LEEDS UNITED are back in the Premier League and they want to make sure they’re back with a bang.
That doesn’t just mean staying afloat and ticking along, that means showing that they belong in the big leagues – both on and off the pitch.
Leeds United are ready to embark on a major transformation of their iconic Elland Road stadium[/caption]
Leeds plan to increase their capacity by over 15,000 with the project[/caption]
Leeds have long been considered one of the biggest clubs in English football, but after spending just three of the last 20 years in the Premier League, that reputation has slowly faded away for the masses.
But with Daniel Farke at the helm and a new-look ownership group pumping cash into the club, Leeds are ready to earn back their reputation and settle back into life at the top.
Last season’s 100-point tally proved Leeds could be a force to be reckoned with on their Prem return this season, with struggling top flight clubs likely looking over their shoulder.
Now the club want to redevelop their iconic Elland Road stadium to ramp up one of the fiercest atmospheres in football by adding thousands of new voices on the terraces with a capacity increase of over 15,000.
HISTORIC ELLAND ROAD
Elland Road remains one of English football’s most iconic stadiums, 128 years on from when it was first opened in 1897.
The home of Leeds since their inception in 1919, Elland Road has undergone six renovations and nine expansions over the years.
The first expansion came all the way back in 1905, when the stadium was being used by Leeds City FC, who spent £1,050 building a 5,000 capacity main stand.
Further expansions have come down the years with the addition of the South-East corner – affectionately nicknamed “the cheese wedge” due to its distinctive yellow seats – in 1991 and the construction of a 17,000-capacity two-tier East Stand in 1993.
Despite a record attendance of 57,892 back in the 60s, Leeds – like many clubs – were forced to become an all-seater stadium in 1994 following the Taylor Report, leaving their current capacity at 37,645.
That capacity makes it the 12th largest in the Premier League, but Leeds fans will tell you that they are a MUCH bigger club than the 12th biggest.
Elland Road looked very different back in 1974[/caption]
The stadium used to hold far more than its 37,645 strong capacity when fans were able to stand[/caption]
Elland Road was even used as a host stadium for Euro 96[/caption]
WHY NOW?
Leeds are ready to jump up that list of stadiums with their upcoming planned expansion, but why do it right now?
Well, their return to the Premier League is certainly one factor. With promotion to the top flight meaning they are earning huge TV and commercial money after rejoining the elite.
While the new ownership, 49ers Enterprises, have got huge ambition for where the club can go in the future.
The American ownership group is led by Jed York, who is the owner of NFL giants the San Francisco 49ers and recently completed a takeover of Scottish titans Rangers.
The 49ers have outlined how they want take Leeds to the “next level” since taking over at the Yorkshire club – making improvements to the stadium is no small part of that.
Perhaps most importantly is that Leeds remain one the biggest clubs in England, despite their turbulent times over the last 25 years.
That means their loyal fanbase are still desperate to get their hands on tickets, leading to an astonishing season ticket waiting list in excess of 28,000 PEOPLE.
The club want to maximise the revenue they can extract by getting more fans through the turnstiles and into the stadium, while also helping better Elland Road’s already electric atmosphere with more supporters in the stands.
One other reason that the expansion is happening now is that Leeds have only recently regained ownership of Elland Road after 13 years of leasing the ground.
Leeds United were forced to sell the stadium on a lease-back deal back in 2004 after their relegation from the Premier League amid dire financial troubles.
ELLAND ROAD REDEVELOPMENT
All that has led to Leeds making the announcement in May that they are moving ahead with plans to redevelop and expand Elland Road to be a state-of-the-art 53,000-seat stadium.
That jump of some 15,355 seats will make Elland Road the eighth biggest stadium in England upon completion, gazumping the capacity of Everton‘s new Hill Dickinson Stadium and trailing right behind the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City.
Leeds say that the ground will be “a Premier League stadium, for a Premier League club”, doubling down on where they feel they belong in the football pyramid.
The project sets out plans to revitalise the West and North stands of the ground as well as potentially making changes to the South Stand in the future.
The architectural firm KSS Group, who helped redevelop the main stand at Anfield, have been put in charge of the designs.
Those plans detail how the John Charles West Stand, currently just one tier, will be reimagined into a three-tier stand that will become the largest section of the ground.
While the Don Revie North Stand, also known as the Kop, is going to become a two-tiered stand with a significantly increased capacity.
Leeds want to ensure that they don’t lose their intimidating atmosphere when they make the changes and have even enlisted the help of “acoustic consultants” to make the ground as loud as possible.
An overhanging canopy will double as shelter for fans and a method of locking in the bellowing sound from the supporters in the stands to make the stadium one of the “worst” places to play for rival clubs.
Paraag Marathe, the club chairman, said: “The main thing is to protect the magic and electricity that is in Elland Road.
“Players of other clubs, if they are going to list the three worst places that they want to play on the road for an away match, Elland Road is probably one, two, or three for them. I don’t want to take that away.”
The 49ers have also put importance on maintaining Elland Road’s traditional look instead of swapping it out for a soulless modern facade.
Initial concept images show that a stonework exterior will give the stadium an old school feel that retains the spirit of such a historic ground.
Fans can look forward to improvements on the concourse too with the club promising a “diverse range of spaces and experiences” that will “encourage early arrivals and extended stays”.
Leeds United unveiled concept images of the new-look stadium[/caption]
The exterior is keeping a classic look[/caption]
Redeveloped stands will add over 15,000 seats to the ground[/caption]
The capacity is expected to reach 53,000[/caption]
TIMESCALE?
It’s clear that Leeds aren’t planning on cutting any corners with this ambitious project, so don’t expect to see them playing in front of 53,000 fans this season.
While no exact end date has been set in stone, reports have claimed that they are hoping to complete the project by late 2030 – giving them just over five years to wrap things up.
It’s expected that the West Stand’s increase from 8,000 seats to 17,750 will be completed by 2028, with the redeveloped North Stand’s increase from 10,401 to 15,300 being targeted for the 2030 end date.
This phased approach is down to Leeds trying to cause as little disruption as possible as they continue to play in the stadium rather than finding a temporary home during construction.
However, it could mean that there will be periods of decreased capacity and limited access during the process, while it also slows down the speed of construction.
COST?
Leeds are yet to put an official figure on just how much these plans are going to cost, but it has been estimated between £100million and £150m off the back of similar redevelopments such as Liverpool’s £100m Anfield Road project.
Fans who are concerned about Leeds falling into another financial crisis can rest assured that 49ers Enterprises have insisted costs will be spread over large instalment periods using manageable structured debt and their own equity.
One big outlay for the club will be the purchase of council-owned land that surrounds the stadium in order to expand outwards onto the grounds.
With huge redevelopments and big changes to hospitality areas and the general admission facilities, it’s no doubt that the project will be expensive.
Leeds are already understood to have spent around £10m on the planning process, including architectural designs and permission applications.
Liverpool’s Anfield Road stand expansion cost around £100m[/caption]
IS IT WORTH IT?
Whenever any business or football club invests so heavily there always has to be a long-term upside.
For Leeds, it’s the idea of increased revenue further down the line.
Put simply, more bums on seats means more money.
Leeds reported a total matchday revenue of £30.6m during the 2023/24 season, and an increase in capacity is only going to help increase those numbers.
In the simplest terms, you can increase that figure by 40 per cent – the same percentage increase of the capacity.
Doing so would mean Leeds could earn around £42.8m per season from gate receipts once the work is complete, and that’s without considering the potential increase in hospitality packages and other offerings.
However, the cash flow won’t stop there either.
Leeds have also submitted plans to host eight “non footballing” events per year, boosting their income even more with the prospect of concerts and shows in the offseason.
And their improvements will also make Elland Road a Category 4 Uefa stadium, meaning it can host major European matches and international football.
Intangibles such as the connection to the city and fans by allowing more season tickets, further improving the atmosphere and backing up their status as a big club are also benefits that make the hefty investment worth it.
Leeds will be hoping to increase their gate revenue by adding another 15,000 fans inside the stadium[/caption]
FUTURE PLANS
Leeds are exploring the possibility of also making improvements to their South Stand after they were actually granted planning permission to increase Elland Road to 56,500.
Their current plans detail an increase to just 53,000, but they are currently undergoing a consultation process with fans and local residents about the potential of going one step further.
Leeds City Council have also launched a public consultation into a 20-year regenerative project that would see 2,000 new homes built around the stadium in the Beeston area.
The council have described it as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity of national significance”.
Leeds United are already working with the council to improve infrastructure in the local area with plans for a White Rose rail station and updates and changes to Leeds Station.
Crucially, Leeds feel that the stadium’s redevelopment will help them rub shoulders with the biggest clubs in the country, and Europe, returning to the top of the game where they once so proudly sat in their heyday.
Leeds City Council have announced ambitious plans to add 2,000 homes in the area[/caption]
The project would take 20 years to complete[/caption]
The council have called the plans ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity of national significance’[/caption]
Concept images show what the plans could look like[/caption]
