Expanding the Mad Stat

[Tony Le Mesmer]

I supose the application has been made assuming the club establish themselves long term in the premiership.

With the exception of games like we have on Sat, you have to ask whether we really need to extend at all at the moment.

I believe tickets for our first 2 home games went on general sale, so demand is hardly outstripping supply.

Personally, i feel that our ground is just about perfect at the moment.

Rubbish mate. City sold out as apparantly did boro and we are only giving away fans 2,300. Most clubs would sell out another 2,000 EASILY. We also sold out agaisnt man city which isn't the most of attractive of games and it was a monday night on sky. For the top 8 including most london clubs we'd get around 30,000+ IMO. For purely business reasons the move is viable and one we should proceed with to expand. Obviously bolton on a tuesday night wouldn't sell out, but a lot would.

if we are going to spend millions on an extra 10,000 seats, we have to be able to fill it for most games, not just half a dozen big games IF we are in the prem.

I think you are over estimating how big Reading are. As soon as our winning cycle comes to an end our ground will seem plenty big enough. Man City & Boro both went on general sale, as did just about every away game last season and this. That doesn't strike me as a club with huge demands for tickets.

We need to continue expanding steadily year on year, not do a Bradford.

Expanding the stadium will not happen until we are firmly established as a prem club that does not see relegation as a realistic possibility. John Madejski isnt that stupid.

[Rob-Royal]

I supose the application has been made assuming the club establish themselves long term in the premiership.

With the exception of games like we have on Sat, you have to ask whether we really need to extend at all at the moment.

I believe tickets for our first 2 home games went on general sale, so demand is hardly outstripping supply.

Personally, i feel that our ground is just about perfect at the moment.

Rubbish mate. City sold out as apparantly did boro and we are only giving away fans 2,300. Most clubs would sell out another 2,000 EASILY. We also sold out agaisnt man city which isn't the most of attractive of games and it was a monday night on sky. For the top 8 including most london clubs we'd get around 30,000+ IMO. For purely business reasons the move is viable and one we should proceed with to expand. Obviously bolton on a tuesday night wouldn't sell out, but a lot would.

if we are going to spend millions on an extra 10,000 seats, we have to be able to fill it for most games, not just half a dozen big games IF we are in the prem.

I think you are over estimating how big Reading are. As soon as our winning cycle comes to an end our ground will seem plenty big enough. Man City & Boro both went on general sale, as did just about every away game last season and this. That doesn't strike me as a club with huge demands for tickets.

We need to continue expanding steadily year on year, not do a Bradford.

Expanding the stadium will not happen until we are firmly established as a prem club that does not see relegation as a realistic possibility. John Madejski isnt that stupid.

So why put on the O/S that the club is going to submit an application for 10k min addiitonal seats then? Yes, applications can be withdrawn and it's only an application but this shows the club believe this to be a viable planning submission, despite the cost. I trust their decision making more than I would what you say - after all, it's their money.

By the way, with the exception of 4-6 clubs, relegation is always a possiblity so this argument is a mute point. Everton went from Champs league to struggling to stay up a year later.

I think it is you that is under estimating just how big Reading can be..........

[Lower West]

This isnt just about footie. Increased capacity will generate revenue from concerts etc.

[Dirk Gently]

.....
I think it is you that is under estimating just how big Reading can be..........

Indeed - and they've obviously recognised that they can only fulfil that potential to be big if they have capacity to meet the demand (or at least the peaks of demand).

[Spirit of Elm Park]

As soon as our winning cycle comes to an end our ground will seem plenty big enough. Man City & Boro both went on general sale, as did just about every away game last season and this. That doesn't strike me as a club with huge demands for tickets.

We have been growing year on year since the elm park days, we were regularly up to capacity at elm park, and even then we all said where are we going to get the fans from.

Now we are regularly getting 24k the same questions arise again. IMO every game we play at the moment is attracting floating fans in the area as well as those outside. The club is in a "growing time". The only barrier between us and regular crowds of 30k is actually having the tickets to sell. A lot of fans, especially local, are aware that tickets are at a premium and are not bothering to try. I personally have told a couple of friends to try and they have succeeded. I am sure they are not the only case.

A good season this year will IMO guarantee 30+k attendances for the following season if possible. It is also my opinion that should we be relegated in the future the club will manage to maintain at least 24k LOYAL support, with a possible 10-15k floaters and glory hunters for the big games. If you look at the history of our attendances we generally manage to retain a high percentage of the fans that join us in a "boom" time.

[Stranded]

I supose the application has been made assuming the club establish themselves long term in the premiership.

With the exception of games like we have on Sat, you have to ask whether we really need to extend at all at the moment.

I believe tickets for our first 2 home games went on general sale, so demand is hardly outstripping supply.

Personally, i feel that our ground is just about perfect at the moment.

Rubbish mate. City sold out as apparantly did boro and we are only giving away fans 2,300. Most clubs would sell out another 2,000 EASILY. We also sold out agaisnt man city which isn't the most of attractive of games and it was a monday night on sky. For the top 8 including most london clubs we'd get around 30,000+ IMO. For purely business reasons the move is viable and one we should proceed with to expand. Obviously bolton on a tuesday night wouldn't sell out, but a lot would.

if we are going to spend millions on an extra 10,000 seats, we have to be able to fill it for most games, not just half a dozen big games IF we are in the prem.

I think you are over estimating how big Reading are. As soon as our winning cycle comes to an end our ground will seem plenty big enough. Man City & Boro both went on general sale, as did just about every away game last season and this. That doesn't strike me as a club with huge demands for tickets.

We need to continue expanding steadily year on year, not do a Bradford.

Expanding the stadium will not happen until we are firmly established as a prem club that does not see relegation as a realistic possibility. John Madejski isnt that stupid.

So why put on the O/S that the club is going to submit an application for 10k min addiitonal seats then? Yes, applications can be withdrawn and it's only an application but this shows the club believe this to be a viable planning submission, despite the cost. I trust their decision making more than I would what you say - after all, it's their money.

By the way, with the exception of 4-6 clubs, relegation is always a possiblity so this argument is a mute point. Everton went from Champs league to struggling to stay up a year later.

I think it is you that is under estimating just how big Reading can be..........

Why put on there now?

Because they are applying for the permission, which the public needs to be informed about. It is also a long drawn out process, or can be. So in order to have all the relevant permissions in place for the end of the season they have to start around about now.

If/when we stay up I will expect a very busy summer at the stadium, if we fall back then I would imagine it will be delayed.

[Platypuss]

I thought we had outline planning permission approved for an extension from the day the MadStad opened - this is just re-applying as the old one ran out.

[Stranded]

I thought we had outline planning permission approved for an extension from the day the MadStad opened - this is just re-applying as the old one ran out.

Indeed it is. But the situation has changed around the area now. There is the new housing development and the J11 works as someone mentioned. I guess this could have an effect on the clubs re-application.

It may not but it is a possibility.

[Forbury Lion]

This new plan will have all the small details included, I imagine the original planning permission was a bit vague.

[royal goof]

This new plan will have all the small details included, I imagine the original planning permission was a bit vague.

Yep, outline planning is to get approval for the general principle of something.

It does not include much detail. It may also not include such things as 'means of access', 'siting', 'design', 'landscaping' & 'external appearance'.

In addition any full planning application has to take account of the current impact the development would have. ie. Traffic conditions will have changed since the stadium was built.

[Reading Abbey]

No problem , I'm just some ignorant poster spewing his claptrap.

Adding 10,000 will make that stadium seem very very impressive. The stands will be very steep if as said earlier, we simply build onto the current stands rather than add a tier. Or was that just an opinion rather than something the club mentioned?

Any artists fancy giving us a impression of what the North, East and South Stands will look like with a) new tiers blending around or b) additional seats built on to the back?

[me]

I don't care how many extra seats they put in, just as long as the first six rows get a decent roof.

[mathematically_safe]

This isnt just about footie. Increased capacity will generate revenue from concerts etc.

which might suggest expansion to the north rather than east as priority?

[Reading Abbey]

I love the idea of such a big increase, but shirley it's wise to increase the East Stand first (larger increase of the three) and see how attendances go?

[alad]

I love the idea of such a big increase, but shirley it's wise to increase the East Stand first (larger increase of the three) and see how attendances go?

[alad]

Regarding the expansion, due to occasionally being ITK with regard to things at RFC, I can confirm the expansion won't add another tier. It will however extend the North, East and South stands so they link up and maintain the 'bowl' effect.

[Reading Abbey]

I love the idea of such a big increase, but shirley it's wise to increase the East Stand first (larger increase of the three) and see how attendances go?

Oh very dear, alad.

And this isn't an Old Trafford expansion thread you know.

[SpaceCruiser]

I love the idea of such a big increase, but shirley it's wise to increase the East Stand first (larger increase of the three) and see how attendances go?

Surely it would be cheaper to do it all in one go rather than in three stages?

[Royalshow]

i think they mentioned before that they don't want to reduce the current capicty while the extension is built,so it must be quite a complex plan

[Denver Royal]

Anyone know if the re-development and increase in capacity is contingent on us staying up this season, or will they go ahead with it regardless? Thanks.