Safe Standing

[purpletrousers]

Think there’s a petition on the govt website to get this debated and hold the govt to account.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/207040

"33,716 signatures

Government responds to all petitions that get more than 10,000 signatures

At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament"

[amfy]

Previously, these petitions have struggled to get above the 10,000 mark, which compared to the number that attend football is really small.

This time there seems to be some real momentum behind it as it's got around 25,000 signatures in the last 24 hours or so! Its important to get as many signatures as possible. Even if you think you have signed lots of safe standing petitions before, sign it now, re-share it on any social media you have, and make sure you click the confirmation email after doing it!

[darren woolley]

I think if the fans want it then good I grew up standing at matches so I've had my time standing plus I have had four operations on my knee so when I go away and stand with the rest of the Villa fans I'm in pain for a few days later but I have had some of the best time watching the Villa on the terraces memories that I still look back on with fondness if they bring it back I hope the younger generation can have as much fun as I have had.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

Think there’s a petition on the govt website to get this debated and hold the govt to account.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/207040

"33,716 signatures

Government responds to all petitions that get more than 10,000 signatures

At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament"

Don't hold your breath.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

39162.

[AV82EC]

Fevered response in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

[Ad@m]

I just struggle with the economics of this.

Converting seated areas to safe standing will cost money and the clubs are going to want to get that back through ticket sales.  So rather than the cost of attending football falling as I think people expect, it's more likely to go up for the standing areas.

The only way this doesn't happen is if the remaining seating areas see price increases to compensate (why should they pay?) or if the crowd density increases to cover the cost increase, but I thought the whole idea of safe standing was that everyone's allocated a seat anyway, they're just locked away?

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

In the long term though won't the maintenance of the standing areas be considerably less than a standing area? And the scope for change once installed would be cheaper too. This is not based on anything scientific just mere specualtion.

[Ad@m]

In the long term though won't the maintenance of the standing areas be considerably less than a standing area? And the scope for change once installed would be cheaper too. This is not based on anything scientific just mere specualtion.

Not sure how the maintenance cost could be any less - you've still got seats (which we'll have to use when we're in the Champions League because aren't all seater stadia mandated for the CL?), but now you've also got metal railings too.

Plus, just thinking about my crowd density point, I'm not sure that we'd get a safety certificate if we tried to increase the density, especially for any stands built post-Taylor report, as the emergency exits, concourses, etc would've all been designed for the seated capacity.

[Clark W Griswold]

Surely in the grand scheme of things it wouldn't cost that much, and you will get more people in a certain area than with seats, hence more people = more ticket sales.

[stuart445]

In the long term though won't the maintenance of the standing areas be considerably less than a standing area? And the scope for change once installed would be cheaper too. This is not based on anything scientific just mere specualtion.

Not sure how the maintenance cost could be any less - you've still got seats (which we'll have to use when we're in the Champions League because aren't all seater stadia mandated for the CL?), but now you've also got metal railings too.

Plus, just thinking about my crowd density point, I'm not sure that we'd get a safety certificate if we tried to increase the density, especially for any stands built post-Taylor report, as the emergency exits, concourses, etc would've all been designed for the seated capacity.

The maintenance will be cheaper because the seats won't be used as much for example now during an average game the current seats can be constantly up and down.  Which will obviously lead to the components wearing out quickly.  With safe standing this won't be the case so the lifespan of the seat would increase considerably.

[dcdavecollett]

My earlier post re cheaper admission comes from an earlier time in the game when standing on the terraces was always cheaper than buying a seat in the stand.

If that principle is still accepted, than fans who stand should have to pay less than those who sit. Hardly controversial. The clubs will resist any attempt to restore standing areas, as they will fear a reduction in income.

[dave.woodhall]

My earlier post re cheaper admission comes from an earlier time in the game when standing on the terraces was always cheaper than buying a seat in the stand.

If that principle is still accepted, than fans who stand should have to pay less than those who sit. Hardly controversial. The clubs will resist any attempt to restore standing areas, as they will fear a reduction in income.

I can see safe standing areas being priced at the same level as the cheapest seats because the demand will be there, then annual rises will be bigger for seats than safe standing. 

[rob_bridge]

Signed 43500 signatures

[dcdavecollett]

Let's hope we get the chance to see if you're right, Dave.