i like greenwich's proposals, with the decent transport links they have planned. i'm not sure how it all works though,is it along the lines of what man city have?
if charlton did realise their potential in a few years where we could seriously entertain the thought of 40k fans wanting to see our club, would we all be kicking ourselves that this option is no longer achieveable at the valley and that we now have spurs playing on the peninsular?
Some good comments, Bing has summed my view up best, there is one extra thing I want to add.
There is a difference between nostalgia and heritage, and heritage is a valuable commercial attribute. For most of us, going to the Valley has an extra value to it because of our recent history. We are there because we as fans took unprecedented action in the period 1988-92 to get the Valley back. This thought sustains a lot of people through the darkest hours like when we have lost 4-2 at home to Swindon. It is probably a reason why we get higher gates than Palace and Millwall do, a division higher. The Valley is part of the club that we are, it is part of the Charlton brand - a brand which the owners showed they understood when they appointed Chris Powell and restored our pride, our faith in what we are as a club, as a tribe. The Valley is also clearly appreciated by many many away fans who frequently speak of it as a 'proper' stadium. I cannot think of any other club where the recent history of the ground is so tied up with the current perception of the brand, both to Charlton fans and the wider public.
You throw away such a powerful brand symbol at your peril.
Look for example at the furore in Newcastle over the renaming of SJP. And that's just a name change.
There will be an equal furore if the porn merchants expect West Ham fans to travel south of the river to home games. So by all means keep a watching brief on plans there but beyond that, forget it. The Valley can be easily expanded to 32,000, and frankly I think that's enough for the foreseeable future. So some people think parking is a pain. Go by train. How many other grounds have a regular rail station right by the ground? You do not have to move stadia to improve the catering. And you can actually market The Valley to lost supporters as one of the few remaining examples of a "proper" stadium experience.
Portsmouth Addick, the attachment to the Valley is far from Luddism and anti-commercialism.
To stay with the Valley and market The Valley as part of the experience when you buy your ticket, is a very sound marketing strategy, because it is in tune with the emotional perceptions of current and lapsed customers.
The business world is full of failed businesses whose owners didnt listen to their customers. Such as the idiots who took us to Selhurst Park in 1985.
Prague I like what you've written and appreciate the sentiment, but I do wonder if this emotional attachment is as great as is perceived by yourself and others. I for one don't have that and as I mentioned earlier my love for the club was born out of the Selhurst days. I would agree for a section of our support that the emotional value of The Valley is high due to the efforts of the years 88-92 but how big is this group and how much of the current season ticket sales are attributed to this? Honest questions and not trying to stir the pot so to speak. I believe that Charlton is bigger than The Valley. I am not saying we should up sticks and move, not at all, I like The Valley and think it is the right place for us right now.
The Greenwich proposals are a problem cause I don't think our support is great beyond Blackheath Standard, so the Valley would be right at the edge of our catchment area.
Also in terms of transport, yes the O2 and the surrounding areas have great connections to Central London and Stratford, but appaling connections to the south/south east of it, and there is no cheap way to improve those.
You support a London club, don't expect car parking.
Some good comments, Bing has summed my view up best, there is one extra thing I want to add.
There is a difference between nostalgia and heritage, and heritage is a valuable commercial attribute. For most of us, going to the Valley has an extra value to it because of our recent history. We are there because we as fans took unprecedented action in the period 1988-92 to get the Valley back. This thought sustains a lot of people through the darkest hours like when we have lost 4-2 at home to Swindon. It is probably a reason why we get higher gates than Palace and Millwall do, a division higher. The Valley is part of the club that we are, it is part of the Charlton brand - a brand which the owners showed they understood when they appointed Chris Powell and restored our pride, our faith in what we are as a club, as a tribe. The Valley is also clearly appreciated by many many away fans who frequently speak of it as a 'proper' stadium. I cannot think of any other club where the recent history of the ground is so tied up with the current perception of the brand, both to Charlton fans and the wider public.
You throw away such a powerful brand symbol at your peril.
Look for example at the furore in Newcastle over the renaming of SJP. And that's just a name change.
There will be an equal furore if the porn merchants expect West Ham fans to travel south of the river to home games. So by all means keep a watching brief on plans there but beyond that, forget it. The Valley can be easily expanded to 32,000, and frankly I think that's enough for the foreseeable future. So some people think parking is a pain. Go by train. How many other grounds have a regular rail station right by the ground? You do not have to move stadia to improve the catering. And you can actually market The Valley to lost supporters as one of the few remaining examples of a "proper" stadium experience.
Portsmouth Addick, the attachment to the Valley is far from Luddism and anti-commercialism.
To stay with the Valley and market The Valley as part of the experience when you buy your ticket, is a very sound marketing strategy, because it is in tune with the emotional perceptions of current and lapsed customers.
The business world is full of failed businesses whose owners didnt listen to their customers. Such as the idiots who took us to Selhurst Park in 1985.
Wonderful, accurate post. The Valley is CAFC. 8 grounds, 1 home.
the council's proposals showed extending the dlr to falconwood from the dome taking in the stadium/entertainment complex, a clipper service, the cable to nowhere, tube and half mile from maze hill train station,along with all the buses
The Greenwich proposals are a problem cause I don't think our support is great beyond Blackheath Standard, so the Valley would be right at the edge of our catchment area.
Also in terms of transport, yes the O2 and the surrounding areas have great connections to Central London and Stratford, but appaling connections to the south/south east of it, and there is no cheap way to improve those.
You support a London club, don't expect car parking.
Charlton is a nightmare for anyone who doesn't live on the one line that serves it, so I can't see transport links as being a major reason for moving or not.
On the subject of this potential ground being a Baseball stadium....does anyone know why they would do this.....would there be a London franchise for the MLB?
On the subject of this potential ground being a Baseball stadium....does anyone know why they would do this.....would there be a London franchise for the MLB?
I would LOVE it to be that, that'd make my life! Saturday at The Valley watching the Addicks, Sunday at the MLB watching the Yankees!
On the subject of this potential ground being a Baseball stadium....does anyone know why they would do this.....would there be a London franchise for the MLB?
Bob Crowe has already been lined up as stadium umpire due to his experience of calling strikes.
On the subject of this potential ground being a Baseball stadium....does anyone know why they would do this.....would there be a London franchise for the MLB?
I would LOVE it to be that, that'd make my life! Saturday at The Valley watching the Addicks, Sunday at the MLB booing the Yankees!
Problem is the railway carpark is smaller and fills up very quickly, and has massive queues because everybody knows it cheap. Not an issue for those who like to arrive early, but no good for anybody else.
The Greenwich proposals are a problem cause I don't think our support is great beyond Blackheath Standard, so the Valley would be right at the edge of our catchment area.
Also in terms of transport, yes the O2 and the surrounding areas have great connections to Central London and Stratford, but appaling connections to the south/south east of it, and there is no cheap way to improve those.
You support a London club, don't expect car parking.
In one breath you correctly point out how awful the transport links are from Charlton's traditional heartlands and in the next say don't expect car parking.
On the subject of this potential ground being a Baseball stadium....does anyone know why they would do this.....would there be a London franchise for the MLB?
I would LOVE it to be that, that'd make my life! Saturday at The Valley watching the Addicks, Sunday at the MLB watching the Yankees!
Only thing is MLB can't work over here due to the scheduling, Imagine having to play a lunchtime game in London, followed by an evening game in New York the very next day?
NFL is the only american sport that would ever get a franchise out here, but I feel there wouldn't be enough demand after the first couple of seasons when the novelty runs out.
On the subject of this potential ground being a Baseball stadium....does anyone know why they would do this.....would there be a London franchise for the MLB?
I would LOVE it to be that, that'd make my life! Saturday at The Valley watching the Addicks, Sunday at the MLB watching the Yankees!
Oh god, thats put me right off the idea now ! If it involved us playing second fiddle in a baseball stadium, i'd rather stay at The Valley !
On the subject of this potential ground being a Baseball stadium....does anyone know why they would do this.....would there be a London franchise for the MLB?
I would LOVE it to be that, that'd make my life! Saturday at The Valley watching the Addicks, Sunday at the MLB watching the Yankees!
Oh god, thats put me right off the idea now ! If it involved us playing second fiddle in a baseball stadium, i'd rather stay at The Valley !
Well with that sort of negative attitude there's no way I'll be employing you anytime soon.
LOVE the Valley. However, IF we need to move - so be it. No prob. I will get there. Of course, there is always the prospect of sharing with Millwall. I spoke to a spanner on the subject and he was against it - which suggests it is a good idea. Further (verbal) probing revealed his main objection was what colour it should be painted. I explained that the stadium would be split into two equal sides with one painted Red for Charlton and the other White for Milllwall. He seemed happy with that. Bless!
LOVE the Valley. However, IF we need to move - so be it. No prob. I will get there. Of course, there is always the prospect of sharing with Millwall. I spoke to a spanner on the subject and he was against it - which suggests it is a good idea. Further (verbal) probing revealed his main objection was what colour it should be painted. I explained that the stadium would be split into two equal sides with one painted Red for Charlton and the other White for Milllwall. He seemed happy with that. Bless!
Strange you should say that, because i have been told via a business associate only last week who deals with both Charlton and Millwall in consulting re ticketing strategy that there had been a meeting between the two sets of directors a month or two back where sharing the O2 site was discussed, in some depth apparently, and an 'agreement' was reached to put together a shared proposal if and when the stadium should come to fruition. Some details were discussed, but it was felt that it was way too early to decide about colouring etc, but the general initial feedback from Greenwich Council was that they would only counsel a club currently in the borough. I didnt want to put this into the argument at this point because we all know its very early days - but the general feel from the board was positive in terms of moving- if the terms were right.
No one will bite at that one Portsmouth. April fools was last month.
You've had your fun, no more now. Why when there is a million and one things to do the internet, people want to deliberately wind up fans of their own club for a laugh beats the hell out of me.
So please go 'light the blue touch paper' somewhere else.
Strange you should say that because I have been wondering whether you are possibly the biggest windup merchant this site has ever seen, and now I am certain.
I ask myself why people do this, and then I think, the answer is too sad to waste time contemplating.
I think it was the "consulting re ticketing strategy" that did it for me.
Comments
if charlton did realise their potential in a few years where we could seriously entertain the thought of 40k fans wanting to see our club, would we all be kicking ourselves that this option is no longer achieveable at the valley and that we now have spurs playing on the peninsular?
Also in terms of transport, yes the O2 and the surrounding areas have great connections to Central London and Stratford, but appaling connections to the south/south east of it, and there is no cheap way to improve those.
You support a London club, don't expect car parking.
not sure about a bridge.
I won't be joining you though. Perhaps that's a good thing.
How exactly are fans meant to get there?
NFL is the only american sport that would ever get a franchise out here, but I feel there wouldn't be enough demand after the first couple of seasons when the novelty runs out.
However, IF we need to move - so be it. No prob. I will get there.
Of course, there is always the prospect of sharing with Millwall.
I spoke to a spanner on the subject and he was against it - which suggests it is a good idea.
Further (verbal) probing revealed his main objection was what colour it should be painted. I explained that the stadium would be split into two equal sides with one painted Red for Charlton and the other White for Milllwall.
He seemed happy with that.
Bless!
You've had your fun, no more now. Why when there is a million and one things to do the internet, people want to deliberately wind up fans of their own club for a laugh beats the hell out of me.
So please go 'light the blue touch paper' somewhere else.
I ask myself why people do this, and then I think, the answer is too sad to waste time contemplating.
I think it was the "consulting re ticketing strategy" that did it for me.