I know we all tend to talk as if Nicola walks on water, but I really would trust him with a financial decision of this magnitude.
Why do people continue to bring up the Rugby World Cup in 2015? There is very little money in Rugby and relatively little interest, Saints will be hosting very minor games in the tournament and at 32,600 St Mary's is already big enough for hosting group games in the Rugby World Cup. At the last Rugby World Cup in 2011 they had games in a 22,000 stadium, 20,000 stadium, two 18,000 stadiums and a 15,000 stadium! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Rugby_World_Cup
He is partly right...we need to stay up next season (which I would bet money on) and then demonstrate in season 2 that it wasn't a flash in the pan.
Why? All four years Saints had in the Premier League at St Mary's had averages of over 30,000 (including the year they were relegated). Next season will see a return to 30k+ averages in a 32k stadium and numerous sellouts.
Of course, but none of us knows what he has planned, so you can't really use that as confirmation that not expanding is the right option. Cortese has said on more than one occasion that we will never be relegated while he is in charge. We also just spent £15m on new training facilities, before we were even sure of promotion.
Because we need to establish ourselves first - don't want to expand then get relegated, we need to consistently finish in a high position first I think
Why 5 or 6 years..? What is special about 5 or 6 years..? Unlike the previous Chairman and Board, Cortese has absolutely no intention of flirting with relegation, or budgeting for it. He has already stated that his ambition is to take the club to the top and keep it there, because that's where the real money is. He has also suggested that the time will come for St Marys to be expanded or Saints will move. Cortese strikes me as a person who isn't one to tread water. If he isn't moving forward, he's wasting time. I suspect waiting 5/6 years will be wasting time, to Cortese.
What would they be waiting for? Expanding the stadium can be linked to to finishing higher as it would increase revenue (of course that is not always the case). That in itself helps the club "establish itself", especially in an era of FFP regulations coming in and clubs relying on increasing revenue streams. It is very likely 2012/13 will see a return to 30k+ averages at St Mary's, sellouts and the club losing out on revenue it could have achieved if the stadium were bigger. If the club can average 30k+ whilst finishing 20th in 2004/05, imagine how many would turn up if we actually had a good season in the Premier League? You only need to look at the £15 million currently being spent on a Champions League quality training ground to see Cortese has the ambition and resources to be looking far beyond a mere relegation or mid table finish. For the first time in Southampton's history we have owners with large ambition and the wealth to put their money where their mouth is. Cortese has already talked of plans for a 45k St Mary's. He delivered with the training ground and the team from League One to the Premier League in two years, why not the stadium?
As mentioned we are upgrading the academy in order to get grade 1 status. One thing at a time I expect.
I remember discussing this when saints were last in the premiership and averaging 30k+ a season. As I understad it, the the cost of expanding St Mary's is pretty high - something like another £30m-£35m to increase the capacity to 44,000. An extra 12,000 seats, roughly speaking £10m a season MAX if you sell every seat. Realistically, we'd probably make no more than an extra £5m a season. That's financial stupidity unless you are sure of regularly filling the stadium for a number of years to come. Which is precisely why Cortese won't do it, cetainly not yet.
two or three seasons of sell out crowds will be the only justifcication, not if we stay up or not. Sell the ground out with still more wanting tickets then we'll expand.
Does anyone actually know if St. Mary's can be expanded with its close proximity to a main road and a rail way? I think Cortese has plans to, but boy are we a bit ahead of schedule!
The stadium was built very cheaply, and a while back now. Plus building considerably higher and bigger is very expensive, we wouldn't be filling in corners. Expansion 15K to SMS would probably at least equal the original cost of the stadium.
I think we need a few years of stability in the Prem before we consider it. However, Le God does bring up a very good point regrading current attendances from then and now etc. So it is plausible
Saints averaged over 30,000 when they came 20th and were relegated in 2005. If they can average over 30,000 in such a terrible season, imagine how many would turn up if Saints were any good! Cortese/Liebherr have far more ambition than Rupert Lowe ever did, and also the resources to back it up. As evidenced by currently building a training ground that wouldn't look out of place at a Champions League club.
