New Everton Stadium - Hill Dickinson Stadium

[Brightonblue]

Latest Central Park update by yours truly

Brilliant !!
Thanks for that xx

 

[SingBlue]

West Ham had to significantly reduce their ticket prices to fill the stadium. You can do that if you get the stadium for practically nothing. It's also easier to do that when you live in a megacity with a vast population and potential massive floating vote of youngsters that are unable to get into any other premiership ground..... and of course a steady stream of tourists like nowhere else. Another 10k capacity might've cost another £150-250m+..... that could've been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Tom, on the project I worked on in the Middle East, there was obviously fans from different clubs. One of my colleagues was a West Ham fan. The first season they played there, his season ticket was £99. If he couldn't make it, then either one of his friends would go or the seat would stay empty.

Having also worked in "that London" a few years ago, I know a lot of West Ham fans. I don't know a signle one that doesn't regret their move from the old Boleyn Ground. A few went to the HILL DICKINSON (@davek) when we played them in September, and their comments to me were "that's a proper footy stadium".

They went through a lot of the emotions some of us did - favourite boozers, cafe's etc. etc. I've not been to a game at the London Stadium, but they told me there's not much around there in terms of proper pubs etc but the bar in the Holiday Inn is busy on matchdays. But the thing they hate the most is there's an athletics track, and acoustically, it's crap.

As you know Tom, a company I worked for was working for Everton on the failed Kings Waterfront project. That was the lost opportunity of a lifetime. We all knew it. From having to turn around a sceptical city council (dominated by Reds) to unlocking EU Objective 1 funding. 20 years later, I asked my colleague who was the project director (and a Blue) - "How close where we?". "Nowhere near. One man's vanity killed it". You all know the rest. The reality was we never even got beyond concept design. It's taken me a long time to accept that, but what really boiled my pee was the fact that we would've been in a much healthier financial position around the turn of the century, instead of constant stagnation and, as Walter Smith would've said, "disapointment".

 

[SingBlue]

If they went back to the StubHub model where fans could buy tickets off season ticket holders for a lot less than £70 the seats would be pretty much full every game.

The £70 ticket + membership costs is a big barrier to some fans. Lots of the regularly empty seats are more expensive hospitality tickets as well, some of those tickets are well over £100 a game.

It's a huge issue in my opinion and I think the club has seriously miscalculated on this. Many years ago I worked with a sports marketing company in Asia, and one of the things I got to see was the data for access to grounds by mode of transport in the UK. (It was to do with planning for a new stadium - not ours).

Anyway, Everton at that time had the highest proportion of "walk-up" of any top flight club in UK. People accessing by foot. Shanks Pony. We also looked at postcode data, and it was clear a lot of the fanbase lived in some econimically deprived wards (according to government definitions).

We've never had the transient and tourist fan base that other clubs have. And I suspect unless we start winning some silver things, we never will. Our fans had the lowest spend per capita, compared to tourists who come in from South Korea or Japan to go to Mordor, drop £300 in the club shop, etc. etc.

I went to a game earlier this season. £65 for Forever Blue+, plus £70 for the ticket. And probably the only game I will get to all season. I know the club needs to sweat the asset, etc. etc. but for a club that prides itself on being a community-focused club, I really think they're misjudging this. I'm not sure if this "digital only" ticketing thing is a government requirement, or a club one - but in either case the fans should push back. They got some success a few years ago with the "Twenty's Plenty" campaign (even if it's now £30!).

 

[davek]

It's a huge issue in my opinion and I think the club has seriously miscalculated on this. Many years ago I worked with a sports marketing company in Asia, and one of the things I got to see was the data for access to grounds by mode of transport in the UK. (It was to do with planning for a new stadium - not ours).

Anyway, Everton at that time had the highest proportion of "walk-up" of any top flight club in UK. People accessing by foot. Shanks Pony. We also looked at postcode data, and it was clear a lot of the fanbase lived in some econimically deprived wards (according to government definitions).

We've never had the transient and tourist fan base that other clubs have. And I suspect unless we start winning some silver things, we never will. Our fans had the lowest spend per capita, compared to tourists who come in from South Korea or Japan to go to Mordor, drop £300 in the club shop, etc. etc.

I went to a game earlier this season. £65 for Forever Blue+, plus £70 for the ticket. And probably the only game I will get to all season. I know the club needs to sweat the asset, etc. etc. but for a club that prides itself on being a community-focused club, I really think they're misjudging this. I'm not sure if this "digital only" ticketing thing is a government requirement, or a club one - but in either case the fans should push back. They got some success a few years ago with the "Twenty's Plenty" campaign (even if it's now £30!).

I've been saying all of this for years mate.

Tom, on the project I worked on in the Middle East, there was obviously fans from different clubs. One of my colleagues was a West Ham fan. The first season they played there, his season ticket was £99. If he couldn't make it, then either one of his friends would go or the seat would stay empty.

Having also worked in "that London" a few years ago, I know a lot of West Ham fans. I don't know a signle one that doesn't regret their move from the old Boleyn Ground. A few went to the H*** D******** (@davek) when we played them in September, and their comments to me were "that's a proper footy stadium".

They went through a lot of the emotions some of us did - favourite boozers, cafe's etc. etc. I've not been to a game at the London Stadium, but they told me there's not much around there in terms of proper pubs etc but the bar in the Holiday Inn is busy on matchdays. But the thing they hate the most is there's an athletics track, and acoustically, it's crap.

As you know Tom, a company I worked for was working for Everton on the failed Kings Waterfront project. That was the lost opportunity of a lifetime. We all knew it. From having to turn around a sceptical city council (dominated by Reds) to unlocking EU Objective 1 funding. 20 years later, I asked my colleague who was the project director (and a Blue) - "How close where we?". "Nowhere near. One man's vanity killed it". You all know the rest. The reality was we never even got beyond concept design. It's taken me a long time to accept that, but what really boiled my pee was the fact that we would've been in a much healthier financial position around the turn of the century, instead of constant stagnation and, as Walter Smith would've said, "disapointment".

Fixed.

 

[Sam0697]

It's a huge issue in my opinion and I think the club has seriously miscalculated on this. Many years ago I worked with a sports marketing company in Asia, and one of the things I got to see was the data for access to grounds by mode of transport in the UK. (It was to do with planning for a new stadium - not ours).

Anyway, Everton at that time had the highest proportion of "walk-up" of any top flight club in UK. People accessing by foot. Shanks Pony. We also looked at postcode data, and it was clear a lot of the fanbase lived in some econimically deprived wards (according to government definitions).

We've never had the transient and tourist fan base that other clubs have. And I suspect unless we start winning some silver things, we never will. Our fans had the lowest spend per capita, compared to tourists who come in from South Korea or Japan to go to Mordor, drop £300 in the club shop, etc. etc.

I went to a game earlier this season. £65 for Forever Blue+, plus £70 for the ticket. And probably the only game I will get to all season. I know the club needs to sweat the asset, etc. etc. but for a club that prides itself on being a community-focused club, I really think they're misjudging this. I'm not sure if this "digital only" ticketing thing is a government requirement, or a club one - but in either case the fans should push back. They got some success a few years ago with the "Twenty's Plenty" campaign (even if it's now £30!).

The digital thing is a league requirement as far as I know. The club has introduced it early as it made sense with the stadium move, but I think its meant to be the standard across the league from next year. They will argue its to combat touts but we all know its so they can upsell more and carve out a bigger slice of the pie for themselves.

I agree that the club have misjudged things. They should drop the membership requirement for a ticket, or at the very least relax the price significantly. I've got a season ticket myself, but there is no way I would pay £70 + membership for a game, its far too much, especially given the product on the pitch. Personally for me the limit has always been £1k for a season, if a season ticket hits that then I will walk away. And while they are still a couple of hundred away, the ground move means we have to pay to park and so we are getting very close to that figure and its eating up more and more of my income to watch Everton.

This kinda thing will eventually push me away from Everton and to non league football, which is better in every single aspect now imo.

 

[Simo]

The last home game v Sunderland on Sunday 17th may...3pm ko... appears all prem games ko same time. Presumably this isn't nailed, as we're out the FA cup, and Sunderland could get to the final

 

[dixienormous]

Don't watch much TV but am off sick at the moment. Just found this on IPlayer. " Goodbye to Goodison ". Really emotional watch to be honest...

 

[bigjonny]

The last home game v Sunderland on Sunday 17th may...3pm ko... appears all prem games ko same time. Presumably this isn't nailed, as we're out the FA cup, and Sunderland could get to the final

The TV picks for that week are due on the 8th of April

 

[dockroad]

The last home game v Sunderland on Sunday 17th may...3pm ko... appears all prem games ko same time. Presumably this isn't nailed, as we're out the FA cup, and Sunderland could get to the final

That matchday hasn't yet been subject to tv picks. The following week sees the final games of the season which all ko at the same time . As per usual we're away in that London but this time it's Spurs instead of Arsenal.

 

[Gallaeo]

Do the bars stay open for a bit after the game for Monday 8pm kick offs?

 

[TheMurph]

Do the bars stay open for a bit after the game for Monday 8pm kick offs?

Possibly, but we only got a notification that it would be closed after the Wolves game (on an weds) earlier that day, so I’d say we won’t know for sure until Sunday/Monday.

 

[davek]

The Establishment Club posting top revenue figures due to their attraction of summer gigs like Springsteen, Swift etc....meanwhile we're being held up by some hole in the wall local 'businessman' and a local councillor complaint that gigs at the BMD stadium tramples over their human rights.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

The Establishment Club posting top revenue figures due to their attraction of summer gigs like Springsteen, Swift etc....meanwhile we're being held up by some hole in the wall local 'businessman' and a local councillor complaint that gigs at the BMD stadium tramples over their human rights.

We've been given the licence.

The outside plaza licence was granted last week.

 

[Pazza]

The digital thing is a league requirement as far as I know. The club has introduced it early as it made sense with the stadium move, but I think its meant to be the standard across the league from next year. They will argue its to combat touts but we all know its so they can upsell more and carve out a bigger slice of the pie for themselves.

I agree that the club have misjudged things. They should drop the membership requirement for a ticket, or at the very least relax the price significantly. I've got a season ticket myself, but there is no way I would pay £70 + membership for a game, its far too much, especially given the product on the pitch. Personally for me the limit has always been £1k for a season, if a season ticket hits that then I will walk away. And while they are still a couple of hundred away, the ground move means we have to pay to park and so we are getting very close to that figure and its eating up more and more of my income to watch Everton.

This kinda thing will eventually push me away from Everton and to non league football, which is better in every single aspect now imo.

Totally agree. I have two tickets one for my self and my son has one. There are times one of both of us cannot make it due to change in kick off times etc. I have had to buy 2 memberships for my daughet and partner just so they can make use of the season tickets. Its crazy as I I have paid for the season ticket and should me mine to share as and when I feel.

Like you say for the person who can make the odd game that price of membership and buying a ticket for a dad an lad is not sustainable.

 

[Vaughan]

Indeed, you can. Dom and Fiona know the owners well (Dom even told them about the premises), and it's a mutually beneficial relationship.

Castros is very popular (the food is fantastic!), whilst the Denbigh is very popular, but it doesn't do food. People go to one and can then also enjoy the other.

two of the best establishments in the city