Saracens & Ealing

The best Stadium outside Twickenham is Darlington Mowden Park is can seat 28,000. Full hospitality and Big bars for supporters, However they rarely get more than 800 spectators and only use one side. Whilst they have been in Nat 1 for a number of years they cannot make the break though into the Championship and are not able to fund their plans for the future especially as they are not able at present to hold any off field events. This is always the problem with clubs who have big overheads and are unable to provide any income to fund them and this is not just a Covid issue. You can count on the fingers of one hand those clubs who have succeeded Exeter being the best Example. 

I am sure that if you have been into the main entrance you would have been impressed, the only club I know with a Lift and elevators, a main function room on the first floor, with a night club at the other end. On the ground floor a main bar under one stand and a large public lounge along side. On the third floor a directors lounge and restaurant and private boxes. The area under the stand for changing rooms is so big a referee could not find the way out. Secure car parking for several hundred cars and additional land which the club was hoping to develop a multi sports facility and an  all weather pitch which is currently on hold. If they can get their commercial operations right they have the facilities which are much better that most of the current Premier league teams. However that is the problem, together with their location that they are too far North for the RFU .

workerbee wrote: I am sure that if you have been into the main entrance you would have been impressed, the only club I know with a Lift and elevators, a main function room on the first floor, with a night club at the other end. On the ground floor a main bar under one stand and a large public lounge along side. On the third floor a directors lounge and restaurant and private boxes. The area under the stand for changing rooms is so big a referee could not find the way out. Secure car parking for several hundred cars and additional land which the club was hoping to develop a multi sports facility and an  all weather pitch which is currently on hold. If they can get their commercial operations right they have the facilities which are much better that most of the current Premier league teams. However that is the problem, together with their location that they are too far North for the RFU .

On the face of it, very impressive - however there is a lot to maintain when crowds are averaging 800 per game and an even bigger millstone when there are no games/crowds.

Whilst buying the arena at a good price, performance on the pitch hasn't matched up to it and the running costs (even with some conference/meeting income) must be horrendous even before lockdown restrictions. I suppose it can always be sold for housing as was going to happen before MP stepped in.

I have been to Doncaster's ground and it is very impressive, However even they cannot fit in 28,000 into their ground. It would seem that there are only a handful of stadiums that could meet Premiership criteria and even Ealing are considering moving if the chance of premiership was on offer with a 14 team league. 

castleparknight wrote: Workerbee - come visit Castle Park the things you mentioned are pretty much available here too.....

This sounds like a "my dad is bigger than your dad" argument.

WEvans wrote: This sounds like a "my dad is bigger than your dad" argument. There's more to a good dad/stadium than size.

Donny has the best pies in the ground anywhere although to be fair to DMP the Taylors Pork Pies in Skinnergate push them close.

corporalcarrot wrote: Donny has the best pies in the ground anywhere although to be fair to DMP the Taylors Pork Pies in Skinnergate push them close.