Stadium Expansion

[Huntley & Palmer]

I imagine away fans will be in the top section of the South Stand all the way across, with RFC fans below. Cup games, they will be offered the entire end as it equates to 20%

[Wycombe Royal]

I imagine away fans will be in the top section of the South Stand all the way across, with RFC fans below. Cup games, they will be offered the entire end as it equates to 20%

Depends how they design the segregation as the stand will only be one tier. I would have thought the segregation would remain as it is now and just extended back.

[Dirk Gently]

I imagine away fans will be in the top section of the South Stand all the way across, with RFC fans below. Cup games, they will be offered the entire end as it equates to 20%

Depends how they design the segregation as the stand will only be one tier. I would have thought the segregation would remain as it is now and just extended back.

Definitely front to back segregation rather than across the stands.

There will be flexible segregation so they don't have to give up the whole end.

... they are looking at ways in which they can change the allocation and sell all of the rest to home crowds for matches where they away team don't want the full allocation.

[premiership_bound]

I was thinking of when only the east stand is extended. That will give us 30k which 10% will need to be 3k and 15% 4.5k. I assume the 15% will be the whole of the south stand as it is at the moment, but they will need to change the segregation to increase one side upto 3k.

[Dirk Gently]

Hmmm, maybe but I think it might be too early to tell at this stage.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they got a special dispensation to reduce away allocations during the building works (or rather keep it as it is, not increase it proportionately) - remember when we could only take about 600 to Ipswich a few years ago for just that reason?

That would be a lot better than having to redesign the current South Stand for just one season.

NB - just my own speculation - I have no inside knowledge on this one.

[Behindu]

Plenty of precedents for clubs not giving the full allocation to away teams during construction work - Norwich for example. Also don't Tottenham not give it despite not having building in progress !

For all sorts of reasons I can;t see the away situation changing until the full work is complete (it would mean no match sales for home fans, you can;t split the S STand in thirds becasue of turnstile capacity and concourse facilities).

For lots of clubs the away allocation will be reduced anyway due to persistant standing...

[weybridgewanderer]

I susepct that after the completion of the east stand extension the whole of the south stand will be offered to the away team. if they chose only to take half that allocation then we will sell the other half to home fans

[Barry the bird boggler]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they got a special dispensation to reduce away allocations during the building works (or rather keep it as it is, not increase it proportionately) - remember when we could only take about 600 to Ipswich a few years ago for just that reason?

Norwich

[Dirk Gently]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they got a special dispensation to reduce away allocations during the building works (or rather keep it as it is, not increase it proportionately) - remember when we could only take about 600 to Ipswich a few years ago for just that reason?

Norwich

Yeah, yeah, yeah - Ipswich, Norwich, whatever - they're all East-Anglian inbreds.

[floyd__streete]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

[JC]

I susepct that after the completion of the east stand extension the whole of the south stand will be offered to the away team. if they chose only to take half that allocation then we will sell the other half to home fans

I may have this wrong but didn't the last set of plans indicate that the whole lot would be developed over 2 seasons and would therefore all be completed at the same time?

[Behindu]

No, it's being done in 2 phases and the only open question was whether it woul dbe done N/S first or E first.

There is no way they could have spent 2 seasons with most of the ground a building site !

[shadesrwrf]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

It will never happen anyway as we'll be relegated next season and they'll shelve the plans.

[Behindu]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

Would be interested to hear a more expansive version Floyd - why do you feel it is such a mistake ?

[bassavage]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

It will never happen anyway as we'll be relegated next season and they'll shelve the plans.

Always nice to see a bit of optimism.

[shadesrwrf]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

It will never happen anyway as we'll be relegated next season and they'll shelve the plans.

Always nice to see a bit of optimism.

That was my thought too.

[Coppelled Streets]

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/pa ... 10,00.html?

What a shocker....a sell out.....AGAIN.

Do people really believe we can fill the ground, with the increased capacity of the stadium when we can't sell out this weekend against Fulham.

I certainly don't! I honestly believe that expansion to 38,000 is an act of great folly on RFC's part and a decision that will come back and haunt us in the future.

Much the same thoughts that Sunderland fans had when the Stadium of Light was built.
They thought the initial capacity was ridiculas and then they went and increased it further!

To many connected with Reading think small time, myself guilty as charged.
I personally think that an increase to 30,000 will more than suffice.
At least until we pack out the stadium week in week out, anyway.

But I also don't see the harm in building big and planning for an even brighter future.

Ten years ago we couldn't have dreamed to be where we are now.
Where will we be in ten more years time?

Maybe the same old story, but you look at the stadium, the location, the catchment area and so on.
This could be the very start of a much brighter future.

Dare to dream, people, dare to dream!

[Dirk Gently]

This whole conversation was covered back on pages 9, 10 & 15 of this thread. 3 months ago I said the below, which I still completely believe in.

The problem being there were empty seats on Saturday so whats the point in having a 38,000 capacity?

But there haven't been for most other matches, and for at least half the matches each season we could sell the 38000 twice over.

Sometimes you need to invest to succeed. Our only long-term hope of Premier League survival is with a much bigger capacity - without it we'll always be at a disadvantage and never be able to establish ourselves.

I'm sure that after a season or two in the Prem the overall demand would have increased enough to fill a significant portion of this extension. And it also give the club scope to do pricing promotions in order to fill seats and build up support amongst kids, etc.

If we if we wait until we are sure we are established as a Premier League club will will *never* expand - but until we expand we will never be able to compete financailly with most other Premier League clubs. Chicken and egg!

[RG30]

I don't think we'll sell out but I agree with Dirk, the 38,000 option means we'll have covered all angles and it also makes the club a better proposition to sell, which is possibly why JM will be here for another 2 years minimum.

[Behindu]

If they allocate seats sensibly there will also not be the problem of losing atmosphere due to empty seats.

In the 'old days' 10k people in a 24k stadium meant gaps everywhere at pitch level and an 'empty' feel.

If we 'only' get 30k crowds in a £38k stadium as long as the spare seats are at the backs of the stands then the players won;t even notice them, the cameras won;t focus on them and the local idiots who delight on picking holes int he club won;t spot that we're 'only' selling 75% of capacity for the odd game.