new ground and fanbase madness

[rmj1982]

has much as i agree with the club looking at every possible angle for a new ground im not buying we aint got enough fanbase line, with a new ground and new facilities we would have fill a new ground, our ground yes only holds 18000 say 15500 home fans so how can phil beard make such a stupid comment im confident we would fill a 30000 seated new ground in the premier league.

[Simonj10]

and yet against some teams in the prem we couldnt fill 15500. its not about filling it once or twice against big teams its also doing it every game like against say wigan! We wont even be able to use the whole ticket prices as an argument as they will be just as expensive if not even more in a new ground!

[stanistheman]

and yet against some teams in the prem we couldnt fill 15500. its not about filling it once or twice against big teams its also doing it every game like against say wigan! We wont even be able to use the whole ticket prices as an argument as they will be just as expensive if not even more in a new ground!

Ever considered the fact that the seats at Loftus Road offer little leg room (if any) and many have poor views which makes fans not want to bother against the likes of Wigan.

Also, how many games last season did QPR struggle to sell most of the tickets available to home fans? I don't think QPR fans can be blamed for 100s of empty seats in the away end.

[andythefish]

If the new ground was marketed right,I see no reason why we couldn't fill a 25,000 seater,and if we become an established Prem club our fanbase will naturally grow

[neetoneeto]

Phil Beard's comments are so accurate and sensible and I am so glad we have someone like him pushing us forward. The fact is at the moment we often struggle to fill Loftus Road. The few times it sells out, it is not actually us that the home fans come to see but the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea etc. It's the fact we are playing them, not the fact that we are playing, that brings people out.

And why would you suddenly want to become a QPR fan. There are more high profile teams, with better records, better-known players, more success just round the corner. It takes years to build up a fan base, but you've got to offer an attractive proposition. This must mean a few big names, a friendly atmosphere, a bit of success, some degree of comfort; and you've got to start with the kids who haven't made up their minds yet, and kids are attracted by success, and we've got to offer them that. But that takes ten years.

Plus these days, as Phil states, a ground has to offer more than football. Football is just one element of the entertainment experience, so any new ground must include all the other options he mentions, shopping, music, spa, health club, alternative sports, (god-forbid) a casino, what ever it takes to make it economically viable.

And maybe we have to groundshare, if that is what financially it takes to get such a project off the ground. If the two Milan clubs can do it I don't see why we shouldn't (as long as the ground remains on W12 of course. The area behind Westfield has long been mooted as a venue - it's even in HFC's blueprint for the area. I don't have a problem with that.

Go for it Phil, it sounds fantastic to me!

[dave58]

has much as i agree with the club looking at every possible angle for a new ground im not buying we aint got enough fanbase line, with a new ground and new facilities we would have fill a new ground, our ground yes only holds 18000 say 15500 home fans so how can phil beard make such a stupid comment im confident we would fill a 30000 seated new ground in the premier league.

I'm not sure we would fill a 30.000 stadium as someone quotes later had trouble selling out 18.500 & Chelsea in the cup very poor gate,I think alright to have a 28-30.000 stadium with about 3000 for away fans we may be able to sell 27.000 tickets for certain games but most weeks we would not be full. Last thing we need is to be like some teams who's grounds are to big for them and it ends up like playing in a morgue? and one thing we must keep is pitch close to fans to create a good atmosphere,

[Simonj10]

Ever considered the fact that the seats at Loftus Road offer little leg room (if any) and many have poor views which makes fans not want to bother against the likes of Wigan.

Also, how many games last season did QPR struggle to sell most of the tickets available to home fans? I don't think QPR fans can be blamed for 100s of empty seats in the away end.

If they wont come see us cause of leg room and cause we are merely playing in the prem against a lower half team why will that change in a new stadium which is likely to cost more?

[winalotto]

30,000 is a tad optimistic really, i think a cozy 25k should be fine, that way you can expect the stadium to be nearly full on every occasion, and even if relegated . 16/17k wouldn't look to bad in a 25k capacity.

[dave58]

Ever considered the fact that the seats at Loftus Road offer little leg room (if any) and many have poor views which makes fans not want to bother against the likes of Wigan.

Also, how many games last season did QPR struggle to sell most of the tickets available to home fans? I don't think QPR fans can be blamed for 100s of empty seats in the away end.

Think the club could be blamed for empty away seats? Away fans should be relocated to about 2000 seats in the ellerslie rd stand, and the 3000 seats in the school end allocated to Rs fans. therefore having 16.500 Rs fans and only 2000 always fans then we shouldn't have to worry about away fans selling out their allocation? And we could reduce the away allocation should they not be able to sell all of their tickets,

[silvercue]

yes I agree - 25k is far more suitable for us. A stadium like Madjeski would be good for us. No restricted views (that I can recall) and great facilities etc.

[rangersbitch]

Away fans should be relocated to about 2000 seats in the ellerslie rd stand

How would the segregation work?

[silvercue]

segregation would not work - it would be against league rules. Need sepreate entrances and a lot more. Unles we made changes.

[dave58]

Same as some other grounds a few rows of seats covered in mesh and a row of stewards seems to work at other grounds? Could even erect a temporary fence should it be needed.

[stanistheman]

If they wont come see us cause of leg room and cause we are merely playing in the prem against a lower half team why will that change in a new stadium which is likely to cost more?

Of course comfort plays a part in it. Is It a coincidence that clubs with newer bigger stadiums get increased gates? Southampton, Swansea, Cardiff, BrightWon, Reading, etc all get bigger gates, why?too many fans on here don't seem to have a vision beyond Loftus Rd and the atmosphere fans create at a handful of games.

I agree that the stadium should have other facilities to generate more income and am glad that Phil Beard is planning for this. QPR may not fill the stadium for every game and will need to establish themselves as a top 7 club before 30,000 fans will regularly watch games, but it can onlyl happen in a new stadium.

[Pal]

There are two points to this debate.
Whether we would fill a new ground and whether we would end up with a 'souless bowl'
Most of us love LR because of how close you get to the action and the atmosphere at big games, but let's be honest, It's not a premier league quality ground. The facilities are not what people would expect given the price they are paying. Parking is almost non existant, and a small ground nestled in amongst residential housing on three sides is not what people assosiate with top flight football. To attract more people who do not usually attend games there, would mean casting the net further and attracting people from outside the immediate vicinity. There are plenty of home counties towns that have large London overspill estates, and better infrastructure around the ground and better facilities would be more attractive to this kind of punter.

Now I know that people will say that they don't want 'tourists' like at Fulham, and that it's always been a local club, but I think we may have reached a plateau of people from the local area. Young kids around the bush would be more attracted to Chelsea than to us, given thier recent success, a trend that will only increase given thier latest piece of silverware. So until we achieve that level of success, which will naturally bring more people to see us play, then we need to look at other ways of making the package more attractive to new, or returning fans.

So to fill a new 30,000 seater, the first step is create one with the overall package that will attract new fans and encourage lapsed supporters to return, then just by having somewhere that can accomadate more fans, we will attract more. The trick is not to alienate the existing fanbase, most of who at the moment live within a few miles of LR, so it needs to be in the right area. If it was planned right we could retain as much of the closeness and atmosphere that we currently enjoy at LR.

The Madjeski in Reading has been mentioned, and I think that would be a good blueprint for a new stadium, it has good facilities, wtih a hotel and retail areas to bring in revenue during the close season, and between matches, and they share the ground with another sporting organisation to maximise the use of the stadium. It's not ideal by any means but we could learn a lot from the model. It's not too big for their needs (although it is for London Irish) and it's not too small that it can't contain all those who wish to attend. If we could build something of that size, in the right area, with the seating a little closer to the pitch, I think we'd be on the right track.

I know some fans have been going to LR for decades, but for most of that time we have not been a top flight club, and if we plan to remain so, then we need a top flight ground.