St James' Park

[GeordieT]

Sorry this survey is absolutely abhorrent.   Customers not fans. It is evident what they are trying to do - build two separate business cases for staying put and renovating or moving.  
 

Read earlier in the week that at White Hart Lane spend per head was £1.75. In the new stadium, it’s about £16. Firstly we aren’t that supporter base, and secondly, the location of the stadium in relation to other quality independent offerings in the city - you’d never get me and many others turning up for an hour and a half before for some overpriced tempura chicken and chips.

 

Unlike other posters I do wonder whether the results of this - which look to be universally negative - will dampen any enthusiasm for a move amongst the hierarchy. 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by GeordieT

[gbandit]

Main thing that makes me not want to get to the ground early or buy drinks / food is that it’s rammed and the queues are long. Would far prefer to just relax somewhere quiet out of the ground and have a nice meal. Would definitely eat street food in the ground if it was quality and there weren’t big queues though 

[midds]

The questions seem pretty direct and a bit full on but they need to test the water somehow. I get it's a bit unsavoury asking how much more you'd be prepared to pay, that's a bit naughty, but they need to ask direct questions as they may need to make a billion quid decision in the very near future. I'm not a season ticket holder any longer so I've not been consulted which is fine but I think you just need to be honest and respond to it as face value. They're just putting the feelers out, if people don't want to pay more than they currently do so then they need to say so 

[TwoForJoy]

They've clearly had their eyes opened in pre-season out in Atlanta. Their stadium does look good to be fair.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt27Li7lxvc

[Pancrate1892]

11 minutes ago, gbandit said:

Main thing that makes me not want to get to the ground early or buy drinks / food is that it’s rammed and the queues are long. Would far prefer to just relax somewhere quiet out of the ground and have a nice meal. Would definitely eat street food in the ground if it was quality and there weren’t big queues though 

That's what I think. It's like getting on ryanair 3 hours early just to eat shit from the trolley 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

2 hours ago, Sima said:

Being in Spurs’ ground for the NFL was an eye opener.  I wasn’t in any expensive seats but the concourses are massive.

Spurs stadium is the best I’ve ever been to by a mile. 

[Wallsendmag]

21 minutes ago, midds said:

The questions seem pretty direct and a bit full on but they need to test the water somehow. I get it's a bit unsavoury asking how much more you'd be prepared to pay, that's a bit naughty, but they need to ask direct questions as they may need to make a billion quid decision in the very near future. I'm not a season ticket holder any longer so I've not been consulted which is fine but I think you just need to be honest and respond to it as face value. They're just putting the feelers out, if people don't want to pay more than they currently do so then they need to say so 

 

Wasn't just sent to ST holders. I'm a member these days and got the email. 

 

The questions were a bit full on asking how much are we prepared to pay and how much do we earn but there's a massive decision going to be made in the not too distant future by the looks of it and as you say, they are clearly testing the water here.

[bobbydazzla]

Can’t see the attraction of being in a stadium hours before kick off getting ripped off, even if they improved the vendors from the shite we have now it’s still not gonna be able to compete with city centre on variety or price 

 

Give me tens of thousands of people in safe standing singing areas, easier turnstile access, more room on the concourse, more bogs, sack DJ Onedeck, slow down the Blaydon Races and increase capacity to 70,000

 

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by bobbydazzla

[TheBrownBottle]

3 hours ago, Stifler said:

This, also on Leazes Park would be acceptable, and at the worst on the arena site.

 

Like fuck would I be happy with a stadium at Silverlink though, despite the fact that I live around the corner from it.

 

 

 

The Silverlink isn’t even in Newcastle, and being in Newcastle should be the minimum requirement 

[patrone]

They did say at the fan event that this survey was coming, and that it will be full of "hypothetical" ideas, and for people not to get too carried away with one idea or the other (words to that affect)

 

Yeh, some of the ideas are mental, but at least we now have a club and owners that ask what we think and want, which has to be something.

 

This new fans board is going to have a shit ton of pressure on them, good luck to whoever applies

[TheBrownBottle]

3 hours ago, Wandy said:

 

Pretty much. Easily done too. Permission to do it is the (very) tricky part.

Tbf it’s not easily done, and I also wouldn’t want to see it done.  There are other options available. 

[Paullow]

I'd honestly be more annoyed if the club badge changed than the stadium. If they can stay reasonably central, increase to 70/75,000, and no need to reduce capacity during construction then I'd be in favour of moving. Maybe billy big bollocks stuff, but it was always great having the clear second biggest attendances in the country in the early 2000's and, especially as we can definitely justify it, it would be great to have similar again.

[TheGuv]

1 hour ago, ponsaelius said:

The stadium location is both the best thing about the club but also a massive pain in the arse for their dreams of revenue maximisation at all costs.

 

You can read between the lines to see how they are grappling with this reality. Perfect location means guaranteed huge crowds every week and an iconic stadium brand for the club, but it also means no fucker is interested in rocking up an hour before to eat and drink overpriced shit when there's a thousand better places in walking distance. 

 

I've heard on the grapevine that they are completely not interested in the arena site. I do find it mildly surprising if true as it's probably perfect for fulfilling the niche of not quite being out of town but also being peripheral enough that they could probably drag people in early the way Spurs stadium does, or have it surrounded by fan parks and soulless club associated eateries 🤢

Just wait for the inevitable Longbenton@SJP on the Ministry site 

[TheGuv]

6 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

The Silverlink isn’t even in Newcastle, and being in Newcastle should be the minimum requirement 

Doubt they’d care when they can charge £5k a season ticket in a comfy chair

[Checko]

If you build it, they will come.

[bobbydazzla]

6 minutes ago, patrone said:

They did say at the fan event that this survey was coming, and that it will be full of "hypothetical" ideas, and for people not to get too carried away with one idea or the other (words to that affect)

 

Yeh, some of the ideas are mental, but at least we now have a club and owners that ask what we think and want, which has to be something.

 

This new fans board is going to have a shit ton of pressure on them, good luck to whoever applies

It’s a fair point like.

 

With Ashley most we got was sending Thumbhead down to Curry’s on Black Friday for a job lot of 32” tellys to sellotape on the concourse wall and let everything else in the stadium rot apart from his beloved Shite Direct logos 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by bobbydazzla

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, TheGuv said:

Doubt they’d care when they can charge £5k a season ticket in a comfy chair

Yep, I wonder why the club has even asked the question to the support - pretty much no-one they’ve asked would be able to afford the premium seating that will be coming.  It’s not for us - it’s for the super rich coming to watch a super successful side.

[TheBrownBottle]

2 hours ago, ponsaelius said:

They won't say it explicitly but there's only basically four viable options:

 

1. Expand Gallowgate, East Stand and stadium wide renovation. Max capacity probably about 62k. Positives are minimal disruption and retain historic location. Negatives (depending on your perspective) are probably limited in terms of internal improvements and means stadium is maxed out forever in terms of capacity.

 

2. Rebuild on same site. Perceived positives are it is possible to more or less do whatever you want while retaining historic location. Unlimited scope for corporate and offering for hosting other events. Could go to any capacity which desired. Main negative is that demolish and rebuild will mean at least 2 years in exile either at a temporary stadium or another stadium somewhere else.

 

3. New stadium on the Arena site. As above positives are the scope to do more or less whatever you want. No disruption at all. However complete loss of historic location, and also slightly more peripheral in terms of relationship with the city and transport nodes.

 

4. Build new stadium on Castle Leazes. Again more or less freedom to build whatever type of stadium you want up to any capacity. Although it is in a new location I would say it retains the spirit of the historic location - particularly if connected down to Strawberry place through enhanced/new parkland. No need for any play in exile.

Option 3 for me.  SJP was always a pain in the arse to get to from most of the city’s watering holes - it’s not as ‘central’ as is often made out.  The Arena site makes access to Central Station easier, and is easier to get to and from most of the pubs.  And it would redevelop that entire area. 

[ryanegg]

Food wise, I'd say a bit more variety in the catering vans around the stadium would be sufficient. Seen it at Man City and West Ham's grounds, worked pretty well with a lot of different choices in cuisine.. queues were sound. The club takes a % and the local businesses get a nice earner on matchday. I'd also like them to start taking cash all around the ground again too, which I very much doubt happening in a new ground/upgrade, unfortunately. 

[TheGuv]

Called it in the summer. Membership ticket prices are up 26%. ST holders will follow (3% increase this season).

 

This is just another case of “we’ve asked the supporters in a survey but have already made our minds up”.

 

I hope @Heron and WF will be having discussions on some form of flag display to showcase the fandom true feelings on this. Twitter is going mental about it tbh. 

[Dr.Spaceman]

1 minute ago, TheGuv said:

Called it in the summer. Membership ticket prices are up 26%. ST holders will follow (3% increase this season).

 

This is just another case of “we’ve asked the supporters in a survey but have already made our minds up”.

 

I hope @Heron and WF will be having discussions on some form of flag display to showcase the fandom true feelings on this. Twitter is going mental about it tbh. 

 

I fully expected a calm, measured response from Twitter.

[Dr.Spaceman]

I wish some people had this much energy when Bruce, Pardew, McClaren & Ashley were destroying us from within.

[TheBrownBottle]

3 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

Called it in the summer. Membership ticket prices are up 26%. ST holders will follow (3% increase this season).

 

This is just another case of “we’ve asked the supporters in a survey but have already made our minds up”.

 

I hope @Heron and WF will be having discussions on some form of flag display to showcase the fandom true feelings on this. Twitter is going mental about it tbh. 

Not sure WF need to get involved at all tbh

[TheGuv]

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Not sure WF need to get involved at all tbh

Maybe when ST prices shoot up they might want to?

 

Dortmund was 20s plenty?

[Wallsendmag]

15 minutes ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

I wish some people had this much energy when Bruce, Pardew, McClaren & Ashley were destroying us from within.

.

Mental isn't it. Bruce got near enough zero abuse, same with McClaren. Pardew hot the most yet he was much better than either of those 2. Any anti Ashley sentiment inside the ground disappeared when he disbanded the singing corner.

 

Aside from that, thinking back to the 90s when a new stadium on Castle Leazes was being mooted, I'd say more fans were in support of it than against it. Certainly no major grumblings about it back then. Strange how supporters views on this have changed so much over the years.

 

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Wallsendmag