Matchday income will make a difference

NEW STADIUM TALK


2014/15 Matchday Income (£ million)
Manchester United 87
Manchester City 43
Arsenal 100
Chelsea 71
Liverpool 57
Tottenham Hotspur 41

These figures have increased with price rises and Liverpool building a new stand for which they have been unable to find a sponsor. Commercially London is more attractive, it is more attractive to players and tickets cost more in London.

Just look at the matchday income of Arsenal, nearly two and a half times ours. A new stadium will bridge that gap.

If you consider clubs income, you'll see that on match day income alone we will make a significant leap towards Liverpool. Based on Arsenal figures we would generate £59m more income per season and there will be commercial sponsorship on top of that.

Total Income (£ million)
Manchester United 395
Manchester City 353
Arsenal 331
Chelsea 320
Liverpool 298
Tottenham Hotspur 191

We are looking at possibly £15m  a season from naming rights and perhaps the same again from commercial deals. That would give us an extra income of £89m taking us to £280. The stadium is far more than just accommodating extra fans, it takes us a leap from the rest and a leap closer to the rich five.

While the stadium will still have to be paid for, a calendar of commercial sponsorship deals will hopefully take some of the pressure off. The aim is not to have he length of frugality that Arsenal had to endure.

If the commercial deals can be found and a big commercial naming rights deal to underpin the stadium cost then we will hopefully be in a position to increase our wage bill. The Champions League is won each season by a club with a top six wage bill.

How soon that can happen after we have opened the stadium we will have to wait and see but it will be determined by how successful we are off the pitch, commercially.