Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

[Albion] Brighton Women's Home Ground?



Change at Barnham

Well-known member
Aug 6, 2011
5,410
Bognor Regis
A record crowd of 54115 at Emirates Stadium to watch Arsenal Women lose their opening WSL game to Liverpool Women.

The need to bring our women's side away from Crawly and closer to Brighton is becoming more urgent if we wish to achieve our aim of becoming a top four side.

How long before we can get 10000 to 15000 at the Amex to justify the cost of opening the Amex?

Dogma Article - Bring Home the Albion
 






Change at Barnham

Well-known member
Aug 6, 2011
5,410
Bognor Regis
Arsenal are a global team with 2/3 the amount of followers on Twitter that follow their women’s team as follow our men’s team.

We have a way to go to reach that level of support . Good start though .
We have poor transport links, minimal parking and we don't have the catchment area or supporter base of clubs based in London, Manchester, Birmingham or Newcastle have.

But can we build our support to get 10000+ gates?
And if so. could there be an option other than The Amex?
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
72,158
A record crowd of 54115 at Emirates Stadium to watch Arsenal Women lose their opening WSL game to Liverpool Women.

The need to bring our women's side away from Crawly and closer to Brighton is becoming more urgent if we wish to achieve our aim of becoming a top four side.

How long before we can get 10000 to 15000 at the Amex to justify the cost of opening the Amex?

Dogma Article - Bring Home the Albion
From that article, it looks like a Catch-22 situation. PBOBE will open the Amex if the WSL attendance reaches 10000 to 15000, and there's only 3,000 willing to go to Crawley. How does that stalemate get resolved? I'd suggest by PBOBE opening the AMEX for a trial WSL season, or even a trial half-season and monitoring the attendances. Might take a financial hit, might not, but it's the only way he'll get to know for sure
 


Lurchy

Well-known member
Jul 2, 2014
2,421
Our game against Spurs Ladies is at the Amex so that can be used as a barometer to test demand.

I imagine if the attendance is around 10k or higher the likelihood is that they’ll try more games there before making a decision later on.
 




stewart12

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2019
1,885
I do think that our womens team will never take off all the time that they're playing in Crawley

there must be a viable alternative that can be developed somewhere, but I don't think the Amex is the long term solution
 


Charles 'Charley' Charles

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2005
3,565
The Mile Of Oaks
Our game against Spurs Ladies is at the Amex so that can be used as a barometer to test demand.

I imagine if the attendance is around 10k or higher the likelihood is that they’ll try more games there before making a decision later on.
The availiable blocks are pretty much sold out now, which is positive, just singles dotted about. Just had look as we were going to get tickets, hoping they open up another block or 2.
 


amexer

Well-known member
Aug 8, 2011
6,741
Our game against Spurs Ladies is at the Amex so that can be used as a barometer to test demand.

I imagine if the attendance is around 10k or higher the likelihood is that they’ll try more games there before making a decision later on.
Unless it is a cup semi or a play off game will they ever attract a crowd of 10k plus. at the Amex PB pushes the womens side to mens ST holders but think they need to attract a new audience. as I cant see many when both are at home going to 2 games over a weekend Men used Withdean for many years surely with capacity of 5/6k this would be ok
 




stewart12

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2019
1,885
Unless it is a cup semi or a play off game will they ever attract a crowd of 10k plus. at the Amex PB pushes the womens side to mens ST holders but think they need to attract a new audience. as I cant see many when both are at home going to 2 games over a weekend Men used Withdean for many years surely with capacity of 5/6k this would be ok

Withdean is probably the only one in the immediate vicinity that could be developed as you're starting at 2,000 all seated capacity so about a third of the way there.....but it would need a fair bit of tarting up.

Also as we know from our time there, it's quite expensive to rent for what it is
 




Beanstalk

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2017
3,005
London
Arsenal have been taking the women’s game seriously for thirty odd years now. They’re the most successful women’s side in this country and have done a ridiculous amount of off the pitch work to make sure that when they do play at the emirates they get crowds.

I’ve been to two Arsenal women’s games at the Emirates (always have been my “local” side geographically) and it was just really easy compared to seeing the Albion (especially at Crawley). Jump on the tube and walk straight in, it’s an afternoon’s commitment and in return you get to see some of the best female footballers in the world. We’re a long way away from that level.
 




Oscar

Well-known member
Nov 10, 2003
3,863
I'd love it if they did use Withdean but it seems unlikely.

With a couple of extra stands, could matches not be hosted at the training ground?
 


PeterT

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2017
2,264
Hove
I still think they should look at turning women’s football into a summer sport, a bit like rugby league.

I already see enough football in the winter months and with the best will in the world playing it at the same time of year as the men’s game means it’s always going to be more difficult to attract audiences alongside that. Package it a bit differently, play it on a summer’s evening and I’d go, as potentially would lots of families and kids on school holiday. However put in on a Sunday lunchtime in Crawley in the winter when I’ve already been to a men’s game on the Saturday and it’s not got the same appeal.

I appreciate it would bring its own issues like year round use of the pitch, clashes with major tournaments and summer sports, but just a thought …..
 






I still think they should look at turning women’s football into a summer sport, a bit like rugby league.

I already see enough football in the winter months and with the best will in the world playing it at the same time of year as the men’s game means it’s always going to be more difficult to attract audiences alongside that. Package it a bit differently, play it on a summer’s evening and I’d go, as potentially would lots of families and kids on school holiday. However put in on a Sunday lunchtime in Crawley in the winter when I’ve already been to a men’s game on the Saturday and it’s not got the same appeal.

I appreciate it would bring its own issues like year round use of the pitch, clashes with major tournaments and summer sports, but just a thought …..
Thats what they do in Aussie Rules football in australia - men's game runs from march to late september, and the womens comp starts in early september and runs til early Dec. So just as the men's game is hotting up with playoffs, and the fans are keen to keep going to their weekend footy matches. It works a treat, i think its great scheduling.
 


Nobby Cybergoat

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
8,607
WSL restrictions on ground requirements are holding women back. We're never going to get good gates at Crawley, but could get very decent ones if we cycled around playing at Lewes, Lancing, Amex, Worthing, Withdean etc.

We also have to be prepared to take a loss initially. Nobody has heard of any of our players. Building up the profile of these games will take years. But it's totally do-able, and if we're prepared to spend money on Cat A training facilities, I don't see why we're not prepared to lose money playing more games at the Amex as part of this
 


Uter

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2008
1,488
The land of chocolate
Is the issue also not that there’s a limit on the number of games/events that can be held at the Amex each season?
There is a limit, but it's not an issue as it is 50 events. The WSL would have to expand significantly for this to be a potential issue. Even then I'm sure the council would be very amenable to increasing the limit.
 


sussexbee

Member
Jan 15, 2023
29
To be honest I hate WSL matches at the Amex. No atmosphere in an empty cavernous stadium. Attracts one off daytrippers who aren't watching the game. Have to pay for parking.
Crawley is only 25mins up the road. We'd do better to encourage growth there.

Main drawback of Crawley is how red it is.
 




Uter

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2008
1,488
The land of chocolate
A record crowd of 54115 at Emirates Stadium to watch Arsenal Women lose their opening WSL game to Liverpool Women.

The need to bring our women's side away from Crawly and closer to Brighton is becoming more urgent if we wish to achieve our aim of becoming a top four side.

How long before we can get 10000 to 15000 at the Amex to justify the cost of opening the Amex?

Dogma Article - Bring Home the Albion
When we played Arsenal at the Amex in 2019 the crowd was 5265 and reported as an all time WSL record (for any side astonishingly). Whereas some clubs have since made great strides in getting bigger crowds, we haven't really built on that. COVID and some poor results have not helped.

Ticket sales for the Spurs game in 2 weeks look fairly encouraging with most of the lower East sold. With a fair wind we might surpass our best attendance, but even then I can't see it getting near 10000 without some very aggressive marketing.

I'm optimistic that we'll eventually and play a lot more games at the Amex and achieve 10,000+ crowds regularly. I think it will take a little success on the pitch to light the touch-paper.
 


PeterT

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2017
2,264
Hove
To be honest I hate WSL matches at the Amex. No atmosphere in an empty cavernous stadium. Attracts one off daytrippers who aren't watching the game. Have to pay for parking.
Crawley is only 25mins up the road. We'd do better to encourage growth there.

Main drawback of Crawley is how red it is.

I’m sure that had its own thread once! Sounds like a 25 mark question on an ‘urban studies’ exam!!
 


Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here