Agree really. I would have liked it to be more like 70k but any more than that and we simply wouldn't fill it for every match. Then once you get the idea of tickets "being available if you want them" it lowers the demand, you want the capacity to be a few thousand less than you think you can fill to ensure the demand remains inflated.
I reckon after seeing how many people lined the streets of the parade and how many were waiting at the moor (150,000 just at the moor alone?!) the powers at PIF might be thinking bigger than 65k should be on the cards. I read one place there were 30,000 people applying for 1000 season tickets that were available in the past. Maybe a lot of people don't even bother applying at the moment cos they reckon its impossible to get. If they built a 100,000 Wembley of the North stadium then maybe far more people would apply.
I'd love to think you were right about this and get on board with the "build a massive stadium" hype but I suspect we'd get 70k in for many games and 75k+ for the few really big ones each season (i guess maybe more as they'd have lots of away fans too). Given the extra running costs of running the bigger stadium we'd be financially no better off than with a 65k stadium. Personally I'd love them to go with 70k but would worry at anything 75k+. There's also how it all looks. With a 100k stadium, even if you get 80k people in it tends to look only half full. It would affect atmosphere and the general perception of the club.
So theres two viewpoints maybe...one is the positive mindset that Newcastle is perhaps different gravy compared to most places in terms of how much football means to the fans and will pack it out even if other clubs would struggle to, after all 52k were turning up in the Championship...or the FEAR viewpoint that its better not to risk it....personally i dont mind risking it just to see 100,000 Geordies in a stadium.
Nah… sweet spot for me is 70-75k. If things go well in the next decade then maybe you could do something of an extension, but the last thing we want is the spot full of tourists. Kills the atmosphere. I’d rather keep struggling for tickets.
Agree with this. 65k or 70k max would be amazing and still generate enough demand to fill most games. Above that and it will start to drop off with seats not being filled (other than for the really big games). Much better to keep a great atmosphere than have a huge stadium without a real vibe.
Whatever number they go with will be correct because they have all the data. The other thing to consider is the available footprint and what's achievable now and in the future If ever required.
85K has a solid feel to it and i genuinely think even that might not meet demand at least for every PL game...(with room for expansion to 100k as a possibility). Remember its not just about NUFC games, if the club wants to monetize for gigs or even NFL games the bigger the better maybe.
If they want to build NUFC to be no1 in the country as they say they do then they need to lift the capacity to supply the demand not now, but for the future building for 65k then adding bits on is a bit like false economy not that the money seems to be a problem with the owners
Season ticket holders Currently: 32,000 Memberships estimated between 100,000 and 150,000. 100% we can fill 80k no drama, week in week out. Anyone worried about it needs to stop wetting the bed (am I using this correctly?). If you build it to 100k you'll have 5k away fans - 5-10k corporate, season tickets and membership holders will fill of 60-65k and then on the day tickets and "tourists" probably another 5-10k so you may have to keep the top tier closed for a few cup games or gift the spare away to local schools...so be it.
All we wanted was a club that tries! We've won a cup, but now everyone is an expert on stadium capacity requirements, and 65k isn't good enough.
I'm not saying a nice shiny 65k capacity stadium is something to turn your nose up at - although I personally would prefer just do SJP up to 60k and stay but they'll do what they want and either way I'm not going to lose sleep over it. What I'm saying is you could go bigger and better 75-80k (100k is a extreme example) and not have the concerns some are voicing about not filling the stadium. End of the day it'll come down to pricing right? If the tickets are being sold for £1 - we could sell out the Maracana (back in the 50's) each week, if they want £100 a ticket they may as well reduce the stadium size.
We don't have the data required to make that judgement, and we don't know what footprint of land is available and how that impacts the number that's possible to construct. Ultimately the club has all the information, and whatever they do will be correct based on all the information available. It won't be a number pulled out of their arse.
I don’t care where you come from as long as you sing your heart out and abuse the opposition keeper. Sitting with mutes drives me mad.
