A Plan to save Non League Football

[ellers]

My Plan is simply this, every team in the CCL replaces there pitch with a 3G pitch, games will never be called off, the clubs will all make money from renting them out and because of the pitches never getting worn out, each club can develope there youth teams at there main grounds and not at some council park with no facilities, where they don't feel they belong to there own club.

 

3G pitches are used in the pro game so why not the CCL.

 

Do you agree or disagree.

[CW1975]

Long term, maybe Ellers.

 

It costs between £100k to £750k depending on how your pitch is structured.

 

To start to make a profit on £100k you would have to hire the pitch out for more than 1100 hours at the average price of £90 per hour. This would probably take over a year to generate.

 

The higher the cost of the installation the longer for you to start to make a profit. It could take a few years before you start making a profit which by that time could mean resurfacing, therefore more cost.

 

As said, may work long term.

 

I would always prefer to play on grass however.

[johnnojudo]

Agree up to a certain point mate. Revenue and the logistics sound right but where has the tradition of football gone if u take away the real grass?? And every club will have the same old same old pitch. There has to be variety or we'd all just be the same! For me, visiting St Neots next season is a pitch I can't wait to play on again. we all have fond memories of playing on great pitches even at this level. With all of us on the same type pitch, a club then doesn't have their pitch as the attraction!

[jertzee]

Ideally it would be brilliant - probably need to talk to clubs that use it to see how they mange. Stenhousenuir have one and they get just a couple of hundred at home in terms of gate receipts.

[nut250]

And what happens to my poor old lawn mower who has been with me through thick and thin ,

[Ace1]

I was involved in a fixture on Friday afternoon which was postponed due to the pitch being covered in snow!!! And it was to be played on a 3G pitch!!! 3G does not guarantee that all of your games will be safe!!! I also understand that some 3G pitches are deemed unsafe if the tempreture falls below zero.

[Krooner]

My Plan is simply this, every team in the CCL replaces there pitch with a 3G pitch, games will never be called off, the clubs will all make money from renting them out and because of the pitches never getting worn out, each club can develope there youth teams at there main grounds and not at some council park with no facilities, where they don't feel they belong to there own club.

 

3G pitches are used in the pro game so why not the CCL.

 

Do you agree or disagree.

 

As Ace says it would not have saved all games this weekend.

 

I reckon the FA could put a plan in to help fund these ideas. the problem the clubs would have is a business plan. You would have to have a full time maintenance crew, staff to look after the bookings when you hire it out etc etc Oh and of course all the local NIMBYS when your new state of the art lights with no light pollution attached are in use more than they are now.

 

I wouldnt be surprised to see 2 or 3 clubs in the CCL area go down that route in the next few years but I do not htink all will.

[VPCTFC]

because of the pitches never getting worn out

 

3G and 4G pitches do get worn out. They only last between 7 and 15 years. The FA recommend putting £25000 a year aside to pay for rejuvenation and replacement. That's on top of the £15000 a year maintenance costs. Thes prices will only go up.

If every CCL club had one then almost every club would lose money as there would be too much supply with not enough people wanting to hire them out.

 

Edited cos I haven't got a clue what I'm doing at this time on a Sunday.

Edited February 12, 2012 by VPCTFC

[Mewcenary]

My game last Sunday would have been on 3G. Then it snowed and it was off! Still need people willing to turn out and shift the snow...

[Green Pea]

For me, visiting St Neots next season is a pitch I can't wait to play on again.

No chance JJ, they will be promoted this season I reckon...

[duncs]

surely its the future and we should all support it not throw up meaningless excuses, its all about change and as typical Brits some of you don't like it

[SurreysFinest]

Wouldn't say they were meaningless excuses, thoughts they were good points for discussion.

[duncs]

sorry SF but I think we should all be supporting this it looks like in the not to distant future that clubs with these pitches will have a ditinct advantage and if it meens clearing a bit of snow off of a pitch to get a game on I would do it on my own

[Smudge]

A brilliant idea,but where would the Finance come from to install such technology.Most Clubs are only just surviving as it is.Then to run it properly,you would have to pay staff,unlike now where volunteers cost nothing.

[duncs]

A brilliant idea,but where would the Finance come from to install such technology.Most Clubs are only just surviving as it is.Then to run it properly,you would have to pay staff,unlike now where volunteers cost nothing.

it costs a small fortune to maintain pitches as it is and then clubs lose money for all of these postponements I bet theres nothing in it when it comes to real term costs and will probably work out cheaper in the long run,what are you all so worried about it will mean we can have football every day of the week and not have to worrie if a game is on or not,this country is full of people who let our whole way of life be affected by 2 inches of snow its a fecking joke.

[NICE GUY]

Agree up to a certain point mate. Revenue and the logistics sound right but where has the tradition of football gone if u take away the real grass?? And every club will have the same old same old pitch. There has to be variety or we'd all just be the same! For me, visiting St Neots next season is a pitch I can't wait to play on again. we all have fond memories of playing on great pitches even at this level. With all of us on the same type pitch, a club then doesn't have their pitch as the attraction!

 

I agree with you JJ.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love the pass and move game however each ''grass'' pitch brings different challenges to players and management. Small pitch, big pitch, long grass, short grass, no grass, bumpy pitch, flat pitch, decent pitches, bad pitches. all pick your wits as to get a result. On 3G its almost perfect but is it....scenario: Striker rounds keeper and aims the ball into an empty net with the opposing defender making all efforts to clear the ball off the line, on grass he would slide for that extra length to stop the ball going into the net, on 3G would the defender consider sliding to stop the ball or would he be thinking of a massive grass burn so lets the ball in ? Now is that what we want, it will take all the excitement away from the game.

 

Its all about finance as everyone has said. If a club can master up the funds required then possibly a good idea, but I can't see it happening certainly at non-league level. Would under soil heating be cheaper to install than 3G but then would that be worth it for using it for a few weeks !

 

Also 3G pitches has been known to bring us injuries especially twists and ligamentation ones.

 

 

.

Edited February 12, 2012 by NICE GUY

[duncs]

Have you ever been on a 3g its unbelievable how close to real glass it is and all this Bollix about attracting players will even itself out if the pitches are all alike whats wrong with having a level playing field who wants to kick up the slope or down the slope its sh1te and you all know it...bite.

[Ace1]

Have you ever been on a 3g its unbelievable how close to real glass it is and all this Bollix about attracting players will even itself out if the pitches are all alike whats wrong with having a level playing field who wants to kick up the slope or down the slope its sh1te and you all know it...bite.

Duncs, When did YOU last play on a 3G pitch? When the tempreture was approaching freezing?

[duncs]

last week and you wouldn't believe it was -5

[sparksy]

Windsor were looking at this idea but decided to go for 3g pitches on the training ground behind the main pitch. I may be wrong but i'm sure one of the problems was that you cant play in the F.A. Cup on 3g pitches. Not totally against it but like its been said above theres a lot of outlay to get them up and running.