[Archived] Revamped Riverside Stand ?

[Amo]

Cheers - sticks & stones and all that

Is that why you started bitching the moment cletus called you out?

[47er]

If our ground capacity were increased to 40-45000, suddenly, I could only see this paying off 3 times a year-----v Liverpool, Manure and City. However that would mean we were playing 3 more away games such would be the hordes of away fans in the ground.

It could also pay off in a 6th Round FA Cup tie against a "big" team and we might get the odd international or semi, but I doubt it.

Makes more sense to put as much money as possible into strengthening the squad and doing anything else to push us up the League.

If that and whatever else is involved attracts more supporters then it could be looked at again.

Personally, despite the short-comings, I like the Riverside, it reminds us of our roots and much of it was paid for by direct public subscription so its the last link to the pre-Jack Walker ownership years.

[mhead]

Hughesy is an optimist and is thinking ahead. A doer not a moaner. Lots of ideas on this thread which the new owners could look at:

- the general environment around Ewood

- transport 'hub' incuding train stop and 'park 'n ride'(used for fans on match days)

- link to motorway with parking zones

- new facilities in a multi-purpose,flexible Riverside(but moved forward 20 feet)

- Sports "Centre"(already in Pennine Lancashire strategy) for Blackburn with interactive Museum

- More business units to help it live during the week

-Ability to become Regional Concert venue

The main reason people move out of Blackburn is its parochial,uninspiring nature.

Ewood needs its next 20 year facelift.

[92er]

I

Personally, despite the short-comings, I like the Riverside, it reminds us of our roots and much of it was paid for by direct public subscription so its the last link to the pre-Jack Walker ownership years.

All very true, but I believe even here there was a link with Uncle Jack as I am sure there was a story he supplied thesteel at cost price.

[Mike Graham]

I would ask the new owners to clean the Blackburn End sign; it has not been washed for years and it has a negative reflection on the club.

[DanLad]

I would ask the new owners to clean the Blackburn End sign; it has not been washed for years and is has a negative reflection on the club.

If it's mucky it's probably not giving off any sort of reflection?

Edit - The Reebok sign at Bolton is now a plastic cover, I think, that they can take off and wash.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

I dearly hope the capacity of the ground is not increased. It would be embarrassing. We had a top 6 team 4 years ago and we averaged below 25k for that season. We have absolutely no reason for it.

Redeveloping the Riverside into a modern stand, without raising the capacity is i think more sensible. Bringing it closer to the pitch, perhaps a few more facilities etc wouldnt be a bad thing at all. If it could perhaps be built into two tiers but remaining at the 5/6k level then it'd look far better then it now does. A hotel is probably the most realistic idea thats been put forward

However there are more important things to address. The squad first.

[cn174]

- Sports "Centre"(already in Pennine Lancashire strategy) for Blackburn with interactive Museum

I'd really like to see a little museum at Rovers - we could add it onto the ground tour or something. We're an old club, and I'm sure we could cobble together enough memorabilia and old footage to make it pretty decent.

[philipl]

Sorry if I sounded too harsh on Hughesy but Rovers are a football club and surely we need our pennies spending there. Imagine the howls on here if development of the team was being held back because millions were going on all those extraneous projects?

I understand in Jack's time there were ambitious plans to develop the Ewood area but the Town Council could not muster a majority to play its part in the ideas so they were dropped.

Any big plan for the surrounding areas of the ground needs the buy-in and active support of all the stakeholders and that includes the Council and transport companies participating with hard cash..

[Mc Love]

I would ask the new owners to clean the Blackburn End sign; it has not been washed for years and it has a negative reflection on the club.

Yeah last time i was there the top of the stands looked very grubby and even around the JW memorial looked unlooked after

[den]

However there are more important things to address. The squad first.

That was the case when Jack took over. He still built a new ground though - so what's the difference? Using your argument Magic, we would never rebuild anything, because the team would always come first.

[Claytons Left Boot]

I dearly hope the capacity of the ground is not increased. It would be embarrassing. We had a top 6 team 4 years ago and we averaged below 25k for that season. We have absolutely no reason for it.

Redeveloping the Riverside into a modern stand, without raising the capacity is i think more sensible. Bringing it closer to the pitch, perhaps a few more facilities etc wouldnt be a bad thing at all. If it could perhaps be built into two tiers but remaining at the 5/6k level then it'd look far better then it now does. A hotel is probably the most realistic idea thats been put forward

However there are more important things to address. The squad first.

Quite right - our highest ever average attendance for a season was 30k - we're not going to get anywhere near 35k, let alone 40k. Even giving 10k tickets to the Mancs and Scousers wouldn't achieve it. It's nice to think that success on the pitch will increase attendances. It will, but only to a point and we're not too far off that point at present and that's with massively subsidised pricing. Raise the Riverside roof to the same height as the other three stands, improve the behind the scenes facilities and that will do.

[roversmum]

I would ask the new owners to clean the Blackburn End sign; it has not been washed for years and it has a negative reflection on the club.

The whole place needs a bucket and scrubbing brush, been on about it for a while. We are also spending a fair bit of money keeping the Riverside standing, sooner rather than later it will be condemned.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'd really like to see a little museum at Rovers - we could add it onto the ground tour or something. We're an old club, and I'm sure we could cobble together enough memorabilia and old footage to make it pretty decent.

Long,long overdue!

As others have mentioned,a ruddy good steam clean of Ewood would go down a treat.

[ABBEY]

like ive said before a RING OF FAME around the ground like they do in the NFL ,we could vote say 11 players in and then say 2 a season and have it going all round the ground.

[Ninjathunder]

You wouldn't have to increase the capacity too much to at least put a new single tear Riverside Stand that's nearer the pitch, has no view obstructing posts and has better catering facilities situated under the stand, like in the other areas of the ground. There must then be some potential to add other stuff inside it e.g. office space that could bring in revenue, though perhaps it's not the best time economically for that to work.

[Ben-2000]

I dearly hope the capacity of the ground is not increased. It would be embarrassing. We had a top 6 team 4 years ago and we averaged below 25k for that season. We have absolutely no reason for it.

Redeveloping the Riverside into a modern stand, without raising the capacity is i think more sensible. Bringing it closer to the pitch, perhaps a few more facilities etc wouldnt be a bad thing at all. If it could perhaps be built into two tiers but remaining at the 5/6k level then it'd look far better then it now does. A hotel is probably the most realistic idea thats been put forward

However there are more important things to address. The squad first.

A 2 tiered Riverside at the same capacity would look a bit silly...

On the cleaning point somebody else raised... the exterior is looking grubby all round the ground especially the plastic cladding on the sides of each stand.

[AggyBlue]

A mirrored Jack Walker stand on the Riverside would increase the capacity by 3000, taking the total to 34000.

That's not too big for Rovers.

[Majiball]

For me the main issues over the increasing of the stadiums capacity depend on two things:

1:) We will need to see better performances/results on the pitch at Ewood and away.

2:) Season ticket prices - If these were to remain the same given we have seen a significant rise even with limited success on the pitch, who's to say we couldn't attract more?

A Prem team pushing for europe each season with a couple of "stars" in it combined with £199.00 prices for a whole season and well why couldn't we attract a few thousand more season ticket holders. I'm keen to see how many new ticket holders we have attracted this year and how many we have lost, given comments on here. Who's to say those who have walked away couldn't be tempted back if things improve on the pitch?

[Hughesy]

A mirrored Jack Walker stand on the Riverside would increase the capacity by 3000, taking the total to 34000.

That's not too big for Rovers.

The Riverside only holds 4900, the Jack Walker over 11k.... Wouldnt be a mirror if you only added 3000 extra.

[Iceman]

forgive me if this might upset a few people, and I understand that people spend good money on tickets and season tickets etc. To fill the stadium, why not give tickets to charities, organisations that cater for the poor, old age homes, schools etc. You don’t have to give the same organisations tickets all the time, but different ones for different games. Let the juniors and acdemy players sit together as a group on match days, the same with the ladies teams.

We have very much similar problems in South Africa, where you will get crowds of less than 5000 people, and the tickets are something like 2 pounds for a professional game. The only time, that we will get attendances is if the big 3 come to town.

You are not generating any money by having empty stadiums, so there will be no difference giving the tickets to at least fill the stadium, and up the atmosphere. It might upset the paying fans, but by giving to places such as schools and other organisations, you are more likely to get people coming back and paying for a ticket.

[Hughesy]

Nice idea Icers but it just de-values the product even further.

The only freebie idea I agree with is for Kids under a certain age - as it helps families, attracts future fans & helps to get them hooked.

[Mattyblue]

forgive me if this might upset a few people, and I understand that people spend good money on tickets and season tickets etc. To fill the stadium, why not give tickets to charities, organisations that cater for the poor, old age homes, schools etc. You don’t have to give the same organisations tickets all the time, but different ones for different games. Let the juniors and acdemy players sit together as a group on match days, the same with the ladies teams.

We have very much similar problems in South Africa, where you will get crowds of less than 5000 people, and the tickets are something like 2 pounds for a professional game. The only time, that we will get attendances is if the big 3 come to town.

You are not generating any money by having empty stadiums, so there will be no difference giving the tickets to at least fill the stadium, and up the atmosphere. It might upset the paying fans, but by giving to places such as schools and other organisations, you are more likely to get people coming back and paying for a ticket.

There have always been freebies for schools, even in the title winning season.

[cn174]

forgive me if this might upset a few people, and I understand that people spend good money on tickets and season tickets etc. To fill the stadium, why not give tickets to charities, organisations that cater for the poor, old age homes, schools etc. You don’t have to give the same organisations tickets all the time, but different ones for different games. Let the juniors and acdemy players sit together as a group on match days, the same with the ladies teams.

We have very much similar problems in South Africa, where you will get crowds of less than 5000 people, and the tickets are something like 2 pounds for a professional game. The only time, that we will get attendances is if the big 3 come to town.

You are not generating any money by having empty stadiums, so there will be no difference giving the tickets to at least fill the stadium, and up the atmosphere. It might upset the paying fans, but by giving to places such as schools and other organisations, you are more likely to get people coming back and paying for a ticket.

I'm pretty sure we already give a load of tickets away - I know the academy lads get 2 free tickets for example. Also there's always groups of kids up in the Blackburn End, I don't know if they are free but they'll be heavily subsidised.

[Iceman]

Then i hope Syed is some sort of Magician, if he expects 45 000 at Ewood...