In what could be seen as a major boost for Liverpool, the club have been given permission to expand Anfield’s capacity to 61,000 for their upcoming match against Burnley. Liverpool City Council’s ground safety advisory group approved the club’s application for a fourth provisional safety certificate after inspecting the works at the Anfield road end. This movement still allows 2,421 spectators to the upper layer of the modified standard.
Approval is the goal of reaching 61,000 in the club, and the stadium capacity was obtained tomorrow at 60,725. With Anfield’s previous league record attendance of 58,757 for a 2-2 draw with Chelsea in 1949, a match against Vincent Kompany’s side could attract a record number. The development could help the Reds surpass £100 million ($126 million) in matchday revenue by the end of the 2024/25 season. After a £120 million ($152 million) renovation of the main stand in 2016, the £80 million ($102 million) stand upgrade has seen Anfield’s capacity increase by 34% over the last eight years.
The expansion has significantly increased revenue streams and made Anfield a world-class venue capable of hosting major events such as Taylor Swift’s sold-out three-night concert this summer.The Main Stand upgrade added around 8,500 seats to Anfield’s capacity. Including the additional 7,000 seats gained from the Anfield Road End redevelopment, this represents a total increase of 15,500 seats. The expansion is expected to boost matchday revenue beyond Liverpool’s target of 100 million pounds ($126 million) over two years.
When Fenway Sports Group (FSG) took over Liverpool, a major decision was whether to stay at Anfield or look for a new purpose-built stadium elsewhere in the city. Various options were considered, but ultimately it was decided to stick with the club’s spiritual home and adapt the stadium to the owners’ anticipated revenue potential. When FSG took over the club 13 years ago, matchday revenue at the end of the 2010/2011 financial year was £40.9 million ($51.7 million).
A quick look at the latest accounts for the year ending May 2022 shows that the club’s matchday revenue has doubled to £86.8m ($109.7m) despite increasing capacity by about 18%. The £114 million (US$144 million) Main Stand redevelopment was completed in 2016, adding 8,500 seats and significantly expanding corporate services, significantly increasing Liverpool’s revenue.
Matchday revenue rose by almost 18% year-on-year, from £62.4m ($78.9m) in the 2015/16 financial year to £73.5m ($92.8m of dollars) in the 2016/17 financial year. Match day revenue has increased by 39% since the Main Stand closed.The project suffered an unexpected setback before the start of this season when its former construction partner, the Buckingham Group, filed for bankruptcy. The club had to put the project on hold and find a successor, Rainer Rowan, to complete the work.
With capacity reduced from 50,000 to 54,000 at the start of the season, Liverpool suffered a financial hit, potentially losing up to £750,000 ($948,000) in revenue per match. With Champions League football likely to increase next season and extra crowds expected for Premier League home games and domestic cup competitions, these extra crowds will help meet ticket demand and increase revenue. This could mean a surge in transfers for the Anfield boss in the coming years.
