ian.birchall wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:18 pm
Last Good Friday we were told that the attendance was down because the North Stand wasn't specified seating, you got a ticket and could sit wherever.
Then the story was that there were hundreds of broken seats that the previous owners could not afford to replace so was doubly surprised and disappointed when we weren't over 25k on Saturday evening.
The latest I have heard is that the seats next to the big screen canot be filled either because you cannot see it if at that end of the East Stand followed up by the casualties if it fell off its supports onto the crowd.
Take your pick but I still cannot accept any reason for losing 1000+ seats or putting it another way £20000 in gate money.
You Do realise time moves on don't you?
And the reason for 1 thing 10months ago may not be the reason for the same thing 10months later.
Last Good Friday the attendance was 24k whatever because the South and North were sold as Unreserved seating (the South is always unreserved for ST games).
No ifs,buts or maybes it is fact that you then cannot sell every seat, you have to leave 10% unreserved hence the 1k or so not sold in those ends
Move on 6months and as part of the whole review of the stadium (a lot of which is still going on) there were many H&S issues discovered that the previous owners of the stadium had ignored (due to a multiple of reasons).
Some of it visible to the fans I.e. seating, other bits not so visible such as 25 Yr stadium licencing checks, air conditioning issues inside throughout the offices and banqueting suites etc.
1 of the issues identified was that certain seats had issues pre Xmas.
Those seats were swapped out with good ones that aren't used as much from certain areas and there were blocks in E1 for example which then could not be sold in blocked off areas
Someone else mentioned the restricted view for the screen, I don't know where that's come.from and I dont "Think" that's correct as the screen is a fixed asset etc that doesn't block viewing AFAIK
There were 1k ish seats unsold but H&S wise they couldn't be sold, and as for the 20/30k lost it would have been more to actually replace them than what they'd have got from selling the tickets.
As there is a longer term plan relating to seats etc the decision was made to do it that way.
There is no other conspiracy or shambles or cock ups.