Would you support a move away from the County Ground?

[Legends-Lounge]

The club can easily develop on the existing footprint with a bit of creativity.  The purchase of the freehold ensures it can be held as an asset which opens up financing.  Lets say Clem gets his hands on the club, then we can expect some discounts on build costs to provide him his brochure to expand his business.

The location lends itself to a Hotel (despite people moaning everytime a hotel is suggested on the Adver site Swindon fills up most of it's budget/3 star rooms, clearly not from tourists).  Footprint usage would be small and you get an onsite car park.

The Arkells would need to be knocked down and started again.  The same for the TE and Bank.  The DR stand isn't even being used to full potential yet - existing option to expand to a second concourse space.

While it is a different planet, learning from the MLS stadiums would be worthwhile - they are all pushing the catering aspect.  Restaurants that can be leased out year round, matchdays get a boon and then the catering space for matchdays can be massively improved.  While Atl Utd may get 40k a game, the sheer volume of catering sales must be eyewatering compared to UK teams.  I get that many fans may not come before kick off to the concourses, the Spurs redevelopment is a bigger version of what is needed.  They went after getting fans to stay an hour or two after a game, expanding the revenue opportunities.  The CG is a watch the game and get out stadium today bar the Legends Lounge.  Even that feels a bit like you are in the way after a game.

I think you could get Arkells onboard to work with the club on that side of things.

Nothing is a massive ask, it's all about engaging with the fans and giving them something more to spend their time and money on.  Lease space under the ground to get the year round revenue - you don't have to be the operator.

Twice I have stayed at the Chelsea hotel and had business conference’s in the millennium suite. The cost ran into £10,000’s there is money to be made clearly. Just need lots of things to fall into place and as I said the other the day the council will have a massive say in all of this. Let’s see where they stand once Clem is in charge, long, long way to go.

[RobertT]

I agree that there is a lot to be learned from our friends over the pond (would be interesting to know whether that might include 'Able'). 

US sports offer more opportunities to sell hot dogs and the like on "game day" because baseball and US style football go on for in excess of 3 hours. 

I'm talking about my experience of the MLS games, which are still the same duration as traditional football the last time I checked.

They've taken a few things from the other sports, that's for sure, but a growing trend has been Beer Halls - I believe Spurs included this and onsite restaurants.  They are also very good at cultivating the corporate aspect without the stuffiness you get in the UK at times from doing this.

It's clearly just good marketing, but the club here did a lot of community engagement, including lots of local bars.  It's an oddity that the UK players tend to be seen out at bars and clubs but never in official capacity.  I imagine someone has the idea it's not a good look and it should only be hospitals and schools, but the fans are all in pubs.

[Jimmy HaveHave]

A new stadium with first class facilities would bring in a new fanbase just look what happened to Reading once they left Elm Park

[JBZ]

I'm talking about my experience of the MLS games, which are still the same duration as traditional football the last time I checked.

They've taken a few things from the other sports, that's for sure, but a growing trend has been Beer Halls - I believe Spurs included this and onsite restaurants.  They are also very good at cultivating the corporate aspect without the stuffiness you get in the UK at times from doing this.

It's clearly just good marketing, but the club here did a lot of community engagement, including lots of local bars.  It's an oddity that the UK players tend to be seen out at bars and clubs but never in official capacity.  I imagine someone has the idea it's not a good look and it should only be hospitals and schools, but the fans are all in pubs.

Fair enough. Reading your post quickly, I read MLS as MLB.

[RobertT]

I've never remembered my trip back from an MLB game, or much of the game.

[4D]

A new stadium with first class facilities would bring in a new fanbase just look what happened to Reading once they left Elm Park

Depends whether you want an audience or fans in the ground.

[Jimmy HaveHave]

Surely that's the reason you would build one!

[Matchworn Shirts]

A new stadium with first class facilities would bring in a new fanbase just look what happened to Reading once they left Elm Park

And Swansea & Hull

[Jimmy HaveHave]

Brighton!

[JBZ]

PL football will also attract new followers

[theakston2k]

Why do you assume we’d get any of that, all the teams you mention have had rich supporters pump in money or a council build a community stadium to operate alongside a rugby team. We are far more likely to end up with something like Chesterfield, Colchester, Oxford or Shrewsbury.  A mundane off the shelf lego stadium that is cheap to build and ‘functional’ and none of those clubs have kicked on as a result of a new ground. Unless a new stadium would be something spectacular then money is far better spent on the existing site, no one is going spend over the odds to build a stand out stadium!

[DiV]

People don’t come to see a new stadium.
People come to see a successful team.

You want more fans through the turnstiles you need to win more matches. Simple.

[Jimmy HaveHave]

The two go hand in hand as Reading were averaging 5500-6000 before moving to their new stadium. Swindon has many new young families that have moved here and that's the ones you could attract if the stadium is modern

[Shrivvy Road]

Why do you assume we’d get any of that, all the teams you mention have had rich supporters pump in money or a council build a community stadium to operate alongside a rugby team. We are far more likely to end up with something like Chesterfield, Colchester, Oxford or Shrewsbury.  A mundane off the shelf lego stadium that is cheap to build and ‘functional’ and none of those clubs have kicked on as a result of a new ground. Unless a new stadium would be something spectacular then money is far better spent on the existing site, no one is going spend over the odds to build a stand out stadium!

If Clem was given the go ahead to build it though why would he build a mundane one. He would surely want to build /renovate so he can showcase it

[JBZ]

I suspect that many moving into the town, if interested in football, will retain their allegiances to other clubs.

I think it's correct to say that success on the pitch brings punters in. The most oft used recent example on this forum is the div 4 match up with Exeter last year.