Riverside Stand - Sink or Swim ?

[EN1 FFC]

Thoughts ?

[bencher]

I was curious to look at the website of the Fulham Pier Hotel - not yet open for bookings. I was quite surprised to find not a single mention of Fulham Football Club or of football in general. I presume that means that none of the rooms have views of the pitch. Presumably to avoid erosion of matchday income from hospitality etc.

[StuinSalop]

I know we owe the khans everything and have ended up with a massive upgrade to Craven Cottage that very few owners would have ben able to afford, however.  Khan is worth about £11.5 billion pounds and this cost and overspend is peanuts when compared to his wealth.  It will also put significant increased £££ onto the value of this asset not to mention add income to Fulham's annual revenue which is very significant given FFP and PSR.  Whilst a very difficult project it was not a disaster but an important strategic bit of business to secure Fulham's long term existence, especially as a Premier League team.  The Khans are not stupid.

[Bronaldinho]

I know we owe the khans everything and have ended up with a massive upgrade to Craven Cottage that very few owners would have ben able to afford, however.  Khan is worth about £11.5 billion pounds and this cost and overspend is peanuts when compared to his wealth.  It will also put significant increased £££ onto the value of this asset not to mention add income to Fulham's annual revenue which is very significant given FFP and PSR.  Whilst a very difficult project it was not a disaster but an important strategic bit of business to secure Fulham's long term existence, especially as a Premier League team.  The Khans are not stupid.

Sadly, with FFP/PSR/SCR rules the revenue number is the biggest blocker for growth for clubs - your limited by what you earn. So all this investment opens that up. (not that I agree with the systems - it's an anchor and prevents any other club being bought and pumped up the table with cash to compete higher)

[iansthailand]

The video piece says all 15 Hotel rooms have a view of the pitch.

[cookieg]

Unless we can find a way to add another 10k seats - and another 10k fans - into CC we will always struggle for income so anything that can add to the coffers will be welcome. Having been there it is quite impressive and was very busy. We have to accept the fact that the Khans will be propping up the club for hopefully many years to come and if the odd vanity project boosts income and profile then so be it. MAF would have moved us out so we have to be pleased that we are still at CC.

[EN1 FFC]

Don't think the Hotel or Sports Centre has been opened or fitted out yet ?
Wonder if the khan/Club had insurance on the build of the stand against the company failing ?

[KentFulham]

Unless we can find a way to add another 10k seats - and another 10k fans - into CC we will always struggle for income so anything that can add to the coffers will be welcome. Having been there it is quite impressive and was very busy. We have to accept the fact that the Khans will be propping up the club for hopefully many years to come and if the odd vanity project boosts income and profile then so be it. MAF would have moved us out so we have to be pleased that we are still at CC.

Adding 10,000 seats at £100 is £19m a year revenue, not exactly mind blowing in the grand scheme, could make more through selling a decent acadamy player or having a better scouting regime. The difficulty also is not really the building, it is more that we probably dont have 10,000 extra fans, certainly not at the prices we charge

[SP]

So, to summarise, they did a brilliant job overcoming all those challenges to get the stand up & running?

[Holders]

When you're an immigrant who arrives in a country with virtually nothing and become so very, very, excessively  wealthy it's just a drop in the ocean to indulge one's hobbies with what one will never miss. What it does is to cement Fulham to the site and make staying in the PL essential - so investment in the football side. So if it takes a few of the prawn sandwich brigade to achieve that then so be it.

I remember the old Riverside stand being built at about £200k, wasn't it? There was criticism at the time that the money should go into the team instead, with Portsmouth cited as an example and for a while they were successful. The argument was that to build a new stand would be even more expensive in the future - and wasn't it!

All to stop us changing ends at half time....

[SuffolkWhite]

I like the stand, I don't have an issue with the Khan's, and it transpires they are better than the last owner imo.

I would also say that the current rules in football stop owners chucking a load of dosh at teams like ours, only the big boys get round the rules, Citeh and Chelski especially!

[mcbride5912]

Mr Khan seems determined to turn Fulham into a destination for West London Elites. Whilst he in theory that is a good market they seem to have overlooked one thing, success. I'm sure the vast majority of wealthy people (especially those interested in sport) love success and winning. That is something they are far more likely to get up the road with the imposters in blue than alongside the banks of the Thames. Maybe they will visit Fulham occasionally for networking and the stunning stand but it once again does nothing to secure long term supporters of the club.

Plus, our offering is still not that exclusive, the highest tier of hospitality is the box and ours are and most likely always will be rubbish.

It will be very interesting to see how much of the hospitality areas are occupied against Leeds as an indication of how big the market for Fulham hospitality is.

[SP]

I like the stand, I don't have an issue with the Khan's, and it transpires they are better than the last owner imo.

I agree on both counts.

I wonder what statement the previous owner was making with the false tash? I thought it was childish & unnecessary at the time, I wonder what the thinking was, did he not get the price he was looking for?

[bobbo]

I know we owe the khans everything and have ended up with a massive upgrade to Craven Cottage that very few owners would have ben able to afford, however.  Khan is worth about £11.5 billion pounds and this cost and overspend is peanuts when compared to his wealth.  It will also put significant increased £££ onto the value of this asset not to mention add income to Fulham's annual revenue which is very significant given FFP and PSR.  Whilst a very difficult project it was not a disaster but an important strategic bit of business to secure Fulham's long term existence, especially as a Premier League team.  The Khans are not stupid.

I like what you've said stu but when all that extra money is coming in will they drop the season ticket cost for fans like me who's been driven out by the cost . I sat in that original riverside stand from the day it was built till the day it was pulled down and stood on that side before that for many years . There's many more like me.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I know we owe the khans everything and have ended up with a massive upgrade to Craven Cottage that very few owners would have ben able to afford, however.  Khan is worth about £11.5 billion pounds and this cost and overspend is peanuts when compared to his wealth.  It will also put significant increased £££ onto the value of this asset not to mention add income to Fulham's annual revenue which is very significant given FFP and PSR.  Whilst a very difficult project it was not a disaster but an important strategic bit of business to secure Fulham's long term existence, especially as a Premier League team.  The Khans are not stupid.

I like what you've said stu but when all that extra money is coming in will they drop the season ticket cost for fans like me who's been driven out by the cost . I sat in that original riverside stand from the day it was built till the day it was pulled down and stood on that side before that for many years . There's many more like me.

Precisely

[gang]

When you're an immigrant who arrives in a country with virtually nothing and become so very, very, excessively  wealthy it's just a drop in the ocean to indulge one's hobbies with what one will never miss. What it does is to cement Fulham to the site and make staying in the PL essential - so investment in the football side. So if it takes a few of the prawn sandwich brigade to achieve that then so be it.

I remember the old Riverside stand being built at about £200k, wasn't it? There was criticism at the time that the money should go into the team instead, with Portsmouth cited as an example and for a while they were successful. The argument was that to build a new stand would be even more expensive in the future - and wasn't it!

All to stop us changing ends at half time....

Changing ends at half time; that takes me back.

[I Ronic]

I know we owe the khans everything and have ended up with a massive upgrade to Craven Cottage that very few owners would have ben able to afford, however.  Khan is worth about £11.5 billion pounds and this cost and overspend is peanuts when compared to his wealth.  It will also put significant increased £££ onto the value of this asset not to mention add income to Fulham's annual revenue which is very significant given FFP and PSR.  Whilst a very difficult project it was not a disaster but an important strategic bit of business to secure Fulham's long term existence, especially as a Premier League team.  The Khans are not stupid.

I like what you've said stu but when all that extra money is coming in will they drop the season ticket cost for fans like me who's been driven out by the cost . I sat in that original riverside stand from the day it was built till the day it was pulled down and stood on that side before that for many years . There's many more like me.

Precisely

This isn't going to go down well but Fulham, Hammersmith, Putney etc are nolonger the breeding ground for working class football fans. Property prices and gentrification have changed the area a lot of us grew up in. The Chairman approved the expansion the training ground. So it was fit for millionaire players to train on. The new Riverside is there to attact a newer fanbase, Fulham Pier has now opened up a riverside walk way from Putney Bridge to Hammersmith. If the pubs down near Hammersmith Bridge are anything to go by the bars,cafes and restaurants will be busy and profitable. The Hotel with rooms overlooking the Thames (how many of those exist with a park next door and in a quite residential area?) He's building a sustainable club. Our roll, bit by bit is coming to its end. Moving to Margate fifteen years ago was the beginning of the end for me. Traveling to and from the Cottage isn't fun. I go and watch Margate it's like being a kid again. Small crowds the quality of the football, far cheaper, a walk away from home with a nice pub to rest my old legs there and back.
Fulham will always be my Club. Gentleman Jim, Sky and FoF are what keeps me in touch.

[Logicalman]

The video seems a little disaster sensationalist to begin with, and glosses over a number of items, though, finally, it does give credit where it's due regarding the innovative design & construction, and beauty of the stand.

The Buckingham group collapse also affected Liverpool and Northampton clubs as well, not just us.

Interesting comment on the youtube site for this though, perhaps providing a more balanced view of the cost-rise.

"I actually worked on this project (M&E Construction) and on the Gym and swimming pool in particular. Costs were not just down to Buckingham going bust and other items mentioned. There were changes to the design team and the design. The drawings for the services were not done properly and I had to re-engineer them to work. There was also fallout from Grenfell (fire disaster) and changes to Building Fire Regulations which resulted in what was already installed having to be ripped out and re-installed. Plus there were endless changes to personnel due to the way the main contractor behaved. Everyone trying to avoid taking responsibility and blaming others. It was a nightmare trying to get things approved.

Glad it is finished as Fulham fans have one of the nice matchday experiences, although for a hefty price."

[flyingfish]

This video suggests that it was only when the stand started coming down that they realised the challenges of building next to a river and needed to get the consents in place which, as someone involved in development, is absolute bollocks.

[Alec of good Stock]

When you're an immigrant who arrives in a country with virtually nothing and become so very, very, excessively  wealthy it's just a drop in the ocean to indulge one's hobbies with what one will never miss. What it does is to cement Fulham to the site and make staying in the PL essential - so investment in the football side. So if it takes a few of the prawn sandwich brigade to achieve that then so be it.

I remember the old Riverside stand being built at about £200k, wasn't it? There was criticism at the time that the money should go into the team instead, with Portsmouth cited as an example and for a while they were successful. The argument was that to build a new stand would be even more expensive in the future - and wasn't it!

All to stop us changing ends at half time....

I think that £250,000 was the figure that was banded around for many years. I used to stand on the riverside terrace and wasn't happy when I had to move the the Hammersmith End.