Former Everton and Aston Villa CEO Keith Wyness has suggested Man United will not be able to follow Tottenham’s blueprint and build a multi-use sports stadium because of their location.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the envy of the Premier League, with the venue not only being able to preserve the atmosphere at the old White Hart Lane in far greater capacity but also being able to host other events thanks to a retractable pitch.
The stadium regularly hosts NFL, other sporting events and concerts and those have certainly helped the club’s bottom line, with Tottenham posting a record matchday income of £117m last term.
Other clubs are now trying to follow suit, with Everton in the process of building a new stadium while Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also spoken about his plans to regenerate Old Trafford and convert it into a world-class venue (BBC Sport).
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the best around
However, Wyness pointed out that the advantage of being in London is why it made sense for Tottenham to build a multi-use venue, suggesting that clubs in the North East do not have the same luxury.
When asked if Man Utd will try to do something similar to Spurs, he told Football Insider: “There’s no doubt that Tottenham’s stadium is a fantastic asset. It was built as a revenue generator. Allowing the NFL to play there, for example, takes a lot of planning.
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“Everton’s stadium will probably be the best for football in England – but Spurs’ ground is truly a multi-sports stadium. There’s no doubt that the vision was incredible.
“I don’t know if every club can build a stadium like that, because sports like the NFL probably wouldn’t go to the north-west or the Midlands.
“There’s no point putting that expense and structure in place. But other sports like boxing and concerts have to be the focus for clubs looking to build new grounds.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Being in London is certainly a huge reason why the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is quickly becoming the go-to venue in the country for major concerts and other sporting events. The number of these events at the venue will only continue to grow over the next few years.
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