March 15, (THEWILL) – As part of proposed stadium redevelopment plans, Manchester United club management, is considering destroying and reconstructing their Old Trafford grounds.
Under the Glazers, United’s stadium has been neglected for years, slipping behind rival Premier League stadiums, which have state-of-the-art facilities.
However, that is about to change as United are close to finding partners for the club’s largest rebuilding project. Each prospective bidder is required to submit three alternative design suggestions.
One of the most ambitious possibilities is a complete overhaul of Old Trafford, which would make it England’s largest football stadium, rivaling Wembley. The capacity is expected to be closer to 90,000, with a second, smaller stadium for women’s and academy games.
If that deal goes through, United will have to figure out where they will play their home games. While White Hart Lane was being dismantled and rebuilt, Tottenham played at Wembley, but it would be logistically impossible for United to travel to London for home games.
In the meanwhile, there is no large-scale facility in the north west that United could use. A ground-share plan would result in a significant reduction in United’s matchday revenue, which is now at least £4.25 million per home game.
An enlargement of Old Trafford’s South Stand, which would require building over the top of a nearby train line and increase capacity to 80,000, is another alternative.
These are two of a set of options being considered at this stage, though United would prefer a phased renovation that would allow them to continue playing at full capacity at Old Trafford.
The proposed refurbishment also entails rethinking the club’s current corporate hospitalist structure, which currently lags behind Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Liverpool.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
