01 Mar 2014 23:11:16
Been told that Saints have had an expansion plan for St Marys approved. This is all in the pipeline but a lot depends on what happens this summer

1.) 02 Mar 2014
I don't see the need at present to extend. How many games have we had sold out this season?
At the Liverpool game there were still spare seats. I know that we aspire to be in European games/competitions, however, I think (IMO) that we are a long way off that, we need greater depth of squad, including wingers.
Playing the same system each game is too inflexible and predictable.
WillsaSaint

2.) 02 Mar 2014
Need cheaper tickets. Hopefully liebherr sees this as ticket revenue is nothing compared to tv revenue so what's the point having tickets from 35-50 quid in the stands that sing if they are going to be empty. Atmosphere at St Mary's has not been good this season it was far better in the championship. Passionate people of the city can't afford to go week in week out

3.) 02 Mar 2014
Getting planning permission will add value to the club without having to spend the money to actually build anything. I heard from a very good source that the club is for sale and whilst this might not be the only reason Cortese left he was certainly aware of the planned sale. I certainly believe the source.

4.) 02 Mar 2014
Regarding ticket prices, isn't the FFP 'value' based on ticket income, not ticket numbers? If so, then the price needs to be higher rather than lower just to satisfy this.

One of the disadvantages to FFP.

5.) 03 Mar 2014
No its based on all revenue included TV money, sponsors AND ticket revenue

6.) 03 Mar 2014
For Saints to compete at the top level of football, they will need to increase their gate receipts. Saints can't compete financially with the Top 4/5/6/7 clubs in the PL. So they need to increase capacity.

That said, we do struggle to fill St Mary's, so what do we do? Leave the capacity as it is, or expand, and push towards a brighter future?

Building a fan base and increasing the demand for tickets isn't easy, and they missed out on one of the best ways to do it - The FA Cup final. The 76 Final was my first game as a 7yr old.

Cortese spoke of expansion plans, or the possibility of moving to an alternative site while we were in Division one.

If the rumours are true about expansion at St Mary's then it will go some way to show that Katharina Liebher still has her farthers dream in mind for Southampton Football Club, but making the dream a reality won't be an easy ride.

7.) 03 Mar 2014
What's plan.
B: we end up like West Brom who were not so long ago lauded as THE great example of how a club should be run?
C. we end up like Fulham who under a diligent owner had done well only for mad cap changes throughout the club end up relegated and up the river minus a paddle?

8.) 04 Mar 2014
In my opiion we should be looking to increase our fanbase as an urgent priority. This could b achieved, at least partially, by increasing capacity at St Marys. This would enable the club to reduce admision costs and therby generate support in the live context. By which I mean converting the wide support from fans who as of now are only supporting the club via media acess.
Greater attendances would also generate a better atmosphee at home games and in the longer term generate an increasing income via merhandising.

9.) 05 Mar 2014
I think we should increase capacity and drop ticket prices for a few seasons to get people involved.

Most revenue comes through TV and advertising contracts so drop the prices, get 40,000 in every week.

Also worth setting up cheap/free transport links across the South as part of tickets. We've got a massive catchment area and need to utilise this.

If it was up to me? Cheaper season tickets, inc free transport from the major towns in Hampshire/Dorset/Sussex.
Cup matches £10.

10.) 05 Mar 2014
It is extremely unlikely that expansion of St Mary's will mean a drop in ticket prices.

Expansion isn't cheap, especially when you take into context problems with the infrastructure around St Marys - one of the reasons that Cortese was looking into alternative sites for a new stadium.

Expansion will more likely mean price increases, although it could be that KL subsidizes the expansion. This would not have to be taken into account under fair play rules.

11.) 07 Mar 2014
Agree 100% St Christopher. It's not cheap. However it would pay itself back in the long run, so hopefully KL would inject the required funds.

The primary reason I would champion a drop in ST prices is because I can only see justification for any sort of expansion if we can guarantee 40,000 week in week out - which at current ticket pricing is a long way off.

An expansion simply can not take place without a drop in prices to get more bums on seats. Truth be told we struggle to fill 32k for 75% of games at the moment. Talk of expanding is laughable.

Having said that, I firmly believe we, potentially, have one of the largest and most affluent catchment areas in the whole of England - there is no reason why with a bit of encouragement (i. e. free transport and a ST price drop/freeze for a few years) we can't get more people down at St. Mary's on a saturday afternoon.

Also - on a slightly unrelated note - I really hope we get our stripes back. There are plenty of 'plain' coloured clubs at the top end of the table. From a marketing stand point there is no reason why we can't become 'THE' striped club in the top end of the premiership, rather than just another generic red one.

12.) 07 Mar 2014
How can you say people can't afford to go now we are in top flight. Look around you next time you go. Look at the number of sash and championship kits.

Price has next to no impact of the passionate fans.

ST holder who lives in Bristol! Do I get any help to get to a home game, bet your life I don't. Pisses me off know end that those travelling away feel some sense of entitlement when we have dedicated fans who travel from well outside southampton.

13.) 07 Mar 2014
Chill out. I'm not saying dedicated fans can't afford to go now. Fact is, we've never sold out SMS, unless it's against big clubs in the prem (25% of games)

To get to the next level and potentially work toward an expansion/europe, a few incentives would help generate interest. Travel incentives are key because Southampton isn't a big or well connected city (unlike London, Manchester, Birmingham etc) so easier, cheaper travel links with the surrounding area are sure to drum up interest.

The choice is:

A - keep with the current model, sit mid table each year and have around 28k attendance for most games;

B: try and push on to break the top 8 (all of which [bar Spurs who are looking to move] have grounds which take 45k+) and have 35-40k each game.

I know which option I'd like to aim for.

14.) 07 Mar 2014
The Economics of expanding St Marys are prohibitive (google and see the maths)

Ms Liebherr is very conservative (as was her father) in terms of spending and business (again google the liebherr business model and you will see what I mean).

It may happen but we will need a billionaire to do it so I guess that now is a good time for the club to think about it.

The South Hampshire Basin is one of the wealthiest areas outside of London, people here in the main can afford a game of perm football. The demise of Portsmouth also opens up over time the ability in the longer term to bring in new fans from East Hampshire who would rather watch Saints V any prem team rather than pompey v chesterfield for example.

If we did expand affordable (cheaper) seats could be made available via a standing area which are course now under discussion for a return to English grounds with several prem clubs and fans now lobbying for their return.

This would also help get rid of the grave yard atmosphere at so many grounds t because they are full of people like me, middle aged sitting comfortably and really missing what I used to experience during my youth standing up and singing for my team. Young people need to be back in football grounds not watching it in pubs

15.) 07 Mar 2014
Expansion is expensive. to you and I, but in terms of a facility and who use it - really it isn't that steep - you can buy Luke Shaw for cheaper! Problem is never the cost of expansion, its the future whole life costs that become the issue and unless you place a realistic ticket costing system in place and adopt a realistic fan base plan, this will never happen. Owners will always try and get a quick return as opposed to spreading out the profit. and this is linked to attendance / European football, which will, of course, have an impact. I believe with this thread, we are revisiting the Cortese departure again. The fan base is there. It's just the cost of getting there in today's climate!

16.) 09 Mar 2014
In response to london saint, wd can push for top 8 without an expansion, I don't see why the expansion would stop us