St James' Park

[Mag3.14]

27 minutes ago, Conjo said:

 

They're probably not wrong.

 

Hypothetically speaking (just pulling numbers out of my ass here), if we only expand with 7000 seats and nothing else is done:

The cost for upgrading is £50m.

Average income pr. additional seat £30

Average of 23 home games every season (and assuming full capacity in all games)

 

That's an additional £4,8m every season, meaning it would take 10+ years before we have recouped the outlay, before taking the loss of revenue due to reduced capacity during the expansion period, increased maintenance & running costs and inflation into account. In reality closer to 15 years.

 

It's a different matter with our current owners if the exercise is just to please fans and report a bigger revenue in order to increase our ability to spend more money on buying players within the FFP constraints, and the actual profitability to the business doesn't really matter that much. To Hall and Shepherd it naturally made more sense to just increase the ticket prices

 

Think you're being a little optimistic about the costing of adding 7k to the Gallowgate, that figure could easily be 4 times that.  Also I'd think the av. income will per seat would be higher - Even without taking inflation into account, I cant see staying at SJP with a circa 60k capacity and no significant additional number of "corporate" accommodations not resulting in the base price of a seat/ST significantly increasing over time.

But yes even with these considerations the payback period from adding 7000 seats could easily be in excess of 15-20+ years 

[Joelinton7]

15 minutes ago, TBG said:

Two or three drinks in and my bladder has gone like.

 

Actually bring that up at the next fan event. Not being able to choose my seat means I can't pick a seat on the end making it easier to go for a piss.

See this is where the Mackems were actually trailblazers, installing toilets within the seats themselves, with fans able to shit to their hearts content without missing a minute. We’ll prob get bidets that order you nibbles and champagne. 

[madras]

Interesting piece on Look North and this mornings local news about The Moor and The Freemen of the city. No actual news, nothings changed so wonder why this need for publicity suddenly comes from ?

[Dr Venkman]

37 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

People wanting to play in a not full stadium yet moaning about the current atmosphere doesn’t make much sense.

 

How many concerts do other clubs have? Spurs have three listed this summer and can’t remember other clubs having more than that. Also got the rugby union european finals which St James had recently. Is only the nfl in addition to that and probably no more of those games to go around.

 

If concerts are such a big draw and money spinner why are they building the new arena near enough the same size as the old one?

Because it’s servicing the same market: arena size gigs in Newcastle. Stadium shows are a completely different market.

 

 

Edited March 20, 2024 by Dr Venkman

[Bellis80]

30 minutes ago, LFEE said:

A new stadium with purpose built acoustics not full will create a better atmosphere than a sold out SJP. I’ve witnessed that personally last summer in USA.

 

They are building the new arena similar size due to land footprint. Lack of funding. Target audience of bands they are trying to attract which they could fill on a daily/weekly basis(medium) as they don’t have football as there main source of income.

 

Its the bigger artists SJP could scoop up with a better acoustic and light set up during the early summer. Not to mention host various high profile sporting finals.

 

 

 

What high profile sporting finals could they have? There hasn’t been a uefa final in England outside of Wembley since it was rebuilt. We’ve had Rugby finals as well as international games in rugby and football.

[Bellis80]

Just now, Dr Venkman said:

Became its servicing the same market: arena size gigs in Newcastle. Stadium shows are a completely different market.

Fair enough but no clubs in England are having more than a few concerts a year. Needing a new stadium for that doesn’t seen worthwhile.

[Dr Venkman]

1 minute ago, Bellis80 said:

What high profile sporting finals could they have? There hasn’t been a uefa final in England outside of Wembley since it was rebuilt. We’ve had Rugby finals as well as international games in rugby and football.

 

 
If the stadium/location is good enough, anything. Everyone loves an away trip to Newcastle because of the location.

[Bellis80]

Which ones then?

[Dr Venkman]

1 minute ago, Bellis80 said:

Fair enough but no clubs in England are having more than a few concerts a year. Needing a new stadium for that doesn’t seen worthwhile.

A few is better than none. And stadium gigs are just one of many extra sources income.

[Dr Venkman]

Just now, Bellis80 said:

Which ones then?

Spelling bee finals.

[Bellis80]

Just now, Dr Venkman said:

A few is better than none. And stadium gigs are just one of many extra sources income.

Sunderland are nicking the big concerts. They’ve got one this year.

[Bellis80]

Just now, Dr Venkman said:

Spelling bee finals.

The only finals I can think of hosting are Rugby or Football. You’re not getting a Uefa final away from Wembley and you’re not getting a Rugby final away from Twickenham, other than ones we’ve already had.

[LFEE]

1 minute ago, Bellis80 said:

What high profile sporting finals could they have? There hasn’t been a uefa final in England outside of Wembley since it was rebuilt. We’ve had Rugby finals as well as international games in rugby and football.

You name it we could host it with a new stadium. All UEFA Finals. Brazil friendlies. Final and later stages of any Euro’s. 
 

Don’t think so parochial. There’s a bigger plan to all this with the Saudis backing the ownership group.

[Fezzle]

50 minutes ago, Conjo said:

 

They're probably not wrong.

 

Hypothetically speaking (just pulling numbers out of my ass here), if we only expand with 7000 seats and nothing else is done:

The cost for upgrading is £50m.

Average income pr. additional seat £30

Average of 23 home games every season (and assuming full capacity in all games)

 

That's an additional £4,8m every season, meaning it would take 10+ years before we have recouped the outlay, before taking the loss of revenue due to reduced capacity during the expansion period, increased maintenance & running costs and inflation into account. In reality closer to 15 years.

 

It's a different matter with our current owners if the exercise is just to please fans and report a bigger revenue in order to increase our ability to spend more money on buying players within the FFP constraints, and the actual profitability to the business doesn't really matter that much. To Hall and Shepherd it naturally made more sense to just increase the ticket prices

Thats a spectacularly bad estimate mind. Try 5x although probably more 10x that

[Dr Venkman]

5 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

Sunderland are nicking the big concerts. They’ve got one this year.

Because SJP is not setup for gigs. A lot of that business will come to us if we provide the venue.

[Tross]

If you all want concerts & NFL then I suggest fucking off to London. Lower the capacity at SJP, stick the Leazes roof back on and get it rocking again, that's all we need. 

[Shearergol]

1 minute ago, Tross said:

If you all want concerts & NFL then I suggest fucking off to London. Lower the capacity at SJP, stick the Leazes roof back on and get it rocking again, that's all we need. 

 

Doesn't help FFP though I'm afraid.

[OverThere]

1 minute ago, Tross said:

If you all want concerts & NFL then I suggest fucking off to London. Lower the capacity at SJP, stick the Leazes roof back on and get it rocking again, that's all we need. 

You are a fan of the FCB days I assume or just on a wind up?

[Dr.Spaceman]

36 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Genuinely always try and get as close to the end as possible for this reason.

 

I'm smack bang in the middle of a row in the Gallowgate and feel like a complete twat if I make anyone stand up before 30 minutes or after 75 

[Yorkie]

1 minute ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

 

I'm smack bang in the middle of a row in the Gallowgate and feel like a complete twat if I make anyone stand up before 30 minutes or after 75 

 

Genuinely one of my worst nightmares. I'll try and go for a piss three times before I leave the pub. I've always been like it. 

[Conjo]

10 minutes ago, Fezzle said:

Thats a spectacularly bad estimate mind. Try 5x although probably more 10x that

 

Yeah, I assumed it was optimistic, but the higher the cost, the stronger the point I was trying to make is.

[Fezzle]

Just now, Conjo said:

 

Yeah, I assumed it was optimistic, but the higher the cost, the stronger the point I was trying to make is.

Totally agree mind, its a huge financial and logistical mess for a very small reward

[timeEd32]

9 hours ago, cubaricho said:

This makes me want to hear the opinions of my American dudes who have been ( @Kanji @Ameritoon etc) - how do the facilities at SJP compare with say the Bucs or Lions stadiums? Or even baseball stadiums? As far as the experiences go. Is it a pretty stark difference in facilities when you walk in?

 

I've been to SJP and White Hart Lane (and Hillsborough and Millmoor, though a long time ago). It's a bit like stepping back in time and I mean that in the absolute best possible way. Everything a bit smaller and more cramped than the 21st century ideal, minimal comforts, and a singular focus on the game because you couldn't do anything else even if you wanted to. 

 

The best comparison I have is the old Yankee Stadium and especially its right field bleachers. The concourse, if you could even call it that, was dim with a place to piss and basic beer/food stands but not anywhere you'd want to spend an extra moment. The experience was all about the stands and the game. And on special nights it was loud.

 

They tried with the new one. They brought back the facade and the monuments, they kept the dimensions and the bleachers. Objectively it's a cool building right next door to the old one. But with the wider concourses and larger seats (which meant 5k less of them) came the loss of the old place's soul and character. It's too comfortable and too expensive, and it's not the same field that Ruth and Mantle played on.

 

It's a good example of how you can do so many things right -- they even preserved the old location as a field for local kids -- and yet miss on the most important parts (for me; the owners are plenty happy). There are a lot of parallels here to the idea of building a new stadium near SJP.

[Ameritoon]

1 hour ago, Superior Acuña said:

Shit, the only time I used to like to go in early was to watch the players train when I was a little kid.

 

 

 

This is why I go in early now. Such a novelty for me to see a football match in Europe I'm basically a kid Love getting up close watching warm ups and taking in the atmosphere.

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 hour ago, Tross said:

If you all want concerts & NFL then I suggest fucking off to London. Lower the capacity at SJP, stick the Leazes roof back on and get it rocking again, that's all we need. 

 

Do what they'll never expect, lower the capacity