Stadium Expansion

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

If they allocate seats sensibly there will also not be the problem of losing atmosphere due to empty seats.

In the 'old days' 10k people in a 24k stadium meant gaps everywhere at pitch level and an 'empty' feel.

If we 'only' get 30k crowds in a £38k stadium as long as the spare seats are at the backs of the stands then the players won;t even notice them, the cameras won;t focus on them and the local idiots who delight on picking holes int he club won;t spot that we're 'only' selling 75% of capacity for the odd game.

one reason the mad stat looks so empty with low crowds is that most people sit in the east stand. In the mad stads first couple of years I had a season ticket for the north stand. The view was fantastic, but the place was deserted.

The club also aren't stupid. If we don't sell out the 30,000 more than 3 or 4 times a season then they will most likely hold off on any further expansion until support levels grow.

[premiership_bound]

If they allocate seats sensibly there will also not be the problem of losing atmosphere due to empty seats.

In the 'old days' 10k people in a 24k stadium meant gaps everywhere at pitch level and an 'empty' feel.

If we 'only' get 30k crowds in a £38k stadium as long as the spare seats are at the backs of the stands then the players won;t even notice them, the cameras won;t focus on them and the local idiots who delight on picking holes int he club won;t spot that we're 'only' selling 75% of capacity for the odd game.

That's cheap, what a bargain.

[Dirk Gently]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

But as we can actually sell out this weekend against Fulham, surely the whole question becomes academic?

[RG30]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

But as we can actually sell out this weekend against Fulham, surely the whole question becomes academic?

Yet it only became a sell out when the club contradicted there own rules and said anyone could purchase a ticket, with or without a member card.

[The 17 Bus]

so they released paper tickets, whats the problem?

[Wycombe Royal]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

But as we can actually sell out this weekend against Fulham, surely the whole question becomes academic?

Yet it only became a sell out when the club contradicted there own rules and said anyone could purchase a ticket, with or without a member card.

So what? The tickets still sold didn't they?

[AJ~]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

But as we can actually sell out this weekend against Fulham, surely the whole question becomes academic?

Yet it only became a sell out when the club contradicted there own rules and said anyone could purchase a ticket, with or without a member card.

You sure about that? It only said on the official website that they were on sale to all member card holders.

[weybridgewanderer]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

But as we can actually sell out this weekend against Fulham, surely the whole question becomes academic?

Yet it only became a sell out when the club contradicted there own rules and said anyone could purchase a ticket, with or without a member card.

when did they say you could buy a ticket without a member card? all i ever saw was "tickets on sale to all member card holders"

[Ian Royal]

Surely the member card only thing is due to a lack of space to (allegedly) ensure long term fans get priority. Once we have a ground with a much higher capacity that becomes less of a problem and we can have more possibility of turning up on a whim.

There have to be plenty of people like me who haven't made many games because you have to plan ahead to work out which games are likely to be possible to get to and shift other commitments, only to possibly find by the time you can get a ticket the've all gone or something else has a come up.

[MartinRdg]

I don't think we'll sell out but I agree with Dirk, the 38,000 option means we'll have covered all angles and it also makes the club a better proposition to sell, which is possibly why JM will be here for another 2 years minimum.

Also, you have the advantage of being able to host international matches as well and possibly World cup or European International matches.

[pooandwee]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/6563839.stm

Fans face losing favourite seats
Football fans could lose their favourite seats as part of a Premiership club's plans to develop a new corporate hospitality area.
Plans to redevelop the East Stand of Reading's Madejski Stadium could see a section of seating changed to matchday hospitality for the 2008/2009 season.

A club spokesman has apologised to those fans that might lose their seats in the prime-viewing location.

He added they would be compensated and given priority in selecting new seats.

"Due to the central location of the area, we recognise that many of the people who may be affected are among our most loyal and long-standing supporters," he said.

"We sincerely apologise to anyone who would be affected as we continue to develop the stadium and take the club forward."

[papereyes]

So good, it got posted twice.

Am I the only one who thinks this is all a waste of time and energy given the ever-so-advanced state of the plans.

And, no one is going to lose a seat because of this, some people might get moved.

It just strikes me as whinging for the sake of it.

[Dirk Gently]

So good, it got posted twice.

Am I the only one who thinks this is all a waste of time and energy given the ever-so-advanced state of the plans.

And, no one is going to lose a seat because of this, some people might get moved.

It just strikes me as whinging for the sake of it.

Indeed! The team is 8th in the Premier League, there's nothing much to moan about, so try and use whatever we can as stick to try and beat the club with.

Always helped, of course, by lazy local journalists who love nothing more in today's tabloid society than the chance to be outraged about something, no matter how fatuous or tenuous!

[working class hero]

So good, it got posted twice.

Am I the only one who thinks this is all a waste of time and energy given the ever-so-advanced state of the plans.

And, no one is going to lose a seat because of this, some people might get moved.

It just strikes me as whinging for the sake of it.

Indeed! The team is 8th in the Premier League, there's nothing much to moan about, so try and use whatever we can as stick to try and beat the club with.

Always helped, of course, by lazy local journalists who love nothing more in today's tabloid society than the chance to be outraged about something, no matter how fatuous or tenuous!

These posts are of course from people who won't be moved....

[rg6royal]

hope that i dont get from my seat in y21 as i have a great view. are the south and north stands being doubled????

[shadesrwrf]

So good, it got posted twice.

Am I the only one who thinks this is all a waste of time and energy given the ever-so-advanced state of the plans.

And, no one is going to lose a seat because of this, some people might get moved.

It just strikes me as whinging for the sake of it.

Indeed! The team is 8th in the Premier League, there's nothing much to moan about, so try and use whatever we can as stick to try and beat the club with.

Always helped, of course, by lazy local journalists who love nothing more in today's tabloid society than the chance to be outraged about something, no matter how fatuous or tenuous!

These posts are of course from people who won't be moved....

Exactly. And clearly from people who don't give a shit about anybody but themselves. Whilst I'm not personally affected, I can fully understand the disappointment of a fan who has a seat in a prime location that will be moved no doubt higher up the stand to a far less desirable position.

[Behindu]

Exactly. And clearly from people who don't give a shit about anybody but themselves. Whilst I'm not personally affected, I can fully understand the disappointment of a fan who has a seat in a prime location that will be moved no doubt higher up the stand to a far less desirable position.

An interesting paradox.

It is OK for people to get annoyed because they want to sit in a particular seat and want the whole plans to be developed around their personal preferences. But anyone who argues for a slightly bigger view on things 'doesn't give a shit about anybody but themselves'.

We don't know if anyone will be affected, and we don;t know in what way they might be or what alternatives will be on offer. If it happens and if the offer is of a seat say 10 rows further back is that 'far less desireable' ?
Bearing in mind people chose their current seats based on the OLD design is it not possible that a seat slightly higher up might be just as 'desireable' if looked at a bit less emotionally and in the context of the new layout ?

As ever, I do sympathise with people who feel they may be asked to move but some of the language and assumptions seem a bit wide of the mark.

[shadesrwrf]

Exactly. And clearly from people who don't give a shit about anybody but themselves. Whilst I'm not personally affected, I can fully understand the disappointment of a fan who has a seat in a prime location that will be moved no doubt higher up the stand to a far less desirable position.

An interesting paradox.

It is OK for people to get annoyed because they want to sit in a particular seat and want the whole plans to be developed around their personal preferences. But anyone who argues for a slightly bigger view on things 'doesn't give a shit about anybody but themselves'.

We don't know if anyone will be affected, and we don;t know in what way they might be or what alternatives will be on offer. If it happens and if the offer is of a seat say 10 rows further back is that 'far less desireable' ?
Bearing in mind people chose their current seats based on the OLD design is it not possible that a seat slightly higher up might be just as 'desireable' if looked at a bit less emotionally and in the context of the new layout ?

As ever, I do sympathise with people who feel they may be asked to move but some of the language and assumptions seem a bit wide of the mark.

I understand your point however I feel it's insensitive at this time for a supposed representative of the fans to be expecting them to look at the wider picture when their primary focus ought to be to offer support and understanding.

[Bowman's Quiver]

Exactly. And clearly from people who don't give a shit about anybody but themselves. Whilst I'm not personally affected, I can fully understand the disappointment of a fan who has a seat in a prime location that will be moved no doubt higher up the stand to a far less desirable position.

An interesting paradox.

It is OK for people to get annoyed because they want to sit in a particular seat and want the whole plans to be developed around their personal preferences. But anyone who argues for a slightly bigger view on things 'doesn't give a shit about anybody but themselves'.

We don't know if anyone will be affected, and we don;t know in what way they might be or what alternatives will be on offer. If it happens and if the offer is of a seat say 10 rows further back is that 'far less desireable' ?
Bearing in mind people chose their current seats based on the OLD design is it not possible that a seat slightly higher up might be just as 'desireable' if looked at a bit less emotionally and in the context of the new layout ?

As ever, I do sympathise with people who feel they may be asked to move but some of the language and assumptions seem a bit wide of the mark.

I understand your point however I feel it's insensitive at this time for a supposed representative of the fans to be expecting them to look at the wider picture when their primary focus ought to be to offer support and understanding.

That's it STAR should offer all those (possibly) affected counselling

By Christ we've got some Luddities in the East Stand.

[PieEater]

We don't know if anyone will be affected,

We do, the club have confirmed on the OS that some people will move and be offered new seats in the extension. So from that I assume the plans are correct and those missing seats will make way for the entrance to the matchday hospitality. What we don't know is the extent of the disruption, the club could still be deciding which other seats to make available to the hospitality once the entrance is made, ie above (DD to KK) or below (Y-L). A certain MP might be quite concerned about that.

and we don;t know in what way they might be or what alternatives will be on offer. If it happens and if the offer is of a seat say 10 rows further back is that 'far less desireable' ?

I make it nearer 15 rows. What are these "alternatives", a discount to join the well heeled, or a move somewhere else altogether. Either way it's a move I don't want to make.

Bearing in mind people chose their current seats based on the OLD design is it not possible that a seat slightly higher up might be just as 'desireable' if looked at a bit less emotionally and in the context of the new layout ?

I don't think close to doubling the distance to the pitch could be described as slightly.

As ever, I do sympathise with people who feel they may be asked to move but some of the language and assumptions seem a bit wide of the mark.

How do you know they are wide of the mark, if you have some better facts than the plans then please share them?