Ok, maybe not the ideal time to raise the subject, but is this acceptable?

[WTF11]

So, we're not exactly "out of the woods" despite tonights result (but great to take point from Scum nonetheless), but the article on Newsnow from some f00kwit called Leo Osman included a picture of the Elland Road stadium;



Is that acceptable for a Premiership side? I watched the Fulham/Sunderland match (as it was on TV, unlike the Scum game!) and the Sunderland ground, much like the Forest ground we saw over the weekend, makes Elland Road look very, very, VERY League 1

[CalverleyBoy]

Roof looks like a patchwork quilt

[WTF11]

Roof looks like a patchwork quilt

It looks like a pitch attached to a run-down industrial unit in some forgotten corner of Hunslet! Seriously, how can the board sit in their nice plush offices inn the East stand and look at the rest of the ground and be anything but ashamed!?

[joellufcprice]

Does it matter? Bates buggered us for years with regards to the stadium and any owner would be stupid to put millions into redevelopment until we are stable in the PL.

Yes it needs upgrading, definitely needs a bigger capacity but time will come for that and hopefully it is next season

[spaldy]

Never been across the pond so I'm no expert but I think venues are all the same. The new venues generally are "soul less" and focused on luxury suites for the rich and seating for the peasants. The new venues also focus on areas to spend your money on $15 beers and $20 dollar snacks.

I don't know how many of these new venues are paid for by tax payers. They almost all are here in the US. I suspect that prem owners demand the same for their tax payers.

The other side of the coin is old venues that may or may not been updated along with too small of seats, few if any corporate boxes and overall shortage of facilities.

The new venues are generally demanded my sponsors of the clubs under threat of departure to greener pastures. The rich love them but the peasants that pay for the seats through taxes or abatements aren't as enthusiastic. Using baseball as example. Few if any fans are clamoring to go the new Atlanta or Minnesota stadium while every baseball fans wants to go to Fenway or Wrigley field.

of course, the league and the broadcasters also demand new state of the art facilities.

WTF, surprised to see this thread of you. The new stadiums are largely driven by corporations, rich supporters and the leagues. I'm not sure how many people would trade their new stadiums for the old venues they had for years.

[WTF11]

Does it matter? Bates buggered us for years with regards to the stadium and any owner would be stupid to put millions into redevelopment until we are stable in the PL.

Yes it needs upgrading, definitely needs a bigger capacity but time will come for that and hopefully it is next season

The Bates "saga" is growing whiskers now, Radrizzani was wise to take back ownership of the ground shortly after he acquired the club, and since then, NOTHING has been done to the ground, despite (this last 6 months) over £130m being sent on new players some of whom are very questionable value for money (Rutter amongst them).

and NOT being in the Premiership hasn't stopped the likes of Sunderland and Forest (and a few others, not hard to find in the Championship and lower), from developing stadia that are a world away from what fans have to suffer at ER!

[WTF11]

Never been across the pond so I'm no expert but I think venues are all the same. The new venues generally are "soul less" and focused on luxury suites for the rich and seating for the peasants. The new venues also focus on areas to spend your money on $15 beers and $20 dollar snacks.

I don't know how many of these new venues are paid for by tax payers. They almost all are here in the US. I suspect that prem owners demand the same for their tax payers.

The other side of the coin is old venues that may or may not been updated along with too small of seats, few if any corporate boxes and overall shortage of facilities.

The new venues are generally demanded my sponsors of the clubs under threat of departure to greener pastures. The rich love them but the peasants that pay for the seats through taxes or abatements aren't as enthusiastic. Using baseball as example. Few if any fans are clamoring to go the new Atlanta or Minnesota stadium while every baseball fans wants to go to Fenway or Wrigley field.

of course, the league and the broadcasters also demand new state of the art facilities.

WTF, surprised to see this thread of you. The new stadiums are largely driven by corporations, rich supporters and the leagues. I'm not sure how many people would trade their new stadiums for the old venues they had for years.

Not sure why you would be surprised to see this from me, I tell it like I see it, and I see a ground that has languished for years (decades), under successive owners whilst other clubs have seen the benefits (to themselves AND the fans) of having facilities that reflect the 21st century, not the 19th. The examples i quote (Forest and Sunderland) aren't driven by corporate sponoirhip like the various Red Bull flavours, of the Roast chicken kings at Hull, but like the sadly departed Leicester owner who funded the King Power stadium, have been redeveloped because it makes sound business sense to do so (Sunderlands ground (LEAGUE 1!) is one of those shortlisted to be included in the next bid for Euro championship use, can you imagine ER being included???).

Not suggesting we have a new stadium, just one that respects the fans, the status as a Premiership club (at least for now) and the names of the famed who adorn the stands (John Charles would be spinning in his grave if he saw the disgrace that bears his name)

BTW, tax payers fund NOTHING in terms of club facilities including the grounds, football in this country isn't direct subsidised by joe public, although as always public funds are available via various "schemes" and there is always the possibility of "doing a Spam" to get a new ground for next to nowt.

[Billyni]

Lick of paint and a few sheets of tin. Be grand.

[Orgoner]

Lick of paint and a few sheets of tin. Be grand.

For less than a grand too.

I still prefer to think of it back when you could still stand, scratch and be lit up by ridiculous floodlights.

[spaldy]

WTF,

thanks for the clarification on taxes. Totally different issue if the fans and supporters pay the freight.

we, of course, here in the "land of the free and home of the brave" pay 2-3% extra for every food, drink and entertainment item we buy in the city, along with taxes from the state and local governments to fund our stadiums. These are just getting bigger and bigger in dollar outlays since it's someone else's money.

This is also one of the big negatives of no relegation/promotion system. since the owners know they have team in the the top flight for life they can demand more and more or threaten to move the team.

Org's apologies to you on the Pats. I know that the owner actually funded his teams stadium.