Arsenal explores the potential of Emirates Stadium expansion
Arsenal is the latest club to begin the process of analyzing the costs and benefits of stadium expansion at the Emirates. Recently, top clubs in the Premier League and Europe have developed their stadiums to accommodate more fans and develop the matchday experience.
Much of this relates to matchday revenue. In the 2022/23 season, Arsenal earned $133 million from matchday sales. This is below what London rival Tottenham earns at its lavish Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Each game, Spurs earn around $8 million in matchday revenue. Granted, much of this stems from the competitions each team plays in. For example, Arsenal expects to earn an additional $20 million from playing in the Champions League. Regardless, this can still be more.
As a result, Arsenal wants to increase the overall experience or the matchday capacity at the Emirates. Unfortunately for the club, there is no clear route to achieve that goal. Based on the stadium’s construction, it is hard to construct a new stand or build upon what already exists. That is what Liverpool did at Anfield to usurp the honor of the fourth-biggest stadium in the Premier League based on capacity.
One area that the club could change is the number of boxes and suites at the Emirates. There are 146 executive boxes at the Emirates, which is nearly twice as many as Tottenham. While that does make for more lavish experiences, Tottenham took a different route. Spurs recognized that many executives prefer to spend their time at games in hospitality lounges, not in boxes. There is a case where Arsenal turns some of these boxes into increased general seating to bump up its overall capacity. Also, Arsenal is working to improve the catering options in the stadium including tripling the size of the kitchen.
Is the Emirates Stadium due for an expansion?
The Emirates is not an old stadium by any means, as Arsenal moved into the ground in 2006. At the time, it was the third-biggest stadium in England behind the old Wembley Stadium and Old Trafford. Now, the Emirates barely cracks the top five in terms of Premier League stadium capacity. It is not even in the top two largest stadiums for Premier League clubs in London. Tottenham has shown the potential of what upgrades can do for matchday revenue.
Strictly in food and drink, Tottenham earns $1.5 million in sales at every game. That is because the stadium has great bars and restaurants within it, making it a true experience for fans even outside of watching their favorite team play. That must be the goal for Arsenal, as capacity expansion is not a cost-effective measure to raise the matchday revenues. Lowering the pitch and building seats closer to the field is a common measure to increase capacity. That is not an option for Arsenal because of the sightlines that exist at the stadium.
For now, there are no concrete plans for stadium expansion, but there are some to benefit the matchday experience. Revenues should also continue to rise with Arsenal’s appearances in the UEFA Champions League.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.