Plans to redevelop Elland Road have moved a step closer, as Leeds United seek to expand their stadium.
Elland Road was built and opened in 1897, and has been the home of Leeds United since 1919. It is one of the largest stadiums in England, and was one of the venues when the country hosted the 1996 European Championship.
Daniel Farke has once again had a great start to the season; after losing multiple key players in the summer, Leeds United are still in the running for promotion. The Whites are in third place in the Championship and have lost just one game since the middle of August.
Status of Elland Road plans
Leeds United v Southampton Sky Bet Championship General view of a Leeds United badge outside the stadium before the Sky Bet Championship match at Elland Road, Leeds Copyright: xKarlxVallantinex FIL-20110-0001
In October 2019, there were plans for a stadium expansion under managing director Angus Kinnear. Elland Road would be expanded from its current capacity of 37,645 to 53,000.
Expansion of the stadium would normally mean that there would be more tickets. But Angus Kinnear has revealed that most of the new seats in the stadium will be for premium hospitality:
“There’s no hiding from the fact that increasing the number of premium seats will be part of the plan. That’s why all of the planning applications that are currently underway are for the West Stand and the North Stand.” Kinnear said speaking on The Square Ball podcast.
“The vision at the moment is the North Stand wouldn’t have any hospitality at all, and the West Stand would have an increase in hospitality. You cannot fund a stadium build just on GA seats. You need premium seats in there. And I think there will also be a bigger spread of premium seats.”
Leeds currently have 26,000 people on the waiting list for season tickets.
“One of the things that Leeds United doesn’t have very many of — it’s got the Bremner [suite], I think — is a base level of, in industry terms, premium GA, but it’s effectively a GA seat which has an element of hospitality on it, but actually is a huge step up for supporters.
“And at both West Ham and Arsenal, we found lots and lots of existing season ticket holders were prepared to step up into premium general admission to get a better located seat and access to a bar.”
With the aim of promotion to the Premier League, and possible expansion of the stadium, the Leeds United squad will need to be improved. The Whites are looking to sign this free agent as they challenge for the league title.
