New Everton Stadium

[Dr Baxter]

At night games, practically everyone leaves at or near fulltime. Even the lounge-dwellers don't hang around too long. Nothing whatsoever to do with naysayers. For destination Kirkby the club vowed that all the transport had been fully planned. Only when it was leaked by Knowsley Council did we find out that it was all pie in the sky.... and even its umpteenth revision was laughed out of the public inquiry as completely unviable, and the council had even covered itself with a capacity capping clause. That's often what happens when councils are desperate for a major development on their plot. Let's face it the club's decision-makers have almost run us into the ground.... hardly reason for blind faith now.

Never change, Tom. Just a few points. The most obvious one being we didn't get planning permission for Kirkby, we did for Bramley-Moore. You are also trying to predict fans' behaviour and habits at the new stadium based on current behaviour and habits at GP. That's pointless. You are comparing apples and oranges.

I might end up with egg on my face, but I'll stick my neck out and say the whole issue of getting to and from the new stadium will be a storm in a teacup.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

So in other words, we don't know. I suspect if the beer ain't too prohibitively expensive, if the facilities are decent, if I can watch a 5.30pm match live, I'll be minded to stay and I suspect a fair of fans will, too. I might be proven completely wrong. Time will tell.

Have to agree, I leave straight after the game and never have a drink at the gam as in the main stand we have one bar and one toilet, not only is the goods on sale too dear but once my body wants to reject them the queue for the toilet is ridiculously long.

if I was able to watch the 17:30 game afterwards I would defo be tempted to stay and watch with a competitively priced drink and food but they can shove it where the sun don’t shine if they think I am lining their pockets with my hard earned when I can go to my local or into town to watch the late game if the pricing isn’t right.

 

[MikeH72]

Reckon we should knock it down because something something transport.

 

[maccavennie]

Reckon we should knock it down because something something transport.

Once Everton start providing a free hovercraft with every Everton membership scheme, that'll sort out the problem instantly.

40,000 hovercrafts they've ordered is what I've been told, then the other 13,000 can go on the 2 Aintree Coach Hire buses they've forked out on. They seat 80 people and still have nice little ashtrays in the back of the chair.

 

[Amw79]

Had Everton Stadium contact me about the ALL experience stuff. Said they start at about £3.5k.

Went back to him and said out of my price range that, but asked him if he had any info about the general season ticket stuff for existing ST holders, different stands etc.

Weirdly he came back and said “what is your price range?” Is he haggling? Didn’t think there’s be much scope for movement.

 

[maccavennie]

Had Everton Stadium contact me about the ALL experience stuff. Said they start at about £3.5k.

Went back to him and said out of my price range that, but asked him if he had any info about the general season ticket stuff for existing ST holders, different stands etc.

Weirdly he came back and said “what is your price range?” Is he haggling? Didn’t think there’s be much scope for movement.

I should imagine he's looking at what top end ticket he can sell you after the hospitality has gone.

 

[allen]

I should imagine he's looking at what top end ticket he can sell you after the hospitality has gone.

Hate to say it, but from a commercial perspective Everton are handling this well.

You've got to sell out your top packages before you start offering cheaper ones, otherwise you'd struggle to fill those top-tier slots.

 

[Goat]

Reckon we should knock it down because something something transport.

I still havent ruled out Big Red.

 

[Iana]

Had Everton Stadium contact me about the ALL experience stuff. Said they start at about £3.5k.

Went back to him and said out of my price range that, but asked him if he had any info about the general season ticket stuff for existing ST holders, different stands etc.

Weirdly he came back and said “what is your price range?” Is he haggling? Didn’t think there’s be much scope for movement.

They did have packages at £1950 and £2250 but they must have sold out…I got one of the last “value” options in the West stand back in September.
I have said previously that,based on my experience,I think the club/its agents have handled this very professionally. I did not get the impression that they needed to haggle despite my best efforts!

 

[Iana]

At night games, practically everyone leaves at or near fulltime. Even the lounge-dwellers don't hang around too long. Nothing whatsoever to do with naysayers. For destination Kirkby the club vowed that all the transport had been fully planned. Only when it was leaked by Knowsley Council did we find out that it was all pie in the sky.... and even its umpteenth revision was laughed out of the public inquiry as completely unviable, and the council had even covered itself with a capacity capping clause. That's often what happens when councils are desperate for a major development on their plot. Let's face it the club's decision-makers have almost run us into the ground.... hardly reason for blind faith now.

I live in London and go to all the games down here. There is a lot of walking and queuing to/from/for public transport at Chelsea,Spurs,Arsenal,West Ham. Palace is a pain in the neck to get to and from as I experienced on Thursday night.
With the exception of Chelsea(and Palace) all of those other clubs have bigger capacities than BMD. I am sure there will be pinch points in the early stages,until new routines are established,but I don’t think it will be much worse than what’s in place at those London grounds.

 

[Tom Hughes]

Never change, Tom. Just a few points. The most obvious one being we didn't get planning permission for Kirkby, we did for Bramley-Moore. You are also trying to predict fans' behaviour and habits at the new stadium based on current behaviour and habits at GP. That's pointless. You are comparing apples and oranges.

I might end up with egg on my face, but I'll stick my neck out and say the whole issue of getting to and from the new stadium will be a storm in a teacup.

EFC essentially had planning permission for the stadium in Kirkby. That came from Knowsley Council. It was primarily the retail park (that didn't comply with any regional or national planning legislation) that attracted the bulk of the protests from all neighbouring authorities, causing it to be called in. The point is, throughout the process (including during the inquiry), EFC and Knowsley council repeatedly stated that the transport plan was in place. Only then was it revealed that even after several revisions of the plan, the transport modellers were unable to make the scheme work, none of it added up. Consequently knowsley council put in a clause to protect themselves, whereby the capacity could be capped.

As regards predicting fan's behaviour. I've been in corporate and general admission sections at many stadia (including the Emirates) and at night games they all tend to empty pretty sharpish.

 

[Iana]

Out of 19 home league games per season how many are midweek evening kick-offs excluding holiday periods such as Easter and Christmas? Is this a small problem not applicable to the vast majority of home games?

 

[Tom Hughes]

I live in London and go to all the games down here. There is a lot of walking and queuing to/from/for public transport at Chelsea,Spurs,Arsenal,West Ham. Palace is a pain in the neck to get to and from as I experienced on Thursday night.
With the exception of Chelsea(and Palace) all of those other clubs have bigger capacities than BMD. I am sure there will be pinch points in the early stages,until new routines are established,but I don’t think it will be much worse than what’s in place at those London grounds.

That's the difference. The public transport at most major London clubs is far higher capacity than what is currently on offer at BMD, and much of it is mass rapid transit. That's why the public transport usage at those grounds is often 95%+. According to our transport plan, BMD requires a substantial shift away from car use. Currently only 40% use public transport at GP, despite have multiple bus routes on its doorstep and several access points in all directions, with far more road lanes serving it. The club say it will have to be over 60% public transport usage at BMD to avoid gridlock and low dispersal rates. There is very little in the plan to explain how that works, beyond shank's Pony to town, Sandhills or Scotland Rd.

The Northern line is a great asset to BMD, but we're now being told that Sandhills' current arrangement would only allow approx 3000 people per hr to access it. So that, and the buses serving Scotland Rd would have to go some to shift the numbers required to meet the club's 60% criteria, with no direct services to the bulk of the city's suburbs..

Of course, the city centre is the key major hub that can give that distribution and capacity seen at the London stadia. If that connection is made efficient it could really boost public transport access.... but again apart from sketchy mentions of shuttle buses, there is very little in the plan to explain how those numbers can be achieved.

 

[Iana]

Tom, I think we are violently agreeing just that my glass tends to be half full and yours half empty.
For all the positives of public transport in London it still requires Shank’s pony to get to and from those grounds mentioned in my earlier post and with a lot more people to contend with.
The club/council/Merseyside transport have got 18 months to sort out the plan and supporters have to do the same with regard to new match-day routines.
For all of Goodison’s faults in the modern age maybe we have all become complacent on its accessibility versus equivalent Premier League grounds.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

EFC essentially had planning permission for the stadium in Kirkby. That came from Knowsley Council. It was primarily the retail park (that didn't comply with any regional or national planning legislation) that attracted the bulk of the protests from all neighbouring authorities, causing it to be called in. The point is, throughout the process (including during the inquiry), EFC and Knowsley council repeatedly stated that the transport plan was in place. Only then was it revealed that even after several revisions of the plan, the transport modellers were unable to make the scheme work, none of it added up. Consequently knowsley council put in a clause to protect themselves, whereby the capacity could be capped.

As regards predicting fan's behaviour. I've been in corporate and general admission sections at many stadia (including the Emirates) and at night games they all tend to empty pretty sharpish.

I go to lots of games at Chelsea in corporate hospitality. Everyone stays behind for an hour afterwards to let the crowds subside. Free booze and food so why wouldn't you?