Source:REUTERS/TONY O BRIEN
[Saba Sports News] According to UK media reports, Arsenal is considering multiple revenue-increasing plans. Among them, a new stadium catering contract is expected to generate at least an additional £500,000 in revenue for the club on each matchday. It is understood that Arsenal’s current catering contract with Delaware North is set to expire next summer. This 20-year contract was signed in 2006 when the club was facing financial strain due to the construction of their new stadium, and Arsenal had previously even attempted to buy out this contract. Currently, four companies, including Delaware North, are bidding for the new contract. The flexible structure of the new contract is expected to bring greater profits to the club. Regarding stadium expansion, although fans hope to increase the capacity to over 70,000, the high costs and the necessity to relocate from their home ground for two years make it difficult to achieve. A more feasible plan is to emulate the ‘Wembley Club’ model by converting existing executive boxes into more open hospitality areas. This move is expected to add nearly 2,000 seats at a cost of approximately £100 million, significantly lower than the over £500 million required for a full expansion, and the team would not need to relocate.