15 Jun 2025 14:49:37
I just can't see Celtic rebuilding the main stand any time soon. They're currently upgrading the hospitality boxes this summer, which pretty much tells you it's not getting knocked down in the near future. To me, that feels like a real lack of foresight and ambition. We should be thinking long term about how to modernise the stadium and increase capacity, not just giving the VIPs nicer seats. Feels like another short term fix rather than a proper vision for the future. Just another reason I don't like the board's conservatism.
15 Jun 2025 16:36:00
Do they need to knock it down? Can't they just remove the roof and add another tier?
15 Jun 2025 16:53:43
It would have to be knocked down and rebuilt, probably with new foundations. We may even consider building below ground to give us extra space.
There are false rumours that it is a listed building because Archibald Leitch designed it. However, neither is true, so the only hurdles we would need to overcome, are a conservative board, obtaining a loan and getting planning permission (which should not be an issue) .
The only downside of doing this work would be that we would lose the main stand while the work was being carried out. However, if we closed the stadium as soon as season ended, we would have 15 months to complete the work and that would mean only missing out on 1 season.
15 Jun 2025 17:54:16
Celtic should first see appetite for filling our current stadium week in week, create a scheme to transfer / sell unused seats, if the so called waiting list fills these seats and there’s an actual appetite for bigger attendance then it’s worth the discussion, right now this is a waste of time, Celtic should concentrate on delivering on the park and on park only (in my opinion obv)
{Ed007's Note - I totally agree Jaa, it's pointless discussing any stadium expansion when we can't get near a full our stadium domestically except for maybe half a dozen games a season, if you're lucky. Apart from opening day, maybe winning the league, flag day and the derbies there's nowhere near enough people attending games to warrant a stadium expansion.
It's all well and good people saying but the season tickets would sell out but the atmosphere is bad enough at games without adding thousands of more empty seats. It's almost criminal that the Club still do not look like having a ticket resell/exchange scheme up and running for next season.}
15 Jun 2025 18:26:06
I take your point regarding the ticket resell scheme and fully agree that it should be introduced. However, I don’t believe we need to wait until the stadium is full for every home game before moving ahead with a main stand upgrade.
The reality is that the empty seats we often see have already been sold. This shows that demand for season tickets is essentially at capacity. These unused seats are more a reflection of individual circumstances than a lack of interest, and they highlight why a resell scheme is needed, not why expansion should be delayed.
The proposed redevelopment would add between 12,000 and 22,000 seats, depending on how much space is allocated for hospitality and media. With close to 20,000 people currently on the season ticket waiting list, there is strong evidence that these additional seats could be filled if the upgrade goes ahead.
In addition to the resell scheme, I would also recommend establishing a dedicated fanzone terracing behind the goals in the Celtic End. Both measures would go a long way in improving the atmosphere. Allowing supporters to relocate within the stadium to be with friends, family, or their supporters’ clubs would also improve the atmosphere. Lastly, reconsidering the sale of alcohol within the stadium could contribute to both atmosphere and revenue.
{Ed007's Note - Yeah the seats will be sold but if they're empty the atmosphere in a a bigger & emptier stadium will be even worse than it is now. World famous brilliant Celtic Park atmosphere is a complete myth for most matches, even on CL nights there's too many supporters there expect the GB & BHOYS to create atmosphere while they get to take pics & videos for social media, after the start of the game few minutes of bedlam it's back to the normal library.
I'd be all for the creation of The Celtic End though or at the very least install another safe standing section at the opposite North Stand corner to the GB section for the BHOYS to use.}
15 Jun 2025 20:06:53
I am not disputing any of that ed and we will probably align on most points. Perhaps were we differ is I see there are multiple issues that need addressed and the atmosphere issue is not mutually exclusive.
For example it is possible for Sevco to increase the capacity of Ibrox, so it is inline with us and that would negate one of our current advantages. However, if we increase our capacity the only option they have left is to build a new stadium. As we know, that is extremely costly and risky.
Also, for us to keep improving on the pitch, we need to keep growing our revenue. This increased capacity and corporate revenue would be akin to champions league qualification money, which would be massive for us. This would mean that even if we lost the league and they got champions league qualification, we would still be ahead of them in terms of revenue.
In addition, this upgrade would give us the opportunity to comply with uefa criteria for hosting European finals and be by far the best and largest stadium in Scotland with top class facilities.
Not only that, now is the perfect time to do it, as we have massive season ticket waiting list and money in the bank. For me the question is not should we do this, it is, why are we not doing this?
{Ed007's Note - I just can't get on board of doing it just for the sake of doing it and because of the money it'll make, that's a bit plasticky for me & empty seats are never a good look for big clubs. It wasn't so long ago - in footballing terms - we had to close stands because of the lack of interest, would EL instead of CL fill the current CP never mind an extended capacity?
I would rather in the short term the Club concentrated on filling the stadium we have before we spend millions on a bigger stadium we'd struggle even more to fill, selling season tickets to people who are only coming for "big" games needs to be nipped in the bud, more & more clubs are going down a system that if you're season ticket isn't activated - by yourself or put on the resale scheme - for a certain percentage of games then you lose it. I'd definitely support that IF there was a resale scheme as the travel for a lot of fans, especially the Irish lads, with kick-off times is a nightmare.}
15 Jun 2025 22:42:20
It’s a huge cost that would take years to recoup -years is like 10 plus just to recoup a 100 mil investment, so where’s the actual investment, Celtic have the fans no doubt but the fact is Scottish football doesn’t provide the entertainment required to fill a 70k stadium, it just doesn’t, yeah flag day, trophy day, cl nights but there’s 75% games would attendance wise be dyer, don’t kid yourself on that if we got another 7-10k fans in some of them would also not go, I can’t stress enough that having a scheme to resell tiks would be way to go, there’s lots people on waiting list for a tennar that when presented with the 700 bill for season Tik won’t take it up, reselling a seat unused will work and appease the people that want to go.
16 Jun 2025 00:42:43
Maybe there is a half way approach? Yes do the resale system, but even increase capacity a bit by adding a tier above sw corner? It's brutal for fans on the waiting list for a season ticket. If we added a tier above the corner it might give us about 5-10k extra maybe? Board would still have their waiting list.
16 Jun 2025 08:01:48
If you build it .
16 Jun 2025 08:10:41
@jaa11 It would not take years to recoup and we would be able to make the loan repayments while making a decent profit each year. That profit would greatly increase once the loan is repaid.
16 Jun 2025 14:26:04
I am surprised Weejoe at your continued support for building a new south stand . Your posts are always based on sensible and sound thinking, however I think u have got it wrong on timing of new stand . I agree completely with Ed and other posters re the filling of all seats at matches, not on selling them to season holders and not used at match .
The timing for club is all wrong, we need to build our club to be a strong C L club every season. You reckon that we could demolish old stand and
build new stand in 15 mths . That’s a reasonable timeframe but at the present time these 15 mths contracts often run into 24 mths or longer .
However all is not lost, in the next 5 to 10 years there is no reason why a contractor won’t be able to do a job like this in 8-10 weeks . He will demolish it and dispose of it in a matter of days . The new build will arrive on a daily basis in sections ready to be joined together and after 5/ 6 weeks the cleaners will be in to clean the seats and caterers will have food and drink available at every seat throughout the game . Trust Ai.
16 Jun 2025 16:41:57
The main stand is a joke we are window dressing with new cupboards in changing rooms, painting tunnel and now dugout upgrade. Fergus got it wrong back in the day not. Don’t increase capacity but redesign stand to improve facilities for fans not corporate.
16 Jun 2025 18:16:20
If the club did build an extra 10-20k seats and we sell those season tickets, we will still be in the position where there are large patches of empty seatsduring many games.
We may get the money in but it will have an impact on the atmosphere.
We need to get the ticket exchange up and running, reviewing the demand for those tickets and we will then be in a position to make an informed decision.
It has to be a business decision not one made from the heart.
I also think many of those who have season tickets tend to turn up for the glamour ties.
I also think that realistically, if the work cost anything from 50-100 million, paying that loan back, will take a long time. It's not like buying a car over 3 years, this will take 20-30 years to pay back.
It will not be cheap.
It's a huge decision for the club to make.
17 Jun 2025 23:53:17
I can’t see the joke in the main stand . Our whole stadium including the main stand is one that we can all be proud of .
Like many other stadium of clubs that are far richer than us, Celtic Pk needs a thorough renovation and modernisation in places .
There is no excuse for toilets not having all necessary ingredients working properly .
There is no excuse why every seat isn’t repaired or replaced for opening game of season . All rubbish should be removed .
A first class internet coverage should be available throughout the whole stadium ( Ability to switch off hot water from referee and assistants showers should be instantly available )
I am sure there are other cosmetic improvements that are needed and club should teams of experts and worker to give the stadium the face lift that the stadium, club and supporters deserve,
Get these types of changes completed and set in motion the reselling / or re using all the tickets so that we fill the station morel.