QPR can grow their fanbase by building new stadium, insists club’s CEO 10:00 25 March 2016 By Sean Gallagher, QPR correspondent please log in to view this image QPR CEO Lee Hoos says the club must eventually move into a new stadium in west London QPR chief executive Lee Hoos insists it is critical for the club’s long-term future that they eventually move into a new stadium, and he believes there is huge scope to attract more people to follow the Rs – having already seen positive signs this season. With just over 18,000 currently able to be seated at the club’s home ground at Loftus Road, Hoos maintains it is essential that they move on, and he feels there is evidence indicating they would attract more spectactors after they leave their iconic base in White City. He told the Times: “I’ve been surprised with the amount of new people that are coming to Loftus Road for the first time – I was astounded by that figure. “We’re averaging between 400 to 600 people per home game. I just presumed you might get a couple to be honest with you. Some of them are from abroad – there’s a big Norwegian contingent. “At Burnley (Hoos’ old club) let’s face it, we didn’t have a lot of new people. It’s not really somewhere for tourists to visit! But it’s different at QPR as we are in London. “What has surprised me more though is the 300 to 400 people visiting for the first time who are from this country. That tells me that there is still a new market out there for us to tap in to. “We follow up with those individuals regularly and to be honest with you a lot of them don’t return, and the biggest reason they cite for that is facilities. “I think in the modern day, when you’re fighting with all other kinds of entertainment, people aren’t going to put up with things like inadequate toilets, especially ladies and young families. “Our philosophy is if you want to grow the fanbase, you start with fan retention. With fan retention you start with the toilets. “If you’re queuing up at half-time at the moment, you’ve got a choice. You can either go to the toilet or go and get a beer, as you’re not going to have time to do both. “You shoot yourself in the foot if you don’t have adequate facilities. There’s only so much I can do with the infrastructure here, because the footprint is so small. “I can’t make the concourse any wider and you’re still going to be squeezed in regardless. It’s a squeeze now and operationally it’s an absolute nightmare. “Fifty per cent of the stadium don’t even go out now at half-time, so we’re really stretched dealing with only half of the crowd.” The Rs are no nearer to securing a new home though, and while they still retain hope of building a new stadium on Old Oak Common, the Times understands that currently looks unlikely. Hoos is therefore looking for alternatives, and he says it is essential the club do eventually relocate as they do not make enough revenue to be sustainable at Loftus Road. He added: “For me it is critical we get a new stadium, how long along the line that will be I don’t know. “Tottenham announced plans for a stadium in 2000 and that still hasn’t been done. These things take time, but we are are doing our best to make real progress on this.” Hoos says it is likely the new ground will be set at a lower capacity than initally anticipated, but with the capability to grow – and the American is not concerned about the prospect of a soulless atmosphere, which is an issue at a number of the newer stadia. “I think it’s important that you set the structure so it can grow,” said Hoos. “You can do it step by step in bitesize chunks. Thirty thousand? We’ll see. I’m very much data driven. “I think we have a good set of fans who are very passionate and will make noise regardless of where they are. That doesn’t concern me.” http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/sport...ding_new_stadium_insists_club_s_ceo_1_4471491
No s@@t Mr Hoos. Since the Chris Wright days, we have had talk of a stadium and it's just been talk. Smaller clubs have grown and passed us by because of stupid mismanagement and fairytale dreams from the owners. Rather than throw out a few soundbites how about getting Tony and the Mittals to start laying the foundations instead of the usual tripe that we keep getting. West Ham Arsenal Spurs Brentford Palace Watford Chelsea have all sorted or sorting out their stadiums but as usual, QPR cannot even manage that. Fans won't believe any more of TF's fantasies until he makes them a reality.
I guess there's more chance of a new stadium in Oslo than locally, should keep our hardcore Norwegians happy...
Are you surprised at those numbers or the fact that we fail to retain them? I'm not surprised at the numbers as I think a city like London has a constant movement of people in and out of the city. Our facilities are so bad so the failure to retain them is not surprising to me either. I am sure we have all brought "neutrals" to the ground to see games and they have not returned. We need to sort out the stadium situation asap.
A bit of both I think. But what you've said seems true enough. I've taken 'neutrals' along to games who haven't been impressed too. Whether that's down to the football, the facilities or a combination of both I don't know. The bottom line though is that we do need a new stadium to enable the club to grow. I've heard the arguments about trying to fill a new stadium with tourists and half and half scarfers is not what the real fans want but I'm afraid the game has to move on and accept that's how it is now. I can't see it happening anytime soon regardless.
I think that is what Hoos is saying, with strong evidence that we would fill a larger stadium with better facilities. So let's hope the Owners are listening and look for more rapid alternatives if Old Oak is unlikely or will take too long. I have always thought a more imaginitive approach to rebuilding Loftus Road, including lowering the playing surface and stands, and building high stands could be achievable more quickly if we ground share for 2 or 3 seasons.
Old Oak has looked dead in the water for some time. Thank God the owners have started to look farther afield. Hoos is right about the good set of loyal and noisy fans. Just hope the guy can get things moving
A tad harsh Ellers......Sure he's the CEO and has to stay on the same song sheet as the owners, as it is their money after all..... but he sounds like he has a sensible approach to this unlike the previous owners. Of the clubs you mentioned, West Ham were given a stadium for peanuts, Arsenal if memory serves me right already owned the ground where they built the New Highbury, Brentford have been given a helping hand by Hounslow Council, Spurs have only just broken sod after 16 years, Watford was a hole that only had 3 sides of the ground open for years, Don't know about Palace but think you still get splinters from the wooded seats in some parts of the ground and that lot down in SW6 are being bank rolled by Russia....... Ideally what we really need is for Hammersmith Council to come out and say that they'll help us relocate within the borough and to assist in finding a suitable site.......
That's fine Tramore but as you have said all the clubs mentioned have done or doing something no matter how they managed it. Same old Rangers couldn't organise anything properly on and off the pitch. Back when we went up under Warnock the BBC even said before the Leeds game that QPR's future could be at the BBC (which would have been the natural place) but we managed to mess that up. Sorry but won't listen to any more of this stadium crap because i cannot see it happening.
I can understand what you're saying Ellers, but I have a good feeling about Hoos. He might just be the one to change our mismanagement from previous era's.
Agree Nines he does come across as a non bullsh@tter but It will be TF and Mittals that make all the decisions. let's hope they listen to him.
Oh I agree Ellers, that is the cock up to end all cock ups by not acquiring that site, it would have been ideal.......
Agree Tramore that was always the site we should have got. W12 and we could keep our roots (especially the pubs) in Shepherds Bush
Another thing I would mention apart from lack of facilities is the lack of enforcement when it comes to ground rules regarding smoking. I hope this doesn't come across as moaning but it can be quite off-putting. I have often seen our fans smoking in the toilets both home and away and nobody enforces the rules. As a non-smoker I find it very off putting to have to breathe in smoke from others just because I need to use the loo. If I was a first time visitor and didn't have any emotional attachment to the club, it would be reason enough to make me not return.
I took a rugby buff to the game against Brighton. He hadn't been to a football game before (amazingly) and was really impressed by the atmosphere. He has asked me to let me know when I'm next going as he would to go again. Atmosphere is king in my opinion.
I was listening to Radio this afternoon and they were discussing where the power in football is shifting to and it seems emphatically to be London. The danger is we are going to be left behind in the capital and by time we have a 25-30,000 stadium up and running many others including what we may regard as our 'lesser' neighbours will be streets ahead. In the next 2-3 years there will be Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and West Ham all with new 60,000 capacity stadiums leaving us looking distinctly 3rd rate in Loftus Road and even a modest new stadium would be nowhere near likely to propel us into the big-time. As mentioned above, we missed the boat a few years back and our best chance to establish ourselves as a Premier League club looks to have gone. I fear we will end up becoming a club who just looks to survive in the Championship for the foreseeable future...
Spot on However, we need to go 40K (even if we won't fill it for some time). If we/when get back in the Premiership and can sustain a decent run, the fans will come.
As Croydon writes on the Hoillet thread you don't need a big stadium to survive in the PL, the income from just being there goes a long way. I agree we need a new or rebuilt stadium urgently, in 5 not 15 years, but we need to get back to the PL for the season after next and before the parachute payments dwindle more. Tough job with FFP but not impossible, and with luck the FL FFP is the one that is not sustainable legally, not our finances.
