IAW needs more seats.

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Thread starter #1
We are seeing Devils games sell out more and more of late and as great as it is for the club itself, it's beginning to become something of a problem for fans.

I don't have the chance to come to the Devils much as I live away from Cardiff but when I am able to go, I've found that it is increasingly difficult to obtain tickets. On more than one occasion I've missed out on games due to sellouts and I know that this problem is affecting other people too (the elite league banter group has seen grievances voiced for example).

I do think that 3088 seats in IAW is far too little and even though it's almost a 34% increase in capacity from the Big Blue Tent, this seemed a little short sighted for a facility that is supposed to serve us for many years to come (at least 20 if the lifespan of the WNIR is anything to go off).

It is clear that this capacity issue does need attention and what can be done to improve the situation should be considered by fans and club alike.

Thoughts?
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#2
For any significant increase the roof would have to come off I would imagine. Build out to the layby and go higher, and then build onto the top of the gantry area and back. There is always a way but the costs would probably be huge. I'm sure the club are possibly looking at something if they were to take control. We are at bursting point now and after only half a season in a decent facility. We are now at the point of untapped potential which we will never know, which in a business sense isn't great.

Or alternatively, there was talk of an arena being built to replace the CIA around the area of the Brains Brewery. Either a horseshoe or complete bowl with anything from 8k - 12k seats. But this is of course a long way off.
 
Thread starter #3
Replacing the CIA with a 8k+ seater arena is a must. If this is done soon then the Devils could look at doing what Sheffield do: split their 'bigger' and 'smaller' games between a multi-purpose Arena and IAW.

That in my eyes could be a solution, though expansion of IAW seems more doable.
 

pjj365

Well-Known Member
#4
There is loads on inferno as to why we have ended up as we have - that is realy a closed book

Bottom line is though a new arena may be needed. There is a potentially suitable site at Leckwith

Looking to the future though - yes it looks rosy at the moment - it will only take a consistent drop in form - as opposed to the recent years success - for IAW to be just right.

It would take a massive leap of faith backed up by performance on the ice to invest in a move to a new arena. It is too early to make tjis kind of move

As our owners have said in the context of buying IAW it needs to be a viable business
 
#5
Im no architect but if they open multiple entrances so more could get pushed closer to the ice, square off the back wall and extend a further 2 rows up. May only make a thousand more seats but it will be expensive. If this trend keeps up inro next season maybe a extension may happen.
 

jimmy snels

Well-Known Member
#7
The gantry where todd announces from and corner areas are obvious areas to move into. There needs to be something planned just in case it sky rockets more! Dundee sell outs are unheard of!
 

kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
#8
3,088 was always far too small. 3,500 would have been ideal.

H&S permitting, maybe a low cost option could be to open up the gantry area to standing fans only. I reckon you'd easily get 150 up there and without the need to spend much cash. Quick calculation .... 150 fans paying 15 quid a ticket = an extra income of 2,250 per game!
 

kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
#9
.... ahhhh Boooooolocks ... bloody IAW capacity - just noticed that the Panthers game is now sold out!

So that's a Saturday night stuck in with the Mrs ! :-(

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!
 

Diafol

Well-Known Member
#10
Too soon to talk about expanding yet IMO.

We sold out the first few games in the IAW at the end of last season but IIRC the playoff quarter final after we'd lost the league title was only about 2/3 full ?
 

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#12
We are seeing Devils games sell out more and more of late and as great as it is for the club itself, it's beginning to become something of a problem for fans.

I don't have the chance to come to the Devils much as I live away from Cardiff but when I am able to go, I've found that it is increasingly difficult to obtain tickets. On more than one occasion I've missed out on games due to sellouts and I know that this problem is affecting other people too (the elite league banter group has seen grievances voiced for example).

I do think that 3088 seats in IAW is far too little and even though it's almost a 34% increase in capacity from the Big Blue Tent, this seemed a little short sighted for a facility that is supposed to serve us for many years to come (at least 20 if the lifespan of the WNIR is anything to go off).

It is clear that this capacity issue does need attention and what can be done to improve the situation should be considered by fans and club alike.

Thoughts?
Firstly the IAW has been in the pipeline for a number of years, not the last 2yrs we had different owners then, with crowds averaging around 12/15 hundred and not really having the greatest future, and having to play out of a dump. The Council plus anyone wasn't interested in building us a new gaff, as to them it wasn't feasible and no one really needed the hassle. After 10 yrs of constant meetings between good people and the Council. Sorac were successful in getting what we have today, is it perfect far from it, we were constantly pushing for a 4/5k seater, which then would have been 3 times what we were averaging, No one really wanted the expense of building us a new home, which was 17 million pounds, we were constricted by costs and land area. No one could have known we were going to get the best owners we have ever had, and that crowds were going to swell and that the club was going to be so successful, so you see people really weren't so short sighted in getting a new home, we have what we have the best facility the Devils have ever had, with free ice time, free parking which isn't great. No one is going to come along and build a dedicated ice arena for 20/25 million, to house 5000 ice hockey fans believe me. We have a problem getting everyone in, but that's a better problem than having a half full gaff, if I was having a problem getting tickets, I would invest in a season ticket, and before anyone says they can't make every game, I also have that problem. You can please some of the people, some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.
HAPPY HOCKEY DAYS.
 

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#14
The Gantry has a ton of stuff up there, the cameras, Icetime equipment for streaming, Video footage for the screens and replays, you would be pushed to get 50 people up there without falling over each other.
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#15
I'm sure the conversation or at least thoughts have happened at our ownership and management level. They are all businessmen, including Todd, and want what is best for the business and the fans. If we are selling out often, I'm sure one of the first things that will go through their mind is how can we get more people in. After all, an extra 100 people a week at 15 quid a ticket would pay the salary of one of the highest paid players in the league if we were to sign one. It's fine margins but a few hundred could make a huge difference to our playing budget. I wonder if there are any legs in standing behind the back row, it was mentioned when we first moved in iirc.
 

dave

Well-Known Member
#16
The Gantry has a ton of stuff up there, the cameras, Icetime equipment for streaming, Video footage for the screens and replays, you would be pushed to get 50 people up there without falling over each other.
Add onto that all the air handling ducting, Main power units and distributers etc that are up there..There really would only just be enough for a sponsors gantry in the one corner but by time all the pipes are stud walled Tables etc it would only hold 15-20
 

Gazza272

Well-Known Member
#17
Put hospitality up on the gantry and fit seats where the boxes are.
But then where do you put the Camera filming the game and all of the kit used to run game night?

There is a surprising lack of room on the Gantry once you get a couple of people up there with a few desks and tables. so to put rows of seats up there it really wouldn't be comfortable.
 

Koop11

Well-Known Member
#18
It’s fantastic that we are selling out games and if this is a continued trend in the long run then yes, perhaps the IAW and our owners (who have made it public that they want to buy the arena) need to consider options for expanding. I completely agree that its unrealistic for CCC or anyone else for that matter to build a 5000 seater arena that, among other things will host hockey. Cardiff already has a 5000 capacity arena in the CIA and any plans to replace that will be more like a 8000+ seater. Whilst crowds are currently good and we should always be ambitious, we are a very long way off pulling that kind of attendance. Also, there would be no free ice time to use such a facility as the agreement for free ice is with IAW. A shared venture, like the Sheffield do with the arena and Ice Sheffield, could have a huge impact on IAW as a venue. Losing X amount of games to a local facility would cost them a boat load of money.



The only option for me is some kind of expansion of IAW. Is that even possible/financially viable though?! I don’t know. IAW, who struggled to finish the current build due to money problems, are unlikely to want to expand anytime soon. If the owners are still keen to buy the rink and if successful wanted to expand then that could be something they would consider. One thing to bar in mind is that it’s not just the case of putting in extra seats. The impact an increased crowd has on already stretched services in the café and bar areas would be huge. You can’t get your coffee and chips now within a 15min period break. Add a few 100 more fans into that equation.



I would suggest partly the reason we have great crowds at the moment is because of the novelty of a new facility and a club that currently is challenging for all honours this season. ‘If you build it, they will come’ scenario but as Cardiff City have experienced, once that novelty dies off and your club is not completing over a period of time, then numbers can fall. I think we need to assess the matter of capacity over a couple of seasons before any options to increase capacity are taken.
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#19
Maybe paying for an expansion could be a route into owning the rink. As in we'll pay for expanding, plus money for a controlling 51% stake. IAW still get some profits and we get control. Plus any expansion is only a good thing for other events too.
 

Electro

Active Member
#20
Expanding the IAW into a larger arena is very unlikely, due to its current design, location, etc etc, the build cost alone would mean it's not feasible, also the time it could take to complete any works could effect a large part of a season, pre season being very lucrative for the club, as pointed out by Steve King.

It's far cheaper to build future expansion into a new build than to extend one. The IAW was never designed to account for expansion. That ship sailed a long time ago.

It's not impossible, not entirely unlikely, if the owner group wanted to substantially increase the initial investment, if there willing to.

In my opinion though it's more likely that the current owners will continue with the current set up, maybe increase ticket prices, increase season ticket sales, no major changes for the next few yrs. The team continues to entertain and bring success.

l assume the owners have an exit strategy and at some point will decide on the future of the club, to continue in the IAW as owners, find an alternative club somewhere else, buy the IAW and expand, knock it down and rebuild, move to an alternative site in the area, or simply walk away, who knows, but l doubt the group will make any rash decisions based on current ticket sales alone.




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