Football Season

[arepeejee]

I know I'm going to get a sounding off from the United-ites, being a Wednesday fan, but I can't see the point in extending the ground to 40000, when really they should spend time upgrading the facilities ground wide.

23,650 was the average in the pre-Premiership year, then 30,684 in the Premiership which wasn't too bad. But, the average so far this season is just under 20,000 - and with the drubbings you're getting at the moment thanks to Robson I can't see it turning around anytime soon...

[AdamBlade]

The average this year is not just under 20,000. It has not been lower than 22,000 for a home championship match this season

[jozblade]

Our average isn't under 20,000! I don't think we have got less than 20,000 in the league. We have 18,000 season ticket holders and im sure our average attendance is still or it definitely was so a few week back the highest in the league

The short term plan is the Premier League, where last year we consistently sold out our home allocation last time. The long term is obviously for stability in the league and Europe. There is massive potential at the club to easily sell 40,000 week in week out. Plus remember its not going to 40,000 straight away. It will be 37,000 first then 40k.

[jozblade]

Also, drubbings we're getting at the moment? Before yesterday we haven't lost in 6 and we're not getting hammered. Think your using the wrong terminology.

[Bladerunner]

We deserved to lose by 6 yesterday, by all accounts.

The good news is, L**ds' slump has started at last. Relegation could still happen.

[Mr Brightside]

Originally Posted by Bladerunner

We deserved to lose by 6 yesterday, by all accounts.

The good news is, L**ds' slump has started at last. Relegation could still happen.

Yeah its great!!now i can rub all my work mates faces in it!!

[lewisskinner]

more like Old Tfafford to me!

What does it say over the hatched area that's currently car park?

Are those executive boxes over the corner stand.

And god united, fill in the corner with SEATS! not another fucking business centre!

[Sheffy]

From the pictures it looks like the are going for the cheap fix.
The kop is built on a hill and it looks like they are just extending it out the back. A cheap way which lacks facilities.
Both Wednesday and United need to demolish the kops and dig up the hills underneath and build a proper stand with proper facilities.

[Wendigo Wendigo]

Originally Posted by lewisskinner

What does it say over the hatched area that's currently car park?

I think it says, "Future expansion south stand with ancillary (something or other)."

[jozblade]

Yeah its where the south stand will be expanded to take the ground up to 40,000.

As far as i can work out the concourse on the kop will be enclosed and extended back slightly.

[muddycoffee]

I don't wish to add to any sniping, but if the ground is extended to 40,000 when the normal gate is 22,000 or a couple of thousand more.
It will look empty and the atmosphere will suffer. Surely they would be better off with a lower capacity for a better atmosphere and a fuller ground ?

You have to face the fact that neither of the Sheffield grounds would get a look in, these days, if England were ever to hold another international competition. the bigger clubs have all built brand new massive stadia, Or already have bigger grounds.

[AdamBlade]

As Joz said we used to sell out our home allocation tickets for nearly every match last season and the average was above 31,000. The idea is to build the team to be a sustainable Premier League club. Not entirely to plan at the moment but I'm sure the money is in place to improve the team.

[muddycoffee]

That still doesn't explain where you are going to get 40,000 people from, to watch a game in bramall lane. No matter how much sucess they have they will never be Manchester United or Liverpool. Teams like SUFC, SWFC and Leeds are always going to be second class teams. Therfore it would make more sense, if they diversify their business so they have a stream of money coming in which is constant, by using their property for things like Hotels, shopping, business parks, car parks, conferences etc.

Building an enormous stadium seems to be folly to me. Dead money and it won't pay for itself.

[Sheffy]

You are right Muddy.
Theyy would be better putting in a row of exec boxes and improving facilities so they can make money off their current fan base.

[muddycoffee]

Thanks Sheffy,
yes I agree. But even more than that. They have a large block of real estate close to town which is mostly shut up. They should open shops, resteraunts, nightclub and bars which open during the rest of the week. It seems to be a criminal waste of property to me when they could employ more people and get some revenue in.

Just think about a kind of family burger restaurant, with a Blades theme on the property, loads of young blades would love something like that better than McDonalds. They would be able to employ a few people and generate an additional revenue stream.

The stands alone have large spaces beneath them which could be ideal for business like Bowling alley, snooker hall, Cinema.

[AdamBlade]

Football is the main priority here, I don't think you're seeing the point. Although I do understand what you're saying.

[AdamBlade]

http://www.sufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page...176287,00.html

[Mr Brightside]

Please tell me how ur gonna get 40,000 in?Wednesdays is 40,000 and we only get about 20,000!!I think this was thought up before u got relegated!!Maybe if u go bk up u MIGHT get 40,000 in!!

[jozblade]

Yeah and the plan is to make Sheffield United a Premier League club. McCabe is a shrewd business man and i doubt he would be investing the money in expanding the stadium if he didn't feel as though the club could get gates close to the full capacity.

Muddy as you said about the club diversifying into other areas - we are doing. We are one of the best clubs in the country for doing so and will be even more so in a few years time. We have links with clubs from around the world in China(loads of potential there!) and now Sao Paulo(one of the worlds biggest clubs) to name a few. We have a vast array of facilities including academies, property(one of which was sold recently at a profit), the hotel on the way, a restaurant at the ground a bar. All this i think is just the start of what McCabe is trying to create at the club and for the Sheffield United brand.

However, like Adam said football is the main topic in question here and its important that Sheffield United make sure they stick to that first. But we do have fantastic foundations already in place to be a top club in the country (not on the same level as Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal obviously).

So why not put this proposal in for an initial 36/37,000 in now? The application will last a few years, by which time we will hopefully be back in the top flight. However, the main question at the minute is Robson, can he do it? I don't think so, and if we're going to become a European club like McCabe said he needs to act quickly.

[arepeejee]

Muddy hit it on the head, that's what I was getting at. Plus, Mid-table is hardly premiership-bound really - anyone who thinks either Sheffield team will be going up in the next couple of seasons is a hopeless optimistic.