Old Trafford modified to hold 23,500 spectators

Sassy Colin

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54716149

Manchester United have modified Old Trafford to accommodate 23,500 socially distanced spectators, and say they are "bemused" by the ongoing ban on fans at stadiums.
"We received government guidelines," said Collette Roche, United's chief operating officer. "I'm convinced that we would be able to [accommodate fans] safely."

"We spent around two months working with the government guidelines to develop the right processes and measures to make sure that we can have around 23,500 people in this stadium safely social distancing."

She added that United had plans to introduce staggered arrival times for fans and temperature checks before entry to minimise risks.
I know it's bit boring because it doesn't involve slagging off the club, the manager & the squad, but anyway.
 

sammsky1

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Strategic press release to put pressure on Government.

But I cant see how it can be justified while Manchester is under tier 3 status.
 

12OunceEpilogue

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As was pointed out in the previous thread where this was discussed it isn't accommodating 20k or so people in the ground that's the concern, it's having them travelling around the local area and on public transport that is giving some people in Trafford pause for thought. With Manchester in tier 3 I can't see how getting a few fans into OT is a priority.
 

Rolaholic

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Quite puzzling seeing the club consider this a priority or good time in the middle of a second wave that has necessitated the renewal of strict lockdown measures in the country once again recently...

It's like that incredibly tone deaf and laughable letter from Premier League clubs to the government arguing for fans to be allowed back under the pretense of concern for their long term mental health and not their bottom line.

They were so concerned for fans wellbeing a few weeks ago that they had no issue with making matches PPV all of a sudden...:rolleyes:
 

Lynty

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Stupid press release from the club.

It doesn't matter how many spectators you can accommodate. The fact is, the surrounding area and public transport cannot accommodate a sudden influx of 23,000 people and still be COVID safe.
 

The Cat

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Stupid press release from the club.

It doesn't matter how many spectators you can accommodate. The fact is, the surrounding area and public transport cannot accommodate a sudden influx of 23,000 people and still be COVID safe.
Well said.
 

Smores

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23k sounds like a lot of people. I'm a bit doubtful they could safely seat them never mind deal with the coming and goings. The club saying they're bemused or convinced as if that means anything is just weird.

I was surprised they abandoned plans for fans so early and think they should have been allowed to test small numbers. Let clubs start with 5k and see how it goes.
 

sammsky1

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As was pointed out in the previous thread where this was discussed it isn't accommodating 20k or so people in the ground that's the concern, it's having them travelling around the local area and on public transport that is giving some people in Trafford pause for thought. With Manchester in tier 3 I can't see how getting a few fans into OT is a priority.
Has the German experiments on this revealed anything about covid19 risk?

I think the clubs calculations are that with only 30% of normal crowds, staggered entry and exit times, social distanced seating and mandated masks, and it being an outdoor events, they can eliminate risk of spreading covid19. With only 30% of supporters perhaps they can mandate travel by car only, and cancel all public transport to the stadium? Sounds reasonable to me.

However, all this is moot while Manchester is tier 3.
 

prateik

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I like how they said they'll do temperature checks.. I'm sure they'll also spray some sanitizer on the hands.. that should take care of things.
 

sammsky1

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23k sounds like a lot of people. I'm a bit doubtful they could safely seat them never mind deal with the coming and goings. The club saying they're bemused or convinced as if that means anything is just weird.
I was surprised they abandoned plans for fans so early and think they should have been allowed to test small numbers. Let clubs start with 5k and see how it goes.
Agreed, and then only in tier 1 regions.
 

Vidyoyo

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Not feasible but good on the club for thinking forward. There's a lot of questions to be asked to the government about how we can accommodate a return to a 'new' normal, complying with a Covid-safe guidelines, both in the ground and outside of it. At the very least, it's something of a positive outlook to counter the doom and gloom that's affecting the morale of the country - and, in my opinion, negatively affecting the necessary compliance.
 

Superunknown

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The stadium plan is fine but how do you keep 23,500 people away from each other before and after?
Exactly. It's also an issue at halftime. Toilets + getting refreshments. It's not so much as shoving 23,000+ people into a seat in a stadium, it's everything before, during and after that.

I think it would be really, really silly to go from nothing to hosting that many people without gradually building up to that. Maybe even start off with a few hundred fans to begin with, maybe. Forget about thousands. The timing for this isn't great due to the second wave, but if there is a serious plan to get fans back into stadiums, it has to be managed sensibly and slowly.

I would be keen to hear how they plan to release those fans back into the wild once the match is done. People loiter, so there definitely needs to be something in place to move these people on. Also, public transport would need managing. It has a knock-on effect. These fans aren't just going to teleport home.
 

Tom Cato

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Strategic press release to put pressure on Government.

But I cant see how it can be justified while Manchester is under tier 3 status.
It is my understanding this opinion was made public before the recent tier3 status.

I can see them having a point. People are allowed to travel, go to stores and other social acitivites (until very recently). I can also see the point from a public health concern by having so many people congregate to and from the stadium.

6 months until the EU believe we have a vaccine ready to be massively distributed
 

slored1

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Extremely ignorant and not necessary in this time. The second wave is on and they want people watching football from the stands?
 

El Zoido

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Financially the club needs it. We’re haemorrhaging money and are desperate. That’s why this has happened.
 

choccy77

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23k sounds like a lot of people. I'm a bit doubtful they could safely seat them never mind deal with the coming and goings. The club saying they're bemused or convinced as if that means anything is just weird.

I was surprised they abandoned plans for fans so early and think they should have been allowed to test small numbers. Let clubs start with 5k and see how it goes.
Are you saying they couldn't fit 23,000 people spread out in a 76,000 seater stadium?

What are these 23,000 people in your mind, sumo wrestlers?
 

Smores

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Are you saying they couldn't fit 23,000 people spread out in a 76,000 seater stadium?

What are these 23,000 people in your mind, sumo wrestlers?
How spread out can they be if it's 2 empty seats for every person?
 

lysglimt

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Has the German experiments on this revealed anything about covid19 risk?

I think the clubs calculations are that with only 30% of normal crowds, staggered entry and exit times, social distanced seating and mandated masks, and it being an outdoor events, they can eliminate risk of spreading covid19. With only 30% of supporters perhaps they can mandate travel by car only, and cancel all public transport to the stadium? Sounds reasonable to me.

However, all this is moot while Manchester is tier 3.
The germans must be doing something right because they have among the lowest infected numbers pr capita.
 

RashyForPM

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I don’t live in Manchester; are there still loads of daily Covid cases? If it’s improving, fans must be let in.
 
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How spread out can they be if it's 2 empty seats for every person?
Will it be for every person. If you are a family, can you not sit together? And then just be separate from anyone else? I’ve given up on looking at the rules, apart from what specifically applied to be. But I would have thought family can sit best to each other? Makes it a bit of a logistical challenge mind!
 

RashyForPM

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some reports say this 2nd wave will take more lives than the first. I dont see how its feasible
:( Stay safe all of you. Mancs are really lovely people. Went over in Christmas 2016 to watch the Sunderland (Mkhi goal) game and everyone was so hospitable, including in Hotel Football. It was pissing down as usual though :lol:

Anyway, if there is a supposed deadly 2nd wave, I wouldn’t want them to let people into OT. It’s just not feasible. At the same time though, this Government is letting every public thing happen bar football fans going to stadiums. What’s the point then? It’s just weird.
 

12OunceEpilogue

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Has the German experiments on this revealed anything about covid19 risk?

I think the clubs calculations are that with only 30% of normal crowds, staggered entry and exit times, social distanced seating and mandated masks, and it being an outdoor events, they can eliminate risk of spreading covid19. With only 30% of supporters perhaps they can mandate travel by car only, and cancel all public transport to the stadium? Sounds reasonable to me.

However, all this is moot while Manchester is tier 3.
Yeah, it could be a goer once the threat level has reduced in Manchester and I certainly want crowds back for the club and the fans as soon as possible.
 

Red71

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This is really a social issue more than a football matter. I suppose this is a question of whether you believe the government and media reporting in terms of the severity of Covid. Maybe United (and others) don’t. The vast majority of the population are being quarantined for the minority of elderly and immunity compromised (who of course absolutely should be kept safe) which is an unfortunate and unusual way to deal with this situation.

Please God, at some point, normality has to return. Its a concern for me that things like match attendance is being billed as contingent upon a vaccination but that is another matter and I don’t want to derail the thread.

I don’t blame United and other clubs pushing the agenda along. Another “business wants its customers back” shocker! Enough small businesses have gone to the wall through the poor handling of this crisis and now the big ones are starting to struggle. It’ll be a massive impact to communities up and down the country if some of the bigger clubs start to fold...there is a symbiotic relationship where football needs fans and the fans need football...
 

0le

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This is really a social issue more than a football matter. I suppose this is a question of whether you believe the government and media reporting in terms of the severity of Covid. Maybe United (and others) don’t.
Well that are people who believe in conspiracies and a vast majority of people who recognize the severity of the pandemic and will want governments and business to follow the general scientific advice. At present, that advice is telling us there is a second wave, case numbers and deaths are rising and therefore introducing fans back into the stadium is not in any way a reasonable thing to suggest at the moment, let alone carry out.
 

dal

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It does seem like a really stupid press release at first however It may have been a nothing to lose type of publication.

The finances are under strain and the bad press maybe worth the risk.

Regardless however 23,000 is a ridiculous amount considering the current situation with Covid.

I think 10 percent of capacity should be the absolute maximum.
 

WR10

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Just a daily reminder how disconnected the board of directors at publicly traded company ‘Manchester United plc’ is from the real world. No they don’t care about fans - they care about shareholders. Shareholders say revenue please, board says yes of course fans are dispensable.
No two ways about this. This COVID wave is a tsunami. United are willing to be accomplices in the chaos to save a few ££.

Nothing short of disappointing and surely not surprising.
 

90 + 5min

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The germans must be doing something right because they have among the lowest infected numbers pr capita.
If you waited one more hour, (when Merkel had press conference) you would not have wrote that.

Europe is having what people might call second wave. The near future looks dark. Let see what UK does because there is no good stats coming out from this week.
 

Mickeza

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I’m bemused at how they can possibly be bemused that 23,500 people gathering just to watch a ball being kicked about has been deemed an unnecessary risk to take during a global pandemic. I’m absolutely flabbergasted actually.
 

Physiocrat

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Anything that puts pressure on the government to lift restrictions is a good thing. Good on them
 

groovyalbert

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Doubt they expect this to happen anytime soon, just ensuring they're at the front of the queue when it does get the nod
 

Bosws87

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Hope its unsuccessful, i have no desire to renew my season ticket this season.

Until away fans can travel i want no part of football stadiums