Arsenal seek to increase the capacity of the club’s Emirates Stadium home, according to a new report from the Daily Telegraph.
The Gunners moved from Highbury Stadium to the 60,000-seater Emirates in 2006; plans are now in place to expand further, boosting revenues and meeting ever-increasing demand.
North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur recently underwent a stadium move of their own, increasing their capacity to just shy of 63,000, while West Ham United’s London Stadium also surpasses the Emirates in terms of the number of seats.
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Arsenal want to give Emirates Stadium major capacity boost
(Image credit: BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
According to the Telegraph report, Arsenal’s expansion plans would see the stadium capacity exceed 70,000, making it London’s largest club ground.
The move is estimated to generate ‘tens of millions’ in additional revenue annually. It is not expected Arsenal will have any trouble filling their increased capacity stadium once construction is completed given the club’s season ticket waiting list is reportedly in excess of 100,000.
Arsenal fans at the Emirates Stadium (Image credit: Getty Images)
Unlike the Gunners’ Highbury farewell when games were hosted at the historic ground during the construction of the Emirates Stadium, expansion to the club’s current home will most likely require a temporary move, brought about by the challenges associated with increasing capacity in all areas of the ground.
Supposedly, discussions with architects have been ‘positive’, despite the difficulty in expanding on their current site which is surrounded by local residents and major rail transport lines.
It is thought Arsenal’s inspiration comes from Real Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabeu expansion project which took place over the course of five years and was completed last year, at a cost of approximately €1 billion.
Wembley Stadium is the most likely destination to host Arsenal’s home games during the construction process, although a time-frame has not been disclosed at this stage.
The Gunners’ Emirates Stadium is also home to Arsenal Women (Image credit: Getty Images)
According to the groundbreaking report, expansion could cost £500m, although the likelihood of increased matchday revenue repaying that sum in a matter of seasons is high. Real Madrid, for example, doubled their matchday earnings following the Bernabeu’s revamp.
“Arsenal have not yet reached the stage of seeking planning permissions, and are conscious of the various legal and planning hurdles that would have to be overcome,” the Telegraph add.
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