Lansdowne Road too small?

Stupido · 12-02-2009 05:14PM #1

80,000 at Croker for 6N (for last 2 years BTW) and similar crowds for friendlies

65,000 at Croker last night for WC game (similar crowds for friendly v Poland)

Is Lansdowne Road going to be too small? It will actually be 54,500 capacity.

thoughts?

Noopti · 12-02-2009 05:26PM

I think the general consensus has always been that it is too small.

It should have been a 65,000 seater at least, in my opinion.

Hogzy · 12-02-2009 05:30PM

+1 on 65,000 MINIMUM!!!!!

I was shocked to see that it was only 54,000. I thought the whole point of building a new stadium was to increase the capacity drastically, I know there would be objections from residents... But why have a stadium basically right next to the city center, If they sold the land the would have made a MINT off of it that could go to building a stadium outside the city... But this is Ireland and things are done differently here!:rolleyes:

Stupido · 12-02-2009 05:37PM

Tradition tradition tradition.....

Anyway did you all know.....Lansdowne is almost an exact copy of the Arsenal stadium in London? If they completed the Havelock end of the ground it would hold 65,000..........! Maybe thats for another day.

I wonder has anyone been buying up houses down there....hmmm??

Crash · 12-02-2009 05:37PM

Oh come on now, with Lansdowne where it is, we're one of the few cities in the world with a stadium that close to the city centre, its fantastic. If they'd sold up and moved off to a greenfield site out north Dublin, or something similar, we'd all be bitching. It is too small probably, you're right, but i'd prefer a slightly smaller than wanted stadium 15 minutes from the city centre than a bigger one an hour plus away.

Noopti · 12-02-2009 05:44PM

I would also hate it if they moved it outside the city. I love the location of Landsdowne road, and can't wait for the games to be moved back there.

It is too small, but if I had the choice of the current stadium in its proper location, or a bigger one on the outskirts of Dublin I would choose the current setup everytime.

Podge_irl · 12-02-2009 05:58PM

Moving outside the city centre would ruin the atmosphere on match days (not that I've ever managed to make it to an Ireland game...).

The original plan was for 65,000 seats, but it required an extra tier of seating and wasn't going to get through the planning board. Shame really.

Tristram · 12-02-2009 06:01PM

Didn't realise the capacity will be so low. Disappointing.

LeoGilly · 12-02-2009 06:23PM

Well if the GAA has any sense then Croker should be used for the 6 nations.

Hogzy · 12-02-2009 06:32PM

LeoGilly wrote: »

Well if the GAA has any sense then Croker should be used for the 6 nations.

I think the GAA are still a bit caught up in the whole Irishness of Croke Park

themont85 · 12-02-2009 06:37PM

Hogzy wrote: »

I think the GAA are still a bit caught up in the whole Irishness of Croke Park

There should be an arrangment for Croker to be used for the biggest games i.e potential Grand Slam/Championship games and HC semis. The IRFU won't do this however because of all the sponsorship ect such as Aviva who wouldn't be happy. The GAA would be more than willing now though after they've tasted the sweet extra euros the IRFU/FAI have given them.

dave13 · 12-02-2009 06:39PM

LeoGilly wrote: »

Well if the GAA has any sense then Croker should be used for the 6 nations.

Can't happen. The IRFU need to pay for Lansdowne Road and cant do that with a significant portion of the profits for their main games going to the GAA. They'll make more money from 50000 at lansdown than 80000 at Croke Park.

anonymous_joe · 12-02-2009 06:41PM

I don't like Croke Park as much I liked Lansdowne Road. I know it's an infinitely better stadium, but it's too open, and the atmosphere doesn't seem right.

Anyway, we're all loving (myself included) the 80k capacity, but a few dodgy years would see that eroded I reckon.

Crash · 12-02-2009 06:42PM

What would be the point of using Croker for the 6 Nations? rebuild lansdowne and have 3 rugby matches there a year? or would we move the AI's as well?

Stupido · 12-02-2009 06:46PM

that is the other shame.... revamped staduim & facilities = premium product = right to charge more in the eyes of the IRFU.

Problem is the new facilities are only a catch up, because they wouldn't spend a penny on the old stadium. Rugby games will get too elitist, for the super wealthy only

IRFU will want to keep the same income and the only way of doing that is to increase ticket prices.

1st year in the last 20 I have not gone to 6N due to the price of tickets...Croke park should have meant a reduction in price as capacity was 30,000 greater than lansdowne...not so:mad:

p.s. I'm off to rome this weekend with ryanair & a €27 ticket for the game btw

:D:D

twinytwo · 12-02-2009 06:49PM

Hogzy wrote: »

I think the GAA are still a bit caught up in the whole Irishness of Croke Park

Hell no they tried to get the Irfu to sign a lease again but they wouldnt.... gaa now going to be missing out on 2 million +

Bluetonic · 12-02-2009 06:50PM

All the new sponsorships for Lansdowne, the stadium name and the corporate boxes were all sold on the basis of it being used for all home rugby and soccer internationals.

Croke Park won't be seeing anything from the IRFU or FAI once it's built as the financial complications and reneging on commercial contracts would be complex to resolve.

40,000 capacity for Joe Public including away allocation is going to be far too small but the site had it's limitations and the plans make the most out of the availalbe space.

Here's the latest photos by the way, hosted on the main Lansdowne site but on one page here.

Crash · 12-02-2009 07:08PM

Just caught a bit on the news there, according to John Delaney the IRFU will host the first sporting event in Lansdowne road, potentially in the form of a Sevens competition.

Serenity Now! · 12-02-2009 07:45PM

Going Waterforward wrote: »

Just caught a bit on the news there, according to John Delaney the IRFU will host the first sporting event in Lansdowne road, potentially in the form of a Sevens competition.

Leinster v Ulster was the first game ever at Lansdowne Road.
It was also the last game ever before the stadium was downed for redevelopment.
Dont be surprised if it is the opening game either.

Serenity Now! · 12-02-2009 07:49PM

twinytwo wrote: »

Hell no they tried to get the Irfu to sign a lease again but they wouldnt.... gaa now going to be missing out on 2 million +

The GAA will now miss out on an average of €12m plus per annum (in a year of 4 home rugby intls -2 in 6N and 2 in november- and 5 soccer intls). And that is talking only about ground hire itself.

chupacabra · 12-02-2009 07:50PM

This idea that a 60,000+ stadium wasnt possible with the current site is bull. They could have been a bit bolder with the design as its fairly bland for the money they are putting into it. However its up to the planning board in the end.

Bluetonic · 12-02-2009 07:54PM

chupacabra wrote: »

This idea that a 60,000+ stadium wasnt possible with the current site is bull. They could have been a bit bolder with the design as its fairly bland for the money they are putting into it.

What exactly would you propose that would give us the capacity of 60,000+ you say is possible and still get planning permission?

Serenity Now! · 12-02-2009 07:58PM

chupacabra wrote: »

This idea that a 60,000+ stadium wasnt possible with the current site is bull. They could have been a bit bolder with the design as its fairly bland for the money they are putting into it

To enlarge the West or East side would have incurred objections.
To extend the South end was impossible because of a road and houses.
To extend the North end would have involved knocking down listed buildings (if even allowed!) and extending the end by 30m further North.

They couldn't build down because the area is over a marshland drained into by two rivers.

So what do you suggest then (and its not as if every possibility wouldn't have been considered either :rolleyes:)

youcrazyjesus! · 12-02-2009 08:05PM

Stupido wrote: »

Tradition tradition tradition.....

Anyway did you all know.....Lansdowne is almost an exact copy of the Arsenal stadium in London? If they completed the Havelock end of the ground it would hold 65,000..........! Maybe thats for another day.

I wonder has anyone been buying up houses down there....hmmm??

Aren't there houses there? Isn't that reason that end hasn't been fully developed to the height of the other stands?

55,000 is a bad joke. 65,000 minimum or don't bother building it imo.

youcrazyjesus! · 12-02-2009 08:07PM

Hogzy wrote: »

I think the GAA are still a bit caught up in the whole Irishness of Croke Park

Eh they've lended it to the other organisations for 3 years now. It will be 4 next year. They're earning tens of millions from it. It's actually the IRFU and FAI who will refuse to go to Croke Park for any more games. Philip Brown said that.

sdanseo · 12-02-2009 08:11PM

We're talking about a national monument. 55,000 is absolutely pointless.

In this case, the residents opinons should have been completely ignored and anyone who complained read the riot act - in fact in my opinion, more land should have been CPO purchased. The country and its reputation comes first.

Bluetonic · 12-02-2009 08:12PM

youcrazyjesus! wrote: »

Aren't there houses there? Isn't that reason that end hasn't been fully developed to the height of the other stands?

The worst possible houses, south facing houses.

Everyone complaining about the 50,000 (yes 50,000 not 55,000) where were you when the original debated was going on five years ago? It's all been covered now and nothing can be changed, complaining about it now isn't going to do any good. It's a trade off over location, city center and same capacity or out of town and large capacity in a soulless shell.

To think if we've waited a few years the government could call in the Anglo loan on the Irish Glass site down the raod and build a marvelous stadium there

ALH-06 · 12-02-2009 08:41PM

Ok is it actually 50,000 or 55,000? I've always heard the first figure whenever the new Lansdowne Road is mentioned....

I agree - it's definitely too small to be our national stadium. But it was a compromise that had to be made.

Bluetonic · 12-02-2009 08:46PM

ALH-06 wrote: »

Ok is it actually 50,000 or 55,000? I've always heard the first figure whenever the new Lansdowne Road is mentioned....

I think it's safe to presume the planning permission record as having the correct info so here goes...

Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company Limited intends to apply to Dublin City Council for a ten year permission for development of a multi-purpose stadium complex (62,032 sq m gross floor space), including: a stadium with an all-seater capacity of 50,000 persons (plus provision for up to 1,000 non-paying persons);

youcrazyjesus! · 12-02-2009 08:47PM

Bluetonic wrote: »

Everyone complaining about the 50,000 (yes 50,000 not 55,000) where were you when the original debated was going on five years ago?

What sort of comment is that?

I'm sure we were complaining about it then, too.

Bluetonic · 12-02-2009 08:53PM

youcrazyjesus! wrote: »

What sort of comment is that?

There is nothing I can say that would answer a question like that.

Where would you have built it, what size and who would be paying for it?

Lansdowne Road too small?

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