(Can we have) Stadium expansion?

[jimsing]

Football is more popular than in the past. It is a day out these days, not a walk up at 1445 and pay on the gate experience of years ago. If not now, when IS the right time to expand the stadium? With a waiting list of 3,000 surely that is now / soon. It surely should be about creating even greater numbers of match-going Argyle fans?

Interestingly the demand for tickets did not dip at all despite the turgid football under Foster. If Argyle had gone down to L1, attendances I think would have held up. Non ST renewals would have been replaced by those on the waiting list. The average gate would be down slightly in L1 due to smaller numbers of away fans.

A de-facto 16,800 ish capacity does not deliver gate receipts that a Championship berth should. The city population is over 260,000. Add to that parts of West and South Devon and much of Cornwall, then surely Argyle can aim higher?

Too often Argyle take the easy, read cheap options, and fall back into a little old Argyle mentality. Lets get rid of the 'happy to be here' thinking. I'm realistic. Argyle do need to establish themselves as Championship staples like PNE or Bristol City. Maybe the unpalatable truth is Home Park may not be fit for purpose for an established Championship club?

I think the next Head Coach appointment, although a separate issue from infrastructure concerns, will gives us a clue to the level of ambition at PAFC.

Preston North End and Bristol City have both been in the top division and could afford to improve their grounds.

When we get to the Premiership then WE will be able to improve our ground.

Money, money, money, it's a rich man's world.

 

[Keith Hennessey]

I agree, but it is not an irrational thing to do, its how most businesses fund major capital expenditure on which they expect a future return. But football is not most business.

Some people on Pasoti think football is still a Sport.

 

[Lundan Cabbie]

I seem to remember when the horseshoe was built being told it was easy to install another level on top. Anyone else hear this?

Even if it were possible to build upwards, it would have to be built outwards as well to incorporate additional concourse facilities such as toilets and refreshment outlets. Where are the ownership boundaries behind the stands?

 

[up the line]

Preston North End and Bristol City have both been in the top division and could afford to improve their grounds.

When we get to the Premiership then WE will be able to improve our ground.

Money, money, money, it's a rich man's world.

Sorry just to confirm when was the last time Preston or Bristol City have been in the top division? I've got 1961 for Preston...not sure about Bristol City but they definitely haven't been in the Premier League.
I think certainly with Bristol City there's an extremely wealthy sugar daddy involved.

 

[jimsing]

Sorry just to confirm when was the last time Preston or Bristol City have been in the top division? I've got 1961 for Preston...not sure about Bristol City but they definitely haven't been in the Premier League.
I think certainly with Bristol City there's an extremely wealthy sugar daddy involved.

Bristol City were last in the top tier in 1980, UTL.

On February 3rd 1982, eight players tore up their contracts to save the club from financial ruin. Bristol City were just minutes away from folding with the club set to cease trading at midday.

Steve Lansdown, co-founded Hargreaves Lansdown (a British Financial Services Company), is a self made billionaire who currently owns not only Bristol City but also Bristol Bears (Rugby) and Bristol Flyers (Basketball). He has ploughed about £240m into the football club, but he has become disillusioned and wants out (in April 2021), but cannot sell the club to get his money back (currently owed £90m). American investors are interested but no deal yet.

 

[Tricky Tree]

Preston North End and Bristol City have both been in the top division and could afford to improve their grounds.

When we get to the Premiership then WE will be able to improve our ground.

Money, money, money, it's a rich man's world.

A very long time ago, both have been in the second tier, usually around mid-table, so solidly established Championship clubs. Both have (arguably) rather better and bigger grounds than Home Park.

 

[jerryatricjanner]

A very long time ago, both have been in the second tier, usually around mid-table, so solidly established Championship clubs. Both have (arguably) rather better and bigger grounds than Home Park.

Preston and Bristol were two aways I attended this season and I was impressed with both. It was my first visit to Bristol since their new main stand has been built and I left thinking that was what I would love to see at Home Park one day.
Preston, I was surprised at how modern the whole stadium was. I was expecting it to be a mix of old and new. The extra height of the stands in both stadiums was noticeable compared to Argyle's bowl.

 

[greenpig27]

Stick the away fans in the upper grandstand, two savings here as no need to worry about there comfort so expensive leg room alterations not needed and no segregation needed in the Barn Park so another couple of hundred seats available there.
Finally why cant we lower the pitch by just 1 metre and put 2 extra rows of seats around the perimeter. Nothing to build just a bit of groundwork so cost per seat kept to a minimum and should raise capacity by a couple of thousand?

And just turf out the supporters who have had season tickets in the grandstand for donkeys years ! Great idea

 

[jerryatricjanner]

And just turf out the supporters who have had season tickets in the grandstand for donkeys years ! Great idea

Not sure how it would work with away fans accessing what is the fan zone behind the grandstand either to go upstairs. The corporate area would need a well soundproofed roof as well I would imagine. Leave them where they are for now but looking ahead perhaps blocks 6, 7 and 8 might work better?

 

[George Willis]

Would safe standing, if it ever hapens, make any significant difference.?

 

[Cdp]

Would safe standing, if it ever hapens, make any significant difference.?

Not in capacity

 

[Cdp]

I really like Bristol city's stadium it would be perfect for us capacity of 27000 with an average of 22000 there grandstand is very nice. Anyway we can all forget this as we have HP and nothing will be done to it for quite a few years now I'd imagine.

 

[Pointblank]

And just turf out the supporters who have had season tickets in the grandstand for donkeys years ! Great idea

They will get over it one day I'm sure, bit of therapy and years of counselling and one would hope it wouldn't be the end of the world !! Get a grip !

 

[greenpig27]

They will get over it one day I'm sure, bit of therapy and years of counselling and one would hope it wouldn't be the end of the world !! Get a grip !

Very off-hand attitude towards fellow lifelong supporters

 

[Dave Gomm]

Even if it were possible to build upwards, it would have to be built outwards as well to incorporate additional concourse facilities such as toilets and refreshment outlets. Where are the ownership boundaries behind the stands?