European football clubs score with stadium rebuilds
In the once abandoned docks of Liverpool, a key British port, Everton fans flock to restaurants and pubs at their clubs fresh stadium before a Premier League fixture.
Throughout Europe, as earnings from crucial domestic TV broadcast agreements level off or drop sharply, leading football sides are either overhauling traditional venues or constructing bigger new arenas.
This approach boosts income through enhanced hospitality options, sponsorship opportunities and higher ticket revenues, including for high end seats, as outlined in a fresh UEFA report on European football.
For powerhouses like Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint Germain and the Milan duo, these expensive ventures are vital to holding onto their status as the globes wealthiest outfits.
For teams such as Leeds United in northern England and Spains Getafe, expanding facilities is crucial to remaining viable in top divisions where transfer costs and wages soar.
Major overhaul
Everton shifted in August to their 800 million pound (1.1 billion dollar) Hill Dickinson Stadium following 133 years at Goodison Park.
"It represents such a significant improvement," said 71 year old Everton fan Dave Brown to AFP while gearing up to see the Toffees face Burnley in a venue holding nearly 53,000 spectators, up from under 40,000 at Goodison.
"Sadly, Goodison Park felt worn out, with several spots offering poor views of the entire field," the lifelong Everton supporter remarked.
Supporters of all ages, dressed in the teams blue jerseys, showed up three hours early for the evening start at the riverside stadium facing the River Mersey, savouring meals, beverages and tunes, including at the open air Budweiser Plaza.
"This gives us the chance to turn it into a year round destination," explained Colin Chong, Evertons head of real estate and regeneration, to AFP. The north west England side plans to host global sports events, business meetings and live shows in a venue designed with sustainability targets and superior sound quality in mind.
"Had we stayed put, we couldnt have executed the expansion strategies essential for the club to challenge at elite levels once more," Chong noted.
Everton has locked in a naming rights agreement with local legal firm Hill Dickinson, valued at around 10 million pounds annually.
The development is also revitalising nearby districts by drawing in fresh housing along with upgraded shops and entertainment spots.
TV revenue shifts
Upgrading stadiums "is gaining extra relevance due to the evolving landscape of TV media rights," Manuel Gutierrez, vice president for European asset finance at Morningstar DBRS, shared with AFP.
The Premier League clinched a landmark 6.7 billion pound domestic package to air live matches from this campaign until 2028/2029.
That said, the uplift was modest against prior pacts, owing to factors like reduced rivalry among bidders and rising online piracy.
In broader Europe, outcomes vary, with Spains La Liga gaining a steady rise in its upcoming home TV rights contract, whereas Frances Ligue 1 has faced a sharp income plunge, in part due to PSGs on field supremacy.
Sides pursuing large scale stadium projects are adapting too to shifting supporter behaviours, per Gutierrez.
"Fans today crave more optional expenditures, and football enthusiasts desire extended stays at the grounds," he observed.
Tottenham Hotspurs relocation to a new arena in 2019 has seen the London teams ticket earnings leap over 300 percent in the 11 years to 2025, fuelled by luxury, VIP and hospitality offerings, as per UEFA.
Grand renovations
Evertons local competitors Liverpool wrapped up a substantial Anfield expansion a year back, pushing capacity beyond 61,000.
Further east in the city, Manchester United eyes a 2 billion pound build for 100,000 attendees.
In Spain, Real Madrid and Barcelona finished 1.5 billion euro (2 billion dollar) makeovers at the Bernabeu and Camp Nou.
These efforts boosted their asset values by over 100 million euros each, matching Evertons uplift, UEFA reports.
AC Milan and Inter Milan are reworking the San Siro, while PSG plots a new build potentially topping the Stade de Frances 80,000 seats.
Still, no matter the venues quality, a fans enjoyment "hinges largely on the match result," Brown pointed out.
Evertons 2 0 victory over Burnley marked their initial home win at the new site this season.