| Bigger ground 21:04 - Oct 23 with 5411 views | RIPbobby |
I never thought I'd say this, but we need a bigger ground. Portman Road in its current state is way too small. We need to prepare for a serious assault on the prem next season if we are promoted this term. |  | | |  |
| Build it and they will come? on 09:26 - Oct 24 with 1455 views | MattinLondon |
| Build it and they will come? on 07:08 - Oct 24 by Pendejo |
People said we couldn't get 28,000 in this division, ok it took a ticket promotion. Wonder what next home Saturday attendance will be?
Building the Pioneer took place 5 years too late.
We were over ambitious rebuilding both end stands.
Those projects had a negative impact.
To participate in Prem, we need minimum 35,000 capacity.... But we're still 2 steps from there, all about timing. |
I don’t think that clubs need 30k plus crowds anymore to compete etc in the PL. TV money etc totally destroyed that notion a few years ago. |  | | |
| Bigger ground on 09:26 - Oct 24 with 1453 views | SuperKieranMcKenna |
| Bigger ground on 08:23 - Oct 24 by PioneerBlue |
I’m not sure we can expand the crowd that much in the short term. I’ve been pleased by the uptick whilst in L1. It does follow that in a higher league there could be greater interest and more people in the ground. The cloob has done a very good ground work, tapping the local community with ticket promotions and making the place more interesting for families and younger children, that’s the future and where the current growth is.
If in the EPL Yes we could draw many additional local football watchers/ football tourists, but that’s a long way off as it stands.
I travel into Ipswich, it is becoming worse as time goes by, roads and parking and time to get away from PR already makes midweek difficult, Saturdays no such a prob.
My eyes have been opened to West Ham, now packing 60k but look at their travel connections. We’d need to tap the biggest audience near, what’s that Essex or Cambridge, out of town to make travel helpful near A12 or A14, that’s only an opinion without any background details. [Post edited 24 Oct 2022 10:59]
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“My eyes have been opened to West Ham, now packing 60k but look at their travel connections”
That’s more to do with the fact you can get a season ticket for less than the price of a Happy Meal. |  | | |
| Bigger ground on 09:37 - Oct 24 with 1433 views | PioneerBlue |
| Bigger ground on 09:26 - Oct 24 by SuperKieranMcKenna |
“My eyes have been opened to West Ham, now packing 60k but look at their travel connections”
That’s more to do with the fact you can get a season ticket for less than the price of a Happy Meal. |
Buts that is no different to Ipswich doing ground work to develop the interest and action through ticket promotions. You have to develop higher crowds, incentivise people to change Saturday habits and make the effort to travel to ground and watch football.
So what is your point? [Post edited 24 Oct 2022 10:53]
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| Bigger ground on 09:51 - Oct 24 with 1422 views | Pilgrimblue |
| Bigger ground on 09:10 - Oct 24 by AlanG296 |
Agree with this, a cautious approach and wait to see whether the increased attendances are sustained as (hopefully) we move up the league. Other factors will come into it e.g. pricing - will they charge more for higher level football - will be a difficult decision for many, as much as they love the Town, there are more important bills to pay. Also travel is becoming more and more expensive and difficult. Coming from Mid-Essex the A12 is a pain they finish 1 set of long term roadworks then start another which will still be delaying us this time next year, and as you say parking in and getting out of Ipswich is getting worse. Tried the train on Friday which was ridiculously overcrowded both ways. Much as I'm loving the football, these non football factors do test the commitment. |
After Fridays experience when we never got to PR due to road closure at Hat Pev I’m not sure what’s going to happen with A12! It should’ve been upgraded to M12 years ago but lack of foresight by ECC has left the County with very poor situation. I’d use the train but it’s very expensive! |  | | |
| Bigger ground on 09:57 - Oct 24 with 1412 views | Mookamoo |
| Bigger ground on 09:51 - Oct 24 by Pilgrimblue |
After Fridays experience when we never got to PR due to road closure at Hat Pev I’m not sure what’s going to happen with A12! It should’ve been upgraded to M12 years ago but lack of foresight by ECC has left the County with very poor situation. I’d use the train but it’s very expensive! |
That is the more pressing issue. We can't have a town centre ground and have the transport links in and out of Ipswich we currently have.
There will come a point when the gloss rubs off and the new found fans will just see it as too much hassle and extra expense to travel.
An out-of-town ground would only work if it was part of a retail/leisure complex and there is no money in that sector anymore. |  | | |
| Bigger ground on 10:00 - Oct 24 with 1405 views | itfcjoe |
The very most we'd even need to get to is around 35k, which you'd imagine in the longer term can be achieved by knocking down the Portman Stand and rebuilding it, possibly encroaching into Portman Road if that road is to remain shut for the long term.
The bigger need for if we were to go up is to get more corporate hospitality into that stand, as what is there is sub standard now. If we were to do that stand we'd end up with a lot more corporate and expensive hospitailty and another 2-3k seats for the normal allocation and that would be plenty really.
We should never, ever, consider leaving Portman Road though |  |
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| Bigger ground on 10:03 - Oct 24 with 1392 views | GeoffSentence |
| Bigger ground on 09:51 - Oct 24 by Pilgrimblue |
After Fridays experience when we never got to PR due to road closure at Hat Pev I’m not sure what’s going to happen with A12! It should’ve been upgraded to M12 years ago but lack of foresight by ECC has left the County with very poor situation. I’d use the train but it’s very expensive! |
The A12 is due to be upgrade between Chelmsford and Colchester.
However, big round of spending cuts looming, in all probability some big infrastructure projects , like that one, will be delayed |  |
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| Bigger ground on 10:21 - Oct 24 with 1369 views | AlanG296 |
| Bigger ground on 10:03 - Oct 24 by GeoffSentence |
The A12 is due to be upgrade between Chelmsford and Colchester.
However, big round of spending cuts looming, in all probability some big infrastructure projects , like that one, will be delayed |
Not too bothered about that upgrade, the way those things go that's years away and we could be in the European Super League before that's built! Marks Try to Stanway rebuilding is the biggest problem for the next year, apart from the routine accidents usually as a result of people driving too close to the vehicle in front. [Post edited 24 Oct 2022 10:22]
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| Bigger ground on 10:22 - Oct 24 with 1367 views | tivo |
| Bigger ground on 09:57 - Oct 24 by Mookamoo |
That is the more pressing issue. We can't have a town centre ground and have the transport links in and out of Ipswich we currently have.
There will come a point when the gloss rubs off and the new found fans will just see it as too much hassle and extra expense to travel.
An out-of-town ground would only work if it was part of a retail/leisure complex and there is no money in that sector anymore. |
The day we move out of town will be the death of the club IMHO.
Ipswich is a mess to get around on the best of days, why people try to drive and park in the town centre is beyond me. I walk from way up the far end of Bramford Road and it takes me 30 minutes at a lazy pace. The amount of cars I walk past on Norwich & Bramford Road in standstill baffles me, park, walk.
We also need to look at the like of Charlton who run shuttles from all around Kent/London which you can buy tickets for online. Even if the coach service itself is 'loss leading' you make sure those coaches arrive by 1.30 and then have those people making up for it in the fanzone. | | | |
| Bigger ground on 10:35 - Oct 24 with 1338 views | Churchman |
| Bigger ground on 10:03 - Oct 24 by GeoffSentence |
The A12 is due to be upgrade between Chelmsford and Colchester.
However, big round of spending cuts looming, in all probability some big infrastructure projects , like that one, will be delayed |
The A12 should have been a motorway years ago, as should the A14. Felixstowe is far and away the biggest container port in the U.K. and serviced by a couple of cart tracks, figuratively. The importance of infrastructure hasn’t been recognised in the U.K. in decades. And it’ll be decades before the A12/A14 are invested in now, sadly. Perhaps we can get an EU grant….. oh.
As for PR, I hope it stays where it is and is upgraded. I admire the new grounds but prefer our characterful one. It just needs a bit of TLC. It’s location in relation to the town centre and station is good. It’s just the parking which is a headache. |  | | |
| Bigger ground on 10:48 - Oct 24 with 1324 views | AlanG296 |
| Bigger ground on 10:35 - Oct 24 by Churchman |
The A12 should have been a motorway years ago, as should the A14. Felixstowe is far and away the biggest container port in the U.K. and serviced by a couple of cart tracks, figuratively. The importance of infrastructure hasn’t been recognised in the U.K. in decades. And it’ll be decades before the A12/A14 are invested in now, sadly. Perhaps we can get an EU grant….. oh.
As for PR, I hope it stays where it is and is upgraded. I admire the new grounds but prefer our characterful one. It just needs a bit of TLC. It’s location in relation to the town centre and station is good. It’s just the parking which is a headache. |
Given the number of EU registered HGVs on those roads perhaps the EU still should contribute! | | | |
| Bigger ground on 10:54 - Oct 24 with 1318 views | SuperKieranMcKenna |
| Bigger ground on 10:22 - Oct 24 by tivo |
The day we move out of town will be the death of the club IMHO.
Ipswich is a mess to get around on the best of days, why people try to drive and park in the town centre is beyond me. I walk from way up the far end of Bramford Road and it takes me 30 minutes at a lazy pace. The amount of cars I walk past on Norwich & Bramford Road in standstill baffles me, park, walk.
We also need to look at the like of Charlton who run shuttles from all around Kent/London which you can buy tickets for online. Even if the coach service itself is 'loss leading' you make sure those coaches arrive by 1.30 and then have those people making up for it in the fanzone. |
If the Park and ride was decent I’d use it all the time.
However it is utter g@sh, and I’ve used many around the country. Few dedicated bus lanes mean you get stuck in traffic anyway, no increased service on matchdays means you have f all chance of getting on one after the match, and the gaps between are too long.
Last time I tried to get one about an hour after the game they were ALL cancelled and had to find a random bus back towards Copdock. So now I’ll simply drive in and add to the congestion/pollution… | | | |
| Bigger ground on 11:06 - Oct 24 with 1311 views | AlanG296 |
With the football on view, I can put up with the hassles getting to the game, if we were playing McCarthyball, probably not. | | | |
| Bigger ground on 11:14 - Oct 24 with 1297 views | DJR |
| Bigger ground on 10:22 - Oct 24 by tivo |
The day we move out of town will be the death of the club IMHO.
Ipswich is a mess to get around on the best of days, why people try to drive and park in the town centre is beyond me. I walk from way up the far end of Bramford Road and it takes me 30 minutes at a lazy pace. The amount of cars I walk past on Norwich & Bramford Road in standstill baffles me, park, walk.
We also need to look at the like of Charlton who run shuttles from all around Kent/London which you can buy tickets for online. Even if the coach service itself is 'loss leading' you make sure those coaches arrive by 1.30 and then have those people making up for it in the fanzone. |
I second that. I sometimes get the train, which is perfectly situated for the ground. And when I drive, I park off the Wherstead Road. I find the 20 minute walk both speeds my journey out of Ipswich and gives me a chance to stretch my legs both before and after the game. [Post edited 24 Oct 2022 11:15]
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| Bigger ground on 11:18 - Oct 24 with 1290 views | DJR |
| Bigger ground on 09:51 - Oct 24 by Pilgrimblue |
After Fridays experience when we never got to PR due to road closure at Hat Pev I’m not sure what’s going to happen with A12! It should’ve been upgraded to M12 years ago but lack of foresight by ECC has left the County with very poor situation. I’d use the train but it’s very expensive! |
I think the situation on Friday was made worse by the half-time break with those heading off to places like Clacton and Great Yarmouth. It took me over two hours to get to Shenfield via the Dartford Crossing to catch the train when the journey normally takes 50 minutes. | | | |
| Bigger ground on 12:19 - Oct 24 with 1241 views | Hipsterectomy |
ticket sales money means virtually nothing in the Prem. West Ham were doing adult season tickets for £200 a while back as they just wanted people inside. Lowest price now is £299 for an adult. |  |
| Walter Smith's Barmy Army |
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| Bigger ground on 12:47 - Oct 24 with 1200 views | cbower |
| Bigger ground on 08:11 - Oct 24 by itfcsuth |
Steady.
15 games into this L1 season - we haven’t even got out of October yet.
Regardless, our capacity is perfect for both L1/Champ - only time I think we’d look at extension is if we solidify in the Prem over a number of years - we are a long long long way away from needing to worry about that. |
I make you right. When I watch Championship games, most have swathes of empty seats at the moment. Even in the 70s and early 80s attendances were rarely above 32,000 (i know 38,010 v Leeds in the cup) and even in 81 the average was barely 25k. Currently, our average attendance is close to the historical highs of 1975-77 and 2002-2006. Where are all the additional fans going to come from if capacity was 5
35k? What if we get into the Championship (soon I hope) and stay there for 4 or 5 seasons? Would interest settle around 20-24,000 with a 1/3 of the stadium empty again? Expanding capacity is a huge risk and I fear we could end up with a white elephant. Packing the ground out whislt enjoying success in L1 seems crazy but probably more likely than doing so finishing mid table in the Championship or struggling against the drop in the Premier League. |  |
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| Bigger ground on 14:35 - Oct 24 with 1132 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| Bigger ground on 10:35 - Oct 24 by Churchman |
The A12 should have been a motorway years ago, as should the A14. Felixstowe is far and away the biggest container port in the U.K. and serviced by a couple of cart tracks, figuratively. The importance of infrastructure hasn’t been recognised in the U.K. in decades. And it’ll be decades before the A12/A14 are invested in now, sadly. Perhaps we can get an EU grant….. oh.
As for PR, I hope it stays where it is and is upgraded. I admire the new grounds but prefer our characterful one. It just needs a bit of TLC. It’s location in relation to the town centre and station is good. It’s just the parking which is a headache. |
I don't find the parking a headache, personally. Arrive between 11 and 11.30... no problems with traffic then... and park in Portman Road, so you couldn't be any closer to the stadium! Usually have a few in the car, so one of them pays the parking (which is a fraction of what they'd have paid on the train). Then after the game we go to the pub for a couple and by the time we get back to the car there's very little traffic again. |  |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Bigger ground on 14:42 - Oct 24 with 1126 views | N2_Blue |
| Bigger ground on 09:57 - Oct 24 by Mookamoo |
That is the more pressing issue. We can't have a town centre ground and have the transport links in and out of Ipswich we currently have.
There will come a point when the gloss rubs off and the new found fans will just see it as too much hassle and extra expense to travel.
An out-of-town ground would only work if it was part of a retail/leisure complex and there is no money in that sector anymore. |
"An out-of-town ground would only work if it was part of a retail/leisure complex and there is no money in that sector anymore"
Thank goodness for that. We should never move to out an out of town soulless retail park. How to rip the heart and soul out of our historic club over night.
30-35k is more than enough even in the PL. Yes it will meet waiting lists and demands for tickets but i never want us playing in a less than half empty 40k stadium which would be awful.
Our stadium is almost the right size now. A little modernisation, refurbish/redesign one stand should we make the PL and a 32-33k stadium would be perfect. |  |
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