Stadium Expansion

[philM]

The plans for the expansion were put on hold to see if we could stay last season
I am unsure how serious the club was about the whole idea anyway
Now we are in the mighty championship you would be a complete twat to think a stadium expansion was going to happen in the near future
The mad stad is top quality for a club in the championship
Mr madejski will be cutting just about everyhting to try and save money so making the stadium bigger is out of the question

The main question is will we be filling the stadium as it is next season?

I think we'll be pleasantly surprised. We filled it last time we were in the Championship, at least from the Jan to the end of the season. I'm guessing the season average was around 21-22K. Also - when you heat plastic it gets sticky and melts. A fair few plastic hearts will have melted over the last 2 years and they'll be sticking around I expect. There will be a lot of belief that we can win the championship and that'll keep the numbers high, at least for a while.

I'd worry more about the slightly longer term. If we don't go back up 1st or 2nd attempt then I can see numbers starting to drop.

[Geekins]

Wasn't there a rumour that we could also be used if we got the world cup bid? So that might sway Madejski to build it for extra revenue and money into the town.

[North Somerset Royal]

The plannning consent is for an increase in capacity up to 38000 which is too small to satisfy FIFA minimum standard for the World Cup.

[1960]

Hull's ground holds just over 25,000. They are saying they have plans to extend it if they can stay in the Prem. Deja vu anyone?

[Schards#2]

9,000 season tickets sold.

Could it be that proceeding with the expansion would have been the worst decision in the history of Reading Football Club?

I would say so.

[Kes]

50% of season tickets sold compared to last year so far eh?!?

I suspect people are holding off to see what players, if any, Reading will bring in. A lot of people will just buy tickets on a match by match basis.

They've been very slow in the transfer market so far which doesn't hold much optimism for next season. They've let Little go who was the best winger at the club, albeit he has had lots of injury problems.

[papereyes]

They've been very slow in the transfer market so far which doesn't hold much optimism for next season.

What clubs have been fast?

[The 17 Bus]

They've been very slow in the transfer market so far which doesn't hold much optimism for next season.

What clubs have been fast?

Derby, but they bought last Jan for the coming season, and are already dumping those they bought.

[Rex]

I also feel that reality has bitten in a number of ways. Disposable income being the harsh reality. Fairplay to the club for reducing the pricing but as always at this time of year, people have either spend their money on a holiday or other possible priorities. I feel the take up could be slow and as with the 05/06 season, should we do relatively well then the half season tickets will be taken up.
I don't think the tranfer market has much sway in this realistically.

[The 17 Bus]

Please explain the reduction in pricing, pro rata.

[Rex]

We shall see if the reduction in pricing entices the full allocation of ST's being taken up. Bit catch-22 this one. Supporters kicked off when prices went up after promotion. Were relieved when there was a price freeze. Then the dissappointment of relegation. Gambling on the ST reduction being absorbed by Premier funding, the possibility of streamlining players wages and hoping for a better than expected take up of ST's add for a heady mix. Financially there must be a gameplan. There will always be supporters who couldn't get a previous ST taking the opportunity to obtain one.

[Streets]

We were always going to see dramatic losses in season ticket sales, so what?

The idea of taking the capacity to 30,000 is still a valid one IMO. We can when in the Premiership sell out a 30,000 capacity with little to no problem. The increase is for the future, unless of course we don't plan to grow as a football club anymore?

The demand is there if and when we return to that level of football. The question is do we expand while in this league so we're ready for the next promotion, or do we wait until we go up and then hope we stay up before we build. The latter just seems pointless because as with last season, by the time the building starts we could be down anyway so which of the two do we do, if any?

I would happily like to see the club take the Madejski to 30,000 while we're in the Championship so that we're ready and better prepared financially for the Premier League the next time of asking.

[Schards#2]

We were always going to see dramatic losses in season ticket sales, so what?

The idea of taking the capacity to 30,000 is still a valid one IMO. We can when in the Premiership sell out a 30,000 capacity with little to no problem. The increase is for the future, unless of course we don't plan to grow as a football club anymore?

The demand is there if and when we return to that level of football. The question is do we expand while in this league so we're ready for the next promotion, or do we wait until we go up and then hope we stay up before we build. The latter just seems pointless because as with last season, by the time the building starts we could be down anyway so which of the two do we do, if any?

I would happily like to see the club take the Madejski to 30,000 while we're in the Championship so that we're ready and better prepared financially for the Premier League the next time of asking.

Even if you accept, (which I don't), that we could fill 30,000 in the Premiership, we've been in the top flight for 2 out of our 137 year history.

It would have been sheer folly to set our capacity on the assumption that we were going to spend the majority of our time in the prem going forward.

It would have cost tens of millions and destroyed the atmosphere at a stroke. Thank god there's some common sense out there.

[Dirk Gently]

Oh my god! I thought this discussion was well and truly deceased, but no, someone has made it rise from the grave again.

It's the night of the living thread!

[The 17 Bus]

It will continue to arise as well, this is as much about ambition and the future as it is about the extension.

I fondly recall first games of seaon at EP, and wanting to see any changes to the ground, usually being the supporters had painted some small part, or a new burger van, it was all part of it.

Latest changes at Mad stad seem to be, new area for away team buses and a £2m media centre, which I reallly hope has been designed with multiple use built in. A bit of extra tarmac on the carpark, promised when built.

Would have liked to have seen better footways esp at the top of B&Q hill, and heating under seats in the U West, to keep the darlings all warm.

[Streets]

....to follow on from The 17 Bus, we'll also have a new double the size (supposedly) megastore ready for the start of the new season.

It's all positive, but then it's also all funded by our flirt with the top flight for two years. I wonder how our development will continue now the purse strings are pulled yet tighter.

[Whore Jackie]

Latest changes at Mad stad seem to be, new area for away team buses and a £2m media centre, which I reallly hope has been designed with multiple use built in. A bit of extra tarmac on the carpark, promised when built.

Most of the media centre is used as offices for Reading FC's backroom staff. These were originally in the south west corner of the stadium, where the *cough* Premier hospitality suite now is.

[Rob-Royal]

We were always going to see dramatic losses in season ticket sales, so what?

The idea of taking the capacity to 30,000 is still a valid one IMO. We can when in the Premiership sell out a 30,000 capacity with little to no problem. The increase is for the future, unless of course we don't plan to grow as a football club anymore?

The demand is there if and when we return to that level of football. The question is do we expand while in this league so we're ready for the next promotion, or do we wait until we go up and then hope we stay up before we build. The latter just seems pointless because as with last season, by the time the building starts we could be down anyway so which of the two do we do, if any?

I would happily like to see the club take the Madejski to 30,000 while we're in the Championship so that we're ready and better prepared financially for the Premier League the next time of asking.

Even if you accept, (which I don't), that we could fill 30,000 in the Premiership, we've been in the top flight for 2 out of our 137 year history.

It would have been sheer folly to set our capacity on the assumption that we were going to spend the majority of our time in the prem going forward.

It would have cost tens of millions and destroyed the atmosphere at a stroke. Thank god there's some common sense out there.

This topic really gets you doesn't it?

[Royal Lady]

LOLZ - he can't help himself!

[Streets]

It would have been sheer folly to set our capacity on the assumption that we were going to spend the majority of our time in the prem going forward.

Thank god there's some common sense out there.

I heard this a lot when Madejski revealed plans for a state of the art 25,000 all seater stadium in South Reading. Madness they screamed.