Stadium Development

[Sean Thornton]

Since we now own the ground as a club, it would be interesting to know how much revenue the club actually make from hosting an event. According to The Liverpool Echo, by hosting 3 Taylor Swift concerts Anfield with circa 55,000 a night is due to make Liverpool FC between £5-10million. When you put in perspective the cost of tickets and number of people, it isn't a great return for the venue. I am unsure however from what I can work out Liverpool FC do operate their own catering although I don't know if this was used as part of the gigs. The downside with us and outsourcing catering is the loss of potential increase in revenue. A "gig premium" could easily be applied to the cost of drinks and snacks etc which would push up the margin a bit.

The meal catering used to be in house. Has that changed?

 

[LBA_Blade]

The meal catering used to be in house. Has that changed?

Hospitality I think is still in house more thinking of Compass and their one pint an hour beer policy

 

[Sean Thornton]

Hospitality I think is still in house more thinking of Compass and their one pint an hour beer policy

I couldn’t think of the word hospitality But it’s a momentary lapse so please don’t link me with the gormless no takeover mob……

 

[The Fox]

I'm unsure about the gigs thing , they tend to be one offs unless your in London or Manchester. I suppose the challenge is to simply maximise non match revenue where the facilities are being used every day of the year . The footprint is huge compared to most stadiums so making the site a destination in terms of conference, leisure, business etc will take a bit of vision , cash and a green light from planning.
If as a consequence we get a stadium that's the best in Yorkshire that's about as much as we can expect.

 

[S64 Blade]

That new venue in Manchester which is 22k capacity cost hundreds of millions. Turning the lane into a genuine multi use arena would cost similar. Would probably need a roof for noise reasons if we wanted it to be a regular venue.

Or we could keep it as is and like with Def Leppard/kell brook type events every now and then

I don’t think the intended suggestion was to create a copy of the Co-Op arena. Just to improve the stadium to host more gigs. Other football stadiums do and we have before.

I think it’s more tweaking and improving than what we have than starting afresh.

I don’t think gigs would be a huge money-spinner, but it’s an additional revenue stream during the summer.

 

[s20Blade]

I don’t think the intended suggestion was to create a copy of the Co-Op arena. Just to improve the stadium to host more gigs. Other football stadiums do and we have before.

I think it’s more tweaking and improving than what we have than starting afresh.

I don’t think gigs would be a huge money-spinner, but it’s an additional revenue stream during the summer.

It would have to go hand in hand with us being a establish premier league club IMO. Mainly improving food facilities and some nice interiors on the concourses.

 

[247Blade]

Yes mate , I'd kinda covered that in the 1st 3 words .

Still need a stadium development plan though, otherwise you end up like the rust bucket at S6 .

Yeah I don't analyze these threads just flicking through

 

[Berkshire Blade]

I don’t think the intended suggestion was to create a copy of the Co-Op arena. Just to improve the stadium to host more gigs. Other football stadiums do and we have before.

I think it’s more tweaking and improving than what we have than starting afresh.

I don’t think gigs would be a huge money-spinner, but it’s an additional revenue stream during the summer.

Like you say we have before. I think the city being close enough to Manchester and London on the train means it wouldn't get picked over a Sunderland or Manchester/London based club unless it was transformed into something world leading

 

[S64 Blade]

Just seen this on Instagram. Didn’t know where to put it, but the ground looks great on the footage.



A shame a pig did the drone footage mind.

 

[JJBlade]

True. It’s ok banging on about needing a bigger ground we haven’t sold out a single game yet this season in home areas despite been top of league so what happens if as you say we don’t go up and we end up a mid table championship side for foreseeable, it wasn’t long ago we were averaging 17/18k a season in league 1. A bigger ground with thousands of empty seats isnt priority imo. Sustained sucsess on the pitch needs to happen first starting with promotion THIS season. It’s a poor championship No outstanding teams etc. we are easly top 4 so we have to take advantage , then stay in prem for 3-4 years THEN talk about a bigger ground.

Selling out a stadium is no indication of not needing a bigger stadium
Sunderland never sold out Roker Park
Newcastle hardly ever sold out St James before redevelopment
West Ham hardly ever sold out Upton Park
Brighton couldn't even sell out the Withdean
Southampton couldn't sell out The Dell
Leicester couldn't sell out Filbert Street
Man City couldn't sell out Maine Road
Hull City couldn't sell out Boothferry Park
Bristol City could barely get 10,000 before redevelopment
Rotherham could barely get 3,000 at Millmoor.

Every single stadium has some empty seats at every game for whatever reason, otherwise every attendance would be exactly the same, Liverpool's stadium holds 61,276 but they have not had a single 61,276 attendance since it was expanded. If they expanded it to 80,000 they would average 79,000, and if they increased it again to 90,000 they would average 89,000, it's just the way it is.

It's also about organisation to sell the tickets, United would expand to 50,000 and still have it's one ticket per person policy meaning a family of six would have to jump through hoops to all get tickets together to do something that they've lived without doing their entire lives and that they're not all that bothered about doing anyway

 

[derbysufc]

What sells bramall lane to every away fan and groundhopper is its proximity to the following
Train station
China Town
Eccy Road
City Centre
Kelham island a little bit further .
The history of the ground .
If the whole area keeps developing it will be a fantastic place for a day's football .
Almost forgot , the amount of pubs within a 5 minute walking distance .

 

[JayGreen17]

Selling out a stadium is no indication of not needing a bigger stadium
Sunderland never sold out Roker Park
Newcastle hardly ever sold out St James before redevelopment
West Ham hardly ever sold out Upton Park
Brighton couldn't even sell out the Withdean
Southampton couldn't sell out The Dell
Leicester couldn't sell out Filbert Street
Man City couldn't sell out Maine Road
Hull City couldn't sell out Boothferry Park
Bristol City could barely get 10,000 before redevelopment
Rotherham could barely get 3,000 at Millmoor.

Every single stadium has some empty seats at every game for whatever reason, otherwise every attendance would be exactly the same, Liverpool's stadium holds 61,276 but they have not had a single 61,276 attendance since it was expanded. If they expanded it to 80,000 they would average 79,000, and if they increased it again to 90,000 they would average 89,000, it's just the way it is.

It's also about organisation to sell the tickets, United would expand to 50,000 and still have it's one ticket per person policy meaning a family of six would have to jump through hoops to all get tickets together to do something that they've lived without doing their entire lives and that they're not all that bothered about doing anyway

This is so bang on, and the people who say we don’t need a bigger ground have no compression of how business or business expansion and development works, and they’re the ones primarily stick in this small town Sheffield mentality, which will has has continually held us back.

 

[Frank the tank]

This is so bang on, and the people who say we don’t need a bigger ground have no compression of how business or business expansion and development works, and they’re the ones primarily stick in this small town Sheffield mentality, which will has has continually held us back.

Don't think you have any Comprehension what compression means

 

[georgebernardshaw]

Selling out a stadium is no indication of not needing a bigger stadium
Sunderland never sold out Roker Park
Newcastle hardly ever sold out St James before redevelopment
West Ham hardly ever sold out Upton Park
Brighton couldn't even sell out the Withdean
Southampton couldn't sell out The Dell
Leicester couldn't sell out Filbert Street
Man City couldn't sell out Maine Road
Hull City couldn't sell out Boothferry Park
Bristol City could barely get 10,000 before redevelopment
Rotherham could barely get 3,000 at Millmoor.

Every single stadium has some empty seats at every game for whatever reason, otherwise every attendance would be exactly the same, Liverpool's stadium holds 61,276 but they have not had a single 61,276 attendance since it was expanded. If they expanded it to 80,000 they would average 79,000, and if they increased it again to 90,000 they would average 89,000, it's just the way it is.

It's also about organisation to sell the tickets, United would expand to 50,000 and still have it's one ticket per person policy meaning a family of six would have to jump through hoops to all get tickets together to do something that they've lived without doing their entire lives and that they're not all that bothered about doing anyway

Are you saying that Roker Park had a higher capacity than 75,118, it’s record attendance? It’s one of the coldest places I’ve ever visited, but I didn’t realise it was that big.

 

[SRA76]

Selling out a stadium is no indication of not needing a bigger stadium
Sunderland never sold out Roker Park
Newcastle hardly ever sold out St James before redevelopment
West Ham hardly ever sold out Upton Park
Brighton couldn't even sell out the Withdean
Southampton couldn't sell out The Dell
Leicester couldn't sell out Filbert Street
Man City couldn't sell out Maine Road
Hull City couldn't sell out Boothferry Park
Bristol City could barely get 10,000 before redevelopment
Rotherham could barely get 3,000 at Millmoor.

Every single stadium has some empty seats at every game for whatever reason, otherwise every attendance would be exactly the same, Liverpool's stadium holds 61,276 but they have not had a single 61,276 attendance since it was expanded. If they expanded it to 80,000 they would average 79,000, and if they increased it again to 90,000 they would average 89,000, it's just the way it is.

It's also about organisation to sell the tickets, United would expand to 50,000 and still have it's one ticket per person policy meaning a family of six would have to jump through hoops to all get tickets together to do something that they've lived without doing their entire lives and that they're not all that bothered about doing anyway

A lot what you say is true. However imo getting in to the prem and actually staying there for more than a season or 2 and actually cementing premiership status is far more important than extending a stadiums capacity that we haven’t sold out for 90% of the entire season . So what’s the point in spending millions on the ground extension? Surely to god it would be better spent on the team to get us and keep us in prem. then the rest would follow ??? Or is that to much sense

 

[Jacobsenthecrab]

What sells bramall lane to every away fan and groundhopper is its proximity to the following
Train station
China Town
Eccy Road
City Centre
Kelham island a little bit further .
The history of the ground .
If the whole area keeps developing it will be a fantastic place for a day's football .
Almost forgot , the amount of pubs within a 5 minute walking distance .

That’s also what would make it a great venue for Summer concerts if the facilities were improved.
Hotels, pubs, bars and restaurants all within stumbling distance not to mention burger van at bottom of the moor

 

[BouncinBlade]

Selling out a stadium is no indication of not needing a bigger stadium
Sunderland never sold out Roker Park
Newcastle hardly ever sold out St James before redevelopment
West Ham hardly ever sold out Upton Park
Brighton couldn't even sell out the Withdean
Southampton couldn't sell out The Dell
Leicester couldn't sell out Filbert Street
Man City couldn't sell out Maine Road
Hull City couldn't sell out Boothferry Park
Bristol City could barely get 10,000 before redevelopment
Rotherham could barely get 3,000 at Millmoor.

Every single stadium has some empty seats at every game for whatever reason, otherwise every attendance would be exactly the same, Liverpool's stadium holds 61,276 but they have not had a single 61,276 attendance since it was expanded. If they expanded it to 80,000 they would average 79,000, and if they increased it again to 90,000 they would average 89,000, it's just the way it is.

It's also about organisation to sell the tickets, United would expand to 50,000 and still have it's one ticket per person policy meaning a family of six would have to jump through hoops to all get tickets together to do something that they've lived without doing their entire lives and that they're not all that bothered about doing anyway

Incorrect mate, the reason the clubs mentioned in your post didn’t fill their old stadiums and do now is because football and the population in general has grown rapidly!! The newer, bigger stadium just caters for how the population has grown & the clubs success ie Man city

 

[derbysufc]

If sheffield united moved from bramall lane it would rip the heart and soul out the club.
Legends of blades who have and now passed , the history of the ground, the city centre location , the passion .
I know a few derby who won't attend pride park , they loved the baseball ground.
Don Valley flattened again another sheffield council flaw , meadowhall took shots from the city centre .
Not a chance I'd follow the blades if moved out of town to a plastic stadium .

 

[Houston_Blade]

This is so bang on, and the people who say we don’t need a bigger ground have no compression of how business or business expansion and development works, and they’re the ones primarily stick in this small town Sheffield mentality, which will has has continually held us back.

With that in mind you consider the only way to develop a business is to ‘build it and they will come’?

There are tonnes of ways to grow a business and to suggest that people don’t have any comprehension (not compression I assume?!) of how it works is nonsense.

One method would be to be really good at what your core business is first and then grow from there. That might involve buying assets (players in our case) to improve the operational side of the business, then once this is improved invest money into growth.

There are plenty of businesses who’ve tried to grow before they became good at what they were supposed to be good at and a lot of them don’t exist anymore.

But that must just be a ‘small town mentality’ and we should just build loads of seats and hope people turn up?!

 

[BladeInIreland]

A lot what you say is true. However imo getting in to the prem and actually staying there for more than a season or 2 and actually cementing premiership status is far more important than extending a stadiums capacity that we haven’t sold out for 90% of the entire season . So what’s the point in spending millions on the ground extension? Surely to god it would be better spent on the team to get us and keep us in prem. then the rest would follow ??? Or is that to much sense

Whilst this approach makes sense, the reality is good teams come and go. It is becoming my opinion more strongly over time that money could be better spent on the infrastructure initially. Big clubs with top facilities tend to be in the premier league.

Not too long ago this club was on a high on the pitch, best I've personally seen. Top ten In the premier league, looking comfortable and morale at an all time high. Two years later we are talking about needing promotion to survive, barely any cash and absolutely nothing to show for our "success".

Obviously there has to be some balance to it but for me for us to establish ourselves at the top table we would need to move from that middling bracket of club into a "big" club. Had we spent a bit of money on the academy, training ground and stadium, fine we may be relegated but we would have something that will last a very long time.

It's especially beneficial to do this now with the inflated player prices. Imagine how far the Brewster money would have gone. I would personally rather see the training ground being built, the old one improved to achieve cat a academy status and expand the stadium to 40k plus. The benefits of this would far outweigh a Brewster, Berge or and other player who may or may not be good over a year or two.

When Newcastle got relegated did you think anything other than "when are they going back up" not will they. Same with Villa.

Removing the restrictions to ticket purchasing, increased away allocations for the big teams (like the pigs do) along with other promotions to increase fan base and we could 100% achieve higher attendances than we currently do.

 

[DifferentClass]

Just seen this on Instagram. Didn’t know where to put it, but the ground looks great on the footage.



A shame a pig did the drone footage mind.

Drone views of sty?

If tha's interested in rust and general decay definitely better than Lane, but if you're NOT seeing t'world through blue and white tinted gigs...

 

[Sean Thornton]

Don't think you have any Comprehension what compression means

Just spoiled slightly by the capital C.

 

[derbysufc]

Moving is not the answer
Alot of the pubs would go under without matchday revenue and a few car parks .
The location is perfect for home and away fans .
I was in sheffield last weekend, the new pub on Shoreham Street would be perfect behind the kop and bring in a strong weekly income it was heaving and has own brewery .
As someone mentioned above , get concerts , get boxing matches and in the summer bring in extra income.
I saw Bruce springsteen there even the preacher Billy Graham.
Don't take away the clubs history as sonmany clubs envy bramall lane and it's location.
The southstand development looks amazing but we wouldn't fill it as yet unless the top tier was given to away support in bigger numbers as Sunderland have done.
I'm probably the only one but I think the blades will go back up next season unless we do the usual trick after season ticket sales and sell the 2 best players .

 

[Westran]

Moving is not the answer
Alot of the pubs would go under without matchday revenue and a few car parks .
The location is perfect for home and away fans .
I was in sheffield last weekend, the new pub on Shoreham Street would be perfect behind the kop and bring in a strong weekly income it was heaving and has own brewery .
As someone mentioned above , get concerts , get boxing matches and in the summer bring in extra income.
I saw Bruce springsteen there even the preacher Billy Graham.
Don't take away the clubs history as sonmany clubs envy bramall lane and it's location.
The southstand development looks amazing but we wouldn't fill it as yet unless the top tier was given to away support in bigger numbers as Sunderland have done.
I'm probably the only one but I think the blades will go back up next season unless we do the usual trick after season ticket sales and sell the 2 best players .

Whose mentioned moving?

 

[Kozzywozzydodaah]

We can't move out of town retail parks and entertainment venues come and go. But the city centre will always be there.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

Whilst this approach makes sense, the reality is good teams come and go. It is becoming my opinion more strongly over time that money could be better spent on the infrastructure initially. Big clubs with top facilities tend to be in the premier league.

Not too long ago this club was on a high on the pitch, best I've personally seen. Top ten In the premier league, looking comfortable and morale at an all time high. Two years later we are talking about needing promotion to survive, barely any cash and absolutely nothing to show for our "success".

Obviously there has to be some balance to it but for me for us to establish ourselves at the top table we would need to move from that middling bracket of club into a "big" club. Had we spent a bit of money on the academy, training ground and stadium, fine we may be relegated but we would have something that will last a very long time.

It's especially beneficial to do this now with the inflated player prices. Imagine how far the Brewster money would have gone. I would personally rather see the training ground being built, the old one improved to achieve cat a academy status and expand the stadium to 40k plus. The benefits of this would far outweigh a Brewster, Berge or and other player who may or may not be good over a year or two.

When Newcastle got relegated did you think anything other than "when are they going back up" not will they. Same with Villa.

Removing the restrictions to ticket purchasing, increased away allocations for the big teams (like the pigs do) along with other promotions to increase fan base and we could 100% achieve higher attendances than we currently.

Brilliant post and bang on.

Why are Wednesday perceived as a big club?

Even though no longer the case they used to have a bigger and better stadium and people, fans, pundits and players percieve having a bigger and better stadium as a bigger club with bigger support.

We know that’s not true but that’s how it is.

Build the stadium, build the infrastructure and it will cement our position as Sheffield’s big club for years to come.

 

[The Fox]

I remember Birmingham City having to close large sections of the ground through years of under investment , not sure if it's remedied yet.
Across the city there's a salutary lesson in under investment, capacity reduced from 38k to 32 k , parts of the ground closed and an aging safety certificate on the shantylever stand that apparently requires £20m just to fix and re roof . Gets to the point where the job is just too big and expensive .
It shouldn't be a question of if but a question of what and when .
We're very fortunate to have the footprint we do which allows for development of the stadium plus development of areas under the stadium . The addition of capacity and hospitality almost being a consequence of commercial development of the space beneath it.

 

[JJBlade]

Are you saying that Roker Park had a higher capacity than 75,118, it’s record attendance? It’s one of the coldest places I’ve ever visited, but I didn’t realise it was that big.

No
During its last few years it held about 25000 and still wasn't full

That's my point
It didn't stop them building for 48,000 even though they'd not seen an attendance of that size for decades

 

[Westran]

Ideally, if we have minted new owners, we'd do what Tottenham did with White Hart Lane, using the spare land around the ground to develop a new stadium, then relocate for a year when it gets to the bit where we need to knock the rest down. Completely start again, fuck the plans we have that McCabe has drawn up, we want a state of the art multi use stadium that will last.

But that's not going to happen, so let's just get the kop pillars out, get the back of the kop extended and a covered concourse, get the back of the south stand sorted out cos even a lick of paint doesn't stop it from looking like something out of Chernobyl, then we can take it from there.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

No
During its last few years it held about 25000 and still wasn't full

Because they replaced standing areas with expensive seats. Bramall Lane had a record crowd of 68,000+, in the 1930s, you have to check history before making ambiguous posts.

That's my point
It didn't stop them building for 48,000 even though they'd not seen an attendance of that size for decades