Olympic Stadium Discussion and Questions

[leveller]

I appreciate that for many it will never be the same and they will stop going; I am sorry for those that feel this is their only alternative however in 10 years time there will be a whole lot of people who have never really known anything else and if financially the club is better off then maybe it will have been worth it.

Fair enough but that was the argument made about all-seater stadiums, "oh many people won't be able to remember terracing in 20 years time so they won't care and it will bring more money in for clubs eventually." Of course it didn't work out that way and what we are left with 20 years later is an unworkable solution where the rules are just ignored en-masse. Likewise, in 20 years time people will still see other clubs playing in proper football stadiums on TV and go to away games there and say "why are we playing in this ****ing athletics stadium"? Plus it remains to be seen whether we can use the move to increase our revenue, there's no evidence of that taking place as of yet. David Gold comes out with statements like "there is a correlation between capacity and success" but I suspect he knows full well that correlation doesn't equal causation. Generally speaking clubs have big attendances and high capacities because they are and have been successful, not the other way round. We only have big attendances at the moment due to novelty value and dropping the prices.

[HHCD]

. We only have big attendances at the moment due to novelty value and dropping the prices.

Which Burnley Hull and WBA games showed with thousands of paid for seats left empty.

Novelty wearing off.

[Believer]

Which Burnley Hull and WBA games showed with thousands of paid for seats left empty.

Novelty wearing off.

Don't worry - we're going to be buying Messi in the summer and are looking into a new state of the art retractable seating system. So get your ST and avoid the stampede !

[Claret&Blue,Thru&]

Don't worry - we're going to be buying Messi in the summer and are looking into a new state of the art retractable seating system. So get your ST and avoid the stampede !

Where do I sign up (one of the 15%)?

[Gsbgsb]

Which Burnley Hull and WBA games showed with thousands of paid for seats left empty.

Novelty wearing off.[/quote]

We still had something like 25% - 33% more people actually at those games than we would have had at UP and let's face it those teams often had paid for seats empty at the old ground.

[HHCD]

We still had something like 25% - 33% more people actually at those games than we would have had at UP and let's face it those teams often had paid for seats empty at the old ground.

If you wish to believe the Bulls**T figures the club put out

Once F.O.I requests show real attendance we will get the truth.

[hammerman11]

suddenly the BG was packed every game. Apart from the big teams and last season there has always been plenty of empty seats. 35000 with a few thousand empties. around 10%
10% of 57000 is 5700 . FOI reports I have seen show crowds of 50k + so about the norm.

I think our crowds are good. what I would do is colour the white seats in a dark claret colour and then not so noticeable.

Chelsea monday night on Sky will still see 50k+ crowd. not bad in my eyes.

stadium far from perfect. I am a member who would not choose to sit in the upper tier again.

Give it a chance . Hopefully next season sees improvements.

[the pink palermo]

suddenly the BG was packed every game. Apart from the big teams and last season there has always been plenty of empty seats.

Take me through then, if you could please, why we needed a bigger stadium ?

[leveller]

FOI reports I have seen show crowds of 50k + so about the norm.

Not sure what you mean by "the norm" but Southampton was 47k, Middlesbrough 47k, Stoke 48k. It can't be proven yet but it's looking like that might be the norm for this season with attendances edging just above 50k for the bigger games/occasions.

[paulsies]

A bit of a random question guys but I think I read this somewhere on here before. How much does it cost for the seating to be retracted for athlectics and other events? I'm sure I read / heard that it was 8 million every time the seating is retracted and then put back. I could be completely wrong but if anyone knows then please let me know

Cheers

COYI!

[Arch Dandy]

Take me through then, if you could please, why we needed a bigger stadium ?

To allow more people to watch West Ham and increase revenue streams.

[sanchoz]

Not sure what you mean by "the norm" but Southampton was 47k, Middlesbrough 47k, Stoke 48k. It can't be proven yet but it's looking like that might be the norm for this season with attendances edging just above 50k for the bigger games/occasions.

December SAG meeting Sean Whetstone has obtained says Arsenal game was a little over 51k attendance. You are correct all other attendances below 50k as per SAG minutes.

[Doc H Ball]

To allow more people to watch West Ham and increase revenue streams.

Revenue streams have been cut - hotel, catering, naming rights, 340 days' use of stadium.

The income from ticket receipts with reduced seat prices (if you believe that) and 9,000 ghosts doesn't make up the difference - in fact far from it.

The value has been in cutting running and building costs - capital expenditure the Dave's didn't want to take from equity.

They have stripped us for sale and at the same time restricted our long term income.

In 20 years' time all these other Clubs with paid up half billion pound stadiums will be pissing down on us. The only way I could see it work was to use all the saved expenditure on the squad now and steal a march.

[Gsbgsb]

HHCD

You seriously believe that the same number of people are at the Stadium as were at UP? Get real.

I do not believe for one minute we are getting 50k plus through the door but we very rarely got 35k plus at UP. Say we are getting the 45-47k that seems to be the accepted range, even on a full UP every week that is 25% more, accepting UP was more regularly 32kish around 33% more, good view or bad, cheap seats or otherwise it is people getting a chance to watch the team.

[Gsbgsb]

[quote="Doc H Ball



The income from ticket receipts with reduced seat prices (if you believe that) and 9,000 ghosts doesn't make up the difference - in fact far from [/quote]

Those 9000 ghosts have mostly paid for their seat just not used it so the club have the income the same way they did from non-attending season ticket holders at UP.

The true test will be in the next couple of years - how many season tickets will they sell when the "novelty" wears off. I understood catering was to be ours up to the previous UP figure, so no loss. I doubt the naming rights deal for UP was considerable, in fact was there one?

The accounts over the next couple of years will be the only true evidence but I believe there is likely to be an increased commercial revenue outside of TV.

[Up the Junction]

...accepting UP was more regularly 32kish around 33% more

Not for the last few seasons of its life. Ground was constantly full, give or take a couple of hundred.

[HHCD]

HHCD

You seriously believe that the same number of people are at the Stadium as were at UP? Get real.

.

Didn't say that.Get Real.

Boro and Southampton were 47k stoke 48k which I've posted before.

Hull Burnley and WBA were lower crowds which the F.O.I will show.

It's called the Truth.....which the club should publish.

[Nesticles]

Not for the last few seasons of its life. Ground was constantly full, give or take a couple of hundred.

Weren't we roughly the 4th/5th most expensive team to watch at Home in the Prem too?

[Gsbgsb]

34k to 47k is still 33% more people who can see the team.

[Gsbgsb]

HHCD

You seem to dispute between 25% and 33% more people are watching the team at the new ground - do you agree this is the case or not?