Stadium Expansions - League Requirements

I'm managing Scunthorpe and have just completed my second season in the Premier League. At the end of last season I got an expansion, only something like 1500 seats were added. I've just finished the very last game and have been told the stadium will be expanded by 5000 seats in order to comply with league requirements.

I assume, the stadium needs to have x amount of seats and you're given a bit of time to get it done. Does anyone know the requirement and timescale to achieve them?

I'm managing Scunthorpe and have just completed my second season in the Premier League. At the end of last season I got an expansion, only something like 1500 seats were added. I've just finished the very last game and have been told the stadium will be expanded by 5000 seats in order to comply with league requirements.

I assume, the stadium needs to have x amount of seats and you're given a bit of time to get it done. Does anyone know the requirement and timescale to achieve them?

I was always under the impression you had to comply by the requirements (not sure what they are) before they were allowed to compete in the Prem.

Edit:

Source: Wikipedia

A trend towards all-seater stadiums was initially prescribed by the Taylor Report, and was originally a condition only of Premier League admission. It has now become a requirement that within three years of promotion to the Championship all paying spectators are seated, even if the club is subsequently relegated.

I think I've read about that being the case for other leagues, I've never heard about a minimum requirement for the PL though.

I think I've read about that being the case for other leagues, I've never heard about a minimum requirement for the PL though.

Yeah I am sure the F.A have the right to refuse a team promotion to the PL on the grounds that their stadia do not meet their requirements.

I'm managing Scunthorpe and have just completed my second season in the Premier League. At the end of last season I got an expansion, only something like 1500 seats were added. I've just finished the very last game and have been told the stadium will be expanded by 5000 seats in order to comply with league requirements.

I assume, the stadium needs to have x amount of seats and you're given a bit of time to get it done. Does anyone know the requirement and timescale to achieve them?

Premier League Handbook

Above is a link to the handbook, you can view a PDF of the rules section.

Having a quick scan of section I which covers "Ground Criteria" there doesn't seem to be a minimum level of seating just minimums levels for broadcasting facilities/photographers/pitch/dressing rooms etc.

As for time for compliance I would assume it falls under:

"Any Club which is unable to comply with Rules I.11, I.13, I.14 and I.16 may make application

to the Board to be allowed time to do so and the Board in its absolute discretion may allow

such time for compliance as it thinks fit."

Premier League Handbook

Above is a link to the handbook, you can view a PDF of the rules section.

Having a quick scan of section I which covers "Ground Criteria" there doesn't seem to be a minimum level of seating just minimums levels for broadcasting facilities/photographers/pitch/dressing rooms etc.

As for time for compliance I would assume it falls under:

"Any Club which is unable to comply with Rules I.11, I.13, I.14 and I.16 may make application

to the Board to be allowed time to do so and the Board in its absolute discretion may allow

such time for compliance as it thinks fit."

Thanks you saved me a job lol, I was just in the process of downloading this from the F.A website.

I always thought stadium requirements were intentionally left out of FM to avoid us being unable to progress further through no fault of our own.. :S

Fulham played at Loftus Road while one of their ends was being converted iirc, so it is enforced irl

Well, when I got my team promoted to Division Three, i only had a 4000 capacity stadium no seater. They extended to 10,000 with 6000 seaters, which took about 8 months to complete. Put me into £6.5mil debt though, unbelievable amount of money. Each seat really worth about £1100?

Well, when I got my team promoted to Division Three, i only had a 4000 capacity stadium no seater. They extended to 10,000 with 6000 seaters, which took about 8 months to complete. Put me into £6.5mil debt though, unbelievable amount of money. Each seat really worth about £1100?

Stadium expansions are normally expensive affairs!

Well, when I got my team promoted to Division Three, i only had a 4000 capacity stadium no seater. They extended to 10,000 with 6000 seaters, which took about 8 months to complete. Put me into £6.5mil debt though, unbelievable amount of money. Each seat really worth about £1100?

When you take into account things such as design, planning, labour, materials etc, it's going to cost an awful lot of money.

I've spent 2 seasons in Premier League now with Leyton, and I seem to be stuck at 12500 capacity. No room for any more expansion, and I sell out every game (last year the average attendance was 12498 ). Really hope I'm getting a new stadium soon..

Anyway, on topic, the summer I got promoted my stadium was expanded from 10500 to 12500 to cope with Premier League regulations, or so it said. So maybe the minimum capacity is somewhere around there?

Premier League Handbook

Above is a link to the handbook, you can view a PDF of the rules section.

Having a quick scan of section I which covers "Ground Criteria" there doesn't seem to be a minimum level of seating just minimums levels for broadcasting facilities/photographers/pitch/dressing rooms etc.

...

Um, how about this bit...?

"All Seater Grounds

7. Spectators admitted to a registered ground shall be offered only seated accommodation, the

majority of which shall be covered, and there shall be no standing terraces."

Um, how about this bit...?

"All Seater Grounds

7. Spectators admitted to a registered ground shall be offered only seated accommodation, the

majority of which shall be covered, and there shall be no standing terraces."

???

Urm, which part of that shows the minimum capacity a ground must be which was part of the discussion

Yeah I am sure the F.A have the right to refuse a team promotion to the PL on the grounds that their stadia do not meet their requirements.

As Cougar2010 says when he quoted the rules, its very unlikely that a team will be refused. Teams such as Pompey and Fulham were allowed promotion on the proviso of the work bein completed within a designated timeframe. Its more likely that a team would have a area of the ground shut down whilst the work was carried out or be asked to play their home games somewhere else.

Thanks for the info.

Thing is though, if it's because of the facilities for photographies/media etc, why was I allowed to play in the PL for two years before fixing it? Not that this is a problem, just general interest really. Plus, I needed an expansion anyway

Well, when I got my team promoted to Division Three, i only had a 4000 capacity stadium no seater. They extended to 10,000 with 6000 seaters, which took about 8 months to complete. Put me into £6.5mil debt though, unbelievable amount of money. Each seat really worth about £1100?

When you consider the emirates cost Arsenal in the region of £260million and seats 60,000 that works out at nearly 4 times as much per seat...!!!

How do you get a move into a new stadium?

I've filled my ground for over 6 seasons and when i ask to expand the council say no.

What do i need to do before a new stadium becomes real?

When you consider the emirates cost Arsenal in the region of £260million and seats 60,000 that works out at nearly 4 times as much per seat...!!!

Building new is always cheaper then expanding when you think the club would have to adjust the stands etc

As Cougar2010 says when he quoted the rules, its very unlikely that a team will be refused. Teams such as Pompey and Fulham were allowed promotion on the proviso of the work bein completed within a designated timeframe. Its more likely that a team would have a area of the ground shut down whilst the work was carried out or be asked to play their home games somewhere else.

Yeah I dont really ever see the F.A doing it, just saying that they can do it if they wish to.

Yeah I dont really ever see the F.A doing it, just saying that they can do it if they wish to.

I know. Its just one of them things that if the FA done it once then it sets a precedent which could open a can of worms, similar to Sheffield United and the Tevez affair.