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Consultation on Seated and Standing Accommodation at Football League Matches Contents CONSULTATION ON SEATED AND STANDING ACCOMMODATION AT FOOTBALL LEAGUE MATCHES CONTENTS Executive Summary ..............................................3 Scope .....................................................................4 Background ...........................................................5 Legislation and Regulations ................................7 What is Rail Seating? ...........................................9 Standing in modern stadia ................................10 Case Studies .......................................................12 The Public Debate ..............................................14 The Process for Change ....................................16 Considerations for Clubs ...................................18 Implementing Rail Seating .................................19 Questions for Clubs ...........................................21 List of References ..............................................22 All-Seater/Rail Seating Questionnaire ..............23 December 2013 Football League Operations Centre Edward VII Quay, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YF Tel: 0844 826 5188 Football League Commercial Office 30 Gloucester Place, London W1U 8FL Tel: 0844 826 3103 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Football League Clubs have requested that The Football League review the ‘all-seater’ stadia requirement in the second tier of English football and investigate the issue of ‘rail seating’. This document sets out the current legislative, public policy and regulatory framework and what steps would be required for a change to the law. It also invites Football League Clubs to comment on what change, if any, Clubs would like to see to the current regulations and to Government policy. The Football League has a long history of leading Taking the motions passed at the 2013 Chairmen’s innovation within football. In this The League’s Conference and in the February meeting of 125th year, we can look back on such ground Championship clubs, this document explores what breaking changes as three points for a win and might be possible and the options open to clubs. the introduction of the Play-Offs, through to In particular, the current rules relating to clubs more current initiatives such as Financial Fair promoted to the Championship from League 1, new Play. In looking at the re-introduction of standing rail seating products and their licensing as well as accommodation, The League must seek not only the conditions in which clubs with an all-seated to innovate but also recognise the raw emotion stadia might be allowed to re-introduce standing that this issue can evoke for many people. The accommodation. Hillsborough Stadium disaster of 1989 was an appalling tragedy and still casts a shadow over our The issues tackled here are unique to The Football game to this day, and the memory of the 96 football League, as it is within our competition that the fans that lost their lives must be respected. line is currently drawn with regards to stadia regulations. However any changes may require In analysing the possibility of introducing any further consultation within the professional game. new design, such as rail seating, within football grounds it should be noted that one size does The questions that are posed here are intended not fit all and that terraced standing areas have to clarify what change, if any, clubs would like to continued to operate safely at many League 1 see to the current regulations and to Government and League 2 grounds to this day. In seeking any policy. In making a collective decision clubs should re-introduction of standing accommodation in be aware that the greater the change demanded, larger capacity stadia, clubs should be aware that the more difficult it will be to secure. However the political climate is unlikely to allow a blanket through the answers and feedback it should regulation that will give a complete freedom to produce a clearer picture to take to policy makers choose for each individual circumstance. and to make the desired progress. This document also looks in depth at rail seating and seeks to address the case both for and against. It also examines the legislation and regulation that covers seating in stadia. It goes on to cover how that might be changed in particular noting that changing Government policy is ultimately a matter for Ministers. 3 1.SCOPE This document seeks to address the resolution passed at The Football League Chairmen’s Conference in June 2013. “Clubs would like the Board of The Football League to review the issue of rail seating and standing in the Championship, find out what progress can be made and the options available. Undertake further evaluation and come back to a quarterly club meeting on how this could be achieved” 1 This motion followed an indicative vote by This document sets out the case for and against Championship Clubs at their February meeting, a change in League regulations, ground licencing following a proposal by Peterborough United. That conditions, public policy and ultimately the law of motion called on The Football League to support the land. Any changes would be applied in Football a trial of rail seating where a club was undertaking League matches in the League Competition and a redevelopment of its ground. Given the large where applicable The Football League Trophy. It is scale building works and costs involved, it may assumed that the rules for the League Cup and The be that a trial is not the most appropriate way to FA Cup would follow the league regulations of the approach the issue of rail seating, and that any home team in any given tie. new regulation should apply to all clubs without a trial period. However, clubs may wish to pursue All Football League clubs are invited to respond the route of introducing limited standing areas to this consultation, which is intended to be at Championship grounds on a trial basis and completed by 24th January 2014. request an amendment to the Football Spectators Act 1989 by statutory instrument to allow such a pilot to take place. 1 Football League Annual General Meeting 7th June 2013 4 2.BACKGROUND Football stadia as they are viewed today looked very different as recently as thirty years ago. In the early days of The Football League there would be no segregation of home and away fans who were able to enter a ground at any point and for the most part move freely within it, and up until the early 1990s most grounds consisted of large standing terraces and ‘paddocks’ with seated accommodation only offered on one or two sides of the ground. Throughout the 1970s the rise of hooliganism all were implemented (the report called for a ban changed crowd management at football matches, on parking cars within ¼ mile of the stadium on leading to increased segregation between home a match day to allow emergency vehicle access) and away fans within grounds. Separately, the low almost all of its objectives are now in place in levels of investment in new stadia had led to the modern day regulations. industry carrying a large stock of dilapidated and run-down football grounds. In 1989, the Government published the Football Spectators Act which would have a profound In 1975 the first ever “Green Guide” written by impact on the way people watched the game from the Football Licencing Authority was published within grounds. The Act introduced a number on safety at sports stadia following the 1971 of measures, some which were never enforced Ibrox stadium disaster. It would subsequently such as ID cards for supporters and others which be updated throughout the 80s, 90s and the remain in force at games across the country today, most recent version (5th) was published in 2008. including a ban on alcohol consumption in view of However, it would not be until 1989 that the guide the pitch. was given any statutory standing. 1989 was also the year of the Hillsborough Through the 1980s the problems of football stadium disaster and the deaths of 96 football grounds became one for Government policy supporters. The subsequent inquiry and report makers as much for the industry itself. The decade from Lord Justice Taylor called for wholesale also saw the two largest stadium disasters in the changes in the quality of safety management history of domestic English football. within football grounds and set out the framework for future stadium design. In May 1985 a fire in a wooden stand at Valley Parade, Bradford led to the death of 56 home supporters. The subsequent Popplewell Report led to 24 recommendations on stadium safety such as an improvement in stewarding and a ban on stadia being built of combustible materials. Although not 5 2.BACKGROUND The Final Taylor report, published in January 1990, “Apart from comfort and safety, seating concluded that seating was safer than standing has distinct advantages in achieving crowd control. It is possible to have disturbances “It is obvious that sitting for the duration in a seated area and they have occurred, of the match is more comfortable than but with the assistance of CCTV the police standing. It is also safer. When a spectator can immediately zoom in with a camera is seated he has his own small piece of and pinpoint the seats occupied by the territory in which he can feel reasonably trouble-makers as well as the trouble-makers secure. He will not be in close physical themselves. Moreover, if numbered tickets contact with those around him. He will not are issued to named purchasers, the police be jostled or moved about by swaying or have a further aid to identifying miscreants.” 3 surging. Small or infirm or elderly men and women as well as young children are not However the report also predicted that supporters buffeted, smothered or unsighted by larger would become “accustomed and educated”4 to and more robust people as on the terraces. seating areas. Whilst this is true to a large extent, The seated spectator is not subject to persistent standing still needs to be effectively managed at a number of Football League grounds. pressure of numbers behind or around him during the match. He will not be painfully The recommendations in the Taylor Report led to bent double over a crush barrier.” 2 the enforcement of the requirement for all-seater stadia.
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