You Shall (*) Go To The (**)ball : SAFC Blog

(* not) (**foot)

We are on home the next 2 Saturdays and the Tuesday in between, the games are behind closed doors.

“Todays match attendance is zero, thankyou for your support and have a safe journey home. The man of the match sponsored by Susan’s Sandwiches of Grindon is hat trick hero Will Grigg”

Fair enough? You can’t fuck with a Global Pandemic?

I’m not so sure…..

Before I debate the situation, this is by no means a dig at the amateur game. We are nearer non league than the Premiership anyway. I love footie, I love talking and writing about football. I’ve been to FA Vase games, FA Cup Finals, Moss Rose, The Nou Camp, I’m 100% in love with the beautiful game; so good luck to the non league teams maximising revenue in these testing times.

Testing Times…..

…..very much so. like all businesses football clubs are under greater financial pressure than ever before. Most sectors are having to explore new avenues to stay afloat, some are having to completely reinvent themselves… but, needs must, it’s the survival of the fittest. Sadly there will be casualties, whilst the pandemic was unprecedented, there’s now a window of opportunity for clubs to try and claw themselves from the mire? Over to you EFL…..

Acceptance Albion 5 vs Initiative United 0

Like many others, I’d love to go and watch a Sunderland match, but we can’t because no fans are allowed. The reasons for this are well documented, whilst I acknowledge these reasons, surely there is an opportunity to kick start the heartbeat and revenue of the EFL clubs?

We have 48’500 seats, the stadium is in a area not at all built up, access/exit points are plentiful and functional, we have 2100 hospitality seats, (inc exec boxes). Pubs and restaurants in the City are accommodating punters as are shops etc. There’s an Audi Dealership in the SOL car park, you are welcome to go and look at a car in a 7000 square foot showroom, but can’t sit in a designated seat, adequately socially distanced and watch us hump Hull, (they make us look well run, they could go down again!)

So EFL, whilst I’m delighted to see non league clubs getting a shred of normality back, why can’t we go to watch Sunderland?

Of the 23 teams in League 1 last season, 11 had an average attendance under 50% of their capacity.

To reiterate, grass roots football is the heartbeat of the game – hats off to them, but……

Case Study 1….. Privett Park the home of Gosport Borough FC has a capacity of 4’500, (600 seats).