job their owners didn’t think that was their limit.

Do you have any statistic proof that we would get more than that? Understand that it’s my opinion that we wouldn’t attract more fans and yours that we would. Mine is based on what we’ve historically achieved and yours is based on history plus guesswork that we would get more fans in. You might be right, but it’s expensive to find out and I’d rather invest in footballers than plastic seats.

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

Although I didn’t start this thread for an attendance debate I’ll throw my two pence into the mix.
I work in student halls and have to go into every bedroom on site a few times over the course of the academic year, I’m quite surprised by the amount of Sheffield United merchandise I see from non Sheffielders and especially in the foreign students rooms, our stuff outnumbers the pigs by at least 5:1. It’s been discussed a lot on here before about retaining these students as fans forever especially as Sheffield has one of if not THE best retention rate of students once they’ve achieved their degrees.