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Maximising stadia revenue Matthew Birchall, Global Sports Sector & Entertainment Sector Lead, BuroHappold


In the wake of growing competition and financial commitments, football stadium managers need to be able to extract maximum value from their stadia. In this article Matthew Birchall, BuroHappold’s Global Sports Sector & Entertainment Sector Lead, considers how stadium managers can continue to draw fans in and keep revenue flowing.


To many football supporters their team’s stadium has always been, and will always be, like a second home. From the Premier League to non-league there are those who would never dream of missing a Saturday afternoon at their chosen place of worship. However, today there is more competition


than ever to secure fans’ interest. Clubs are under pressure to keep revenue coming in as it becomes increasingly easy for people to watch elsewhere. Financial problems such as those experienced by Bolton and Bury are of real concern, and not just for lower league clubs. A stadium can prove to be either a vital asset or an expensive drain on resources. The difference is in how it is utilised.


Collaborative approach


A concerted effort is needed to ensure fans – and their families and friends – choose the stadium as the place to spend their money on a matchday, both before and during the game. New technology, improved design capabilities


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and use of data are all vital tools in this battle. Clubs need to provide a destination, and not just a venue. For new builds, this mentality should be at the forefront of design work, but it relies on a very clear brief to be successful. Take the


highest profile recent example,


the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is designed to provide a high-quality fan experience. Modern bars are carefully designed for efficiency, cutting serving time and therefore increasing revenue. A wide variety of food and beverage facilities are provided, each carefully considered in terms of target demographics and potential return on investment for the club. This enables fans to personalise their experience, increasing dwell time, reducing queuing time and leading to increased revenues. Pitchside, the focus has been on enhancing the atmosphere during the game, creating a cauldron of noise within the home end which both boosts fan experiences and provides a benefit to the home team.


Variety of revenue streams


The diversity of use Tottenham offers is also key to boosting its revenue generation. The retractable pitch, which splits apart to reveal an NFL playing surface, will bring American Football fans to the stadium for the next decade – providing additional sell- out nights every year. The venue was designed for NFL from the outset rather than being


a compromised overlay as is the case in Wembley, with the resulting experience expected to be unlike any seen in the UK before. Increasing utilisation is a key challenge for


all sports stadia, with flexibility of the venue – and its ability to operate in a variety of modes for a wide range of events – being fundamental. Improving services and audio- visual technology can attract concerts, con- ferences and other events, and with them, an additional revenue stream. The London Sta- dium, for example, was designed to facilitate a programme of events that is now the envy of many other stadium managers and operators. A key insight from comparing Tottenham and the London Stadium is the need to balance flexibility and ease of transition with cost and potential return on investment.


The importance of preparation Not all clubs can invest in such lavish facilities, and maximising the performance of a stadium’s assets within a tight budget is an ongoing challenge for most clubs. Partnering arrangements with permanent or semi-permanent overlays can both improve utilisation and enhance experiences, and these can be applied both at the brief-definition stage and as a means of enhancing an existing venue. Similarly, there are opportunities and challenges faced by clubs in different divisions – is your stadium Premiership-ready, instance.


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Photo Credit: BuroHappold Engineering


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