Fa Cup Semis

[Underpants]

I know there's something in the paperwork about semis being held at Wembley. But ffs everyone can see that the crowd wasn't up for it. The attendance looks shit in a 90k stadium. The PJT Final was a better spectacle that this. 

This game at Elland Rd or Villa Park wold be bouncing.

[globaldiver]

9 minutes ago, Underpants said:

I know there's something in the paperwork about semis being held at Wembley. But ffs everyone can see that the crowd wasn't up for it. The attendance looks shit in a 90k stadium. The PJT Final was a better spectacle that this. 

This game at Elland Rd or Villa Park wold be bouncing.

Elland Road isn’t good enough, but the point is valid.

[London Wanderer]

10 minutes ago, Underpants said:

I know there's something in the paperwork about semis being held at Wembley. But ffs everyone can see that the crowd wasn't up for it. The attendance looks shit in a 90k stadium. The PJT Final was a better spectacle that this. 

This game at Elland Rd or Villa Park wold be bouncing.

100 %

[barrycowdrill]

Be interesting to know what the attendance level has to be for Wembley to turn a profit? Then again the money they make from the kiosks will be massive I suppose. 
 

id hardly say 69k is a poor attendance and it’s still higher than you would get at any other ground in the country but I agree that as a spectacle it’s been piss poor 

[Underpants]

10 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

Be interesting to know what the attendance level has to be for Wembley to turn a profit? Then again the money they make from the kiosks will be massive I suppose. 
 

id hardly say 69k is a poor attendance and it’s still higher than you would get at any other ground in the country but I agree that as a spectacle it’s been piss poor 

It's not about attendance. It's about the event. Every fucker has got to head 3.5hrs down the M6 and M1.  A neutral ground, 1 hour away, rammed out is better than Wembley two thirds full.

Edited April 22, 2023 by Underpants

[barrycowdrill]

29 minutes ago, Underpants said:

It's not about attendance. It's about the event. Every fucker has got to head 3.5hrs down the M6 and M1.  A neutral ground, 1 hour away, rammed out is better than Wembley two thirds full.

But the fundamental reason why they’re held at Wembley was to pay off its spiralled building costs 

therefore in order for a game to turn a profit it’s very much about the attendance. For the FA of course. 
 

I’ve absolutely no idea if the grounds been paid off 10 times over by now or they still have an outstanding “debt” but In theory once it had / has broken even the semis should’ve been moved back to neutral grounds. But it’ll never happen now 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

44 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

Be interesting to know what the attendance level has to be for Wembley to turn a profit? Then again the money they make from the kiosks will be massive I suppose. 
 

id hardly say 69k is a poor attendance and it’s still higher than you would get at any other ground in the country but I agree that as a spectacle it’s been piss poor 

Theatre of nightmares?

Perfect for a semi between those two teams.

Wembley semis are a rip off and abuse of fans. Having done one before, I wouldn't do another.

[FrancisFogarty]

58 minutes ago, Underpants said:

I know there's something in the paperwork about semis being held at Wembley. But ffs everyone can see that the crowd wasn't up for it. The attendance looks shit in a 90k stadium. The PJT Final was a better spectacle that this. 

This game at Elland Rd or Villa Park wold be bouncing.

I think in the olden days Wembley was operated by the FA and semis were dished out to clubs fairly local to the clubs. Since Wembley discovered money and was sold off one of the rules was that Wembley plc decided what games would be played there.

As I recall.

[Roger_Dubuis]

It was a horrible draw for Sheffield. Knowing they'd lose to Abu Dhabi oil 99 times out of 100 its understandable not  as many spending money on an expensive day out.

[barrycowdrill]

12 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Theatre of nightmares?

Perfect for a semi between those two teams.

Wembley semis are a rip off and abuse of fans. Having done one before, I wouldn't do another.

Probably pretty similar when you factor in segregation. That place is on its uppers anyway it’s being overtaken left right and centre for events. The capacity is the only thing in its favour. Once city get the other expansion I wouldn’t bet against that being used for things more than OT. It’s already been chosen ahead of it for the Euros 

[barrycowdrill]

1 minute ago, Roger_Dubuis said:

It was a horrible draw for Sheffield. Knowing they'd lose to Abu Dhabi oil 99 times out of 100 its understandable not  as many spending money on an expensive day out.

That oil money has proven to be far more sustainable and beneficial to the surrounding areas than the Yankee debt though 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

17 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

Probably pretty similar when you factor in segregation. That place is on its uppers anyway it’s being overtaken left right and centre for events. The capacity is the only thing in its favour. Once city get the other expansion I wouldn’t bet against that being used for things more than OT. It’s already been chosen ahead of it for the Euros 

I'm sure the fans would have preferred it though.

 

[barrycowdrill]

1 minute ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

I'm sure the fans would have preferred it though.

 

Of course but when are the fans considered these days?.. 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

1 minute ago, barrycowdrill said:

Of course but when are the fans considered these days?.. 

Quite- that's what I was getting at above.

Each to their own etc, but I would never go to a semi at Wembley again.

If everyone did the same, they would soon jack them in.

[Big E]

I am amazed how many folk are arsed about other attendances. 

[Underpants]

1 hour ago, FrancisFogarty said:

I think in the olden days Wembley was operated by the FA and semis were dished out to clubs fairly local to the clubs. Since Wembley discovered money and was sold off one of the rules was that Wembley plc decided what games would be played there.

As I recall.

Like I said in my opening sentence. There's reasons for it. Doesn't mean it's right. You would be hard pressed to find any great numbers in saying that the Wembley semis are a better spectacle than what we had before.

The first bite is with the eye. And that bite has generally been shit since the switch.. 

[FrancisFogarty]

1 hour ago, Underpants said:

Like I said in my opening sentence. There's reasons for it. Doesn't mean it's right. You would be hard pressed to find any great numbers in saying that the Wembley semis are a better spectacle than what we had before.

The first bite is with the eye. And that bite has generally been shit since the switch.. 

I know, and I'm agreeing. It's not good for the fans, the environment or anybody except the FA and the broadcasters.

It can't be good for the planet for 30,000 fans to be going past Villa Park every time there's a semi on, or play offs.

Once you've been to a Wembley semi, or Pizza cup final the play offs can be a bit of a financial burden too.

[Mounts Kipper]

Semis at Wembley has taken away a part of the fa cup romance, all about money. 

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Underpants said:

Like I said in my opening sentence. There's reasons for it. Doesn't mean it's right. You would be hard pressed to find any great numbers in saying that the Wembley semis are a better spectacle than what we had before.

The first bite is with the eye. And that bite has generally been shit since the switch.. 

Most fans probably feel the same way and you'd think the TV viewing figures would reflect that fans find the Wembley semis less of a draw than playing at a neutral ground.  Yes there might be 70k at a Wembley semi but would they make more of a profit if more were watching a game on TV, with 50k on at Newcastle or Villa etc.  We neutrals wold be drawn in with the massive prize of a Wembley final, rather than the lesser prize of coming back to the same place in a few weeks.

Its never going to happen though, the seats opposite the camera that are always half empty will rake in a fortune and they can only sell those season tickets or whatever they are for stupid money if there are big draws like FA Cup semi finals thrown in. 

[Marc505]

4 hours ago, Underpants said:

I know there's something in the paperwork about semis being held at Wembley. But ffs everyone can see that the crowd wasn't up for it. The attendance looks shit in a 90k stadium. The PJT Final was a better spectacle that this. 

This game at Elland Rd or Villa Park wold be bouncing.

I know, and I agree, but... it's not going to change any time soon.

We sold our soul a long time ago, FA Cup is a pile of shit now compared to what it once was. No-one cares unless you get a decent draw.

[bwfc2003]

3 hours ago, Roger_Dubuis said:

It was a horrible draw for Sheffield. Knowing they'd lose to Abu Dhabi oil 99 times out of 100 its understandable not  as many spending money on an expensive day out.

How big is that chip on your shoulder now Red?

[bolty58]

5 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Theatre of nightmares?

 

Not sure that I'm happy with our second home being described this way  

Maybe for our opposition?

[Dr. Feelgood]

8 hours ago, Marc505 said:

FA Cup is a pile of shit now compared to what it once was.

Completely agree.

Maybe we were smaller, shallower people in those days but the old excitement and build up is gone. I miss Cup Final 'It's a Knockout' and camera's in the coach as a team drove in from Bisham Abbey and wandering where the fuck that was.

As said throughout the thread semi-finals were special partly because of the neutral grounds & 'only one step till Wembley'.

Wembley was a rare life occasion, some great players never got there. It's now routine for many.

 

[MickyD]

Wasn’t it the two Sheffield clubs kicking off about their semi-final being at Elland Rd whilst the other was at Wembley which highlighted to the FA about the value of Wembley as a venue for all semis? Can’t remember the year.

[little whitt]

12 hours ago, barrycowdrill said:

Be interesting to know what the attendance level has to be for Wembley to turn a profit? Then again the money they make from the kiosks will be massive I suppose. 
 

id hardly say 69k is a poor attendance and it’s still higher than you would get at any other ground in the country but I agree that as a spectacle it’s been piss poor 

Where we sat NOT you Ovs 😜😜

Where £150  for the Semis