Stadium Plans

[Teddy Ruxpin]

If our fire sale in the summer was really just an FFP avoidance, then surely that money could be available to develop the ground then.

As far as I'm aware that still sits outside FFP doesn't it? Would like that question levelled at Jeff (as long as it's correct in its base assumption)

 

[Southdownswolf]

If our fire sale in the summer was really just an FFP avoidance, then surely that money could be available to develop the ground then.

As far as I'm aware that still sits outside FFP doesn't it? Would like that question levelled at Jeff (as long as it's correct in its base assumption)

Yep, money spent on ground is not included in FFP.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

If our fire sale in the summer was really just an FFP avoidance, then surely that money could be available to develop the ground then.

As far as I'm aware that still sits outside FFP doesn't it? Would like that question levelled at Jeff (as long as it's correct in its base assumption)

The money may be there, but the will appears not to be. Frankly the club’s spent money on players for a few years now without showing any interest in ground expansion or improvement.

 

[Deleted member 13560twfw]

I think the stadium needs a revamp, perhaps a petition for that to happen. All you need is some scaffolding, and a bit of electrical tape, won't cost that much.

 

[thetwistedsock]

If I was in charge it wouldn't be a priority.

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

Yep, money spent on ground is not included in FFP.

Then the argument that selling our squad was for FFP reasons is blown wide open as the money would be free to invest in the ground development.

Which we all know they won't do.

 

[greco wolf]

If I was in charge it wouldn't be a priority.

Agreed for major development. But it needs some TLC and maybe sort Steve Bull out : reprofile closer to pitch /make insides bigger

 

[Kebab Warrior]

This thread is like a zombie.

Fosun will never redevelop Molineux as there’s no return on investment. They should at least bloody paint it though.

 

[JadeWolf]

They won’t redevelop Molineux until there’s genuine demand and need. Pretty much every home game has gone to general sale with one or two tickets available still on the morning of the game. That says that we have probably the right size of ground right now. It does need a lick of paint and a good polish though!

 

[lets all have a disco]

They won’t redevelop Molineux until there’s genuine demand and need. Pretty much every home game has gone to general sale with one or two tickets available still on the morning of the game. That says that we have probably the right size of ground right now. It does need a lick of paint and a good polish though!

I disagree with that ..odd tickets struggle to sell because that's what they are odd tickets , in crap seats at crap prices that become available at short notice as such .. ....it's the only thing I criticize fosun for , we've missed a great opportunity to expand our fan base, the last few years ... not saying we need 20k more seats but 5/8k of decent priced seats , in decent conditions I reckon we could shift in season tickets .....I always look around in cup games and it's mostly a different crowd ...... everybody said west ham wouldn't sell out the Olympic stadium....they have the most season ticket holders in the country because they do massive discount for u18s and pensioners etc ...that's due to people wanting to go to football and not being put off like in the 80s n 90s etc .

Sir Jack didn't bulid the ground big enough in the 90s.....the desire to go to games has never been bigger across the country.....We must have the only fan base who think we couldn't expand ..we don't need prawn sandwich seats but affordable options in decent facilities yes we would sell....

 

[Spitfire]

I disagree with that ..odd tickets struggle to sell because that's what they are odd tickets , in crap seats that become available at short notice as such .. ....it's the only thing I criticize fosun for , we've missed a great opportunity to expand our fan base, the last few years ... not saying we need 20k more seats but 5/8k of decent priced seats , in decent conditions I reckon we could shift in season tickets .....I always look around in cup games and it's mostly a different crowd ...... everybody said west ham wouldn't sell out the Olympic stadium....they have the most season ticket holders in the country because they do massive discount for u18s and pensioners etc ...that's due to people wanting to go to football and not being out off like in the 80s n 90s etc .

Sir Jack didn't bulid the ground big enough in the 90s.....the desire to go to games has never been bigger across the country.....We must have the only fan base who think we couldn't expand ..we don't need prawn sandwich seat but affordable options in decent facilities yes we would sell....

You’re pretty much spot on with all that.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I disagree with that ..odd tickets struggle to sell because that's what they are odd tickets , in crap seats at crap prices that become available at short notice as such .. ....it's the only thing I criticize fosun for , we've missed a great opportunity to expand our fan base, the last few years ... not saying we need 20k more seats but 5/8k of decent priced seats , in decent conditions I reckon we could shift in season tickets .....I always look around in cup games and it's mostly a different crowd ...... everybody said west ham wouldn't sell out the Olympic stadium....they have the most season ticket holders in the country because they do massive discount for u18s and pensioners etc ...that's due to people wanting to go to football and not being put off like in the 80s n 90s etc .

Sir Jack didn't bulid the ground big enough in the 90s.....the desire to go to games has never been bigger across the country.....We must have the only fan base who think we couldn't expand ..we don't need prawn sandwich seat but affordable options in decent facilities yes we would sell....

Absolutely, not many left today, but if you're an adult and find yourself suddenly available, you can get a single seat and go and stand in the Southbank for a mere £48.

Priced to just about sell out, not to get 40k in.

 

[Southdownswolf]

Absolutely, not many left today, but if you're an adult and find yourself suddenly available, you can get a single seat and go and stand in the Southbank for a mere £48.

Priced to just about sell out, not to get 40k in.

Yep ticket prices for "a" matches are absolutely shocking. As the weather looked ok for today I grabbed a seat in the Graham Hughes - still £37!
Less than 100 seats dotted around the ground, all resale tickets, so they will justify it by saying we are still selling out.

 

[lets all have a disco]

Absolutely, not many left today, but if you're an adult and find yourself suddenly available, you can get a single seat and go and stand in the Southbank for a mere £48.

Priced to just about sell out, not to get 40k in.

Everybody wants to go to football, across the country, demand has never been higher....it's not wolves performance related as such ....it's about demand....people want to take there kids nw....across the board...

I look around at cup games and by me by and large none of the regular season ticket holders turn up...it's always parents , with kids......even if it's Preston....these are the sort of fans you could attract to sign up...but you need reasonable facilities to do it....Not over priced, seats in crap facilities....

As I say it's across the country.. Ipswich wanted to expand , when they was in league 1......that's the new demand, not just when you are riding high.....

Weve missed a trick somewhat....I never expected a 100m redevelopment of the Steve bull, and 10k prawn sandwich seats to sell but a couple of corner stands or roof off south bank, new corners and a few more rows back could easily have been done and filled no problem.....

 

[Berlin Wolf]

I disagree with that ..odd tickets struggle to sell because that's what they are odd tickets , in crap seats at crap prices that become available at short notice as such .. ....it's the only thing I criticize fosun for , we've missed a great opportunity to expand our fan base, the last few years ... not saying we need 20k more seats but 5/8k of decent priced seats , in decent conditions I reckon we could shift in season tickets .....I always look around in cup games and it's mostly a different crowd ...... everybody said west ham wouldn't sell out the Olympic stadium....they have the most season ticket holders in the country because they do massive discount for u18s and pensioners etc ...that's due to people wanting to go to football and not being put off like in the 80s n 90s etc .

Sir Jack didn't build the ground big enough in the 90s.....the desire to go to games has never been bigger across the country.....We must have the only fan base who think we couldn't expand ..we don't need prawn sandwich seat but affordable options in decent facilities yes we would sell....

Spot on from me too. Around the stadium right now, only two single blue seats, one bottom tier of the BW family stand, the other one, top tier in the North Bank available. Otherwise, a complete sell out without the pink resale seats, only available for Members to buy..

 

[maws]

Just redeveloping the bars in the bully would be a start, get extra staff in a pre pour a few pints ffs, it’s a joke

 

[lets all have a disco]

Spot on from me too. Around the stadium right now, only two single blue seats, one bottom tier of the BW family stand, the other one, top tier in the North Bank available. Otherwise, a complete sell out without the pink resale seats.

If we got another say another 5/8k seats and £500 a pop season tickets they would sell.....most of them would probably be new generation fans who didn't want to go when we played Colchester in league 1 or might be closet man utd or Liverpool fans but they would sell no problem....

 

[lets all have a disco]

I'm wolves through and through, never miss a home game , barely miss an away game....but if you asked me for £40 to sit in that monstrosity of a temporary stand , I would tell ya to **** off...

 

[Spitfire]

Absolutely, not many left today, but if you're an adult and find yourself suddenly available, you can get a single seat and go and stand in the Southbank for a mere £48.

Priced to just about sell out, not to get 40k in.

Prices are ridiculous .

 

[lets all have a disco]

Just redeveloping the bars in the bully would be a start, get extra staff in a pre pour a few pints ffs, it’s a joke

I've just been passed the Steve bull and them sweeping the leaves up for ya , so ya dow slip on the way in.... working ever so hard..stop moaning, ya cor have everything.....

And the clock on the south bank wasn't a simple job....it needed scaffolding with the new heath n safety regulations....can't do it from the roof ....that's why it took a bit of time...

There's plenty who work hard at wolves...

 

[maws]

I've just been passed the Steve bull and them sweeping the leaves up for ya , so ya dow slip on the way in.... working ever so hard..stop moaning, ya cor have everything.....

And the clock on the south bank wasn't a simple job....it needed scaffolding in the new heath n safety regulations....can't do it from the roof ....that's why it took a bit of time...

There's plenty who work hard at wolves...

Can they turn the leaves into a home brew

 

[bully9]

Can they turn the leaves into a home brew

It ay all about you real ale drinkers is it

 

[Kebab Warrior]

I'm wolves through and through, never miss a home game , barely miss an away game....but if you asked me for £40 to sit in that monstrosity of a temporary stand , I would tell ya to **** off...

I sat in there with friends for Newcastle. Got absolutely soaked to the bone the entire game. Couldn’t get a hot drink as queue about 2 hours bloody long. For a Premier League club to offer facilities like that in 2023 is a disgrace.

 

[lets all have a disco]

I sat in there with friends for Newcastle. Got absolutely soaked to the bone the entire game. Couldn’t get a hot drink as queue about 2 hours bloody long. For a Premier League club to offer facilities like that in 2023 is a disgrace.

I spent most of the game from the top of the north bank , thinking poor sods ....I was dry but felt your pain ...whilst walking to the car I got drenched, it was like I had been in the shower.....no way would I have sat in that , in that stand...

When it was taken down , it should have been replaced with a proper corner with a roof....

 

[Huyton W88lvo]

Seeing the club shop today and the unbelievable queues with many punters with arms full of merchandise made me realise that the fan base could be and is enormous .
Take the roof off the Southbank and go back with it as far as physically possible whilst at the same time attaching proper covered corners on each side .
Link the corners both sides of the Billy Wright .
Get the prep ready to allow the addition of a new Steve Bull Stand.
Oh and most importantly put the visiting fans in one of the corners

 

[hollo]

I'm wolves through and through, never miss a home game , barely miss an away game....but if you asked me for £40 to sit in that monstrosity of a temporary stand , I would tell ya to **** off...

It's not too bad when it doesn't rain.

 

[Monketron]

Imagine a new Molineux having one of these

https://twitter.com/x/status/1723678811273728109

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Imagine a new Molineux having one of these

https://twitter.com/x/status/1723678811273728109

Clever

 

[Deleted member 13560twfw]

Imagine a new Molineux having one of these

https://twitter.com/x/status/1723678811273728109

Why can't Jeff Shi just rebuild the rest of Molineux, then have a statue of himself outside. I think that's a fair deal. Sir Jack did a lot of work on the ground, yet Fosun think about their wallets.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Why can't Jeff Shi just rebuild the rest of Molineux, then have a statue of himself outside. I think that's a fair deal. Sir Jack did a lot of work on the ground, yet Fosun think about their wallets.

They’re an investment company of course they think about their wallets

 

[bully9]

They’re an investment company of course they think about their wallets

It could just be me , opposition fans don’t like are ground ,I don’t want a boring bowl , when we scored that 2nd goal there wasn’t 1 person in the ground cared how wet , how ****e the seats are how lopsided it looks , it’s what we are , MOLINEUX wouldn’t swop ot for the world

 

[SheldonWolf]

It looks old and tired now…..

Moss, rust and peeling paint on most stands, very basic concourse facilities. But it’s “home”. Home where I’ve seen is play and loose to the lowest of the low and beat the very best…..

Love the city centre location and walk through the subway to get there.

But Fosun won’t do anything costing above the bare minimum to keep the existing structure functional. They are an investment company and the return on spending money on the ground for a club like us just makes no sense……it’s not the centre of London, Wolverhampton is not a “City on the up”, the demographic is working class and barring getting a few extra washed up pop stars (a la Rod Stewart) appearing bringing in a few million it’s main purpose is bums on seats for a mid table Premier League team, at best.

Basic maths says another 10k at £700 a pop per season ticket is £7m, what would it cost to build those extra spaces £25m?, take off the fact you’d have to reduce capacity (& loose revenue) for at least a season while the work was ongoing…….add on the additional cost to service the bigger capacity.

5 years to break even?

Far too long term for Fosun.

 

[Olivergoldblack]

It looks old and tired now…..

Moss, rust and peeling paint on most stands, very basic concourse facilities. But it’s “home”. Home where I’ve seen is play and loose to the lowest of the low and beat the very best…..

Love the city centre location and walk through the subway to get there.

But Fosun won’t do anything costing above the bare minimum to keep the existing structure functional. They are an investment company and the return on spending money on the ground for a club like us just makes no sense……it’s not the centre of London, Wolverhampton is not a “City on the up”, the demographic is working class and barring getting a few extra washed up pop stars (a la Rod Stewart) appearing bringing in a few million it’s main purpose is bums on seats for a mid table Premier League team, at best.

Basic maths says another 10k at £700 a pop per season ticket is £7m, what would it cost to build those extra spaces £25m?, take off the fact you’d have to reduce capacity (& loose revenue) for at least a season while the work was ongoing…….add on the additional cost to service the bigger capacity.

5 years to break even?

Far too long term for Fosun.

Wouldn't what they spend on a renovation increase the club value by at least the same amount if they wanted to sell? Meanwhile they'd take the benefit of increased match day revenue. Plus a higher capacity more raucous Molineux would benefit the team on the pitch.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Wouldn't what they spend on a renovation increase the club value by at least the same amount if they wanted to sell? Meanwhile they'd take the benefit of increased match day revenue. Plus a higher capacity more raucous Molineux would benefit the team on the pitch.

I don’t think it’s as straightforward as “spend £100 million on the ground, increases the value in the club”. Especially at the moment with inflation is where it is and the increases seen in building materials and labour costs.

 

[Pagey]

If they were going to do anything on a decent scale, during the covid season would have been ideal, now we have high interest costs, high building costs and a Chinese government controlling investment outside the country.

We'll be posting on here in 10 years moaning about the Steve Bull, as an aside I had to inform the stewards on arrival Saturday that my seat had broke away from the concrete causing it to fall forward every time I sat on it. They couldn't move us as they said it was a sell out. Hope Jeff sanctions the cost a drill and wall plug before next match.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Wouldn't what they spend on a renovation increase the club value by at least the same amount if they wanted to sell? Meanwhile they'd take the benefit of increased match day revenue. Plus a higher capacity more raucous Molineux would benefit the team on the pitch.

Unfortunately not necessarily.

In the short term, most of the value from increased revenue would be absorbed in the repayments for the investment in the ground. Fosun are not cash rich and rely on borrowing. That’s assuming that the investment has a positive return on investment.

As regard adding to the club value should they sell. Well that depends on the first point and it also assumes a buyer values the clubs assets as highly as Fosun. That’s relevant because Fosun are heavily in debt and their cost of capital is high. A potential buyer might be able to borrow more cheaply, so would value a stadium investment differently.

Finally regards a more raucous Molineux. Well what was the experience when Morgan rebuilt the North Bank? I don’t think that increased the sound in Molineux, despite it increasing the stadium capacity. Then consider where Fosun would seek to improve the stadium to enhance revenue first - corporate/ hospitality facilities. They’ve already said that would be an initial priority because the returns are better. That’s certainly not going to add to the stadium atmosphere.

 

[DJMolineux]

Investing in Molineux would show the club still has the aim of moving the club forward to another level. Aside from the North Bank, the other three stands are way behind the times in terms of facilities and the way every Premier League game sells out means an increased capacity would be utilised. Also there is plenty of demand for office, university and corporate clients to take space in the ground and contribute to costs.

A simple benefit would be to be able to leave my seat in the Steve Bull at half time, go to the loo, and be back in my seat when the second half starts. Absolutely impossible as things stand

 

[Minimalist]

Wouldn't what they spend on a renovation increase the club value by at least the same amount if they wanted to sell? Meanwhile they'd take the benefit of increased match day revenue. Plus a higher capacity more raucous Molineux would benefit the team on the pitch.

The problem is that it’s the Steve Bull that really needs rebuilding, but in doing so you’d make the seats less cramped and take out the curvature, bringing stand closer to the pitch. This would mean a bigger stand but very few, if any , extra seats. So revenue from it wont increase much. Sadly it doesn’t make business sense.

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

The problem is that it’s the Steve Bull that really needs rebuilding, but in doing so you’d make the seats less cramped and take out the curvature, bringing stand closer to the pitch. This would mean a bigger stand but very few, if any , extra seats. So revenue from it wont increase much. Sadly it doesn’t make business sense.

Maybe the answer is smaller fans.

 

[Puregold]

I understand what the Club, Fosun have tried to to do expanding our world wide appeal with the esports, record company etc but the bare bones of any club is the support that you receive from fans that turn up at the ground (Legacy Fans!) I prefer loyal dedicated with a love for the club that is difficult sometimes to explain.

I want to Bilbao for a week and we did a tour of the new stadium (San Mames) that Athletic Bilbao play in, very impressive, capacity 52,000 , space between all the seats and built in the centre of the city, Athletic Bilbao really is a special club, players that are born in the Basque region can only play for them and players that have come through the Academy, the connection between the club and its fans is so strong, their idea behind the new stadium was to give their supporters a stadium to be proud off and to watch the games in a comfortable environment.

I am not saying we need 52,000 but we do need a better stadium and it would generate more support, tickets prices would need to be better, increased capacity is not only the money you receive from tickets sales, you can add in food, drink, merchandise and all the other benefits of more fans turning up.

Fosun have been great for us no doubt but their continued failure to improve Molineux is to a degree holding us back , a bigger ground (42,000!) would give us the platform to move forward, bigger ground, bigger and better concourse areas with much improved food and drink outlets could generate more money, Wolverhampton Wanderers, the fans and the city of Wolverhampton deserve a bigger and better Molineux our time to move forward is now, over to you Fosun!