New Everton Stadium

It was what they announced back in March. They wanted to submit a detailed planning application to the council and gain approval by early 2018.
I think the planning process can take up to 6 months, so it's already behind schedule.

We're coming up to the anniversary of the AGM where the stadium plans were going to be revealed. :coffee:
 
Panorama doing us no favours at all with the Council I'm afraid.
Big pressure on JA to give reassurance that:
a) Moshiri isn't dodgy and the Council aren't signing up to something that could all come crashing down
b) That we're not building a massive new stadium for a Championship club

Don't think anything has happened yet to derail things, but serious questions are being asked. Talk of "forensic accounting" being requested to absolute make certain all is above board.

Seems to have come at a bad time, just as this horrific run of form has. Regarding point b It's not that unreasonable for questions to be asked about it either when we take off the blue tinted glasses. Would never have imagined we'd have made such a mess of the transfer window and had such a poor run of form leading to where we sit currently. Talk of the club being relegated any time soon was a thing we could laugh at during the optimistic months from March - August, now it's no so unlikely.
 

The main difference is EFC start from a blank page unless yourselves where the stadium layout was dictated by the CG.

Anyway, here's a new link of moderate interest....
https://blueprint.cbre.com/want-a-l...t&utm_campaign=Native&utm_term=Better+Stadium

Aluminium floor instead of concrete to help reflect the sound back, interesting.

One thing architects don't really get onto is that noise spreads. They often just think that it is always created at once around the ground at the same time ie like after a goal, a big incident.

Quite often, it starts in one area then spreads to other areas which in turns goes elsewhere, then you hit a point where it reaches a noise level where everyone joins in. One area feeding another. So they need to look closely at that initial area and maximise that.
 
Careful what you wish for. I'm a mod on a man city forum and the bell ends on there moaning about the atmosphere at the etihad probably out number those that were moaning about the state of Maine Rd. Without doubt Goodison is one of the worst toilets in the league, but it's your toilet, and it contains your heart and soul.
I think the lack of atmosphere at the Etihad is more to do with all the empty seats you can’t seem to get rid of.

Must be hard though when your fans have to choose between going to your ground or Stamford bridge every week.
 
I think the lack of atmosphere at the Etihad is more to do with all the empty seats you can’t seem to get rid of.

Must be hard though when your fans have to choose between going to your ground or Stamford bridge every week.
Just you wait until there's more than 4 direct flights a week to China, and the seats will get snapped up. Bang another tourist club!

I wonder how we avoid becoming a tourist club like our neighbours. Mind you that's a bridge to cross in a few years' time in the best case scenario.
 
Without doubt Goodison is one of the worst toilets in the league, but it's your toilet, and it contains your heart and soul.

I'm old enough to remember a time when Goodison was superior to every other stadium in the country, including Wembley.

Unfortunately, though, it's more suited to the Championship these days. And it was never large enough to be an all-seater. When it was all terracing we used to get big crowds, sometimes in excess of 70,000. Now its capacity is only 39,000.

Definitely time for a change.
 

Just you wait until there's more than 4 direct flights a week to China, and the seats will get snapped up. Bang another tourist club!

I wonder how we avoid becoming a tourist club like our neighbours. Mind you that's a bridge to cross in a few years' time in the best case scenario.

The interesting thing with Manchester City is that despite their recent success, they've inevitably attracted more gloryhunters but they still haven't attracted the amount you'd expect and in comparison to the other popular clubs like their/our neighbours.

I think it will take them a long time to get the support outside of their own City that the other bigger clubs have because quite simply before their takeover they'd gone 35 ish years without any success. That is why for mid week cup games, even Semi Finals, and early kick offs they have had swathes of empty seats as they have had to rely on the local support whereas the other team in Manchester can attract it from all over the country.

Given that they had very impressive crowds (in that era) during their spells in the lower tiers with a hardcore of 30,000, it suggests to me that they aren't doing enough to appeal to their more local support to fill the seats in those midweek games and early kick offs. Haven't paid much attention this season to their crowds but I know they have struggled in recent years like in the Semi Final against us. I'm sure they would try and come back and say that we also didn't sell out the SF at Goodison but we haven't had their success recently. Similarly, season upon season they still fail to sell out a number of away allocations which just wouldn't happen if we were in their position.

If we ever do start becoming successful/move to the new ground as hoped, we need to make sure we cater for everyone and attract the young support in the City too. I think we will though as I believe our club value our support more than the other big clubs do and will offer affordable tickets and arrange offers that will fill the seats.
 
The interesting thing with Manchester City is that despite their recent success, they've inevitably attracted more gloryhunters but they still haven't attracted the amount you'd expect and in comparison to the other popular clubs like their/our neighbours.

I think it will take them a long time to get the support outside of their own City that the other bigger clubs have because quite simply before their takeover they'd gone 35 ish years without any success. That is why for mid week cup games, even Semi Finals, and early kick offs they have had swathes of empty seats as they have had to rely on the local support whereas the other team in Manchester can attract it from all over the country.

Given that they had very impressive crowds (in that era) during their spells in the lower tiers with a hardcore of 30,000, it suggests to me that they aren't doing enough to appeal to their more local support to fill the seats in those midweek games and early kick offs. Haven't paid much attention this season to their crowds but I know they have struggled in recent years like in the Semi Final against us. I'm sure they would try and come back and say that we also didn't sell out the SF at Goodison but we haven't had their success recently. Similarly, season upon season they still fail to sell out a number of away allocations which just wouldn't happen if we were in their position.

If we ever do start becoming successful/move to the new ground as hoped, we need to make sure we cater for everyone and attract the young support in the City too. I think we will though as I believe our club value our support more than the other big clubs do and will offer affordable tickets and arrange offers that will fill the seats.
I live in Stockport, not a million miles away from City's ground. There is a number of mail shots come through the door and ads on local radio, advertising lower prices and promotions for lesser games and European matches, as well as for their women's team and even the U23's. I think if they keep playing as they are doing right now and win something with the current style they have, they'll win over a lot of the day tripper market. If they do it over a period of time, then that day tripper market will be like that at the pit and United - a regular stream of reliable spectators willing to spend more money (than the regular fan) on their visit.

I hope if we get a newer bigger stadium, then we do get a strategy to get schools in and youth organisations and teams through the door, and make huge effort to get the kids and next generation of supporters into our club and know that they are valued and appreciated as well as ensure that the regular fans are catered for with some room for the (hopefully) eventual occasional visitor (ours are too cultured and knowing to be called day trippers if they come for us!).

Talking to the lad next to me at work who is a United fan. He goes about once a season on the stadium tour, because him and his kids like to get a photo alongside the new trophy. That's what we need to be doing as well, make sure we have something for the occasional fan to come and enjoy, but also a reason for repeat visits.

Having said all that, where's the planning application/ drawing/ progress? A long way to go before we get carried away.
 
I was told by someone who was working on this for the council back in August that the magic attendance average was 27k on 19 league games (or 23k per game in championship with more games) assuming similar mix of season tickets/prices, seats. Below that secured revenues for the SPV would not be enough to meet guaranteed minimum repayments to SPV money. We'd feel the pain first on wage bill/transfers. The intent at that time was to allow some short-term under/over payments to deal with a 1-2 season blip but I am sure our early season struggles will have concentrated minds at the council end on the downside risk. So, how might the council/funders respond?

  1. We probably won't be able to convince the SPV to lend more than the suggested £300m which many think looks light (but may be just build costs & not include fit-out costs as that could be on the club to fund...need to see the details as and when)
  2. It could be that the council may seek security beyond ticket revenues limiting the club's ability to raise other Finance & requiring prior SPV approval and probably a cost to club in increased SPV repayments for any waivers they give meaning we 'pay twice' for new funding
  3. The council could seek a binding shareholder counter-guarantee for cost over-runs and/or repayment shortfalls (possibly capped)

This isn't comprehensive but it gives a feel. Consider one obvious scenario if costs over ran to £450m. The first step would mean there is a chance the club will need access to other financing for the £150m extra build costs. The second measure above would impair our ability to do that without prior approval and changed terms, probably higher repayments, from SPV. The third measure would force EFC shareholders to fund at least some of the shortfall directly (up to e.g. £100m).

Unless the proverbial excrement truly hit the fan over the next few months the net result is probably to complicate/elongate negotiations and slightly increase our costs and risks rather than derailing things entirely. If EFC are e.g. mid-table Feb/March folk will breathe easier than if we are in bottom 3 even though they shouldn't!

Finally, it is worth remembering that if this gets built (and I still think that is probable) any sustained (multi-year) attendance decline & loss of commercial prestige from relegation or just poor PL performance could also impair our ability to make any additional capital payments needed to secure ownership (again we need to see details of the SPV funding/ownership transfer as and when).
 

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