New Stadium- How to size it?

[gorgeousgeorgeEFC]

I'd rather us have a gargantuan, world-class stadium that's sometimes not full to capacity than a 50,000 Kirkby-esque shed that's always sold out.

 

[catcherintherye]

Yea there's that aspect of it. Although as a young professional who's only recently had exposure to this kind of scene, I can only say that I hate it!! Super rich bosses or clients getting freebies to events and matches where poor old me has to fork out of my graduate wage for mine lol

Obviously there's a place for it, but we aren't really that kind of club!

In all honesty mate it's a very ugly part of football that I myself can't stand. I can't put a defence of it on a principled or ideological grounds but any such plan will unfortunately involve raising greater revenues. The EPL is the number 1 sporting franchise in the world and in many ways the game is lost to those values. We either join in or get further left behind.

All you can hope is a ticket policy that allows us to sell say 5-10k high end tickets can then be used to supplement affordable tickets for particularly under 18's and competitive prices for the remaining 45k. I don't like the model at all and agree with you but it probably needs to be done and if we get a stadium by the river we stand an excellent chance of doing it well.

 

[kithnou]

I'd rather us have a gargantuan, world-class stadium that's sometimes not full to capacity than a 50,000 Kirkby-esque shed that's always sold out.

 

[ToffeeDoug]

I know the types mate. And I know it unfortunately has its place. I just don't like it. And it's not a primary issue that our new stadium should be focusing on.

What if their 5k seats help subsidise the prices for 50k Everton fans and 5k away fans?

 

[ToffeeTim]

What if their 5k seats help subsidise the prices for 50k Everton fans and 5k away fans?

I know you're right mate. I just don't like it. If you can't go and enjoy the football without needing to make a statement about your social class and to be wined and dined in an extravagant manner then there's something wrong.

Unfortunately we need the revenue and the corporate tickets are a unfortunate necessity. That won't stop me slagging off that sort of clientele lol

 

[peteblue]

Having been at games where there were more empty seats than occupied ones, and at games where thousands were locked out, I would have thought that 60- 65,000 would be about right. The ground can easily be filled with imaginative pricing for families and school kids if needed

 

[kithnou]

Having been at games where there were more empty seats than occupied ones, and at games where thousands were locked out, I would have thought that 60- 65,000 would be about right. The ground can easily be filled with imaginative pricing for families and school kids if needed

For me the mindset is key here.
If we are indeed going to build a football quarter type football experience that has match day and non match day revenues coming to Everton through the likes of a hotel, restaurants and such, then for me pricing the actual ticket low enough to get people to the area is the goal. The other revenues associated with getting people to the "football district" are huge for us if we can pull it off on the docks.

 

[brieverton]

Very good article @catcherintherye thank you.

I hope the design can incorporate an ambitious capacity level which allows room for growth whilst at the same time minimises or negates the impact of any empty seating. The last thing I want to see is swathes of empty seats.

The stadium must be intimidating as well as iconic. We have a real opportunity to learn from places like the Emirates and Etihad - nice enough to look at but bland and relatively formulaic in design. Dull even. I want opponents and fans to dread the thought of coming to us, to fear it, to hate it - all in the best possible way, of course

One would think upper tier seating in particular could be sold at incentivised rates for students, families etc as well to minimise this.

 

[EveBlue]

I think we should be thinking bigger than just capacity. I watch foote in germany a lot and standing adds so much to the atmosphere. Even if not yet allowed we should incorporate "safe standing" -- in germany they still have full terracing including in dortmunds yellow wall - as well as "safe standing". Just use the places as seats until allowed.
60k + including 5-10k standing facility

 

[The binman chronicles]

Interesting article @catcherintherye. I think we should try to build as big as possible with the budget we have with a couple of conditions.

Obviously we could build a cheap 70k one (not saying i would want one that big by the way!) but I think most of us would prefer a world class 55k one. So the size should have no impact on the quality of the structure.

It also depends how the stadium is being paid for, if it is turned into equity that the owners will benefit from at the point they sell the club then great, if we are going to be taking loans out for it then it would probably best to not go so big, as if we have empty or give away price seats then that's not going to help pay for the extra seats that were added in the first place. It's important the new stadium does not become a millstone around our necks.

If Mosh can provide to subsidise the building of the stadium then 60k would seem like a good starting point, as I have said before if we built a stadium with no grow room then we are making it far too easy for the ticket sales/marketing departments. It also gives us more room to bring in new supporters, if we want to become one of the biggest clubs in the world then first things first we need to become the biggest club in our own city.

That means reaching out and winning the hearts and minds of every budding young (& old) football fan, this will not be an easy war to win and it will take 20/30 years at least. If we can offer prices that can help sway choosing us over them we can start to turn the city blue. Obviously it's going to take more than that, we need to start winning trophies and they need a prolonged drought, but to have the bigger and better stadium on the docks is a good start. We have to start thinking big in all possible ways.

 

[Billefc]

Tottenham's new stadium (set to be completed in around 18 months) will have a capacity of 61,000. What's more, Chelsea, Man City and Sunderland (yes, Sunderland!) all have plans to increase the capacities of their respective stadia to well in excess of 60,000.

With that in mind, building a brand-new stadium with a capacity of just 45,000 would send out a message to the world that EFC is a second rate club that can only think small. The likes of Newcastle, Sunderland, Arsenal, Man City, West Ham, Liverpool and Man Utd all have bigger stadia than that today.

Nothing new there then, bk n the rest of this pathetic board have been sending that message for over 20 years, to the point were the football world and even our own fans have become so accustomed to it it, that this once Great Club , is seen as an also ran !

 

[Socrates]

I was quite interested in your figures for the 70's and 80's.

I was a season ticket holder from 1977-78 to 1988-89 before family and location prevented me from going to every game.

The attendance figures announced in those days were a figure of amusement.
Take our league winning season of 84-85 and the figure quoted of 32,000 on average.
To quote most there: "There's more of us than that!" we used to laugh.
We were stood up and it was packed.

I think we should be aiming for 60,000 and I reckon we will fill it for most games.

Can't wait.

 

[Callum_efc]

55,000

 

[Khalekan]

To misquote quote from a movie which was out one time.......

Build the stadium and they will come.

 

[kithnou]

To misquote quote from a movie which was out one time.......

Build the stadium and they will come.

Great movie

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097351/

"If you build it, he will come."