18,200 in the Premier league

[EYR]

Need to get the balance right as we dont want to go down and be rattling around in 30k ground with 14500 each week.

[Fez]

I hope you know that all football pitches have to be the same size... the size of the pitch at LR is identical to wembly... And if you go to a local semi-pro club... the pitch will be the same size there, otherwise there would be some stadiums that are much easier on the lungs than others

errr no you're wrong lol

[Scarlet pimple]

Need a bigger better stadium......you dont need a diploma in common sense to see that.

[Gerryhatrick]

Need to get the balance right as we dont want to go down and be rattling around in 30k ground with 14500 each week.

I agree, this is a really tricky one, but it begs the question, just how ambitious are we?

One thing is for sure. If we rely on the current 18k capacity we will not last more than 2 or 3 seasons in the PL. We need the revenue through gate money, and the infrastructure to attract top pro players, or they will go elsewhere for more money or bigger clubs.
We need a stadium now that holds 25k. This is because we are currently at full capacity, and the PL will normally bring a 20-25% increase in demand for tix, but we don't have that available. So to counter this, the club will have to raise prices by about 25% to eliminate the fans that can't afford the increase, but we can top up to capacity again with the new demand. Unfair, but it will kill the problem, and increase revenue. It is only a short term solution, and we will drop out of the PL again sooner rather than later.
The long term solution is to create a stadium for 25-30k, which could be Loftus Rd refurb, or moving locally, and then for the marketing men to sell the QPR product aggressively, and the increased revenue will attaract bigger wages for better players, and we can sustain our place in the PL.

[qprjames]

I agree, this is a really tricky one, but it begs the question, just how ambitious are we?

One thing is for sure. If we rely on the current 18k capacity we will not last more than 2 or 3 seasons in the PL. We need the revenue through gate money, and the infrastructure to attract top pro players, or they will go elsewhere for more money or bigger clubs.
We need a stadium now that holds 25k. This is because we are currently at full capacity, and the PL will normally bring a 20-25% increase in demand for tix, but we don't have that available. So to counter this, the club will have to raise prices by about 25% to eliminate the fans that can't afford the increase, but we can top up to capacity again with the new demand. Unfair, but it will kill the problem, and increase revenue. It is only a short term solution, and we will drop out of the PL again sooner rather than later.
The long term solution is to create a stadium for 25-30k, which could be Loftus Rd refurb, or moving locally, and then for the marketing men to sell the QPR product aggressively, and the increased revenue will attaract bigger wages for better players, and we can sustain our place in the PL.

[C-Dizzle]

errr no you're wrong lol

Oh aiye I appear to be wrong indeed, there are guidelines not nailed on sizes.... there goes my attempt at being clver

[Sotonian Ranger]

With the greatest respect, how it loftus road unique? Have you been to places like roots hall or kenilworth road?

I have. Just thought I'd mention it!!

[Sotonian Ranger]

Don't get me wrong i know we need a bigger capacity but our ground is unique. On saturday it looked amazing. All the flags the tight closed ground and the fans right next to the pitch. Give me our ground over Wembley, Old Trafford, The Emirates etc anyday. I hope there is a chance to up the capacity cos i would be so sad if we had to leave this ground.

I prefer older,smaller grounds like ours-your Wembley stadiums are all very well for big day out atmospheres but nothing beats being right at the front of the Paddock and within hearing /touching distance of the pitch that's of course providing you can get in with a smaller capacity! If we have to have a new stadium though how about building it on the Rose Bowl(Hampshire cricket club's ground) as then I wouldn't have far to travel at all!!

[C-Dizzle]

should have kept white city stadium
130,000 would suit us down to the ground

[taarabt7]

I think it goes without saying that we will need a new stadium. If our owners really do have the ambition that they said about getting us in to Europe one day, then we aint going to get there by being at Loftus Road. We need to improve our training ground big time and start planning for a new stadium definatly. The fact were a London club is always goes to be attractive to players wanting to play for us, because its a great city to live in. Its just like Roy Keane said about Sunderland, its difficult to attract players to the club, because Sunderland dont have Oxford Street etc for the misses.
I love Loftus Road, but to make it bigger is nearly impossible

[TBLOCKRANGER]

I'm in the wait and see camp.

No need for a new stadiuim at the moment imho.

Even in April when we played the blades, we only got 14500, hardly a sign for a bigger stadium. Even though this season we were top of the league for most of it and playing attractive football, we hardly sold out. I could see the argument for a bigger stadium if after x-mas all our home games had sold out and tickets were as hard to get as the leeds game.

However, apart from Leeds no other game this season sold out quickly and the v few that did sell out were by way of a trickle and by the away side bringing a big following (palace & canaries). Even membership at £30 per year seemed to take ages to sell out this season, not a great sign for heavy ticket demand.

I just cannot see the Blackburn's or Blackpool games being sold out next season if played midweek. I think about 6 other games if midweek would also not sell out.

My concern is not capacity but facilities at LR, pay £599 for a s/t and takes you 10 minutes to get into the ground, cramped seats and not great food facilities. I hate to say it but the argument for a bigger stadium is similar to Fulhams (not one of capacity but whether the stadium is fit for the 21st century).

I love LR and think she still has a few more years in her.

[silvercue]

TV money is going up with international deals and it will go up and up. Internet money will go up also.

Soon the difference that a 20,000 seater stadium and a 40,000 seater makes in match day revenue will become less and less important when compared to the other revenue streams.

Financial Fair Play rules are not going to help, but ONLY if we want to play in the Champions League or UEFA Cup. I imagine we will soon see a scenario where teams like Man City and possibly QPR, will decide that the league is more imortant and just ignore the FFP rules anyway, whuch we are entitled to do.

If our owners decide that they want to play properly now, then our 18,000 seater stadium need not hold us back, with the exception of those players that want to play in front of big crowds.....but they want to play at 60,000 seater stadiums, so are irelevant to us anyway.

[Nodge70]

Current TV deal will be the peak.

Economic climate dictates

[stanistheman]

Don't get me wrong i know we need a bigger capacity but our ground is unique. On saturday it looked amazing. All the flags the tight closed ground and the fans right next to the pitch. Give me our ground over Wembley, Old Trafford, The Emirates etc anyday. I hope there is a chance to up the capacity cos i would be so sad if we had to leave this ground.

Unique or not, QPR need a bigger capacity.

QPr have been getting lose to 18,000 sell outs for a few games now. Imagine what denmand there will be for tickets next season. And then there will be the massive demand from away fans like Arsenal, Chelseas, Tottenham, Man U Liverpool etc.

QPR will need a minimum 25,000 capacity or will struggle.

I expect a new ground will soon be on the agenda if QPR look capable of staying up and being an established Prem League club again.

As has been pointed, the other drawback of having a small capacity is the lower income which will need to be offset by raising admission prices. The problem with this is it will price out many fans and gates will drop.

I have been saying for a few seasons now that this issue should have been addressed and plans made to buy land and build a new stadium if QPR meant to be a Prem League club.

[silvercue]

Current TV deal will be the peak.

Economic climate dictates

That was generally understood to be the case last year....turned out to be wrong.