Artificial Pitches

[matt_drfc]

A 3G pitch was opened at Robert Clack earlier this year, it's been used pretty often from what I've heard, so there's certainly a demand within the area for the pitches.

Personally I'm not entirely fussed either way. Our pitch is good enough at the moment and our groundsmen do a great job, rarely games are called off for the pitch itself. But a positive is that we can train on it (I think?). Always pros and cons to everything, just finding out which one outweighs the other.

[ThatRoundThing]

I think 3G pitches are going to be seen more often in the coming years. Reports that Wycombe, Burnley and Torquay are among English clubs showing interest as well as more Scottish clubs interested.
The FA this year voted to allow clubs with 3G pitches to be allowed to take part in the FA Cup.
Maidstone United's 3G pitch is used seven days a week so there is a demand in their area.
As has been said previously we have a very good pitch and rarely suffer from games called off due to the pitch.
We do however have poor training facilities and quite often have to pay during the winter months for 3G pitches for our squad to train on.
If grants are available to us to enable 3G at relatively low cost then my view is that if and only if we were were to have one then let us be the first in the area.
Clubs around my area (Thurrock) suffer every year and is only a 20 min drive away, add to that all surrounding districts also a 20 min drive away and there you have a market for all types of outdoor sports clubs to train on and play their matches. Clubs already with 3G are reporting that they generate extra revenue.
However I do still prefer football being played on grass, but if 3G was decided on by the club for whatever reasons then so be it.

[Daggyjack]

I can o ly assume you haven't read the rest of this thread if you think no conclusions have been jumped to about it making financial sense.

I'm not sure what the size of the club has to with demand.

I've read the whole thread thanks. As you correctly state, the club would obviously have to weigh up the situation for Dagenham and Redbridge.

The size of club reason was that surely if a club the size of Forfar, average gate 500 can benefit from a 3G surface, then Dagenham and Redbridge could look at its viability.

[Adrian]

I can o ly assume you haven't read the rest of this thread if you think no conclusions have been jumped to about it making financial sense.

I'm not sure what the size of the club has to with demand.

I've read the whole thread thanks. As you correctly state, the club would obviously have to weigh up the situation for Dagenham and Redbridge.

The size of club reason was that surely if a club the size of Forfar, average gate 500 can benefit from a 3G surface, then Dagenham and Redbridge could look at its viability.

So why say no conclusions about benefits have been jumped to then? There have been plenty.

The point was about demand for use, not benefit to the club. What has club size got to do with that?

[IanC]

Ok then for everyone to be happy,put a pitch behind the tbs that can be hired and/or trained on by us.Club makes money and we still get to see the sport ive loved,watched and played on the surface it should be on.And sorry,and in my opinion it should always be grass.

[SUSSEX DAGGER]

Interesting thread with interesting points of view.

In an ideal World grass would be fantastic but down this way our local 3G surfaces are very popular for 5 a side leagues.

Interestingly the Team I run now play in a league that once had 7 divisions, now it is down to 2 divisions that only has 16 teams playing in them.

At our league AGM it was discussed and a number of teams reported they had lost players to this other form of Football. They reported it is quick and cheap form of Football where you just turn up for an hour pay about £3 a head enjoy your game and then go for a drink after and then home to the Mrs

Today I went to book a third of the pitch for training and all I could get was 9 to 10pm on a Wednesday and I could only book it ten weeks blocks. Every other hour was already booked solid from 6pm to 10 pm Monday to Friday so our local Sports Centre is doing very well out of it bringing in over £2000 a week for these periods alone.

When we been there it is not only Football teams using it, dont know if there is an hockey leagues playing in Dagenham but it seems very popular surface for this activity as well.

Other added benefits are going to be having People turn up at the Club who probably would never set foot inside and who knows may help recruit a few extra fans.

Local Schools may hire it and get Youngsters interested in the Club.

Then there is potential additional bar takings, this 5 aside lark certainly appears to work up a thirst.

Got an open mind but I can only report what is going on in my neck of the woods and I have 3 sports Centres within 5 miles and everyone of them are
getting a lot of takers.

[Daggyjack]

I can o ly assume you haven't read the rest of this thread if you think no conclusions have been jumped to about it making financial sense.

I'm not sure what the size of the club has to with demand.

I've read the whole thread thanks. As you correctly state, the club would obviously have to weigh up the situation for Dagenham and Redbridge.

The size of club reason was that surely if a club the size of Forfar, average gate 500 can benefit from a 3G surface, then Dagenham and Redbridge could look at its viability.

So why say no conclusions about benefits have been jumped to then? There have been plenty.
The point was about demand for use, not benefit to the club. What has club size got to do with that?

Very interesting Sussex yes, tradition v possible realism for the smaller clubs.
Adrian, no conclusions jumped to by me, I cannot speak for others but what I was getting at by club size, I should have possibly said club catchment area.

Forfar, with a population in town of 13000 and with the Dundee clubs and Aberdeen only 15 and 50 miles away respectively, have found great success with 3G.

Dagenham, with a far broader catchment area would surely benefit in much the same way, if not more. Demand, which you question, would also increase as having such a facility for all to use must be of interest for local / junior clubs rather than sub standard facilities elsewhere. As Sussex said, who knows, if kids / adults use the clubs facilities regularly and get to know the club, it may increase the fan base for the club.