Expansion to 63,000 and safe standing

[john@staustell]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... 3-000.html

Manchester City have begun consulting supporters about a proposed expansion of the Etihad Stadium, including possible areas of safe standing.
City want to gauge appetite for an enlarged North Stand that would raise the ground's capacity to about 63,000 from its current 55,000.
The club secured planning permission for the project in 2014 but put the idea on hold, instead focusing on adding a third tier to the South Stand.

Fans were invited to give their input in a questionnaire about their experiences at home matches sent out on Wednesday.
The club also asked for opinions on a proposal for two new hospitality bars — called Joe's, after Joe Mercer, and 93:20, the minutes on the clock when Sergio Aguero scored to win the 2011-12 title — as well as changes to season-ticket and hospitality packages.
The champions are in favour of safe standing and could look to introduce rail seating behind both goals.
A Government review may be completed in the near future and City asked fans which areas of the stadium, and at what price, would be most appealing.

City also suggested they will cut prices of tickets in the North Stand should they press ahead and add 8,000 seats. An expanded singing section has also been mooted.

[Mase]

How often do we fill it currently?

[Foreverinbluedreams]

How often do we fill it currently?

Bums on seats or tickets sold?

[Mase]

How often do we fill it currently?

Bums on seats or tickets sold?

The actual people that go. No point having 63k of there's loads of gaps.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

How often do we fill it currently?

Bums on seats or tickets sold?

The actual people that go. No point having 63k of there's loads of gaps.

'if you build it, they will come'

I get you, but increasing the capacity also allows them to attract events, concerts.

[BlueinBosnia]

How often do we fill it currently?

Bums on seats or tickets sold?

The actual people that go. No point having 63k of there's loads of gaps.

'if you build it, they will come'

I get you, but increasing the capacity also allows them to attract events, concerts.

How will it help these? The pitch isn't being increased in size, and from what I can see from a quick Google image search, the stage is placed near the goal line, facing the triple-tier South Stand:

[City64]

If all the armchair lot made the effort we would get 75K every week ...........

[Foreverinbluedreams]

How often do we fill it currently?

Bums on seats or tickets sold?

The actual people that go. No point having 63k of there's loads of gaps.

'if you build it, they will come'

I get you, but increasing the capacity also allows them to attract events, concerts.

How will it help these? The pitch isn't being increased in size, and from what I can see from a quick Google image search, the stage is placed near the goal line, facing the triple-tier South Stand:

That's a good point, I must search out where I was reading about that to see if it goes into more detail.

I was at a U2 gig recently and the stage was set up in the centre of the arena, I guess in that type of setup it would help.

[PeterParker]

I think it would be a great idea (if possible), to bring the seat close to the goal. There will be much more pressure on the opponents like that.
For me this is what is lacking from Maine Road. We had the fans there almost on the backs of our opponents.

[BlueinBosnia]

I think it would be a great idea (if possible), to bring the seat close to the goal. There will be much more pressure on the opponents like that.
For me this is what is lacking from Maine Road. We had the fans there almost on the backs of our opponents.

Didn't we already do this and add an extra 2 or 3 rows, or is it something that's still being planned?

[Hutch's Shoulder]

I received this questionnaire. It had a lot of sections with different seating options asking which you would prefer at different prices, but didn't really have a section where I could tell them I just wanted to stay where I was!

[City64]

I think it would be a great idea (if possible), to bring the seat close to the goal. There will be much more pressure on the opponents like that.
For me this is what is lacking from Maine Road. We had the fans there almost on the backs of our opponents.

Bottom rows of seats are quite close to the goals , city put extra in a few years ago . Atmosphere was rocking in the derby and city fans always turn up the volume in the big games .

[Elvistheblue]

I don't think the club are too bothered about filling the stadium for every game. They know that won't be the case. It's a case of having the availability for those bigger games that the demand is there for. You look at Barcelona, they don't fill that stadium regularly...although it's a bit bigger than the Etihad, but the availability is there for those bigger games.

I don't like to see empty seats any more than anyone else. The club must have done their homework on this, to ensure it's worthwhile.

I received the questionnaire too. I got away with being able to stay in my seat after the last rejig, and for the same price, but this worries me again.

[Hutch's Shoulder]

I don't think the club are too bothered about filling the stadium for every game. They know that won't be the case. It's a case of having the availability for those bigger games that the demand is there for. You look at Barcelona, they don't fill that stadium regularly...although it's a bit bigger than the Etihad, but the availability is there for those bigger games.

I don't like to see empty seats any more than anyone else. The club must have done their homework on this, to ensure it's worthwhile.

I received the questionnaire too. I got away with being able to stay in my seat after the last rejig, and for the same price, but this worries me again.

Yes, I doubt there is any sporting venue that fills or sells every seat for every event; commercially they need to fill enough seats enough often enough to make it worthwhile. It was a worry that not one of the options offered allowed me to select my current block, I'm hoping that means they are not intending to change it!

Interestingly, one of the options was for a ticket that guaranteed seats against the big five only (Arse, Chavs, Rags, Dippers, Spuds).

[Elvistheblue]

I don't think the club are too bothered about filling the stadium for every game. They know that won't be the case. It's a case of having the availability for those bigger games that the demand is there for. You look at Barcelona, they don't fill that stadium regularly...although it's a bit bigger than the Etihad, but the availability is there for those bigger games.

I don't like to see empty seats any more than anyone else. The club must have done their homework on this, to ensure it's worthwhile.

I received the questionnaire too. I got away with being able to stay in my seat after the last rejig, and for the same price, but this worries me again.

Yes, I doubt there is any sporting venue that fills or sells every seat for every event; commercially they need to fill enough seats enough often enough to make it worthwhile. It was a worry that not one of the options offered allowed me to select my current block, I'm hoping that means they are not intending to change it!

I thought the same as I was completing it. I kept choosing none...expecting one of them to have something that was at least near where I am now, SS Lv2 Block 219....but no, there wasn't. Hope that isn't a bad sign. I don't want to sit right at the back of the third tier, and I don't want to sit on the front. Other than that, the choices were pretty limited.

[Elvistheblue]

I don't follow City just to watch them against the big 5. That's for tourists. I watch City to watch City, regardless of who they are against.

[Bluemoon4610]

I think it would be a great idea (if possible), to bring the seat close to the goal. There will be much more pressure on the opponents like that.
For me this is what is lacking from Maine Road. We had the fans there almost on the backs of our opponents.

Didn't we already do this and add an extra 2 or 3 rows, or is it something that's still being planned?

They added 3 new rows at the front of the East stand (& maybe CB? ) I think when they did the South expansion. Not sure they could add any more there as they're really low to the pitch and the view's not great!

[Jacobs Crackers]

I recently went on a tour and the guide said they wanted to increase capacity so that the stadium could hold a champions league final. Current capacity is below what UEFA require

[BlueinBosnia]

I think it would be a great idea (if possible), to bring the seat close to the goal. There will be much more pressure on the opponents like that.
For me this is what is lacking from Maine Road. We had the fans there almost on the backs of our opponents.

Didn't we already do this and add an extra 2 or 3 rows, or is it something that's still being planned?

They added 3 new rows at the front of the East stand (& maybe CB? ) I think when they did the South expansion. Not sure they could add any more there as they're really low to the pitch and the view's not great!

I'm not sure if they could lower the pitch a wee bit more or not. That's what they did during conversion after the Commonwealth Games, but it was all part of the original plans. Maybe now it's at the lowest it could possibly be without major structural works or affecting the pitch's quality.

[sheblue]

I think it would be a great idea (if possible), to bring the seat close to the goal. There will be much more pressure on the opponents like that.
For me this is what is lacking from Maine Road. We had the fans there almost on the backs of our opponents.

Didn't we already do this and add an extra 2 or 3 rows, or is it something that's still being planned?

They added 3 new rows at the front of the East stand (& maybe CB? ) I think when they did the South expansion. Not sure they could add any more there as they're really low to the pitch and the view's not great!

I'm not sure if they could lower the pitch a wee bit more or not. That's what they did during conversion after the Commonwealth Games, but it was all part of the original plans. Maybe now it's at the lowest it could possibly be without major structural works or affecting the pitch's quality.

Maybe the gains would probably would not out weigh the considerable cost of lowering the pitch further?