The Madstad and increasing capacity

[Dennis the Butler]

Saw that the club would consider increasing capacity for 2007/08 should we manage to avoid relegation this coming season but can't help thinking that this was a missed opportunity that should have been done this close season.

We all know that the Madstad will (should) be sold out for every game next season with many punters not being able to get tickets. We also know that the club lose money despite selling out.

Have read that the cost of installing additional seating would be something in the region of 1000.00 each ... seems a bit on the cheap side to me! However, say the cost of 10,000 seats was to be 100,000 ... x 18 games at an average ticket price of 28 = 504,000 ! ... also increased capacity for non football events like the Red Hot Chilli's ...

Just feel that, should we get relegated this coming season, the increase in capacity may never happen.

Any of you guys have similar views on this ?

[TFF]

Saw that the club would consider increasing capacity for 2007/08 should we manage to avoid relegation this coming season but can't help thinking that this was a missed opportunity that should have been done this close season.

We all know that the Madstad will (should) be sold out for every game next season with many punters not being able to get tickets. We also know that the club lose money despite selling out.

Have read that the cost of installing additional seating would be something in the region of 1000.00 each ... seems a bit on the cheap side to me! However, say the cost of 10,000 seats was to be 100,000 ... x 18 games at an average ticket price of 28 = 504,000 ! ... also increased capacity for non football events like the Red Hot Chilli's ...

Just feel that, should we get relegated this coming season, the increase in capacity may never happen.

Any of you guys have similar views on this ?

Erm.....10,000 x 1,000 = £10,000,000

[reading_lad]

To be honest i hope we wait a bit longer than planned.

If we extended the stadium this closed season, and then got relegated, we would have a half empty stadium in the championship, and it would be a waste.

We definatly need to sort of secure our position in the premiership before we start extending.

[floyd__streete]

I think that all talk of increasing capacity is way too premature. I understand we can build up to 40,000? I can't envisage us ever needing a capacity of anything remotely near that figure.

[Dennis the Butler]

Sorry for not making myself clearer, that was meant to read 100,000 for the 10,000 seats ... not each ! Still think it would have been a good idea tho ...

[bobby1413]

Sorry for not making myself clearer, that was meant to read 100,000 for the 10,000 seats ... not each ! Still think it would have been a good idea tho ...

I don't. I'd rather have a stadium holding 24'200 people and bursting at the seams due to it being so packed, than have a 40'000 seater with 28'000 or so people in it.

I think we will get 40'000 attendence, however, we would have to secure a premiership place, and wait a few years whilst our support grows. 5 years ago we were not getting attendences of 24'000. Let's hope in another 5 years time we may be an established premiership side with a packed stadium of 40'000 every week.

[Jay]

If we stay up then I think it's definitely the right choice to add to one stand. The demand is there so why not take advantage of it?

[anR]

If we extended the stadium this closed season, and then got relegated, we would have a half empty stadium in the championship, and it would be a waste.

But with all this talk of renaming stands, this would be the perfect scenario to rename the whole place as the 'Stadium of Shite'.

[TFF]

Sorry for not making myself clearer, that was meant to read 100,000 for the 10,000 seats ... not each ! Still think it would have been a good idea tho ...

You're not helping yourself here.

Cost £1000 per seat x 10,000 seats = £10 million

Max revenue (excl cups and special events) @ £28 per seat (28 x 10,000 x 19 games) = £5,320,000

Five million loss in our first year in the top flight, no guarantee of Prem status and therefore ticket sales next season.

I think the Directors know what they're doing on this one.

[Skin]

I'll do it for £800 per seat...

[RG30]

I really hope the club doesn't go through with this for next season should we survive. Yes it's true we have gained new support etc but I for one would think building the team up should take immediate priority. The Premier League is a very difficult league to survive in and you need constant shrewed investment to survive.

Just look at Sunderland, they are an example of what can go wrong.

[MartinRdg]

I really hope the club doesn't go through with this for next season should we survive. Yes it's true we have gained new support etc but I for one would think building the team up should take immediate priority. The Premier League is a very difficult league to survive in and you need constant shrewed investment to survive.

Just look at Sunderland, they are an example of what can go wrong.

If we stay up, maybe increase to 30,000 and go from there - presumably it's a split of 6k for East and 4k each for North and South so could just do East.

[RG30]

It would make sense if the club done the East before the North/South as it holds a larger capacity and if the club still wish to flog the Excutive boxes, then they'll be likely demand.

[shadesrwrf]

I think that all talk of increasing capacity is way too premature. I understand we can build up to 40,000? I can't envisage us ever needing a capacity of anything remotely near that figure.

I can't believe that's been allowed to pass without comment.

[B16]

If we extended the stadium this closed season, and then got relegated, we would have a half empty stadium in the championship, and it would be a waste.

But with all this talk of renaming stands, this would be the perfect scenario to rename the whole place as the 'Stadium of Shite'.

No, it's Sunderland who play at the Stadium of Shite

[Royalshow]

We should certainly wait until next season,if that.Also i think we should wait until the infurstruture of the new train station is here to take the load of the extra 5,000 in attendence.

anyone got an idea of what it would look like from outside the ground?

[scutterbucket]

The Madejski has been open for 8 years nearly, we've had a good Championship club for 3 seasons and only when it was clear we were going to the Prem, at around Christmas of last year, did we start getting capacity crowds regularly for the first time in the stadiums history.

If we expand and then get relegated later, im fairly certain capacity crowds will go right out the window. We'll probably end up with under 20,000 again.

[Dirk Gently]

A major obstacle to any expansion is parking. Until the club can prove to RBC that they can successfully find places to park the extra vehciles that would bring an extra 10K fans (or how ever many) - it's likely to stay dead in the water.

[royalsteve]

I think that all talk of increasing capacity is way too premature. I understand we can build up to 40,000? I can't envisage us ever needing a capacity of anything remotely near that figure.

you may be surprise Reading is the bigges town in the uk and with only 1 club within a 25 miles radius there is no reason why, if RFC, stay in the prem for some time, that we could support a 40K stadium....in the elm park years in the 80's and 90's we average around 4-7000 a season, 9 years ago we averaged approx 6500 to last season with almost 20500. Phenominal growth in under 10 years.

However i think this should be done in stages and certainly for now 32000 will be ok......probably not for the big games.....even 40000 may not be enough, but plenty for the visits of Wigan and Blackburn

[Jay]

I think that all talk of increasing capacity is way too premature. I understand we can build up to 40,000? I can't envisage us ever needing a capacity of anything remotely near that figure.

you may be surprise Reading is the bigges town in the uk

You sure? Ipswich, Burnley to name two towns that may argue that.