The stadium gas generated zero in sponsorship money since 2018, surely its worth 1m a year to someone in terms of sponsorship? All we need is someone with 1m quid spare. “The Brian Rouse stadium” has a ring to it? What you think?

He wont part with 1mill

From a fan's perspective I'd personally enjoy that but we would be spending a fair bit of money for no real return. In fact I assume we would have a lower capacity so we would lose money on sell outs. Add in that I reckon we have more older fans than most clubs, who won't want to stand all game (I know they can go in the East or West but that involves paying more and giving up the spec they have had for 24 years). A simple thing they could do is sort out whatever the issue seems to be with the beer pumps in the South. For years I've watched p****d off staff struggling with loads of foam coming out of them, taking ages to get one pint and having to throw another pint's worth of foam away. I've no idea what the issue is but it's been going on for years, leading to big queues and lost sales.

I dont think it has ever generated money has it as its always been under Whelans company

would have a far higher capacity with standing, we could learn a thing or two from Saints, thought their bar service was excellent on my last visit

Why on earth would there be any need a larger capacity when it is to large for the crowds for the crowds both clubs now get for the majority of games.

What should have happen is that Whelans Folly should have been built with a capacity of only 20,000 with standing in the North and South Stands and then it would have been a proper rugby stadium like in Leeds, St Helens and Warrington.

Since it was opened twenty years ago, it has only exceeded 20,000 for a few Rugby League Internationals/World Cup Challenge games and a handful of Warriors and Latics cup and league games.

Are you sure about that? I know you can physically fit more people into standing but I thought H&S restrictions limited capacity on standing in order to avoid crushes. Hence our all seater has a higher capacity than the HJ, AJ Bell, Langtree Park.

There's restrictions on capacity for terracing, sure, but the DW is physically bigger than all of those stadiums.

Who knows what H&S would say about turning one of our stands into a terrace, they're that steep, it might be a safe standing thing, rather than old school terrace.

They could be levelled out though so that 3 rows of seats could become one standing area with a safety rail for leaning on across the front and 3 steps down to the next level. There are a few ways it could be done but it deffo could be. I don't think it will but would be great if it did.

That would drastically reduce the capacity and remove the point of terracing. The safe standing I'm taking about would see a fence in front of every row so no one could fall down onto the next row, this is done at Celtic and across the continent. Effectively the capacity would remain the same with a seat space replaced with a standing space.

How much do you think that would cost?
What would be the benefit/cost?

The stadium is now 20 years old and needs a lot spending on it, putting standing areas will be quite a bit down the list.

I do hope IL buys Sharpeys and turns it into a Aussie style Leagues club, that could be a good asset IF the fans support it.

Owning a stadium might sound nice and shows up as an asset on the balance sheet , BUT it can be expensive
.
For example since Saints moved into their new stadium their accumulated losses are around £7 million, Wigan in the same period are around £3 million. The tenancy agreement that Wigan had at the DW was excellent value.