Question about Stadium Expansions

I was just wondering can clubs not managed by you expand their stadium or build new ones. In my Man United game Old Trafford now has a capacity of 100,000 but all other premier league clubs have the same capcity they originally had (excluding ones that are set in the database to happen like Liverpool and Portsmouth's new stadiums). Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool consistently fill their stadiums as do most of the other premier league clubs but never expand. It is not finances as Arsenal and Chelsea are certainly richer than Man United. Does anyone know if other clubs can expand their stadiums or build new ones?

I'm pretty sure i've seen this happen. I was playing in the SPL and i think about 4 seasons in someone like Dunfermline got a small expansion on their stadium. I think its alot rarer with AI teams to stop every teams stadiums becoming much larger than at the start of the game.

It's good it happens then but I think it needs to be more realistic then. If Man United board (even though I'm manager) increase to 100,000 surely Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea should increase their stadiums. Chelsea a rich club with almost 60,000 less capacity than United is unrealistic, don't you think? Another thing I forgot to mention when I play a game and do not manage Man United they never expand. I think stadium expansions need to be more realistic for other clubs.

It defininely happens. In my long term FM2007 game with TNS (only managed the one club) a small number of clubs moved, albeit to unimaginatively named stadia ("Valencia Stadium" "Adelaide United Stadium") etc.

Yes, definately happens so long as the league is at least on basic. On full detail it happens quite often, and until recently I thought that basic meant it was stuck the same - since 8.02 though I've seen Ibrox and Stamford Bridge go up to 65,000, plus Hearts are moving into a new stadium, with only the Italian leagues in full. I'm also pretty sure that clubs invest in their youth and training facilities when on basic too.

It obiously happens then, it's just strange I never saw it happen. Chelsea have never expanded in my game while Old Trafford has undergone two expansions when I am manager of Man United but have never expanded when I am not manager.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but IRL doesn't Old Trafford seat ~70k but Stamford bridge ~40k-something? Who knows, maybe some stadia aren't easily upgraded or the land area doesn't allow it. Also, look at Arsenal who have to buy cheap/sell high and are committed to losing their talent for the next 20 years or so for their new stadium. Maybe teams aren't willing to commit to a policy of 'keeping up with the Joneses'. Heh, just a thought.

It's true that they may not be easily upgraded but why is it that Old Trafford is expanded twice in the first three seasons of every new game by the board without me requesting it when I am manger of them, but I have played several games managing someone else with the Premier League loaded as a playable league and Old Trafford is never expanded.

I'd put the Old Trafford lack of expansion when managed by AI teams down to the horrid financial situation of the club at the start of the game. As a human manager you can somewhat overcome this by selling off some of the youngsters and making smart buys in the transfer market, but the AI doesn't tend to do this very well. This leads to the Chairman's loan (around 50m#/month) very rapidly depleting the balance and nothing to go towards expansions. This also causes MUFC to typically do very poorly in general when managed by the AI (that they tend to let tevez and others leave on free transfers to reduce wages doesn't help either). During my llm games I find quite frequently that MUFC has dropped out of the big 4 within 2 seasons and the squad they have left very rarely looks like they have any chance at breaking back in.

As far as other AI managed teams go, It seems to me that unlike human managers, AI teams don't try to build up cash. If they have transfer money available, they tend to spend it on overpriced players. This would also leave little balance for projects such as academy/stadium expansion.

That probably explains it, certainly about Man United. I found it strange, though, as I never saw anyone expand or move in any game I played and was wondering why. Obviously AI financial management would need to be improved in the game for this to be more realistic then.

I think it is just AI full stop. It's really bad in FM.

The reason Manchester United can easily expand their stadium to 100k, while Chelsea/Arsenal cannot, is based on the expansion capacity stated in the editor. I expect Man Utd have an expansion capacity of 100k, while Arsenal's is 60k and Chelsea's 40k. Once a team reaches its expansion capacity, requests to expand the stadium are often met with messages such as "local council blocks planning permission".

Yeah, thats right. Expansion capacity plays a part but Old Trafford has expansion capacity of 100,000 so why was that never expanded when managed by AI and is when I am in charge. I am sure other stadiums have expansion capacity and never saw them being expanded either unless I managed them. I have managed both PSV and Middlesbrough recently and they both expanded when I was in charge but neither expanded in other games when they are managed by AI.

It most definately happens. Southend United are now playing in a 56,957 seat stadium in my game.