Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 9:35 am  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

The problem for Salford is that they don't have the largest fanbase to start with....Situating your ground in the middle of nowhere isn't particularly enticing to a casual local and as somebody already states, to reach the new ground for existing fans is going to take a decent car journey, which isn't ideal either.

A massive advantage for Wire and the HJ is, undoubtedly, the location.....A move to the outskirts of Sankey/Westbrook (Liverpool side) would have been a disaster.

Your making it sound like theyre moving to Bolton. Have you actually worked the distance out? Its less than 4miles.

IT actually might do them some good in promotions - the location is easier to get to. Parking will be better. The attraction of having something to eat and drink pre and post match at Trafford will help. What they have to do is have a good/solid season in the first one in there. If they get their marketing right I think it will help attract new punters as well as those who fill the shed they have at the mo - even the chunkier fans can walk 3.7mile.

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 9:36 am  

Paul2812 wrote:

The smell of the neighbouring sewage works at Salfords new ground will make quite an impact when the wind is blowing from east to west.

.... on the warm summers afternoon.

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 9:55 am  

I passed the site the other day its coming along nicely..
Is anything else being built on the site..Bars? Hotel? Cinema?

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:16 am  

Bit more info here

Bit more info here

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:16 am  

captainblindman wrote:

Your making it sound like theyre moving to Bolton. Have you actually worked the distance out? Its less than 4miles.

IT actually might do them some good in promotions - the location is easier to get to. Parking will be better. The attraction of having something to eat and drink pre and post match at Trafford will help. What they have to do is have a good/solid season in the first one in there. If they get their marketing right I think it will help attract new punters as well as those who fill the shed they have at the mo - even the chunkier fans can walk 3.7mile.

I'm not saying its a huge distance, but its certainly a significant enough move to make an impact on their current fanbase.

I'm certainly no expert on this but I'd imagine that most of Salford's current fanbase will be based around the Willows and the residential area that surrounds it - If so, that's a fair trek for a Rugby fan who may consider a day out at the match to include a 10 minute walk and a few pints with his/her mate .....I'd be particularly interested to know what percentage of their support is from the Eccles/Irlam area which the new stadium is being built in?....Yes, that is potential support, but at the same time its a huge job to convince a currently uninterested public to take up a sport in the current financial climate.

I think the move can work, but I do feel that the club may end up with a new identity before it realises its full potential.....It could be possible we end up with a 'Manchester' titled club that the authorities have always wanted?

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:35 am  

Some images added to my blog below

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:37 am  

mikej wrote:

There is talk that once that whole site is redeveloped there will be a ferry link to the traf centre. Not many clubs can say that you travel to our ground by boat.

Thatll never happen, not prior to me having to putting elastic bands round my pants to stop the wee dribbling out and I sit in my chair verbal abusing random things such as fine china plates on the wall of my OAP home.

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 11:34 am  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

I'm not saying its a huge distance, but its certainly a significant enough move to make an impact on their current fanbase.

I'm certainly no expert on this but I'd imagine that most of Salford's current fanbase will be based around the Willows and the residential area that surrounds it - If so, that's a fair trek for a Rugby fan who may consider a day out at the match to include a 10 minute walk and a few pints with his/her mate .....I'd be particularly interested to know what percentage of their support is from the Eccles/Irlam area which the new stadium is being built in?....Yes, that is potential support, but at the same time its a huge job to convince a currently uninterested public to take up a sport in the current financial climate.

I think the move can work, but I do feel that the club may end up with a new identity before it realises its full potential.....It could be possible we end up with a 'Manchester' titled club that the authorities have always wanted?

If current fans can't be *rsed making the 3 1/2 mile trip to the new ground they won't be missed. A lot of Salford fans live in & around the Eccles & \worsley areas anyway so virtually no difference in travelling time/distance for them. I get 2 trams to the ground on matchday as I now live in Sale & doesn't bother me one bit, just means I have to take a couple of cans for the journey . There'll be plenty of parking for anyone driving and there are plenty of bus routes to the TC and it's only spitting distance from there. As for the Manchester thing it won't happen. It's more likely to drive fans away that attract them IMO.

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 11:45 am  

SalfordSlim wrote:

If current fans can't be *rsed making the 3 1/2 mile trip to the new ground they won't be missed. A lot of Salford fans live in & around the Eccles & \worsley areas anyway so virtually no difference in travelling time/distance for them. I get 2 trams to the ground on matchday as I now live in Sale & doesn't bother me one bit, just means I have to take a couple of cans for the journey . There'll be plenty of parking for anyone driving and there are plenty of bus routes to the TC and it's only spitting distance from there. As for the Manchester thing it won't happen. It's more likely to drive fans away that attract them IMO.

That's a fair post....My main point is that perhaps not all your fans are as committed as yourself and may find the re-location a sticking point to going?

Personally, as a more 'casual' Wire fan than many on here, I must admit that part of the appeal of following Wire is the convenience of getting to a match.....I don't apologise for this, but if Wire had moved to the other end of town, (eg, the far end of Sankey/Westbrook), then my visits to the match would be a lot less frequent and I think that probably goes for a fair few who currently go to the HJ regularly.

However. how many new fans would have been enticed to follow the team from the area of the new stadium, can't be estimated, I suppose?

Re: Salford's new ground : Sun Apr 03, 2011 12:56 pm  

Not the best location but would imagine we will be targetting the more family orientated fanbase who we can't pull in at the willows. Will still need a good first season there to pull in a significant increase in crowds imo.