Although unconfirmed by official club channels, the move comes amid concerns that regenerating the Mags’ existing home would prove too difficult, leading NUFC to move away from the idea entirely, with the new stadium having no overlap with St James’, as stated by The Mail.
Premier League profit and sustainability rules are reported to be a key motivation behind the switch, with COO Brad Miller suggesting a fresh development would allow Newcastle to more easily navigate regulations. This follows the club’s forced sales of promising young talent in Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to avoid breaches.
Premier League profit and sustainability rules are reported to be a key motivation behind the switch
With 65,000 seats, the Leazes Park site may become the league’s second largest, pipping both West Ham’s London Stadium and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to the number two spot. Old Trafford remains the largest in England, although the Red Devils’ ownership have recently announced a new ground of their own.
Moving grounds has proved lucrative for many clubs in England and worldwide, with Tottenham’s new North London stadium allowing them to attain the highest matchday revenue in the country at £4.8m per home game. This excludes revenue from other cultural events, including concerts, NFL games and stadium tours.
Despite certain financial benefits, the topic has proved controversial amongst many fan groups owing to the connection supporters and their historic grounds. The West Ham takeover of London’s Olympic Stadium in particular resulted in massive backlash despite its financial success. Complaints regarding a lack of atmosphere compared to the Hammers’ historic home at Upton Park have been ever-present since the 2016 switch.
The West Ham takeover of London’s Olympic Stadium in particular resulted in massive backlash despite its financial success
Commercial success isn’t a given when it comes to new footballing real estate, though. Costs involved in the building of Everton’s Bramley Moor saw the Merseyside club hit with a series of FFP-related points deductions. The Toffees have been threatened with relegation ever since, although Newcastle’s ownership will no doubt be confident of avoiding such complications, being among the world’s richest.
The Courier will continue to follow new developments regarding the prospective Leazes Park stadium.