Stockwood

Quoted from MarinerDevil

Most interesting part was re: new training ground:

- About 2 months away from deciding on favoured site(s).
- Will announce favoured site as soon as feasibility discussions with the council are concluded.
- Long process still ahead to source funding, etc.
- Still committed to developing in the town centre.

Also, re: stadium:

- No need for new seating yet as the Osmond can be opened if necessary.
- If attendances keep rising, then new stadium discussions will have to be expedited.  Still not a priority (yet).

Not exciting for the fans as such, but a new training ground would be a fantastic move by the club.

As for the stadium, Stockwood is being clever here. That is effectively a call to arms - trying to will fans into BP and MAKE them build a new one. Clever, and it might just work. However, it’s not fooling everyone - BP is not fit for purpose, and Jason knows we need a new ground for the future even with the current fan base. I really hope it happens soon, but a new training ground will be a great start and a smart investment.

On the no need to address Blundell Park capacity issue until it’s full my own view is most commentators are still a bit behind the curve on this one.
I have little doubt the next two matches will be sold out to home fans including any space available to home fans in the Osmond . We have won three more matches one 6-0 and gone top since the last 6k crowd decided to come along .I have seen a number of my age group who wouldn’t have dreamed of going to BP for the last 20 years asking me about the experience . Very boringly this includes questions like where will I be able to sit what’s the view like from there and even have the toilet facilities improved since I was last there. Difficult to give a positive response to those.Build it and offer good product and they will come!

With the Osmond open for home fans we can accommodate around 8,000 fans. So no immediate capacity concerns apart from maybe the Notts County match.  

Quoted from RonMariner

With the Osmond open for home fans we can accommodate around 8,000 fans. So no immediate capacity concerns apart from maybe the Notts County match.  

We won’t have to wait long before we see who is right. My secondary point was that if the facilities were better many more would come. This is a football town albeit long dormant we should not constantly underestimate potential

Quoted from HerveJosse

We won’t have to wait long before we see who is right. My secondary point was that if the facilities were better many more would come. This is a football town albeit long dormant we should not constantly underestimate potential

I agree with you.

I was trying to say that we should be ok in the short term. In the long term though I am all for a new stadium. See my last post a few minutes ago in the Plans for the Future  thread.

At the risk of a thousand Red Crosses I thought JS sounded a bit flat generally in this interview . While I know it’s early days and we should not carried away etc etc in sport momentum is all.

Quoted from HerveJosse

We won’t have to wait long before we see who is right. My secondary point was that if the facilities were better many more would come. This is a football town albeit long dormant we should not constantly underestimate potential

I don’t know if the idea that ‘many more would come if the facilities were better’ is a bit of a received idea really. I think some more would, but really, I think the idea that there are that many who aren’t interested in attending BP at the moment, with a really decent, entertaining, winning football team and new ownership regime, because it’s not a new/modern stadium is a bit flawed. Demand for tickets is high at BP. It might continue like that or it might decline, but I really don’t think that there are actually  ‘missing thousands’ who have a big enough bee in their bonnet about past failings or limitations in certain facilities at Blundell Park to stubbornly refuse to attend.

I think a cracking, bigger, more modern and imaginative well equipped new stadium would entice more people, maybe hundreds or even a couple of thousand ….but we’ve got an atmospheric, historic and unique traditional stadium that has much improved facilities, and a winning team. I think it’s encouraging to hear from the owners about potential to increase capacity if there is sufficient demand. If we continue like this, and the club realise there are 2,3, 5 or more thousand Town supporters who’d like to attend but can’t be accommodated, you watch the reaction in terms of both the existing and potential new ground.

Quoted from chaos33

I don’t know if the idea that ‘many more would come if the facilities were better’ is a bit of a received idea really. I think some more would, but really, I think the idea that there are that many who aren’t interested in attending BP at the moment, with a really decent, entertaining, winning football team and new ownership regime, because it’s not a new/modern stadium is a bit flawed. Demand for tickets is high at BP. It might continue like that or it might decline, but I really don’t think that there are actually  ‘missing thousands’ who have a big enough bee in their bonnet about past failings or limitations in certain facilities at Blundell Park to stubbornly refuse to attend.

I think a cracking, bigger, more modern and imaginative well equipped new stadium would entice more people, maybe hundreds or even a couple of thousand ….but we’ve got an atmospheric, historic and unique traditional stadium that has much improved facilities, and a winning team. I think it’s encouraging to hear from the owners about potential to increase capacity if there is sufficient demand. If we continue like this, and the club realise there are 2,3, 5 or more thousand Town supporters who’d like to attend but can’t be accommodated, you watch the reaction in terms of both the existing and potential new ground.

To the will I or won’t  I returning fan facilities do matter . In the short term that means facilities at BP which could be improved. I believe there are 2,3 or 5000 extra potential attendees . At £40-£50k a game extra revenue from another 3000 beyond the current 6000 some short term investment in BP is the  fiirst priority . A new stadium will take years and is a separate project

Quoted from HerveJosse

To the will I or won’t  I returning fan facilities do matter . In the short term that means facilities at BP which could be improved. I believe there are 2,3 or 5000 extra potential attendees . At £40-£50k a game extra revenue from another 3000 beyond the current 6000 some short term investment in BP is the  fiirst priority . A new stadium will take years and is a separate project

What evidence is there that suggests that up to 5000 are staying away because facilities don’t meet their expectations? Can you show us it…?

Quoted from chaos33

What evidence is there that suggests that up to 5000 are staying away because facilities don’t meet their expectations? Can you show us it…?

If you read my posts I didn’t say that. It’s a factor and the 2-5 k extra is well on the way to being reached despite the facilities. Is that a reason to provide poor facilities?