Arsenal explore plans to upgrade and expand Emirates Stadium
Yesterday at 06:29 PM
Arsenal have reportedly begun preliminary discussions over boosting the capacity at the Emirates Stadium in a bid to increase their matchday revenue.
The Gunners called Highbury home for over 90 years but had outgrown the venue, which held less than 40,000 fans at the time of its closure.
Arsenal moved into the Emirates in 2006, which boasts a capacity of 60,000.
At the time it was the largest stadium in London until the new Wembley was finished a year later.
The Emirates now stands as the sixth-largest stadium in England behind Wembley, Old Trafford, the London Stadium, Anfield and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
But with every penny paramount in the battle for Premier League supremacy, The Times claims Arsenal will look to increase their match day incomes by expanding the Emirates.
According to the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, Arsenal earned £102.6million in matchday revenue in the 2022/23 season, a significant increase from the £79m they landed in the preceding campaign.
That figure is estimated to crack £120m for last term thanks to Mikel Arteta‘s side enjoying a run to the Champions League quarter-finals, which gave the Gunners two more matchdays.
In comparison, Tottenham’s published accounts in April revealed they made £117.6m in matchday revenue in the 2022/23 season.
Aside from football matches, Tottenham enjoy earnings due to hosting the NFL when it comes to town.
Several big names in the music world have also performed at the venue, including the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Beyonce and Lady Gaga.
With major food and beverage sales at those events, it gives Tottenham a crucial revenue advantage the likes of Arsenal simply cannot compete with.
How Arsenal plan to raise its capacity up from 60,780 will be the big question, with 780 extra seats in 2018 the last major addition to the venue.
The roof of the Emirates was designed to ensure enough sunlight reached the turf, while The Times say there is little to no scope for lowering the pitch due to the impact it will have on sightlines.
Arsenal aren’t the only team who have plans to upgrade their surroundings.
Manchester United have made no secret of their desire to have a new-look Old Trafford, with the club setting up a stadium taskforce to decide whether to build a new ground or improve the current precinct.
Should the taskforce, which features United hero Gary Neville, decide a new stadium is the best path forward, it would see a state-of-the-art 100,000-seater stadium worth an estimated £2billion get built.
But the Trafford Park revamp looks set to happen either way and would feature a vital transport hub along with new premises dedicated to sports, residential, entertainment, business and an education campus.
