Manchester City is considering boosting the capacity of the Etihad Stadium to 60,000, and building a new fan zone.
The club announced today that it’s undertaking feasibility studies to develop its fan experience and turn the stadium into a year-round leisure destination.
The studies are looking in to expanding the North Stand, which would add more than 6,000 to the capacity of the huge ground.
Plans for a covered City Square fan zone are also being assessed, which would include food and drink outlets, a new shop and museum, a workspace and an on-site hotel.
It’s part of the Eastlands Regeneration Framework, which hopes to turn this corner of East Manchester into a sport, leisure and entertainment destination.
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Proposals to expand the Etihad Stadium are being considered. Credit: Manchester City
Manchester City wants to introduce new entertainment experiences on both matchdays and non-matchdays.
An expansion to the Residents’ Parking Scheme and also improvements to Metrolink services in the area are currently being implemented.
City Football Group has overseen over £700m of investment into the Etihad Campus and East Manchester since 2008.
The investment has included work on the upcoming Co-op Live arena, which will be the biggest in the UK when it opens next winter.
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Man City said on Twitter: “Today, we are announcing that feasibility studies for the development of an entertainment destination at the Etihad Stadium are underway.”
Featured image: Unsplash
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Freight Island is hosting the UK’s biggest Six Nations fan zone
Danny Jones
Freight Island’s Six Nations fan zone returns for 2025 at the end of this month and we’re so ready for seven weeks of rugby action and a river of Guinness.
The iconic international tournament gets underway on 31 January and so too does Freight Island’s fantastic fan experience, providing an unparalleled level of excitement beyond being inside the stadium.
Set to be even bigger and better than last year, it’s the largest of its kind anywhere in the country because, well, as well as know, Manchester sports fans do it better than anyone.
Promising everything from free pints and prosecco for ticket holders, live music, top-notch scran from Freight’s in-house vendors and more, it’s going to be another year to remember.
The Freight Island Six Nations fan zone is back for 2025. (Credit: Supplied)
Fuel for the sporting action
Launching in time for the first game between France and Wales on the final Friday of the month, the Freight Island Six Nations fan zone will be open for the full duration of the competition, showing all 15 fixtures across a seven-week period.
With the final not until Saturday, 15 March, you’ve got plenty of time to sample all the massive Manchester venue has to offer this year. Speaking of..
As well as a steady supply of drinks including a self-service Guinness machine, punters will be eligible for a free pint of Freight Island pilsner or a glass of Prosecco with their ticket.
To make things even sweeter, as well as the usual foodie favourites such as Fuku, Mia’s Arepas, Burgerism, Voodoo Ray’s; Mega Gyros, Oh! My Cheesecake and Soft Boi, Scouse chicken connoisseurs Pattersons are launching their brand new ‘American Buffet’. We’re talking proper game-day food.
Every Sunday, they’ll be serving up half-chickens brined and deep fried in their special spice mix, or a vegetarian nut roast, plus an all-you-can-eat sides including sweet potato, corn salsa, tater tots, cheesy grits, home-made corn bread and their famous gravy, all for £18 per tray
You can ever pre-order a full bird ahead of time if you like – consider this the Six Nations answer to Super Bowl-level feasting.
But isn’t all food and drink, of course: Freight Island will also be making sure to keep the energy high no matter what’s going on in the matches with DJs, music from live bands, as well pre and post-match content for you to enjoy. Let us explain.
In addition to sets by the likes of singer-songwriter Neeva Zahra, Paul Eden and other special guests, but they’re also be performances by the Pent Up Pipes band and Dizzy Brasscals to really get the atmosphere going.
Crowd interaction is essential to making these fan zones work, so if bagpipes and a brass band doesn’t get you hyped as the six sporting-mad continental countries go head-to-head for European glory, we don’t what will.
Freight Island have also partnered with The EggChasers rugby union podcast, who will be delivering podcasts live from the building, as well as fan content before and after the whistle, meaning you can also get involved if you fancy yourself an armchair expert.
Dizzy Brasscals is the best band name we’ve heard in ages. (Credit: Supplied)
Once again, the tournament last for a good month and a half, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy all of the above, as well as all the live rugby on the multiple screens dotted around the venue – including one very big one.
Freight Island opening hours during the Six Nations and throughout February and March are Friday (4pm-12am), Saturday (12pm-12am), and Sunday (12-8pm).
You can book your free tickets HERE and we’ll no doubt see plenty of you there.
Meanwhile over in rugby league, local side Salford Red Devils have found themself in a less than ideal position ahead of the new season after being hit with a new sustainability cap.
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied via Freight Island)
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Manchester United reinstate season ticket of fan with dementia after fury over cancellation
Danny Jones
Manchester United have quickly reinstated the season ticket of a lifelong fan suffering from dementia after it was cancelled following confusion over his attendance.
The Premier League was met with huge backlash this week after a fan account on social media posted a message from a fellow supporter explaining how their grandfather had been stripped of his season ticket for supposedly failing to attend the last five games – only that wasn’t the case at all.
As detailed in the lengthy text shared countless times on X, the elderly fan who not only struggles with the neurological condition but also doesn’t own a mobile phone, has been using a paper ticket with a QR code printed on it ever since the majority of stadiums transitioned to largely digital ticketing systems.
Not only were many quick to point out that e-ticketing can be excluding for fans of a certain age and/or accessibility needs but the result in this instance could have been avoided had they taken into account an issue no doubt many other supporters face week in and week out.
@MUSTChair@MU_ST can you guys investigate this? I am not surprised but this is disgusting behaviour. Granted it's no doubt an automated IT system but the club need to make arrangements for the older/non IT fan
As the message goes on to explain, the QR code itself “hasn’t worked all season” and the stewards have simply been making an exception and letting him in on good faith and discretion, along with the presumption that there may have just been an error during the printing of the ticket.
However, since had and could not be scanned on each of these occasions, there was no real record of his entry on their database whatsoever, meaning that he unknowingly hit the limit of games supporters are allowed to miss before a season ticket can be removed.
As a result, not only was his season ticket of more than 45 years cancelled but his seat was immediately relisted for the ballot and quickly sold to someone else ahead of the Brighton game on Sunday, 21 January – at a now inflated price, no less.
Understandably, United supporters and various other clubs were left shocked by the error of the club, damning the decision as “shameful” and disgusting”, with many claiming that they are once again turning their back on so-called ‘legacy fans’.
One person replied: “Man United failing in their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act / Equality Act 2010, with regard to reasonable adjustments, and the club is now vulnerable to legal action […] Scandalous that clubs cannot just do the right thing anymore and only see fans as cash cows to exploit and (effectively) abuse as they see fit.”
What’s even more alarming is the worry that this has already or will happen again to other fans in similar situations, as a fellow Red responding to a response from the club reinforced the same concerns, claiming that they were unwilling to make reasonable adjustments for a family member with Alzheimer’s.
I'm the same. My mum has alzheimer's and I can't always go, especially to night matches but it maybe short notice so can't sell ticket. I asked if this could be taken into consideration at the end of the season and they said no. If you miss games then sell your ticket.
Thankfully, as per multiple outlets, the club has now at the very least rectified this particular mistake and although the club’s Director of Supporter Services had been “unhelpful” up until that point, the right steps have finally been taken.
On the other hand, as the original poster wrote following the update, “Good to hear this has now been resolved, but it should never have happened in the first place.”
Moreover, it’s clear that better measures and safeguarding practices need to be put into place when it comes to contingencies like this because although the Premier League has stated a full switch to digital e-tickets must be complete by the end of 2027 at the latest, there will always need to be exceptions.
As for ticket prices themselves, another banner up at Old Trafford after the club adjusted ticket prices and removed concessions across all categories for the remainder of the season – it read: £66 of your debt, not ours”. It’s not the first time fans have already protested since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s tenure began.
“£66 you’re taking the p*ss” sing those protesting behind the banner. There are also chants of “you’re forcing us out.” pic.twitter.com/L34l36uvXk
Daisy Jackson -
12th December 2022 
