The London Stadium

[Reg]

Leaving aside the game today, and the appalling organisation at the place which meant we had to walk for miles along a heavily guarded route to get to the station afterwards...

This is one of the worst stadiums I have ever been to.

And I have watched Palace at Aldershot in the old third division when their ground didn't even have a terrace at one end - it was just a muddy extension of the pitch, with a rope to keep the "crowd" off the pitch.

Utterly soulless, a view so far from the pitch that we might as well have been on the moon, everyone held up from getting in because of money-grabbing concession stalls blocking the crowds trying to walk around the hideous stadium before the game...

I honestly wouldn't swap our crummy shithole of a ground for this monstrosity.

In my opinion the maximum size for a football stadium should be the current Stamford Bridge, which is big enough to accommodate all the real fans, and compact enough to feel like a proper ground.

Of course Chelsea are about to follow Arsenal and Spurs by moving into a big emotionless bowl, but their fans will live to regret it.

Oh, just remembered - the stadium announcer referred to the crowd as the "audience" at half time.

[Jonathan]

Both Chelsea and Spurs are not moving Reg. Big difference.
Also, bear in mind these will be football stadiums, not one that's been converted.

[Reg]

I know they're not moving, but they will have the same problem.

Old Trafford is a classic example.

Used to be an amazing atmosphere, became a library by the 1990s.

I know it's partly the change in people who go to matches, but the stadium is a problem too.

I went to the Bernabeu in the 80s when it held about 80,000 and that was shit too.

[kancutlawns]

That's the gentrification of the game though just like with old theatres, restaurants, even BBC Broadcasting House that are converted into luxury apartments that are then sold to Russian, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern investors. High profile Premier League stadia are selling out match after match and you'll get shed load of visitors coming here to watch a match and make a weekend trip out of it from all over my the world.

Many of us traditional fans hate the hype, can't afford to go and have no desire to do so but fans would turn up from elsewhere even if the match was played in a reconditioned cow shed as long as they were watching Costs or Zlatan. That's the much vaunted brand for you.

[Jonathan]

Well the introduction of all seater stadiums started the change.
Unfortunately it's all about money. Without a 60,000 stadium, ultimately you can't compete.

[Reg]

All-seater coincided with a lot of other changes, as you know.

But the seats themselves aren't the problem - some of the best atmospheres I've experienced at Palace were in the seating era when the crowd was half the size that it used to be.

For me, it's about compact grounds where you are close to the pitch, and the biggest you can do this properly is around 45,000 (assuming you have to include boxes).

[The Ghost of Alex Higgins]

Why don't they put seats in the roof

[Reg]

Why don't they put seats in the roof

They have.

[kancutlawns]

Well the introduction of all seater stadiums started the change.
Unfortunately it's all about money. Without a 60,000 stadium, ultimately you can't compete.

Compete with what and whom? EPL football has a captive market with the television rights, TV deals, sponsorship, etc. Surely the revenues are still a drop in ocean by comparison? Playing in a 20,000 capacity stadium would be sufficient.

[Jonathan]

Well the introduction of all seater stadiums started the change.
Unfortunately it's all about money. Without a 60,000 stadium, ultimately you can't compete.

Compete with what and whom? EPL football has a captive market with the television rights, TV deals, sponsorship, etc. Surely the revenues are still a drop in ocean by comparison? Playing in a 20,000 capacity stadium would be sufficient.

Compete with rivals on a level playing field. Match day revenue is still important.
Why do you think clubs are going for bigger stadiums. It's too make sure you can compete otherwise ultimately you will get left behind.

[Zippy]

New stadiums are shit. Looks like Goodison Park's days are numbered too, which is a big shame.

[kancutlawns]

New stadiums are shit. Looks like Goodison Park's days are numbered too, which is a big shame.

I like Goodison and it's heritage as a grand old stadium is undeniable but it's inevitable that it'll have to make way for a spanking new multi tied, gleaming new stadium with corporate boxes all the way around a 50,000 arena. Just get bored with all these new homogenised, replica grounds, the novelty went after the Emirates and Wembley.

[Zippy]

New stadiums are shit. Looks like Goodison Park's days are numbered too, which is a big shame.

I like Goodison and it's heritage as a grand old stadium is undeniable but it's inevitable that it'll have to make way for a spanking new multi tied, gleaming new stadium with corporate boxes all the way around a 50,000 arena. Just get bored with all these new homogenised, replica grounds, the novelty went after the Emirates and Wembley.

Yep, give me Anfield, Villa Park, Elland Road etc any day of the week. Imperfect stadiums but ones with history and real identities.

[lasharoo]

Oh, just remembered - the stadium announcer referred to the crowd as the "audience" at half time.

Fucking lol

[Jonathan]

New stadiums are shit. Looks like Goodison Park's days are numbered too, which is a big shame.

I like Goodison and it's heritage as a grand old stadium is undeniable but it's inevitable that it'll have to make way for a spanking new multi tied, gleaming new stadium with corporate boxes all the way around a 50,000 arena. Just get bored with all these new homogenised, replica grounds, the novelty went after the Emirates and Wembley.

Yep, give me Anfield, Villa Park, Elland Road etc any day of the week. Imperfect stadiums but ones with history and real identities.

And it's associated with teams that are not successful anymore.
Liverpool realised that, hence the rebuild.
If you like your club being in the doldrums so be it. That's the way it is now.