| Anyone else heard this? 09:31 - Jul 13 with 5523 views | STYG |
Was told by someone I trust last night that works at the club that the investors have drawn up plans for the new land where Staples was and that the practice pitch as it currently is will be got rid of and that will become a state of the art fanzone, big screens (for beambacks, England games and to get fans in before and after games to maximise revenue, food outlets, retail.
The staples bit will allow a walkway for fans trying to get to that side of the stadium (instead of walking the whole way round) amongst other things. There was mention of a few kids pitches there to allow the community stuff to carry on.
Has that been discussed / made public at all? It all sounds awesome although a part of me will be sad to see the practice pitch go because it's so iconic. |  | | |  |
| Anyone else heard this? on 09:47 - Jul 13 with 5383 views | Muncher |
That’s all possible but from what I’ve heard things are at a very early stage and they’re not entirely sure what to do with the staples site at this stage. | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 10:24 - Jul 13 with 5110 views | STYG |
| Anyone else heard this? on 09:47 - Jul 13 by Muncher |
That’s all possible but from what I’ve heard things are at a very early stage and they’re not entirely sure what to do with the staples site at this stage. |
I was told there were a load of options there from the kids pitches to moving the Constantine Road ticket offices temporarily. I was told long term they are hoping to expand the Cobbold Stand out onto the road in front and have the reception there (which ties in with what Ashton said about facing the Town), but the position of the away fans that close to the reception would cause issues.
Certainly sounds like there will be a lot of change over the next 2-3 years. Does make you wonder with the away fans.
Quite simply they'll never go back to the North Stand. They won't have them in the Magnus because of the fan zone plans. They don't want them in the Cobbold if they build the reception there.
The Sir Alf Lower could make sense being nearest to the station (not that many fans arrive that way nowadays) if the Staples bit was almost segregated as such.
Alternatively they'll keep them where they are but the reception would be on the right hand side of the Cobbold but then that poses some interesting issues as well.
Wonderful stadium, but a real mish mash of things now and it'll take a lot of thought to get it flowing brilliantly.
Sat in the Magnus last night and the toilets and food queues were horrendous too. A lot of work to be done there over time and that makes me wonder if they'll flip that to a degree with the food outlets being where the practice pitch is now, so those little kiosks go and you hugely open up space and how easily people can be served. | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 13:02 - Jul 13 with 4699 views | DJR |
I played a Scout cup final on the practice pitch in the early 70s, and Bobby Robson came into the changing rooms after the game to say hello to the players, so it has fond memories for me. But now that the training facilities are elsewhere, I can see there is a case for making better use of it. |  | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 14:55 - Jul 13 with 4334 views | Scuzzer |
| Anyone else heard this? on 13:02 - Jul 13 by DJR |
I played a Scout cup final on the practice pitch in the early 70s, and Bobby Robson came into the changing rooms after the game to say hello to the players, so it has fond memories for me. But now that the training facilities are elsewhere, I can see there is a case for making better use of it. |
Ha! I played on the practice pitch in the mid seventies for the Boys Brigade against the Scouts in The Old Gramarians Cup. We got stuffed 6-1 but I scored the BB's goal with a lovely diving header. Always will remember that one. |  |
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| Anyone else heard this? on 15:05 - Jul 13 with 4283 views | billlm |
| Anyone else heard this? on 14:55 - Jul 13 by Scuzzer |
Ha! I played on the practice pitch in the mid seventies for the Boys Brigade against the Scouts in The Old Gramarians Cup. We got stuffed 6-1 but I scored the BB's goal with a lovely diving header. Always will remember that one. |
I played in the scout cup final there in 73/74 |  | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 15:23 - Jul 13 with 4189 views | wrightsrightglove |
Think there’s plenty of rumours around but from what I’d heard from someone at the club was:
- staples to become a ‘box-park’ style unit with bars / food outlets and a big screen ready in time for the World Cup.
- big screen on the practise pitch for the start of the season and throughout this season.
- practice pitch to potentially become a large conference scale capable of holding 3,000 people similar to a small version of the Excel.
- new changing rooms, offices etc. to be built within the conference centre to upgrade facilities.
Generally a pretty reliable source but I imagine it’s very fluid at the moment on the big decisions and will be reliant on us getting out of this league. | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 16:37 - Jul 13 with 3913 views | DJR |
| Anyone else heard this? on 15:05 - Jul 13 by billlm |
I played in the scout cup final there in 73/74 |
Which group? I was 9th Ipswich, and the final I played in was probably around 73/74. [Post edited 13 Jul 2022 16:38]
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| Anyone else heard this? on 17:24 - Jul 13 with 3609 views | ArnieM |
OP: it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this is Gamechanger’s plan. They well and truly think big and certainly outside of the, Saturday football match day experience . It might even make a few PL clubs sit up and take note. In America you go to a sports event it’s a whole day experience and not just “ the match”. Not sure if that model would fully take off in the UK but I can see them trying to develop that match day experience . They’d be mad not too wouldn’t they ! |  |
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| Anyone else heard this? on 17:34 - Jul 13 with 3531 views | Veggie |
I’d heard they are going to turn it into a big shop that sells stationery. Not sure it’s a good business model in the current climate. [Post edited 13 Jul 2022 17:35]
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| Anyone else heard this? on 17:45 - Jul 13 with 3488 views | unbelievablue |
| Anyone else heard this? on 17:24 - Jul 13 by ArnieM |
OP: it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this is Gamechanger’s plan. They well and truly think big and certainly outside of the, Saturday football match day experience . It might even make a few PL clubs sit up and take note. In America you go to a sports event it’s a whole day experience and not just “ the match”. Not sure if that model would fully take off in the UK but I can see them trying to develop that match day experience . They’d be mad not too wouldn’t they ! |
The BoxPark style setup is a no brainer. Different food vendors, a couple of bars, big screens etc. for the lunchtime and evening kickoffs/other sport. It would drag a fair few drinkers out of town centre pubs, I am sure. And if you make it family friendly, could be a good money spinner. |  |
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| Anyone else heard this? on 17:52 - Jul 13 with 3433 views | The_Major |
They may as well extend the Cobbold back into the road - there's no through traffic now since they've blocked off the Princes Street end with those planters, so you may as well keep Portman Road as it is from Handford Road down to Sir Alf/Beat, so you've got access to what is planned on the cattle market car park, keep the Princes Street end for a short distance for access to the Churchman flats, and pedestrianise the bit in the middle behind the stand. |  | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 17:59 - Jul 13 with 3360 views | billlm |
| Anyone else heard this? on 16:37 - Jul 13 by DJR |
Which group? I was 9th Ipswich, and the final I played in was probably around 73/74. [Post edited 13 Jul 2022 16:38]
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10th, won the final easily pretty sure against bramford, the semi final should have been the final, 10th v claydon, tough semi final, mines a rough guess could have been 72/73, | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 18:13 - Jul 13 with 3240 views | DJR |
| Anyone else heard this? on 17:59 - Jul 13 by billlm |
10th, won the final easily pretty sure against bramford, the semi final should have been the final, 10th v claydon, tough semi final, mines a rough guess could have been 72/73, |
Yes, it must have been a different year to mine, but very difficult to remember the year. | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 18:16 - Jul 13 with 3215 views | Pinewoodblue |
Suspect if Game changer had been around at the time Town would have purchased the building Archant now occupy. Used it for offices or better still a nice big pub, owned by the club, called “Suffolk Punch”. |  |
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| Anyone else heard this? on 19:36 - Jul 13 with 2976 views | stonojnr |
| Anyone else heard this? on 18:16 - Jul 13 by Pinewoodblue |
Suspect if Game changer had been around at the time Town would have purchased the building Archant now occupy. Used it for offices or better still a nice big pub, owned by the club, called “Suffolk Punch”. |
you mean the Archant building with the big To Let sign on it ? https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gb0397l62231
since they moved out of there a while ago to "offices" at IP-City.
and why on earth would the club want to own and run a pub there for, you want fans in the ground, hence the purpose of the fanzone, spending their money where they cant go ah yeah but the pub 2mins walk away has a better pre match atmos ? | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 21:04 - Jul 13 with 2738 views | DJR |
| Anyone else heard this? on 18:16 - Jul 13 by Pinewoodblue |
Suspect if Game changer had been around at the time Town would have purchased the building Archant now occupy. Used it for offices or better still a nice big pub, owned by the club, called “Suffolk Punch”. |
Or "The Sporting Farmer"? | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 21:14 - Jul 13 with 2661 views | DJR |
| Anyone else heard this? on 18:16 - Jul 13 by Pinewoodblue |
Suspect if Game changer had been around at the time Town would have purchased the building Archant now occupy. Used it for offices or better still a nice big pub, owned by the club, called “Suffolk Punch”. |
A better plot of land to have acquired was the building opposite the Archant building which is now flats because that limits entrance to the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, and limits a possible shifting of the stadium towards the station so as to enable the Sir Bobby Robson Stand to become one tier. | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 21:19 - Jul 13 with 2621 views | backwaywhen |
| Anyone else heard this? on 15:23 - Jul 13 by wrightsrightglove |
Think there’s plenty of rumours around but from what I’d heard from someone at the club was:
- staples to become a ‘box-park’ style unit with bars / food outlets and a big screen ready in time for the World Cup.
- big screen on the practise pitch for the start of the season and throughout this season.
- practice pitch to potentially become a large conference scale capable of holding 3,000 people similar to a small version of the Excel.
- new changing rooms, offices etc. to be built within the conference centre to upgrade facilities.
Generally a pretty reliable source but I imagine it’s very fluid at the moment on the big decisions and will be reliant on us getting out of this league. |
I wonder if they will come out onto the pitch from the centre if the bit about the possible new changing rooms is true ! | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 21:53 - Jul 13 with 2428 views | ZXBlue |
| Anyone else heard this? on 21:19 - Jul 13 by backwaywhen |
I wonder if they will come out onto the pitch from the centre if the bit about the possible new changing rooms is true ! |
Bristol Citys ground is an excellent example. Impressive, smart modern and with lots of facilities. No surprise at all if we are looking at similar setups. | | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 09:23 - Jul 14 with 1842 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| Anyone else heard this? on 19:36 - Jul 13 by stonojnr |
you mean the Archant building with the big To Let sign on it ? https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gb0397l62231
since they moved out of there a while ago to "offices" at IP-City.
and why on earth would the club want to own and run a pub there for, you want fans in the ground, hence the purpose of the fanzone, spending their money where they cant go ah yeah but the pub 2mins walk away has a better pre match atmos ? |
Whether people are spending money in the pub or the ground, if you own both what difference does it make? |  |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Anyone else heard this? on 11:16 - Jul 14 with 1676 views | DinDjarin |
I heard the practise pitch has been spoken about maybe turning into an education / academy, teaching hub, classrooms, offices and the whatnot and the new land will become fanzone.
Not really sure they know what to do yet and ideas being thrown about.
I do know 100% they did not really need the new land but bought it so noone else did and bank it until decide what to do with it. |  | | |
| Anyone else heard this? on 18:37 - Jul 14 with 1065 views | Veggie |
| Anyone else heard this? on 09:23 - Jul 14 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Whether people are spending money in the pub or the ground, if you own both what difference does it make? |
Marcus Evans didn’t open a pub because he was making so much money by losing so much money running ITFC. If he’d opened a pub that would have have made some money which would have had a positive effect on the negative cash flow at the club, thus meaning he would be losing less money. Which of course meant he would be making more money. | | | |
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