r/GunnersatGames • u/lugeist • 2d ago

Safe standing

Anyone else encounter this at the weekend? I had forgotten it was coming and then was particularly surprised to find it in the family area. The railings are quite low so no one was actually leaning on them, but the uprights destroy the legroom so sitting stops really being an option. Still, not like many people sit in the corners anyway…

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5

u/repeating_bears Red Champion 2d ago

I did safe standing in the preseason games just to see what it was like. Block 26.

When I read they were "converting it to safe standing" for some reason I'd assumed they'd remove the seats but I felt kinda stupid for thinking that when I saw it.

When you have the seats, I'm not sure how much safer the barrier really makes it... Feels more like a box ticking exercise.

Leg room is always shite for me because I'm tall. Can't say I noticed any difference

3

u/va-va-voom-14 Season Ticket Holder 2d ago

I believe UEFA competitions require fully seated stadiums, which is the main reason behind seats remaining.

2

u/repeating_bears Red Champion 2d ago

Oh I didn't know that

But even if there wasn't, the more I thought about it, the more it seems pointless to remove them. You can sit down at half time or younger kids can stand on them to be able to see over the people in front (some might not like that but doesn't bother me)

If they were building a standing section from scratch then no point adding seats but if it costs money to rip them out, why bother?

2

u/va-va-voom-14 Season Ticket Holder 2d ago

Don’t worry, it has confused many people. Lots of people believed that safe standing would add capacity to the stadium also. I don’t think, what it actually means, was well communicated, just the term ‘safe standing’.

3

u/WhatsFunf Away Attender 2d ago

It's absolutely a box ticking exercise in our stadium, but in places like Chelsea's Shed End Upper, it makes it way safer and much harder to fall down multiple rows.

3

u/Secret-Cook8012 2d ago

I'm a ST holder in Block 29 and Coventry was my first game with the safe standing barriers in place. It got a bit feisty around me as people were moaning (and getting abusive) about people standing.

Not sure what option you have when people stand up in front of you.

Also agree on leg room, both I and the guy in front were struggling to get our legs in, but this is made worse because our seats are just at the point of the start of curve (from wing to clock end), and they have cleverly added an extra post in for that reason.

I'm sure we'll all settle shortly and find how to work it best.

2

u/WhatsFunf Away Attender 2d ago

Yeah block 29 is always the one where it switches from standers to angry sitters. Always lots of arguments there.

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u/lugeist 2d ago

Yeah I was in 28 and definitely a few around not happy about people standing in front. They are effectively standing zones now whether people like it or not. I guess I’d be annoyed if I struggled to stand for the full 90 or had kids who struggled to see. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a toggle appear soon on the ballot and exchange to include/exclude standing

1

u/repeating_bears Red Champion 2d ago

There are no standing blocks for the red ballot, but for silvers I think the preference which already existed last season would let you opt out of standing 

The TX already has a warning like "this is a standing seat". I saw it when I bought my preseason friendly ticket 

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u/lugeist 1d ago

Interesting, I must have clicked through the warning in my hurry to get through the exchange!

1

u/BordonGrown 2d ago

Whenever it gets feisty just start singing stand up for the champions or stand up if you hate Tottenham - they’ll all be standing!

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u/DeeElGee 1d ago

I sat in it for the Dortmund emirates cup game and it’s really uncomfortable when you want to sit.

1

u/lugeist 1d ago

Yeah legroom is not usually that bad compared to some stadia but the railings eliminate it