Last night I woke from a dream in a cold sweat. There is a stadium in Bucks with Premier League capacity good road and rail connection to London and parking, it’s mostly empty. Ground share with The Fr____chise. Just a stupid nightmare right?
Wasps used to fill AP every week . I have yet to visit any stadium without huge inconvenience . People use the location theory because they either can't figure out why our crowds are so poor or they are using it as an excuse for their own lack of effort . Before anyone tries saying we are a rugby area , I see the pubs in south bucks far busier during a major football competition than I do when the six nations is on . This is just a myth and another stab in the dark for a reason imo.
Surely the land to the south or west of Lane End is all in the AONB? I mean, I know an exception was made last time, but at least then you could argue that Adams Park was next to an industrial estate.
….theres a point that I really like and has merit for the club. The women’s game. If we doubled down on that format by really expanding the academy for girls and maybe reducing the FA stand back a single tier then that could be a brilliant use of the current ground. (If indeed WWFC men’s team move location).
Politically it would fly as we’d be seen as ‘progressive' by really investing in that game format, and whether you like it or not, it is growing - more TV matches, higher fees, more exposure. It’s not going away and it feels like the USA was some 20 years or so back in terms of growth. Expanding that format so that WWFC becomes a super league club would have enormous benefits. Having the current ground dedicated solely to the women’s team (youth team matches) coupled with the solid community aspect baked in would really be a fantastic opportunity for us.
You are absolutely correct - AONB all the way to the B4009 - beyond Lewknor seems to be neither that or Green Belt.
@eric_plant for me this type of thread affords the opportunity to try some "what ifs" thinking and does not for a moment detract from the huge progress the club has made over the last few seasons nor the immediate opportunities to gain promotion to the Championship.
I am of the view that Shoeless Joe was right & "if we build it they will come" - this applies equally to success as it does physical infrastructure
I think it is more a question of frustration in so many people missing out on what should be such an amazing time for our town. This is almost as good as it gets yet apathy towards our club from the community is incredible.
Small point on the parking at the stadium. There used to be an incentive to get more people in your car (free for 4 people I think). I am fortunate enough to have a pass and most weeks there are four or five of us. But there are plenty of cars turning up with a single person. I wonder if there is any data being collected by the people on the gate so that we can prioritise on getting more people into fewer cars and therefore easing parking or increasing attendances as people might try and twist arms to get their cars full.
It's interesting to me that despite spending massively on infrastructure and squad, there doesn't appear to have been any investment whatsoever in marketing. Given the huge resources being pumped in, it would be chickenfeed to take on a few more community officers to boost interest in the club in the area and drive up attendance. Maybe it's an area Dan and his team will turn to when others are sorted. But the seeming disinterest in increasing attendances at Adams Park does add grist to the mill to those theorising about either a move to a different location or a lack of long term interest in sustaining success.
Knock down the Chilterns and surrounding few streets, I’m sure we can fit a stadium in between Dovecoat road and priory road. The cut through at Frogmoor could go under the ground!
I'm not sure the Wycombe Hospital site will be big enough to house a Championship style stadium. If you throw into the problem of the emergency services (Police, Fire & Ambulance) stations are all close by and having crowds of 10,000 people plus will get in the way of their response times.
I think either the Brown field sites either side of the A404 OR the abandoned plots at Booker (that were going to be film studios) OR buying the plots around the old training ground and that itself would be a suitable venue. However, neither of these help with the transport problem.
Another option would be to buy out Wycombe Abbey School, with the VAT being added to their fees, attendances have dropped and its not long financially viable to continue!
If ML decides to redevelop Adams Park, what stands do you think will be done first? I have mentioned my concerns over the Terrace but would they go for the Main stand to improve the facilities & increase other options there first?
We already have a ladies team, I will be betting that you haven’t seen them play, I haven’t either. How many on the Gasroom have even after they became a cause célebre after the Scott Kashket shirt sponsorship went oversubscribed? I doubt even a handful of people on here have. The top flight games don’t generate crowds either, aside from the giveaway tickets. Football at most levels of the game is a participation sport and what this country needs is more emphasis on participation across all levels - saturating the pay channels with the elite versions, sidelining minority sport in general and taking variety shows like Grandstand off the air has been really bad for the nation’s physical diet as a whole. An overfunded and underwatched Wycombe Ladies isn’t the answer to anything. Spend the money on netball, hockey, badminton, squash, table tennis, athletics, judo, swimming as well as the ladies - fund their kit, their travel and some basic facilities but don’t build stadiums.
My aging brain might be failing me but wasn't one of the many issues with having Wasps at Adams Park that we (Wanderers) only made money out of the deal if they drew crowds over 6,000 regularly and they rarely did, so we ended up losing money on the deal.
Not the section where all of their sports facilities are that joins onto the Rye. They have 3 or 4 La Crosse pitches & 1 Astro thats all flat. Also where they built their new sports hall, they have done all of the hard work for us!
(Plus, digging into a hill hasn't stopped anyone, look at Brighton's stadium!)
I don't recall that. I used to work on the turnstiles and every Wasps game that I worked for, the ground was packed. In their glory period, they could have filled the ground 2 or 3 times over with the requests they had for tickets and they couldn't maximise on the profit. The reason why they moved was to get MORE capacity.
I disagree. They play their matches…. I couldn’t even tell you where but we need to integrate that format into our structure, especially with the player development side of the club, even as a pure asset building exercise.
The formats are like apples and oranges really - both fruits but different and throwing a few quid here and there at the women’s team for kit and travel feels disingenuous, especially with our new financial position.
Just looking at how the club model is evolving we are the most ‘progressive’ I’ve seen since the move to AP and you’ll see a bigger push on that format on the journey.
I do like the idea of making AP much more of a multifunctional space though where we could include the more minor sports (somehow) into the mix.
Build a roof and a retractable pitch like Spurs maybe? 🤣🤣🤣
I have no real evidence to challange this . I used to live in Pinewood road and walk my doigs past the Stadium . I can only ever remember it being full .
@JockyMcsporrans Burnham. They play at Burnham, where the facilities and the food are great, even if the car park is a bit of a minefield. A cursory look at @Steve_Peart's excellent weekly posts on this would have told you.
Comments
Surely they also need room to construct a playing area to introduce us to Kokpar, Kazakhstan's national sport!
I’m don’t disagree with you but we went to Cambridge a couple of weeks ago. No parking. 20 minute walk from car to ground. 6500 attendances
Couldn’t we just knock down the High Street and build a stadium there?
The last few times I’ve walked down it demolition would probably be the kindest option..:
(And no I’m not being serious)
Last night I woke from a dream in a cold sweat. There is a stadium in Bucks with Premier League capacity good road and rail connection to London and parking, it’s mostly empty. Ground share with The Fr____chise. Just a stupid nightmare right?
👌
Overly pessimistic dream .
….OR ML buys out Franchise to build a Buckinghamshire ‘super club’ - MK Wanderers 😱
Wasps used to fill AP every week . I have yet to visit any stadium without huge inconvenience . People use the location theory because they either can't figure out why our crowds are so poor or they are using it as an excuse for their own lack of effort . Before anyone tries saying we are a rugby area , I see the pubs in south bucks far busier during a major football competition than I do when the six nations is on . This is just a myth and another stab in the dark for a reason imo.
Yet another thread descends into bemoaning what we're not instead of celebrating what we are
Surely the land to the south or west of Lane End is all in the AONB? I mean, I know an exception was made last time, but at least then you could argue that Adams Park was next to an industrial estate.
….theres a point that I really like and has merit for the club. The women’s game. If we doubled down on that format by really expanding the academy for girls and maybe reducing the FA stand back a single tier then that could be a brilliant use of the current ground. (If indeed WWFC men’s team move location).
Politically it would fly as we’d be seen as ‘progressive' by really investing in that game format, and whether you like it or not, it is growing - more TV matches, higher fees, more exposure. It’s not going away and it feels like the USA was some 20 years or so back in terms of growth. Expanding that format so that WWFC becomes a super league club would have enormous benefits. Having the current ground dedicated solely to the women’s team (youth team matches) coupled with the solid community aspect baked in would really be a fantastic opportunity for us.
You are absolutely correct - AONB all the way to the B4009 - beyond Lewknor seems to be neither that or Green Belt.
@eric_plant for me this type of thread affords the opportunity to try some "what ifs" thinking and does not for a moment detract from the huge progress the club has made over the last few seasons nor the immediate opportunities to gain promotion to the Championship.
I am of the view that Shoeless Joe was right & "if we build it they will come" - this applies equally to success as it does physical infrastructure
I think it is more a question of frustration in so many people missing out on what should be such an amazing time for our town. This is almost as good as it gets yet apathy towards our club from the community is incredible.
Small point on the parking at the stadium. There used to be an incentive to get more people in your car (free for 4 people I think). I am fortunate enough to have a pass and most weeks there are four or five of us. But there are plenty of cars turning up with a single person. I wonder if there is any data being collected by the people on the gate so that we can prioritise on getting more people into fewer cars and therefore easing parking or increasing attendances as people might try and twist arms to get their cars full.
It's interesting to me that despite spending massively on infrastructure and squad, there doesn't appear to have been any investment whatsoever in marketing. Given the huge resources being pumped in, it would be chickenfeed to take on a few more community officers to boost interest in the club in the area and drive up attendance. Maybe it's an area Dan and his team will turn to when others are sorted. But the seeming disinterest in increasing attendances at Adams Park does add grist to the mill to those theorising about either a move to a different location or a lack of long term interest in sustaining success.
Town Centre please with good rail and bus links.
Knock down the Chilterns and surrounding few streets, I’m sure we can fit a stadium in between Dovecoat road and priory road. The cut through at Frogmoor could go under the ground!
You could bulldoze most of the town centre tbh
Booker airfield site?
I'm not sure the Wycombe Hospital site will be big enough to house a Championship style stadium. If you throw into the problem of the emergency services (Police, Fire & Ambulance) stations are all close by and having crowds of 10,000 people plus will get in the way of their response times.
I think either the Brown field sites either side of the A404 OR the abandoned plots at Booker (that were going to be film studios) OR buying the plots around the old training ground and that itself would be a suitable venue. However, neither of these help with the transport problem.
Another option would be to buy out Wycombe Abbey School, with the VAT being added to their fees, attendances have dropped and its not long financially viable to continue!
As opposed to private schools as I am, isn't Wycombe Abbey basically one big hill?!
If ML decides to redevelop Adams Park, what stands do you think will be done first? I have mentioned my concerns over the Terrace but would they go for the Main stand to improve the facilities & increase other options there first?
We already have a ladies team, I will be betting that you haven’t seen them play, I haven’t either. How many on the Gasroom have even after they became a cause célebre after the Scott Kashket shirt sponsorship went oversubscribed? I doubt even a handful of people on here have. The top flight games don’t generate crowds either, aside from the giveaway tickets. Football at most levels of the game is a participation sport and what this country needs is more emphasis on participation across all levels - saturating the pay channels with the elite versions, sidelining minority sport in general and taking variety shows like Grandstand off the air has been really bad for the nation’s physical diet as a whole. An overfunded and underwatched Wycombe Ladies isn’t the answer to anything. Spend the money on netball, hockey, badminton, squash, table tennis, athletics, judo, swimming as well as the ladies - fund their kit, their travel and some basic facilities but don’t build stadiums.
Boomers want the slope back
My aging brain might be failing me but wasn't one of the many issues with having Wasps at Adams Park that we (Wanderers) only made money out of the deal if they drew crowds over 6,000 regularly and they rarely did, so we ended up losing money on the deal.
Not the section where all of their sports facilities are that joins onto the Rye. They have 3 or 4 La Crosse pitches & 1 Astro thats all flat. Also where they built their new sports hall, they have done all of the hard work for us!
(Plus, digging into a hill hasn't stopped anyone, look at Brighton's stadium!)
I don't recall that. I used to work on the turnstiles and every Wasps game that I worked for, the ground was packed. In their glory period, they could have filled the ground 2 or 3 times over with the requests they had for tickets and they couldn't maximise on the profit. The reason why they moved was to get MORE capacity.
BBC Wales helping us stay Little Wycombe
I disagree. They play their matches…. I couldn’t even tell you where but we need to integrate that format into our structure, especially with the player development side of the club, even as a pure asset building exercise.
The formats are like apples and oranges really - both fruits but different and throwing a few quid here and there at the women’s team for kit and travel feels disingenuous, especially with our new financial position.
Just looking at how the club model is evolving we are the most ‘progressive’ I’ve seen since the move to AP and you’ll see a bigger push on that format on the journey.
I do like the idea of making AP much more of a multifunctional space though where we could include the more minor sports (somehow) into the mix.
Build a roof and a retractable pitch like Spurs maybe? 🤣🤣🤣
I have no real evidence to challange this . I used to live in Pinewood road and walk my doigs past the Stadium . I can only ever remember it being full .
@JockyMcsporrans Burnham. They play at Burnham, where the facilities and the food are great, even if the car park is a bit of a minefield. A cursory look at @Steve_Peart's excellent weekly posts on this would have told you.