The New Stadium (1 Viewer)

[ccfc1234]

I am not 100% sure where SISU are up to with their idea of building a new stadium but if they eventually do push ahead, it will be for all the wrong reasons and very much a regressive step for the club.

We witnessed last Friday the potential the club has with the 27k attendance which also included a small away following. If that was a PL club they would have filled most of the away allocation and the attendance would have been close to 32k.

I know many will point to the fact that we don't get that sort of following every week but if we were back challenging at the top of the Championship we would be getting crowds bigger than those that the new grounds discussed capacity would accommodate. I know there is talk of making the new ground bigger as the demand increases, however in reality all I would see happening is the cost per game would go up so SISU could get more revenue without having to extend the ground, which would cost money.

Logistics aside, we currently have an amazing venue in the Ricoh Arena, it has shopping and several restaurants in the retail park opposite, the casino onsite and soon there will be a train station that will bring fans in from the surrounding areas and city center.

All these factors combined make the Ricoh a modern well connected and vibrant venue to have a day at the football. I know its not Highfield Rd which I do really miss, but given that in life you can only look forward, I feel we have not done too badly compared to some of the out of town venues I have visited over the last few seasons (Doncaster etc).

I really hope Joy and her SISU partners are looking very seriously of buying a share of the Ricoh at the best price possible and in the very near future as once the Station (May 2015) is built more events and exhibitions will start to take place and I can see the complex as a whole becoming more valuable.

Really hope we see some good news on this sooner rather than later.

 

---

[mds]

Potential is bollox without results.

Potential, seriously, if we win the champions league a season or two in a row we will have 50k a week every week, the premier league we will have 50k every week, potentially we could have a 100k a week supporting us every week.
Serious waffle ignored to add my own serious waffle!

In a catchment area the size of ours we could have huge crowds, crowds to match the top 10 of the PL, we have the potential to be fking humungous, we did it in the 60`s n 70`s when we have had huge gates here.


But hey,
thats potential,
you dont deliver,
you dont receive!

 

[Astute]

But hey,
thats potential,
you dont deliver,
you dont receive!

You got it.

When SISU took over a 20k attendance was nothing unusual. They didn't deliver. They got most things wrong. We are at our lowest point for about 50 years under them. Yet we still bring in crowds the same as about 25 years ago when we were top flight playing top sides.

They have not delivered. Yet some seem to think that they should receive.

 

[Otis]

I have always said that building a new stadium is a total nonsense and wondered why on earth we would consider a smaller, cheaper ground. I have always been voraciously and vehemently against it.

Listening to people on here the last 2 days though, telling us all that 11,000 was okay on Saturday, despite the overwhelming feelgood factor of us being back home, having a good manager at the helm and the team on a 7 match unbeaten run, I have to say now that maybe we deserve a small stadium and that 18,000 will be more than enough for our future needs.

I am still shaking my head in dismay at the size of Saturday's attendance and I find it all very sad.

If this great run continues and we remain unbeaten indefinitely, we are going to win the league by a country mile. Common sense tells us though that we will slip up at some point and when we do lose a few games I shudder to think what the crowds are going to be.

We all know for a fact there is only one way the attendances are going to go when we lose and that is downwards. Well, starting from 11,000 is not a good place to start from.

Maybe we deserve a smaller stadium after all. And like Tim says, it could be expanded if need be.

 

[bigfatronssba]

I have always said that building a new stadium is a total nonsense and wondered why on earth we would consider a smaller, cheaper ground. I have always been voraciously and vehemently against it.

Listening to people on here the last 2 days though, telling us all that 11,000 was okay on Saturday, despite the overwhelming feelgood factor of us being back home, having a good manager at the helm and the team on a 7 match unbeaten run, I have to say now that maybe we deserve a small stadium and that 18,000 will be more than enough for our future needs.

I am still shaking my head in dismay at the size of Saturday's attendance and I find it all very sad.

If this great run continues and we remain unbeaten indefinitely, we are going to win the league by a country mile. Common sense tells us though that we will slip up at some point and when we do lose a few games I shudder to think what the crowds are going to be.

We all know for a fact there is only one way the attendances are going to go when we lose and that is downwards. Well, starting from 11,000 is not a good place to start from.

Maybe we deserve a smaller stadium after all. And like Tim says, it could be expanded if need be.

You should just be grateful we haven't lost any fans.

 

[Otis]

You should just be grateful we haven't lost any fans.

Whoo whooo!! Whoopie doo!

Let's party like it's 1999!

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I was one of the missing 16,000. Why ? Living 36 miles away, being an OAP in his 70's, be buggered if I'm going to get caught up in the ticket chaos and wait up to 90 minutes with the chance of getting a ticket. Sort it out and I'll be back pronto. I bet there were a couple of thousand or so with the same thought as me.

 

[Nick]

I was one of the missing 16,000. Why ? Living 36 miles away, being an OAP in his 70's, be buggered if I'm going to get caught up in the ticket chaos and wait up to 90 minutes with the chance of getting a ticket. Sort it out and I'll be back pronto. I bet there were a couple of thousand or so with the same thought as me.

Order them online in advance? People were going to be back pronto when we came back weren't they?

 

[Otis]

I was one of the missing 16,000. Why ? Living 36 miles away, being an OAP in his 70's, be buggered if I'm going to get caught up in the ticket chaos and wait up to 90 minutes with the chance of getting a ticket. Sort it out and I'll be back pronto. I bet there were a couple of thousand or so with the same thought as me.

I'm sure there were, VOR.

1. Some people couldn't afford it, fine.
2. Some people couldn't make it, fine.
3. Some people tried to get tickets and couldn't, fine.

Some though simply couldn't be arsed and even taking all the above out of the euqation, 11,000 is still a total embarrassment. First feel good factor around the club for many, many years and some people were even talking about a new Sky Blue Revolution.

Seemingly a Sky Blue Revolution that lasted just one single game.

I see we even made Midlands Today news today re the missing 16,000.

 

[stay_up_skyblues]

I was one of the missing 16,000. Why ? Living 36 miles away, being an OAP in his 70's, be buggered if I'm going to get caught up in the ticket chaos and wait up to 90 minutes with the chance of getting a ticket. Sort it out and I'll be back pronto. I bet there were a couple of thousand or so with the same thought as me.

We arrived at 2.45, queued for cash turnstile, got in ground at 2.50. Just pay on the gate!

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I'm sure there were, VOR.

1. Some people couldn't afford it, fine.
2. Some people couldn't make it, fine.
3. Some people tried to get tickets and couldn't, fine.

If we're playing the game of individuals too then we seem to forget some couldn't make Gillingham, but could Yeovil, so there's actually a higher number than 16,000 who went to Gillingham but not Yeovil...

Even Gary Johnson expected 20,000 to turn up.

 

[torchomatic]

I was one of the missing 16,000. Why ? Living 36 miles away, being an OAP in his 70's, be buggered if I'm going to get caught up in the ticket chaos and wait up to 90 minutes with the chance of getting a ticket. Sort it out and I'll be back pronto. I bet there were a couple of thousand or so with the same thought as me.

Write to the FL about it.

Sent from my phone using my chubby sausage fingers so please excuse any errors.

 

[EastLancsCov]

Would this be the same new stadium nearly 2 years in the making?
Just out of interest, how's it coming along??

 

[bigfatronssba]

Whoo whooo!! Whoopie doo!

Let's party like it's 1999!

But your saying there is a massive feel good factor about being able to play in our own town and winning two games in a row.

Surely that should be a given anyway?

 

[Otis]

Also, important to take note, as has been said again on CWR this morning, it is a statistical fact that when you half the ticket price you don't get double the attendance.

Research done and scientifically proven. Therefore if the club halved the price they would be further out of pocket.

 

[Otis]

But your saying there is a massive feel good factor about being able to play in our own town and winning two games in a row.

Surely that should be a given anyway?

It is, but I think we should party all night long because we should obviously be very, very grateful we got as many as 11,000 there.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Also, important to take note, as has been said again on CWR this morning, it is a statistical fact that when you half the ticket price you don't get double the attendance.

Research done and scientifically proven. Therefore if the club halved the price they would be further out of pocket.

No, the theory is you do it for the long term benefit of gaining some fans rather than the short term gain.

One game reduced and one game full-price isn't sufficient to prove that theory either way... but it hasn't given a good incentive to try reduced prices for a longer term spell.

 

[Otis]

No, the theory is you do it for the long term benefit of gaining some fans rather than the short term gain.

One game reduced and one game full-price isn't sufficient to prove that theory either way... but it hasn't given a good incentive to try reduced prices for a longer term spell.

No, I agree with that.

If we halved the price for the whole season though here at Coventry City, you can bet your bottom dollar attendances would still tail off badly over the season, unless we had an absolutely outstanding campaign.

 

[bamalamafizzfazz]

I have always said that building a new stadium is a total nonsense and wondered why on earth we would consider a smaller, cheaper ground. I have always been voraciously and vehemently against it.

Listening to people on here the last 2 days though, telling us all that 11,000 was okay on Saturday, despite the overwhelming feelgood factor of us being back home, having a good manager at the helm and the team on a 7 match unbeaten run, I have to say now that maybe we deserve a small stadium and that 18,000 will be more than enough for our future needs.

I am still shaking my head in dismay at the size of Saturday's attendance and I find it all very sad.

If this great run continues and we remain unbeaten indefinitely, we are going to win the league by a country mile. Common sense tells us though that we will slip up at some point and when we do lose a few games I shudder to think what the crowds are going to be.

We all know for a fact there is only one way the attendances are going to go when we lose and that is downwards. Well, starting from 11,000 is not a good place to start from.

Maybe we deserve a smaller stadium after all. And like Tim says, it could be expanded if need be.

You make some very good points but saying you shake your head in dismay at the attendance on Saturday is a little inconsiderate as you have to factor in the fact that some fans just simply may not have been able to afford to go.

Personally, I was a season ticket holder for 15 years before we moved to Northampton and always bought it at the reduced early bird price which in our last season worked out at at around £13 per ticket, saving a month or two in advance in preparation for buying it. This season we have been given no such option.

I have been to both games at the Ricoh so far at a cost of £32 for the two but sadly I won't be going to the next two as I simply can't justify paying £44 for two league one games when I have a mortgage and bills to pay. I consider myself fortunate that I could afford to go on Saturday but everyone's circumstance are different and it's not fair to persecute fans who may have wanted to be there but just couldn't.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be forced to miss a few home games this season but I guarantee in my case and I'm sure many others too it's not because of a lack of support especiallly if we continue to play as well as we have so far.

 

[Otis]

You make some very good points but saying you shake your head in dismay at the attendance on Saturday is a little inconsiderate as you have to factor in the fact that some fans just simply may not have been able to afford to go.

Personally, I was a season ticket holder for 15 years before we moved to Northampton and always bought it at the reduced early bird price which in our last season worked out at at around £13 per ticket, saving a month or two in advance in preparation for buying it. This season we have been given no such option.

I have been to both games at the Ricoh so far at a cost of £32 for the two but sadly I won't be going to the next two as I simply can't justify paying £44 for two league one games when I have a mortgage and bills to pay. I consider myself fortunate that I could afford to go on Saturday but everyone's circumstance are different and it's not fair to persecute fans who may have wanted to be there but just couldn't.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be forced to miss a few home games this season but I guarantee in my case and I'm sure many others too it's not because of a lack of support especiallly if we continue to play as well as we have so far.

But as I keep saying, even allowing for those who couldn't afford it/couldn't make it/were unable to get tickets, it was still a terrible crowd.

I have made allowances for all of the above and if you are in one of those above groups, then fine. Totally understand.

Once again I say, in view of the euphoria and excitement of our coming home and the unbeaten run and the fact the games have been denied to many many thousands of Sky Blue fans for so long, it should have been a much bigger turnout on Saturday.

 

[spider_ricoh]

11,000 is still a total embarrassment.

Were you embarrassed all season in 2012-13 when we averaged less than that in our first season in League One, at the Ricoh?

 

[cv3]

Would this be the same new stadium nearly 2 years in the making?
Just out of interest, how's it coming along??

Its going really well. Going to look exactly like Rotherhams ground or maybe Brentfords ground and the location in the Coventry area will be announced very soon. or not.

 

[Otis]

Were you embarrassed all season in 2012-13 when we averaged less than that in our first season in League One, at the Ricoh?

We are truly going, round and round in circles and people are missing the point.

Huge anticipation of our coming home. Euphoria, excitement, national press coverage. Massive clamour for tickets, many not being able to obtain tickets. Team on an unbeaten run. Complete and total feel good factor around the city and amongst City fans.

When did we have that in 2012-13 may I ask? :thinking about:

 

[Otis]

Were you embarrassed all season in 2012-13 when we averaged less than that in our first season in League One, at the Ricoh?

Just wanted to add;

2012-13 - Ill feeling amongst supporters, rent row between club and Arena. Club in the doldrums. Club just relegated so low morale, lots of negativity about.

2014-15 - Back at the Ricoh, euphoria, excitement, anticipation, incredible demand for tickets for first game, such demand that some even missed out on going. Tremendous feel good factor about the place, team on a winning run.

Incomparable. Of course I wasn't embarrassed back then. To be expected. On the back of all the joyous, excited feeling of our return this season, yes, embarrassed that many thousands chose not to turn up.

 

[Kingokings204]

Just wanted to add;

2012-13 - Ill feeling amongst supporters, rent row between club and Arena. Club in the doldrums. Club just relegated so low morale, lots of negativity about.

2014-15 - Back at the Ricoh, euphoria, excitement, anticipation, incredible demand for tickets for first game, such demand that some even missed out on going. Tremendous feel good factor about the place, team on a winning run.

Incomparable. Of course I wasn't embarrassed back then. To be expected. On the back of all the joyous, excited feeling of our return this season, yes, embarrassed that many thousands chose not to turn up.

What about the small matter of coming back from 15 months of exile due to a greedy hedgefund and the fact that many won't come back until they are gone?

The move to Northampon ended some fans from ccfc. You seem to forget this. This will impact on attendances. I don't agree with it as I've been the opening 2 home games but I completely understand them and I still went to the Ricoh not thrilled with sisu still our owners.

 

[torchomatic]

All very well, but if that was the case then the Gillingham game wouldn't have had such a high attendance.

What about the small matter of coming back from 15 months of exile due to a greedy hedgefund and the fact that many won't come back until they are gone?

The move to Northampon ended some fans from ccfc. You seem to forget this. This will impact on attendances. I don't agree with it as I've been the opening 2 home games but I completely understand them and I still went to the Ricoh not thrilled with sisu still our owners.

 

[Otis]

All very well, but if that was the case then the Gillingham game wouldn't have had such a high attendance.

And many couldn't get tickets either, so it could well have been much more than 27,000.

 

[Kingokings204]

All very well, but if that was the case then the Gillingham game wouldn't have had such a high attendance.

Good point Torch but I think it is accepted out of the 27k against gillingham how many don't know the ins and outs of the JR like we do.

How many went because it was a "be there" match.

Look nothing would make me happier with 15-20k crowds and who knows come preston and crawley it may increase due to winning results still and still decent weather:

I don't want sisu in charge like I don't think anyone does but by not going now we are home is counter productive. We should all go as many now and show sisu they were majorly wrong for Northampton (not that they care) although I do completely understand the fans who won't come back. They have been hurt bad we all have. We all take and deal with it differently. And you also have the people who have broken their habit. 2-3 games a month was part of the routine and it doesn't come back after 15 months away within a month.

So Otis is right what he says about the euphoria and we are a decent team going 7 unbeaten. But IMO he fails to mention or underestimates the damage done to our club and that damage will take years to repair. If we had stayed at Northampton you can see why the club would of died.

 

[Otis]

Good point Torch but I think it is accepted out of the 27k against gillingham how many don't know the ins and outs of the JR like we do.

How many went because it was a "be there" match.

Look nothing would make me happier with 15-20k crowds and who knows come preston and crawley it may increase due to winning results still and still decent weather:

I don't want sisu in charge like I don't think anyone does but by not going now we are home is counter productive. We should all go as many now and show sisu they were majorly wrong for Northampton (not that they care) although I do completely understand the fans who won't come back. They have been hurt bad we all have. We all take and deal with it differently. And you also have the people who have broken their habit. 2-3 games a month was part of the routine and it doesn't come back after 15 months away within a month.

So Otis is right what he says about the euphoria and we are a decent team going 7 unbeaten. But IMO he fails to mention or underestimates the damage done to our club and that damage will take years to repair. If we had stayed at Northampton you can see why the club would of died.

Completely agree that had we stayed at Northampton the club would be all but dead on its feet.

 

[shmmeee]

What about the small matter of coming back from 15 months of exile due to a greedy hedgefund and the fact that many won't come back until they are gone?

The move to Northampon ended some fans from ccfc. You seem to forget this. This will impact on attendances. I don't agree with it as I've been the opening 2 home games but I completely understand them and I still went to the Ricoh not thrilled with sisu still our owners.

But it hasn't has it?

We attracted 1500 more than this time two seasons ago, and the same as the corresponding fixture, we haven't lost any fans, we've gained some and we've not lost others that historic trends tell us we would've lost anyway.

The club has done nothing to attempt to improve attendances so they will decay like they always have at any club without success. If anything, they've retained about 2000 fans they would've lost by going to Sixfields.

 

[Kingokings204]

But it hasn't has it?

We attracted 1500 more than this time two seasons ago, and the same as the corresponding fixture, we haven't lost any fans, we've gained some and we've not lost others that historic trends tell us we would've lost anyway.

The club has done nothing to attempt to improve attendances so they will decay like they always have at any club without success. If anything, they've retained about 2000 fans they would've lost by going to Sixfields.

Definitely don't agree with This post. That first paragraph is just wrong.
To say we haven't lost any fans is just madness.

 

[steveo1987]

You got it.

When SISU took over a 20k attendance was nothing unusual. They didn't deliver. They got most things wrong. We are at our lowest point for about 50 years under them. Yet we still bring in crowds the same as about 25 years ago when we were top flight playing top sides.

They have not delivered. Yet some seem to think that they should receive.

I've said many times that Coleman failed to deliver. That side should have been up there.

 

[AndreasB]

I was one of the missing 16,000. Why ? Living 36 miles away, being an OAP in his 70's, be buggered if I'm going to get caught up in the ticket chaos and wait up to 90 minutes with the chance of getting a ticket. Sort it out and I'll be back pronto. I bet there were a couple of thousand or so with the same thought as me.

you couldnt buy online then? given your continual emails to the FL I would have thought you would have been all over that.

 

[AndreasB]

But it hasn't has it?

We attracted 1500 more than this time two seasons ago, and the same as the corresponding fixture, we haven't lost any fans, we've gained some and we've not lost others that historic trends tell us we would've lost anyway.

The club has done nothing to attempt to improve attendances so they will decay like they always have at any club without success. If anything, they've retained about 2000 fans they would've lost by going to Sixfields.

Always someone elses fault isnt it?

Pressley and the team must have been gutted and felt let down on Saturday by the "support" - certainly Waggott did in his post match quotes and who can blame him. The tickets situation is poor but just a deflection - there were plenty of cash turnstiles saturday if you REALLY wanted to go.

Ironically, after all the bluster on here, we are making SISUs case for a 15k stadium that we own sound appealing and sensible rather than ridiculous.

 

[johnwillomagic]

In all honesty this thread is so long because it has touched a nerve with the fans that did not go.
As deep down I am sure some could have attended and did not.

Personally I do think stadium is to big for us and if an alternative new ground in Cov could be found where
we owned it and all revenue streams it would be far more commercial to have a 20k stadium charging a competitve rate
as we are currently do. Then success would reward the loyal season ticket holders - of which I am not one tbh.

This club has always survived on 8-10K lifeblood of season ticket holders. Fans that go to games when can regardless of the oppo, I fit into
this category and unfortunately however you want to phrase it those that only come out for "bigger" games.

I have said this on an alterntive thread but currently 11,000 even at 20 pound a ticket average is 220,000 whereas 27,000 at 5 pound
is only 135,000. The fans whingeing about 20 tickets are normally the same fans who drive me up the wall complaining about why havent we signed
enough pros for a 40 man squad on big wages in league 1!! You cannot have it all particularly now with FFP.

The short term goal of being back at the Ricoh for next two seasons is the most important thing and should be rightfully celebrated
.However if we continue to get 11k crowds and poor deal on revenue streams would be foolhardy not to consider the possiblity
of a smaller owned venue in Coventry for long term security of the club.