No doubt they had a look at refurbishing Anfield out of curiosity. Yet the fact that a football club whose Chief Executive makes a great virtue of his own L4 upbringing didn‘t actually get around to knocking on the doors of residents in the shadow of our revered ground tends to suggest they were never that committed to the idea. For me, from the moment Ian Ayre came out with his comment that naming rights would only apply to a new stadium, it’s been nailed-on we’re moving a brand new stadium - with the accent on brand.
I think that’s a bit unwarranted. I don't for one minute believe that they didn't genuinely spend a significant amount of time exploring the possibility of redeveloping Anfield. You do realize they faced this exact situation in Boston with Fenway Park. They don't need to go knocking on doors, I think they understand the historical and emotional bond with an old sports stadium and what it means to it's supporters. They decided to opt for redeveloping Fenway, because they studied every single aspect and every single obstacle and figured it was feasible, locally and economically. So far, from what I have witnessed from FSG I have no reason to doubt them. I take their word when they say Anfield would be their first choice.
i wont be going to the new ground either.
but what you`ve said has made me think of something else, once we move from anfield i think it makes it a lot easier for fans NOT to go the game, if we are going through a bad spell or a few seasons start to pass without us winning anything i think the new stadium wont hold the same emotional attachment so i think it will be a bit easier for fans to think `i think i might jib it for a bit`
if the club dismantles the things that makes the club what it is, if it dismantles the things that give the club it`s identity, fans wont be as loyal imo.
who`s going to get emotional about a 60,000 seat dome full of shops and corporate boxes?
What do you mean you won't be going to the new ground? What kind of mentality is that? Your ties are with this football club and just because they move homes you won't be going to watch them anymore? It's your choice but it doesn't seem logical. Listen, we have to understand the financial aspect of this. In 2008-09 our gate receipts were £42 million. Arsenal's were £100 m and United's were £109m. We are miles behind in match day income. That is huge in economic terms. In order to get back in to the top 4 and stay there we need to get much closer in terms of match day revenue. Yes, it's going to take a vast sum of money to build a new stadium but in the long term it will give us the opportunity to play on a even field with the United's and Arsenal's. That's why we are looking in to signing up with a naming rights partner to offset the cost of building a new stadium.
We all love Anfield. The symbolic and emotional attachment we have to it is unrivalled. We will never forget it, how could we. It will always be ingrained in our social pysche. But to move forward as a club and cement a more secure ecomonic footing we may well need to move away from it.
