By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Now it's been a long time since I have been to FPR so I have nothing to add but I'm curious as to what people think?
Spent a fair amount of time this summer reading about the spending of 2 clubs in particular, Newcastle and Spurs, probably similar sized clubs, similar ambitions, fan base etc. With the new SCR rules these 2 clubs offer quite the contrast, Newcastle with extremely wealthy owners, Spurs with a new ground that has allowed them to increase their revenue, allowing them far more spending power.
Newcastle are looking at whether to build a new stadium to increase capacity. Obviously building a new stadium brings huge costs and for Spurs those are offset by the ability to hold London based events, NFL etc.
With all that in mind, where/how can we best increase capacity? Idk if this is a stupid question but would it be a case of tearing down current stands to build new ones?
How many seats could we regularly fill if we're an established PL club?
- Currently 30k? sellable seats given the summer changes - Additional 5k on top of the pioneer stand to house supporters during cobbold redevelopment - New cobbold stand adding another 5k including a lot of corporate spaces, restaurants and multi-use spaces - Add an event space on the practise pitch. I love the idea of a multi-room, adaptable space like Melkweg in Amsterdam so there’s varying sizes of space available for different events
1
What to do with PR to increase capacity? on 09:19 - Aug 8 with 376 views
40k would bring Ipswich up to mid-table when it comes to the size of Prem grounds. I think we need to establish ourselves a bit, maybe attain European football again, before thinking of going much larger. The grounds bigger than that are all in major cities.
What to do with PR to increase capacity? on 21:53 - Aug 7 by SuffolkPunchFC
The indoor arena at Coventry is a bit too big to fit in the available space, and that holds 10k. That’s why I say 7-10k, and it would be close to the 7 than 10 I suspect.
I believe those figures are based on standing events. Seated would drop to 4-5k. The whole point is that there is nothing of that size in East Anglia at the moment, which means the region often misses out on big events.
It also potentially links nicely into the bid to become the next city of culture.
It's mostly semantics and there isn't a definitive definition, but I feel like Coventry isn't really an arena, it's an exhibition hall which can have seating rolled out. When I hear Arena I think of permanent or semi-permanent seating in some sort of bowl or circle. Ime the Manchester Arenas, Sheffield, Nottingham, the Hydro in Glasgow, etc...
Advantage of the Exhibition hall type is you maximise flexibility and floorspace for events, especially conferences and ,shockingly, exhibitions. Disadvantage is much more work between events. Especially if you want to go from concert one night, to a exhibition for a couple of days and then to set it up for the Darts.
Dedicated arena is basically the opposite. Less floor space for exhibitions, but your 5-7k seats are permanently erected. Just need to tweak to whatever concert/ performance/sport you're having.
Personally I'd love an Ice Pad put in as I'm a season ticket holder up in Nottingham and I'd love a new rink to visit closer to my ancestral home. Plus an arena of that size would be capable of sustaining a top team in the UK league.
1
What to do with PR to increase capacity? on 11:01 - Aug 8 with 251 views
What to do with PR to increase capacity? on 09:27 - Aug 8 by Kievthegreat
It's mostly semantics and there isn't a definitive definition, but I feel like Coventry isn't really an arena, it's an exhibition hall which can have seating rolled out. When I hear Arena I think of permanent or semi-permanent seating in some sort of bowl or circle. Ime the Manchester Arenas, Sheffield, Nottingham, the Hydro in Glasgow, etc...
Advantage of the Exhibition hall type is you maximise flexibility and floorspace for events, especially conferences and ,shockingly, exhibitions. Disadvantage is much more work between events. Especially if you want to go from concert one night, to a exhibition for a couple of days and then to set it up for the Darts.
Dedicated arena is basically the opposite. Less floor space for exhibitions, but your 5-7k seats are permanently erected. Just need to tweak to whatever concert/ performance/sport you're having.
Personally I'd love an Ice Pad put in as I'm a season ticket holder up in Nottingham and I'd love a new rink to visit closer to my ancestral home. Plus an arena of that size would be capable of sustaining a top team in the UK league.
I expect it will just be a stage and a big floor space. Will work well as a fan zone and change quickly for bands and events like the darts.
1
What to do with PR to increase capacity? on 11:09 - Aug 8 with 235 views
What to do with PR to increase capacity? on 09:19 - Aug 8 by Guthrum
40k would bring Ipswich up to mid-table when it comes to the size of Prem grounds. I think we need to establish ourselves a bit, maybe attain European football again, before thinking of going much larger. The grounds bigger than that are all in major cities.
I agree we need to proceed with pragmatism, but the city grounds you speak of all have close competition for supporters / bums on seats.
We have a massive potential catchment area. The population of East Anglia is close to that of Greater London. Sure, some of those counties get closer to other big clubs, but Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambs alone is nearly 3M. Bigger than any UK city other than London, and limited choice of a club to support that compete at the top level.
This is the pot of goal at the end of the rainbow that the owners are chasing.
0
What to do with PR to increase capacity? on 11:18 - Aug 8 with 221 views
What to do with PR to increase capacity? on 09:27 - Aug 8 by Kievthegreat
It's mostly semantics and there isn't a definitive definition, but I feel like Coventry isn't really an arena, it's an exhibition hall which can have seating rolled out. When I hear Arena I think of permanent or semi-permanent seating in some sort of bowl or circle. Ime the Manchester Arenas, Sheffield, Nottingham, the Hydro in Glasgow, etc...
Advantage of the Exhibition hall type is you maximise flexibility and floorspace for events, especially conferences and ,shockingly, exhibitions. Disadvantage is much more work between events. Especially if you want to go from concert one night, to a exhibition for a couple of days and then to set it up for the Darts.
Dedicated arena is basically the opposite. Less floor space for exhibitions, but your 5-7k seats are permanently erected. Just need to tweak to whatever concert/ performance/sport you're having.
Personally I'd love an Ice Pad put in as I'm a season ticket holder up in Nottingham and I'd love a new rink to visit closer to my ancestral home. Plus an arena of that size would be capable of sustaining a top team in the UK league.
As you say, it's semantics
I picture a more flexible space that can be open or seated. This increases its potential uses, and something of this type is needed in East Anglia. It could become the go-to venue for so many events in the region.
I had been against increasing capacity, even until very recently as we rarely sold out last season, and 30k is still a reasonable size even in mid-Premier League. I have changed my mind; first, improving the stadium - so the many restricted view seats are no more and facilities greatly improved - would attract more people. Second, there is significant population growth in & around Ipswich and Suffolk.
How to do it? First, take the roof off the West stand, pop an extra 10-12 rows (= 2000 - 2500ish seats), pop on a nice new roof with no internal supports. This needs to build back around 12m, perhaps not coincidentally the depth of the single-story buildback this summer... Secondly, Cobbold Stand. Replace with a stand of roughly twice current capacity, align the roof with N & S stands. Include 1000+ premium / hospitality seats (we are about the lowest in the Prem right now, and our offering ranges from the modern Three Lions lounge to the historic Cobbold boxes...).
This would give a capacity of around 37000- 38000, probably enough. It wouldn't be hard to design in 40k if desired...
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
