Question What would you want from the new stadium?

[kentblues]

I’d like a bar serving local independent ales. Please no Heineken or John Smiths Smooth as the only options. Some beers from Leigh brewery would be great.

I’d also like a Rossi’s.

Could even have a cockle shed to serve some local seafood and give it a local flavour.

And of course Pigs Bay Gin :-)

 

[The Big Dady]

A Southend United Football Club Museum showing the full history of the club from 1906 to the present day. With memorabilia, pictures, and videos from all the stadiums, players, promotions, and supporters through the years with guest appearances of SUEPA members. A massive trophy cabinet for all our trophies we have won and will win in the future.

 

[kentblues]

Should offer them a spot for match day to keep their business

A good point- outside concessions, fish and chips, hot dogs and onions, club scarfs? There is a good area around the ground and in the walk up to the stadium- would need to be clever about on complement and not distract from in stadium revenue

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

This, the club should be ambitious about this stuff. I know some may be put off by the idea of franchises, but there are some great mid tier franchises too which will still have the indie feel.

Wetherspoons don't usually franchise but Marstons do, although I'm sure the Wetherspoons at service stations (Extra) are likely franchised so it is possible.

There's also an argument towards using a 'super franchisee' like SSP to manage the units and source the right brands - depends on the deal available and the return generated.

Operating dark kitchens for other major brands from the club's facilities would also be a no-brainer IMO.

No thank you.

I’m after something with a local favour that is distinct.

This should be about improving the product not the profit. If you improve the product you’ll get more punters in and the profit will follow.

 

[Ramsdenblue]

I was in the home end at the Bromley game, in the newest Stand.
At half time I went to get some food.
I was really quite taken aback at how just good there catering was.
There had an external bar area, all under cover, with big big tv screens there.
Or you go inside to a huge area, with big TV screens of the game, a bar that was about 20 people wide, a food court, which done really nice good.
When the 2nd half whistle blew, the food court area was still really packed with people sitting down at nice tables, drinking beer, eating food, and watching the game on the screens.
I must also add that to the Stand to my right, was like an unauthorised crèche. I counted about 8 young couples with babies in pushchairs, while watching the footy.

The whole feel of the ground at that end had a completely 100% different feel about it, it was more social and accommodating for persons.

No wonder we only got 147 Bromley fans at Rootshall, it really is a **** hole compared to Bromley.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Just looked at the plans. Away fans do have 4 concession areas so let's extract as much money as we can. We should and can ask them what they want food and beer wise.
The plans also show a TV studio.
Agree entirely with Scott. Club needs to engage fans. Some fantastic ideas.

 

[HertfordshireBlue]

Football grounds should be intimidating places to go and it’s hard to replicate this especially with modern stadia - so I wouldn’t mind having a bar which only sells beer and burgers, everyone must be forced to wear a stone island jacket and heavy handed stewards to punch each supporter as they enter.

Oh and the burgers can’t have onions..

 

[brigg blue]

Football grounds should be intimidating places to go and it’s hard to replicate this especially with modern stadia - so I wouldn’t mind having a bar which only sells beer and burgers, everyone must be forced to wear a stone island jacket and heavy handed stewards to punch each supporter as they enter.

Oh and the burgers can’t have onions..

Can the burgers come with stone island badges rather than pickles and rather than pat downs the stewards have to make sure they get a picture with you getting the badge in?

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

A proper Legends hospitality area which has full regard to our history with its decoration - you should see what Bristol City have done to one of their stand areas over the past year with a bit of imagination, it is great without being flash.

And also a further fans bar area which has a stage where we can invite visiting past players to give a Q&A on match days - something at least a few steps up from me wheeling in my portable PA system in to the Far Post Bar. Plymouth Argyle have a wonderful facility along these lines where a 'house band' plays pre-match and part of that time is used for the legends Q&A - the interviewer even has his own theme tune that the band play, I want that!

 

[meerkat54]

A good curry takeaway with plenty of punk IPA .
Even if the footy is crap , you can at least fill your boots with good food and beer.

 

[Barry.C]

You would most likely fill your boots after consuming that concoction ??

A good curry takeaway with plenty of punk IPA .
Even if the footy is crap , you can at least fill your boots with good food and beer.

 

[Shrimper]

A proper hospitality setup would be good. Players Lounge is okay but when you compare it to others it's woefully short.

Also, something to make the stadium unique. A golden shrimp atop the main stand. Similar to Spurs with their Cockerel

 

[Strykr]

Said this many times but here goes….

The new stadium will need a pub/bar that is accessible BEFORE you go into your respective stands for the stadium, thus allowing you to mix with friends that might go in other parts of the ground also this can capture away fans as well which can make for a superb atmosphere.
The club will have the monopoly on booze sales so I think by having a bar that we can all use that’s part of the stadium but is separate from having to enter the ground will be key.
The example I would give are Walsall they use to have a club house outside the stadium and it was the first place anybody went to drink.
Clubs like Wycombe have also utilised the space outside of the ground with big beer tents.

Another thing that I think is important is the positioning of the safe standing, you are going to need to make sure you get those that like to be vocal in W block all in the same part of the new stadium.

In my years watching football I have come to
The conclusion when you get a new stadium
You get ONE chance to get it right otherwise you end up with souless stadiums like Colchester.

Having a proper planing committee with fans working with the club to make sure we have the stadium in the spec we want is paramount

This.

No offense to anyone at the club but it really needs to be a stadium with facilities people actually want as opposed to what they 'think' we want.

It would be such a waste if they put in a crap sports bar selling fosters and sell the same **** burgers at £5 a pop. I can see that happening unless the club takes on board fresh ideas.

This thread has only just begun and there are already several excellent ideas.

 

[Strykr]

I noticed at brightons stadium the lighting inside the away fans part changes colour to the teams colours.

I thought that was a clever touch.

Theres really no need to reinvent the wheel, we just need to nick every cool idea from everyone else

 

[Texas Eslan]

Apologies if repeating as not read the other posts but for me and my match day experience (not looking at it from a commercial perspective):

- Comfortable seats not on top of each other;
- Excellent acoustics within the ground to generate atmosphere;
- Well staffed and stocked refreshment stations
- Good view from anywhere in the stadium
- Safe standing for those that want it
- Easy access and exit
- Sufficient parking or some sort of park and ride facility (or preferably buses running nearby)
- An under the stadium bar with good (preferably locally sourced) beer options alongside the usual other drinks

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

Most of the above, as well as Decent Wi-Fi or at least the ability to use our own 5G without waiting an hour to load a page.

 

[Mr Plow]

If anyone is interested in the amazing food options now on offer to clubs even many steps below us have a look at the FootyScran twitter page for some ideas on what we could be serving at the new stadium.

We should really take advantage of our local seaside heritage and offer amazing food options like you'd get just walking down Old Leigh for example.

It's also been mentioned by @Ramsdenblue how brilliant the experience was for the shrimpers in the Bromley home end last week, I had a couple of mates in there who took some pictures and it looked so much better than what's currently offered at Roots Hall that it makes me excited as to what FF will offer if done well.

 

[bazzashrimper]

I think it will be a contactless stadium which I would welcome.

So no cash? You must be optimistic that the club will be sold

 

[Strykr]

If anyone is interested in the amazing food options now on offer to clubs even many steps below us have a look at the FootyScran twitter page for some ideas on what we could be serving at the new stadium.

We should really take advantage of our local seaside heritage and offer amazing food options like you'd get just walking down Old Leigh for example.

It's also been mentioned by @Ramsdenblue how brilliant the experience was for the shrimpers in the Bromley home end last week, I had a couple of mates in there who took some pictures and it looked so much better than what's currently offered at Roots Hall that it makes me excited as to what FF will offer if done well.

Not gonna be a bundle of fun sitting next to someone whose just eaten a pint of whelks tho

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

A proper Legends hospitality area which has full regard to our history with its decoration - you should see what Bristol City have done to one of their stand areas over the past year with a bit of imagination, it is great without being flash.

And also a further fans bar area which has a stage where we can invite visiting past players to give a Q&A on match days - something at least a few steps up from me wheeling in my portable PA system in to the Far Post Bar. Plymouth Argyle have a wonderful facility along these lines where a 'house band' plays pre-match and part of that time is used for the legends Q&A - the interviewer even has his own theme tune that the band play, I want that!

The bar absolutely needs to be called the “Ronnie Whelan bar” and maybe a bit of Roots Hall can be attached, I vote the tv in the South/East corner snack bar that’s probably not been switched on since the 80s, playing Ceefax on loop. Nostalgia.