About the stadium...(sorry!) : Wed Sep 21, 2022 12:54 pm  

Thought i would get in first on this pre-season subject

Now i would just like to preface that i am not intending to start a new stadium discussion, i think it has been made pretty clear in the last few years that this is very unlikely in for forseeable future. This is more about ways that we could improve/make the most of our current situation.

When i was reading through the season ticket pricing letter, it got the cogs turning. noticing how we only have 2 price brackets for ticket pricing (behind the sticks and sideline) and how we could potentially improve the match day experience without increasing the prices from what they are currently, maybe even increase profits for the club as a side effect.

as it stands we use all three stands (south, east and west). What if we cut use of the south stand, made the east stand our "family and atmosphere stand" with east stand now at the same price point as the south and unreserved seating. Keep west stand for people who want a quieter game / less kids and a guarenteed seat number around as it is now.

The stadium has always felt too big for us apart from on the odd game (we could use this stand for these games so we don't lose revenue, it could also serve as a stand we use for when we give away the free tickets / offers). Having the east be the main stand would compact the people and the stadium in and get our noisier fans closer to the away fans, impoving atmosphere and the game day experience. Would also look better on tv if the east stand had a healthy population in it all the time and people who currently sit in the south would move to an objectively better spectator view by going into the east with no increase in cost.

This would, in theory, save money on stewarding and catering costs (nobody needed to man south stand for majority of games). There is also the possibility, our contract with latics permitting, we could add some sponsorship covers over the seats in the south stand on wigan rugby game days, thus increasing revenue for the club also and more chances for sponsorship.

Feel free to pick this apart or add your own ideas into the mix if any of you like, this was just a little brainstorming session i had in my spare time.

Re: About the stadium...(sorry!) : Wed Sep 21, 2022 1:17 pm  

Although I'm a Southstander I think this is a pretty good idea, East and West combined is about 15k give or take which is more than enough for the majority of matches.
Just wandering though if we get close to capacity would this mean opening the North Stand for away fans ? Something we've barely done this season which would then add back on the cost of the South Stand

PS, a packed East Stand would certainly look better on the telly

Re: About the stadium...(sorry!) : Wed Sep 21, 2022 1:35 pm  

apollosghost wrote:

Although I'm a Southstander I think this is a pretty good idea, East and West combined is about 15k give or take which is more than enough for the majority of matches.
Just wandering though if we get close to capacity would this mean opening the North Stand for away fans ? Something we've barely done this season which would then add back on the cost of the South Stand

PS, a packed East Stand would certainly look better on the telly

We could maybe reserve 1-2 blocks on the north end of the west stand for away fans? Any more then that it is probably worth opening the north, although this blows the west being the quiet stand out the water.

Forgot we had started doing this when i was thinking this up.

Re: About the stadium...(sorry!) : Wed Sep 21, 2022 1:37 pm  

When does the season start again?

Re: About the stadium...(sorry!) : Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:20 pm  

Nothing beats scoring + celebrating behind the sticks to an empty stand I suppose. Imagine the camera angle on say Marshalls try Vs Saints + those youngsters willing him towards them. Things like that would be lost for me no matter how many are in a stand.
Need fans behind the sticks imo

Re: About the stadium...(sorry!) : Thu Sep 22, 2022 10:34 am  

I agree. Also, clearly, plenty of people prefer behind the goal. Personally i find that imcomprehensible; it's OK for away games, but I wouldn't want it for every home game. But others obviously disagree, and think many of them would resent being shunted into the East stand. And actually, if a thin East Stand looks bad on TV, doesn't an emply behind-the-goals look even worse? Like one of those football matches where the fans have been banned for throwing bananas at a black player?