Arsenal are planning on making a major change that could have a significant impact on the club over the coming years.
The Gunners sit pretty at the summit of the Premier League table, as they continue to progress under the tutelage of dynastic manager Mikel Arteta.
Arteta’s side comfortably beat West Ham on Saturday to secure this position in the league heading into the international break, and they’ll hope to retain it come May.
This monumental improvement in the team’s fortunes over recent years has unsurprisingly prompted an increased interest from North London inhabitants, and the club’s hierarchy is now pursuing ways to take advantage of this commercially.
Arsenal planning huge expansion of Emirates Stadium
Many fans have been unable to attend matches at the Emirates in recent years due to the overwhelming demand for tickets.
Gone are the days when the Arsenal ticket exchange would be flooded with spare tickets just hours before a game kicked off.
This is a symptom of delivering a competitive team again, and senior figures within the North London club are seeking a solution.
According to Sam Wallace of the Telegraph, Arsenal are planning a major expansion of the Emirates that could see the stadium’s capacity increase from 60,000 to 70,000.
The Gunners are eager to cater to the increased demand for tickets and make sure they capitalise commercially over the long term.
Given where the stadium is located, there is little room to build outwards, although Arsenal have explored Real Madrid’s situation at the Bernabeu and may look to replicate what the Spanish club did to increase the size of their historic ground.
Arsenal may have to play at Wembley to expand Emirates Stadium
The Telegraph’s report also suggests that Arsenal may have to temporarily play matches at Wembley whilst work is done on the Emirates.
This would, for many fans, be completely unappealing. Tottenham Hotspur were forced to spend almost two full seasons at the national stadium whilst their new ground was built, and this was almost universally felt to be a bleak period for the Lilywhites’ fanbase.
While Wembley can generate exceptional atmospheres when the stadium is split between two fanbases, as a ground where one set of supporters dominate the arena, it fails in this department.
Arsenal playing at England’s home venue for an entire season, whilst competing for major honours, would not only be a dire experience for match-going fans, but could also actively hinder Arteta’s team as they play in a soulless environment.
Logistically, Wembley is also situated in North-West London, and will be significantly more difficult to get to for many Gunners supporters.
While it may be necessary for the expansion of the Emirates, many fans would likely forgo this expansion to avoid spending a season away from home.
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