AMEX expansion - there must be a plan hidden away somewhere......

Not Andy Naylor · Oct 10, 2018

BeHereNow said:
I've thought for a long time that there is room behind the North Stand for 8 or so more rows, which would make it about the same size as Cardiff's home end. Well, for most of the 4 central blocks anyway.

If they don't put seats in there, then it would be the perfect place to trail safe standing if we ever get the chance.

From a capacity point of view, I don't see why we shouldn't want the same as what Leicester and Southampton have, or somewhere in between. Didn't we have similar sized crowds to them in The Championship?

Imagine if someone said building The Amex wasn't cost effective. We wouldn't have got it done. To be honest, with the amount we lose every season, it probably isn't that cost effective. But it got built anyway because we wanted more fans and for the club to grow.

My point is that we took a bit of a risk building the stadium, and it paid off. We've could've ended up playing in front of 12000 in a 22000 stadium in League 1. We still built it. It's called ambition.

This might seem like a bit of a contradiction, but I'm saying we should add a couple of thousand tops, (if we can, and that's if we can sort the transport out a bit) not ten thousand.

Agree about the North Stand, but didn't I read somewhere that they'd have to increase the concourse space and toilet provision proportionately even if they were able to find more space at the back?

HastingsSeagull · Oct 11, 2018

Not Andy Naylor said:
Agree about the North Stand, but didn't I read somewhere that they'd have to increase the concourse space and toilet provision proportionately even if they were able to find more space at the back?

This!

99% sure read that on here a couple times when the debate has raged. It would be wonderful to have 2-4k more scattered around right now, but think we balanced it just right at the time and took an approach that was flexible. Everything having gone incredibly well is the reason this is a debate.

dazzer6666 · Oct 11, 2018

Psychobilly freakout said:
5 seasons of battling relegation will see that waiting list drop considerably, add the novelty factor for some wearing thin will also see a dwindling in support.

We are in a stadium that suits us well, no need for extra thousands or increasing the stands by thousands.

If I have one moan about the ground that could have been thought out a bit better it has to be the North stand, it is too small and is not what a kop should be, it does not generate enough noise that can reverberate around the ground, hardly intimidating.

Agree...away fans ideally need to be closer too.

nwgull · Oct 11, 2018

dazzer6666 said:
Doubt we lost money last season, and suspect we’re unlikely to this season........the losses in the Championship were seen as a longer term investment by TB to get us where we are. Gate revenue has dropped from being 90%+ of income to less than 20% with the TV money influx.

More like 8-9%. The income from ticket sales has been about 11m in the seasons where we were getting 27K averages, so that’ll probably go up by about 1m now it’s 30K every week. Whereas our total income from TV alone last year was 107m, add on the increased revenue from sponsorships and pitchside ads and the overall income is probably closer to 140m.

nwgull · Oct 11, 2018

dazzer6666 said:
Doubt we lost money last season, and suspect we’re unlikely to this season........the losses in the Championship were seen as a longer term investment by TB to get us where we are. Gate revenue has dropped from being 90%+ of income to less than 20% with the TV money influx.

More like 8-9%. The income from ticket sales has been about 11m in the seasons where we were getting 27K averages, so that’ll probably go up by about 1m now it’s 30K every week. Whereas our total income from TV alone last year was 107m, add on the increased revenue from sponsorships and pitchside ads and the overall income is probably closer to 140m.

el punal · Oct 11, 2018

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
Gilliver's Travels said:

Not all members of the working classes are scum. My family certainly weren't.

Some people are, though. The unwashd oaf sitting and stinking in front of me (in first class) on the train home tonight certainly was.

Click to expand...

I do apologise! I’ve run out of deodorant, the washing machine’s packed up, and the water supply has been cut off at the mains. I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the spicy curry before boarding the train, especially when washed down with four pints of Old Turdbanger premium ale. .

el punal · Oct 11, 2018

I do believe when Tony Bloom held the fans forum before the Bristol City game two years ago that any ground expansion would be very limited. I’m sure he stated that the possible increase in seats would only be a couple of hundred at most. I just wonder, as the south east corner has had the media boxes in place, whether a similar construction could be built in the north east corner?
Maybe occupied by groups of school kids and suchlike similar to the “shelf” in the West Stand?

Tesco in Disguise · Oct 11, 2018

When we're back with terraces, maybe...

Javeaseagull · Oct 12, 2018

BeHereNow said:
I've thought for a long time that there is room behind the North Stand for 8 or so more rows, which would make it about the same size as Cardiff's home end. Well, for most of the 4 central blocks anyway.

If they don't put seats in there, then it would be the perfect place to trail safe standing if we ever get the chance.

From a capacity point of view, I don't see why we shouldn't want the same as what Leicester and Southampton have, or somewhere in between. Didn't we have similar sized crowds to them in The Championship?

Imagine if someone said building The Amex wasn't cost effective. We wouldn't have got it done. To be honest, with the amount we lose every season, it probably isn't that cost effective. But it got built anyway because we wanted more fans and for the club to grow.

My point is that we took a bit of a risk building the stadium, and it paid off. We've could've ended up playing in front of 12000 in a 22000 stadium in League 1. We still built it. It's called ambition.

This might seem like a bit of a contradiction, but I'm saying we should add a couple of thousand tops, (if we can, and that's if we can sort the transport out a bit) not ten thousand.

When you say “We” you mean Tony Bloom. He paid for everything mate. We did not take a bit of a risk building a stadium, Tony did.
You say we should add a couple of thousand seats to our wonderful stadium and I ask why? Willy waving? Most people know that attendance is not that important.
Bollox have I been wooshed?

Return of the Rev · Oct 12, 2018

Icy Gull said:
IMO, if we we get relegated we will not fill the Amex unless we are challenging and playing good football in the Championship. Drop away from that and I think you’d see thousands of empty seats, we have a history of crowds only turning up if we are flying. The Amex and the first time in the top division for decades has ensured a sold out stadium, but I agree with El Presidente, if we stay up but continue to be a bottom eight team or even just level out as a mid table team crowds will fall.

Relegation would make it more likely that I would buy a s/t tbh.

Is it PotG? · Oct 12, 2018

Don't need it / won't happen

mikeyjh · Oct 12, 2018

wakeytom said:
I think if we average 30k it will be the best in the third division (possibly ever or at least since the start of football in 1992). I think if we got back to the days of 7th in the PL 48k would be about the max. To be honest I think the Amex is a great size and actually I think in a way its easier to fill a smaller stadium in the fact that there is a fear of not buying a ticket when its 30k whereas for 48k you have a much better chance, so you probably actually get more with the smaller ground.

SoL expandable to 60+ isn't it? That would instinctively a little too much for Sunderland, I agree 48k feels about right - Pride Park could go to approx 47k which would feel a few too many as well!

Moshe Gariani · Oct 12, 2018

wakeytom said:
To be honest I think the Amex is a great size and actually I think in a way its easier to fill a smaller stadium in the fact that there is a fear of not buying a ticket when its 30k whereas for 48k you have a much better chance, so you probably actually get more with the smaller ground.

This is a very good point. The Amex is, in fact, just about perfect for us in terms of the total number of seats. Could be greedy for a few thousand more during the best of times but then at other times we'd be better off without them.

spence · Dec 31, 2018

Interesting video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB4RLq0voNw

dazzer6666 · Jan 1, 2019

Is it PotG? said:
Don't need it / won't happen

This.

*Gullsworth* · Jan 1, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
This.

That.....it will but only by 1 to 1.5 k

Not 11.5 k ha ha

Not Andy Naylor · Jan 1, 2019

Moshe Gariani said:
This is a very good point. The Amex is, in fact, just about perfect for us in terms of the total number of seats. Could be greedy for a few thousand more during the best of times but then at other times we'd be better off without them.

Having a capacity slightly below the maximum expected crowd creates a demand and should help sell season tickets. On Saturday there were plenty of unoccupied seats, but they were all sold, so that proves the point. I think the club could take out some office space and extend the North Stand seating deck back a few rows, but anything else would mean major rebuilding. TB said at the summer forum that they are always nagging Martin Perry to try to squeeze a few more seats in here and there, but that's all it would be.

Cowfold Seagull · Jan 1, 2019

spence said:
Interesting video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB4RLq0voNw

Facinating video actually, getting a little insight of what goes on in the tunnel prior to, and just after the game. Seeing a glimpse of Duncan Ferguson in it made me realise that it wasn't him l was acuusing of invading our techincal area in another thread, but someone else, much shorter and portlier, so the real culprit is still unnamed and unshamed.

Sorry Dunc, please don't hit me! :catfight:

Paulie Gualtieri · Jan 1, 2019

Attended a stadium tour before Xmas as asked about potential to expand, was told due to the beams they would have to take out big chunks of the east and west in order to put another tier on the north.
The guide said this would probably take 1-2 years with the Albion playing elsewhere for this to happen

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The Optimist · Jan 1, 2019

London Black Cab said:
The guide said this would probably take 1-2 years with the Albion playing elsewhere for this to happen

There isn’t anywhere suitable we could play instead.

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