Which stadium would you prefer?

[Hopping Mad]

Well, it's a lovely thought. I just can't see it happening, certainly not for a second tier rugby league team. If York could get into Super League, it might make a difference. Unfortunately, league's profile, nationally and internationally, isn't anything like union's. League is an alien sport even to many parts of Yorkshire! And, let's face it, it's pretty difficult to visit Bath without stumbling across the rugby union ground. Few, if any, visitors are going to find York's new stadium by accident. The retail/leisure facilities being built alongside the stadium will be targeted at York residents, in common with everything else fringing the outer ring road.

I'm sure York will be concentrating their crowd-building efforts on attracting a) York-born residents who used to watch York RLFC or who might be persuaded to give the sport a go and b) York's many residents who have relocated to the city from elsewhere (like me), who, despite not having an emotional connection to the rugby league club, might be lured to the occasional big game (again, like me).

[Wolford6]

I can't see why the Rhinos have retained standing areas at Headingley. Their fans will never get to sleep.

[Eddie]

51 minutes ago, Hopping Mad said:

Well, it's a lovely thought. I just can't see it happening, certainly not for a second tier rugby league team. If York could get into Super League, it might make a difference. Unfortunately, league's profile, nationally and internationally, isn't anything like union's. League is an alien sport even to many parts of Yorkshire! And, let's face it, it's pretty difficult to visit Bath without stumbling across the rugby union ground. Few, if any, visitors are going to find York's new stadium by accident. The retail/leisure facilities being built alongside the stadium will be targeted at York residents, in common with everything else fringing the outer ring road.

I'm sure York will be concentrating their crowd-building efforts on attracting a) York-born residents who used to watch York RLFC or who might be persuaded to give the sport a go and b) York's many residents who have relocated to the city from elsewhere (like me), who, despite not having an emotional connection to the rugby league club, might be lured to the occasional big game (again, like me).

York City being at their lowest ebb over the last couple of years must have helped the Knights’ crowds a bit too?

[Eddie]

5 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

As someone who unfortunately hasn't been to either, would the atmosphere at the new ground be markedly better if they had standing down one side like Warrington do?

The atmosphere isn’t too bad, certainly much better than at Wigan or Hull (teams with comparable crowds). 

[aj1908]

4 hours ago, LeeF said:

And the Rhinos needed a new North Stand so were, quite correctly,  required to work with the council

It's called negotiation 

Your new north stand was basically for the benefit the cricket.  It didn't increase capacity. 

[aj1908]

8 hours ago, M j M said:

This is a bit of an urban myth, Leeds had cash in the bank following the sale of the cricket ground and spent a chunk on the new stand. The university leasing part as classrooms was cream on the top.

The idea meanwhile that Leeds should buy a 40,000 capacity football stadium in Holbeck is ridiculous. Totally unsuitable for what Leeds need, it would generate less money and less profit for it'd club. And I for one wouldn't buy a season ticket if the club was based there.

A 40k.capscity.ground costing 8 million would make more money than an 18k.capacity stadium costing whatever it cost 

Too late now 

[M j M]

11 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

A 40k.capscity.ground costing 8 million would make more money than an 18k.capacity stadium costing whatever it cost 

Too late now 

You don't understand the economics of Leeds Rugby League club.

[M j M]

22 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

It's called negotiation 

Your new north stand was basically for the benefit the cricket.  It didn't increase capacity. 

It expanded corporate significantly. Which will be used mostly by Leeds RL who are, by bums on seats, the biggest users of Headingley's corporate facilities. It makes Leeds even stronger financially than they already were relative to the rest of the clubs in SL. Bear in mind Leeds charge about two to three times as much for their corporate packages as, say, Saints or Warrington.

[aj1908]

8 minutes ago, M j M said:

It expanded corporate significantly. Which will be used mostly by Leeds RL who are, by bums on seats, the biggest users of Headingley's corporate facilities. It makes Leeds even stronger financially than they already were relative to the rest of the clubs in SL.

well see in the next accounts.  any extra corporate income will have to be offset against the huge cost.  the ROI will probably be poor.

elland rd probably has corporate boxes too

and im sure if leeds had the will to leave headingly they couldve built a brand new 30k ground for the same price with better facilities.

headingly is the best example of why rebuilds are a bad solution imo

[fieldofclothofgold]

7 hours ago, aj1908 said:

well see in the next accounts.  any extra corporate income will have to be offset against the huge cost.  the ROI will probably be poor.

elland rd probably has corporate boxes too

and im sure if leeds had the will to leave headingly they couldve built a brand new 30k ground for the same price with better facilities.

headingly is the best example of why rebuilds are a bad solution imo

Not being pedantic,  but it's ok for you to advise the Leeds club what's best for them when you cant spell the suburb correctly.  Would you spell other areas of the city without an E .   I.E Armley ,Bramley,  Stanningley,  Farnley , etc 

[GUBRATS]

8 minutes ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

Not being pedantic,  but it's ok for you to advise the Leeds club what's best for them when you cant spell the suburb correctly.  Would you spell other areas of the city without an E .   I.E Armley ,Bramley,  Stanningley,  Farnley , etc 

Can you lot stop quoting this imbecile ?

[LeeF]

8 hours ago, aj1908 said:

It's called negotiation 

Your new north stand was basically for the benefit the cricket.  It didn't increase capacity. 

It's not mine and the new North Stand was required by the Rhinos and Hetherington did negotiate with the council.

Other than that you are spot on

[Hopping Mad]

10 hours ago, Eddie said:

York City being at their lowest ebb over the last couple of years must have helped the Knights’ crowds a bit too?

I'm sure that's right. The clubs' average crowds aren't far apart now.

Should York City fail to win promotion in May (and there's every chance they won't go up), I can see the rugby league club's attendances being bigger in 2020, assuming they do as well on the field as last season.

[aj1908]

24 minutes ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

Not being pedantic,  but it's ok for you to advise the Leeds club what's best for them when you cant spell the suburb correctly.  Would you spell other areas of the city without an E .   I.E Armley ,Bramley,  Stanningley,  Farnley , etc 

It is being pedantic 

I'm not advising Leeds anything lol 

Im giving an opinion on a thread read by maybe 100 different people. 

Headingly is the perfect example of why rebuilds are a bad option 

Ignoring sentimental reasons it's a sub optimal outcome 

For the money that was spent a new build would've been the best club ground in England 

It a 4 different stands at the moment.  

[aj1908]

5 minutes ago, LeeF said:

It's not mine and the new North Stand was required by the Rhinos and Hetherington did negotiate with the council.

Other than that you are spot on

Think he could've negotiated better but its easy for me to say that from my armchair 

[LeeF]

1 hour ago, aj1908 said:

Think he could've negotiated better but its easy for me to say that from my armchair 

And not knowing anything

[fieldofclothofgold]

The bottom line is people ,fans get used to going to their own grounds wether they are good or poor . They grow an affinity to it 

[fieldofclothofgold]

1 hour ago, aj1908 said:

It is being pedantic 

I'm not advising Leeds anything lol 

Im giving an opinion on a thread read by maybe 100 different people. 

Headingly is the perfect example of why rebuilds are a bad option 

Ignoring sentimental reasons it's a sub optimal outcome 

For the money that was spent a new build would've been the best club ground in England 

It a 4 different stands at the moment.  

You see there you go again with incorrect spelling .Why ? 

[aj1908]

12 minutes ago, LeeF said:

And not knowing anything

Poor response.  guess valid critism isnt allowed is it.

If you think that's the best ground they could've.built.for.50 million quid.your havin a larf

Who spends 30 million pounds to reduce ground capacity by 4k ? 

[Tommygilf]

Just now, aj1908 said:

Poor response.  guess valid critism isnt allowed is it.

If you think that's the best ground they could've.built.for.50 million quid.your havin a larf

Who spends 30 million pounds to reduce ground capacity by 4k ? 

But to be pendantic, you keep forgetting they haven't. They've spent half with Yorkshire Cricket being the other major player and both being supported by the Council. I imagine the Rhinos layout was actually relatively small and mortgage payments probably not much more than what it was costing to maintain the South and North stands anyway (6 figures).

They haven't sold their soul to the flatpack menace, they've still got a ground with character and they have undoubtedly the best corporate and alternative facilities (including Hotel, banqueting, private boxes etc) which they make significant money off. Thats on top of guaranteeing Headingley as a test venue for the next 25 years. The clubs commercial decisions haven't been all perfect I'm the first to admit, but the ground is spot on. The only difference I'd have made personally is to connect the south and east stands a bit more 

[GUBRATS]

8 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

But to be pendantic, you keep forgetting they haven't. They've spent half with Yorkshire Cricket being the other major player and both being supported by the Council. I imagine the Rhinos layout was actually relatively small and mortgage payments probably not much more than what it was costing to maintain the South and North stands anyway (6 figures).

They haven't sold their soul to the flatpack menace, they've still got a ground with character and they have undoubtedly the best corporate and alternative facilities (including Hotel, banqueting, private boxes etc) which they make significant money off. Thats on top of guaranteeing Headingley as a test venue for the next 25 years. The clubs commercial decisions haven't been all perfect I'm the first to admit, but the ground is spot on. The only difference I'd have made personally is to connect the south and east stands a bit more 

Tommy , he's taking the **** , either that or he is a complete loon 

[aj1908]

1 minute ago, scotchy1 said:

Where? You arent going to find the land necessary to build a stadium of that size anywhere near the city centre. 

We could probably have built a stadium of 30k somewhere in an industrial estate 5 miles out of the city for the cost of headingley. But you would have fewer non matchday usage and have to work a lot harder to get people to go. Especially on a Friday night which is when leeds generally play 

Well yes wherever there was a suitable site in the city.  

[aj1908]

1 minute ago, scotchy1 said:

There isnt anywhere. 

Certainly  nowhere with the connections headingley has

Oh well.lets just leave it I don't think people.are.open for.discussion on this 

There's no point just repeating the same points over and over

[Chrispmartha]

Maybe my bias but I can’t see why anyone visiting the new Headingley would think a new flat pack stadium in a different location would have been better than what they have done, even if they have to stand at the Western Terrace, the club has got a lot of things wrong in the last few years, the renovations at the stadium are not one of them.

[GUBRATS]

Headingley is now a very good stadium , not perfect , but good , criticism is obviously the terrace , but it is what it is , just that and parking , which is pants , but obviously the location probably decides that , rarely is there a city centre stadium with decent parking