Training Ground plans

[OTT]

6 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

We can’t even sell out when we play Rangers and Celtic.  Capacity is least of our concerns.

 

But we have a waiting list of 7-8 thousand. 

 

Suggests to me its not a lack of demand, its a lack of interest in games against the OF. People generally don't want to watch gubbings, and Robbies form against the OF has been dire. I think under Naismith that might change given previous results this season. 

 

Given ticket sales are king in Scotland, another 5-6k capacity would bring in another £2.1m to spend, this would make us more competitive.

[Heartsofgold]

20 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

Yeah if we wanted to expand the Wheatfield (ignoring all other issues) that space is absolutely crucial. 

The major problem with ANY further expansion to Tynecastle is out of our control.  It's the Ethanol tanks at the back of the Roseburn.

 

These tanks, even after the additional safety features that were installed prior to the new main stand construction, limit the overall capacity for us due to the potential danger they represent.

 

They would have to be moved or completely removed before any further construction to increase capacity would even be considered by Health and Safety at ECC.

[Mdoug79]

The extra £120k per month once Ann has been paid back this year together with the savings with not building the main stand hotel and the income from the hotel ……… that should be a load more cash every month?! I’ve no idea the numbers involved but we should have a load more cash available. 

[OTT]

3 minutes ago, Heartsofgold said:

The major problem with ANY further expansion to Tynecastle is out of our control.  It's the Ethanol tanks at the back of the Roseburn.

 

These tanks, even after the additional safety features that were installed prior to the new main stand construction, limit the overall capacity for us due to the potential danger they represent.

 

They would have to be moved or completely removed before any further construction to increase capacity would even be considered by Health and Safety at ECC.

 

Yeah, its what I was getting at when I said "ignoring all other issues" - I do think we should try and buy the community pitch sooner rather than later though. Don't want to end up land locked with zero hope on the current site. At least if we have it, nobody can build more ****ing student flats on it

 

Hopefully getting the training ground expanded and improved will mean better facilities and more youngsters rejecting going west or south and we can start to see even more laddies coming through into the first team. Be great to get a bit of a snowball effect of selling these young laddies on which could in the long term help pay for things like stadium expansion and such. 

[kingantti1874]

22 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

We can’t even sell out when we play Rangers and Celtic.  Capacity is least of our concerns.

well that’s not true.  Every single  ticket is sold .  We don’t oversell the seats released on ticket exchange for Celtic and rangers.

 

You are confusing not selling out for people like me who have a ticket but rarely go to these fixtures, or if I do I have 2 bought and paid for seats next to me which go unused.  I don’t take my kids to see that shower

[Americana]

23 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

We can’t even sell out when we play Rangers and Celtic.  Capacity is least of our concerns.

 

Surely thats false, most games now go to the exchange do they not?

[Daveandal]

Just now, Americana said:

 

Surely thats false, most games now go to the exchange do they not?

 

Our lowest attendances are now against the Celtic and Rangers. Something our media just can't compute.

 

Without a doubt we could fill a bigger stadium. The problem is, as stated on another thread, is its near impossible to expand. That doesn't mean we shouldn't explore every possible avenue. No reason IMO Hearts shouldn't have 20k plus attendances every game.

[Taffin]

3 minutes ago, Daveandal said:

 

Our lowest attendances are now against the Celtic and Rangers. Something our media just can't compute.

 

Without a doubt we could fill a bigger stadium. The problem is, as stated on another thread, is its near impossible to expand. That doesn't mean we shouldn't explore every possible avenue. No reason IMO Hearts shouldn't have 20k plus attendances every game.

 

In fairness I'm surprised by that as well. OF, Hibs and Aberdeen are the 4 games I'll plan a trip home to see, the rest I can take or leave tbh.

[Americana]

4 minutes ago, Daveandal said:

 

Our lowest attendances are now against the Celtic and Rangers. Something our media just can't compute.

 

 

 

Wasnt aware of that. I gave up my ST a couple of years back but Hibs, Celtic and Rangers were always the days you looked forward to the most.

[Texaco]

27 minutes ago, Daveandal said:

 

Successful ticket exchange as we literally sell more tickets than we have seats.

 

Waiting list for season tickets.

 

Capacity is an issue. Just maybe one that can't be solved.

 

Agree, Ground capacity is just a wee niggle in the great story going on at Tynecastle right now. The basic fact that we have a season ticket waiting list and are restricting some away fans to accommodate our own is a large loss of revenue. We all know that the fortunes on the park can turn on a sixpence and demand can change quickly. But it's times like these you lock new fans in. Kids pestering parents and grandparents to take them to games. It's easy enough for a one off game with ticket exchange and seats changing. But to get a season ticket with your Mum, Dad or Grandparent is a long wait. Kids will drift off to something else. The future is the young fans and it is how most of us grumpy old gits started. At this rate I'll end up leaving my seat in my will to my grandkids! No easy answer to this unfortunately.        

[David McCaig]

3 minutes ago, Daveandal said:

 

Our lowest attendances are now against the Celtic and Rangers. Something our media just can't compute.

 

Without a doubt we could fill a bigger stadium. The problem is, as stated on another thread, is its near impossible to expand. That doesn't mean we shouldn't explore every possible avenue. No reason IMO Hearts shouldn't have 20k plus attendances every game.

 

Its problematic (and expensive) to expand but not impossible at some point the Gorgie, Wheatfield and Roseburn stands are going to need to be replaced and it may be more sensible to replace all 3 at the same time and reconfigure the ground as a bowl around the existing main stand.

 

There is huge space behind the Wheatfield and a new build would also allow us to fill in the corners, it may also be the case that building a smaller Gorgie end, allows us to lengthen the pitch as well (think Lansdowne Road).  If the will was really there it surely wouldn't be impossible to add additional seats to the main stand as well.

 

Obviously none of this would be easy and there would be planning issues to overcome, ethanol tanks to move and shit loads of cash required, but there is probably scope to build a 30-35k stadium at Tynecastle before we became truly landlocked... and if the day ever came when 35k was too small for our needs a move to Murrayfield would suddenly be a very viable option.

[Mikey1874]

7 minutes ago, Americana said:

 

Wasnt aware of that. I gave up my ST a couple of years back but Hibs, Celtic and Rangers were always the days you looked forward to the most.

 

Partly due to restrictions on tickets ie needing 15 loyalty points. 

[David McCaig]

19 minutes ago, Americana said:

 

Surely thats false, most games now go to the exchange do they not?

The problem is that selling restrictions are in place for these games to stop them being bought by Old Firm fans.  

[Fozzyonthefence]

33 minutes ago, Daveandal said:

 

Successful ticket exchange as we literally sell more tickets than we have seats.

 

Waiting list for season tickets.

 

Capacity is an issue. Just maybe one that can't be solved.

 

Another couple of thousand would be nice but maybe not viable.  Don’t think we want 25k with thousands of empty seats and looking like ER though, there’s enough empty seats on matchdays (maybe getting non attending ST holders to use TE is more of an issue).  I think it’s just about right as it is and not worth getting into debt spunking millions and millions over.  

[Fozzyonthefence]

10 minutes ago, Americana said:

 

Wasnt aware of that. I gave up my ST a couple of years back but Hibs, Celtic and Rangers were always the days you looked forward to the most.

And in the days when hardly anyone had STs these were always the biggest attendances by far (obviously Hibs still sells out).  Of course we used to beat Rangers and Celtic at Tynie fairly regularly so that helped. 

[Mr Rabbit]

20 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

Yeah, its what I was getting at when I said "ignoring all other issues" - I do think we should try and buy the community pitch sooner rather than later though. Don't want to end up land locked with zero hope on the current site. At least if we have it, nobody can build more ****ing student flats on it

 

Hopefully getting the training ground expanded and improved will mean better facilities and more youngsters rejecting going west or south and we can start to see even more laddies coming through into the first team. Be great to get a bit of a snowball effect of selling these young laddies on which could in the long term help pay for things like stadium expansion and such. 

The waiting list has been banded about quite a bit but in reality it’s people who have no obligation to purchase anything saying they could be interested. Personally I think they should be asking for a deposit (£50 - £100) to really understand who’s interested. The deposit would also give them priority, after season ticket holders, for seats at semis/ finals if we got there.

 

I agree we could have a bigger stadium than we currently have but I don’t think the demand would be as high as some people seem to think.

 

Personally I think the time to do it was when we were building the main stand. I’m not an expert in stadium construction or infrastructure however I would have thought adding 2/3k more would offer a more cost effective way of increasing instead of choosing a new stand to knock down and build again.

[Threedoorsdown]

1 hour ago, AlimOzturk said:

Pretty limited at what we can do with tynecastle. Would mean knocking down stands and rebuilding. 
 

Not totally against this but would be a huge undertaking and expense. 
 

Long term though I agree we have to keep catering to new customers. 

I’d like to see us start buying up any properties that come up around Tynecastle anyway.

 

Incould be completely wrong but I believe Liverpool started doing this years before any development. Granted the properties were cheaper however at least ours would yield returns and would remove some potential obstacles further down the line.

 

 

[johnking123]

 

If we could get this area to our selves. Would be excellent.

[Smithian]

6 hours ago, hisnameis said:

Would imagine we are one of if not the biggest customer for the facility. SFA have stopped using for national team now.

 

2 hours ago, kingantti1874 said:

who else uses it? Would be a massive white elephant without hearts. The SRU use it for a couple of months a year 

Lazy typo, my post should have been “why wouldn’t”

 

I think every one of these articles should include notes that Oriam is bending over backward to cater to Hearts and the question is only realm of the possible. Seems finding a solution where Hearts have more run of the place and some more investments are made is the best solution for both sides.  

[skacel103]

36 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

Another couple of thousand would be nice but maybe not viable.  Don’t think we want 25k with thousands of empty seats and looking like ER though, there’s enough empty seats on matchdays (maybe getting non attending ST holders to use TE is more of an issue).  I think it’s just about right as it is and not worth getting into debt spunking millions and millions over.  

Wouldn't be surprised for standing sections in the future. If that's the case we could easily increase the capacity of those sections. Say the bottom rows hold 4000. You could have 6000 people standing instead. That's an extra 2k without needing to increase the capacity of stadium. 

[Smithian]

11 minutes ago, johnking123 said:

 

If we could get this area to our selves. Would be excellent.

I can’t claim to have ever been over to Riccarton but a look around my handy dandy Google Maps shows lots of open space. 
 

Would it make sense for Hearts to build a cutting edge team facility there? Office spaces, meeting, medical, and so on. It isn’t a long drive and is public transit accessible from Tynecastle, meaning any staff moved would not be horribly inconvenienced. I think having less staff based at Tynecastle would be welcome flexibility for making use of limited space.

 

Hearts take advantage of not needing to buy a massive new land plot and wouldn’t need to build new training pitches. Oriam keeps Hearts there. Win-win.

[kingantti1874]

19 minutes ago, Smithian said:

 

Lazy typo, my post should have been “why wouldn’t”

 

I think every one of these articles should include notes that Oriam is bending over backward to cater to Hearts and the question is only realm of the possible. Seems finding a solution where Hearts have more run of the place and some more investments are made is the best solution for both sides.  

👍🏻

[Daktari]

11 minutes ago, skacel103 said:

Wouldn't be surprised for standing sections in the future. If that's the case we could easily increase the capacity of those sections. Say the bottom rows hold 4000. You could have 6000 people standing instead. That's an extra 2k without needing to increase the capacity of stadium. 

I think that there's a thread somewhere else that says that wouldn't necessarily be the case. The safe standing barriers take space 'front to back' and we couldn't really get any more people in along the rows than we do at the moment. I'm certainly shoulder to shoulder with the people next to me in the seats and standing wouldn't change that. Could be wrong of course and somebody else will definitely know better.

 

[hmfc_liam06]

4 hours ago, johnking123 said:

Will be interesting to see who our new shirt sponsors are. Have a feeling we are going to make a lot more money than normally from it. Could be be a way of injecting cash into us,  other than benefactors.

 

Aren't our recent shirt sponsorships one of the main reasons FOR our benefactors ploughing money in? 

 

Apologies, haven't read the article so if they've mentioned a new sponsor then fair play.

[Paris 84]

1 hour ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

We can’t even sell out when we play Rangers and Celtic.  Capacity is least of our concerns.

You might not have noticed this but over the last five or six years The Rangers and Celtic games have been our lowest league crowds. I’m 64 and if someone had told me 20yrs ago we’d be completely sold out of season tickets, after restricting visiting teams to only 600 tickets and completely selling out to teams like Motherwell and St Mirren  I wouldn’t have believed it. You need to open your eyes and your imagination if you think, where we stand in 2024, that capacity is the LEAST of our concerns. 

[johnking123]

1 minute ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

Aren't our recent shirt sponsorships one of the main reasons FOR our benefactors ploughing money in? 

 

Apologies, haven't read the article so if they've mentioned a new sponsor then fair play.

It was mentioned last year. Probably AGM that would be a change of sponsor. It would be larger and more lucrative financially. Think we were all hoping it was to do with Lingotto or Exor. James Anderson is now working with. 

[XB52]

How many times do people have to be told that we could not have built a bigger stand, due to the safety issues with the distillery. Until they move the storage tanks we can never increase the capacity. Short term; more publicity of the ticket exchange scheme and getting rid of the totally ridiculous segregation banners would mean hundreds more fans being able to attend

[busbyfth]

12 hours ago, jamboinglasgow said:

https://www.heartsstandard.co.uk/news/24115690.future-hearts-training-base-playing-investment/

 

Andrew Mckinlay and Ann Budge have given more information about the plans around a training ground.

 

The first choice is to stay at Oriam but expand their facilities there. A new training ground is a back up. They are currently exploring what they can do, how much it will cost.

 

Ann Budge was also saying that any big projects will be on hold till they decide what they want to do with the training grounds, so they are able to put more money into the football side of the club for the next couple of years. They may do smaller things in the meantime (she mentions she would want to do something with the supporters bar.)

and says the phrase "I would like" ....not "We  would like". Would folk want her input re the bar ? She'll want it family friendly of course whatever that entails - maybe a creche in the corner and making soft drinks the priority ? Would far from shock me. Thought she was taking a step back ?????

[A_A wehatethehibs]

We’ve just pumped a load of money into the stadium, so that it generates more revenue than it did in 2016. And that’s been a resounding success. The hotel and extra hospitality, that’s the end of investment in the stadium. Now we’re taking that increased revenue, and investing it all 100% toward the team in the next 5 years. We are not spending any more money on the stadium. No capacity expansion will be happening. 

 

The training ground meanwhile, is something which, yes, definitely will be happening, one way or another. Because it must. The deal ends in 2029. One way or another it’ll need to get decided and signed by end of 2025 I would say so, just under 2 years. Because if we do decide we’re going our own way from 2029, then that will take time to plan.
 

Everyone banging on about how wonderful the current facilities at Oriam, clearly, those inside the club, actually using those facilities, do not fully agree. We want changes if we’re staying there. That desire has come from feedback inside the club. Players, Managers, Coaches, DoFs over the last 10 years. It’s not a short term decision. Fans should respect that view rather than spout your clueless uninformed opinion that it’s a waste of money or pointless. It’s certainly not pointless to get our training facilities spot on. This is our internal staff who’ve decided we want to look for changes at Oriam as we are not happy with the status quo. 
 

Increasingly I’m thinking we’re going to go our own way and get our own training ground. Just the noise around it, it’s making me think thats what’ll end up happening. 

[Chuck Berry]

Good to see more long term planning being put in place, whether that be improving Oriam or building our own gaff.

 

I'd also like to see Tynecastle itself tarted up a wee bit to make it a stadium to be proud of, stuff that's been discussed on here before, murals on the inside walls of the stands, new maroon coverings in the space around the pitch, maybe with sponsors/badge etc.  Tired seats replaced [some in the Roseburn already done]. Concourses improved [with more female toilets - a constant complaint from my wife]. Safe standing along the front of the Gorgie.  The reduction in that ridiculous segregation tarpaulin to get more Jambos in [permament barrier?] etc etc

[Strattiesroll]

It's great to see Hearts be proactive and look to build something for the long term that's owned.

[David McCaig]

17 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

We’ve just pumped a load of money into the stadium, so that it generates more revenue than it did in 2016. And that’s been a resounding success. The hotel and extra hospitality, that’s the end of investment in the stadium. Now we’re taking that increased revenue, and investing it all 100% toward the team in the next 5 years. We are not spending any more money on the stadium. No capacity expansion will be happening. 

 

The training ground meanwhile, is something which, yes, definitely will be happening, one way or another. Because it must. The deal ends in 2029. One way or another it’ll need to get decided and signed by end of 2025 I would say so, just under 2 years. Because if we do decide we’re going our own way from 2029, then that will take time to plan.
 

Everyone banging on about how wonderful the current facilities at Oriam, clearly, those inside the club, actually using those facilities, do not fully agree. We want changes if we’re staying there. That desire has come from feedback inside the club. Players, Managers, Coaches, DoFs over the last 10 years. It’s not a short term decision. Fans should respect that view rather than spout your clueless uninformed opinion that it’s a waste of money or pointless. It’s certainly not pointless to get our training facilities spot on. This is our internal staff who’ve decided we want to look for changes at Oriam as we are not happy with the status quo. 
 

Increasingly I’m thinking we’re going to go our own way and get our own training ground. Just the noise around it, it’s making me think thats what’ll end up happening. 

 

I disagree, talk of our own training ground is just a negotiating position to ensure a good deal on our contract renewal at Oriam.

[Hesh]

8 hours ago, gregzy2k7 said:

Oriam is top class, if hearts can remain there then they should imo.

Geographically it's bang on too

[A_A wehatethehibs]

Just now, David McCaig said:

 

I disagree, talk of our own training ground is just a negotiating position to ensure a good deal on our contract renewal at Oriam.

Yes, many are of that view, I respect that. And its also the official club stance.  But clearly, for it to be public like it is, we are wanting changes, and if those changes aren’t forthcoming… what then? we’re putting pressure on Oriam publicly. And the answer to date, doesn’t seem to have been an immediate yes. Otherwise we’d already be signed beyond 2029 by now and this story wouldn’t be discussed. It’d all be confirmed. That’s been almost 2 years since the concept of a new training ground was first mentioned. And the status of Oriam is still “we’re looking for changes there”… so we’ve asked for changes, what was the answer? Wouldn’t appear it was a simple “yes, we will do whatever Hearts want” given it’s been 2 years? 

Oriam might be happy for us to just leave, and they just leave the facilities as they are, used by the egg chasers etc. Then some smaller more amateur club or clubs might move in. We may be asking for things which they either cannot or will not do.

[jamboinglasgow]

41 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

33We’ve just pumped a load of money into the stadium, so that it generates more revenue than it did in 2016. And that’s been a resounding success. The hotel and extra hospitality, that’s the end of investment in the stadium. Now we’re taking that increased revenue, and investing it all 100% toward the team in the next 5 years. We are not spending any more money on the stadium. No capacity expansion will be happening. 

 

The training ground meanwhile, is something which, yes, definitely will be happening, one way or another. Because it must. The deal ends in 2029. One way or another it’ll need to get decided and signed by end of 2025 I would say so, just under 2 years. Because if we do decide we’re going our own way from 2029, then that will take time to plan.
 

Everyone banging on about how wonderful the current facilities at Oriam, clearly, those inside the club, actually using those facilities, do not fully agree. We want changes if we’re staying there. That desire has come from feedback inside the club. Players, Managers, Coaches, DoFs over the last 10 years. It’s not a short term decision. Fans should respect that view rather than spout your clueless uninformed opinion that it’s a waste of money or pointless. It’s certainly not pointless to get our training facilities spot on. This is our internal staff who’ve decided we want to look for changes at Oriam as we are not happy with the status quo. 
 

Increasingly I’m thinking we’re going to go our own way and get our own training ground. Just the noise around it, it’s making me think thats what’ll end up happening. 

 

Yeah, I think we have taken the stadium as far as we can at the moment for big redevelopments, where we have rebuilt the main stand, completely overhauled hospitality capacity, added a restaurant, a hotel and a new bar, we have new changing rooms, fitted new IT systems, a nursery, added a museum, a new club shop, made turnstiles automatic and added in two large screens. It has taken about 9 years in total from first plans to now but I would see that as phase 1 for Tynecastle. Its one that has massively increased the revenue from the stadium. So now the board can concentrate on other projects then I imagine they will have a phase 2 plan for Tynecastle to start.

 

From what they have said the next couple of years is about getting a decision made on the training ground and then moving forward on it, hence they dont need to spend money on it, so that money can go into the playing squad. It also sounds one they have made a decision on the training ground they will look to evaluate the next big project that will spent on.

 

I do think we will come to an agreement with Oriam and stay there. It does seem the sticking point is what can be done and what can be accommodated. Its clear we want more space thats just for us, and some more facilities (not sure if its more pitches or more indoor facilities.) I also get the sense from whats been said there is belief it can be achieved. But of course, we need to prepared that it may not work out so having a second option to move forward on. From what Andrew Mckinlay says, it sounds like we are prepared to pay for any improvements ourselves. I do wonder if it may require us looking to buy some more land (which may be a bigger outlay but cheaper than building our own training ground.)

 

Either way I am certain we will have facilities which are among the very best in Scotland.

Edited February 14 by jamboinglasgow

[JALBO]

1 hour ago, Texaco said:

Agree, Ground capacity is just a wee niggle in the great story going on at Tynecastle right now. The basic fact that we have a season ticket waiting list and are restricting some away fans to accommodate our own is a large loss of revenue. We all know that the fortunes on the park can turn on a sixpence and demand can change quickly. But it's times like these you lock new fans in. Kids pestering parents and grandparents to take them to games. It's easy enough for a one off game with ticket exchange and seats changing. But to get a season ticket with your Mum, Dad or Grandparent is a long wait. Kids will drift off to something else. The future is the young fans and it is how most of us grumpy old gits started. At this rate I'll end up leaving my seat in my will to my grandkids! No easy answer to this unfortunately.        

 

 

That's true, but I think the club can start somewhere, and make small gains here and there to maximise what we currently have. When we put in the planning application for the main stand, the stated stadium capacity was to be 20,099. The stadium exit report [part of the planning process] reduced that slightly to 20,057, but since then some design modifications, stadium changes, some seats never put on sale, and the biggest segregation in the history of world football has left us with an effective capacity nearer 19,000.  Even if we could tackle some of these, and get ourselves back towards 20,000, it would be a start while the club grapples with the bigger/far trickier picture of stadum expansion.

[davemclaren]

53 minutes ago, busbyfth said:

and says the phrase "I would like" ....not "We  would like". Would folk want her input re the bar ? She'll want it family friendly of course whatever that entails - maybe a creche in the corner and making soft drinks the priority ? Would far from shock me. Thought she was taking a step back ?????

She had more influence and power when the 1874 bar was created and there's no crèche or priority for soft drinks that I can see. 😄

[hughesie27]

11 hours ago, RobNox said:

It is indeed.  Although we've been getting around £6m per season from the benefactors and FOH, a chunk of that money has gone on infrastructure, in particular the fit out of the 2nd floor of the main stand.

 

We've also been paying off a loan from Bidco since Nov-22, at the rate of approx £125k per month, which accounts for a big chunk of the FOH money.  That loan will be repaid in October, which means we'll have an extra £1.5m a year that could be added to the playing budget, which equates to £30k a week.

 

I can think of one current player that I'd like to see a big chunk of that money diverted to.  Say an extra £10k per week on wages and a £1m signing fee for a 2 year contract extension, with a £10m buyout clause and 20% of any subsequent transfer fee going to the player.

Everything Sibbick deserves and more.

[A_A wehatethehibs]

3 minutes ago, JALBO said:

 

 

That's true, but I think the club can start somewhere, and make small gains here and there to maximise what we currently have. When we put in the planning application for the main stand, the stated stadium capacity was to be 20,099. The stadium exit report [part of the planning process] reduced that slightly to 20,057, but since then some design modifications, stadium changes, some seats never put on sale, and the biggest segregation in the history of world football has left us with an effective capacity nearer 19,000.  Even if we could tackle some of these, and get ourselves back towards 20,000, it would be a start while the club grapples with the bigger/far trickier picture of stadum expansion.

Do you seriously think the club isn’t maximising every available square inch of the stadium? It’s maxed out. Complete. The hotel and last hospo suite are the end of this generation of redevelopment. It won’t be changing at all now for 10-15 years minimum 

[OTT]

1 hour ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

Aren't our recent shirt sponsorships one of the main reasons FOR our benefactors ploughing money in? 

 

Apologies, haven't read the article so if they've mentioned a new sponsor then fair play.

 

Probably venturing into having our cake and eating it territory, but I wonder if they'd still give us the money if it was stadium sponsorship instead (which is arguably more prestigious) 

 

Maybe call the charity our "official charity partner" with stadium naming rights for a period of time  

 

Either way, by the sounds of things the board have secured a sponsor that has at least met the figure the benefactors were contributing for the charity ? Really good if this is the case. 

[Footballfirst]

The two things that Hearts want at the Oriam, which they can't get at the moment, are privacy and exclusivity for the first team.  If they can get that, then I suspect that they will live with any other limitations imposed on them.

 

It may be possible to acquire land adjacent to the University campus, but it would also require new changing facilities at a minimum, because we can't have our pampered first team having to jog 500m to get to a new training pitch.

 

The reality is that Hearts has outgrown the facilities that are available to them at the Oriam. When the club first entered into the lease there were no women or girls teams and much less in the way of sports science, coaches and other support staff all vying for their own spaces.

 

Consider that in addition to the first team, Women's team, B Team, there are boys teams at U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U16 and U18, girls teams at U14, U16 and U18, plus foundation academy squads for 8 and 9 year olds.  Their is a  need for pitches (grass, astro, indoor, with some floodlit), changing rooms, laundry, kitchen, office space, coaches rooms, meeting rooms, strength & conditioning, physio/medical facilities and so on. 

 

There are training or playing requirements 7 days a week.  The grass pitches are not in great condition, partly due to the weather and partly over use.  The astro gets hammered and could do with replacing. Restrictions have been placed on certain evenings/times due to other bookings by HWU, Edinburgh College, SFA (women and youth teams, referee training and development, and coaching courses) and other groups or clubs.

 

There are no simple or cheap solutions to be had.  

 

  

Edited February 14 by Footballfirst

[davemclaren]

4 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

The two things that Hearts want at the Oriam, which they can't get at the moment, are privacy and exclusivity for the first team.  If they can get that, then I suspect that they will live with any other limitations imposed on them.

 

It may be possible to acquire land adjacent to the University campus, but it would also require new changing facilities at a minimum, because we can't have our pampered first team having to jog 500m to get to a new training pitch.

 

The reality is that Hearts has outgrown the facilities that are available to them at the Oriam. When the club first entered into the lease there were no women or girls teams and much less in the way of sports science, coaches and other support staff all vying for their own spaces.

 

Consider that in addition to the first team, Women's team, B Team, there are boys teams at U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U16 and U18, girls teams at U14, U16 and U18, plus foundation academy squads for 8 and 9 year olds.  Their is a  need for pitches (grass, astro, indoor, with some floodlit), changing rooms, laundry, kitchen, office space, coaches rooms, meeting rooms, strength & conditioning, physio/medical facilities and so on. 

 

There are training or playing requirements 7 days a week.  The grass pitches are not in great condition, partly due to the weather and partly over use.  The astro gets hammered and could do with replacing. Restrictions have been placed on certain evenings/times due to other bookings by HWU, Edinburgh College, SFA (women and youth teams, referee training and development, and coaching courses) and other groups or clubs.

 

There are no simple or cheap solutions to be had.  

 

  

'Pampered first team' - sounding a bit bitter FF. 😄

[Footballfirst]

2 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

'Pampered first team' - sounding a bit bitter FF. 😄

Not in the least. However, I do think that they would be quick to complain if their designated training pitch was furthest from the changing rooms.

[davemclaren]

Just now, Footballfirst said:

Not in the least. However, I do think that they would be quick to complain if their designated training pitch was furthest from the changing rooms.

Probably true. 👍😄

[Chuck Berry]

36 minutes ago, JALBO said:

 

 

That's true, but I think the club can start somewhere, and make small gains here and there to maximise what we currently have. When we put in the planning application for the main stand, the stated stadium capacity was to be 20,099. The stadium exit report [part of the planning process] reduced that slightly to 20,057, but since then some design modifications, stadium changes, some seats never put on sale, and the biggest segregation in the history of world football has left us with an effective capacity nearer 19,000.  Even if we could tackle some of these, and get ourselves back towards 20,000, it would be a start while the club grapples with the bigger/far trickier picture of stadum expansion.

 

Yes, bang on.  The biggest segregation in world football is an easy fix.

[JALBO]

19 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

Do you seriously think the club isn’t maximising every available square inch of the stadium? It’s maxed out. Complete. The hotel and last hospo suite are the end of this generation of redevelopment. It won’t be changing at all now for 10-15 years minimum 

 

Without a doubt. The simple point I was making was that there are small gains to be had seating-capacity wise, and these have some value in the scenario we find ourselves in just now.

[Chuck Berry]

24 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

Do you seriously think the club isn’t maximising every available square inch of the stadium? 

 

There's more inches to squeeze eg. segregation.

Edited February 14 by Chuck Berry

[Americana]

2 hours ago, Texaco said:

Agree, Ground capacity is just a wee niggle in the great story going on at Tynecastle right now. The basic fact that we have a season ticket waiting list and are restricting some away fans to accommodate our own is a large loss of revenue. We all know that the fortunes on the park can turn on a sixpence and demand can change quickly. But it's times like these you lock new fans in. Kids pestering parents and grandparents to take them to games. It's easy enough for a one off game with ticket exchange and seats changing. But to get a season ticket with your Mum, Dad or Grandparent is a long wait. Kids will drift off to something else. The future is the young fans and it is how most of us grumpy old gits started. At this rate I'll end up leaving my seat in my will to my grandkids! No easy answer to this unfortunately.        

 

100%

 

Progress is impossible without change. To move forward there is going to be risks and big decisions, otherwise we have the same conversations every season and remain the expectant but not always guaranteed third force in the league.

[Fxxx the SPFL]

3 hours ago, Heartsofgold said:

The major problem with ANY further expansion to Tynecastle is out of our control.  It's the Ethanol tanks at the back of the Roseburn.

 

These tanks, even after the additional safety features that were installed prior to the new main stand construction, limit the overall capacity for us due to the potential danger they represent.

 

They would have to be moved or completely removed before any further construction to increase capacity would even be considered by Health and Safety at ECC.

seems crazy for 25 games a season and yet school is close proximity and the new student flats 

[Fxxx the SPFL]

9 minutes ago, Chuck Berry said:

 

Yes, bang on.  The biggest segregation in world football is an easy fix.

no away fans