Everton to give supporters chance to shape the Bramley-Moore Dock experience

Completed the survey last night. I don’t know about anyone else but I was mighty confused about the questions on the preferred seating/pricing options. I had clicked on the hospitality options, just to see the kind of things that the club were thinking of offering. However, the choose one from three ground positions and prices had my head spinning. I’m not sure what the club will get out of this. The massively upgraded hospitality options do look fantastic though, if you had the money. There’s a big disclaimer on the pricing, saying that they shouldn’t be considered as representative, however they’re clearly testing the water with them. On that basis pricing is likely to be a lot higher than currently.

I havent got my email yet although I did read the article in the Echo about the different type of facilities that may be on offer. The Echo article suggested it was a mix of season ticket to top end hospitality, and the club are looking to see what the take up would be for each particular section. I just hope we don't turn into as Roy Keane called them the prawn sandwich supporters.

I think most season ticket supporters sit in the same seat for years, and are surrounded by faces they know. Then when clubs move grounds that all changes and you are sat with new groups. I think quite often the reason the atmosphere in new grounds is not as good as older grounds is the fact that the new faces that surround us has an impact on how we behave inside the ground. I would suggest that clubs move season ticket holders en block, but still have the availability to change seats or just make the different packages available to all irrespective where you sit as long as you can access the hospitality section before and after games.

Brian I hope the club pick up on your point as it is absolutely spot on.

I would think, as Brian says, the club will move STH's en bloc if only because its easier to do so. However, I'd be keen to try out the hospitality on occasions but keep my usual seat. I think the new facilities will make BMD more of a destination than Goodison. As much as we love the Grand Old Lady the facilities are primitive.
Anyone know if BMD will have the same orientation as Goodison ? For example will the main stand be on the West side of the ground as now ?

Alan (4). As far as I can tell from the plans, the two stands either side of the pitch (West-ish on the river side and East-ish the other) are more or less the same, so ‘main stand’ won’t be so obvious. Having said that, the river side stand has much more hospitality and is the side that the players will come out.

Thanks Paul @5, that sounds good to me. I always say when watching televised games from Goodison that it like being sat in the Bullens !

If we go ahead with safe standing, it would be good if they make it that season ticket holders are offered unreserved standing, so you can mingle with friends, and pick your own spot, just like the old days, before seating came in.

Brian @2, I wouldn't worry about not sitting with people you know. The atmosphere at Goodison has been shite for ages.

My research has shown a direct correlation between raised expectations and jaw-dropping cack on the pitch at Everton FC over several decades

I have input the huge level of expectation associated with Bramley-Moore Dock into a computer model and out popped relegation in the final season at Goodison Park.

Yes, it was climate model-based so it's likely to be utter shite but be warned.

Hi Barry,

Did your modelling show any of the players coming out after the disaster and promising that we really, really are are a good team in disguise and that we are going to try so much harder next season?

I completed the survey this afternoon – it's a rather strange exercise.

Much of it is around how much you would be prepared pay to sit in specific locations, and the answers I opted for were very much a stab in the dark. How could they be anything else? And the “theoretical” prices looked to be about 35% more expensive than current prices, I'm sure they haven't been plucked out of the ether.

There is also a fair bit about the catering and hospitality offer. Everton are going to be desperate to raise revenues from these sources, but also to utilise them to manage the timing of the access to, and egress from, the site. The prospect of 50,000 people moving between 3 gateways in the dock wall is a nightmare, it will need to be staggered.

I really like the design of the stadium, but with the way plans are moving towards a European League, our Club may find themselves in grand clothes but locked out of the main event.

Peter #11,

I agree it was a strange exercise. How can you categorically say whether you would prefer to sit in one area of the ground over another if you don't really know how much it will cost for a season ticket in a particular part of the stadium, or whether there are areas which will be off-limits due to the need for corporate boxes or designated executive seating?

One of the great things about Goodison over the years has been relatively little differences in costs to sit in one place over another.

Bramley-Moore Dock looks as if it is going to have quite large price differences between sitting in the lower tiers at each end of the ground as opposed to being close to the half-way line.

Then we come to the pre-match / post-match habits, if the refreshments are as competitive as they are at most places surrounding Goodison or in the city centre, then fine many including myself would be in the ground earlier and perhaps stay longer after the game – if not, there's no chance of that happening.

I suppose this survey was required, in order for the club to gauge the amount of money that fans are willing to part with and how much extra they are likely to spend if improved facilities are available in comparison to Goodison.

At the moment most of my pals and I, only part with the money it costs to watch the match, all the other spending is given to local hostelries and food outlets.

Another issue is that, 3 years down the line, not many folks can be confident that they will have as much disposable income available to spend as they might have had in the recent past.

I agree with Peter (11) and Patrick (12) – it is mostly guesswork where you will sit and how much you spend.

They had different categories starting with Bronze going up to Diamond and then going to individual spots with four places then ten places with furniture also individual furniture with flat-screen TVs, cushioned seats, cushioned heated seats etc etc, most were out of my price reach, they started with Bronze but never included my level — Rust!

Looks like I'll be on the outside waiting for three-quarter time and bunking in, most probably on my Zimmer frame!!

Least they offered, Bronze going up to diamond Dave, if there was a wooden choice, be like old time in Lower Bullens.

If you are outside, Dave, can you leave your 'Jesus Saves' placard at home? The times I had to do a quick swerve outside the Gwladys Street in the seventies to dodge it was unreal.

I did the survey last night. It needs to be viewed as a market research activity. There is no point them creating, say, Silver hospitality capacity for 2,000 fans if the season ticket response said only 200 people are interested.

The standard season tickets were quoted more or less aligned with today, although I did notice they are floating the possibility of differential pricing depending on closeness to the halfway line. My view is that as long as they can provide decent ale, promptly served, I don't care.

Brian (#14),

Jesus did indeed Save back then, but Latchford always got the rebound.

Based on the last performance, seats facing away from the pitch would be a tempting option.

The club are clearly, and not unreasonably, using this exercise to investigate the price point they can charge for the different options. A good example was the car parking. When I said I would be interested it started off saying would I pay £500 then kept dropping by £100 every time I said no.

To Brian (#2), when Man City moved to the Ethiad they allocated their season ticket holders an equivalent seat to what they had at Maine Road, then gave them a period of time to change if they wanted

Ken @10,

They said exactly that as they sped off in their Bentleys to sign for other clubs.