New Everton Stadium

[The binman chronicles]

I don't think the "larger" capacity is as important as it once was with TV money making gate receipts not incidental but not as vital as in times past. Also judging by Utd, Arsenal and the RS their additional fans tend to be 6 toed tourists and cross dressers who wear barbed wire undies for lent. Better a lesser number of fanatics fuelling a ravenous bear pit than an overblown library filled with mute freaks

Don't take for granted the TV money will always be there. We had one of the largest stadiums in the country and still managed to fall behind badly. We will just be in the top 10 this time, with Utd, Spurs, West Ham, City and them having 10k over us. Arsenal with 8k more.

To be hemmed in on three sides and with that kind of differential could leave us adrift without a benefactor.

 

[PhilM]

They’re putting in plans to make Anfield a 62,000 capacity stadium.

People may not want to hear this, however they will regularly sell out their tin shed if the attendance was raised to that figure and without reduced ticket prices.

Their ability to have higher ticket prices, large numbers of hospitality (with that profit margin) and the associated merchandise means it's far more viable.

 

[cooperman]

I think the capacity is spot on, being realistic. I'm confident we'd fill it at 52k, whereas higher we'd always have empty seats which will ruin the atmosphere. 39.5k with loads of poor seats to 52k all prime seats is a huge upgrade.

I'm sure the end which is opposite the new home end can be stretched back a bit in future to produce extra seats if need be, if they bridge it over the walk way behind the stand? Maybe about another 3k?

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

Not happening this

Not like you to be so negative!

 

[davek]

It's coming David

Large slices of humble will be very welcome.

However, I have a feeling there'll be a long wait and then there'll be an empty plate.

 

[Neiler]

I always find the debate over attendances an over complicated one.

We arent filling a 60k stadium at the moment, we wont get 60k for the majority of our games.

Football is essentially an entertainment business we currently dont provide great entertainment, 60k wont come to watch this current team nor the team of the last 5 seasons. 50 odd k we will be lucky.

If we had any success 60k no problem, then yo can look to grow, but right now no.

 

[Lee Smith]

Large slices of humble will be very welcome.

However, I have a feeling there'll be a long wait and then there'll be an empty plate.

I'm sure I speak for many on here Dave when I say that hopefully this will be you sometime in the very near future.... lol

 

[Neiler]

I'm sure I speak for many on here Dave when I say that hopefully this will be you sometime in the very near future.... lol

I can understand his reservations though, im excited about BMD and wouldn't say it definitely wont be developed, but many of us are veterans on here of investing years in many new Everton grounds only for plans to end up gathering dust on some shelf in storage at Goodision.

There is a part of you that is always wary of stepping on a snake here as opposed to a ladder and our financial situation at the moment is grim.

 

[davek]

I'm sure I speak for many on here Dave when I say that hopefully this will be you sometime in the very near future.... lol

I hope so too.

 

[Kurt.]

Large slices of humble will be very welcome.

However, I have a feeling there'll be a long wait and then there'll be an empty plate.

You seem to be mixing up the ‘new stadium’ thread with the ‘vote tory’ Thread

 

[alvinh]

Mate, the last time the capacity was about 52,000 we couldn't fill it to play Bayern Munich, the closest we came was 51,500 Vs the rs.
All though I hate to say a good word about The Board...for all the previously mentioned various reasons they probably have it right.
All the rest is just pie in the sky willy waving
You have to cut your suit according to your cloth

Re. your 'Agressive Pricing' - you're right about it being not cost effective if the plan is to spend extra money, which you will have to pay extra interest on, to build extra seats, which you will proceed to sell off for cbeap...if you can sell them at all.

I agree. I've repeatedly seen much gnashing of teeth and rending of hair over the proposed capacity, yet as I posted above, it struck me as a sound commercial decision given the site, costs, current and potential future audience etc. I asked the question because I keep seeing these posts decrying the lack of ambition shown in 52k and am wondering if there's anything that I'm missing.

I think building a 65k stadium there would provide a huge challenge to the marketing department, to the logistics of the project, to the financing etc. When I say aggressive pricing I'm talking in the context of current kids season tickets being £95, so given the demographics of the catchment area it would need to have the cheapest PL seats in the country to get anywhere near capacity for most games. I doubt that would actually turn a profit once stewarding and policing costs etc were factored in.

That's why I don't think this:

If (IF) usmanov really is coming on board the finance side shouldn’t be a problem

would really change the equation however rich Usmanov is. He would only build a bigger stadium if it made commercial sense.

 

[The binman chronicles]

I'm sure the end which is opposite the new home end can be stretched back a bit in future to produce extra seats if need be, if they bridge it over the walk way behind the stand? Maybe about another 3k?

The upper tier is already over the walkway. To be extended further it would have to start overhanging the wastewater works buildings (See below). Can't see them allowing that and even if they did it would be prohibitively expensive. More chance of the home end being extended but once built it is going to be a very awkward site to build upon on, bar the east stand in front of the fan plaza.

 

[Jeff Jones]

They’re putting in plans to make Anfield a 62,000 capacity stadium.

I don't see the point, but I really don't care.

 

[alvinh]

Don't take for granted the TV money will always be there

This is also an argument against borrowing vast sums to build additional capacity which is either sold at prices below break-even, depresses the value you can get from the other seats or even worse, sits empty for the majority of the games each season.

More chance of the home end being extended but once built it is going to be a very awkward site to build upon on, bar the east stand in front of the fan plaza.

I agree once built it's tough and expensive to expand. Really the capacity is a decision they need to get right and stick to. The exception I think is changing the configuration to include safe standing areas if that ever becomes a thing in top level football. I hope they're factoring into their design ways that this can be achieved without as much cost and disruption as if they were coming at it from scratch.

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

They’re putting in plans to make Anfield a 62,000 capacity stadium.

Why does that mean we have to? They're happy making a stadium that looks fugly, destroys the local area and forces people out of their homes to drive revenue... That's not what I want from my club.